Sports equipment stick with truss construction

Abstract

A sports stick exhibiting a superior strength to weight ratio. The sports stick design allows for decreased flexure, increased rigidity and increased durability, which lend to greater generation of force, accuracy, reliability and longer life expectancy. The sports stick utilizes aerodynamic features in order to achieve an exposed truss like structure which permits airflow through the internal sections of the shaft which creates greater shaft acceleration and velocity. The sports stick also affords enhanced strength in the direction of a shot and receipt of a pass. The sports stick also provides for channeling away of fluids throughout the length of the stick.

1 . A sports stick comprising: 
 A handle; and    a shaft wherein said shaft includes at least one internal portion containing at least one cutaway area and an external surface.    
   
   
       2 . The sports stick of  claim 1  wherein the external surface of the stick is cylindrical in shape.  
   
   
       3 . The sports stick of  claim 1  wherein said external surface of the stick is hexagonal in shape.  
   
   
       4 . The sports stick of  claim 1  wherein said external surface is elliptical in shape.  
   
   
       5 . The sports stick of  claim 1  further comprising a multiplicity of cutaway areas.  
   
   
       6 . The sports stick of  claim 5  wherein said multiplicity of cutouts are curve shaped elements.  
   
   
       7 . The sports stick of  claim 6  wherein said multiplicity of cutouts form a truss structure.  
   
   
       8 . The sports stick of  claim 7  wherein said multiplicity of cutouts are airfoil shaped elements  
   
   
       9 . The sports stick of  claim 8  wherein air flows directly through the internal portion of the curved shaped elements of the stick.  
   
   
       10 . The sports stick of  claim 9  wherein the level of air flow directly through the internal portion of the stick is greater than the flow along the external surface of the stick.  
   
   
       11 . The sports stick of  claim 1  wherein said external surface includes a multiplicity of grooves extending along the entire length of the shaft.  
   
   
       12 . The sports stick of  claim 11  wherein said multiplicity of grooves is located on opposing sections of the shaft in order to consistently indicate the orientation of the striking surface.  
   
   
       13 . The sports stick of  claim 12  wherein flexure is minimized by said curved concave/convex surfaces.  
   
   
       14 . The sports stick of  claim 13  wherein flexure is minimized by said truss structure.  
   
   
       15 . The sports stick of  claim 14  wherein force in the direction of striking is maximized due to the maximized shaft velocity inherent with the design including cutouts.  
   
   
       16 . The sports stick of  claim 15  wherein flexure in the direction opposite to the strike is minimized.  
   
   
       17 . The sports stick of  claim 1  wherein said shaft is manufactured from differing materials.  
   
   
       18 . The sports stick of  claim 1  wherein said shaft is produced from any shape of raw materials.  
   
   
       19 . The sports stick of  claim 7  wherein structural integrity is enhanced.  
   
   
       20 . The sports stick of  claim 8  wherein structural integrity is enhanced in the vectorial direction of the force exerted on the object to be moved.  
   
   
       21 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein the strength of the shaft is enhanced in the direction of receiving a pass.  
   
   
       22 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein the shaft can be manufactured from components shapes selected from the group consisting of squares, rectangles, rounds, hexagons and tubes.  
   
   
       23 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein the shaft is manufactured from similar materials.  
   
   
       24 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein the shaft is manufactured from dissimilar materials.  
   
   
       25 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein the shaft is manufactured from materials from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, composite graphite, carbon fiber, polymers, wood, composite woods, ferrous materials, non-ferrous materials, and stainless steel.  
   
   
       26 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein upon contact with an obstacle, said shaft will exhibit a tortional action.  
   
   
       27 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein upon contact with an obstacle, said shaft will have a rotational action.  
   
   
       28 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein said multiplicity of grooves act to shed water down the entire length of the shaft  
   
   
       29 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein the shaft contains convex surfaces.  
   
   
       30 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein the shaft contains concave edges.  
   
   
       31 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein the shaft possesses both concave and convex surfaces.  
   
   
       32 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein shear and torsional strength are enhanced of in all directions.  
   
   
       33 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein the strength to weight ratio is greatly enhanced.  
   
   
       34 . The sports stick of  claim 2  wherein said shaft is a non-buckling member.  
   
   
       35 . The sports stick of  claim 2 , wherein said shaft is a non-bending member.  
   
   
       36 . A sports stick comprising: 
 a shaft equipped with three regions, said shaft containing an upper region and a lower two region possessing cavities.    
   
   
       37 . The sports stick of  claim 36 , wherein said upper region and said lower region contain a series of airfoil shaped cavities.  
   
   
       38 . The sports stick of  claim 37  further comprising a central region positioned between said upper and said lower region.  
   
   
       39 . The sports stick of  claim 38 , wherein said central region contains a series of circular shaped cavities  
   
   
       40 . The sports stick of  claim 39 , wherein said central region is solid.  
   
   
       41 . The sports stick of  claim 40 , wherein said shaft is equipped with the grooved gripping area extending the length of the stick.  
   
   
       42 . The sports stick of  claim 41 , wherein said shaft contains two grooved gripping areas positioned on opposing sides of the shaft in such a manner as to allow the user to continuously identify the position of the stick head.  
   
   
       43 . The sports stick of  claim 42  wherein said airfoil shaped cavities form external structural ribs.  
   
   
       44 . The sports stick of  claim 42  wherein said external structural ribs are formed in the shape of a truss.  
   
   
       45 . A sports stick comprising: 
 a shaft wherein said shaft includes at least one internal portion containing an area for mounting a striking surface;    at least one cutaway area and an external surface; and    a striking surface, wherein said external surface of said stick comprises two opposing arcuate sides and two opposing flat sides.    
   
   
       46 . The sports stick of  claim 45  wherein said striking surface is adaptable to multiple sports.  
   
   
       47 . The sports stick of  claim 45  wherein said striking surface is selected from the group consisting of a lacrosse head, a blade, a racquet, and a golf club head.  
   
   
       48 . The sports stick of  claim 45  wherein said arcuate sides contain a series grooved gripping areas.  
   
   
       49 . The sports stick of  claim 48  wherein said series of grooved gripping areas extend the length of the stick.  
   
   
       50 . The sports stick of  claim 45 , wherein said shaft contains an area where a handle is mounted.  
   
   
       51 . The sports stick of  claim 50 , wherein said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said handle is mounted.  
   
   
       52 . The sports stick of  claim 45 , wherein said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said striking surface is mounted.  
   
   
       53 . The sports stick of  claim 45 , wherein said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said striking surface is mounted and said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said handle is mounted.  
   
   
       54 . The sports stick of  claim 45 , wherein said shaft includes a plurality of external reinforcing ribs.  
   
   
       55 . A lacrosse stick comprising: 
 a shaft wherein said shaft includes at least one internal portion containing an area for mounting a striking surface;    at least one cutaway area and an external surface; and    a striking surface, wherein said external surface of said stick comprises two opposing arcuate sides and two opposing flat sides.    
   
   
       56 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 55  wherein said striking surface is a head.  
   
   
       57 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 55  wherein said arcuate sides contain a series grooved gripping areas.  
   
   
       58 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 57  wherein said series of grooved gripping areas extend the length of the stick.  
   
   
       59 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 55 , wherein said shaft contains an area where a handle is mounted.  
   
   
       60 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 59 , wherein said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said handle is mounted.  
   
   
       61 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 55 , wherein said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said striking surface is mounted.  
   
   
       62 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 55 , wherein said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said striking surface is mounted and said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said handle is mounted.  
   
   
       63 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 62 , wherein said circular airflow cutouts in the area where said striking surface is mounted allow air flow through the shaft on the sides opposite to the direction of striking.  
   
   
       64 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 63 , wherein said circular airflow cutouts in the area where said striking surface is mounted allow air flow through the shaft on the sides adjacent to the direction of striking.  
   
   
       65 . The lacrosse stick of  claim 55 , wherein said shaft includes a plurality of external reinforcing ribs.  
   
   
       66 . A hockey stick comprising: 
 a shaft wherein said shaft includes at least one internal portion containing an area for mounting a striking surface;    at least one cutaway area and an external surface; and    a striking surface, wherein said external surface of said stick comprises two opposing arcuate sides and two opposing flat sides.    
   
   
       67 . The hockey stick of  claim 66  wherein said striking surface is a blade.  
   
   
       68 . The hockey stick of  claim 66  wherein said arcuate sides contain a series grooved gripping areas.  
   
   
       69 . The hockey stick of  claim 68  wherein said series of grooved gripping areas extend the length of the stick.  
   
   
       70 . The hockey stick of  claim 66 , wherein said shaft contains an area where a handle is mounted.  
   
   
       71 . The hockey stick of  claim 70 , wherein said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said handle is mounted.  
   
   
       72 . The hockey stick of  claim 66 , wherein said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said striking surface is mounted.  
   
   
       73 . The hockey stick of  claim 66 , wherein said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said striking surface is mounted and said shaft contains circular airflow cutouts in the area where said handle is mounted.  
   
   
       74 . The hockey stick of  claim 73 , wherein said circular airflow cutouts in the area where said striking surface is mounted allow air flow through the shaft on the sides opposite to the direction of striking.  
   
   
       75 . The hockey stick of  claim 74 , wherein said circular airflow cutouts in the area where said striking surface is mounted allow air flow through the shaft on the sides adjacent to the direction of striking.  
   
   
       76 . The hockey stick of  claim 66 , wherein said shaft includes a plurality of external reinforcing ribs.  
   
   
       77 . The hockey stick of  claim 66 , wherein circular cutaway are located at the lowest points of the grooved gripping channels.  
   
   
       78 . A method of manufacturing a sports shaft comprising: 
 assembling differing materials;    bonding said differing materials together to form a truss shaped shaft with a proximal end and a distal end;    attaching an area adapted to receive a handle to said proximal end of said shaft; and    attaching an area adapted to receive a striking surface to said distal end of said shaft.    
   
   
       79 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  further comprising attaching of a handle to said proximal end of said shaft.  
   
   
       80 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  further comprising attaching of a striking surface to the distal of said shaft.  
   
   
       81 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  wherein said differing materials are any material commonly used in manufacturing shafts.  
   
   
       82 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  wherein said differing materials are selected from the group consisting of aluminum, titanium, composite graphite, carbon fiber, composite wood, wood, and polymers.  
   
   
       83 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  wherein said shaft may be manufactured from dissimilar shapes of material.  
   
   
       84 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  wherein said shaft may be bonded from any method commonly used in manufacturing shafts.  
   
   
       85 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  wherein said shaft may be bonded by methods selected from the group consisting of welding, bonding, brazing, screwing and mechanical fastening subsequent to dovetailing.  
   
   
       86 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  wherein said shaft may be manufactured to be a goaltenders stick.  
   
   
       87 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  wherein said shaft may be manufactured to be a midfielder stick.  
   
   
       88 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  wherein said shaft may be manufactured to be an attacker stick.  
   
   
       89 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  wherein said shaft may be manufactured to be a defenseman stick.  
   
   
       90 . The method of manufacturing a sports shaft of  claim 78  wherein said shaft will not buckle upon receiving a dent.  
   
   
       91 . A method of removing fluid from a sports shaft comprising: 
 constructing an area of grooved channels extending through the entirety of the length of the shaft;    adding circular cutaways located at the lowest points of the grooved gripping channels.