Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to t:he art of manufacturing
hockey sticks and, more particularly, to an improved
mechanical connector for releasably fastening a selected
component to an extremity of the hockey stick handle, such
as a blade or a grip member forming a handle extension.
The invention also extends to a hockey stick, a
replacement blade and a grip member incorporating the
novel mechanical connector, and to a method for
manufacturing the replacement blade.
The invention further extends to a novel handle for
a hockey stick capable of accepting at each extremity a
releasable component, such as a blade or a grip member
which is interlocked with the handle by the aforementioned
mechanical connector.
The invention also comprehends a novel hockey stick
having a detachable blade in a telescopic engagement with
the handle, incorporating a resilient packing element in
the joint between the blade and the handle to take-up the
free-play therebetween.
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BACRGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Historically, hockey sticks have been manufactured
entirely from wooden material selected to provide the
requisite rigidity and strength characteristics. In an
attempt to provide alternative forms of construction,
manufacturers have turned to modern materials science to
seek possible solutions. One form of construction which
has been found particularly successful uses a blade made
of wooden material reinforced with glass fibers, mounted
to a hollow aluminum handle. This design has been very
popular among the public in general and professional
hockey players because it provides a durable, and a
relatively low cost product which performs very well.
In use, the blade of the hockey stick, irregardless
of its form of construction, is subjected to most of the
tear and wear because it is continuously in contact with
the playground surface and it is used to directly strike
the puck. Accordingly, a hockey stick will usually fail
as a result of breakage of the blade and only in rare
instances as a result of a faulty handle. The relative
weakness of the blade constitutes a major drawback of
hockey sticks having a unitary construction because when
the blade is fractured the entire hockey stick is rendered
useless and must be discarded even through the handle is
undamaged.
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In order to provide on the market quality hockey
sticks at a more competitive ]price, manufacturers are
commercializing replacement blades which can be
substituted to the original blade of the hockey stick when
the latter is broken. Replacement blades also allow the
player to tailor the hockey stick to the type of surface
on which the game is played such as ice, wooden or cement
floor, etc., by installing on the handle the blade which
is best suited for the particular playing conditions.
Replacement blades are well adapted for use with
hollow metallic handles because the handle has a
longitudinally extending recess at its lower end capable
of accepting a conforming projecting tongue formed at the
upper end of the replacement blade. A secure joint is
made by the application of hot-melt adhesive which fulfils
- a dual purpose. The adhesive provides the bond to prevent
unwanted separation of the blade and also fills the gap
between the projecting tongue and the walls of the handle
forming the recess to eliminate the free-play.
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To remove a broken blade from a metallic handle, the
handle must be heated, usually with a torch, to soften the
hot-melt adhesive and allow the projecting tongue to be
extracted from the recess. The installation of the
replacement blade requires to heat the handle to liquify
the adhesive. The projecting tongue is inserted in the
recess and the assembly is allowed to cool. This method
of mounting the blade to the handle has some serious
drawbacks. The use of an open flame torch may create a
fire hazard if the installation of the replacement blade
is attempted by an unqualified person. Further, during
the insertion of the projecting tongue within the recess
filled with hot-melt adhesive, a dangerous spray of hot-
melt adhesive may occur, injuring the installer if the
high temperature droplets reach sensitive areas such as
the eyes.
OBJECT5 AND 8UMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is a mechanical
connector for releasably fastening a blade to a handle of
a hockey stick, capable to form a strong and resistant,
adhesive-free union between these components.
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Another object of the invention is a hockey stick
having a detachable blade unitled to the handle by the
aforementioned mechanical connector.
A further object of the invention is a replacement
blade for a hockey stick incorporating the aforementioned
mechanical connector which cooperates with the handle of
a hockey stick to releasably fas-ten the replacement blade
to the handle.
A further object of the invention is a method for
manufacturing the aforementioned replacement blade.
A further object of the invention is a grip member
for a hockey stick, incorporating the aforementioned
mechanical connector which cooperates with the handle of
a hockey stick to releasably fasten the grip member to the
handle.
Yet, another object of the invention is a hockey
stick having a grip member releasably fastened to the
handle of a hockey stick by the aforementioned mechanical
` connector.
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A further object of the inventlon is a hockey stick
having a detachable blade mated to the handle by means of
a telescopic, adhesive-free joint which does not have
free-play.
Another object of the invention i5 a handle for a
hockey stick capable of accepting at each extremity a
releasable component, such as a blade or a grip member,
which is interlocked with the handle by the aforementioned
mechanical connector.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the
invention provides a mechanical connector Eor interlocking
a handle member of a hockey stick and a releasable
component such as a blade member or a grip member mounted
at a selected extremity of the handle member, the
mechanical connector comprising:
- a connector body for mounting to one of the members
to be mated;
- a locking pin mounted in the connector body for
movement between extended and retracted positions, in the
extended position the locking pin projecting from the
, .
` connector body for engaging the other of the members to be
mated for locking the members against unwanted separation.
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For applications in which the mechanical connector is
used to fasten a replacement blade to the handle, the
mechanical connector is preferably inserted in a
projecting tongue on the replacement blade which
penetrates a conforming recess in the handle, and the
locking pin engages a corresponding locking aperture
formed on the handle and opening in the recess. A coil
spring urges the locking pin toward the extended position
to normally maintain the mechanical connector in the
locked condition. By retracting the locking pin in the
projecting tongue against the resiliency of the coil
spring, the locking pin clears the locking aperture,
thereby allowing the blade to be disengaged from the
handle.
Most preferably, a resilient packing element such as
a band of elastomeric material is mounted on the
projecting tongue, whereby when the tongue is telescoped
within the handle, the elastomeric band is compressed
taking-up the free-play to form a tight joint, isolating
the handle from objectionable vibrations originating from
the blade when the blade strikes the puck or when it hits
` the playground surface.
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The mechanical connector in accordance with the
invention is particularly advantageous allowing to easily
remove and install the blade to the handle without the
need of adhesive or complex tools. In spite of its
simplicity, the mechanical connector provides a durable,
tight and secure ]oint which is highly resistant to
bending efforts and impacts encountered during the normal
use of the hockey stick.
10As embodied and broadly described herein, the
invention also provides a hockey stick having an elongated
handle member and a removable blade member in a
telescoping engagement with the handle member, the hockey
stick comprising:
15- a mechanical connector cooperating with the
members for locking the members in a telescoped condition
- against unwanted separation, the mechanical connector
including:
- a connector body mounted to one of the
members; and
- a locking pin mounted in the connector body
for movement between an extended position and a retracted
position, in the extended position the locking pin
penetrating within the other of the members to achieve a
condition of overlap therewith for interlocking the
members, in the retracted position the locking pin being
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withdrawn from the other member to terminate the condition
of overlap, thereby allowing separation of the members.
As embodied and broadly described herein the
invention further provides a replacement blade member for
a hockey stick, comprising:
- a blade member body;
- a projecting tongue mounted to the blade
member body for insertion into a handle member of the
hockey stick;
- a mechanical connector mounted to the
projecting tongue, the mechanical connector including a
locking pin movable between an extended position and a
retracted position, in the retracted position the locking
pin is recessed (for the purpose of this specification
"locking pin recessed in the projecting tongue" shall mean
that the locking pin penetrates fully or at least a major
portion of the pin is received within the projecting
tongue) in the projecting tongue to allow the projecting
tongue to slidingly penetrate into a conforming recess on
the handle member, in the extended position the locking
pin projecting from the tongue and engaging the handle
member for interlocking the blade member and the handle
member.
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As embodied and broadly described herein, the
invention also provides a method for manufacturing a
replacement blade for a hockey stick, comprising the steps
of:
- providing a blade member including a blade
member body and a projecting tongue mounted to the blade
member body for engaging a conforming recess in a handle
member;
- providing a mechanical connector for
interlocking the members when the members are joined
together, the mechanical connector comprising a connector
body and a locking pin mounted in the connector body for
movement between extended and retracted positions with
relation to the connector body;
- drilling a hole in the projecting tongue;
- press-fitting the connector body in the hole,
whereby the locking pin can be extended and retracted in
the projecting tongue.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the
invention further provides a removable grip member for a
hockey stick, comprising:
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` - a grip member body;
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- a projecting tongue mounted to the grip member
body for insertion into a handle member o~ the hockey
stick at an end of -the handle member which is opposite to
a blade of the hockey stick;
- a mechanical connector mounted to the
projectin~ tongue, the mechanical connector including a
locking pin movable between an extended position and a
retracted posi-tion, in the retracted position -the locking
pin is recessed in the projecting tongue to allow the
projecting tongue to slidingly penetrate into a conforming
recess on the handle member, in the extended position the
locking pin projecting from the tongue and engaging the
handle member for interlocking the grip member and the
handle member.
The grip member forms an ergonomic extension of the
handle in order to better adapt the hockey stick to the
particular player. The grip member is preferably made of
plastic material and may be sculptured to provide a
positive hold for the player hand. The same mechanical
connector used for joining the replacement blade is
employed to unite the grip to the upper extremity of the
handle. In this embodiment, the handle is designed to
accept a mechanical connector at each extremity, whereby
a blade may be releasably mounted at one extremity of the
handle and a grip member releasably mounted at the other
extremity. More specifically, the handle has a locking
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aperture adjacent to each extrlemity and opening in the
recess in which the projecting tongue of the blade or of
the grip member is to be received.
5As embodied and broadly described herein, the
invention also provides a hockey stick comprising:
- an elongated handle member having first and
second opposite end portions;
- a blade mounted to the first end portion;
10- a removable grip member in a telescopic
engagement with the handle member at the second end
portion;
- a mechanical connector cooperating with the
members for locking the members in a telescoped condition
15against unwanted separation, the mechanical connector
including:
- a connector body mounted to one of the
members; and
- a locking pin mounted in the connector
20body for movement between an extended position and a
retracted position, in the extended position the locking
pin penetrating within the other of the members to achieve
a condition of overlap therewith for interlocking the
members, in the retracted position the locking pin being
25withdrawn from the other member to terminate the condition
of overlap, thereby allowing separation of the members.
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As embodied and broadly described herein, the
invention further provides a hockey stick comprising an
elongated handle member and a detachable blade member in
a telescoping Pngagement with t:he handle member, and a
resilient packing element in an interference relationship
with telescoped portions of the members, whereby upon
sliding movement of the telescoped portions for mating the
members, the members act reciprocally for compressing the
resilient packing element to resorb free play
therebetween.
As embodied and broadly described herein, the
invention further provides a handle member for a hockey
stick comprising opposed end portions, each end portion
including a longitudinally extending recess and a
transversally extending aperture in a wall of the handle
member, the aperture opening in the recess.
BRIEF DE8CRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGR
- Figure 1 is a perspective, fragmentary view of a
hockey stick constructed in accordance with the present
invention;
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- Figure 2 ls an enlarged view of the hockey stick
shown in Fiyure 1, illustrating the blade of the hockey
stick uncoupled from the handle;
- Figure 3 is an enla:rged, partly sectional,
perspective view of a mechanical connector mounted to the
blade of the hockey stick, for fasteniny the blade to the
handle;
- Figures 4, 5 and 6 are enlarged, elevational,
fraymentary views of the hockey stick shown in Fiyure 1,
illustrating the sequence of movements for engaging and
locking the blade to the handle;
- Figure 7 is an enlarged, partly sectional,
elevational view of the mechanical connector in accordance
with a variant;
- Figure 8 is a partly sectional view of the
mechanical connector shown in Figure 3, illustrating the
locking pin in the retracted position penetrating within
the handle of the hockey stick;
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- Figure g is a view similar to Figure 8, showing the
locking pin of the mechanical connector in the extended
position engaging a locking apert:ure on the handle of the
hockey stick; and
- Figure 10 is a fragmentary, perspective exploded
view of the hockey stick in accordance with the invention
provided with a removable grip member mounted on the upper
end of the handle;
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRBD EMBODIMENT
With reference to the annexed drawings, Figure 1
illustrates a hockey stick designated comprehensively by
the reference numeral 10, comprising an elongated handle
12 to which is mounted a removable blade 14 made of wooden
material reinforced with glass fibers. The handle 12 is
an extrusion of metallic material, such as aluminum
however other materials can be used such as synthetic
materials which are preferably fiber reinforced. The
handle 12 has a rectangular cross-sectional shape defining
parallel front and rear walls 16 and 18 and wider parallel
side walls 20 and 22. If desired, the interior space of
the handle may be partially filled with polymeric foam
having the desired density, for reinforcement purposes.
The foam filler (not shown in the drawings) terminates at
a certain distance from the upper and the lower
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extremities of the handle so ias to provide at those
extremities longitudinally extending recesses 24 and 26
(shown in Figure 10), respective:Ly.
The blade 14 includes at its upper end a projecting
tongue 28 of a generally rectangular cross-section,
closely conforming to the shape of the recess 24. More
particularly, the pro~ecting tongue 28 includes front and
rear parallel walls 30 and 32 and wider side walls 34 and
36. At the base of the projecting tongue 28 is formed a
shoulder 38 whose width corresponds approximately to the
wall thickness of the handle 12. In this fashion, when
the blade 14 is mounted to the handle 12, the outer walls
of the blade and of the handle are at about the same
level.
A mechanical connector 40 is mounted on the side wall
34 of the projecting tongue and cooperates with a locking
aperture 42 formed on the side wall 20 of the handle and
opening in the longitudinally extending recess 24, in
order to interlock the blade 14 and the handle 12. The
structure of the mechanical connector 40 is best shown in
Figure 3. The connector comprises a connector body 44 in
the form of a generally circular and hollow sleeve open at
its lower end. At the upper end of the connector body 44
is provided a radially inwardly extending lip 46 which
forms a constriction defining a narrow circular passage
48. A locking pin 50 is slidingly mounted within the
connector body 44 and comprises an elongated circular
shank 52 having a flat top and an enlarged base 54 which
slidingly engages the inner wal:ls of the connector body
44. The dlameter of the shan]c 52 corresponds to the
diameter of the circular passage 48, whereby the shank 52
can slide past the lip 46 for extending and retracting the
locking pin 50 with respect to the connector body 44. In
the fully extended position, as shown in Figure 3, the
enlarged base 54 is in an abutting relationship with the
lip 46, mutually forming a stop to prevent the locking pin
50 from being fully extracted from the connector body 44.
A resilient member in the form of a coil spring 56 is
mounted within the connector body 44 and urges the locking
pin 50 toward the fully extended position. The locking
pin 50 may be retracted within the connector body 44
against the resiliency of the spring 56, up to a level in
which the flat top of the locking pin 50 is flush with the
top surface of the connector body 44.
The connector 40 is installed in the blade 14 by
drilling a blind bore on the side wall 34 of the tongue 28
having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of
the connector body 44 and a depth corresponding to the
height of the connector body 44. The blind bore is
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designated by the reference numeral 58 in Figures 3, 8 and
9.
The next step is to assemb]e the various components
of the connector ~0 by successively inserting in the
connector body 44 the locking pin 52 and the coil spring
56 through the lower end of the connector body. The
assembly is then press-fitted in the bore 58. The
descending movement of the connector body 44 compresses
the coil spring 56 which abuts against the bottom of the
bore 53. As a result, the coil spring 56 fully extends
the locking pin 52 from the connector body. When the
connector body 44 is fully inserted in the bore 58, the
top surface of the connector body is flush with the
surface of the side wall 34.
A variant of the mechanical connector is shown in
Figure 7. The mechanical connector, designated by the
reference numeral 40' includes a shorter connector body
44' slidingly receiving the shank of a locking pin 50'
which is identical in construction to the locking pin 50.
A coil spring 56' is provided in the bore formed on the
projecting tongue 28 to urge the locking pin 50' toward
the extended position. The coil spring 56' is somewhat
larger than the coil spring 56 because more space is
available in the bore since a smaller connector body is
being used. The main advantage of the mechanical
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connector 40' over the connector 40 resides in the
simplicity of construction of the connector body 44' which
has a constant cross-sectional shape throughout its length
and, therefore, is fairly easy to mass produce.
With reference to Figures 4 to 6 and 8 to 9, the
blade 14 is connec-ted to the handle 12 by manually
compressing the locking pin 50 of the mechanical connector
to allow the tongue 28 to be inserted within the recess
24. When the locking pin 50 registers with the locking
aperture 42 it is extended by the coil spring 56 and
penetrates within the aperture 42. As a result, a
condition of overlap is achieved between the shank 52 and
the side walls of the aperture 42, effectively
interlocking the blade 14 and the handle 12. It should be
appreciated that the height of the shank 52 projecting
beyond the connector body 44 approximately corresponds to
the wall thickness of the handle 12 whereby, in the locked
condition, the top surface of the locking pin 52 is flush
with the outer surface of the handle. This feature
provides a smooth handle surface less susceptible to cause
bodily injury when the hockey stick is being used.
To separate the blade 14 from the handle 12, the
locking pin 50 is retracted within the connector body, by
using any appropriate pointed tool, such a small screw
driver. When the locking pin 50 clears the locking
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aperture 42, the mechanical connector is unlocked allowing
to remove the blade 14 from the handle 12.
The mechanical connector ~0' operates in the same
manner as the connector 40.
The locking telescoping joint between the blade 14
and the handle 12 is particularly effective and allows to
conveniently and rapidly connect or disconnect the blade
from the handle as desired. The simplicity and the low
manufacturing cost of the mechanical connector according
to the invention is advantageous allowing to discard the
connector when the blade 14 is broken. Accordingly, the
ultimate user needs only to purchase a replacement blade,
provided with its own connector and to mount the blade to
the original handle. This quick connect system also
allows the player to purchase various types of blades,
suitable for different playing surfaces or having
different curvatures for example, in order to quickly
adapt its hockey stick to various playing conditions.
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Referring back to Figure 2, the invention also
provides a resilient element 60 in the form of a band of
elastomeric material encircling the projecting tongue 28
and resting against the shoulder 38 for tightening the
5 joint between the blade 14 and the handle 12. The band 60
(shown separated from the shoulder 38 in Figure 4) acts as
a compressible packing element in an interference
relationship with the blade and the handle and must be
resiliently deformed between the shoulder 38 and the
extremity of the handle 12 which form closing parallel
surfaces extending perpendicularly to the handle, in order
to bring the locking aperture 42 and the locking pin 52 in
registry. As a result, the band 60 of elastomeric
material is compressed, tightening the telescopic joint
and taking-up the free play. This feature is
advantageous, allowing to compensate for possible
distortions of the handle 12 or of the tongue 28 occurring
over time which would otherwise loosen the joint to some
degree.
It should be appreciated that the resilient packing
element 60 is not limited to use only with the mechanical
connectors 40 or 40' as it may be employed with a variety
of other mechanical means provided for interlocking a
blade telescopically mounted to a handle.
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As shown in Figure 10, the connector 40 can also be
used for releasably attaching ia grip member 62 to the
upper end of the handle 12. The grip member 62 is
preferably made of plastic material and when in place, it
forms an extension of the handle 12. The length of the
grip member 62 is a matter of choice and it is selected to
best fit the particular player. It is preferred that the
grip member 62 be ergonomically sculptured in order to
provide a positive hold for the hand.
The connection between the grip member 62 and the
upper end of the handle 12 is identical to the connection
between the blade 14 and the lower end of the handle.
More particularly, the grip member 62 is provided with a
projecting tongue identical to the tongue 28 which fits
into a closely confirming recess 26 and a connector 40
interlocks these components. If desired the connector 40'
may be used instead of the connector 40. Preferably a band
of elastomeric material 60 is mounted on the projecting
tongue of the grip member in order to tighten the joint.
In order to allow the hockey stick 10 to use
simultaneously a detachable blade and a grip member, the
handle 12 is provided with a locking aperture 42 adjacent
each extremity and opening in the respective recess.
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The above description of al preferred embodiment of
this invention should not be construed in any limiting
manner as it can be refined and varied in several ways
without departing from the spir:it of the invention. The
scope of the invention is defined in the annexed claims.
