Patent ID: 9259883
Filing Date: 2016-02-16
CPC Classification: A63B,B29C,B29K,B29L,D03D,D04B,D05B,D10B

Claim Text:
1. A method of making a lacrosse head with an integral pocket, the method comprising: knitting with a knitting machine a lacrosse pocket including a lacrosse pocket outer perimeter having a first knit pattern, the pocket outer perimeter including a perimeter flange that is at least 2.0 mm in width, simultaneously knitting on the knitting machine a lacrosse middle pocket while knitting the lacrosse pocket outer perimeter of the lacrosse pocket, the lacrosse middle pocket having a predefined, three dimensional, concave shape, the middle pocket being located within the pocket outer perimeter and having a second knit pattern, the second knit pattern being different from the first knit pattern; defining in the middle pocket a bullseye opening that is shaped and sized to at least partially restrain the lacrosse ball within the middle pocket, the bullseye opening being formed at a predefined pocket apex generally centered upon a pocket longitudinal axis, the bullseye opening being the largest dimensioned opening defined by the lacrosse pocket; removing the lacrosse pocket from the knitting machine; placing the perimeter flange in a mold, the mold defining a scoop mold cavity, a sidewall mold cavity and a base mold cavity so that the pocket outer perimeter is simultaneously disposed in each of the scoop mold cavity, the base mold cavity and the sidewall mold cavity; introducing a molten material into the scoop mold cavity, the sidewall mold cavity and the base mold cavity so that the molten material becomes impregnated within the perimeter flange, flowing between interlooped portions of strands within the perimeter flange, with the molten material extending from a first surface of the perimeter flange that faces generally toward the pocket longitudinal axis, to a second surface of the perimeter flange that faces generally away from the pocket longitudinal axis; allowing the molten material to cure to form a lacrosse head having a scoop disposed in the scoop mold cavity, a sidewall disposed in the sidewall mold cavity and a base disposed in the base mold cavity, and removing the lacrosse head from the mold with the lacrosse pocket projecting downward from the lacrosse head and being integrally molded therein.