Abstract:
A substantially non-deformable all-steel player hockey stick for the purpose of training includes a blade having a heel portion and a hollow rectangular tubular shaft formed to receive the heel of the blade. The shaft includes four side walls with each side wall having a thickness ranging from about 1.6 mm to about 3.2 mm. The shaft also exhibits a stiffness of about 250 pounds per inch of deflection. Support tabs extend from opposing side walls proximate a distal end of the shaft and receive the heel of the blade therebetween, whereby each support tab attaches to the heel of the blade to connect the blade to the shaft. The combined weight of the shaft and the blade exceeds one kilogram.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
       [0001]    None. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention generally relates to hockey sticks. More specifically, the present invention relates to a metal hockey stick for use by a player as a training device to exercise and strengthen various muscles used in puck handling activities. 
         [0003]    In the sport of ice hockey and floor hockey, puck handling is an essential skill vital to the success of a player as well as the team. Also, by “player” it is meant a non-goalie position because the skills required for puck control for a player differ than those required for a goalie. As such, and as is known in the art, both the actual equipment and the training equipment for a player differ than that for a goalie. 
         [0004]    Puck handling skills for a player include puck control, stick handling, passing and stopping a puck with precision. Proper handling of a puck is essential in both an offensive advance of the puck toward the goal of the opponent and a defensive stop or steal of the puck to prevent the opposing team from scoring. While the skills required for proper puck handling can be achieved through the use of a conventional hockey stick, doing so is extremely time intensive. Conventional hockey sticks are designed for actual play, are lightweight and relatively flexible. Composite hockey sticks, which have become quite popular in recent years, typically weigh between 460-500 grams, while wooden hockey sticks typically weigh between 500-700 grams. While these may be ideal weight ranges for hockey sticks used during game play, it is somewhat disadvantageous to use such weights if the underlying purpose is for the training and strengthening of muscles. For the most part, the intended use of conventional hockey sticks is based upon the presumption that the player already has the requisite skills and strength needed for proper puck control, and as such conventional hockey sticks are not the most useful tool to use for training purposes. 
         [0005]    There exist in the art several examples of devices which aid a player in learning and honing puck control skills. U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,524 suggests a practice hockey stick having a hollow plastic shaft into which are positionable a variety of weights. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,939,273, 6,328,666, 4,364,560, 3,834,697 and D515,641 each suggest a weighted apparatus attachable to the shaft of a conventional hockey stick proximate the heel of a blade to provide added weight for use during training. U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,386 suggests a weight positionable over the blade of a conventional hockey stick to also provide added weight for use during training. 
         [0006]    Several shortcomings in each of the aforementioned devices exist. For example, positioning weights onto the shaft of a hockey stick proximate the blade skews the natural center of balance of the hockey stick, resulting in an unnatural feel for the stick. Thus, while a player may be able to strengthen muscles needed for proper puck control, the player does not obtain the actual “feel” of the stick, especially after the weight is removed, and therefore is not making an efficient use of practice time. Also, conventional hockey sticks are generally flexible to provide a greater force when striking the puck during slapshots. Typically, players prefer more flexible shafts to increase response for puck control and wrist shots. Shaft stiffness is often commercially rated on the unofficial scale of 70-120 lb/in, related to the load need to deflect a shaft one inch at approximately mid-span. When positioning weights onto a shaft of a conventional stick proximate the blade, an unnatural sway occurs which decreases the effectiveness of the conventional stick as a training device. Furthermore, the natural flexibility of a conventional stick itself can be a drawback to the beginner hockey player who may overly rely on the resiliency of the stick to propel the puck instead of initially strengthening and conditioning the proper muscles, thus decreasing the effectiveness of the player and prolonging the time in which it will take the player to properly master puck control skills. In other words, while conventional hockey sticks may be adequate when in the hands of a learned and seasoned player, the conventional hockey stick, with or without added weights, does not provide an efficient means for a beginner player to strengthen and train the proper muscles necessary to master puck control in a quick and expedient manner. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0007]    The present invention includes an all-metal, preferably steel, hockey stick which is intended to be used as a training device in the sport of ice-hockey, field hockey, floor hockey or the like. The hockey stick generally comprises a hollow rectangular shaft attached to a blade. The shaft includes opposing major walls and opposing minor walls, wherein each wall has a thickness ranging from about 1.6 millimeters to about 3.2 millimeters. The blade is preferably about 3.2 millimeters in width. The overall weight of the hockey stick is preferably between one kilogram and 3.5 kilograms. More preferably, the overall weight of the hockey stick of the present invention is about 2.8 kilograms or six pounds. To aid in the attachment of the blade to the shaft, support tabs extend downwardly from each major wall to engage opposing sides of the blade, whereby the support tables are welded to said surfaces. 
         [0008]    The hockey stick of the present invention provides a relatively heavy and stiff means to practice stick handling and puck control skills which are vital in playing the aforementioned games of sport. The additional weight of the hockey stick of the present invention is evenly distributed throughout the entire stick to provide a balance point which is similar to conventional hockey sticks, thereby permitting a player to condition the same muscle groups needed to control conventional hockey sticks. Further, the substantially non-deformable nature of the hockey stick of the present invention forces the player to focus on honing basic stick handling skills instead of relying on the flexibility found in conventional hockey sticks. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is an illustrated perspective view of a player hockey stick of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional view of a shaft of the player hockey stick of the present invention taken along lines  2 - 2  in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of the hockey stick of the present invention taken along lines  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a hockey blade for use in the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a top view of a customized hockey blade for use in the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    A player hockey stick of the present invention is generally indicated at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The player hockey stick  10  includes an elongated longitudinal shaft  12  which a player holds during use. The shaft  12  is constructed to form a hollow rectangular tube having opposing major walls  14  and opposing minor walls  16 , as is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The length of the shaft  12  is preferably about 150 centimeters (60 inches) but may vary depending on the height of the intended player. Preferably, both the major walls  14  and the minor walls  16  are constructed from a sheet of iron or steel, and therefore each wall has a similar and uniform thickness. It is preferred that steel having a gauge range between 10 and 14 be used, which correlates to a wall thickness of between about 1.6-3.2 millimeters (0.0625-0.125 inches). It should be noted, however, that it is well within the scope of the present invention to provide walls of differing thickness as may be desired or to provide each major wall  14  with a differing thickness than the minor walls  16 . It should also be noted that it is also well within the scope of the present invention to provide for a solid shaft, rectangular or the like, to provide for added weight. The shaft  12  further includes support tabs  18  at a distal end  20  of the shaft  12  extending downwardly from each major wall  14  forming a “fork-like” receivership  22  for a hockey blade  24 , as is best illustrated in  FIG. 3 . Each support tab  18  is preferably integrally formed from the respective major wall  14 . However, alternatively each support tab  18  can be separate from the respective major wall  14  whereby appropriate attachments means will have to be provided, including welding or gluing or the like. 
         [0015]    Attached to the distal end  20  of the shaft  12  is the hockey blade  24 . The hockey blade  24  allows a player to contact and direct a puck (not shown). As is illustrated in  FIG. 4 , the hockey blade  24  includes an insertion tab  26  positioned on a heel portion  28  of the blade  24 . To attach the hockey blade  24  to the shaft  12 , the hockey blade  24  is positioned to dispose the insertion tab  26  within the rectangular shaft  12  and the heel portion  28  within the receivership  22 . It is therefore preferable to provide the insertion tab  28  with the proper dimensions such that the width of the insertion tab  28  cooperates with the inner dimensions of the shaft  12  and provide for a snug fit against the inner surfaces  30  of the respective major walls  14 . Upon disposing the insertion tab  26  within the shaft  12 , the support tabs  18  extending at a downward angle from each major wall  14  align with opposing sidewalls  34  of the blade  24  proximate the heel portion  28 . Each support tab  18  can then be attached to the adjacent sidewall  34  of the blade  24  to fixedly secure the hockey blade  24  to the shaft  12 . It has been discovered that the attachment of the hockey blade  24  to the shaft  12  in this manner provides for maximum strength and does not allow the heel portion  28  of the blade  24  to be easily bent during use when striking the puck or inadvertently striking the ice, floor or ground. Because the use of the player hockey stick  10  of the present invention is directed at training purposes instead of actual playing purposes, both the shaft  12  and the blade  24  are preferably constructed from a heavy-weight metal, such as iron or steel. The steel tubing used in the preferred embodiment of the present invention was manufactured according to ASTM A513-00 standards and was obtained from Leavitt Tube Co., LLC of Chicago, Ill. The steel contained approximately 99% iron with the remainder comprising carbon, manganese phosphorus, sulfur aluminum and silicon. Thus, for purposes of this description, the steel will be considered to be substantially free of aluminum or titanium. By substantially free it is meant that the steel contains less than 1% aluminum or titanium. However, other compositions of steel containing higher amounts of aluminum or titanium are also within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0016]    Being that both the shaft  12  and the blade  24  are preferably constructed of metal, the preferable means of attaching the hockey blade  24  to the distal end  20  of the shaft  12  is by welding. Each support tab  18  is welded to the adjacent surface  34  of the heel portion  28  of the blade  24 . Also, top and rear surfaces,  36  and  38  respectively, of the blade  24  are positioned between the support tabs  18  on each side are also welded to the minor walls  16 , thereby providing welded attachment between the blade  24  and the shaft  12  at any point where surfaces of the blade  24  contact surfaces of the shaft  12 . It should be noted, however, that other means of attaching the hockey blade  24  to the shaft  12  are well within the scope of the present invention, including gluing and riveting. Alternatively, it is also within the scope of the present invention to integrally form the hockey blade  24  with the shaft  12 . In further alternative embodiments, it is also within the scope of the present invention to provide non-metal blades  24  if so desired. 
         [0017]    As described, the hockey stick  10  of the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an all-metal construction, more preferably a steel construction. By providing an all-metal construction, the hockey stick  10  of the present invention is of greater weight than conventional hockey sticks and achieves a uniform distribution of that weight along the entire shaft  12 , providing a natural balance that the player will be able to correlate with conventional hockey sticks when transitioning between the two for actual play. It is therefore preferable that the hockey stick  10  of the present invention weigh between about 1 and 3.5 kilograms (2.5 and 8 pounds). More preferably, the overall weight of the hockey stick of the present invention is about 2.8 kilograms (6.25 pounds). It should be noted, though, that this weight may vary depending on the size of the user, whether it be a child, adolescent or adult. Also, sticks weighing more than 3.5 kilograms are well within the scope of the present invention. The hockey stick  10  of the present invention is somewhat impractical to use during actual game play and is therefore primarily intended as a training device. 
         [0018]    Another aspect of the hockey stick  10  of the present invention for use as a training device is the stiffness qualities the shaft  12  possesses. During training, it is a primary goal for the novice or beginner to focus on the functional muscle groups that are used in stick and puck handling. Because strengthening and conditioning the muscles needed for proper stick and puck handling is of primary concern, the novice should not rely on the inherent flexibility of the hockey stick as this will only prolong the amount of time it will take to master the fundamental skills. It is therefore advantageous for the novice to have a stiff hockey stick with which to train. While there are no formal standards for conventional ice hockey sticks, the stiffness is often defined in the industry as the force (in pounds) needed to deflect a shaft one inch at the approximate midpoint of the shaft. The typical stiffness for conventional hockey sticks, such as those having wood, aluminum or composite shafts, ranges from about 70 to 120 pounds per inch of deflection, with 100 pounds being most popular. To compare these values to those of the present invention, tests were performed on the hockey stick  10  whereby a load was placed on the shaft  12  at about midpoint of an approximate 47 inch unsupported span. Initially, loads between 90 and 125 pounds were used to determine the amount of deflection for a direct comparison to conventional hockey sticks. Finally, enough weight was added to achieve a one inch deflection. The results are shown in Table 1. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Hockey Stick Shaft Stiffness 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 Weight Applied (pounds) 
                 Deflection (inches) 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                 90 
                 6/32 
               
               
                   
                 100 
                 8/32 
               
               
                   
                 110 
                 8/32 
               
               
                   
                 125 
                 9/32 
               
               
                   
                 250 
                 1 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0019]    As the results indicate, whereas conventional hockey sticks deflect one inch between 70 and 100 pounds of applied force, the hockey stick of the present invention at most deflected about a quarter of that. Also, it took a load of about 250 pounds to deflect the shaft  12  of the present invention one inch at about midpoint. Thus, for purposes of the present invention, when the hockey stick is used under normal practicing conditions the shaft  12  is deemed to be substantially non-deformable. By substantially non-deformable it is meant that at about 100 pounds of force the shaft deflects about a quarter of an inch or less. 
         [0020]    In use, a player places one hand near the top  40  of the shaft  12  and the other hand near midpoint  42  of the shaft  12  which allows handling of the hockey stick  10 . The blade  24  is customizable to either a left-handed or right-handed player in that the blade  24  can be bent or curved to a desired shape which the blade will then hold, as is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . A player can then practice by either simulating moves that occur on the ice when guiding a puck, especially flexing wrist and forearm muscles. A player can also practice by guiding a puck on ice (or other playing surface). The evenly distributed weight of the stick  10  is similar to that of a conventional hockey stick, thereby permitting natural balance which allows the player to perform concerted and deliberate moves to assist in training the proper muscles. Additionally, the substantially non-deformable stiffness of the hockey stick  10  does not allow the player to “cheat” as with a conventional hockey stick, thereby forcing the player to hone his/her own nature ability in handling the puck. This provides for a more efficient practice time, better preparing the player for the real game. 
         [0021]    Other modifications to the shaft  12 , including the addition of grips or coating to the walls  14  and  16 , are also within the scope of the present invention. It should also be noted that the blade  24  can be modified or customized to any specific sport and still be within the scope of the present invention. 
         [0022]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.