Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02339336 2004-O1-23
ADJUSTABLE WEIGHTED TRAINING PUCK
Background--Field of invention
This invention relates to an adjustable weighted, safety training hockey puck
for
improving hockey skills, safety, and confidence.
Background--Description of Prior Art
Improving the individual skills in the sport of hockey means the individual
must
concentrate on more than one aspect. These different aspects include:
shooting, passing,
stick handling, stopping, controlling, checking, scoring, feeling the puck on
the stick and
confidence. To improve these different aspects will mean practicing; the more
practice
the better the results and more confidence will result. To work with a puck
that is too
heavy, the individual will not learn the proper technique used in different
aspects that are
involved in the game of hockey. If a puck is too light and an individual
already has the
proper technique, the individual will have difficulty improving or
accelerating their skills
that are involved in the game of hockey, with that light puck. Having the
ability to
decrease the weight of the hockey puck will also ensure added safety. When a
young,
inexperienced individual uses a puck that is too heavy, the individual can
hurt their
wrists. arms or shoulders with that puck because of the resistance and over
abundance of
weight. Safety is also important with an individual that has a more advanced
shot.
Prior art includes the following U.S Pat. No. 5,284,343, Bigornia, issued
Feb.1994 shows
a practice hockey puck with a main body member having a cavity were denser
than
rubber particulate material can be added or removed. A diagram shows a similar
cavity
can be filled with metallic disks, the disadvantage is, if the cavity is not
completely empty
or full, the contents inside have a free air gap inside to move around, this
can create
uncharacteristically strange bounces and movements that may not be similar of
a hockey
puck. As described in the operation of the puck it is stated that to fill the
space left by
removal of the material is not essential. Bigornia shows a diagram of the puck
with the
main body made of aluminum or steel covered by a rubber coating on the
exterior. The
problem with this design is that if the pucks cavity is not completely full,
and the pucks
impact on an object is at a high speed, the puck might absorb the impact
leaving a dent or
inbulge into it, making it very difficult if not impossible to now add or
remove the
metallic disk or denser than rubber particulate material. This puck does not
have the
ability to absorb impact without possibly damaging the aluminum or rigid main
body.
CA 02339336 2004-O1-23
U.S Pat. No. 3,704,891 Chiarelli, issued Dec. 1972, show plans for a weight to
be
embedded into a puck through a vulcanization process. This invention's feature
was the
different ways of distributing the weights, but the puck is always one weight.
This means
the puck could be too heavy for a beginner and too light for a more advanced
player. This
puck is limited to less then the majority.
U.S Pat. No. 5,531,442 Gill July 2 1996. A hockey puck having integral
rollers. This
puck is limited to only one weight and is not described as a training puck.
U.S Pat. No. 4,078,801, White Sr. , issued Mar.l4 1978. This is an impact
safety puck,
which is limited to a single weight. Once the cavity is filled, the puck is
permanently
sealed, thus the puck may be useful to only a select few.
U.S Pat. No. 4,793,769, Dolan Issued Mar. 3 1988. A puck used for road hockey
that has
three rollers moving inside an enclosed puck shaped structure. This puck is
limited to one
weight when used to simulate a slippery ice surface, the advantages of using
the puck as a
training puck are narrowed because the pucks weight cannot be changed to suit
an
individual user.
U.S Pat. No. 4,111,419 , Pellrgrino, issued Sept. S, 1978 discloses a puck
that is attached
to a hockey stick by means of an elastic cord. This puck is limited to one
weight, and this
means the user cannot adjust the weight to their specific training purposes.
U.S Pat. No. 3,512,763, Holm, issued Oct 1986. A puck with a soft outer
covering and
having safety in mind by creating an impact absorbing surface. This puck does
not allow
the user to change the weight that will suit each individual users specific
training
purposes.
U.S Pat. No. 6089998, O'Neil, issued July 18 2000. A puck used on a non-ice
surface.
This puck is not used on ice surfaces, limiting the user to funny bounces and
a sliding
puck on cement or pavement that is not a true slide as a puck on ice would
have. Shooting
a puck on cement, pavement or rough surfaces, takes away from a truer shot
that one
would get on an ice surface. This is because the hockey stick comes in contact
with the
rough surface, increasing the resistance of the push on the stick, and taking
away energy
that would have be used to shoot the puck off the stick, and wasting that
energy on the
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stick to ground contact. On an ice surface the sticks resistance is lower
because the ices
surface is smoother, thus more energy can be released on the puck and a truer
shot is the
end result. This puck has a strong potential of being difficult to take apart
and adjust the
center element. This puck does not tell us of the exact total range of weight
that the puck
is adjustable to, this is important to all individual users, especially a
paying consumer.
Summary-- Brief summary of Invention
Briefly stated, the invention involves a training puck having a pair of
sliding surfaces,
comprising a cylindrical body having a pair of cylindrical portions each with
a mating
surface, holding means for holding the cylindrical portions together, each
cylindrical
portion having a toroidal cavity which is open to the mating surface, the
cavity being
radially outwardly bordered by an outer peripheral wall and radially inwardly
bordered
by an inner peripheral wall, each toroidal cavity having a side wall which is
substantially
parallel with a neighbouring outer sliding surface, the puck further
comprising a pair of
nested ring members, the pair of ring members including an outer ring member
which has
an outer peripheral surface to engage the outer peripheral wall and an inner
ring member
which has an inner surface to engage the inner peripheral wall, both the inner
ring
member and the outer ring member having a width sufficient to engage the side
walls of
both cylindrical portions, wherein the outer ring member, the inner ring
member or both
are removable from the puck to adjust its weight.
Preferably, the puck has a central passage extending through the inner
peripheral wall of
each cylindrical portion, the holding means including a threaded fastener to
extend
through the central passages of each cylindrical portion to fasten the
cylindrical portions
together.
Preferably, the cylindrical portions further include a plurality of
complementary
formations on the outer peripheral walls and along the mating surfaces for
engagement
when the cylindrical portions are fastened together. In one example, the
complementary
formations also include a plurality of projections and a corresponding
plurality of
recesses to receive the projections. In this case, each projection is held in
a friction fit in
the corresponding recess.
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In one embodiment, the training puck has two cylinder body halves, each having
an inner
face, an outer face, seven recessions, six protruding bosses, and a
cylindrical cutout. The
cylindrical cutout of each body half will form a means for retaining weighted
steel tube
rings, when both body halves are joined together. A nut and bolt to strengthen
the
training puck when the cylinder body halves are assembled together.
Objectives
It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel puck.
Drawing Figures
In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different
alphabetic
suffixes.
Figs 1 A and I B show an exploded perspective view of the adjustable weighted
training
puck.
Fig 2 shows a plain view of the fully weighted adjustable weighted training
puck.
Fig 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the fully weighted adjustable weighted
training
puck taken along line 3--3 of Fig 2.
Fig 4 shows a plain view of the partially weighted adjustable weighted
training puck.
Fig 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the partially weighted adjustable
weighted
training puck taken along line 5--S of Fig 4.
Fig 6 shows a plain view of the partially weighted adjustable weighted
training puck.
Fig 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the partially weighted adjustable
weighted
training puck taken along line 7--7 of Fig 6.
Fig 8 shows a plain view of the empty adjustable weighted training puck.
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Fig 9 shows a cross-sectional view of the empty adjustable weighted training
puck taken
along 9--9 of Fig 8.
Fig 10 shows a side view of the main body.
Fig 11 A and 11 B show a perspective view of the main body.
Fig 12A and 13A show a side view of the weighted steel tube rings.
Fig 12B and 13B show a plain view of the weighted steel tube rings.
Reference Numerals In Drawings
first cylinder body half
12 second cylinder body half
13 main body
14 adjustable weighted training puck
16 recession
18 protruding boss
nut
22 bolt
24 small weighted steel tube ring
large weighted steel tube ring
26 recession for nut
28 recession for bolt
outer face first cylinder body half
32 outer face second cylinder body half
34 inner face first cylinder body half
36 inner face second cylinder body half
38 hollow post
impact absorbable material
42 cylindrical cutout first cylinder body half
44 cylindrical cutout second cylinder body half
46 outer friction fitting assembly ring
48 means of retaining weighted steel tube rings
circular depression
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52 Sticker
Description-Ffigs. 1A and 1$-Preferred Embodiment
A preferred em~bodi;tueut of the adjustable weighted bra~,ng puck is
illustrated in Figs
lA, sad 1B. ltcferring to drawing, importantly Figs lA, and 1B, the adjustable
weightod
training puck is generally indicated by refer~uce nuanber 14. The adjustable
weighted
txa~ing puck ~onain body 13 bras a pain of cylindrical portions in the foam,
of a f rat
cylinder body half 10 and a second cylinder body half 12, slang with a small
weighted
steel tube ring 24, a nut 20 and bolt 22 and a sticker 52. Main body 13 is
constructed of
iuapact absorbable anuatenial 40 called Santopzeve 101-80. The pzcfe~nred
Saratcipxeve (a
trademark) is 101-80 supplied by Prot~last lac.. However, other reailxetxt
materials ~aaay
also be appropriate, as would be understood by those of skill izt the an. The
small steel
tuba ring 24 weighs approximately 3.5 ounces , the height is 3/4 of an inch.
Large steel
tube riog 25 weighs appro~tiuoo~ately 5.5 ounces the height is 3/4 of an
iuach. The nut 20 is
a quarter inch, Hx nut, the bolt 22 is a quarter inch, twenty treads per inch.
Panhead cozn
(slot socket) Machine Screw. The small steel tube ring 24 and the large steel
tube ring 25
are naachuaed to 5t together leaving no ~~ee aiur gap. The sticker 52 has a
s~ooialler
ciorcu~,f~e~re~ce tlteo tile cizcrmx~erence of the caxcular depzession 50.
During assembly nut
20 is placed into recession for nut 26 of outer face of second cylinder body
half 32 and is
covered by attaching slicker 52 onto outer face of the circular depressirna
50.
The first cylinder body half 10 feariur,9 include an innar floe 34, an outer
face 30,
reversion for bolt 28. The second cylinder body half 12 feabeu~s include an
inaer face 36,
an outer face 32, recession for nut 26, circular deproasion 50 for attachment
of stickix 52.
The tbaclmess of the walls xatage fi~tt 1/8 iuoch (3.2xaan) to 1/2 (12.8aun).
First cylinder
body half 10 has a recession far bolt 28 and second cyxinder body half 12 has
a recession
for nut 26. Bolt 22 sad nut 20 attach to reinfoTOe coll~gadon of mvaiuo~ body
13. Bolt 22 a~ad
nut 20 are zecessed below the outer face of ~xst cylitxdet body half 30 acrd
outer face of
second cylipdez body half 32. , .
Cylinder body half 10 and oylindex body lxalf 12 each cvxttain a cyFuudrical
cut out 42 end
44 respectively. Cylindrical cut out 42 and cylindrical cut out 44 are
identical and both
CA 02339336 2004-O1-23
having identical dimensions throughout. Both cylindrical cut outs 42, 44
contain a hollow
post 38 positioned in the center of the cylindrical cut outs 42, 44. The
height of each
hollow post 38 located in each cylindrical cut out 42, 44 is parallel with the
height of
each inner face cylinder body half 34, 36. The hollow posts 38 each align with
each other
when the adjustable weighted training puck 14 is constructed together into
main body 13.
Fig 1 A and 1 B show six protruding bosses 18 each having a height equal to
the depth of
each one of the six recessions 16.
Referring to Fig 2 and Fig 3, first cylinder body half 10 and second cylinder
body half 12
are held together by means of a friction fitting assembly 46. Outer friction
fitting
assembly ring 46 will allow first cylinder body half 10 and second cylinder
body half 12
to be joined together to form main body 13. Outer friction fitting assembly
ring 46 will
also allow first cylinder body half 10 and second cylinder body half 12 to be
forcibly
detachable. Recession 16 circumference has a narrower first half depth then
the
circumference of the outer friction fitting assembly ring 46, while recession
16 second
half depth has a circumference equal to the circumference of the outer
friction fitting
assembly ring 46, this gives the protruding boss 18 a friction fit inside the
recession 16
when protruding boss 18 is fully received in recession 16.
Fig 3 shows main body 13 fully weighted with small weighted steel tube ring 24
and
large steel tube ring 25. Small weighted steel tube ring 24 weight is
approximately 3.5
ounces the large weighted steel tube ring 25 weight is approximately S.5
ounces , and
the first cylinder body half 10 and second cylinder body half 12 which are
constructed of
impact absorbable material 40, the weight of the impact absorbable material 40
being 3
ounces . The total weight of the main body in Fig 3 weighs 12 ounces .
The protruding boss 18 has an outer friction fitting assembly ring 46. As seen
in Fig 1 A
and 1 B all six protruding boss 18 of first cylinder body half 10 must align
with all six
recessions 16 of second cylinder body half 12. Also all six protruding bosses
18 of
second cylinder body half 12 must align with all six recessions 16 of first
cylinder body
half 10. When bosses 16 are received in recessions 16, the adjustable weighted
hockey
puck 14 forms the main body 13. Bolt 22 is dropped in recession for bolt 28,
travels
through both the hollow post 38 of the first cylinder body half 10 and the
hollow post 38
of the second cylinder body half 12, and colligated with the nut 20 which is
position in
the recession for nut 26, thus reinforcing the main body 13.
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Fig 4 and Fig 5 when the adjustable weighted training puck 14 is completed
into main
body 13, the cylindrical cutout of the first cylinder body half 42 and the
cylindrical cutout
of the second cylinder body half 44 together form a means of retain weighted
steel tube
rings 48. Main body 13 in Fig 5 has the large weight steel tube ring 25 held
firmly in
place and confined therein with the means of retaining weighted steel tube
ring 48, that is
with the outer peripheral walls formed as a result of the cut outs 42, 44. The
large
weighted steel tube ring 25 weighs 5.5 ounces .
First cylinder body half 10 and second cylinder body half 12 which are
constructed of
impact absorbable material 40. The weight of the impact absorbable material 40
being
3.0 ounces plus the weight of the large weighted steel tube ring 25 being 5.5
ounces
giving the main body 13 in Fig 5 a total weight of 8.5 ounces .
Fig 6 and Fig 7 show the two cylindrical cut outs 42 and 44 and the two body
halves 10,
12 forming a means of retaining weighted steel tube rings 48. Main body 13 in
Fig 7 has
the small weighted steel tube ring 24 held firmly in place with the help of ,
and confined
by, both hollow posts 38. The colligating of the nut 20 and bolt 28 reinforces
the main
body 13. The main body 13 in Fig 7 has a total weight of 6.5 ounces , with the
small
weighted steel tube ring 24 weighing 3.5 ounces and the impact absorbable
material 40
weighing 3.0 ounces .
Fig 8 and Fig 9. The main body 13 has no weighted steel tube rings 24, 25, in
the means
of retaining weighted steel tube rings 48, and no bolt 22 but the nut 20 stays
in place in
the recession for nut 26 due to the fact that the recession for nut 26 is
covered by the
sticker 52. The reinforcing provided by the colligating of the bolt and nut is
not
necessary because the main body 13 has no weighted steel tube rings 24, 25
inside the
means to retain weighted steel tube rings 48 which is formed by both
cylindrical cut outs
42, 44. thus the total weight of the main body 13 in Fig 9 is approximately 3
ounces .
The main body can now be used by the user to play hockey on the pond or rink
without
the worry of being hit by a non-impact absorbing object, and suffering cuts
and bruising.
The friction fit produced by the receiving of the protruding bosses 18 into
the recessions
16 will be enough to keep the main body 13 from separating in Fig 9.
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Fig 10, 1 1 A, and 1 1 B. These views show the main body 13 has basically the
same
dimensions of a standard hockey puck are a 1.0 inch height and a width of 3.0
inches .
The outer face 30 is generally flat with a recession for the bolt 22. The
recession for the
nut 20 is located under the sticker 52. The sticker 52 has been located in the
circular
depression 50. The sticker 52 is brightly colored with the name shot enforcer
written on
it, and with the sticker 52 placed in the circular depression 50 the surface
of the sticker
will not be stretched or torn off as main body 13 slides along the different
surfaces.
Fig 12A, 12B, 13A, and 13B shows the weight steel rings 24, 25. Small weighted
steel
tube ring 24 is 3.5 ounces , a height of 3/4 of an inch , a width of
approximately 1 31/64
of an inch . The machined out inside of the small weighted steel tube ring 24
is
approximately 7/8 of an inch , which is forced onto the hollow post 38 which
has a width
of 7/8 of an inch , thus fitting and staying firmly in place with in the
cylindrical cutouts
42, 44. The large weighted steel tube ring 25 has a weight of 5.5 ounces , a
height of 3/4
of an inch , and a width of approximately 2 inches . The machined out inside
of the large
weighted steel tube ring 25 is 1 1/2 of an inch. The large weighted steel tube
ring 25 fits
firmly in place with in the cylindrical cutouts 42, 44, this is because the
width of both
cylindrical cutouts 42, 44 is 2 inches.
Advantages
(a) The puck 14 can be used with or without the extra security of the nut and
bolt.
When the adjustable weighted training puck is empty, the friction fit created
by the
interconnecting six bosses and six recessions will be strong enough to keep
the
training puck firmly intact. When the weighted steel rings are added to the
puck, so
to is the nut and bolt creating extra security and piece of mind, reinforcing
and
keeping whole the structure of the puck.
(b) The steel tube rings that the adjustable weighted training puck 14 uses
have no
free air gaps to move around inside the training puck. This is because the
steel tube
rings are always held in place by the cylindrical cutouts inner face of both
first, and
second cylinder body halves, and either the hollow post or the cylindrical
walls of
the cylindrical cutout. Therefore the puck will not create any strange or
uncharacteristic movements or bounces.
(c) The puck 14 is affordable to build, therefore affordable to the consumer.
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(d) The weight of the training puck 14 can be adjustable to all users specific
needs,
thus creating a safely adjustable weighing training puck that will not hurt or
injury
the users wrists, arms, or shoulders when the user trains with my puck.
(e) The puck 14 is constructed of an impact absorbable material, thus giving
the
training puck the dual ability to absorb impact and deflect impact, thus no
damaging
of the adjustable weighted training puck will occur.
(f) The puck 14 has the advantage of a total weight being adjustable to 3,
6.5, 8.5
and 12 ounces respectively.
(g) The puck 14 allows the user to develop the techniques and skills needed to
create a wrist shot, a slap shot, and a back-hand shot. Stick handling, and
passing of
the puck are also skills my adjustable weighted training puck will help
develop, and
strength.
(h) One under-estimated development that puck 14 can create and increase is
confidence. The longer you practice and train at hockey, the better your
chances
will be that you will create a better player of yourself. This can be said of
my
adjustable weighted training puck, the longer you practice and train with my
puck,
the better your chances of creating a better player of yourself, and this in
turn can
create more confidence in yourself.
Thus, the puck 14 provides:
(a) an adjustable weighted training puck with an extra measure of safety, by
means of the nut and bolt securely keeping both cylinder body halves from
separating and sending removable weighted steel tube rings randomly
projecting;
(b) an adjustable weighted training puck that can equally absorb and deflect
impact;
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(c) an adjustable weighted training puck with a cylindrical cutout that will
firmly
station and hold any or all of the removable weighted steel tube rings placed
within;
(d) an adjustable weighted training puck with an adjustable weight to the user
so
not to injure the user;
(e) an adjustable weighted training puck built from a material able to prevent
permanent indents; and absorb and defect impact;
(f) an adjustable weighted training puck that is affordable; and
(g) an adjustable weighted training puck which can be convenient to open,
adjust
the training pucks total weight, and assemble the training puck back to its
proper form, without damaging the adjustable weighted training puck.
Operation--Figs I A and Figs 1 B
The manner of using the adjustable weighted training puck is described with
respect to
Fig 1 A and Fig I B. Assembly of the training puck 14 involves setting either
and or both
the smaller weighted steel tube ring 24, and the larger weighted steel tube
ring 25, into
the cylindrical cutout 44 of the second cylinder body half 12. The six
protruding bosses
18 of the first cylinder body half 10 are aligned with the six recessions 16
of the second
cylinder body half 12, and the six recessions 16 of the first cylinder body
half 10 are
aligned with the six protruding bosses 18 of the second cylinder body half 12.
The
cylinder body halves 10, 12 are forced together, and the protruding bosses 18
are received
therein into the recessions 16, the main body 13 is formed. The bolt 22 is
inserted into
the recession for bolt 28 and travels through the hollow post 38 of the first
cylinder body
half 10 and continues through the hollow post 38 of the second cylinder body
half I 2 to
be attached to the nut 20 which is firmly in place within the recession for
nut 26.
Referring to Figs 12A, 12B, 13A, and 13B, the small weighted steel tube ring
24 can be
added to the empty main body 13 to create a main body 13 weighting 6.5 ounces.
The
larger weighted steel tube ring 25 can be added to main body 13 to create a
main body 13
weighing 8.5 ounces. Both weighted steel tube rings 24 and 25 can be added to
empty
CA 02339336 2004-O1-23
main body 13 to create a main body 13 weighing 12 ounces. An empty main body
13
weighting 3 ounces, can be used also to play a game of pond hockey or floor
hockey.
Conclusion, Ramifications, and Scope
Accordingly, the adjustable weighted training puck 14, provides a unique, low
cost, and
universal training tool for the skills and techniques that are needed to play
the game of
hockey. Further more, the adjustable weighted training puck has additional
advantages in
that
* it permits the adjustable weighted training puck to retain its cylinder
shape at all
times, this is because the training puck is made of Santopreve (a trademark)
which
allows the training puck the dual ability to absorb and deflect impact.
* it provides the user with a training puck adjustable to three ounces, this
assists
the individual user to learn the proper techniques needed to handle, control,
and
shoot a hockey puck. Once the techniques are learned the individual user can
now
increase the weight of the adjustable weighted training puck, this can excel
and
strength their handling, controlling, and shooting of the hockey puck.
* it allows the user the potential for increasing their confidence once the
techniques are learned and their abilities strengthened.
While the present invention has been described for what are presently
considered the
preferred embodiments, the invention is not so limited. To the contrary, the
invention is
intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included
within the
spirit and scope of the appended claims. The scope of the following claims is
to be
accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications
and
equivalent structures and functions.
For example, the second cylinder body half can hold a sticker on the outer
face, this will
help in keeping dirt out of the recession containing the nut, and can assist
in keeping the
nut from falling out of the recession when the puck is separated for adjusting
of the
training pucks weight.
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