Hockey Stick Blade and Shaft Constructs Using Boron
A sporting implement, such as a blade or shaft for a hockey stick, may include a boron-enhanced fiber material configured to increase the strength and reduce the weight of the structure. This boron-enhanced material may form all or a portion of the sporting implement.
1 . A blade for a hockey stick comprising:
an outer layer;
a core; and
a boron-enhanced layer covering a first portion of the core; and
a carbon-fiber layer covering a second portion of the core.
2 . The blade of clause 1 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer comprises a fiber tape having boron fibers encapsulated in a resin matrix.
3 . The blade of clause 1 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer extends along a back face of the blade.
4 . The blade of clause 3 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer comprises a fiber density of at least 5 fibers per inch.
5 . The blade of clause 1 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer comprises a density of at least 4 grams per square meter.
6 . A hockey stick comprising:
a first boron-containing material configured to be molded to form a portion of the hockey stick, the boron-containing material having a strength value at least 30% higher than a second carbon fiber-reinforced portion of the stick.
7 . The blade of clause 6 , wherein the portion of the hockey stick is the stick shaft.
8 . The blade of clause 6 , wherein the portion of the hockey stick is the stick blade.
9 . The blade of clause 6 , wherein the boron-enhanced material comprises a boron fiber density of at least 5 fibers per inch.
10 . A hockey stick structure, comprising:
a blade, molded from a first composite material, the first composite material further comprising:
a first fiber layer having first fibers extending in a first direction;
a second fiber layer having second fibers extending in a second direction, non-parallel to the first direction;
a shaft, integrally formed with the blade, the shaft molded from a second composite material, the second composite material further comprising:
a third fiber layer having third fibers extending in a third direction;
a fourth fiber layer having fourth fibers extending in a fourth direction, non-parallel to the third direction; and
a boron-enhanced layer extending along a back side of the shaft and positioned between a portion of the third fiber layer and the fourth fiber layer, wherein the boron-enhanced layer has fifth fibers extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft,
wherein the third fiber layer, and fourth fiber layer, and the boron-enhanced layer are molded to one another by an epoxy resin.
11 . The hockey stick structure of clause 10 , the shaft further comprising:
a plurality of additional fiber layers and a plurality of additional boron-enhanced layers, wherein the plurality of additional boron-enhanced layers are positioned between at least 5% of the additional fiber layers.
12 . The hockey stick structure of clause 10 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth fibers are carbon fibers.
13 . The hockey stick structure of clause 10 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth fibers are glass fibers.
14 . The hockey stick structure of clause 10 , wherein the shaft has a linear density of at least 1.5 g/cm.
15 . The hockey stick structure of clause 10 , wherein the blade has a linear density of at least 1.5 g/cm.
16 . A hockey stick structure, comprising:
a blade, molded from a first composite material, the first composite material further comprising:
a first fiber layer having first fibers extending in a first direction;
a second fiber layer having second fibers extending in a second direction, non-parallel to the first direction;
a shaft, integrally formed with the blade, the shaft molded from a second composite material, the second composite material further comprising:
a boron-enhanced layer extending along a back side of the shaft and configured to be compressed as the shaft is flexed during a shot or passing motion.
17 . The blade of clause 16 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer comprises a fiber density of at least 5 fibers per inch.
18 . The blade of clause 16 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer comprises a density of at least 4 grams per square meter.
19 . A hockey stick structure, comprising:
a blade, molded from a first composite material, the first composite material further comprising:
a first fiber layer having first fibers extending in a first direction;
a second fiber layer having second fibers extending in a second direction, non-parallel to the first direction;
a shaft having a longitudinal axis and being integrally formed with the blade, the shaft molded from a second composite material, the second composite material further comprising:
a third fiber layer having third fibers extending in a third direction; and
a fourth fiber layer having fourth fibers extending in a fourth direction, non-parallel to the third direction.
20 . The hockey stick structure of clause 19 , wherein the third direction is between 0 and 25 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis, and the fourth direction is 65 degrees or greater relative to the longitudinal axis.
21 . The hockey stick structure of clause 19 , wherein the third fiber layer comprises boron fibers.
22 . The hockey stick structure of clause 19 , wherein the fourth fiber layer has a Young's modulus above 300 GPa.
23 . A hockey stick structure, comprising:
a shaft having a longitudinal axis and being integrally formed with the blade, the shaft molded from a composite material, the composite material further comprising:
a first fiber layer having a first Young's modulus; and
a second fiber layer having a second Young's modulus which is greater than the first Young's modulus and wherein the second fiber layer extends along a back side of the shaft and configured to be compressed as the shaft is flexed during a shot or passing motion.
24 . The hockey stick structure of clause 23 , further comprising a third fiber layer having a third Young's modulus between the first and the second Young's moduli values.
25 . The hockey stick structure of clause 23 , wherein the second fiber layer extends in a second direction that is approximately 65 degrees or greater relative to the longitudinal axis.
26 . The hockey stick structure of clause 23 , wherein the second fiber layer extends in a second direction that is approximately 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis.
27 . The hockey stick structure of clause 23 , wherein the second fiber layer comprises a boron-enhanced layer.
28 . The hockey stick structure of clause 23 , wherein the second fiber layer has a Young's modulus above 300 GPa.