Customizable variable profile lacrosse shafts and methods thereof

Abstract

A lacrosse stick shaft comprising an elongated shaft member having a nonuniform outer profile comprising a plurality of non-corner face elements extending along a first axis. An inner passage is formed in the elongated shaft extending along the first axis. The outer profile further comprises two or more outer profile portions with different non-corner face elements extending along the first axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lacrosse stick shaft comprising:
 an elongated shaft member having a non-uniform outer profile comprising a plurality of non-corner face elements extending along a first axis;   an inner passage formed in the elongated shaft extending along the first axis; and   wherein the outer profile further comprises two or more outer profile portions with different non-corner face elements extending along the first axis.   
     
     
         2 . The lacrosse stick shaft as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the two or more outer profile portions with different non-corner face elements further comprises:
 at least one cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having non-corner face elements with a flat cross-sectional shape; and 
 at least one other cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having non-corner face elements with a concave cross-sectional shape. 
 
     
     
         3 . The lacrosse stick shaft as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the at least one other cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the concave cross-sectional shape further comprises:
 at least two other cross-sectional portions of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the concave cross-sectional shape; 
 wherein the at least one cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the flat cross-sectional shape is positioned between the at least two other cross-sectional portions of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the concave cross-sectional shape. 
 
     
     
         4 . The lacrosse stick shaft as set forth in  claim 2  wherein a transition portion between the at least one cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the flat cross-sectional shape and the at least one other cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the concave cross-sectional shape serves as a set physical indicator of a set hand placement position correlated to one of a plurality of particular actions. 
     
     
         5 . The lacrosse stick shaft as set forth in  claim 2  wherein a transition portion between the at least one cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the flat cross-sectional shape and the at least one other cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the concave cross-sectional shape serves as another physical indicator of a transition towards or away from a set hand placement position correlated to one of a plurality of particular actions. 
     
     
         6 . The lacrosse stick shaft as set forth in  claim 1  the two or more outer profile portions with different non-corner face elements further comprises:
 at least one cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having an asymmetric shape. 
 
     
     
         7 . The lacrosse stick shaft as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the two or more outer profile portions with different non-corner face elements further comprises:
 at least one of the non-corner face elements having a flat cross-sectional shape extending along the first axis; and 
 at least one other of the non-corner face elements having a concave cross-sectional shape extending along the first axis. 
 
     
     
         8 . The lacrosse stick shaft as set forth in  claim 7  wherein the two or more outer profile portions with different non-corner face elements further comprises:
 at least one other of the non-corner face elements having a convex cross-sectional shape extending along the first axis. 
 
     
     
         9 . A method for making a lacrosse stick shaft, the method comprising:
 receiving selected parameters for an outer profile of an elongated shaft member extending along a first axis, wherein the parameters further comprises one or more of a plurality of cross-sectional shapes and locations for each of a plurality of non-corner face elements for the elongated shaft member; and   forming the elongated shaft member based on the received selected parameters to comprise two or more outer profile portions with different ones of the non-corner face elements extending along the first axis, wherein the forming further comprises generation of an inner passage in the elongated shaft member extending along the first axis.   
     
     
         10 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the forming the elongated shaft member based on the received selected parameters to comprise two or more outer profile portions further comprises:
 forming at least one cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with a flat cross-sectional shape; and 
 forming at least one other cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with a concave cross-sectional shape. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the forming at least one other cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the concave cross-sectional shape further comprises:
 forming at least two other cross-sectional portions of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the concave cross-sectional shape; 
 wherein the at least one cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the flat cross-sectional shape is positioned between the at least two other cross-sectional portions of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the concave cross-sectional shape. 
 
     
     
         12 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the forming the elongated shaft member further comprises:
 forming a transition portion between the at least one cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the flat cross-sectional shape and the at least one other cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the concave cross-sectional shape that serves as a set physical indicator of a set hand placement position correlated to one of a plurality of particular actions. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the forming the elongated shaft member further comprises:
 forming a transition portion between the at least one cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the flat cross-sectional shape and the at least one other cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having the non-corner face elements with the concave cross-sectional shape serves as another physical indicator of a transition towards or away from a set hand placement position correlated to one of a plurality of particular actions. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method as set forth in  claim 9  the two or more outer profile portions with different non-corner face elements further comprises:
 at least one cross-sectional portion of the elongated shaft member having an asymmetric shape. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method as set forth in  claim 9  wherein the two or more outer profile portions with different non-corner face elements further comprises:
 at least one of the non-corner face elements having a flat cross-sectional shape extending along the first axis; and 
 at least one other of the non-corner face elements having a concave cross-sectional shape extending along the first axis. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method as set forth in  claim 15  wherein the two or more outer profile portions with different non-corner face elements further comprises:
 at least one other of the non-corner face elements having a convex cross-sectional shape extending along the first axis.