Abstract:
The hockey stick and golf club of the present invention is generally formed of a shaft and a blade. The shaft has a grip at one end and a hosel at the opposite end. Similarly, the blade has a heel at one end and a toe at the opposite end. An incrementally locking indicia assembly rotatably attaches the heel end of the blade to the hosel of the shaft. The indicia assembly includes a scale for indicating the angle of the blade to the shaft. To adjust and customize this angle, the blade may be incrementally rotated up or down relevant to the shaft and locked into location for a trial skate by a hockey player or swing by a golfer. The lie angle of the blade may be adjusted after which is each trial skate to achieve maximum blade contact with a hockey puck or golf ball and increase shooting accuracy.

Description:
RELATED CASES 
     The present application is a divisional of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/309,839, filed on Dec. 4, 2002, and is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to an adjustable lie hockey blade and a method for custom fitting a hockey blade to a hockey player. The present invention also provides a method and apparatus for custom fitting other sports to equipment such as a golf club to a golfer. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Commercial hockey sticks generally have a fixed straight shaft and a blade having a fixed lie, loft and curvature. The maximum length of the shaft  15  and curvature of the blade is regulated by any number of individual hockey league governing bodies. Adjusting the hockey stick to fit the individual player is limited to cutting the length of the shaft to a more appropriate length. To adjust the loft and lie angle of the blade, the player is forced to purchase a different hockey stick or blade altogether. 
     To overcome this disadvantage, commercial hockey sticks may be purchased as a two-piece construction—a hockey blade with a hosel and a shaft separate from the blade and having an opening at one end for receiving the hosel of the blade. The blade hose) is provided with a heat-activated glue that is preferably heated by a hot air gun or a torch. Once the glue melts, the blade hosel is placed within the shaft opening. Upon the glue drying, the blade is permanently fixed to the shaft. To remove and replace the blade, the shaft and hosel area is reheated until the glue melts and the blade hosel may be slid from the shaft opening. Although this “quick change” blade replacement system saves the hockey player money, determining the proper lie of a hockey blade to a player is still a hit or miss proposition. There exists no method or apparatus for custom fitting a hockey blade for maximum blade contact with the ice and a hockey puck thereby increasing the accuracy of a hockey player&#39;s shot and greatly improving the player&#39;s puck handling ability. 
     There does exist, however, a multitude of devices and systems for custom fitting golf clubs to an individual golfer. Generally, these systems include devices that externally adapt to a prefabricated golf club to measure the existing lie and loft of the golf club head. Examples of such apparatuses are found at U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,858,332; 4,875,293; 5,105,550; 5,864,960; 5,884,409; 6,363,620; 6,430,829; 6,431,990; and 6,449,860. 
     Other devices for customizing the lie of the golf club head relative to the shaft are specifically directed to customizing a putter to an individual golfer. Examples of such apparatuses are found at U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,441,274 and 5,782,005. 
     Still other devices are available to adjust or modify the relationship of the golf club head to the shaft, however, these devices are independent of the golf club and involve an inordinate amount of measuring and bending to create the custom club desired. Examples of such apparatuses are found at 
     U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,245,391; 4,245,392; 4,468,034; 4,549,357; 4,640,017; 4,788,774; 4,885,847; 5,105,550; 5,421,098; 5,864,960; 5,884,409; 5,974,645; 6,102,811; and 6,328,660. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a method and apparatus for custom fitting the lie of a hockey blade to a particular hockey player. The present invention may also be applied to customizing other sports related equipment, such as a golf club to a golfer. 
     The hockey stick of the present invention is generally formed of a shaft and a blade. In a preferred embodiment, the shaft is hollow throughout and supports a handle plug at one end and a blade at the opposite end. The shaft handle includes a grip at one end and the blade includes a hosel at the opposite end. Similarly, the blade has a heel at one end and a toe at the opposite end. 
     In a preferred embodiment, an incrementally locking indicia assembly rotatably attaches the heel end of the blade to the hosel of the shaft. The indicia assembly includes a scale for indicating the angle of the blade to the shaft. To adjust and customize this angle, the blade may be incrementally rotated up or down relevant to the shaft and locked into location for a trial skate by a hockey player. The lie angle of the blade may be adjusted after each trial skate to achieve maximum blade contact with the ice thereby increasing puck control and shooting of the individual player. 
     A second preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a quick-change blade assembly and shaft for receiving the removable and replaceable blade. In this embodiment, the blade assembly has a hosel extending from the heel end of the blade for fitting within a hollowed shaft. An incrementally locking indicia assembly is located between the hosel and the heel of the blade and includes a scale for indicating the angle of the blade to the shaft. To adjust and customize this angle, the blade may be incrementally rotated up or down relevant to the hosel and shaft and locked into location for a trial skate by a hockey player. The lie angle of the blade may be adjusted after each trial skate to achieve maximum blade contact with the ice thereby increasing puck control and shooting of the individual player. 
     In another preferred embodiment, the method for customizing the lie angle of a blade to a shaft is used to create a custom golf club for a golfer. In this embodiment and method, the shaft of the invention relates to a golf club shaft and the blade of the invention forms the club head of the golf club. The golf club head and shaft may form one unit in which the head is rotatable relative to the club head via an incrementally locking indicia assembly. Alternatively, the club head may be a quick-change head that is received within a hollowed shaft and rotates about the indicia assembly to adjust the lie angle for custom fitting a golf club. 
     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description in combination with the accompanying drawings, which depict systems and components that can be used alone or in combination with each other in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates a hockey stick of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a preferred embodiment of a hockey stick blade of the present invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a preferred embodiment of a hockey stick shaft of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 4A and 4B are a bottom view illustrating a preferred embodiment of an incrementally locking indicia assembly. 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged view illustrating the incrementally locking indicia assembly of FIG.  4 . 
     FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating a preferred embodiment of a golf club of the present invention. 
     FIGS. 8A,  8 B and  8 C illustrate a preferred embodiment of an incrementally locking indicia assembly. 
     FIG. 9 is a side view illustrating a second preferred embodiment of a golf club of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to FIGS. 1-5, a hockey stick  10  of the present invention is there shown and includes a hockey blade  12  and a shaft  14 . The shaft  14  (FIG. 2) has a grip  16  at one end and a hosel  18  opposite the grip  16  along the shaft  14 . For purposes of describing the method for customizing the lie of a hockey stick  10 , an imaginary Y-axis is shown extending along the centerline of the shaft  14 . 
     The blade  12  (FIGS. 1 and 2) includes a heel  22  at one end and a toe  24  opposite the heel  22  and a blade face  23  forming the planar surface extending between them. For purposes of describing the method for customizing the lie of a hockey stick  10 , an imaginary X-axis is shown extending along the centerline  26  of the blade  12 . 
     As shown in FIGS.  1  and  3 - 5 , an incrementally locking indicia assembly  28  rotatably attaches the heel end  22  of the blade  12  to the hosel end  18  of the shaft  14 . The indicia assembly  28  forms an imaginary point of intersection  30  between the X and Y axes (FIG. 1.) The indicia assembly  28  includes a scale  32  and an indicator  34 , such as the arrow shown in FIG.  5 . 
     A clip  36  is preferably spring loaded and is embedded into the blade  12  at the heel  22  along the X-axis. The clip  36  includes a male locking mechanism  38  for engagement with a female seat  40 . The male locking mechanism  38  preferably has opposing flexible arms  42  that are spaced apart from each other and able to deform upon forceful seating within the female seat  40 . A protruding ridge  44  surrounds the male locking mechanism  38  and seats within a female guide  46  (FIG. 3) when the clip  36  is engaged. The clip  36  engages the shaft  14  at the hosel  18  along the Y-axis by pressure and clicks into place forming the imaginary point of intersection  30 . The spring loaded clip  36  locks the blade  12  in an initial position to the hosel  14 , allowing a hockey player to skate with the hockey stick  10  on the ice and shoot a puck without possible rotation of the blade  12  about the hosel  14 . If the initial position is not the proper lie angle, the blade  12  may be rotated about the hosel  14  by simply placing pressure on the blade  12  to overcome the spring action of the clip  36 . The female guide  46  directs the rotation of the male locking mechanism  38  and, thus, the blade  12 . 
     The scale  32  of the indicia assembly  28  includes graduations  38  representing each degree of movement or rotation of the hockey blade  12  about the shaft  14 . Therefore, movement of the X-axis  26  relative to the Y-axis  20  results in an angle measurable by the graduations  38  on the scale  32 . This measurement provides an accurate reading of the preferred lie angle of the blade  12  to the shaft  14 . In a preferred embodiment, each graduation  38  represents 2 degrees of movement of the blade  12  (X-axis  26 ) toward or away from the shaft  14  (Y-axis  20 .) Other scales and degrees of graduation may be employed as a measuring tool where such indicia are for visually indicating the position of the blade face  23  to the hosel  18  when the toe  24  of the blade  12  is incrementally rotated about the hosel  18 . A range of graduations between 1 and 15 is preferred and a range of graduations incremental to each degree is also envisioned, i.e. 1 degree. In a preferred embodiment, the numerical graduation of 5 represents a 45 degree angle between the hosel  18  and the shaft  14 . Therefore, each change of lie angle represented by a graduation on the scale equals a 2 degree change, plus or minus, to the base angle of 45 degrees between the hosel and shaft. In a more preferred embodiment, each graduation on the scale represents a ½ increment of lie movement reflecting 1 degree of change, plus or minus, to the base lie angle of 45 degrees. 
     With reference to FIG. 6, a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is there shown and illustrates a quick change blade replacement assembly  100  having a hosel  118  extending upward from the blade  112 . The hose)  118  includes a shaft  114  that is seated within the hollowed end of a hockey stick (shown in phantom at  110 , where the blade hosel is provided with a heat-activated glue that is generally heated by a hot air gun or a torch and once the glue melts, the blade hosel is placed with the shaft opening and seals upon cooling.) As set forth above, the hosel  118  includes an imaginary Y-axis shown extending along the centerline  120  of the hosel  118 . 
     The blade  112  includes a heel  122  at one end and a toe  124  opposite the heel  122  and a blade face  123  forming the planar surface extending between them. For purposes of describing the method for customizing the lie of a quick change blade replacement assembly  100 , an imaginary X-axis is shown extending along the centerline  126  of the blade  112 . 
     The quick change blade replacement assembly  100  also includes an incrementally locking indicia assembly  128  that rotatably attaches the heel  122  of the blade  112  to the hosel  118 . The indicia assembly  128  forms an imaginary point of intersection  130  between the X and Y axes. The indicia assembly  128  includes a scale  132  and an indicator  134 , such as the arrow shown in FIG.  5 . 
     A clip  136  is preferably spring loaded and is embedded into the blade  112  at the heel  122  along the X-axis. The clip  136  operates identically to the clip  36  above for visually indicating the position of the blade face  123  to the hosel  118  when the toe  124  of the blade  112  is incrementally rotated about the hosel  118 . Therefore, the scale  132  of the indicia assembly  128  includes graduations  138  representing each degree of movement or rotation of the hockey blade  112  about the hosel  118 . The movement of the X-axis  126  relative to the Y-axis  120  results in an angle measurable by the graduations  138  on the scale  132 . This measurement provides an accurate reading of the preferred lie angle of the blade  112  to the hosel  118 . In a preferred embodiment, each graduation  138  represents 2 degrees of movement of the blade  112  (X-axis  126 ) toward or away from the hosel  118  (Y-axis  120 .) A range of graduations between 1 and 15 is preferred and a range of graduations incremental to each degree is also envisioned, i.e. 1 degree. In a preferred embodiment, the numerical graduation of 5 represents a 45 degree angle between the hosel  118  and the shaft  114 . Therefore, each change of lie angle represented by a graduation on the scale equals a 2 degree change, plus or minus, to the base angle of 45 degrees between the hosel and shaft. In a more preferred embodiment, each graduation on the scale represents a ½ increment of lie movement reflecting 1 degree of change, plus or minus, to the base lie angle of 45 degrees. 
     Once the hockey stick of the present invention is formed as described above, the method for custom fitting the lie of a hockey blade to a particular hockey player is accomplished by setting the adjustable blade to an initial lie position and marking the lie angle on the indicia assembly. The hockey player then skates on the ice with the hockey stick and while controlling the puck, a stick specialist can observe and fit the player by adjusting the lie to the perfect angle for an individual player&#39;s needs. Once observed, the blade may be adjusted relative to the ice surface, the hosel or the shaft by rotating the blade up or down about the indicia assembly. Continuous readjustment may be necessary until maximum blade face contact with the ice and the bottom of the blade resulting in increased shooting and puck handling accuracy is achieved. When finally adjusted, the lie angle is measured via the indicia assembly and the hockey player is fitted with a hockey stick having a fixed blade with the customized lie angle. 
     Other modifications to the present invention include a blade, hosel and shaft formed of any one or combination of several types of materials such as aluminum, wood, a polymer, an alloyed steel such as tungsten, any carbon materials such as graphite or any other materials used in the industry that are capable of withstanding the repeated stress of a high speed shot or pass. The blade of may also be provided with a plurality of slots spaced along the blade face to aid in the manufacturing process and lessen manufacturing costs. 
     However, it is also envisioned that the present invention may be used successfully as a viable piece of equipment itself in compliance with NHL regulations. The incrementally locking assembly may be of any formation that provides for the visual indication of the angle between the blade and the hosel/shaft. Additionally, the locking assembly may be of any shape or form allowing for the rotation of the blade relative to the hosel/shaft. 
     With reference to FIGS. 7-9, another preferred embodiment of the present invention is there shown for custom fitting a golf club  200 . The golf club  200 , like the hockey stick described above, includes a club head  212  and a shaft  214 . The shaft  214  (FIG. 7) has a grip  216  at one end and a hosel  218  opposite the grip  216  along the shaft  214 . For purposes of describing the method for customizing the lie of a golf club  200 , an imaginary Y-axis is shown extending along the centerline  220  of the shaft  214 . 
     The club head  212  includes a heel  222  at one end and a toe  224  opposite the heel  222  and a club head face  223  forming the planar surface extending between them. For purposes of describing the method for customizing the lie of a golf club  200 , an imaginary X-axis is shown extending along the centerline  226  of the club head  212 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 8A-C, an incrementally locking indicia assembly  228  rotatably attaches the heel end  222  of the club head  212  to the hosel end  218  of the shaft  214 . The indicia assembly  228  forms an imaginary point of intersection  230  between the X and Y axes. The indicia assembly  228  includes a scale  232  and an indicator  234 , such as the arrow shown in FIG.  5 . 
     A clip  236  is preferably spring loaded and is embedded into the club head  212  at the heel  222  along the X-axis. The clip  236  includes a male locking mechanism  238  for engagement with a female seat  240 . The male locking mechanism  238  preferably has opposing flexible arms  242  that are spaced apart from each other and able to deform upon forceful seating within the female seat  240 . A protruding ridge  244  surrounds the male locking mechanism  238  and seats within a female guide  246  when the clip  236  is engaged. The clip  236  engages the shaft  214  at the hosel  218  along the Y-axis by pressure and clicks into place forming the imaginary point of intersection  230 . The spring loaded clip  236  locks the club head  212  in an initial position to the hosel  214 , allowing a golfer to swing the club at a practice range or on the golf course without possible rotation of the club head  212  about the hose)  214 . If the initial position is not the proper lie angle, the club head  212  may be rotated about the hosel  214  by simply placing pressure on the club head  212  to overcome the spring action of the clip  236 . The female guide  246  directs the rotation of the male locking mechanism  238  and, thus, the club head  212 . 
     The scale  232  of the indicia assembly  228  includes graduations  238  representing each degree of movement or rotation of the club head  212  about the shaft  214 . Therefore, movement of the X-axis  226  relative to the Y-axis  220  results in an angle measurable by the graduations  238  on the scale  232 . This measurement provides an accurate reading of the preferred lie angle of the blade  212  to the shaft  214 . In a preferred embodiment, each graduation  238  represents 2 degrees of movement of the club head  212  (X-axis  226 ) toward or away from the shaft  214  (Y-axis  220 .) Other scales and degrees of graduation may be employed as a measuring tool where such indicia are for visually indicating the position of the clubface  223  to the hosel  218  when the toe  224  of the club head  212  is incrementally rotated about the hosel  218 . A range of graduations between 1 degree and 15 is preferred and a range of graduations incremental to each degree is also envisioned, i.e. 1 degree. 
     With reference to FIG. 9, a second preferred embodiment of the golf club of the present invention is there shown and illustrates a quick change club head replacement assembly  300  having a hosel  318  extending upward from the club head  312 . The hosel  318  includes a shaft  314  that is seated within the hollowed end of a golf club shaft (shown in phantom at  310 , where the club head hosel is provided with a set of spring loaded arms able to retract into the hose) when the hose) is slid into the shaft. The arms then release into the matching openings provided along the perimeter of the shaft, locking the club head to the shaft. Other mechanisms for providing a quick change replacement assembly are envisioned such as a threaded end on the club head for screwing into the shaft.) As set forth above, the hosel  318  includes an imaginary Y-axis shown extending along the centerline  320  of the hosel  318 . 
     The club head  312  includes a heel  322  at one end and a toe  324  opposite the heel  322  and a blade face  323  forming the planar surface extending between them. For purposes of describing the method for customizing the lie of a quick change club head replacement assembly  300 , an imaginary X-axis is shown extending along the centerline  326  of the club head  312 . 
     The quick change club head replacement assembly  300  also includes an incrementally locking indicia assembly  328  that rotatably attaches the heel  322  of the club head  312  to the hosel  318 . The indicia assembly  328  forms an imaginary point of intersection  330  between the X and Y axes (FIGS. 8A-C.) The indicia assembly  328  includes a scale  332  and an indicator  334 , such as the arrow shown in FIG. 5. A clip  336  is preferably spring loaded and is embedded into the blade  312  at the heel  322  along the X-axis. The clip  336  operates identically to the clip  36  above for visually indicating the position of the club head face  323  to the hosel  318  when the toe  324  of the blade  312  is incrementally rotated about the hosel  318 . Therefore, the scale  332  of the indicia assembly  328  includes graduations  338  representing each degree of movement or rotation of the club head  312  about the hosel  318 . The movement of the X-axis  326  relative to the Y-axis  320  results in an angle measurable by the graduations  338  on the scale  332 . This measurement provides an accurate reading of the preferred lie angle of the club head  312  to the hosel  318 . In a preferred embodiment, each graduation  338  represents 2 degrees of movement of the club head  312  (X-axis  326 ) toward or away from the hosel  318  (Y-axis  320 .) A range of graduations between 1 degree and  15  is preferred and a range of graduations incremental to each degree is also envisioned, i.e. 1 degree. 
     Once the golf club of the present invention is formed as described above, the method for custom fitting the lie of a club head to a particular golfer is accomplished by setting the adjustable club head to an initial lie position and marking the lie angle on the indicia assembly. The golfer then hits several golf balls at a golf range to observe the flight and accuracy of the golf ball off the club head face. Once observed, the club head may be adjusted relative to the range surface (grass or mat,) the hosel or the shaft by rotating the club head up or down about the indicia assembly. Continuous readjustment may be necessary until maximum clubface contact with a golf ball and increased is distance and ball flight accuracy is achieved. When finally adjusted, the lie angle is measured via the indicia assembly and the golfer is fitted with a golf club having a fixed blade with the customized lie angle. 
     Other modifications to the present invention include a club head, hosel and shaft formed of any one or combination of several types of materials such as wood, a polymer, an alloyed steel such as tungsten, any carbon materials such as graphite or any other materials used in the industry that are capable of withstanding the repeated stress of a golf ball contacting the club head at any speed. The club head of may also be provided with a plurality of slots spaced along the club head face to aid in the manufacturing process and lessen manufacturing costs. However, it is also envisioned that the present invention may be used successfully as a viable piece of equipment itself in compliance with the Professional Golf Association (PGA.) The incrementally locking assembly may be of any formation that provides for the visual indication of the angle between the club head and the hosel/shaft. 
     Additionally, the locking assembly may be of any shape or form allowing for the rotation of the club head relative to the hosel/shaft. 
     Although the invention has been described with particular reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, variations and modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of the following claims.