BLADE FOR A STICK

• US 20090264229A1
• Filed: 04/29/2009
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ZII Freebandy AB
• Original Assignee: ZII Freebandy AB
• Inventors: Forsberg, Claes Rune
• Application Number:
  US12/431,975
• Publication Number:
  US 20090264229A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/563
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/22 Field hockey
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/20 having means, e.g. pockets, netting or adhesive type surfaces, for catching or holding a ball, e.g. for lacrosse or pelota
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/70 with bent or angled lower parts for hitting a ball on the ground, on an ice-covered surface, or in the air, e.g. for hockey or hurling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/52 with slits
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 67/002 Games using balls, not otherwise provided for

Abstract

The invention is for a blade for a stick, such as a hockey stick or a floor hockey stick comprising: an attachment means for a shaft close to an essentially elongated blade in turn comprising a first and a second surface surrounded by an upper and a lower longitudinal edge as well as a first and a second short side. Said first and second surfaces comprise a shooting and a dribbling surface as well as at least one hole, whereby said hole extends between the first and the second surfaces of the blade. The hole is a ball hole and comprises at least one diameter adapted such that it can hold the ball both during floor and air dribbling. Moreover, the ball hole is located in close proximity to the other short side, while the attachment means are located close to the short side. The ball hole is also enclosed by shooting and dribbling surfaces, the upper longitudinal edge and the lower longitudinal edge as well as the second short side. The blade provides the user with unusually good control of the ball during dribbling and facilitates a more air-based play than previously known blades.

Claims

1. A blade for a stick, such as a hockey or floor hockey stick comprising:

an attachment means for a shaft, an essentially elongated blade comprising a first and a second surface surrounded by an upper and a lower longitudinal edge as well as a first and second shod side, said first and second surface comprising a shooting and a dribbling surface as well as at least one through hole where said hole extends between the first and the second surfaces of the blade, wherein the hole is a ball hole, whereby the ball hole comprises at least one diameter adapted so that said ball hole may hold a ball during both floor dribbling and air dribbling, and in that said ball hole is located in close proximity to the second shod side and that the attachment means are located close to the first short side, whereby the ball hole is delimited by the shooting and dribbling surfaces, the upper and the lower longitudinal edges and the second short side.

2. The blade for a stick according to claim 1, wherein that the ball hole comprises a circular cross-section whereby said diameter is an inner diameter where said inner diameter is adapted for holding a ball during both floor dribbling and air dribbling.

3. The blade for a stick according to claim 2, wherein the ball hole further comprises an input surface comprising an inner diameter and an output surface comprising an output diameter whereby the inner diameter is located between the input surface (21, 41) and the output surface and whereby said inner diameter is smaller than said input diameter and output diameter of the ball hole.

4. The blade for a stick according to claim 3, wherein the ball surface between the input surface and the inner diameter and between the output surface and the inner diameter is essentially of concave character.

5. The blade for a stick according to claim 3, wherein also the input surface and the output surface of the ball hole have a circular shape.

6. The blade for a stick according to claim 3, wherein the input surface and the output surface of the ball hole are shifted a distance S in relation to a central point on the inner diameter.

7. The blade for a stick according to claim 6, wherein the central point of the inner diameter is located closer to the first short side of the blade than the central point of the input diameter and the output diameter.

8. The blade for a stick according to claim 5, wherein the first or second short side of the blade has a curvature which at least along one part of its side corresponds to the circular shape of the input surface and the output surface.

9. The blade for a stick according to claim 1, wherein the shooting and dribbling surface of the first and second surface has a concave shape.

10. The blade for a stick according to claim 9, wherein the entire shooting and dribbling surface functions as a guiding means for guiding the ball towards said ball hole.

11. The blade for a stick according to claim 1, characterized in that wherein the lower edge has a groove along at least a pad of its length.

12. The blade for a stick according to claim 1, wherein the upper longitudinal edge has a concave shape and that the lower longitudinal edge has a convex shape such that said blade acquires an essentially elongated curved shape.

13. The blade for a stick claim 1, wherein the blade comprises a shaft arranged in the attachment means of the blade and also that the shaft comprises a fender.

14. The blade for a stick according to claim 1, wherein a ball is associated with the blade whereby the ball hole is adapted for said ball.

15. The blade for a stick according to claim 14, wherein the diameter is an inner diameter whereby the inner diameter is at least 75 to 99.9% of the diameter of the ball.

16. The blade for a stick according to claim 15, wherein the inner diameter is at least 80 to 99% of the diameter of the ball.

17. The blade for a stick according to claim 16, wherein the inner diameter is at least 85 to 99% of the diameter of the ball.

18. A stick comprising a shaft and an elongated blade arranged with the shaft, via an attachment means, said blade comprising a first and a second surface surrounded by an upper and lower longitudinal edge as well as a first and a second shod side, said first and second surfaces comprising a shooting and a dribbling surface and at least one through hole whereby said hole extends between the first and second surface of the blade, wherein the hole is a ball hole, whereby the ball hole comprises at least a diameter adapted such that said ball hole can hold a ball both during floor dribbling and air dribbling, and where said ball hole is located in close proximity to the first short side and where the attachment means are located close to the first short side, whereby the ball hole is enclosed by the shooting and dribbling surfaces, the upper and the lower longitudinal edge as well as the second short side.

19. A kit comprising at least one ball and one stick according to claim 18, whereby the ball hole is adapted for said ball.