Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02278956 2000-06-12
HOCKEY STICK BLADE FOR ROLLER OR STREET HOCKEY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
This invention relates to the field of hockey sticks and the like. In
particular, the
invention relates to the blade portion associated with hockey sticks and its
use in relation
with hockey balls and hockey pucks. Thus, the present invention is
particularly intended
to be used in the practice for and play of roller hockey or street hockey,
each of which
is played with a ball or a puck.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
Hockey sticks, in their present form, have been employed for use in both
street
hockey and ice hockey for many years. With the emergence of in-line skates
throughout
the past decade, the popularity of roller hockey has been on the rise. Like in
street
hockey, roller hockey is most commonly played with a ball or a puck. However,
hockey
sticks when forced across a hard cement or paved surface when playing hockey
create
friction and often erode the blade. In addition, the blade often catches on
discontinuities
in the hard cement or paved surface. When playing ice hockey, the stick blade
glides
freely on the ice surface with little resistance. The desire to reduce drag
specifically
associated with the use of hockey sticks in both street and roller hockey is
the focus of
this invention. Limitations of the prior art encompass difficulties in terms
of erosion of
present day hockey stick blades and the friction associated with the use of
these blades
when playing both street hockey and roller hockey. It is a key feature of the
present
invention to facilitate a balance between outdoor in-line skates and sticks
and ice hockey
as it is known today. It is the intention of this invention to improve the
movement of the
hockey stick blade in dry land situations, most commonly street hockey and
roller
hockey.
1
CA 02278956 2000-06-12
A hockey stick blade for roller or street hockey in keeping with the present
invention avoids the previously described limitations of the prior art. A
hockey stick
blade for roller or street hockey in keeping with the present invention
comprises a toe
end, a heel end, a top edge, a bottom edge, a set of identical ball bearings,
a set of
identical sockets, at least one opening, and a shaft portion. Each respective
identical ball
bearing is captured by one of each respective identical sockets and is built
into the
bottom edge of the hockey stick blade. The bottom edge of the hockey stick
blade is split
into two portions so as to accommodate the mounting of each respective
identical ball
bearing together with each respective identical socket on the bottom edge. The
split
along the bottom edge of the hockey stick blade is re-fastened typically by
adhesive
followed by heat and compression. Each of the ball bearings and their
respective sockets
are spaced along the length of the blade starting at the toe end working
toward heel end.
The opening formed through the thickness of the blade projects a distance
above the
uppermost surface of each of the identical ball bearings so as to allow the
unencumbered
rotation through 360 degrees in every direction, of each of the identical ball
bearings.
The opening is symmetric about its respective longitudinal axis extending from
the toe
end to the heel end of the hockey stick blade. The shaft portion is suitably
connected
through fasteners, bolts, screws or other suitable means to the heel end of
the hockey
stick blade and is adapted for fitment on the handle portion of a hockey
stick. When such
a blade is assembled to the handle portion of a hockey stick, the stick no
longer need be
carried while running or skating across a hard surface, instead it will pass
freely over the
cement or paved surface. Each of roller hockey and street hockey are
particularly suited
for the use of such a hockey stick blade so as to allow the free movement of
the hockey
stick across the cement or paved surface as well as increasing the opportunity
for contact
with the ball or puck in play.
2
CA 02278956 2000-06-12
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART:
United States Patent 5511776 issued to HURU teaches a roller hockey stick
blade
for use with a standard roller hockey ball. The blade as taught comprises a
heel end, a
toe end, a bottom edge, a top edge, and a elongated slot. The key to this
blade is the
elongated slot which is designed to cup the ball and achieve better control.
The
elongated slot is designed to lessen the possibility of the ball riding up on
the blade
making it difficult for the stick user to make an accurate shot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
hockey
stick blade for use in roller or street hockey. The hockey stick blade
comprises a toe end,
a heel end, a top edge, and a bottom edge which define the general shape of
the blade.
There is a shaft portion which is suitably connected to the heel end of the
hockey stick
blade and is adapted to receive the handle portion of the hockey stick. There
is also a set
of identical ball bearings, a set of identical sockets, and at least one
opening.
Each of the identical sockets formed from two identical truncated four-sided
pyramids are joined together along their respective base edges and each
truncated surface
is parallel to the base edge. The base of the first truncated four-sided
pyramid is joined
to the base of the second four-sided pyramid to form a single socket. The
midpoint of
each identical socket is along the adjoined base edges and a centreline
extends through
the midpoints of each of the identical sockets. This centreline is parallel to
the
longitudinal axis of the opening.
Each of the identical ball bearings is spherical and has a smooth surface.
Each
identical ball bearing is captured by a respective one of the identical
sockets. The
midpoint of each identical socket is located at the midpoint of each identical
ball bearing
and together each socket and ball bearing pair are mounted on the bottom edge
of the
hockey stick blade. Each ball bearing and socket combination mounted on the
bottom
3
CA 02278956 2000-06-12
edge of the hockey stick blade is able to freely rotate through 360 degrees in
any
direction.
The opening formed in the hockey stick blade extends through the thickness of
the hockey stick blade projects at least a distance above the uppermost
surface of each
identical ball bearing so as to allow the unencumbered rotation of each of the
identical
ball bearings. The opening is symmetric about its respective longitudinal axis
extending
from the toe end to the heel end of the hockey stick blade. The opening in the
hockey
stick blade may be a series of openings. The number of openings is equivalent
to the
number of identical ball bearings. In a second instance, the opening is an
elongated slot
that extends from the first of the identical ball bearings to the last of the
identical ball
bearings.
The bottom edge of the hockey stick blade is split into two portions. The
split
is designed to accommodate the mounting of the respective identical ball
bearing and
identical socket pairs on the base edge of the hockey stick blade. The two
portions of the
I S bottom edge of the hockey stick blade are re-fastened by suitable means,
typically an
adhesive followed by heat and compression.
The hockey stick blade has at least two identical ball bearing and identical
socket
pairs mounted on the bottom edge of the hockey stick blade. Where more than
two ball
bearing and sockets pairs are desired, spacing of these ball bearing sockets
pairs is along
the bottom edge of the hockey stick blade.
The width of the bottom edge of the hockey stick blade is at least equivalent
to
the diameter of each of the identical ball bearings plus a distance of at
least one eighth
of and inch.
In a particular embodiment of the present invention, a set of five identical
ball
bearings, each typically one-quarter inch in diameter, are mounted along the
length of the
bottom edge of the hockey stick blade. The blade itself may be 12 inches in
length from
heel end to toe end, and the bottom edge may have a width of one half inch. In
such a
4
CA 02278956 2000-06-12
configuration, the identical ball bearing are placed as follows: the first 1
inch from the
toe end of the hockey stick blade, the second, third, fourth, and fifth at 4
inches, 7 inches,
inches, and 12 inches from the toe end of the hockey stick blade respectively.
The identical ball bearings are constructed from plastic, rubber, metal, or
5 combinations thereof and form a rigid spheroid for mounting on the bottom
edge of the
hockey stick blade.
The hockey stick blade is constructed from plastic, aluminum, wood, or
combinations thereof.
10 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the present
invention, as to its structure, organization, use and method of operation,
together with
further objectives and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the
following
drawings in which a presently preferred embodiment of the invention will now
be
illustrated by way of example. It is expressly understood, however, that the
drawings are
for the purpose of illustration and description only and are not intended as a
definition
of the limits of the invention. Embodiments of this invention will now be
described by
way of example in association with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first preferred embodiment of the hockey
stick
blade for roller or street hockey, in keeping with the present invention;
Figure 2 is an alternative embodiment of the hockey stick blade for roller or
street hockey;
Figure 3 is a side view of the first embodiment of the hockey stick blade;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the lien 1-1 of the embodiment
of
Figure 1; and
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of the embodiment
of
Figure 1.
5
CA 02278956 2000-06-12
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated hockey stick blade for
roller
or street hockey, generally designated by reference numeral 10. The hockey
stick blade
in Figure 1 is shown in a detailed perspective view. The hockey stick blade 10
comprises
a top edge 12, a bottom edge 14, a toe end 16, and heel end 18, at lease one
opening 22,
a set of identical ball bearings 11, a set of identical sockets 24, and a
shaft portion 20.
The heel end 18 of the hockey stick blade 10 is connected by suitable means to
the shaft portion 20. The end 21 of the shaft portion 20 is adapted for
fitment of the
handle portion of a hockey stick.
Each of the identical sockets 24 formed from two identical truncated four-
sided
pyramids 21 are joined along their respective base edges to form a single
socket 24. Each
truncated surface of each identical four-sided truncated pyramid 21 is
parallel with the
base edge. The midpoint 15 of each of the sockets 24 is along the adjoined
base edges
and a centreline 25 extends through the midpoints 15 of each of the identical
sockets 24.
Each of the identical ball bearings 11 is captured by one of each of the
identical
sockets 24. The midpoint of each ball bearing 17 at the midpoint of each
identical socket
15 and both midpoints 15, 17 are located along the centreline 25. Together,
each
identical ball bearing 11 and each identical socket 24, is mounted in the
bottom edge 14
of the hockey stick blade 10. When each identical ball bearing 11 and each
identical
socket 24 pairs are mounted on the bottom edge 14 of the hockey stick blade
10, each
identical ball bearing 11 is able to freely rotate through 360 degrees in any
direction.
The opening 22 formed through the thickness of the hockey stick blade 10 is
positioned above each identical ball bearing 11 when each of the ball bearing
11 and
socket 24 pairs are mounted on the bottom edge 14 of the hockey stick blade
10. The
opening 22 allows for the unencumbered rotation of each identical ball bearing
11. The
opening 22 is symmetric about its respective longitudinal axis 13 extending
from the toe
end 16 to the heel end 18 of the hockey stick blade 10.
6
CA 02278956 2000-06-12
Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the hockey stick blade 30. In this
instance, the opening 22 is comprised of a series of openings 22a through 22e
where the
number of openings 22 is equivalent to the number of identical ball bearings
11 to be
mounted on the bottom edge 14 of the hockey stick blade.
Referring now to Figure 3, a side view of the hockey stick blade 10. The
opening
22 is shown as an elongated opening 22 spanning the length through which the
identical
ball bearings 11 are to be mounted.
Figure 4 shows a cross-section view taken along the line 1-1. The side view of
one identical ball bearing 11 captured by a socket 24 illustrates the
configuration of the
two identical truncated four-sided pyramids 21 to form a single socket 24.
Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along the line 22.
The bottom edge 14 of the hockey stick blade 10 is split into two portions.
The
split is designed to accommodate the mounting of the identical ball bearings
11 together
with the respective identical sockets 24 on the bottom edge 14 of the hockey
stick blade
10. The split along the bottom edge of the hockey stick blade 10 is refastened
by suitable
means, typically an adhesive followed by heat and compression.
The identical ball bearings 11 are constructed formed from plastic, rubber,
metal,
or combinations thereof. The hockey stick blade 10 has at least two identical
ball
bearings and respective socket pairs mounted on the bottom edge 14 of the
hockey stick
blade 10. Where more than two identical ball bearing 11 and socket 24 pairs
are desired,
the spacing of these ball bearing 11 and socket 24 pairs is along the bottom
edge 14 of
the hockey stick blade. The width of the bottom edge 14 of the hockey stick
blade 10 is
at least equivalent to the diameter of each of the identical ball bearings 11
plus a distance
of at least one eighth of an inch.
In a particular embodiment of the present invention, a set of five identical
ball
bearings 11, each typically one-quarter inch in diameter, are mounted along
the length
of the bottom edge 14 of the hockey stick blade 10. The blade itself may be 12
inches
7
CA 02278956 2000-06-12
in length from heel end 18 to toe end 16, and the bottom edge 14 may have a
width of
one half inch. In such a configuration, the identical ball bearing 11 are
placed as follows:
the first 1 inch from the toe end 16 of the hockey stick blade 10, the second,
third, fourth,
and fifth at 4 inches, 7 inches, 10 inches, and 12 inches from the toe end 16
of the hockey
stick blade 10 respectively.
The general purpose for this apparatus in keeping with the present invention
is
to reduce friction experienced on the blade portion of a hockey stick when
playing roller
or street hockey. The apparatus as discussed is adapted for fitment on the
handle portion
of a hockey stick and is constructed from plastic, wood, aluminum, or
combinations
thereof.
Other modifications and alterations may be used in the design and manufacture
of the apparatus of the present invention without departing from the spirit
and scope of
the accompanying claims.
Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context
requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or
"comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or
step or
group of integers or steps but not to the exclusion of any other integer or
step or group
of integers or steps.
Moreover, the word "substantially" when used with an adjective or adverb is
intended to enhance the scope of the particular characteristic; e.g.,
substantially planar
is intended to mean planar, nearly planar and/or exhibiting characteristics
associated with
a planar element.
8
