Abstract:
A device for training hockey goaltenders including a base having an ice engaging surface to reduce sliding on the ice, a plurality of side panels arranged around a perimeter of the base and secured directly or indirectly to the base, each side panel having an outer surface adapted to deflect a hockey puck directed at it, and wherein a first side panel outer surface is made of a material that is different from a second side panel outer surface.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to the field of athletic training equipment. Specifically, the present invention provides a device to assist ice hockey goaltender training. 
     A goaltender, or goalie, in hockey has the task of keeping pucks from entering the net during a hockey game. In order to become proficient at this task, they must practice many hours with teammates and coaches. One of the skills that is practised most intensely is reacting to deflection. In the game of hockey, a deflection occurs when a shot or pass strikes a player or a stick. The puck will change direction, sometimes only slightly, and sometimes drastically. The goalie must learn to react to the deflection, and quickly determine the puck&#39;s new path, so he or she can prevent the puck from entering the net. Moreover, often the goalie&#39;s view of the puck will be screened by players in front of the goalie. 
     To practice reacting to deflections, a variety of drills have been developed, usually involving having a first player positioned some distance away from the net shooting the puck toward the net, and a second player positioned close to the net, possibly in front of the goalie to obscure his vision or screen the shots, attempting to deflect the pucks as they are shot with his hockey stick. This is a very effective drill, teaching valuable game skills. However, it involves having two players other than the goalie participate. Moreover, since the player close to the goalie, providing the screen and the deflection, is in the way of the shots taken by the other player, he or she is exposed to potential injury on each shot. 
     A simpler drill that has been developed involves placing a board or other hard object on the ice near the net, and having the shooter bounce pucks off the board, toward the goalie. This drill is effective but the goalie is able to predict very quickly how the puck will usually bounce off a given barrier, so it lacks the spontaneity of a live player deflecting the puck. Furthermore, the shots will not be screened. Also, the barrier placed by the coach will often move along the ice surface, so it must be repositioned frequently. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention, then, is to provide a device for goalie training that can be used to deflect pucks shot at a net. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the device of the present invention will provide more than one deflecting surface, and each deflecting surface provides a deflection with different characteristics simulating different deflecting that can occur in game condition. 
     In a further preferred embodiment, the device is operable to change deflecting surfaces either by remote control or randomly. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the device is provided with a screening panel, to simulate a screen set up by a player being positioned in front of or beside the goalie. 
     In a broad aspect, then, the present invention relates to a device for training hockey player comprising: a) a base having an ice engaging surface to minimize sliding on the ice; b) a plurality of side panels arranged around the perimeter of the base and secured directly or indirectly to the base, each side panel having an outer surface shaped to deflect a hockey puck directed at it. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In drawings that illustrate the present invention by way of example. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 , but without a cover. 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a cutaway view of the second embodiment. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the first embodiment, showing the screening panel of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a front perspective view of a goaltender training device manufactured in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is the same view as  FIG. 8 , but with a hockey sweater mounted on the mast thereof. 
         FIG. 10  is an underside view of the device shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 11  is a top view of the device shown in  FIG. 8 , with the cover removed. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3 , in its most basic form, the present invention provides a deflection trainer  1  that has a number of deflecting surfaces  2 ,  3 ,  4  around its perimeter. Three surfaces are shown, forming a triangle, but other confirmations will be a matter of choice to one skilled in the art, in view of the essential features of the present invention. 
     The deflecting surfaces may include a flat hard vertical surface  2  to simulate a stick or blade; a rounded padded surface  3  to simulate a player&#39;s body, and a tilted, slightly curved surface  4 , to simulate the shooting surface of a stick. The surfaces  2 ,  3 ,  4  may be made of wood, fibreglass reinforced wood, high density polyethylene, carbon composite, or any other appropriate material. Padded surfaces should not be too soft, and should be covered with fabric to simulate hockey clothing, so that the puck will come off the padding in a manner similar to the way it comes off a body. 
     Moreover, each surface should, if possible, provide appropriate visual cues. For instance, a padded surface should be coloured like a hockey sweater, and a surface simulating a stick blade should have the taped appearance of a stick blade, to teach the goalie to associate bounce characteristics with visual cues. 
     At each corner of the device, a resilient corner piece  5  may be provided. Corner pieces  5  are firmly connected to the base  6  of the device, for instance by screws or bolts, and are provided with means to mount and de-mount deflection surfaces chosen form a variety of deflection surfaces, such as those discussed above. Other deflection surfaces may include:
         i) a bumpy surface, to simulate a skate boot   ii) a sharply angled flat or concave surface, to create high, upwardly moving deflections   iii) an elastic web, to create a deflection of variable speed, relative to the initial shot       

     Other appropriate surfaces will be obvious to those skilled in the art. 
     While the deflecting sides, eg  2 , 3 , 4 , may be permanently attached to the corners  5  and base  6 , it is preferable that means are provided at each end of the sides to attach the sides to the corners  5  so that the sides can be easily detached. Such means may be a vertical profile  7  at the end of the sides keyed to a vertical slot  8  as shown in one of the corners  5  in  FIG. 1 , or it may simply be alignable bolt holes in the corners and sides, to permit the sides to be securely bolted to the corners, yet easily removed. Furthermore, the sides may be two-sided, so that they can be taken off and reversed easily, to provide a different deflecting surface. An example of a two sided side piece would be a flat piece that is padded on one side, and not padded on the other, with the two sides provided with appropriate visual indicia or cues. It will also be understood that the corners  5  may be eliminated, and the ends of the sides joined to each other. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , a cover  9  may be provided. Preferably, the cover  9  will attach to the corners by easily detachable means, such as magnets  10  or detents or VELCRO® hook and loop fastener material. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the cover is preferably provided with mounting means such as a centrally located collar  11  to mount a screening device (see  FIG. 7 ). The screening device may be fabricated from a vertical mast  12   a  on which horizontally mounted a second mast  12   b , from which is hung a screen  14  of fabric of sufficiently large size to obscure a goalie&#39;s view of a shooter. Preferably, the fabric will extend down to the cover  9 , and will be coloured to simulate a hockey sweater, so as to provide an appropriate visual reference. The screen is also an effective shooting target for training the goalie in its own right. That is, the shooter may aim the puck anywhere at the screen  14 , and since it hangs loosely from the second mast  12   b , the puck will not be stopped but will emerge from the fabric, to be stopped by the goalie. 
     Referring to  FIG. 3 , the base  6  of the device, to which the corners  5  are attached for instance by arms  17 , is provided with a lower surface that is textured to grip the ice, or provided with projections  18 , spikes or the like to grip the ice. Preferably, a plurality of small projections are utilized, to hold the device firmly on the ice, without unduly damaging the ice surface. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a cut away of another version of the present invention is shown. It is provided with a motor  13  centrally positioned in a two part base. The two part base comprises a lower portion  14  to engage the ice surface. The lower portion is connected to and supports the motor  13 . Also connected to the motor by reduction gearing is the upper portion  19  of the base, connected to the corners  5  to which sides  2 ,  3 ,  4  and cover  9  are attached. The motor is provided with an energy source, such as a battery  15 , and a control circuit  16 . Control circuit  16  may be provided with a receiver  17  to receive control signals from a remote control device  20  that may be activated by a coach or player. Activation of the remote control causes the control circuit to actuate the motor, to turn the upper portion of the base, thereby to rotate the entire device  1 , to present a new deflecting surface to the shooter. Alternatively, control circuit  16  may be provided with means to cause random rotation of the device. In either case rotation may be incremental, presenting each side in a correct position after rotation, rather than continuous. However, in the case of remote control, continuous rotation, that can be stopped at any point, may be used, if desired. 
     An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 6 , to illustrate that the present invention may be another shape, such as a square. 
     An example of a goaltender training device  1  according to the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 8 ,  9 ,  10  and  11 . 
     The device  1  shown in  FIGS. 8-11  is provided with three deflecting surfaces namely a flat hard vertical surface  2 , a concave vertical surface  21  and a convex vertical surface  22 . Each surface  2 ,  21 ,  22  is made from a shaped length of wood  23 , to which a hard plastic  20  sheet, in this instance a polycarbonate sheet  24  has been fastened with a plurality of screws  25 . 
     Wood pieces  23  are fastened to triangular frame members  26  that is mounted on a base plate  6 . Durable corner pieces  5 , in this case made from wood that has been covered with sheet steel are provided in the corners between shaped wood pieces  23 . 
     In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 8-11 , the collar  11  is mounted on the base plate  6  instead of cover  9 . Accordingly, a hole  27  is bored in cover  9 , through which vertical mast  12  may be inserted for mounting in collar  11 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the mast assembly, consisting of vertical mast  12   a  and horizontal mast  12   b  may be L-shaped, and a sweater may be hung directly on horizontal mast  12   b , which may then be positioned as desired by a coach to simulate a player screening a goaltender. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , a preferred base design is shown. Base plate  6  is fastened to frame members, countersunk slightly to accommodate the depth of turntable  28  that is attached to the centre of base plate  6 . Turntable  28  has an upper piece  281  that can be screwed onto base plate  6 , and lower piece  282  that is provided with spike element  283  to hold the device  1  firmly to the ice, without unduly damaging the ice. Turntable  28  is adjusted to permit the device to be rotated, but not to spin freely. That is, it is acceptable and even desirable that a hard shot will cause the device to rotate slightly, changing the deflection angle between shots, for more realistic training. 
     It will be understood that numerous variants in materials, shapes, and deflecting surfaces are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.