Hockey stick training device

Details Hockey stick training device Hockey stick training device

1998-12-22

2001-01-16

Graham, Mark S. (Department: 3711)

Games using tangible projectile

Playing field or court game; game element or accessory...

Practice or training device

C473S563000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06174248

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to training devices and in particular to a hockey stick training device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In many sports such as ice hockey, ball hockey and field hockey, a player is required to control a puck, ball or the like with the blade of a stick. During game play or practice, it is desired that players keep their heads up and control the puck, ball or the like with the stick by feel rather than sight primarily for two reasons. One reason is that many of these sports are contact sports. If a player plays with their head up, the likelihood of an injury resulting from an unforeseen collision is substantially reduced. Also, by keeping their head up, a player is better able to see a developing play allowing the puck, ball or the like to be passed or shot to the most appropriate player or location.
Unfortunately, at many levels, players are not taught to play with their heads up even though a player who learns to do so will play at a higher level and will reduce the chance of injury. To deal with the above-identified problem and to instil in a player's mind that their head should be kept up during game play or practice, hockey training tools have been developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,466 to Kaiser discloses a hockey helmet attachment to obstruct the downward vision of a hockey helmet wearer. The attachment is in the form of a flat arcuate member formed of flexible opaque material. The arcuate member is attached to the helmet so that it extends forwardly of the helmet in a generally horizontal plane and below the eye opening of the helmet.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,753 to Scarry discloses a hockey stick training device to be attached to the shaft of the hockey stick intermediate the handle and the blade to obscure the blade from vision. The hockey stick training device includes a planar rectangular, opaque member to obscure the entire hockey stick blade from vision. A connector to secure the hockey stick training device to the shaft extends upwardly from the rectangular member and is integrally formed therewith.
Although the Scarry patent discloses a hockey stick training device to be attached to the shaft of a hockey stick to teach a player to play hockey with their head up, problems exist. In particular, the configuration and dimensions of the planar rectangular member adversely affect the weight and balance of the hockey stick to which the hockey stick training device is attached. Also, the connector used to attach the hockey stick training device to the hockey stick shaft has been found to be unsatisfactory resulting in movement of the hockey stick training device along the hockey stick shaft during use. Accordingly, an improved hockey stick training device is desired.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel hockey stick training device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a hockey stick training device to be attached to the shaft of a hockey stick adjacent the blade thereof comprising:
a connector to attach releasably said training device to said shaft;
a shield extending from said connector to block a player's view of a portion of said blade; and
a spacer to space said shield above said blade.
In a preferred embodiment, the connector and the shield are integrally formed. The connector depends from the shield and includes a lower edge to bear against a portion of the hockey stick and inhibit downward movement of the hockey stick training device along the shaft when the hockey stick device is subjected to centrifugal forces during use thereby to space the shield above the blade and constitute the spacer. The connector and the shield form an acute angle such that in use, the shield angles towards the blade and forms an angle with the horizontal in the range of from about 20 to 30 degrees.
Preferably, the connector includes a connecting flange defining a tube to surround and accommodate a portion of the shaft. A passage is provided in a wall of the connecting flange through which the shaft can pass. It is preferred that the passage widens at its ends. The connecting flange acts as a handle for grasping when the hockey stick training device is being placed on the shaft and removed from the shaft. The connecting flange includes spaced grooves on its sidewalls to provide corrugated surfaces that facilitate gripping. A strap of hook and loop fabric is threaded through a loop on the connector and is windable around the connecting flange and over itself to engage the hook and loop fabric.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a hockey stick training device to be attached to the shaft of a hockey stick adjacent the blade thereof comprising:
a connector to attach releasably said hockey stick training device to said shaft; and
a shield extending from said connector over said blade to block a player's view of a portion of said blade, said shield being shaped and dimensioned to obscure at least the heel to about the midpoint of said blade while exposing the tip thereof.
According to still yet another aspect of the present invention there is provided a hockey stick training device to be attached to the shaft of a hockey stick adjacent the blade thereof comprising:
a connector to attach releasably said hockey stick training device to said shaft; and
a shield extending from said connector over said blade to block a player's view of a portion of said blade, said connector depending from one end of said shield and being integrally formed therewith, said connector including a connecting flange defining a tube to surround and accommodate a portion of said shaft, a wall of said connecting flange having a passage therein, said passage widening at its ends to facilitate opening of said passage as said shaft passes therethrough.
The present invention provides advantages in that the configuration and dimensions of the hockey stick training device are selected to inhibit the weight and balance of the hockey stick from being adversely affected when the hockey stick training device is attached to the shaft of the hockey stick. The configuration and dimensions of the hockey stick training device are also selected to obscure at least the heel to the midpoint of the hockey stick blade while keeping the tip of the hockey stick blade visible to the player holding the hockey stick. By keeping the tip of the hockey stick blade visible, a player is better able to set up to receive a puck while ensuring the puck is obscured by the hockey stick training device when the player handles or shoots the puck.
In addition, the present invention provides advantages in that the hockey stick training device can be easily attached to and removed from the hockey stick shaft. When the hockey stick training device is attached to the hockey stick shaft, it is held securely in place inhibiting the hockey stick training device from moving along the hockey stick shaft during use. Furthermore, the provision of the spacer allows the hockey stick training device to be positioned at basically the same position on virtually all hockey sticks thereby providing consistency during use.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3834697 (1974-09-01), McNamara, Jr. et al.
patent: 4361325 (1982-11-01), Jansen
patent: 4364560 (1982-12-01), Gemmel
patent: 4653753 (1987-03-01), Scarry
patent: 5470067 (1995-11-01), Diresta
patent: 5484146 (1996-01-01), Loschiavo
patent: 5520386 (1996-05-01), Sasko
patent: 936553 (1973-11-01), None

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