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

Abstract

A hockey stick is generally formed of a shaft and a blade. The shaft is hollow throughout and supports a grip area at one end and a blade at the opposite end. The shaft handle includes a grip and the blade includes a hosel at the opposite end. Similarly, the blade has a heel at one end and a toe at the opposite end. The blade edge profile is flat and provides full contact along the playing surface at all distances from the body of the player. When the player moves the stick forward or backward along the surface, the blade will maintain full horizontal contact with the playing surface. Increasing the surface area of the blade on the puck benefits the player's puck handling skills, providing better puck control, increasing shooting and scoring opportunities, and providing a learning tool to aid in the development of the player. The blade generally wears along the length of the edge between the heel and the toe.

1 . A method for providing full blade to surface contact of a hockey stick to a particular hockey player comprising the steps of: 
 providing a hockey stick having a shaft and a blade having a heel and a toe extending from one end of said shaft;    positioning the player in an upright stance at a height above said surface equal to the average height of a hockey skate on said surface;    measuring said shaft for the player's preferred shaft length by placing said one end of said shaft with said extending blade perpendicular to said surface with said toe of said blade on said surface and resting the opposing end of said shaft against the player;    holding said opposing end of said shaft in the player's hand;    placing the said blade upon said surface;    extending the player's arm in line with the player's shoulder and hip;    bending the player's elbow slightly;    resting said opposing end of said shaft at the greater trochanter of the player's hip;    determining if full blade to surface contact wherein the lower edge of said blade between said heel and said toe contacts said surface; and    noting the lie angle of said blade to said surface for the player.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said surface is a hard surface.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising the step of: before positioning the player, choosing the preferred foot covering being one of: naked feet, a pair of socks or hosiery.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said positioning step includes standing the player on a hard surfaced step equal to approximately 2⅞″ perpendicular to and above said surface.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said positioning step includes standing the player in a pair of hockey skates  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said preferred shaft length extends between the nose and the chin of the player.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , and further comprising the step of: after determining said blade to surface contact; amending the lie angle of said blade when said lower edge is not in full contact with said surface.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7 , and further comprising the step of amending the lie angle upward when said lower edge is not in full contact with said surface, forcing said heel of said blade upward and away from said surface.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 7 , and further comprising the step of amending the lie angle downward when said lower edge is not in full contact with said surface, forcing said toe of said blade upward and away from said surface.  
   
   
       10 . A method for providing full blade to surface contact of a hockey stick to a particular hockey player comprising the steps of: 
 providing a hockey stick having a shaft and a blade having a heel and a toe extending from one end of said shaft;    positioning the player in an upright stance at a height above said surface equal to the average height of a hockey skate on said surface, wherein said positioning step includes standing the player in a pair of hockey skates;    measuring said shaft for the player's preferred shaft length by placing said one end of said shaft with said extending blade perpendicular to said surface with said toe of said blade on said surface and resting the opposing end of said shaft against the player;    wrapping said blade with tape in the area between said heel and said toe;    holding said opposing end of said shaft in the player's hand;    placing the said blade upon said surface;    the player skating along said surface with said taped blade making contact with said surface;    determining if full blade to surface contact wherein the lower edge of said blade between said heel and said toe contacts said surface; and    noting the lie angle of said blade to said surface for the player.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said surface is a hard surface.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , and further comprising the step of: before positioning the player, choosing the preferred foot covering being one of: naked feet, a pair of socks or hosiery.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said preferred shaft length extends between the nose and the chin of the player.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the step of determining full blade contact includes viewing said tape along said lower edge of said blade to determine said blade to surface contact area.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , and further comprising the step of: after determining said blade to surface contact area; amending the lie angle of said blade when said lower edge is not in full contact with said surface.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , and further comprising the step of amending the lie angle upward when said lower edge is not in full contact with said surface, forcing said heel of said blade upward and away from said surface.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , and further comprising the step of amending the lie angle downward when said lower edge is not in full contact with said surface, forcing said toe of said blade upward and away from said surface.  
   
   
       18 . A hockey stick providing a lie-specific and flat-bottomed blade for full blade to playing surface contact comprising: 
 a shaft comprising a handle at a first end and a hosel at a second end opposite said first end and having an imaginary Y-axis extending along the centerline of said shaft lengthwise between said first and second ends;    a blade comprising a heel at a first end and a toe at a second end opposite said first end, said blade comprising a lower edge extending between heel and said toe, said blade having an imaginary X-axis extending along the centerline of said blade lengthwise between said heel and said toe; and    a lie angle lie equal to the angle between the X and Y axes, wherein each degree of movement or rotation of the said blade relative to said shaft corresponds to movement of the X-axis relative to the Y-axis resulting in an angle measurement of a preferred lie angle for full blade to playing surface.    
   
   
       19 . The hockey stick of  claim 18 , wherein said full blade to surface contact occurs when said lower edge of said blade lies flat on a hard surface.  
   
   
       20 . The hockey stick of  claim 19 , wherein said full blade to surface contact occurs along the playing surface at all distances from the body of the player.