Illuminating lacrosse shaft

Abstract

An illuminating lacrosse shaft is configured for attachment to a lacrosse head to form a lacrosse stick for low-light use. The lacrosse shaft includes an elongated, cylindrical, substantially hollow translucent shaft formed with a head end axially separated from a butt end, a connector for attaching a lacrosse head to the head end of the shaft. A light source positioned within the shaft and an electronic controller connected to the light source controls the light source operation including activating the light source to radiate light axially between within the shaft in response to a signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An illuminating lacrosse shaft configured for attachment to a lacrosse head to form a lacrosse stick for low-light use, the lacrosse shaft comprising:
 an elongated, cylindrical, substantially hollow translucent shaft formed with a head end axially separated from a butt end;   a connecting means for attaching a lacrosse head to the head end of the shaft;   a light source positioned within the shaft; and   an electronic controller connected to the light source to control the light source operation;   wherein the electronic controller activates the light source to radiate light axially within the shaft in response to a signal.   
     
     
         2 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising a switch, a sensor or both and, wherein the signal is generated by the switch, the sensor or both. 
     
     
         3 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the switch is positioned along the axial length of the shaft between the head end and the butt end. 
     
     
         4 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the switch is positioned at the butt end. 
     
     
         5 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft as set forth in  claim 2 , further comprising a protective end cap that is slid on to and over the butt end of the shaft to minimize any damage that the butt end might cause if inadvertently contacting a person or property and wherein the switch and a light source are positioned in the end cap. 
     
     
         6 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of an ambient light sensor, a motion sensor, a force sensor, a gyro, a proximity sensor that senses a presence of a lacrosse ball or that the shaft is proximate a goal and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft of  claim 6 , further including at least one additional light source that is activated by the electronic controller upon receipt of a signal generated by the motion sensor. 
     
     
         8 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft of  claim 7 , wherein said at least one additional light source is activated by the electronic controller depending of an amount of force imparted by the swing. 
     
     
         9 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft of  claim 8 , wherein the sensor signals are compared with at least one predetermined signal level to determine if a force imparted by a user swinging the shaft is sufficient to light the light source. 
     
     
         10 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft of  claim 2 , wherein the sensor signals are compared with at least one predetermined signal level to determine if an ambient light level is sufficiently low to light the light source. 
     
     
         11 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the connecting means for attaching the lacrosse head to the lacrosse shaft includes an electrical connector to electrically connect an electronic device and/or a sensor present in a lacrosse head to the electronic controller in the lacrosse shaft upon attachment of the lacrosse head to the shaft by the connecting means. 
     
     
         12 . A lacrosse stick, comprising a lacrosse head and an illuminating lacrosse shaft configured for detachable attachment to the lacrosse head, the lacrosse stick configured for low-light use, wherein the lacrosse shaft comprises:
 an elongated, cylindrical, substantially hollow translucent shaft formed with a head end axially separated from a butt end;   a connecting means for attaching a lacrosse head to the head end of the shaft;   a light source positioned within the shaft;   an electronic controller connected to the light source to control the light source operation; and   a switch, a sensor or both for generating at least one signal that is processed by the electronic controller;   wherein the electronic controller activates the light source to radiate light axially between within the shaft in response to the at least one signal.   
     
     
         13 . The lacrosse stick as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the sensor is a sensor selected from the group consisting of an ambient light sensor, a motion sensor, a force sensor, a gyro, a proximity sensor that senses a presence of a lacrosse ball or that the shaft is proximate to a goal and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The lacrosse stick as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the lacrosse head includes an illuminating device and wherein the connecting means includes an electrical connector to electrically connect the illuminating device in the lacrosse head to the electronic controller in the lacrosse shaft upon attachment of the lacrosse head to the shaft by the connecting means. 
     
     
         15 . The lacrosse stick as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the lacrosse head includes a sensor and wherein the connecting means includes an electrical connector to electrically connect the sensor in the lacrosse head to the electronic controller in the lacrosse shaft upon attachment of the lacrosse head to the shaft by the connecting means. 
     
     
         16 . The lacrosse stick as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the sensor in the lacrosse head senses a presence of a lacrosse ball in the lacrosse head. 
     
     
         17 . The lacrosse stick as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein the sensor in the lacrosse head senses a proximity of the lacrosse stick to a goal. 
     
     
         18 . An illuminating lacrosse shaft configured for attachment to a lacrosse head to form a lacrosse stick for low-light use, the lacrosse shaft comprising:
 an elongated, cylindrical, substantially hollow translucent shaft formed with a head end axially separated from a butt end;   a connecting means for attaching a lacrosse head to the head end of the shaft;   a light source positioned within the shaft or within an end cap that is removably attached to the butt end of the shaft;   an energy source;   a switch electrically connected to the light source and to the battery to control and activate the light source to radiate light in response to an on state of the switch.   
     
     
         19 . The illuminating lacrosse shaft as set forth in  claim 18 , further comprising a sensor that generates a signal and wherein activation of the light source is controlled by the switch in cooperation with the sensor signal. 
     
     
         20 . The illumination lacrosse shaft as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein an inside surface of the shaft is scored or coated in order to communicate advertising copy when the light source is activated.