System and method for providing a lacrosse stick mesh

Abstract

A lacrosse stick mesh is disclosed in which each aperture of the mesh has the form of an extended diamond shape. The extended diamond shape of each aperture has a greater length in a vertical direction than in a horizontal direction. The vertical direction is the direction in which the lacrosse ball is thrown from the pocket of the lacrosse stick mesh. The lacrosse stick mesh has more surface area that is in contact with a lacrosse ball in the vertical direction when the lacrosse ball is in the mesh pocket. When a player swings the lacrosse stick to impart force to the lacrosse ball and throws the lacrosse ball from the mesh pocket, more of the force is imparted to the ball in the vertical direction by the lacrosse stick mesh than would be imparted if the lacrosse stick mesh were formed having prior art aperture shapes.

1 . A lacrosse stick mesh comprising a network of mesh strings that form at least one aperture that has an extended diamond shape. 
   
   
       2 . The lacrosse stick mesh as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the at least one aperture that has an extended diamond shape has a vertical length that is greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length. 
   
   
       3 . The lacrosse stick mesh as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the at least one aperture that has an extended diamond shape has a vertical length that is fifty percent greater than the horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length. 
   
   
       4 . The lacrosse stick mesh as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the lacrosse stick mesh comprises a network of mesh strings that form a plurality of apertures wherein each aperture comprises an extended diamond shape. 
   
   
       5 . The lacrosse stick mesh as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the network of mesh strings comprises a plurality of mesh strings that have a larger vertical component aligned in a vertical direction in which a lacrosse ball is thrown than a corresponding horizontal component aligned in a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction. 
   
   
       6 . The lacrosse stick mesh as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the network of mesh strings form:
 a first plurality of extended diamond shape apertures wherein each aperture has a vertical length that is greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length and wherein an extended portion of each extended diamond shape aperture extends toward a bottom of the extended diamond shape; and   a second plurality of extended diamond shape apertures wherein each aperture has a vertical length that is greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length and wherein an extended portion of each extended diamond shape aperture extends toward a top of the extended diamond shape.   
   
   
       7 . The lacrosse stick mesh as set forth in  claim 6   wherein each aperture of the first plurality of extended diamond shape apertures has a vertical length that is fifty percent greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length; and   wherein each aperture of the second plurality of extended diamond shape apertures has a vertical length that is fifty percent greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length.   
   
   
       8 . The lacrosse stick mesh as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the lacrosse stick mesh comprises a plurality of vertical portions wherein mesh strings in each vertical portion of the lacrosse stick mesh form a plurality of apertures that have an extended diamond shape. 
   
   
       9 . The lacrosse stick mesh as set forth in  claim 4  wherein the lacrosse stick mesh comprises a plurality of horizontal portions wherein mesh strings in each horizontal portion of the lacrosse stick mesh form a plurality of apertures that have an extended diamond shape. 
   
   
       10 . A lacrosse stick head comprising a lacrosse stick mesh that comprises a network of mesh strings that form at least one aperture that has an extended diamond shape. 
   
   
       11 . The lacrosse stick head as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the lacrosse stick mesh comprises at least one aperture that has an extended diamond shape that has a vertical length that is greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length. 
   
   
       12 . The lacrosse stick head as set forth in  claim 11  wherein the lacrosse stick mesh comprises at least one aperture that has an extended diamond shape has a vertical length that is fifty percent greater than the horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length. 
   
   
       13 . The lacrosse stick head as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the lacrosse stick mesh comprises a network of mesh strings that form a plurality of apertures wherein each aperture comprises an extended diamond shape. 
   
   
       14 . The lacrosse stick head as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the network of mesh strings of the lacrosse stick mesh comprises a plurality of mesh strings that have a larger vertical component aligned in a vertical direction in which a lacrosse ball is thrown than a corresponding horizontal component aligned in a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction. 
   
   
       15 . The lacrosse stick head as set forth in  claim 13  wherein the network of mesh strings of the lacrosse stick mesh form:
 a first plurality of extended diamond shape apertures wherein each aperture has a vertical length that is greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length and wherein an extended portion of each extended diamond shape aperture extends toward a bottom of the extended diamond shape; and   a second plurality of extended diamond shape apertures wherein each aperture has a vertical length that is greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length and wherein an extended portion of each extended diamond shape aperture extends toward a top of the extended diamond shape.   
   
   
       16 . The lacrosse stick head as set forth in  claim 15   wherein each aperture of the first plurality of extended diamond shape apertures of the lacrosse stick mesh has a vertical length that is fifty percent greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length; and   wherein each aperture of the second plurality of extended diamond shape apertures of the lacrosse stick mesh has a vertical length that is fifty percent greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length.   
   
   
       17 . A method for manufacturing a lacrosse stick mesh, the method comprising the steps of:
 forming a network of mesh strings; and   forming at least one aperture in the network of mesh strings that has an extended diamond shape.   
   
   
       18 . The method as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 forming at least one aperture in the network of mesh strings that has an extended diamond shape that has a vertical length that is greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length.   
   
   
       19 . The method as set forth in  claim 18  wherein the at least one aperture that has an extended diamond shape has a vertical length that is fifty percent greater than the horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length. 
   
   
       20 . The method as set forth in  claim 17  wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 forming a plurality of apertures in the network of mesh strings wherein each aperture comprises an extended diamond shape.   
   
   
       21 . The method as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 forming in the network of mesh strings a plurality of mesh strings that have a larger vertical component aligned in a vertical direction in which a lacrosse ball is thrown than a corresponding horizontal component aligned in a horizontal direction that is perpendicular to the vertical direction.   
   
   
       22 . The method as set forth in  claim 20  wherein the method further comprises the steps of:
 forming in the network of mesh strings a first plurality of extended diamond shape apertures wherein each aperture has a vertical length that is greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length and wherein an extended portion of each extended diamond shape aperture extends toward a bottom of the extended diamond shape; and   forming in the network of mesh strings a second plurality of extended diamond shape apertures wherein each aperture has a vertical length that is greater than a horizontal length that is perpendicular to the vertical length and wherein an extended portion of each extended diamond shape aperture extends toward a top of the extended diamond shape.