Shaft for a hockey stick

Abstract

A shaft for a hockey stick, having a wooden core and inner and outer layers. One of inner and outer layers comprises an array of roving filaments and a composite laminate strip extending along at least a portion of the shaft. The composite laminate strip is adapted to alter the bending characteristics of the shaft by rigidifying a portion of the shaft. The array roving filaments and the composite laminate strip are embedded into an outer molded plastic layer. A blade is secured to one end of the shaft.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A shaft for a hockey stick, said shaft comprising: 
 (a) a longitudinal axis;    (b) a wooden core extending along said longitudinal axis, said wooden core comprising inner and outer sides extending along said longitudinal axis and rear and front sides between said inner and outer sides; and    (c) inner and outer synthetic layers recovering said inner and outer sides respectively; one of said inner and outer synthetic layers comprising an array of roving filaments extending along said longitudinal axis and a composite laminate strip extending along at least a portion of said shaft for rigidifying said portion.    
     
     
         2 . A hockey shaft as defined in  claim 1  wherein said shaft has a generally rectangular cross-section, said inner and outer sides are larger that said rear and front sides and said array of roving filaments and said composite laminate strip are embedded together into said synthetic layer.  
     
     
         3 . A hockey shaft as defined in  claim 2  wherein said shaft and said composite laminate strip are characterized by a respective length, the length of said composite laminate strip being substantially less than the length of said shaft.  
     
     
         4 . A hockey shaft as defined in  claim 3  wherein said composite laminate strip is positioned in a middle portion of said shaft.  
     
     
         5 . A hockey shaft as defined in  claim 3  wherein said composite laminate strip is offset toward a lower portion of said shaft.  
     
     
         6 . A hockey shaft as defined in  claim 3  wherein said composite laminate strip is offset toward an upper portion of said shaft.  
     
     
         7 . A hockey shaft as defined in  claim 1  wherein said inner synthetic layer comprises an inner composite laminate strip and said outer synthetic layer comprises an outer composite laminate strip.  
     
     
         8 . A hockey shaft as defined in  claim 7  wherein said inner composite laminate strip is offset toward a lower portion of said shaft and wherein said outer composite laminate strip is offset toward an upper portion of said shaft.  
     
     
         9 . A hockey shaft as defined in  claim 7  wherein said inner composite laminate strip is offset toward an upper portion of said shaft and wherein said outer composite laminate strip is offset toward a lower portion of said shaft.  
     
     
         10 . A hockey shaft as defined in  claim 3  wherein the length of said composite laminate strip is equivalent to the length to said shaft.  
     
     
         11 . A hockey shaft as defined in  claim 1  wherein said inner layer comprises a composite laminate strip that extends along the entire length of said shaft.  
     
     
         12 . A hockey stick comprising a shaft as defined in  claim 1.