Multi-component lacrosse stick head

• US 20030114258A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 06/19/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wm. T. Burnett Ip, LLC
• Original Assignee: Richard B.C. Tucker Sr
• Inventors: Tucker, Richard B.C. Sr.
• Granted Patent: US 6,723,134 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/513
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 49/022 String guides on frames, e.g. grommets
• 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

Abstract

A multi-component lacrosse stick head, made of at least two materials, including a base lacrosse head structure of one material and one or more overlays made of one or more other materials strategically located on the base structure. The base structure and overlays provide particular performance characteristics for the lacrosse head. An embodiment of the invention includes a base lacrosse head structure, and at least one of a ball stop overlay, a sidewall overlay, an edge overlay, a thread opening overlay, and a scoop overlay. The overlays are affixed to the base lacrosse head structure by, for example, insert molding, over molding, reaction injection molding, spray application, rotational molding, dual extrusion, casting, or an interference fit.

Claims

1. A lacrosse stick head comprising:

(a) a base lacrosse head structure made of a first material; and

(b) at least one overlay affixed to the base lacrosse head structure, wherein the at least one overlay is made of a second material and is affixed to the base lacrosse head structure by one of insert molding, over molding, reaction injection molding, spray application, rotational molding, dual extrusion, casting, and an interference fit.

2. The lacrosse stick head of claim 1, wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material, wherein the second material has a higher coefficient of friction than the first material, and wherein the second material is more compressible than the first material.

3. The lacrosse stick head of claim 1, wherein the first material is one of nylon, urethane, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyketone, polybutylene terephalate, acetals, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, acrylic, and acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile.

4. The lacrosse stick head of claim 1, wherein the second material is one of urethane, alcryln, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-butylene styrene, thermoplastic olefinic, thermoplastic vulcanizate ethylene-propylene rubber, and polyvinyl chloride.

5. The lacrosse stick head of claim 1, wherein the second material is a thermoplastic elastomer.

6. The lacrosse stick head of claim 1, wherein the at least one overlay comprises a tab affixed to the base lacrosse head structure, and wherein the tab includes a thread opening.

7. The lacrosse stick head of claim 1, wherein the base lacrosse head structure comprises:

(a) a stop member;

(b) two sidewalls extending from the stop member, wherein a sidewall of the two sidewalls has an inside face and an edge;

(c) a scoop joining the two sidewalls opposite the stop member; and

(d) a plurality of thread openings through at least one of the stop member, the two sidewalls, and the scoop,

wherein the at least one overlay comprises at least one of a ball stop overlay applied to the stop member, a sidewall overlay applied to the inside face of at least one of the two sidewalls, an edge overlay applied to the edge of at least one of the two sidewalls, a thread opening overlay applied to at least one thread opening of the plurality of thread openings, and a scoop overlay applied to the scoop.

8. The lacrosse stick head of claim 6, wherein the ball stop overlay includes ridges.

9. The lacrosse stick head of claim 6, wherein the sidewall overlay includes a rib.

10. The lacrosse stick head of claim 6, wherein the thread opening overlay comprises a ring disposed within the at least one thread opening.

11. The lacrosse stick head of claim 6, wherein the thread opening overlay is applied inside the at least one thread opening such that the thread opening overlay is adapted to receive a thread with the thread opening overlay between the thread and the base lacrosse head structure.

12. The lacrosse stick head of claim 6, wherein a thread opening of the plurality of thread openings is a hook-shaped tab, and wherein the thread opening overlay is applied inside the hook-shaped tab such that a thread strung through the thread opening rests on the thread opening overlay.

13. The lacrosse stick head of claim 6, wherein a pocket area is defined inside the stop member, the two sidewalls, and the scoop, and wherein the edge overlay protrudes toward the pocket area.

14. The lacrosse stick head of claim 6, wherein the thread opening overlay is adapted to compress in response to a pull of a thread and to recover to its original shape after the pull subsides.

16. The head of claim 13, wherein the ball stop overlay includes a ridge.

17. The head of claim 13, wherein the scoop overlay is more compressible than the transverse wall.

18. The head of claim 13, wherein the ball stop overlay, the sidewall overlay, the edge overlay, the thread opening overlay, and the scoop overlay are affixed to the base lacrosse head structure by one of insert molding, over molding, reaction injection molding, spray application, rotational molding, dual extrusion, casting, and an interference fit.

19. The head of claim 13, wherein the base lacrosse head structure is made of a first material and the overlays are made of a second material, and wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

20. The head of claim 17, wherein the first material is one of nylon, urethane, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyketone, polybutylene terephalate, acetal, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, acrylic, and acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile.

21. The head of claim 17, wherein the second material is one of urethane, alcryln, styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-ethylene-butylene styrene, thermoplastic olefinic, thermoplastic vulcanizate ethylene-propylene rubber, and polyvinyl chloride.

22. The head of claim 13, wherein the ball stop overlay is adapted to absorb impact by a ball,

wherein the sidewall overlay is adapted to provide a coefficient of friction between the sidewalls and the ball that is greater than a coefficient of friction between the base lacrosse head structure and the ball,

wherein the edge overlay is adapted to soften impacts of the edge with players'"'"' body parts,

wherein the thread opening overlay is adapted to dampen a pull by the pocket threads in response to impact by the ball, and

wherein the scoop overlay is adapted to provide a coefficient of friction between the transverse wall and the ball that is greater than the coefficient of friction between the base lacrosse head structure and the ball.

15. A head for a lacrosse stick comprising:

(a) a base lacrosse head structure having;

(i) a juncture;

(ii) sidewalls extending from the juncture, wherein the sidewalls have sidewall thread openings adapted to receive pocket threads, and wherein the sidewalls have an inside face and an edge;

(iii) a transverse wall joining the sidewalls at their end opposite to the juncture, wherein the transverse wall has transverse wall thread openings adapted to receive the pocket threads; and

(iv) a stop member between the sidewalls and formed integral with the sidewalls, wherein the stop member has stop member thread openings that are adapted to receive the pocket threads;

(b) a ball stop overlay affixed to the stop member;

(c) a sidewall overlay affixed to the inside face of at least one of the sidewalls;

(d) an edge overlay affixed to the edge of at least one of the sidewalls;

(e) a thread opening overlay affixed around at least one of the sidewall thread openings, the transverse wall thread openings, and the stop member openings; and

(f) a scoop overlay affixed to the transverse wall.

23. A lacrosse head comprising:

(a) a frame having a stop member, two sidewalls connected to the stop member, and a scoop connected to the two sidewalls opposite the stop member; and

(b) an overlay affixed to the frame by one of insert molding, over molding, reaction injection molding, spray application, rotational molding, dual extrusion, casting, and an interference fit, wherein the frame is more rigid than the overlay.

24. The lacrosse head of claim 23, wherein the overlay is made of an elastomer.

25. The lacrosse head of claim 23, wherein the frame has a thread opening and wherein the overlay is disposed within the thread opening.

26. The lacrosse head of claim 23, wherein the overlay is affixed to a sidewall of the two sidewalls, and wherein the overlay includes a rib.

27. The lacrosse head of claim 26, wherein the rib protrudes substantially perpendicularly from the sidewall.

28. The lacrosse head of claim 26, further comprising a thread opening through at least one of the rib and the sidewall.

29. The lacrosse head of claim 23, wherein the overlay is a pre-molded elastomer, and wherein the frame has a recess into which the overlay is forced.

30. The lacrosse head of claim 23, wherein the overlay is continuous from the stop member to a first sidewall of the two sidewalls, to the scoop, to a second sidewall of the two sidewalls, and back to the stop member.

31. A lacrosse head comprising:

(a) a frame having a stop member, two sidewalls connected to the stop member, and a scoop connected to the two sidewalls opposite the stop member, wherein the frame is made of a first material; and

(b) an overlay affixed to the frame by one of insert molding, over molding, reaction injection molding, spray application, rotational molding, dual extrusion, casting, and an interference fit, wherein the overlay is made of a second material, and wherein the second material is more compressible than the first material.

32. The lacrosse head of claim 31, wherein the overlay is affixed to the stop member and the second material of the overlay is adapted to resist deterioration and alteration.

33. The lacrosse head of claim 31, wherein the overlay is affixed to the stop member and the second material of the overlay is adapted to absorb impact by a ball.

34. The lacrosse head of claim 31, wherein the overlay is affixed to an outer edge of the two sidewalls to provide cushioning for players that contact the lacrosse head.

35. The lacrosse head of claim 31, wherein the overlay is adapted to contact threads of a pocket attached to the frame to dampen a pull by the pocket in response to impact by a ball.

36. The lacrosse head of claim 31, wherein the overlay is a tab affixed to the frame, wherein the tab has a thread opening, and wherein the overlay is adapted to dampen a pull of a thread strung through the thread opening.

37. The lacrosse head of claim 31, wherein the overlay is affixed to a sidewall of the two sidewalls and the second material of the overlay provides a coefficient of friction with a ball that is greater than a coefficient of friction between the first material and the ball.

38. The lacrosse head of claim 31, wherein the overlay is affixed to the scoop and the second material of the overlay provides a coefficient of friction with a ball that is greater than a coefficient of friction between the first material and the ball.