Safety hockey stick

Abstract

This invention concerns an improved hockey stick and hockey stick components for protecting participants and spectators of the sport from separated portions of the hockey stick that may be launched outward as a result of the momentum from a shooting or passing action. The improvement comprises an integral cord or cable that tethers the individual components of a hockey stick to each other preventing separation of the hockey stick or its components.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A hockey stick comprising a shaft portion and a blade portion,
 a first end of said shaft portion in communication with a hosel end of said blade portion,   a plurality of elongated members disposed substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of said shaft portion and disposed within said shaft portion,   each of said elongated members comprising a first end and a second end,   said first end of each of said elongated members coupled to said hosel end of said blade portion,   each of said second ends of said elongated members coupled to a second end of said shaft portion,   and each of said elongated members adapted and operative to maintain said blade portion in communication with said shaft portion.   
     
     
         2 . A hockey stick as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said shaft portion is comprised of a plurality of elongated wood members,
 said plurality of elongated wood members adapted to form said shaft portion, 
 and said plurality of elongated members disposed between a plurality of said wood members. 
 
     
     
         3 . A hockey stick as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said shaft portion is comprised of an outer rigid wall portion and a hollow inner portion,
 and said plurality of elongated members disposed within said outer wall portion and generally parallel to said outer rigid wall portion. 
 
     
     
         4 . A hockey stick as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said shaft portion is comprised of an outer rigid wall portion and a hollow inner portion,
 said plurality of elongated members disposed within said outer wall portion and generally parallel to said outer rigid wall portion, 
 each of said elongated members comprising a first end and a second end, 
 said first end of each of said elongated members coupled to said hosel end of said blade portion, 
 each of said second ends of said elongated members coupled to a second end of said shaft portion, 
 and each of said elongated members adapted to maintain said blade portion in communication with said shaft portion. 
 
     
     
         5 . A hockey stick as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first end of each of said elongated members coupled to said hosel end of said blade portion is removably coupled to a generally rigid shaft disposed within said blade portion of said hockey stick,
 and said generally rigid shaft disposed within and generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tenon portion of said hosel end of said blade portion. 
 
     
     
         6 . A hockey stick as claimed in  claim 1  wherein said first end of said elongated members coupled to said hosel end of said blade portion is removably coupled to an externally threaded fastener,
 said externally threaded fastener is rotationally inserted into an internally threaded fastener disposed within said hosel end of said blade portion, 
 said second end of said elongated members removably coupled to an externally threaded fastener, 
 said externally threaded fastener removably coupled to said second end of said elongated members rotationally inserted into an internally threaded fastener disposed within the hockey stick plug. 
 
     
     
         7 . A hockey stick shaft portion comprising a plurality of generally rigid shafts disposed within an open end of said shaft portion opposite the blade end of said hockey stick shaft,
 said plurality of generally rigid shafts disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said hockey stick shaft,   and each end of said plurality of generally rigid shafts inserted into a plurality of apertures disposed within said open end of said shaft portion opposite the blade end of said hockey stick shaft.   
     
     
         8 . A hockey stick blade adapted to mechanically couple a plurality of elongated members at a tenon portion of said hockey stick blade. 
     
     
         9 . A hockey stick blade as claimed in  claim 8  wherein a plurality of internally threaded fasteners is disposed within said tenon portion of said hockey stick blade and said plurality of internally threaded fasteners is adapted to receive a plurality of externally threaded fasteners. 
     
     
         10 . A hockey stick blade as claimed in  claim 8  wherein a plurality of generally rigid shafts is disposed within said tenon portion of said hockey stick blade,
 said plurality of generally rigid shafts is disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said tenon portion, 
 and each end of said plurality of generally rigid shafts inserted into a plurality of apertures disposed within said tenon portion of said hockey stick blade. 
 
     
     
         11 . A hockey stick plug adapted to mechanically couple a plurality of elongated members at a portion of said hockey stick plug disposed within a hockey stick shaft. 
     
     
         12 . A hockey stick plug as claimed in  claim 11  wherein a plurality of internally threaded fasteners is disposed within said hockey stick plug and said plurality of internally threaded fasteners is adapted to receive a plurality of externally threaded fasteners. 
     
     
         13 . A hockey stick plug as claimed in  claim 11  wherein a plurality of generally rigid shafts is disposed within said hockey stick plug,
 said plurality of generally rigid shafts disposed generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said hockey stick plug, 
 and each end of said plurality of generally rigid shafts inserted into a plurality of apertures disposed within said hockey stick plug.