Back to results
US 8,021,250 B2Granted
Lacrosse head having a ball stop
AssigneeWarrior Sports, Inc.
InventorJoshua G. Schmidt
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lacrosse head includes a ball stop having a bottom and side regions that transition at transition regions to head sidewalls, which are joined with a scoop of the head. The ball stop can include a longitudinal axis that extends toward the scoop. The transition regions can be located on a horizontal axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. At a distance less than or equal to 1.25 inches from the bottom along the longitudinal axis, opposing side regions and/or sidewalls are separated by a minimum width of 3 inches from the bottom. This construction provides a generally v-shaped ball stop that complies with proposed 2010 NCAA Lacrosse Rules regarding the dimensional requirements for a lacrosse head, while providing improved ball retention within the lacrosse head.
Claims25
A lacrosse head comprising:
- a throat adapted to connect to a lacrosse handle;
- a base joined with the throat, the base including a ball stop;
- a scoop distal from the base;
- and
- a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each extending from the base toward the scoop,
- wherein the throat, the base, the ball stop, the scoop, the first sidewall and the second sidewall are a single monolithic structure,
- wherein the ball stop includes a bottom and a longitudinal axis extending toward the scoop,
- wherein the ball stop includes a first side region and a second side region adjacent the bottom, the first side region and the second side region extending outwardly, away from the longitudinal axis, the first side region joined with the first sidewall at a first transition region, the second side region joined with the second sidewall at a second transition region,
- wherein the first side region is joined with the bottom at a first secondary transition region and the second side region is joined with the bottom at a second secondary transition region,
- wherein at least one of the first transition region, the second transition region, the first secondary transition region and the second secondary transition region include at least one of an abrupt transition and a curvilinear transition,
- wherein the first and second transition regions are located on a horizontal axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the horizontal axis is located a first distance from the bottom of the ball stop on the longitudinal axis, the first distance being at least one of less than 1.25 inches and equal to 1.25 inches,
- wherein at least one of the first and second side regions and the first and second sidewalls are separated by a first width that is a minimum of 3 inches when measured at a distance of 1.25 inches from the bottom of the ball stop on the longitudinal axis,
- wherein a cushion is joined with the ball stop, and adapted to engage a ball located in the ball stop,
- wherein a lacrosse ball resting in the ball stop contacts the cushion at substantially only two contact points.
12 more elements
A lacrosse head comprising:
- a throat adapted to connect to a lacrosse handle;
- a base joined with the throat, the base including a ball stop;
- a scoop distal from the base;
- and
- a pair of sidewalls extending from the base and joined with one another distal from the base at the scoop, each sidewall being of an open frame construction and defining at least one string hole and at least one non-string hole,
- wherein the throat, the base, the ball stop, the scoop, and the pair of sidewalls are a single monolithic structure,
- wherein the ball stop includes a bottom including a middle portion,
- wherein a longitudinal axis extends longitudinally from the middle portion toward the scoop, generally bisecting the lacrosse head,
- wherein the ball stop includes first and second side regions, the bottom of the ball stop extending outward from the middle portion toward the first and second side regions, the first and second side regions being located on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, the first and second side regions extending toward first and second transition regions that are located on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis, the first and second transition regions located on a horizontal axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the first and second transition regions each being in a location where the ball stop transitions toward a respective one of the pair of sidewalls,
- wherein a first secondary transition region is defined where the bottom of the ball stop transitions toward the first side region and a second secondary transition region is defined where the bottom of the ball stop transitions toward the second side region,
- wherein at least one of the first transition region, the second transition region, the first secondary transition region and the second secondary transition region includes a curvilinear configuration,
- wherein the horizontal axis is located a first distance from the middle portion, the first distance being at least one of less than 1.25 inches and equal to 1.25 inches,
- wherein at least one of the first and second side regions and the pair of sidewalls are separated by a first width that is a minimum of 3 inches when measured at a distance of 1.25 inches from the middle portion on the longitudinal axis,
- wherein a cushion is joined with the ball stop and adapted to engage a ball located in the ball stop,
- wherein a lacrosse ball resting in the ball stop contacts the cushion at substantially only two contact points.
12 more elements
A lacrosse head comprising:
- a base including a ball stop;
- a scoop distal from the base;
- and
- a first and second sidewall extending from the base and joined with the scoop,
- wherein the base, the ball stop, the scoop, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall are a single monolithic structure,
- wherein the ball stop includes a bottom including a middle portion,
- wherein a longitudinal axis extends longitudinally from the middle portion toward the scoop,
- wherein the ball stop includes first and second side regions intersecting one another at a location in the bottom so the first side region immediately transitions to the second side region, the first and second side regions joined with the first and second sidewalls at first and second transition regions,
- wherein the first and second transition regions are located on a horizontal axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
- wherein each of the first transition region and the second transition region includes either a curvilinear configuration or an abrupt transition,
- wherein the horizontal axis is a first distance from the middle portion, the first distance being at least one of less than 1.25 inches and equal to 1.25 inches,
- wherein a cushion is disposed in the ball stop,
- wherein the ball stop is configured so that a lacrosse ball resting in the ball stop contacts the cushion at substantially only two contact points.
10 more elements
A lacrosse head comprising:
- a throat adapted to connect to a lacrosse handle;
- a base joined with the throat, the base including a ball stop;
- a ball stop cushion located in the ball stop;
- a scoop distal from the base;
- and
- a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each extending from the base toward the scoop,
- wherein the throat, the base, the ball stop, the scoop, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall are a single monolithic structure,
- wherein the ball stop is adapted to receive a lacrosse ball when a lacrosse ball is resting in the lacrosse head,
- wherein a longitudinal axis extends longitudinally from the ball stop toward the scoop,
- wherein the ball stop includes a first side region and a second side region extending outwardly, away from the longitudinal axis, the first side region joined with the first sidewall at a first transition region, the second side region joined with the second sidewall at a second transition region,
- wherein the first transition region and the second transition region includes a curvilinear configuration so the first side region and the second side region each transition in a curvilinear manner to the respective first side wall and second side wall,
- wherein the first and second transition regions are located on a horizontal axis that is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the horizontal axis is located a first distance from a bottom of the ball stop on the longitudinal axis, the first distance being at least one of less than 1.25 inches and equal to 1.25 inches,
- wherein at least one of the first and second side regions and the first and second sidewalls are separated by a first width that is a minimum of 3 inches when measured at a second distance of 1.25 inches from the bottom of the ball stop on the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the first and second side walls extend parallel to one another and parallel to the longitudinal axis substantially between the second distance of 1.25 inches from the bottom of the ball stop on the longitudinal axis and a third distance of 3.0 inches from the bottom of the ball stop on the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the lacrosse ball resting in the ball stop contacts the cushion at substantially only two contact points.
13 more elements
A lacrosse head comprising:
- a throat adapted to connect to a lacrosse handle;
- a base joined with the throat, the base including a ball stop;
- a ball stop cushion located in the ball stop;
- a scoop distal from the base;
- and
- a first sidewall and a second sidewall, each extending from the base toward the scoop,
- wherein the throat, the base, the ball stop, the scoop, the first sidewall, and the second sidewall are a single monolithic structure,
- wherein the ball stop includes a bottom and a longitudinal axis extending toward the scoop,
- wherein the ball stop includes a first side region and a second side region adjacent the bottom, the first side region and the second side region extending outwardly, away from the longitudinal axis, the first side region joined with the first sidewall at a first transition region, the second side region joined with the second sidewall at a second transition region,
- wherein at least one of the first side region and the second side region are a curvilinear and convex curve with an apex of the convex curve facing toward the longitudinal axis,
- wherein the ball stop is configured so that a lacrosse ball resting in the ball stop contacts the cushion at substantially only two contact points.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.