STICK BLADE

Abstract: The invention concerns a stick blade for an indoor hockey stick, characterised in that the stick blade (1) comprises at least one blade portion (2, 12, 14, 19), which blade portion (2, 12, 14, 19) is bendable outwards from optional side of the hitting sides of the stick blade (1), whereby the stick blade (1) at opposite hitting side still is intact for usage by means of a tongue (3, 18, 20).

Description: STICK BLADE The present invention concerns a stick blade, particularly for an indoor hockey stick. Known indoor hockey sticks are manufactured having a straight stick blade of plastics, which mostly has a net-like structure. The stick blade is heated by the user and bent to the side the user prefers, left-hand or right-hand, such that a better control of the ball is achieved when using the preferred side of the club. The problem with the known stick blades is that the more they are adapted to the preferred side the worse they will be for the use of the not-preferred side. When bent too much to the preferred side, the ball cannot be controlled by the nct- prεferred side. The object of the present invention is to provide a stick blade for a indoor hockey stick where advantages of the preferred side of the stick blade may be obtained at the same t me as the not-preferred side still is useful for controlling the ball . This object is achieved by a stick blade for an indoor hockey stick, which is characterised in that at least a blade portion, which blade portion is bendable outwards from optional side of the hitting sides of the stick blade, whereby the side blade on the opposite hitting side still is intact for usage by means of a tongue . According to another embodiment, the blade portion is integrated with the stick blade. According to a further embodiment, the blade portion is releasable attached to the stick blade. The invention will now be described in connection with the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 illustrates an inventive stick blade according to a first embodiement before any bending outwards of the blade portions have occured. Fig. 2 illustrates an inventive stick blade according to the first embodiment after a bending outwards of the blade portions have occured. Fig. 3 illustrates an inventive stick blade according to a second embodiment having two releasable attached blade portion. Fig. 4a, b illustrates an inventive stick blade according to a third embodiment having a blade portion which extends along a portion of and along the full extent of the length of the stick blade, respectively. Fig. 5 illustrates the stick blade according to the third embodiment from above . Fig. 6a, b, c illustrates an inventive stick blade according to a fourth embodiment having a blade portion which extends along a portion of (two variants illustrated in 6a and 6b) and along the full extent of the length of the stick blade ( 6c) . Fig. 7 illustrates the stick blade according to the fourth embodiment in fig. 6a from above. According to a first embodiment of the stick blade 1, two blade portions 2 are integrated with the stick blade 1, see fig. 1, but for instance may only one blade portion 2 be integrated provided. In the middle of the blade portion 2 a tongue 3 with its inner end 4 integrated with the stick blade 1. The outer end 5 of the tongue 3 is provided with a recess 6. In the stick blade 1, on the opposite side of the blade portion 2, in level with the recess 6, another recess 7 is provided. Fig. 1 illustrates how the stick blade 1 appears after manu acturing and when sold. Fig. 2 illustrates a suggestion to how a user may modify its stick blade 1 so that the stick blade 1 will suit the user. The blade portions 2 are heated, for example by a hair dryer, by the user, which thereafter may bend the blade portions 2 outwards to a desired position. The tongue 3 is maintained straight and is connected to the stick blade 1 by means of a bridge 8 with recesses 9 in its ends, which bridge 8 may be attached by rivets 10 through the recesses 6, 7 and 9 , for example. The tongue 3, which is connected the ≤tick blade 1, allows a hitting surface which is in the same plane as the stick blade 1 so that the stick blade 1 still is fully usable at the side which is opposite the side with the outwards bent blade portions 2. Fig. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the inventive stick blade 1 where the two shown blade portions 12 preferably are releasable attached to the stick blade 1, on the side which is desired by the user, but they may also be permanently attached. The blade portions 12 are formed by heating and bending until the desired form is achieved and are attached bv means of a snap lock, preferably. For example, the blade portion 12 may be provided with a portion 11 which is substantially orthogonal to the extent of the stick blade 1, which portion 11 is provided with a recess for the receiving of one of the vertical portions 13 of the net which make up the hitting surface of the stick blade 1, whereby the vertical portions 12 may be provided with ribs that co-operates with ribs at the innerside of the orthogonal portion 11 of the blade portion 12. Of course the attaching of the blade portions 12 may be performed in many different ways. Other examples of attachment are to heat weld or use rivets or adhesive to attach the blade portions 12. The design of the attachment of the blade pcrticn 12 depends on the design of the stick blade. Figs . 4a and 4b illustrates a third embodiment where the outwards bendable blade portions 14 are arranged along portions of (see fig. 4a) or along the whole (see fig. 4b) of the top edge 15 and/cr the bottom edge 16 of the stick blade. The blade portion (s) 14 which are provided in the top edge 15 may be bent downwards and the blade portion (s) 14 which are provided in the bottom edge 16 may be bent upwards. The directions are in relation to the plane cf the playing surface when the stick is in playing position. Either the blade portion 14 may be releasable attached and preferably so provided that the outer free edge 17 of the blade portion 14 is substantially in level with the edge of the stick blade 1 cr may be integrated with the stick blade 1, as shown in fig. 5, where the stick blade 1 is divided in its plane of extension at the blade portion 14. When the blade portion 14 is bent outwards a tongue 13 of the stick blade 1 remains which makes the stick blade 1 still intact for playing with the opposite side. Figs. 6a, 6b and 6c illustrate a fourth embodiment where the outwards bendable blade portions 19 are arranged along portions of (see figs. 6a and 6b) or along the whole (see fig. c) of the top edge 15 and/or the bottom edge 16 and/or the front edge and/or the rear edge of the stick blade 1. The blade portion (s) 19 may be provided either on one of the hitting sides or both hitting sides of the stick blade 1. The blade portion (s) 19 which are arranged at the top edge 15 may be bent upwards and the blade portion (s) 19 which are arranged at the bottom edge 16 may be bent downwards. The directions are in relation to the plane of the playing surface when the stick is in playing position. Possible blade portions 19 at the front or rear edges are bent outwards the same kind of way. Either the blade portion 19 may be releasable attached or integrated with the stick blade 1, as shown in fig. 7. When the blade portion 19 is bent outwards a tongue 20 of the stick blade 1 remains which make the stick blade 1 still intact for playing with the opposite side. The user may, by means of a hair dryer, fcr example, provide a stick blade which is adapted to tne desire of the user, where both sides of the stick blade may control the ball. The stick blade may show an endless number of settings, of which some basic settings now will be described. The stick blade 1 may remain straight and the blade portions 2, 12, 14 may be bent outwards to the preferred side of the stick blade 1. In that way a preferred concave side with better ball control is achieved without letting the not-preferred side suffer. Another variant is that the stick blade 1 is bent towards the preferred side and the blade portions 2, 12, 14 are bent towards the other side. Then a preferred, concave side with better ball control is achieved at the same time as the non- preferred, convex side s compensated by the outwards bent blade portions 2, 12, 14 giving also that side a better ball control. A further variant is that the stick blade 1 is only slightly bent towards the preferred side and the blade portions 2, 12, 14 are bent towards the same side so that a considerable concave side is achieved at the same time as the opposite, convex side still is relatively straight and thus still be usable to control the ball . As can be understood the different bendings may be performed to different extent. Additionally, two blade portions do not have to be used but an optional number may be arranged at the stick blade 1, and at optional position of the stick blade. Of course is it possible to arrange blade portions on both sides of the stick blade, if so desired. The blade portions 2, 12, 14, 19 may have any design and the drawings shall only be seen as examples to illustrate the invention. Additionally, an optional number of blade portions 2, 12, 14, 19 may be used and the releasable blade portions 12, 14, 19 may be attached at optional position along the stick blade 1.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A stick blade for an indoor hockey stick, characterised in that the stick blade (1) comprises at least one blade portion (2, 12, 14, 19), which blade portion (2, 12, 14, 19) is bendable outwards from optional side of the hitting sides of the stick blade (1) , whereby the stick blade (1) at opposite hitting side still is intact for usage by means of a tongue (3, 18, 20) . 2. The stick blade according to claim 1, wherein the blade portion (2, 12, 14, 19) is bendable outwards from the longitudinal plane direction of the stick blade (1) . 3. The stick blade according to claim 1, wherein the blade portion (2, 12, 14, 19) is bendable outwards substantially orthogonal from the longitudinal plane direction of the stick blade (1) . 4. The stick blade according to anyone of claim 1-3, wherein the blade portion (2, 14, 19) is integrated with the stick blade (1) . 5. The stick blade according to anyone of claim 1-3, wherein the blade portion (12, 14, 19) is releasable attached to the stick blade (1) . 6. The stick blade according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein two blade portions are arranged at the stick blade (1), one at each end of the stick blade (1; .

Inventors: MYREN MARTIN, MYREN, MARTIN
Applicants: MYREN MARTIN, MYREN, MARTIN
Application year: 2000
Main classification: A63B59
IPC codes: A63B59, A63B69