US 6,855,078 B2Granted

Method and apparatus for custom fitting a hockey stick and other sports equipment

AssigneeBlack Beauty Custom Sticks, LLC

InventorsRichard V. Flaum, Brian L. Klanow

Life of this patent

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Abstract

The hockey stick and golf club of the present invention is generally formed of a shaft and a blade. The shaft has a grip at one end and a hosel at the opposite end. Similarly, the blade has a heel at one end and a toe at the opposite end. An incrementally locking indicia assembly rotatably attaches the heel end of the blade to the hosel of the shaft. The indicia assembly includes a scale for indicating the angle of the blade to the shaft. To adjust and customize this angle, the blade may be incrementally rotated up or down relevant to the shaft and locked into location for a trial skate by a hockey player or swing by a golfer. The lie angle of the blade may be adjusted after each trial skate to achieve maximum blade contact with a hockey puck or golf ball and increase shooting accuracy.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A method for custom fitting the lie of hockey blade to a particular hockey player, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a hockey stick with adjustable blade to the hockey player for custom fitting, wherein said blade includes a hosel having a first end and a second end opposite said first end and a planar surface forming the blade face extending from said second end of said hosel, said blade face comprising a heel extending from said second end of said hosel and a toe opposite said heel, said blade and including a blade edge extending between said heel and said toe;
(b) setting the adjustable blade to an initial lie position and marking the lie angle on an indicia assembly, wherein said indicia assembly rotatably attaches said blade to said hosel and comprises an incrementally locking assembly and a scale located on said blade face for visually indicating the position of said blade face to said hosel when said toe of said blade is incrementally rotated about said hosel;
(c) adjusting the angle of said blade relative to said hosel to fit the shooting stance of the hockey player being fitted after the hockey player skates with the hockey stick and blade in the initial lie position;
(d) adjusting the angle of said blade relative to the playing surface ice to fit the shooting stance of the hockey player being fitted;
(e) readjusting the angle of said blade relative to the hosel and the surface ice, if necessary;
(f) measuring the angle between the blade face and the hosel to thereby achieve maximum blade edge contact with the ice surface and blade and increase puck control and shooting accuracy;
and
(g) fitting the hockey player with a hockey stick having a fixed blade comprising the lie angle determined from steps (c) through (f).

5 more elements

A method for custom fitting the lie of hockey blade to a particular hockey player, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a hockey blade assembly comprising a hosel and an adjustable blade to the hockey player for custom fitting, said hosel having a first end and a second end opposite said first end and having an imaginary Y-axis extending along the centerline of said hosel lengthwise between said first and second end and wherein said blade includes a planar surface forming the blade face extending from said second end of said hosel, said blade face comprising a heel extending from said second end of said hosel and a toe opposite said heel said blade having an imaginary X-axis extending along the centerline of said blade face lengthwise between said heel and said toe;
(b) setting the adjustable blade to an initial lie position and marking the lie angle on an indicia assembly, wherein said indicia assembly rotatably attaches said blade to said hosel and comprises an incrementally locking assembly and a scale located on said blade face for visually indicating the position of said blade face to said hosel when said toe of said blade is incrementally rotated about said hosel;
(c) adjusting the angle of said blade relative to said hosel to fit the shooting stance of the hockey player being fitted after the hockey player skates with the hockey stick and blade in the initial lie position;
(d) adjusting the angle of said blade relative to the playing surface ice to fit the shooting stance of the hockey player being fitted;
(e) readjusting the angle of said blade relative to the hosel and the surface ice, if necessary;
(f) measuring the angle between the blade face and the hosel to thereby achieve maximum blade edge contact with the ice surface and blade and increase puck control and shooting accuracy;
and
(g) fitting the hockey player with a hockey stick having a fixed blade comprising the lie angle determined from steps (c) through (f).

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 10/309,839Filed 4 Dec 2002
Published: US 2004/0110580 A110 Jun 2004
Granted: 15 Feb 2005
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

A63B 59/70
Bats, rackets, or the like, not covered by groups A63B49/00 - A63B57/00: with bent or angled lower parts for hitting a ball on the ground, on an…
A63B 53/02
Golf clubs: joint structures between the head and the shaft
A63B 53/025
Adjustable angular orientation: lie angle only, i.e. relative angular adjustment between the shaft and the club head about an axis parallel to the…
A63B 60/0081
Details or accessories of golf clubs, bats, rackets or the like: substantially flexible shafts; Hinged shafts