Hockey stick blade protector

A new hockey stick blade protector for protecting the blade of a hockey stick and further reducing the friction of the blade on the playing surface improving a hockey player's performance. The inventive device includes at least one protective wear member molded to the shape of a hockey stick blade and coupled to the hockey stick blade by an attaching means where at least one protective wear member is contiguous to the playing surface to prevent wearing of the hockey stick blade and to reduce friction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to hockey stick protective devices and more 
particularly pertains to a new hockey stick blade protector for protecting 
the blade of a hockey stick extending the life of the hockey stick and 
reducing the friction of the blade on the playing surface improving a 
hockey player's performance. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The use of hockey stick protective devices is known in the prior art. More 
specifically, hockey stick protective devices heretofore devised and 
utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious 
structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs 
encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the 
fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
Known prior art hockey stick protective devices include U.S. Pat. No. 
5,294,113; U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,451; U.S. Pat. No. 
4,382,616; U.S. Pat. No. 4,392,674; U.S. Design Pat. No. 258,604; U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,529,825; U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,760; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,912,245. 
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and 
requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new hockey 
stick blade protector. In particular, the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. 
No. 5,294,113 utilizes a universal plastic strip to compensate for the 
various hockey stick blades which have various thickness' and lengths. 
However, this design is not secure and is designed only to be put on while 
playing street hockey and removed when playing ice hockey. 
Also in particular, the invention disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,760 uses an 
ABS plastic strip inside the a laminated hockey stick blade. However, the 
laminated blade wears and splinters with use requiring the entire blade to 
be replaced and not just the ABS plastic. The blade disclosed in the U.S. 
Pat. No. 3,982,760 slows the wearing process but still requires the 
replacement of the entire hockey stick when the plastic is worn out. The 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,982,760 also does not disclose an invention that includes 
a replaceable blade system. 
The inventive device includes at least one protective wear member molded to 
the shape of a hockey stick blade and coupled to the hockey stick blade 
where at least one protective wear member is contiguous to the playing 
surface to prevent wearing of the hockey stick blade and to reduce 
friction. The inventive device further includes an attaching means for 
simple attachment to the hockey stick blade. 
In these respects, the hockey stick blade protector according to the 
present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and 
designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily 
developed for the purpose of protecting the blade of a hockey stick 
extending the life of the hockey stick and reducing the friction of the 
blade on the playing surface improving a hockey player's performance. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of 
hockey stick protective devices now present in the prior art, the present 
invention provides a new hockey stick blade protector construction wherein 
the same can be utilized for protecting a hockey stick blade of a hockey 
stick extending the life of the hockey stick and reducing the friction of 
the blade on a playing surface improving a hockey player's performance. As 
such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be 
described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new hockey stick 
blade protector apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of 
the hockey stick protective devices mentioned heretofore and many novel 
features that result in a new hockey stick blade protector which is not 
anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the 
prior art hockey stick protective devices, either alone or in any 
combination thereof. 
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises at least one 
protective wear member molded to the shape of a hockey stick blade and 
coupled to the hockey stick blade where at least one protective member is 
contiguous to the playing surface to prevent wearing of the hockey stick 
blade and to reduce friction. The inventive device further includes an 
attaching means for simple attachment to the hockey stick blade. 
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features 
of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that 
follows may be better understood, and in order that the present 
contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional 
features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which 
will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention 
in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its 
application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the 
components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the 
drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being 
practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood 
that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose 
of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon 
which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the 
designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the 
several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, 
that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions 
insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present 
invention. 
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent 
and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the 
scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar 
with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a 
cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of 
the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention 
of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to 
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new hockey 
stick blade protector apparatus and method which has many of the 
advantages of the hockey stick protective devices mentioned heretofore and 
many novel features that result in a new hockey stick blade protector 
which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by 
any of the prior art hockey stick protective devices, either alone or in 
any combination thereof. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new hockey stick 
blade protector which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and 
marketed. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new hockey 
stick blade protector which is of a durable and reliable construction. 
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new hockey 
stick blade protector which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture 
with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then 
susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making 
such hockey stick blade protector economically available to the buying 
public. 
Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
hockey stick blade protector which provides in the apparatuses and methods 
of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously 
overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new hockey 
stick blade protector for protecting and extending the life of the hockey 
stick blade. 
Another object of the present invention is to reduce the friction of the 
blade on the playing surface improving a hockey player's performance. 
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new hockey 
stick blade protector which includes at least one protective wear member 
molded to the shape of a hockey stick blade coupled to the hockey stick 
blade where at least one protective wear member is contiguous to the 
playing surface to prevent wearing of the hockey stick blade. 
The inventive device further includes an attaching means for simple 
attachment to the hockey stick blade that can be used to play street 
hockey and ice hockey. 
Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new 
hockey stick blade protector wherein the user is able to attach the 
invention to a hockey stick blade to prevent the wearing of the blade 
which extends the hockey stick's useful life and that is easily 
replaceable without requiring the replacement of the entire hockey stick. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new hockey stick 
blade protector that allows rigid hockey blades of made of fiberglass and 
wood laminations to be used in street hockey instead of less preferred 
hockey sticks with plastic blades. 
Even further another object of the present invention is to reduce the 
friction between the invention and the playing surface increases the 
user's shooting ability and allows the user to slide the hockey stick 
while skating without causing undue drag. 
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various 
features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with 
particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this 
disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating 
advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should 
be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there 
is illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1-13 
thereof, a new hockey stick blade protector embodying the principles and 
concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the 
reference numeral 10 will be described. 
More specifically, it will be noted that the hockey stick blade protector 
10 comprises a back protective wear member 14, a front protective wear 
member 16, and an attaching means 20. 
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, it can be shown that the present 
invention 10 comprises the front protective wear member extending from a 
hockey stick blade toe 11 along the lower portion of a hockey stick blade 
12 ending at a hockey stick blade heel 13. The front protective wear 
member 16 is molded so as to conform to the contours of the hockey stick 
blade 12 to allow precise attachment to the hockey stick blade 12. FIG. 2 
discloses the back protective wear member 14 which is aligned opposite of 
the front protective wear member 16 and extending from the hockey stick 
blade toe 11 along the lower portion of the hockey stick blade 12 
terminating at the hockey stick blade heel 13. The unnumbered attaching 
means comprising an adhesive strip 26 securing the front protective wear 
member 16 and the back protective wear member 14 to the said hockey stick 
blade 12. An alternative attaching means, as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, 
wherein the front protective wear member 16, the back protective wear 
member 14, and the hockey stick blade 12 further comprise at least one 
attachment aperture 22. A fastener member 24 is fastened through each 
corresponding attachment aperture 22 of the front protective wear member 
16, of the hockey stick blade 12 and of the back protective wear member 14 
attaching said invention 10 to the hockey stick blade 12 where the said 
fastener member 24 is flush to the facial surfaces of the front protective 
wear member 16 and the back protective wear member 14 so as not to 
interfere with shooting of a hockey puck 18 or hockey ball (not shown). 
In another embodiment of the present invention 10, shown in FIGS. 5 through 
7, demonstrating a single protective wear member or strip 30 extending 
from the hockey stick blade toe 11 along the lower portion of the hockey 
stick blade 12 ending at the hockey stick blade heel 13. The single 
protective wear member 30 comprising a front protecting side wall 34, an 
arcuate protecting bottom wall 36, and a back protecting side wall 38 
defining a U-shaped blade receiving groove 32 molded so as to conform to 
the contours of the hockey stick blade 12 to allow precise attachment to 
the hockey stick blade 12. The attaching means comprising adhesive strip 
26 affixing the single protective wear member 30 to the hockey stick blade 
12. An alternative attaching means 20 wherein the single protective wear 
member 30 comprising at least two corresponding attachment aperture 22 
through the front protecting side wall 34, the back protecting side wall 
38 and the hockey stick blade 12. The fastener member 24 is fastened 
through each corresponding attachment aperture 22 of the single protective 
wear member 30 and of the hockey stick blade 12 for attaching said 
invention 10 to the hockey stick blade 12 where the fastener member 24 is 
tangent to the facial surfaces of the front protecting side wall 34 and 
the back protecting side wall 38 so as not to interfere with shooting of 
the hockey puck 18 or hockey ball (not shown). 
In use, the hockey stick blade protector 10 according to the present 
invention can be easily utilized to protect of the hockey stick blade from 
damage and further to reduce the friction between the present invention 10 
and the playing surface to allow an unobstructed shot with the hockey puck 
18. The device 10 can be easily affixed to the hockey stick blade 12 by 
using either the adhesive strip 26, or by creating at least one attachment 
aperture 22 in the hockey stick blade 12 which correspond to attachment 
aperture 22 of the present invention 10 wherein the fastener member is 
inserted through attachment aperture 22. 
FIGS. 8 through 13 disclose another variation of the hockey stick blade 
protector 10. In this variation, a tongue flange 42 extends along the 
length of the bottom edge portion 40 of the hockey stick blade 12. 
Preferably, the lower end portion 64 of the tongue flange 62 is extended 
away from the hockey stick blade bottom edge portion 40. 
The protective wear member 30 in this variant is an elongate protective 
strip 50. The protective strip 50 has a tongue flange receiving groove 52. 
The protective strip 50 is slidably mounted to the hockey stick blade 
bottom portion 40 by insertion of the tongue flange 62 into the tongue 
flange receiving groove 52. This also permits easy replacement of a worn 
protective slip 50 with a new protective slip by simply slidably detaching 
the worn protective strip 50 the from the hockey stick blade bottom 
portion 40. Also ideally, the protective strip 50 of this variation is 
made of a material that is flexible enough to fit on hockey stick blades 
12 having curved front and back surfaces 41,42. 
Preferably, in this variation, the protective strip is mounted to the 
hockey stick blade 12 so that the protective strip front surface 53 and 
the hockey stick blade front surface 41 are in a substantially similar 
plane. Similarly, it is also preferable that the protective strip back 
surface 54 and the hockey stick blade back surface 42 are in a 
substantially similar plane in this variation. This permits the hockey 
stick blade protector 10 to be flush with the hockey stick blade 12 to 
avoid causing any mishandling of a hockey puck or ball by the contours of 
the protective wear member 50. 
Also preferably, the tongue flange 62 is frictionally held within the 
protective strip tongue flange receiving groove 52 so that no other 
fastening means is necessary to secure the protective strip 50 to the 
hockey stick blade 12. For added security, it is beneficial to have the 
tongue flange 62 is tapered from the tongue flange lower portion 64 
towards the hockey stick blade bottom portion 40 to further help hold the 
tongue flange 62 within the protective strip tongue flange receiving 
groove 52. 
Optionally, as shown in FIG. 13, the tongue flange lower portion 64 can 
include a flared end region 66 which fits within a flared end receiving 
region 55 when the tongue flange 62 is inserted into the protective strip 
tongue flange receiving groove 52 to help hold the tongue flange 62 within 
the protective strip tongue flange receiving groove 52. 
Preferably, the protective strip 52 has a closed end 56 and an open end 57 
so that tongue flange receiving groove 52 extends from the open end 57 
towards the closed end 56. When the protective slip 52 is mounted on the 
hockey stick blade 12 the tongue flange 62 is inserted into the tongue 
flange receiving groove 62 so such that the tongue flange heel end 69 is 
positioned adjacent the protective strip closed end 56 and so that the 
tongue flange toe end 68 is aligned flush with the hockey stick blade toe 
11 and the toe end 69 of the tongue flange 62. This configuration helps 
hold the protective strip in proper position on the hockey strip blade 
bottom portion 40. 
Ideally, the protective strip is made of ultra-high molecular weight 
polyethylene which has the highest wear resistance compared to PVC or ABS 
plastics. 
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the 
present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. 
Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and 
operation will be provided. 
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the 
optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to 
include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of 
operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to 
one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those 
illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are 
intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the 
principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and 
changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired 
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and 
described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may 
be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.