Abstract:
The present invention provides a lacrosse shaft. The lacrosse shaft has an integral or interlocked end stop to inhibit stoppage.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to sticks and shafts having a butt end and, more particularly, a butt end terminating in an end stop.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Referring to  FIGS. 1A and 1B , a conventional sports stick  100  is shown, which is represented as a hockey stick, but could be, for example, a lacrosse stick as well. Conventionally, stick  100  comprises an elongated, hollow shaft  110  or handle. Shaft  110  has a playing end  112  and a butt end  114  opposite playing end  112 . Playing end  112  may have a blade  116  attached, as shown for a hockey stick, a lacrosse head attached, for the lacrosse stick, or the like.  
         [0003]     As best shown by the exploded view of  FIG. 1B , attached to butt end  114  typically is a cap  118  as shown. Cap  118  is designed with a volumetric space V to frictionally engage the butt end  114  of shaft  110 . Cap  118  is frequently designed with a protrusion  120 . Cap  118 , frictionally engaged with butt end  114 , and protrusion  120  combine to inhibit a player&#39;s hand from slipping off the butt end of shaft  110 .  
         [0004]      FIG. 1C  shows a plug  122  that may be used as an alternative to cap  118 . Plug  122  may be inserted into a hollow space H at the end of hollow shaft  110 . Plug  122  would be designed to frictionally engage shaft  110 . Plug  122  has a male portion  124  and may have a protrusion  126  that expands beyond the outer walls  128  of shaft  110 . Male portion  124  may be solid or hollow as a matter of design choice. Plug  122  frictionally engaged in hollow space H and protrusion  124  combine to inhibit a player&#39;s hand from slipping off the butt end of shaft  110  also. Conventional end caps or plugs have numerous shapes other than the simple design shown for convenience.  
         [0005]     Neither cap  118  nor plug  122 , however, are particularly satisfying solutions to preventing a player&#39;s hand from slipping off the butt end of shaft  110 . Often cap  118  or plug  122  separates from shaft  110  because the force associated with the player&#39;s hand overcomes the frictional engagement.  
         [0006]     Thus, it would be desirous to develop and improved butt end of a sports shaft to further inhibit a player&#39;s hand from slipping during play.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     The present invention relates to an improved sports shaft.  
         [0008]     The improved shaft has a butt end with a protrusion. The protrusion is integral with or interlocking with the butt end to inhibit a player&#39;s hand from slipping. Also, because the protrusion is integral and/or interlocked with the butt end, the end stop is inhibited from detaching.  
         [0009]     The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0010]     The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of the present invention and are a part of the specification. The illustrated embodiments are merely examples and illustrations of the present invention and do not limit the scope of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIGS. 1A-1C  illustrates a conventional hockey stick;  
         [0012]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate sport shafts consistent with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0013]      FIGS. 3A-3C  illustrate other sport shafts consistent with an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  shows one possible alternative construction of the present invention.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     The present invention will now be described with reference to the Figures. While the present invention is being described with particular reference to a lacrosse specific shaft, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize on reading the disclosure that the present invention would be applicable for other sport shafts where a player&#39;s hand has the potential of slipping off the butt end of a shaft. Examples of other such shafts include, but should not be limited to, hockey sticks, racketball rackets, and the like.  
         [0016]     With reference now to  FIG. 2A , a lacrosse specific sports shaft  200  consistent with the present invention is shown. Shaft  200  comprises an elongated body  202  having a head end  204  and a butt end  206 . Shaft  200  could be made of carbon, graphite, carbon fibers, composites, or other moldable composites, and the like. Using these materials, butt end  206  can be molded such that butt end  206  has a protrusion  208 . Alternatively, (as shown in  FIG. 2B ) butt end  206  can have outwardly expanding walls  210 , such that butt end  206  has a flared shape  212 . Outwardly expanding walls  210  can be straight as shown, curved, or beveled. Further, edges  214  may be sharp edges or corners or beveled as well.  
         [0017]     One method of manufacturing the shaft  200  comprises use of graphite or other materials. According to this one embodiment, a graphite sheet is wrapped around an internal member such as a dowel. The number of times the graphite sheets is wrapped around the dowel determines the strength of the shaft. Therefore, stronger shafts may be wrapped multiple times. When the desired number of graphite layers has been achieved, the dowel is removed, leaving the graphite in a tubular arrangement. The tubular graphite is then inserted into a mold, where it is heated and formed into the mold shape. The mold, in this case, would have the desired shape of butt end  206  such that, when heated, the tubular graphite forms into the desired shape.  
         [0018]     The tubular graphite in this methodology is preferably hollow, but according to some embodiments it may also be solid. The graphite is subsequently cooled, and the graphite hardens into the shaft  200 .  
         [0019]     While molding butt end  206  to a particular shape is a possible solution to the problems associated with the prior art, players may enjoy the feel of a different material of an end stop from the shaft proper.  FIG. 3A  is a cross-sectional view of a shaft  300  that provides an alternative solution to inhibit the end stop from disengaging from the shaft  300 .  FIG. 3B  shows an end view of shaft  300 .  FIG. 3B  shows shaft  300  in a generally circular shape, but shaft  300  could be any geometric shape as a matter of design and player preference.  
         [0020]     Referring first to  FIG. 3A , shaft  300  includes an elongated body  302  having a head end  304  and a butt end  306 . Shaft  300  has a cross-sectional shape S defined by a sidewall  308 . Cross-sectional shape S is shown as a circle for convenience, but could be numerous geometries configured for performance and player preference. Butt end  306  terminates in an inwardly extending lip  310 . Lip  310  defines an opening  312 . Opening  312  occupies a surface area A and, in the case of a circular shaft, a diameter d 1 . Lip  310  has a thickness t 1  and a width w 1 .  
         [0021]      FIG. 3A  also shows an end stop  320 . End stop  320  may be made of rubber or other composites as a matter of design choice. End stop  302  has an anchor portion  322 , a stem  324 , and a stopper portion  326 . Anchor portion  322  generally has a shape that complements shaft  300 . In the case of circular shaft  300 , anchor portion  322  has a diameter d 3 . Stem  324  has a diameter of d 2 . Stopper portion  326  has a diameter d 4 . Diameter d 3  is generally greater than diameter d 2  such that anchor portion  322  has a shoulder  328  extending radially outward from stem  324 . Further, diameter d 3  is larger than diameter d 1  so shoulder  328  abuts lip  310 . Diameter d 3  should be greater than d 1  but no more than d 1  plus 2 times w 1 . While diameter d 3  may be oversized, in this case anchor portion  322  may buckle or cause shaft  300  to bow.  
         [0022]     Stem  324  connects anchor portion  322  and stopper portion  326 . Stem  324  has a thickness or length t 2 . Length t 2  should be equal to or greater than t 1  such that should  328  and stopper portion  326  fit snuggly around lip  310 . Stem  324  has a diameter d 2  that should be equal to or less than d 1  such that stem  324  can fit in opening  312 .  
         [0023]     Stopper portion  326  has a diameter d 4 . Diameter d 4  should be greater than an outer diameter d 5  of butt end  306 . Diameter d 4  being larger than diameter d 5  causes a protrusion  330  of stopper portion  326  to extend beyond shaft sidewall  308 . Protrusion  330  inhibits a player&#39;s hand from slipping off of shaft  300 . Further, the abutment of lip  310  and shoulder  328  inhibits end stop  320  from disengaging with shaft  300 .  
         [0024]     Optionally, and shown in phantom, shaft  300  may have an internal base  332 . A volumetric space  334  is defined by base  332 , sidewalls  308  and lip  310 . Volumetric space would have a depth of t 3  or greater, t 3  being the thickness of anchor portion  322 . Using base  332  would provide a chamber or clamp like mold to grip anchor portion  322  and shoulder  328 .  
         [0025]      FIG. 3C  shows a cross-sectional view of butt end  306  with end stop  320  inserted. In this case, optional base  332  is also shown and stopper portion  326  has flared and curved walls  336 . Further, an edge  338  is beveled, although it could be provided as a sharp corner. Stopper portion  326  could have any design and shape, including the flared or conical shape associated with  FIG. 2B .  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows an alternative configuration for lip  310  and shoulder  328 . In this case lip  310  has a first end extension  402 . First end extension  402  extends from lip  310  towards shoulder  328 . Shoulder  328  has a second end extension  404 . Second end extension  404  extends from shoulder  328  towards lip  310 . First end extension  402  comprises a first protrusion  406  and second end extension  404  comprises a second protrusion  408 . Protrusions  406  and  408  form a snap lock or friction fitting between lip  310  and shoulder  328  that may facilitate the molding process. Protrusions  406  and  408  are exemplary, and other interlocking devices could be used, such as, for example, a protrusion and dimple, a lip and barb, or the like.  
         [0027]     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.