Lacrosse head pocket and related method of manufacture

A method of manufacturing a lacrosse pocket comprising:

• mechanically manipulating a plurality of strands with an automated pocket assembly machine during an automated process to form a unitary textile material, the unitary textile material including a first region and a second region joined with one another as integral parts of the same unitary textile material, the first region having a first set of physical properties, the second region having a second set of physical properties different from the first set of physical properties, the unitary textile material forming an upper pocket portion adapted to connect to a lacrosse head scoop, a lower pocket portion adapted to connect to a lacrosse head base, and a middle pocket portion located between the upper pocket portion and the lower pocket portion, the middle pocket portion having a predefined, three dimensional concave contour that is integrally formed in the lacrosse pocket due to the mechanical manipulation of the plurality of strands during the automated process,
• fusing the plurality of strands to one another in the first region, and
• leaving the plurality of strands unfused to one another in the second region,
• wherein the mechanical manipulation includes knitting the unitary textile material with the assembly machine during a knitting process.

A method of manufacturing a lacrosse pocket comprising:

• providing first and second strands;
• mechanically manipulating the first and second strands with an automated pocket assembly machine during an automated process to form a lacrosse pocket including a predefined, three dimensional, concave shape integrally formed in the lacrosse pocket due to the mechanical manipulation of the first and second strands during the automated process;
• and
• fusing at least one of the first strands and the second strands to form a fused pocket area in the lacrosse pocket and leaving at least one of the first strands and the second strands unfused to form an unfused pocket area in the lacrosse pocket,
• wherein the fused pocket area is less elastic than the unfused pocket area,
• wherein the mechanical manipulation includes knitting the lacrosse pocket with the assembly machine during a knitting process.

A method of making a lacrosse pocket comprising:

• providing first and second strands having first and second lengths, the first strands having a thermal shrinkage greater than the second strands;
• mechanically manipulating the first and second strands with an automated pocket assembly machine during an automated process to form a lacrosse pocket body during the automated process, the lacrosse pocket body including a predefined, three dimensional, concave shape that is integrally formed in the lacrosse pocket body due to the mechanical manipulation of the first and second strands during the automated process, the lacrosse pocket body having a lower pocket portion, an upper pocket portion and a middle pocket portion therebetween;
• heating at least a first portion of the lacrosse pocket body to a first temperature to induce shrinkage of the length of the first strands in the first portion;
• and
• cooling the first portion, thereby forming a first, tightened pocket area in which the length of the first strands has decreased and a second pocket area in which the length of the first and/or second strands remain unchanged,
• wherein the first strands in the first portion of the lacrosse pocket body fuse with one another and the second strands in a second portion of the lacrosse pocket body do not fuse with one another,
• wherein the mechanical manipulation includes knitting the lacrosse pocket body with the assembly machine during a knitting process.

A method of making a lacrosse pocket comprising:

• mechanically manipulating a plurality of first strands and a plurality of second strands with an automated pocket assembly machine during an automated process to form a lacrosse pocket body, the lacrosse pocket body including a predefined, three dimensional, concave shape integrally formed in the lacrosse pocket body due to the mechanical manipulation of the plurality of first strands and the plurality of second strands during the automated process, the lacrosse pocket body having a lower pocket portion, an upper pocket portion and a middle pocket portion therebetween;
• heating the plurality of first strands so that the plurality of first strands at least partially melt to form a first molten material that fuses individual ones of the plurality of first strands with one another;
• and
• cooling the plurality of first strands so that the first molten material solidifies, thereby forming a fused pocket area of the lacrosse pocket body,
• wherein the plurality of second strands form a perimeter of the lacrosse pocket body,
• wherein the fused pocket area is located inward from the perimeter and the perimeter remains unfused,
• wherein the mechanical manipulation includes knitting the lacrosse pocket body with the assembly machine during a knitting process.

A method of manufacturing a lacrosse pocket comprising:

• providing first and second strands;
• mechanically manipulating the first and second strands with an automated pocket assembly machine during an automated process to form a lacrosse pocket including a predefined, three dimensional, concave shape that is integrally formed in the lacrosse pocket due to the mechanical manipulation of the first and second strands during the automated process;
• and
• fusing at least some of the first strands or the second strands to form a fused pocket area inward from a perimeter of the lacrosse pocket and leaving at least some of the first strands or second strands to form a remaining unfused pocket area in the lacrosse pocket,
• wherein the fused pocket area is less elastic than the unfused pocket area,
• wherein the mechanical manipulation includes knitting the lacrosse pocket with the assembly machine during a knitting process.