Lacrosse head

Abstract

The lacrosse head has a downwardly facing vertex where the curvature of side walls stops extending downward and begins extending upward. When a mesh pocket is attached to the head, the vertex defines the location where the pocket is the deepest. The vertex is located at about the midpoint of the lacrosse head. The vertex causes the lacrosse head to come as close as possible to the 2.75 inch maximum thickness of the entire head. The pocket can be made as deep as possible within the limitation that it must extend below the bottom edge of the lower side rail by less than the minimum diameter of a lacrosse ball. Moving the vertex as close as possible to the scoop shortens the distance the ball must travel from deep in the pocket to leaving the distal end of the scoop. This results in quicker release from the lacrosse head.

1 . An improved lacrosse head, comprising:
 a) a proximally located throat and a distally located scoop, said scoop having a distal edge;   b) a socket proximal of said throat sized to receive a handle having an axis of elongation;   c) upper left and right side walls extending between said throat and scoop, and lower left and right side walls extending between said throat and scoop;   d) said lower side walls extending distally from said throat, extending downwardly away from an extension of said axis until arriving at a lowest vertex and then extending upwardly toward said extension of said axis and merging with said scoop;   e) a mesh attached to said lower side walls and defining a pocket having a lowermost area directly below said vertex;   f) said pocket extending in a proximal to distal direction proximally and distally of a line defining a midpoint of said head, whereby a lacrosse ball supported in said pocket need only travel approximately half a length of said head to depart said head over said distal edge of said scoop.   
     
     
         2 . The lacrosse head of  claim 1 , wherein said pocket has a lowermost extent less than 2.47 inches below a lowermost edge of said vertex. 
     
     
         3 . The lacrosse head of  claim 1 , wherein an entirety of said lower side walls is below said extension of said axis. 
     
     
         4 . The lacrosse head of  claim 1 , wherein an entirety of said scoop is below said extension of said axis. 
     
     
         5 . The lacrosse head of  claim 1 , wherein said vertex is located just proximally of said midpoint of said head. 
     
     
         6 . The lacrosse head of  claim 5 , wherein said midpoint of said head is less than 0.4 inches distal of said vertex. 
     
     
         7 . The lacrosse head of  claim 3 , wherein an entirety of said scoop is below said extension of said axis. 
     
     
         8 . The lacrosse head of  claim 1 , wherein said lower side walls and scoop have holes and said mesh is attached to said head via said holes. 
     
     
         9 . The lacrosse head of  claim 1 , wherein said vertex is about 2 inches below said extension of said axis. 
     
     
         10 . The lacrosse head of  claim 1 , wherein said midpoint of said head is less than 0.4 inches distal of said vertex. 
     
     
         11 . The lacrosse head of  claim 1 , wherein said vertex is located about 4.75 inches distal of said throat. 
     
     
         12 . The lacrosse head of  claim 1 , wherein said socket includes a generally octagonal recess sized to receive a distal end of said handle. 
     
     
         13 . The lacrosse head of  claim 1 , wherein said head is more than 10 inches long.