TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to handles for hockey sticks made from wood

or from composite materials.

BACKGROUND ART

Hockey stick handles are generally of rectangular cross section.

Typically, the corners between the four sides of the handle are only slightly rounded

and the sides themselves have substantially flat faces. This configuration is

generally applied to both wood and composite stick handles.

There are several problems with the standard configuration for hockey

stick handles. Little attempt has been made to modify this general shape to provide

superior ergonomic fit with a player's hands or to improve the functionality and

strength of the stick.

The game of hockey involves subjecting the stick and thus the player's

hands to numerous impacts and torsion moments. For effective play these forces

must be resisted, absorbed or dampened by the stick and/or by the player through

his grip on the stick. Improving the shape and configuration of the stick handle can

improve both player and stick performance as well as reducing repetitive strain type

injuries (RSI).

Specifically, the rectangular shape of a hockey stick handle does not

provide optimal resistance to bending moments of force that are encountered during

a hockey game or practice. Lack of stiffness in the handle can cause excessive

shaft flex. As a result, unnecessary breakage can occur causing additional cost for

sticks and possibly compromising a player in competition.

A further result is that the energy transfer to the puck is decreased as

additional energy is absorbed by the excessive shaft flexion. This can further impair

the effectiveness of a player's performance by reducing the velocity of the shot.

The use of convex and/or concave design parameters is known to

improve resistance to bending moments of force. While there have been some prior

attempts to use convex and/or concave design parameters for hockey stick handles,

these have involved either both of a handle's wide faces being convex, or both of

a handle's wide faces being concave. These configurations have disadvantages as

will be described below.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

In the present invention, convex and/or concave faces are used in the

wide faces of a hockey stick handle. The wide faces are not similar as these prior

configurations achieve the mechanical strength advantage while compromising

other aspects of stick performance. The present invention has been shown to

improve handle strength and performance by improving resistance to the bending

moments typically encountered in the game of hockey, while also improving stic

ergonomics.

Further, there have been previous attempts to improve handle strengt

and performance by using composite materials. While successful to varyin

degrees these methods and materials are costly and obviously are not applicable to

wooden handles which still form a large part of the market. In addition, these

constructions do not include some of the other advantages as provided in the

present invention, as will be described.

Another aspect of the typical rectangular configuration that has proven

problematic has been the relatively "sharp" corners between the faces of the

handle. This has been a problem with respect to all four corners but is particularly

relevant with respect to the corner between the top face of the handle and the rear

face of the handle. The top and rear faces of the handle correspond to the top and

rear blade faces when a player holds a stick in the normal position for a forehand

shot.

It is primarily through this corner (hereinafter defined as R1 ), and the

rear face of the handle, that impacts on the stick are transferred to the player's

hands, wrists and lower arms. It is the lower hand, closest to the blade which is

most effected.

In anatomical terms, forces on the stick are transmitted from these

specified handle areas to the hypothenar muscle group, the palmar aponeurosis, the

flexor retinaculum, the distal end of the second and third metacarpals, and the

proximal end of the second and third proximal phalanges.

The result is an ever increasing number of repetitive strain injuries (RSI)

such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome is an entrapment

neuropathy involving the median nerve as it passes through the carpal tunnel. The

symptoms can involve pain, discomfort, and impaired use of the hand. Stress and

impact injuries and related soft tissue damage to players' wrists is also common.

To counteract these injuries it is desirable to disperse the impact forces

which were previously concentrated in these anatomical areas.

As will be described, the present invention solves this problem in two

primary ways. The first is to provide a significantly larger radius at R1 (corner

between the top and rear handle faces) than has been previously seen. The second

is to provide a generally convex rear handle face. These modifications assist with

impact dispersion in the hypothenar muscle group, the palmar aponeurosis and the

flexor retinaculum, as well as better dispersing forces on the metacarpals and

phalanges. Both improvements also provide a unique feel and therefore

performance due to the enhanced ergonomics of the stick vis a vis a player's hand.

A further problem with standard handle geometry is that it does little

to assist the player in resisting rotation of the handle. The handle tends to rotate

when force is applied to the blade as when the player strikes the puck, since the

point of impact is offset from the axis of the handle. This force generates a

moment about the longitudinal axis of the handle, thereby exerting torque on a

player's hands, particularly the lower hand.

Resisting handle rotation can improve performance, particularly by

improving the efficiency of energy transfer between the player and the puck.

One embodiment of the present invention improves the ability of a

player to resist handle rotation by providing significantly larger than standard radii

on the corners between the handles faces (in addition to R1 ) and further by

providing a front handle face that is generally concave.

ln view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide an

improved handle for a hockey stick having improved characteristics and providing

better ergonomics thereby improving performance and reducing injuries to players.

Accordingly, in the invention, the hockey stick handle includes a top

end and a blade end, the blade end being configured to receive a blade, the blade

having front and rear faces. The handle is substantially rectangular in transverse

cross section and has front and rear faces generally parallel to said faces of the

blade, and narrower top and bottom faces being generally perpendicular to the

faces of the blade, with the top face being on the same side of the handle as the

blade. The rear face of the handle is convex, a central point on the rear face being

at least 0.010" from the plane of outer edges of the rear face. A variant includes

a concave front face.

Further features of the invention will be described or will become

apparent in the course of the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood, the

preferred embodiment thereof will now be described in detail by way of example,

with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hockey player holding a hockey stick

with the handle of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a hockey stick with the handle of the

present invention;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the hockey stick handle of the

present invention constructed from composite material;

Fig. 4 is a cross-section of an embodiment of the handle fabricated

from wood laminates coated in fibreglass, and having both a concave front face and

a convex rear face;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section of an embodiment of the handle fabricated

from composite material and having a concave front face and a convex rear face;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section of an embodiment of the handle fabricated

from composite material and having a concave front face and substantially flat rear

face;

Fig. 7 is a close up perspective view of a hockey player's bottom hand

as it grips the handle;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a hockey player's bottom hand as it

releases from the stick handle; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a hockey player's hand as it engages

the stick handle.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings generally, a hockey player 6 is shown

holding a hockey stick 1 which includes a handle 2 and a blade 3. The blade 3

includes a front blade face 4 and a rear blade face 5, the front face 4 being defined

as the blade face that would be contacting the puck (not shown) in a forehand shot

by the player 6. Conversely, the rear blade face 5 would normally be the blade face

contacting the puck in a backhand shot.

For consistency all views of the player and of the stick are shown for

a player that "shoots left" and who utilizes a left-handed stick. Referring to Fig. 1

therefore, the player 6 will typically have their left hand as the lower hand 8,

gripping the stick 1 closest to the blade 3. The right hand will be the upper hand

7, gripping the stick at the top, furthest from the blade 3. It is the lower hand 8

that is most crucial, absorbing most of the impact and predominantly controlling the

stick.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, the handle 2 is shown to be elongated and

generally of rectangular cross-section. The handle 2 includes a front handle face

9, a rear handle face 10, a top handle face 1 1 , and a bottom handle face 12. The

corners between the handle faces are defined as follows: the corner between the

top face and the rear face is termed 1 5 and R1 , the corner between the top face

and the front face is 13, the corner between the bottom face and the rear face is

16, and the corner between the bottom face and the front face is 14.

Referring to Figs. 4 - 6, differing combinations of front and rear handle

faces 9 and 10, can be seen.

Fig. 4 depicts a sectional view of a wooden handle 19 showing the

individual laminations 21 and an outer coating of fibreglass or the like 22. The

front handle face 9 is shown as being concave, while the rear handle face 10 is

shown as being convex. The top and bottom handle faces 1 1 and 12 are shown

as being substantially flat.

The corners between the handle faces are all significantly more

rounded than in many hockey stick handles. In particular, R1 is the corner with the

largest radius.

Referring to Fig. 5, a composite hockey stick handle 18 is shown,

having a solid or hollow core 20 and four sidewalls. The front face 9 is shown as

concave and the rear face 10 as convex. Again all four corners have large radii,

with R1 or 15, being the largest.

Referring to Fig. 6, another composite handle is shown. In this

embodiment the front face 9 is again concave, however the rear face is different,

being substantially flat 17. A slightly different embodiment of Fig. 6 (not shown)

is a handle in which the rear face is convex, however the front face is different,

being substantially flat.

In all of the embodiments in Figs. 4 - 6, there is an optimum range of

parameters of both the radii on the corners and the degree of convexity or

concavity in the handle faces.

Specifically, it has been determined that the optimum range of radii for

R1 , or 15, is 2.5 to 7.0 mm, with a typical value being approximately 5.5 to 6.0

mm. The other three corners, being 13, 14 and 16 have been found to be most

effective with radii of 2.5 to 6.0 mm., with a typical value for all three being

approximately 4.0 mm.

Another embodiment involves having corner 13 having a radius in

between the larger radius of R1 and the smaller radii of the bottom corners 14 and

16. Again, optimally R1 is about 5.5 to 6.0 mm, and bottom corners 14 and 16

remain at about 4.0mm, but corner 13 has an intermediate value of approximately

4.5 to 5.0 mm.

Similarly, the degree of convexity in the rear face would be in a range

of 0.010" to 0.030" as measured from a central point on the rear face to the plane

formed by the outer edges of the rear face. A typical value is about 0.020".

The most effective range of concavity for the front face has been

found to be similar, being from substantially flat, or 0.00", to about 0.030" as

measured from a central point on the front face to the plane formed by the outer

edges of the front face.

The above parameters have proven to be most effective in providing

the impact dispersion and the strength and performance enhancements described

above. These parameters do not adversely effect the ability of the player to control

the stick as in stickhandling etc. which is one of the main reasons why rectangular

as opposed to round shafts are used.

Figs. 7 - 9 show the handle of the present invention in close up as

gripped by a player's lower hand 8. The natural curvature of the player's palm

when gripping the stick can be seen to reciprocate well with the convex rear face

10. Similarly, the concavity of the front face 9 can be seen to provide

more surface area for contact with a player's fingertips, thereby providing better

ability to resist rotation and improved feel for the player.

The advantages of having R1 with a larger radius can also be seen.

Corner 1 5 is generally positioned at the juncture of the player's thumb and his

hand, in the area of the hypothenar muscle group. Thus, together with the convex

rear face, a larger surface area is provided by the handle of the present invention

so as to aid in impact dispersion and to improve player feel and performance.

The present invention can be seen to be an improvement over earlier

attempts at ergonomic sticks where in some cases just rounded corners were

provided, or in other cases the front and rear faces were made both concave or

convex. None of these configurations could provide all the benefits of the present

invention. These earlier attempts to improve handle strength by using either two

concave or two convex wide faces, actually compromise a player's grip, or

alternately could exacerbate the injury risk to a player.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The apparatus is useful for sporting activities such as hockey.