Composite tubular member having consistent strength

An axially extending tubular composite member having a plurality of plies and extending along a longitudinal axis has at least three plies with selectively structured fiber components in each ply. Typically an inner ply has at least one biaxial fiber component, an intermediate ply has at least an axial fiber component that typically is combined with two further fibers to form a triaxial fiber component. Another ply typically has a woven fiber component. A further ply having a biaxial component either replaces the ply of woven fiber or is disposed beneath it over the intermediate ply. A surface veil having fiber and an excess of resin material typically covers at least the innermost or outermost surface of the composite member. An internal web member can be provided, and typically also employs fibers and the matrix material.

BACKGROUND 
This invention provides resin-fiber composite tubular members having unique 
combinations of fiber orientations in different plies, and having selected 
other reinforcement. 
The composite members of the invention are advantageously used in various 
manufactured products, including sports implements such as golf clubs and 
hockey sticks among others. 
Sports implements have long been made with various materials including wood 
and particularly wood shafts. Wood implements can have high strength as 
desired and can have a satisfying feel for the user. One drawback of wood, 
however, is significant variation from item to item, even when made to the 
same specifications and dimensions. 
Among the known practices regarding fiber-reinforced resin tubular 
materials are the bicycle frame structure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 
4,657,795 of Foret. Also in the prior art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,048,441; 
5,188,872; and No. RE 35,081. 
One object of this invention is to provide composite tubular members suited 
for the shaft of a sports implement. Other objects of the invention will 
in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The tubular members which the invention provides have resin-fiber composite 
construction with improvements in durability and particularly in bending 
strength and in impact strength. Further, the tubular members are 
generally suited for relatively low cost manufacture. 
The tubular members of the invention have one or more plies of fibers. In 
one practice, the multiple-ply composite members are constructed according 
to manufacture methods commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 
08/191,856 filed 3 Feb. 1994 and incorporated herein by this reference. 
Typically, an axially extending tubular composite member according to the 
invention has a plurality of plies. At least some plies include 
substantially continuous fibers. The composite member has a primary 
bending stiffness along a longitudinal axis. 
The tubular composite member generally has at least three plies, including 
an inner or interior ply that commonly has at least one biaxial fiber 
component embedded in the matrix material. As used herein a biaxially 
fiber component includes two sets of fibers or threads spirally wrapping 
in opposite directions about the axially extending composite member. The 
two sets of fibers thus are generally symmetrical and generally extend 
diagonally relative to the axis of the member. 
An intermediate ply of the composite member typically has at least one 
axially extending fiber component also disposed with the resin or other 
matrix material. The intermediate ply is disposed contiguously over the 
interior ply and hence is exterior to the interior ply. The axial fiber 
component of the intermediate ply can be a substantially continuous set of 
fibers extending essentially parallel to the elongation axis of the 
composite member. Alternatively, a set of axially extending fibers can 
follow a helical path, i.e., extend at an acute angle relative to the 
elongation axis. In one practice the axial fiber is interlaced with two 
other sets of threads or fibers extending symmetrically in opposite 
directions relative to the axial fiber, to constitute so-called triaxial 
fiber structure. The interlacing or diagonally extending sets of fibers 
enhance maintaining the axially extending fibers in place and they add 
strength, including preventing cracks and other stress failures or 
fractures from propagating. 
In one practice of the invention a further ply overlying the intermediate 
ply has a woven fiber component. In a typical embodiment, the woven fiber 
component has the two sets of fibers, and one is oriented axially and the 
other transversely relative to the longitudinal axis, i.e., a so-called 
0.degree. and 90.degree. fiber orientation relative to the elongation 
axis. 
A further practice of the invention employs an outer ply having at least 
one biaxial fiber component and located over the intermediate ply and 
either in place of a woven fiber component as described above or beneath 
such a woven fiber component. 
Aside from applying fiber components in woven form, they can be formed with 
continuous fiber strands drawn from spools as described in Attachment A. 
Alternatives include applying the fibers in preformed fibrous sheets. 
Furthermore, the fibers can be braided, stitched or knitted. 
It is also to be understood that each ply can include two or more subplies. 
By way of example, the inner ply of a tubular member according to the 
invention can have two subplies, each with a biaxial fiber component. In a 
further example, the biaxial fibers can have different fiber angles, 
relative to the elongation axis, in the two subplies. 
A typical further element of a composite member according to the invention 
is a surface veil, forming either the extreme outer surface of the member 
or the extreme tubular inner surface, or both. Such a surface veil can 
facilitate the manufacture of the member, particularly in a pultrusion 
manufacture. An exterior veil can enhance appearance, an interior veil can 
improve impact resistance. As is known in the art, a surface veil for 
these purposes has a relatively large proportion of resin and a relatively 
lesser fiber component. 
The fibers of a composite member according to the invention are generally 
selected, using known criteria, from materials including carbon, aramid, 
glass, linear polyethylene, polyethylene, polyester, and mixtures thereof. 
The matrix material is selected from a group of resin-based materials, such 
as thermoplastics and thermosets. Examples of thermoplastics include: 
polyetherether-ketone, polyphenylene sulfide, polyethylene, polypropylene, 
and Nylon-6. Examples of thermosets include: urethanes, epoxy, vinylester, 
and polyester. 
In a further practice of the invention, tubular members having a 
resin-fiber composite structure have improvements in durability and 
particularly in impact strength, and yet retain light weight, when 
constructed with one or more additional structural elements. Such 
structural elements which the invention provides include selectively 
concave walls, selected added thickness at corners of walls, added 
thickness selectively in each of two opposed walls, and internal 
reinforcement. 
The first three features stated above, i.e., concave walls, thickened 
corners, and thickened walls, are applicable to members having a 
non-circular cross section and typically to members having a polygonal 
cross-section. A preferred polygonal cross-section has four or more sides. 
The foregoing structural features preferably are used in combination with 
one another, such as opposed concave walls combined with added wall 
thickness at the corners of those walls, or added thickness at opposed 
walls and added thickness at the corners of those walls. 
The internal reinforcement is applicable in structures having any of 
various cross sections, examples of which include a polygonal cross 
section and a circular cross section. Examples of such reinforcement 
include an interior rib extending along at least a portion of the length 
of the member, either essentially parallel to the axis or length of the 
member or selectively angled, e.g., helical, with regard to the axis of a 
straight member. Such a rib is preferably provided on each of two opposed 
walls. Another example of such internal reinforcement is an interior web, 
or an axially spaced succession of interior braces, spanning between 
opposed walls or between adjacent walls. For example, an interior web or 
brace in a composite tubular member according to one embodiment of the 
invention and having a circular or elliptical cross section can follow the 
path of a chord extending between two locations spaced apart around the 
circumference of the composite member, when viewed in cross section. 
Correspondingly, in a structure having a polygonal cross section, the 
internal web or brace extends between adjacent walls. Further examples 
include such braces or webs extending between opposed walls or wall 
portions, including along the path of a diameter of a member having a 
circular or elliptical cross section. 
The interior reinforcement can extend along the full length of the member 
or along only part of the length. The latter may be preferred, for 
example, to decrease weight and to control stiffness. 
In one preferred practice, the internal reinforcement is formed during the 
initial pultrusion fabrication of the composite member and accordingly is 
continuous along the length of the member, or at least along a selected 
portion thereof. Where such an internal reinforcing web is formed 
continuously along the length of a member, it can subsequently be removed, 
as by machining, from one or more selected portions of the length of the 
member. This may be desired to reduce the weight of the member. 
A further alternative is to fabricate the composite member and add internal 
reinforcement, by inserting a preformed internal reinforcement element. 
The internal reinforcement element preferably is added prior to final 
curing of the polymers of the composite member and of the reinforcement 
element to ensure a solid attachment of the internal reinforcement member 
element to the composite member. In accordance with another method of 
fabrication, the composite member and the internal reinforcing element are 
formed concurrently as part of a resin transfer or compression molding 
process. This fabrication method provides a system capable of forming a 
composite member integral with an internal reinforcing element, both 
having selective characteristics along the length of the member. 
The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing 
features, properties and relations of elements exemplified in the articles 
hereinafter described, and comprises the several steps and the relation of 
one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others for 
fabricating such articles, and the scope of the invention is indicated in 
the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
FIG. 1 shows a transverse cross section and longitudinal fragment of a 
composite tubular member 100 according to one preferred practice of the 
invention. The illustrated member 100 has a rectangular cross section with 
two wide opposed walls 102 and 104 and two narrow opposed walls 106 and 
108. The tubular member 100 can be constructed essentially as described in 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,997 to form, for example, the shaft of a hockey stick 
or of a lacrosse stick. Each wall 102, 104, 106 and 108 of the illustrated 
member 100 has generally uniform thickness along the length of the member 
and the four walls are of essentially the same thickness. Thus, the 
illustrated member 100 is preferably continuous along at least a selected 
length, i.e., has the same cross section at successive locations along 
that selected length. This continuous cross sectional configuration 
facilitates manufacture, for example with pultrusion procedures as 
described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,947 . 
The member 100 further has, as also shown in FIG. 1, internal reinforcement 
in the form of a web 110 that spans between and is joined solidly to the 
opposed wider walls 102 and 104 of the member. The reinforcing web 110 is 
continuous along at least a selected portion of the length of the member 
100. The illustrated member 100 thus has a hollow tubular interior within 
the walls 102-108, aside from the web 110. 
In a preferred embodiment of the member 100, as shown, two elongated strips 
of fabric 112 and 114 are formed into side-by-side closed quadrilateral 
tubes. The abutting walls of the two tubes, as formed by the fabric, form 
the web 110 of the member 100. 
An elongated strip of fabric 116 is then formed into a closed tube 
enclosing the two side-by-side tubes formed by the fabrics 112 and 114. 
A ply 118 of axially-extending fibers is then disposed over the layer 
formed by the fabric 116. 
Another elongated strip of fabric 120 is formed into a closed tube 
enclosing the fiber ply 118 (and the structure therein formed by the 
fabrics 116, 114 and 112). An outer ply of the structural member is formed 
by an elongated strip of fabric 122, also formed into a tubular enclosure. 
The foregoing assemblage of fiber plies is impregnated with resin 124, 
typically an epoxy resin, and the resultant composite is cured. 
The foregoing procedure of fabricating the member 100 can advantageously be 
practiced in a pultrusion system with a fixed, i.e., stationary, mandrel 
on which the fabric and fiber layers are formed, and within an outer 
die-like forming member. 
In one preferred embodiment of the member 100, each fabric 112 and 114 is a 
preformed fabric having fibers, typically of fiberglass, carbon or aramid, 
and oriented at zero degrees and at ninety degrees relative to the 
longitudinal length of the member 100. Such a fabric commonly has a woven 
structure. 
The fabric 116 in this embodiment is a preformed fabric, preferably 
non-woven, i.e., of stitched or knitted structure, with fibers oriented at 
.+-.forty-five degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the member 
100. Alternatively, braided or woven fabrics oriented at .+-.forty-five 
degrees relative to the longitudinal axis of the member I 00 may be used. 
Such a fabric 116 thus forms an inner ply of the member 100 and which has 
a biaxial fiber component. The fabrics 112 and 114, which are within the 
ply formed by the fabric 116, form another inner ply of the member 100. 
The illustrated member 100 thus has an inner ply having two subplies, one 
formed by the fabric 116 and another formed by the fabric 112 and 114. The 
fabric 116 can be, for example, of glass, carbon or aramid fibers. 
The fibers in the ply 118 can be of carbon or of glass, or can be a hybrid, 
i.e., a combination of glass and of carbon, by way of example. These 
fibers form the ply 118 as an intermediate ply in the member 100 and with 
at least an axial fiber component. 
The fabric 120 in the illustrated embodiment is a preformed fabric of glass 
and/or carbon, preferably of non-woven structure and having fibers 
oriented at .+-.forty-five degrees relative to the member longitudinal 
axis. This fabric thus forms an outer ply of the member 100 and which also 
has a biaxial fiber component. 
The fabric 122 that forms the illustrated outer ply of the member 100 is 
preferably a preformed fabric typically of woven structure, with fibers 
oriented at zero and at ninety degrees relative to the longitudinal axis 
of the member 100. This fabric 122 forms an exterior ply of the member, 
external to the outer ply formed with the fabric 120. 
The primary function of each layer in the member 100 is that the innermost 
fabrics 112 and 114 provide internal impact resistance, particularly by 
forming the internal reinforcing web 110. Each fabric 116 and fabric 118 
forms a ply providing torsional stiffness to the member 100. The 
axially-oriented fibers in the ply 118 provide bending load strength, 
i.e., axial stiffness to the member 100. The fabric 122 provides external 
wear resistance to the member 100. 
The member 100 can be further formed, prior to curing, with one or more 
light gauze or surface veil plies 126 of preformed gauze or veil-like 
fiber that is highly resin-absorbent. These surface gauze or veil plies 
enhance the abrasion resistance of the member 100 and can provide an 
attractive surface finish. 
More generally, the invention can be practiced, in one instance, with 
fibers oriented at angles other than those for the particular embodiment 
described above. For example, the fabrics 112 and 114 can be arranged with 
the fibers oriented generally between .+-.30.degree. and between 
60.degree. and 120.degree. relative to the longitudinal axis of the member 
100. More preferred ranges of fiber angles for these fabrics are 
.+-.15.degree. and between 75.degree. and 115.degree. relative to that 
axis. 
Similarly, each fabric 116 and 120 can be arranged with fibers oriented 
between .+-.30.degree. and .+-.60.degree. relative to the longitudinal 
axis of the member 100. More preferred ranges of the fiber angles for each 
of these fabrics are between .+-.40.degree. and .+-.50.degree.. Further, 
in most practices of the invention, the two sets of fibers of each 
fabric--which generally are orthogonal to each other within the 
fabric--are oriented on the member symmetrically relative to the 
longitudinal axis of the member. 
The longitudinal seams of the different strips of fabric that form the 
several plies of the member 100, as described above, are preferably formed 
at different, spaced apart locations in the member 100. For example, the 
longitudinal seams in the tubes formed by the fabrics 112 and 114 can be 
disposed along opposed member walls 106 and 108. The longitudinal seams of 
the fabrics 116, 120 and 122 can also be located along different walls of 
the member 100. 
Features attained with a composite member having the structure described 
and shown are that it has high bending strength and stiffness, and high 
torsional rigidity. It also has, through the wall thickness, durability 
and impact resistance. Further by way of illustrative example and without 
limitation, a member 100 as described above and shown in FIG. 1 and suited 
for use as a hockey stick shaft can have a web thickness of 0.034 inch and 
a thickness in each wall 102, 104, 106 and 108 of 0.082 inch. 
FIG. 2 shows another construction for a member 100', which illustratively 
has a quadralateral cross section transverse to an elongation axis, as 
shown. The member 100' has an inner ply 116' with a biaxial fiber 
component, an intermediate layer 118' with a triaxial fiber component, and 
an external ply 122' illustratively having a woven fiber component with a 
0.degree./90.degree. fiber orientation. 
The illustrated member 100' also has an outer ply 120' interposed between 
the intermediate ply 118' and the external ply 122', and which 
illustratively also has a biaxial fiber component similar to the inner ply 
116'. Further, each biaxial fiber component of the inner and outer plies 
116' and 120' includes a stitching fiber 116A' and 118A'. The foregoing 
fiber components of the member 100' are embedded in a resin matrix that 
extends through all the plies to form the fiber components into a single 
unitary structure. 
Although illustrated with a hollow reinforcement-free interior, the member 
100' of FIG. 2 alternatively can have a reinforcing rib 110' as shown in 
phantom. 
A surface veil 126' preferably is applied over the outer surface of the 
member 100', as FIG. 2 further shows. 
Another elongated reinforced composite member 130, according to the 
invention and as shown in FIG. 3, has a web 132 secured to and spanning 
between opposed walls 130A and 130B. Alternatively, the web 132 can span 
between walls of the composite member 130, other than 130A and 130B. The 
illustrated web 132 has a core 134 enclosed within a fibrous sleeve 136. 
The core 134 can be of various materials depending on the weight and 
strength requirements, examples of which are wood and plastic, typically 
rigid, synthetic resin foam. The core 134 of the web 132 in other 
practices can be partially or entirely hollow and can alternatively employ 
a laminated structure with different layers, typically of wood and/or 
synthetic materials. 
The fibrous sleeve 136 can be woven, braided or otherwise formed over the 
core 134. Another practice is to insert the core 134 into a preformed hose 
of fibrous material that constitutes the sleeve 136. In either case, the 
sleeve 136 can be formed of fiberglass, carbon, or kevlar, or a hybrid 
combination thereof. 
FIG. 3 further shows that during illustrative fabrication of the member 
130, the web 132 formed by the core 134 within the fibrous sleeve 136 is 
seated between two tines or side-by-side legs 138A and 138B of a mandrel 
138 having an end portion 138C that joins together the two tines or legs. 
The several fibrous plies that form the walls of the member 130 are then 
formed, in succession, over the mandrel 138 and thus are formed or built 
up onto the assembled core and sleeve, which are held in place between the 
tines of the mandrel onto which the walls are formed. 
An innermost surface veil, with a fiber structure and excess resin, 
preferably is the first layer formed onto the mandrel 138, to facilitate 
the manufacture of the member 130 onto the mandrel 138. The mandrel is 
removed from the member 130, typically after all the plies are applied and 
before the end of the manufacturing process. 
FIG. 4 shows a transverse cross section and longitudinal fragment of a 
composite tubular member 150 having walls 152, 154, 156 and 158. The 
tubular member 150 can be constructed as described above with reference to 
FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, and as further described in Attachment A, to form, for 
example, the shaft of a hockey stick. Each wall 152 and 154 of the member, 
which together form a pair of opposed walls, is concave. The concavity of 
the opposed walls preferably is symmetrical, as shown. 
One preferred construction of the member 150 has a magnitude of concavity 
of the opposed walls 152 and 154 such that the minimum width of the shaft 
at the mid-point of the concavity, designated in FIG. 4 as (X), is less 
than the maximum width of the shaft, designated as (Y), by the equation 
EQU y.gtoreq.1.01 x (Eq. 1) 
FIG. 5 illustrates another form of the quadrilateral composite member 152' 
in which both pairs of opposed walls 152' and 154' and 156' and 158' are 
concave. The preferred magnitude of concavity of each pair of opposed 
walls is in accord with equation (1). The concavity of the opposed walls 
152' and 154' is preferably symmetrical, as is the concavity of the 
opposed walls 156' and 158'. 
FIG. 6 shows a longitudinal fragment of a composite member 160, such as a 
hockey stick shaft or a lacrosse stick shaft, having a rectangular cross 
section with top and bottom walls 162 and 164 thicker than side walls 166 
and 168. This configuration is typical in a hockey stick shaft. Each wall 
162, 164, 166 and 168 of the illustrated member 160 has uniform thickness, 
in the cross section shown in FIG. 6, except at the corner where it joins 
another wall. In the illustrated composite member 160, the outer periphery 
of the four walls has a right rectangular cross section, and the periphery 
of the inner surfaces is similar but with corners beveled at approximately 
45.degree. angles or with the inner surfaces of the corners having a 
radius to create the desired increased thickness in the corner. One 
preferred magnitude of the difference in wall thickness is in accord with 
Equation 2 below, where the dimension (A) is the minimal thickness of a 
wall, e.g., at its midpoint, and the dimension (B) is the thickness of 
that wall as measured in the same direction, at one corner thereof. 
EQU B.gtoreq.1.05 A (Eq. 2) 
A composite member 170 having five equal-width walls 172, 174, 176, 178 and 
180, i.e., which is pentagonal in a cross section transverse to the length 
as shown in FIG. 7, has a maximal wall thickness in each wall at the 
corners, similar to the construction of the member 160 of FIG. 6. The 
illustrated structure of the composite member 170 is regular, in that all 
walls and all corners are the same as others, and all included angles of 
the pentagonal cross section are equal. The maximal wall thickness at a 
corner, designated (B), is greater than the minimal wall thickness, 
designated (A), and the two thicknesses of each wall preferably are in 
accord with Equation (2). 
FIG. 8 shows a structure 182 similar to the member 170 of FIG. 7, except 
that it has a hexagonal cross section, as illustrative of the shaft of a 
lacrosse stick. The member is elongated along an axis 184, as are the 
members shown in other figures. 
FIG. 9 shows a composite member 186 having multiple features in accord with 
the invention. In particular, the illustrated member 186 has concave walls 
and each wall 188 and 190 in one pair of opposed walls has a greater 
thickness than in the other pair of opposed walls 192 and 194. The member 
186 has a third feature, namely that the walls have added thickness at 
corners. Each wall of the illustrated member 186 has uniform thickness 
along the width of the wall, except at each corner, where the wall 
thickness is larger. The increased wall thickness at each corner 
preferably is in accord with Equation 2, which relates minimum thickness 
of a wall (A) to the maximal thickness (B) of that wall. 
In accordance with one aspect, each member 150, 160, 170, 182 and 186, 
shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 respectively, is preferably continuous 
along at least a selected length, i.e., has the same cross section at 
successive locations along that selected length. This continuous cross 
sectional configuration facilitates manufacture, for example, with 
pultrusion procedures as described in Attachment A. The different wall 
thicknesses at different locations circumferentially about the cross 
section of each member 150, 160, 170, 182 and 186 can be attained with 
added resin, and can be attained with a combination of added resin and 
added fibers, typically axial, i.e., longitudinal. 
In another aspect of the invention, each member 150, 160, 170, 182 and 184, 
has a varying cross-sectional geometry along the length of the composite 
member. Such members having a varying cross-section can be produced with a 
molding process. These members with varying geometry advantageously 
provide a higher performance tubular member having, as compared to those 
members produced by a pultrusion process, an increased strength per weight 
ratio. 
FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and 13 illustrate, respectively, composite members 200, 
202, 204 and 206, each of which incorporates internal reinforcement. For 
clarity of illustration, each composite member 200-206 is illustrated with 
uniform thickness throughout the walls including corners. However, the 
internal reinforcement shown and described below preferably is combined 
with one or more of the structural features described above with reference 
to FIGS. 4 through 9. 
The internal reinforcement of member 200 in FIG. 10 is a tube 200a that 
spans between and is joined solidly to opposed walls 200b and 200c of the 
member. The reinforcing tube 200a is continuous along at least a selected 
portion of the length of the member 200. 
The member 202 of FIG. 11 has an internal reinforcing web 202a joined to 
and spanning between a pair of opposed walls 202b and 202c of the member. 
These are illustrated as the wider walls of the member and the web 202a is 
preferably continuous along at least a selected length of the member 202. 
The reinforcing web 202a is secured within the member 202 after each such 
element has been initially formed. The web 202a typically has the cross 
section of an I beam, as illustrated. In other practices of the invention, 
the web 202a is formed during the formation of the member 202, as in a 
pultrusion or a molding fabrication, and hence is formed integrally with 
the walls 202b and 202c; the thickness of those walls can be increased 
slightly adjacent the juncture with the web 202a, to form structure 
corresponding to the flanges on a conventional I beam. The structures 
described above with reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 are further 
alternatives for attaining the member 202 with the web 202a. 
The hexagonal composite member 204 of FIG. 12 has a regular hexagonal cross 
section and has a multiple-element internal reinforcement member 204a. The 
illustrated reinforcement member 204a has a transverse cross section as 
shown, configured with six radially extending spoke-like reinforcement 
elements uniformly spaced around the circumference and each joined at its 
radially outer end to the midpoint of one wall of the member 204. Further, 
the radial elements are joined together at their intersection, at the 
midpoint or axial center of the composite member 204. 
The composite member 204 of FIG. 12 can, for example, be the shaft of a 
lacrosse stick, and each composite member 200, 202 of FIGS. 10 and 11 can 
be incorporated in the shaft of a hockey stick. 
As a farther feature of the invention, a tubular composite member can have 
an internal reinforcing element that is a foam-filled tubular core. FIG. 
13 illustrates this practice of the invention with a tubular composite 
member 206 that is internally reinforced with a tubular core element 206a, 
the internal hollow of which is filled with an expanded polymer resin foam 
206b. 
Alternative to an internal reinforcing element that spans fully between 
opposed walls or wall sections of a tubular element, FIG. 14 illustrates a 
practice of the invention with a tubular composite member 210, 
illustratively circular in cross section, and formed as in a pultrusion 
process, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,947, with one or more 
selectively circumferentially located internal ribs. The illustrated 
member 210 has four such ribs, 210a, 210b, 210c and 210d, equally spaced 
about the circumference of the circular cross section. This practice in 
the invention, i.e., with internal reinforcement that extends radially 
only part way, and not entirely, to an opposing wall portion, can provide 
added structural rigidity to a composite member, with a higher degree of 
elasticity than with an internal reinforcement element that spans fully 
between opposed wall portions, as in each of FIGS. 10, 11, 12 and 13. 
Further, although illustrated with a composite member of circular cross 
section, the internal reinforcement illustrated in FIG. 14 can be used 
with composite members having other configurations, as shown in others of 
the drawings. 
FIG. 15 illustrates a practice of the invention with internal reinforcement 
of a tubular composite member where the reinforcement is not continuous 
along the length of the member. In particular, the tubular composite 
member 212 of FIG. 15 is internally reinforced with an element 212a that 
is at least partially preformed, e.g., with partial curing of polymer 
resin and which is finally cured or cured to the final stage after 
assembly within the composite member. The preformed reinforcement element 
212a, as shown, is similar to an I-beam structure having a web spanning 
between end flanges. However, the web is discontinuous and has only an 
axially succession of web-like braces 212b that extend diametrically 
between opposed walls or wall portions of the composite member 212. The 
discontinuous reinforcing element 212a can be formed as a discontinuous 
member, or it can be formed as a continuous member which is further 
processed to remove sections along the reinforcing element. The 
reinforcing element 212a provides a structure that selectively reduces the 
total weight of the composite member while providing selective 
reinforcement to the composite member. 
FIGS. 16 and 17, respectively, illustrate a hockey stick 214 and a lacrosse 
stick 216, each constructed with a shaft 214a, 216a that is a tubular 
composite member of the type described above in FIGS. 4 through 15. 
In particular, the hockey stick 214 has a conventional blade 214a, secured 
at a lower end of the shaft 214a, and has a cap 214c secured to the upper 
other end of the shaft 214a. The illustrated shaft 214a has internal 
reinforcement 214d, as described above with reference to any of FIGS. 10, 
11, 12, 13, 14 and 15, extending for a portion only of the length of the 
shaft. 
Similarly, the lacrosse stick 216 of FIG. 17 has a conventional lacrosse 
net 216b secured to one end of a lacrosse handle shaft 216a. The shaft has 
an internal reinforcement element 216d extending at least along the lower 
portion, i.e., the portion to which the net 216b is secured. 
Each shaft 214A and 216B thus is axially elongated with a handle portion at 
one end. At the other end, the shaft has a socket-like receptacle or other 
structure for seating and thereby mounting a sports implement. This 
implement is the hockey blade 214A in the embodiment of FIG. 16 and is the 
lacrosse net 216B in the embodiment of FIG. 17. 
It will thus be seen that the invention attains the objects set forth 
above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, and since 
certain changes may be made in carrying out the above method and in the 
articles set forth without departing from the scope of the invention, it 
is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in 
the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a 
limiting sense. 
It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover 
all generic and specific features of the invention described herein, and 
all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of 
language, might be said to fall therebetween.