Patent Publication Number: US-2022233936-A1

Title: Hockey training device

Description:
The present invention relates to training devices used in the stick sports, particularly hockey, to improve users or corresponding stick sport players stick-handling and puck passing abilities. 
     US patent application publication No. US 2015/0297967 discloses a hockey puck rebound device comprising flat sheet and plurality of elastic bands suspended to the upper surface of the flat sheet. Vertical posts are attached to the flat sheet so that the elastic band is secured about said vertical posts. The elastic band includes a front surface facing towards a centre portion of the flat sheet. Therefore, a puck may be passed towards the elastic band and the elastic band rebounds the puck towards the user. 
     US patent publication No. U.S. Pat. No. 8,469,841 discloses a hockey puck rebounder having a frame, a first and second support each extending from opposing ends of the frame, a resilient rebound member comprised of an endless-looped band and extending between the first and second supports such that the resilient rebound member is secured in a taut manner to provide a resilient spring-back force when struck by a hockey puck. 
     The objective of the present invention is to design a hockey puck rebound device, which is easy to fabricate, assembly and disassembly. 
     The aim of the invention has been achieved by designing a hockey puck rebound device comprising a first support and a second support, a cross member extending between both supports and secured to each support, and a resilient member extending between the supports such that the resilient member is secured in a taut manner to provide a resilient spring-back force when struck by a puck. 
     The support comprises a top wall, a bottom wall and four side walls of substantially equal length. The support is a hollow body with support ribs therein. The bottom wall of the support when in use is positioned on a training surface. 
     The support comprises at least one channel for inserting and securing the resilient member to the support. The channel comprises a 45 to 90 degree turn in result of which the channel has a first section and a second section so that upon insertion of the resilient member into the channel the resilient member is arranged in the first and the second section of the channel. A first section is before the turn, but a second section is after the turn if looking from a perspective of inserting the resilient member. In result of which the first section of the channel is substantially parallel to the top and bottom walls of the support, but the second section of the channel is substantially orthogonal to the top and bottom walls of the support, when the turn in the channel is approximately 90 degrees. The channel further comprises a cut-out parallel to a longitudinal axis of first section of the channel so that a slot is formed between the channel and the top wall of the support and through the slot the resilient member may be inserted into the channel. The first section of the channel is arranged in 45 to 90, preferably 90 degrees angle relative to the second section of the channel. Moreover, a diameter of the second section of the channel is larger than a diameter of the first section of the channel. 
     The support comprises at least one hexagonal cavity configured for insertion of a respective hexagonal nut therein. The hexagonal cavity restricts a rotation of therein inserted hexagonal nut. 
     The support comprises at least two through holes, where each hole is configured for insertion of a screw therethrough in order to fix the cross-member to the support. 
     The resilient member having a first and a second end and, wherein on each end of the resilient member a rigid ring is arranged so that the end of the resilient member is rigid. 
     The cross-member extending between the first support and the second support and fixed to the top wall of both supports so that both supports are positioned from each other with a distance. 
     The device further comprises a rubber pad attached to the bottom surface of the support covering thereof. 
     The device further comprises a means for securing said frame to a training surface in a stationary manner The means comprises a hexagonal nut, a bolt and a washer. The hexagonal nut is configured so that upon insertion of the hexagonal nut in the hexagonal cavity of the support, the rotational movement within the hexagonal cavity is avoided. The bolt is configured to be screwed into the hexagonal nut so that the support is secured to the training surface in a stationary manner The washer is arranged onto the bolt and positioned between the bottom wall of the support and the training surface. 
     The device may further comprises a spike configured to be insertable into the hexagonal nut arranged within the hexagonal cavity of the support. 
     In one of the embodiments the support may comprise two parallel arranged channels for inserting and securing the resilient member to the support and the device comprises two resilient member, wherein each resilient member is inserted and secured into the channel of support so that between the supports are parallelly arranged two resilient members. The following feature allows to use the device from both sides as well as allows to adjust rebounding force to provide optimal return force. 
    
    
     
       The figures provided below give a detailed description of the invention. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a hockey puck rebound device  1 . 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the hockey puck rebound device  1  as seen in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the support  2 ,  22 . 
         FIG. 4  is an upper perspective view of the support  2 ,  22 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the support  2 ,  22  as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is another sectional view of the support  2 ,  22  as seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of one end of a resilient member  20  comprising a rigid ring  21  thereon. 
         FIG. 8  is an upper perspective view of the support  2 ,  22  with a hexagonal nut  44  alongside the support  2 ,  22  and another hexagonal nut  44  is inserted into a hexagonal cavity  10  of the support  2 ,  22 . 
         FIG. 9  is a sectional view of the support  2 ,  22  attached to a training surface  51 . 
         FIG. 10  is another perspective view of part of the device  1  comprising a support  2 ,  22  attached to a cross-member  30 , and one resilient member  20  secured into a channel  7  of the support  2 ,  22 . 
         FIG. 11  is perspective view of the device  1  positioned on the training surface  51  when in use. 
     
    
    
     Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent when viewed in light of the detailed description of the preferred embodiment when taken in conjunction with the attached drawings and appended claims. 
     In  FIGS. 1 to 2  a hockey puck rebound device  1  comprises a first support  2  and a second support  22 . Both supports  2  and  22  are associated through a cross-member  30 . The cross-member  30  extends between the first support  2  and the second support  22  and is fixed to the top wall  3  of both supports  2 ,  22  so that both supports  2 ,  22  are positioned from each other with a distance X. The device  1  further comprises at least one resilient member  20  having a first and a second end and extending between the first support  2  and the second support  22  such that the resilient member  20  is secured in a taut manner to provide a resilient spring-back force when struck by a puck  50 .  FIG. 11  shows the device  1  positioned on a training surface  51  so that the puck  50  may be passed onto the resilient member  20  of the device  1 . The supports  2  and  22  further comprises a rubber pad  40  to provide better gripping properties between the device  1  and the training surface  50 . 
     The resilient member  20  on each of its ends comprises a rigid ring  21  so that the end of the resilient member  20  is rigid (see  FIG. 7 ). The rigid ring  21  improves gripping capabilities of the resilient member  20  to be holed in the second section  9  of the channel  7 . 
     In  FIGS. 3 to 6, 8 and 10  each support  2  and  22  comprises a top wall  3 , a bottom wall  4  and four side walls  5  of substantially equal length, wherein the support  2 ,  22  is a hollow body with support ribs  6  therein. Each support  2  and  22  comprises two channels  7  for inserting and securing the resilient member  20  to the respective support  2 ,  22 . The channel  7  is divided in two sections—a first section  8  of the channel  7  and a second section  9  of the channel  7 . Both sections  8 ,  9  of the channel  7  are arranged 90 degrees relative to each other creating a channel  7  with 90 degree turn. The first section  8  of the channel  7  comprises a cut-out  13  parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first section  8  of the channel  7 . The cut-out  13  is configured so that the resilient member  20  is insertable into the channel  7  through said cut-out  13 . Upon insertion of the resilient member  20  into the channel  7  the resilient member is arranged in the first section  8  and the second section  9  of the channel  7 . The rigid ring  21  of the resilient member  20  is located in the second section  9  of the channel  7 . The support  2 ,  22  further comprises one hexagonal cavity  10  configured for insertion of a respective hexagonal nut  41  therein. The support further comprises two through holes  12 , wherein each through hole  12  is configured for insertion of a screw  44  therethrough in order to fix the cross-member  30  to the support  2 ,  22 . 
     In another embodiment the device  1  is attached to the training surface  51  by means of a bolt  42  that is inserted through an opening of the training surface  51  into a hexagonal nut  41  positioned in a hexagonal cavity  10  of a support  2 ,  22  (see  FIG. 9 ). 
     While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, numerous variations alternate embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art. 
     LIST OF REFERENCES: 
     
         
           1 —a hockey puck rebound device; 
           2 —a first support; 
           22 —a second support; 
           3 —a top wall of a first support and a second support; 
           4 —a bottom wall of a first support and a second support; 
           5 —a side wall of a first support and a second support; 
           6 —a support rib; 
           7 —a channel; 
           8 —a first section of a channel; 
           9 —a second section of a channel; 
           10 —a hexagonal cavity; 
           12 —a through hole; 
           13 —a cut-out; 
           20 —a resilient member; 
           21 —a rigid ring; 
           30 —a cross member; 
           40 —a pad; 
           41 —a nut; 
           42 —a hexagonal bolt; 
           43 —a washer; 
           44 —a screw; 
           50 —a puck; 
           51 —a training surface; 
         X—a distance between the supports.