Abstract:
An improved broom ball stick. Features include a stronger shaft that penetrates further into the head than conventional sticks to reduce head break off. The head end of the shaft is preferably tapered to accommodate a tapered head design. Ball control protrusions and stick reinforcing mechanisms are also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/073,966, filed Feb. 6, 1998, and having the same title and inventor(s) as above. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to broom ball sticks and heads for broom ball sticks and also to related sticks used in other sports. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Broom ball is continually increasing in popularity. Factors related to the increase in popularity of broom ball include the building of ice rinks in more temperate regions, a societal move towards more health conscious activities and the growth of skating activities in general such as in-line skating and the like. In the state of Minnesota, for example, there are over 30,000 registered broom ball players. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1A-1B, front and side longitudinal views of a conventional broom ball stick  10  are respectively shown. Stick  10  consists of a shaft  12 , often formed of aluminum, a wooden insert  14  and a rubberized head  16  which is formed about insert  14  and the base of shaft  12 . The insert often extends into the shaft and the shaft normally extends about an inch into the head. The insert may be secured to the shaft with glue and possibly a bolt  18 . 
     Insert  14  provides structural reinforcement of the head and gives a player better control of movement of the head. The insert is usually made of wood because wood can be readily machined to provide the necessary taper from the circular base of shaft  12  to the bottom edge of the head (shown in FIG.  1 B). 
     A disadvantageous aspect of this configuration, however, is that these sticks tend to break where the wood insert enters the shaft. This break line is labeled A—A in FIGS. 1A-1B. The break line region of the stick receives maximum force during a slap shot or brace, etc. Another disadvantageous aspect of prior art broom ball sticks is that the aluminum shaft that is commonly used is insufficiently strong to withstand forces related to the game, such as a player falling on the stick and the like, and thus tends to bend too readily. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a broom ball stick with a shaft and head configuration that reduces the incidence of the head breaking off. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a broom ball stick in which the shaft extends further into the head than in prior art broom ball sticks. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a broom ball stick with at least one substantially straight head surface. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a broom ball stick with ball control protrusions formed on the outer surface of the head. 
     It is another object of the present invention to teach the retrofitting of a broken off head in such a manner that reduces the incidence of the head breaking off again. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a broom ball stick that has a shaft that is lightweight and has increased resistance to bending. 
     These and related objects of the present invention are achieved by use of an improved stick for broom ball and related sports as described herein. 
     In one embodiment, a hollow metallic or the like material shaft (lightweight and durable) is provided that extends more deeply into a broom ball stick head than in prior art configurations. The increased penetration of the shaft into the head without altering the shape of the head may be achieved by retrofitting a broken-off head or by de novo formation with a longer metallic shaft. 
     Retrofitting may be achieved by drilling out portions of the original wooden insert and forming a new shaft that is tapered and is capable of descending further into the head than prior art configurations. A reinforcement shaft, fill material and glue are preferably provided within the tapered portion of the tapered shaft to provide structural reinforcement (while retaining a low overall weight). The reinforcement shaft is preferably connected to the remainder of the wooden insert to provide additional stability and control of the head. 
     One embodiment of de novo formation may be achieved by cutting a shaft in a unique pattern that permits bending and shaping into a tapered configuration that has structural integrity, extends as far into the head as desired (in place of the previously used wooden insert) and permits formation of heads having desired side profiles or side cuts as discussed below. 
     Another embodiment of de novo formation may be achieved by forming a shaft to have one side (that will ultimately be aligned with a head surface) that is substantially straight. The opposing surface is preferably tapered but may be straight or otherwise configured. 
     The present invention also includes the provision of ball control bumps or protrusion on the outside surface of the head. 
     In addition, the present invention includes methods for forming the retrofit and de novo embodiments. 
     The attainment of the foregoing and related advantages and features of the invention should be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art, after review of the following more detailed description of the invention taken together with the drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIGS. 1A-1B are front and side longitudinal views, respectively, of a conventional broom ball stick. 
     FIG. 2 is a front longitudinal view of the head portion of a retrofit broom ball stick in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIGS. 3A-3B are views illustrating formation of one embodiment of a tapered metallic shaft in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the retrofit formation technique in accordance with the present invention. Ball control bumps are also shown. 
     FIG. 5 is a side longitudinal view of the retrofit broom ball stick of FIG. 2 in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate one embodiment of de novo formation of a broom ball stick in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIGS. 7A-7B illustrate an alternative embodiment of de novo formation of a broom ball stick in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     While the present invention is particularly applicable to broom ball sticks, it should be recognized that the teachings of the present invention, particularly those relating to extending the shaft further into the head and the use of stick materials that resist bending, are applicable to all athletic sticks and the like to which forces are applied that cause the heads to break off or the sticks to bend. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a front longitudinal view of the head portion of a retrofit broom ball stick  50  in accordance with the present invention is shown. Stick  50  contains a shaft  52 , a head  54 , a reinforcement shaft  56 , reinforcement and stabilizing material  58  and a shaft extender  62  which is preferably coupled to the reinforcement shaft. The shaft extender  62  is a remnant of the original wooden insert as discussed below. 
     Shaft  52  may be made of aluminum, an aluminum alloy, titanium or like material. General characteristics of the material include that it is lightweight, durable and capable of being worked (e.g., cut and bent) to form a desired taper. While aluminum may be used, an aluminum alloy such as 6061 P6 aluminum (which is an aluminum, magnesium and silicon mix) is preferred because this and like alloys are stronger than pure aluminum and hence are less likely to bend. To eliminate fractures at the break line A—A (shown in FIG. 1) and to promote general stability and control, the metallic shaft is extended towards the bottom of edge  55  of the head. In this manner, the vulnerably located wood-metal interface of the prior art is eliminated and replaced by the intact metallic shaft. 
     The tapered shaft is preferably formed by cutting wedges indicated by dashed lines B in FIG. 3A from a tube of starting material. The cut end of the shaft is then compressed to form the tapered shaft shown in FIG.  3 B. Care should be taken in determining the length of cut lines B. If they penetrate too far into the tube the resultant structure may be undesirably fragile or brittle. 
     Reinforcement shaft  56  is preferably an aluminum alloy or like material and may be a tube or solid. Suitable tube dimensions include tubes with a one-quarter inch outer diameter and a 0.058 inch wall thickness. The reinforcement and stabilizing material is preferably provided between reinforcement shaft  56  and shaft  52 . The reinforcement and stabilizing material may include any material or combination of materials that is lightweight and provides sufficient structural support. In a preferred embodiment, the material includes balsa wood  57  with interspersed washers  59 . The balsa wood serves as a lightweight means of spacing and supporting the washers. The washers may be formed of plastic or metal or the like and are preferably configured to snugly fit over the reinforcement shaft and into shaft  52 . 
     Glue or similar material  64  is preferably provided within the space between reinforcement shaft  56  and the tapered region of shaft  52  for providing additional stability to the reinforcement shaft. Glue  64 ′ is also preferably provided in the cavity between the exterior of the tapered region of shaft  52  and the shaft extender  62 . 
     Extender  62  is provided (or retained) at the end of reinforcement shaft  56  opposite shaft  52  and provides structural support towards the bottom edge of the head. 
     When stick  50  is formed by a retrofit, extender  62  will be made of wood that is left from the original stick (such as stick  10  of FIG. 1) and broken near line A—A. A large portion of the original broken off wood is then drilled out using a drill bit that is preferably slightly smaller in diameter than the wood to prevent accidental removal of material from the head. For example, if the insert is 1″ in diameter, a ⅞″ drill bit is used and the thin fragments of wood that remain are broken out with needle nose pliers. The wood is drilled out to a point that assures that the new shaft will completely fill the break line region. Extender  62  is then drilled on center to create a bore hole that receives reinforcement shaft  56 . 
     Referring to FIG. 4, an exploded perspective view of a retrofit formation of a broom ball stick in accordance with the present invention is shown. It should be noted, however, that the ball control protrusions on the head are part of the present invention and are discussed in more detail below. 
     The combined reinforcement shaft  56  and reinforcement and stabilizing material  58  are inserted in the non-tapered end of shaft  52  and pushed forward until the reinforcement shaft protrudes from the tapered end of shaft  52 . Glue  64  is provided within the tapered region of shaft  52  adjacent the reinforcement shaft. Glue  64 ′ is then inserted into the drilled out hole in head  54  and shaft  52  with the reinforcement shaft protruding therefrom is inserted into the head and forced downward therein until the protruding region of reinforcement shaft  56  enters the bore hole  63  formed in extender  62 . The new shaft  52  may be secured by inserting glue into the head before the new shaft is inserted therein and/or by affixing a bolt through the head and new shaft. 
     Referring to FIG. 5, a side longitudinal view of the retrofit broom ball stick of FIG. 2 in accordance with the present invention is shown. In addition to aspects illustrated in FIG. 2, FIG. 5 provides a side view of the tapered end of shaft  52 . The placement of reinforcement shaft  56  within extender  62  and the overall taper of the head are also shown. 
     Referring to FIG. 6A, a longitudinal side view of the head region of a de novo broom ball stick  100  in accordance with the present invention is shown. Stick  100  preferably utilizes a wholly metallic or like material shaft. Like materials include various nonsolid-wood materials that are lightweight and durable. Plastic with reinforcing fibers or particles and other emerging materials are included within like materials for retrofit and de novo embodiments. The shape of shaft  102  is such that while it tapers in region  103 , the distal end of the shaft includes a relatively flat non-tapering region  105 . The flat regions permit head  106  to have a broad, flat or even bumped surface for contacting a broom ball and for “getting under” a broom ball such as when executing a wrist shot that is intended to lift the ball. 
     Referring to  6 B, a longitudinal side view of shaft  102  after being cut but before bending is shown. Shaft  102  is cut to have first side surfaces or edges  115  and second side surfaces or edges  113 . Surfaces or edges  115  are cut at an angle that is substantially horizontal but which compensates for the radial affect of surfaces  113  (during bending) in such a manner as to achieve the horizontal arrangement of section  105  after bending. Surfaces  113  are cut at an angle and length that provides a desired taper. The cut end of shaft  102  is then bent to form the structure illustrated in FIG.  6 A. Opposing side surfaces  113  and  115  are then welded in place. The weld is indicated with reference number  118 . Head  106  is then formed about the tapered end. Fill material (such as plastic or glue or the like) may be provided in the tapered region to provide structural support and stick stability. 
     Also, while the formation of two tapered or shaped sections  103 , 105  is preferred, the present invention includes formation of a single tapered or shaped region such as region  103  and the formation of more than two tapered or shaped regions. A bolt  120  may be provided in addition to glue to securely retain head  106  on shaft  102 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 7A-7B, a perspective and side view of formation of an alternative broom ball stick in accordance with the present invention is shown. FIG. 7A illustrates an end on shaft  122  (preferably formed as discussed above for shafts  52 , 102 ) from which a single wedge  125  of material has been cut. The removal of wedge  125  forms two flaps  127 , 128 . These flaps are then folded down to produce an end  130  which has one surface  131  that is substantially flat and a generally opposing surface  132  that tapers towards the substantially straight surface (see FIG.  7 B). 
     FIG. 7B illustrates the head end  140  of a broom ball stick that has a shaft made in the manner described above with reference to FIG. 7A. A head  135  (as described above) is preferably formed over shaft  122 . The conforming of the head to the shaft produces a head that has one surface  141  that is substantially straight and another, generally opposing, surface  142  that is tapered. Surface  141  which is less tapered (or preferably substantially straight) than conventional sticks is advantageous for backhand shots and the like and permits a player to achieve better lift on the ball, etc. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 7B, ball control protrusions in accordance with the present invention are shown. FIG. 4 illustrates ball control protrusions  160 . These protrusions are preferably provided around the broad surfaces of the head and serve both to center a ball on the broad surfaces and to provide enhance ball control. 
     FIG. 7B illustrates a side view of these protrusions. They are approximately ⅛″ in height and preferably vary in height such that they are higher towards the periphery of the broad surfaces than towards the center so as to facilitate centering the ball on the broad surfaces. 
     It is apparent from FIGS. 6A and 7B, for example, that shafts  102 ,  122  preferably extend at least approximately ¾ of the way into their respective heads. It is also apparent from these figures that the shafts  102 , 122  preferably have at their head ends a tapered surface that is approximately 30 degrees or less out of plane with a plane parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. 
     While the invention has been described in connection with specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth, and as fall within the scope of the invention and the limits of the appended claims.