STICK

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a stick, preferably an indoor bandy stick, which comprises a shaft; a blade, whose longitudinal direction makes an angle with the longitudinal direction of the shaft, the blade having at least one concave side face and being, at least for the greater part, surrounded by a strip-shaped edge portion; and an anchorage device for joining the blade and the shaft. According to the invention, the shaft has, in its lower region, a tapering portion which, seen from the upper end of the shaft and towards the lower end, tapers from at least one side in towards a longitudinal plane which encompasses or is approximately parallel with the longitudinal directions of the shaft and the blade.

Description: A STICK TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a stick, preferably an indoor bandy stick which comprises a shaft; a blade whose longitudinal direction makes an angle with the longitudinal direction of the shaft, the blade having at least one concave side face and being, at least for the greater part, surrounded by a strip-shaped edge portion; and an anchorage device for joining the blade and the shaft. BACKGROUND ART Sticks of the type mentioned by way of introduction for various types of sports are previously known in the art. Generally, the anchorage device of such sticks is designed in such a manner that a pin which is of one piece manufacture with the blade extends upwards from the upper end of the blade and is accommodated interiorly in the shaft. Naturally, such a design and construction is capable of joining shaft and stick blade together, but implies a discontinuity in the deformation properties of the stick, since the joint region must be considered as substantially rigid, while both the stick blade and the shaft are elastically deformed when the stick is used in play. In order to realise a stick which possesses superior play precision, high performance, and "the right feel", deformation properties are required in the stick which lack manifest discontinuities. PROBLEM STRUCTURE The present invention has for its object to design the stick intimated by way of introduction such that it obviates the drawbacks inherent in prior art sticks. Thus, the present invention has for its object to realise a stick in which the shaft may be interconnected with the stick blade in a manner which is satisfactory from the point of view of mechanical strength, and in which the joint region may be given such deformation and elasticity properties as match corresponding properties in the stick blade and adjacent portions of the shaft so that the stick will thereby generally display a high degree of play precision and "the right feel". The present invention also has for its object to realise a stick which is simple and economical to manufacture. SOLUTION The objects forming the basis of the present invention will be attained if the stick intimated by way of introduction is characterized in that the shaft has, in its lower region, a tapering portion which, seen from the upper end of the shaft and towards the lower end tapers in from at least one side towards a longitudinal plane which encompasses or is approximately parallel with the longitudinal directions of the shaft and the blade. According to a first embodiment, at least a part of the tapering portion of the shaft suitably also extends beyond the outer contour of the edge portion of the blade and in towards an inner portion of the blade. According to a second embodiment, the anchorage device suitably includes, according to the invention, an accommodation space in which at least a part of the tapering portion of the shaft may be accommodated. This embodiment may suitably also be designed in such a manner that the accommodation space is located at least partly outside the outer contour of the edge portion of the blade. Additional advantages will be attained according to the present invention if the subject matter of the invention is further characterized by one or more of the features as set forth in appended Claims 4 and 6 to 10. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described in greater detail hereinbelow, with particular reference to the accompanying Drawings. In the accompanying Drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a transitional region between a stick shaft and a stick blade, with the stick in its approximate position of use; Fig. 2 is a schematic section taken along the section marking A-A in Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a schematic section taken along the section marking B-B in Fig. 1. DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The stick according to Fig. 1 comprises a shaft 1 and a blade 2. The shaft is designed as a tube of composite material, for example consisting of glass fibre, carbon fibre, synthetic fibres and a suitable binder such as polystyrene or epoxy. Further components such as filler may possibly be included in the shaft, in addition to the fibre material and binder. A shaft constructed in this manner may be of circular or elliptical cross section and may be gently conical and taper somewhat from the top and down in a direction towards the blade. Depending upon the thickness of the shaft, the distribution of material thickness in the longitudinal direction of the shaft, and also the material properties per se, the shaft may be rendered more or less elastically yieldable such that it may thereby be given a certain, intentional deformation under loading in a manner which is analogous with the design of, for example, shafts for golf clubs or fishing rods. The shaft 1 displays a longitudinal direction 3 and the blade 2, while in practice being "banana-shaped", has been allocated a longitudinal direction 4 which, in the normal position of use of the stick, is approximately parallel with the floor surface on which the game is played. Both of the longitudinal directions 3 and 4 make an obtuse angle with one another and can thereby define a plane. A stick blade of the type under consideration here is often "hooked", i.e. curved about a line which is approximately vertical in the position of use of the stick. The longitudinal direction 4 may here be defined as a chord through the end regions of the blade 2. The stick blade 2 is fundamentally constructed in a conventional manner and, consequently, displays a circumferential strip portion 5 which forms the outer frame of the stick blade 2. The stick blade has an inner portion which is located inside the circumferential strip portion 5 and which consists of a lattice work which may be more or less perforated. In the embodiment illustrated in the Drawing, the inner portion of the blade comprises a number of transverse ribs 6, 7, 8 and 9, and a number of longitudinal ribs 10, 11 and 12. The detailed design and number of these longitudinal and transverse ribs may be considered as conventional and are not germane to the present invention. Between the above-mentioned ribs, the inner portion of the stick blade may also be provided with filler portions which wholly or partly fill out the spaces between certain ribs. In particular in the region of the upper/ inner end of the stick blade, such filler portions may be substantial. It is apparent from Fig. 2 (which shows a schematic cross section through the stick blade, taken along the section marking A-A) that the upper part 13 of the circumferential strip portion has gently rounded outer contours. This also applies to the lower part 14. The transverse ribs 6-9 have an arched edge 15, whereby the stick blade will obtain an arched side surface which will be double-curved or cup-shaped if "hooking" is employed, this side surface preferably being the stroke side of the blade. The arching of this side surface has a centre axis which is more or less straight (Cf. the above-described "hooking"), and which is as good as parallel with the longitudinal direction 4. The opposite edge 16 is substantially straight, such that the stick blade will, on this side, have a substantially planar side face or, if "hooking" is employed, a single-curved side face. It will be apparent from Fig. 3 that the upper part 13 and lower part 14 of the circumferential strip portion 5 are of the same basic appearance as that shown in Fig. 2. It will further be apparent that the longitudinal ribs 10, 11 and 12 extend somewhat outside the planar side surface 16 of the stick. The arched side edge surface 15 of the stick blade is also partly formed in this cross section. For joining the shaft 1 and the blade 2 together, use is made of an anchorage device 17 which, in the embodiment shown on the Drawings, comprises a collar 18 which is integral in the lattice work of the stick blade and in the circumferential edge or strip portion 5 in the area of the upper end of the blade. The collar 18 serves to accommodate an end portion of the shaft tapering in a direction from the upper end of the shaft towards it lower end. Ideally, the end portion and the inner configuration of the collar are complementary to one another. In Fig. 1, the outer contour of the shaft 1 is intimated at the tapering region by means of the broken line 19. In the illustrated embodiment, the tapering portion is formed by a single- sided bevelling of the stick shaft 1. The bevelling makes an acute angle with the longitudinal direction of the shaft 1 and the substantially planar bevelled surface is approximately parallel with a vertical line in the normal position of use of the stick. Seen in a direction from the upper end of the stick towards its lower end, the bevelling is, as a result, directed in towards a plane which encompasses or is parallel with both of the longitudinal directions 3 and 4. In Fig. 3, it is apparent that the collar 18 displays a planar defining surface 20 whose inside abuts against the bevelling of the shaft 1. Depending upon the length of the bevelling and the diameter of the shaft, the angle between the bevelled surface of the shaft and the longitudinal direction 3 of the shaft may lie in the range of between 5 and 25°, preferably however within the range of between 12 and 20°. In one practical version, this angle is of the order of magnitude of 16°. The substantially planar surface 20 of the collar 18 may also be considered as a beginning of the arching of the blade according to Fig. 2, counting from the upper end of the blade. Hereby, the arched surface 15 may, with good approximation, be given substantially the same arching without any discontinuity, substantially right up to the upper end of the blade. It will be particularly apparent from Fig. 1 that the tapering portion of the shaft 1 extends inside the outer contour of the circumferential edge or strip portion of the stick blade. In one alternative embodiment, it is possible to cause the collar 18 to extend further outside the circumferential edge or strip portion 5 so that the tapering portion of the shaft 1 will hereby be located but partially inside the outer contour of the circumferential edge or strip portion. In an extreme case, the collar 18 - and thereby also the tapering portion on the shaft - may be disposed completely outside the outer contour of the circumferential edge or strip portion 5. As will have been apparent from the foregoing disclosures, the collar 18 has an accommodation space in which at least a lower portion of the shaft 1 may be accommodated. However, the accommodation space may also be provided at least partly in the lattice work formed by the longitudinal and transverse ribs in the stick blade. Reinforcements in addition to the ribs proper must be employed, but not, on the other hand, a complete and unbroken collar. In the foregoing, the tapering portion of the shaft has been described as disposed asymmetrically and single-sided in relation to the longitudinal plane which is parallel with or encompasses the longitudinal directions 3 and 4. As an alternative however, the tapering portion of the shaft may also be disposed substantially symmetrically and double-sided in relation to the longitudinal plane. In this case, the accommodation space is designed correspondingly and is appropriately of a complementary configuration to that of the shaft. Such an embodiment is particularly advantageous when both side surfaces of the blade 2 are substantially planar (Cf. however the "hooking"), or when the blade has a double-sided but less pronounced arching, corresponding to the arched side surface 15. The collar 18 has been described above as provided with a planar side surface 20. A counterpart to the surface 20 need not be planar, but may be convex inwardly so as to adhere to the arching configuration displayed by the arched side or face 15 of the stick blade. The tapering portion of the shaft 1 has been described above as single- or double-sided and flat bevelled. Such flat bevelled surfaces may be replaced by arched chamfers, partly to cause the arched surface 15 of the blade 2 to extend up to and along at least a portion of the anchorage device 17, and partly to influence the resilience properties in the interconnection region between blade and shaft. For example, the chamfering in the latter alternative may be arched about an axis which is at right angles to or is at least transversely directed in relation to the longitudinal direction 3 of the shaft and which is approximately parallel with the longitudinal plane. The present invention may be modified further without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended Claims.

Claims: WHAT IS CLAIMED IS: 1. A stick, preferably an indoor bandy stick, which comprises a shaft (1); a blade (2), whose longitudinal direction (4) makes an angle with the longitudinal direction (3) of the shaft, the blade having at least one concave side face (15) and being, at least for the greater part, surrounded by a strip- shaped edge portion (5); and an anchorage device (17) for joining the blade (2) and the shaft (1), characterized in that the shaft (1) has, in its lower region, a tapering portion which, seen from the upper end of the shaft and towards the lower end, tapers from at least one side in towards a longitudinal plane which encompasses or is approximately parallel with the longitudinal directions (3 and 4, respectively) of the shaft (1) and the blade (2). 2. The stick as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that at least a part of the tapering portion of the shaft (1) extends beyond the outer contour of the edge portion (5) of the blade (2) and in towards an inner portion of the blade. 3. The stick as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the anchorage device (17) includes an accommodation space in which at least a part of the tapering portion of the shaft (1) may be accommodated. 4. The stick as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that the accommodation space is located inside the outer contour of the edge portion (5) of the blade. 5. The stick as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that the accommodation space is located at least partly outside the outer contour of the edge portion (5) of the blade (2). 6. The stick as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tapering portion of the shaft (1) is disposed asymmetrically and single-sided in relation to the longitudinal plane. 7. The stick as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the tapering portion of the shaft (1) is disposed substantially symmetrically and double-sided in relation to the longitudinal plane. 8. The stick as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the tapering portion has a substantially planar bevelled surface which makes a bevel angle of between 5 and 25° with the longitudinal direction (3) of the shaft (1). 9. The stick as claimed in Claim 8, characterized in that the bevel angle is between 12 and 20°. 10. The stick as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the tapering portion has a chamfered surface which is arched in correspondence to the arched side surface (15) of the blade (2). 11. The stick as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that a defining wall of the accommodation space has a side surface (20) which is arched in correspondence with the arched side surface (15) of the blade (2).

Inventors: HANSSON GOETE, HANSSON, GOETE
Applicants: HANSSON GOETE, HANSSON, GOETE
Application year: 1995
Main classification: A63B59
IPC codes: A63B59