Patent ID: 7695382
Filing Date: 2010-04-13
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. A lacrosse head formed of a plastic material said lacrosse head intended for attachment to a lacrosse handle to form a lacrosse stick, comprising: an open frame having a catching side into which a lacrosse ball enters and exits the head and a pocket side which opposes said catching side, said open frame including: a pair of opposing sidewall portions each having a top end and a bottom end, at least one of the sidewalls defining a non-string aperture adapted to reduce the weight of the open frame; a ballstop portion extending generally between said bottom ends of said pair of opposing sidewall portions; a scoop portion extending generally between said top ends of said pair of opposing sidewall portions; a throat portion extending rearwardly from said ballstop portion to facilitate formation of the lacrosse stick; a plurality of attachment structures formed adjacent said pocket side of the head to facilitate attachment of a netting to the head; and at least one reinforcement member encapsulated within the plastic material of the lacrosse head, wherein said at least one reinforcement member is formed from a first material and the lacrosse head is formed from a second material different from the first material, said at least one reinforcement member having greater strength than the plastic material, wherein said at least one reinforcement member is selectively positioned in said scoop portion and terminates short of said top ends of said pair of opposing sidewall portions; said at least one reinforcement member being sufficiently sized for strengthening said portion of the plastic material; wherein said scoop portion has a first cross-sectional shape and the reinforcement member has a second cross-sectional shape, wherein the first cross-sectional shape is different from the second cross-sectional shape; wherein said at least one reinforcement member has an outer peripheral shape and wherein substantially all of said at least one reinforcement member is buried substantially within said scoop portion so that said outer peripheral shape of said at least one reinforcement member is not reflected through the plastic material forming said scoop portion; wherein the lacrosse head has at least one of a front edge and a back edge defining a ball receiving area and an area for net attachment, respectively; wherein said at least one reinforcement member is disposed distal from said at least one of the front edge and the back edge to reduce the likelihood of breakage of the plastic material proximal said at least one reinforcement member.