Hockey stick or other sports implement

Abstract

A hockey stick or other sports implement for a player. The hockey stick or other sports implement may comprise a taping guide for guiding application of tape on the hockey stick or sports implement. The taping guide may indicate where to start applying the tape and where to stop applying the tape. The taping guide may indicate a direction in which the tape is to be applied. The taping guide may indicate a pitch of the tape to be wrapped about the hockey stick or sports element. The taping guide may comprise a symbol, gradation or text relating to application of the tape. The hockey stick or sports implement may comprise a blade-taping guide and a handle-taping guide. The hockey stick or other sports implement may have certain stiffness or flexibility characteristics to better accommodate the player's needs.

1 . A hockey stick comprising:
 an elongate member to be held by a hockey player; and   a taping guide for guiding application of tape on the hockey stick.   
     
     
         2 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide indicates where to start applying the tape and where to stop applying the tape. 
     
     
         3 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide indicates a direction in which the tape is to be applied. 
     
     
         4 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide indicates a pitch of the tape to be wrapped about the hockey stick. 
     
     
         5 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide comprises text relating to application of the tape. 
     
     
         6 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide comprises a symbol relating to application of the tape. 
     
     
         7 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide comprises a gradation relating to application of the tape. 
     
     
         8 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the hockey stick comprises a blade and the taping guide is located at the blade. 
     
     
         9 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the elongate member comprises a handle and the taping guide is located at the handle. 
     
     
         10 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide is a first taping guide, the tape is first tape, and the hockey stick comprises a second taping guide for guiding application of second tape on the hockey stick, the second taping guide being spaced apart from the first taping guide. 
     
     
         11 . The hockey stick of  claim 10 , wherein the hockey stick comprises a blade, the elongate member comprises a handle, the first taping guide is located at the blade, and the second taping guide is located at the handle. 
     
     
         12 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide is a graphical taping guide. 
     
     
         13 . The hockey stick of  claim 12 , wherein the graphical taping guide is a printed taping guide. 
     
     
         14 . The hockey stick of  claim 13 , wherein the printed taping guide comprises a sticker adhered on a surface of the hockey stick. 
     
     
         15 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide comprises a decal. 
     
     
         16 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide comprises ink or paint applied directly on a surface of the hockey stick. 
     
     
         17 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide is adhered on a surface of the hockey stick. 
     
     
         18 . The hockey stick of  claim 17 , wherein the taping guide comprises an outer surface configured to bond with the tape such that a bond between the taping guide and the tape is releasable to allow removal of the tape without destroying the taping guide. 
     
     
         19 . The hockey stick of  claim 17 , wherein, when the tape is applied, a bond between the taping guide and the surface of the hockey stick is stronger than a bond between the tape and the taping guide. 
     
     
         20 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein a shape of the taping guide allows the tape to adhesively bond at non-covered regions of a periphery of the hockey stick that are not covered by the taping guide. 
     
     
         21 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , wherein the taping guide is transparent to show an underlying design of the hockey stick through the taping guide. 
     
     
         22 . The hockey stick of  claim 1 , comprising an end cap mountable to the elongate member adjacent a handle. 
     
     
         23 . A hockey stick comprising:
 a blade;   a shaft to be held by a hockey player, the shaft comprising a handle;   a blade-taping guide for guiding application of tape on the blade; and   a handle-taping guide for guiding application of tape on the handle.   
     
     
         24 . A taping guide for a hockey stick, the taping guide comprising:
 an inner surface for interfacing with the hockey stick; and   an outer surface for guiding application of tape on the hockey stick.   
     
     
         25 . A kit for use with a hockey stick, the hockey stick comprising an elongate member to be held by a hockey player, the kit comprising:
 a taping guide for guiding application of tape on the hockey stick; and   an end cap mountable to the elongate member adjacent a handle.   
     
     
         26 . A sports implement comprising:
 an elongate member to be held by a player; and   a graphical taping guide for guiding application of tape on the sports implement.   
     
     
         27 . A sports implement comprising:
 an elongate member to be held by a player;   an end cap mountable to the elongate member adjacent a handle; and   a taping guide for guiding application of tape on the sports implement.   
     
     
         28 . A shaft for a hockey stick, the shaft comprising a handle to be held by a hockey player, the shaft having a cross-section that has a major axis defining a major dimension of the cross-section of the shaft and a minor axis defining a minor dimension of the cross-section of the shaft, the shaft being such that a stiffness of the hockey stick in bending about the major axis of the cross-section of the shaft is lower than 4.35 kN/m. 
     
     
         29 . A shaft for a hockey stick, the shaft comprising a handle to be held by a hockey player, the shaft having a cross-section that has a major axis defining a major dimension of the cross-section of the shaft and a minor axis defining a minor dimension of the cross-section of the shaft, the shaft having an effective cross-sectional area defined as a product of the major dimension and the minor dimension of the cross-section of the shaft, the shaft being such that a ratio of (1) a stiffness of the hockey stick in bending about the major axis of the cross-section of the shaft over (2) a ratio of (i) the effective cross-sectional area of the shaft over (ii) a length of the hockey stick is lower than 1.2 [kN/m]/[cm 2 /m].