HOCKEY STICK BLADE
A hockey stick blade comprising an elongated fiber-reinforced polymer body having a fiber-reinforced polymer front face element and a fiber-reinforced polymer rear face element. The rear face element is spaced apart from the front face element. The blade also comprises a plurality of elongated longitudinal cavities within the body between the front face element and the rear face element. The longitudinal cavities have curved ends in transverse cross-section. The longitudinal cavities define at least one fiber-reinforced polymer structural member interconnecting the front face element and the rear face element. The at least one structural element is biconcave in transverse cross-section. The hockey stick blade has a neck, a heel and a toe. A method of bladder molding a hockey stick blade is also disclosed.
1 . A hockey stick blade comprising:
an elongated fiber-reinforced polymer body having a fiber-reinforced polymer front face element and a fiber-reinforced polymer rear face element, the rear face element being spaced apart from the front face element; and
a plurality of elongated longitudinal cavities within the body between the front face element and the rear face element, the longitudinal cavities defining at least one fiber-reinforced polymer structural member interconnecting the front face element and the rear face element, the at least one structural element being biconcave in transverse cross-section;
the hockey stick blade having a neck, a heel and a toe.
2 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein each of the longitudinal cavities has an oblong circle shape in transverse cross-section.
3 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein the front face element, the rear face element, and each of the structural members interconnecting the front face element and the rear face element are a single unitary structure.
4 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal cavities extend within the neck of the blade.
5 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal cavities extend an entire longitudinal length of the blade.
6 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal cavities extend solely with a central portion of the blade.
7 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal cavities are cavities left over after removal of bladders having been used during a bladder molding operation during formation of the hockey stick blade.
8 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein two of the longitudinal cavities are connected at ends thereof via a U-shaped cavity.
9 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein the least one fiber-reinforced polymer structural member interconnecting the front face element and the rear face element includes at least three fiber-reinforced structural members interconnecting the front face element and the rear face element.
10 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the cavities are filled with a gas different than ambient air.
11 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein at least some of the cavities are filled with a liquid, a gel, a solid, or a combination thereof.
12 . The hockey stick blade of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the rear face element and the front face element includes a material different from a material of the at least one fiber-reinforced polymer structural member interconnecting the front face element and the rear face element.
13 . A hockey stick comprising:
a hockey stick shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and
the hockey stick blade of claim 1 , the neck of the blade adjoining the distal end of the hockey stick shaft.
14 . A hockey stick blade comprising:
a bladder-molded elongated fiber-reinforced polymer body having a neck, a heel and a toe and also including:
a fiber-reinforced polymer front face element;
a fiber-reinforced polymer rear face element, the rear face element being spaced apart from the front face element; and
at least one fiber-reinforced polymer structural member interconnecting the front face element and the rear face element and extending longitudinally within the blade, the at least one fiber-reinforced polymer structural member and the front and rear face elements defining a plurality of elongated longitudinal cavities within the body.
15 . The hockey stick blade of claim 14 , wherein the front face element, the rear face element, and each of the structural members interconnecting the front face element and the rear face element are a single unitary structure.
16 . The hockey stick blade of claim 14 , wherein at least two of the longitudinal cavities are connected at ends thereof.
17 . The hockey stick blade of claim 14 , wherein the plurality of elongated longitudinal cavities are further defined by an air bladder proximate to the at least one fiber-reinforced polymer structural member and the front and rear face elements.
18 . The hockey stick blade of claim 14 , wherein one or both of the rear face element and the front face element includes a material different from a material of the at least one fiber-reinforced polymer structural member interconnecting the front face element and the rear face element.
19 . The hockey stick blade of claim 14 , wherein at least some of the cavities are filled with a gas different than ambient air.
20 . The hockey stick blade of claim 14 , wherein at least some of the cavities are filled with a liquid, a gel, a solid, or a combination thereof.