Adjustment device for use with athletic equipment

Abstract

An adjustment device for use in adjusting walls of athletic equipment includes an adjustment member, a base bracket secured to one end of the adjustment member and a secondary bracket secured around an opposed end of the adjustment member. Both the base bracket and the secondary bracket includes a receiving portion that has a projection radially extending from the brackets. The receiving portion of each bracket is configured to receive and lock opposing walls of the athletic equipment such that pressure from the base bracket and the secondary bracket is applied to and plastically deforms inner surfaces of the walls of the athletic equipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An adjustment device for use in adjusting sidewalls of a lacrosse head proximate a pocket, the adjustment device comprising:
 an adjustment member;   a base bracket secured to one end of the adjustment member, the base bracket comprising a receiving portion including a projection radially extending from the base bracket and configured to receive and lock one of the sidewalls of the lacrosse head; and   a secondary bracket secured to an opposed end of the adjustment member, the secondary bracket comprising a receiving portion including a projection radially extending from the secondary bracket and configured to receive and lock another of the sidewalls of the head such that pressure from the base bracket and the secondary bracket is applied to and plastically deforms inner surfaces of the sidewalls of the lacrosse head.   
     
     
         2 . The adjustment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the adjustment member is operable to move the base bracket and secondary bracket in a direction away from each other. 
     
     
         3 . The adjustment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the receiving portion defines a slot. 
     
     
         4 . The adjustment device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the base bracket and the secondary bracket further includes at least one protection member proximate the sidewall of the lacrosse head. 
     
     
         5 . The adjustment device according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one protection member is disposed within a cavity located on an outer face of the base bracket and an outer face of the secondary bracket, and a portion of the protection member protrudes from the cavity. 
     
     
         6 . The adjustment device according to  claim 4 , wherein the at least one protection member is a protective strip on at least one surface of each of the base bracket and the secondary bracket. 
     
     
         7 . The adjustment device according to  claim 1  wherein each of the base bracket and the secondary bracket are a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic, steel, carbon fiber, aluminum, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The adjustment device according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one surface of each of the receiving portion of the base bracket and the secondary bracket includes a barrier member for protecting a surface of the sidewalls of the lacrosse head. 
     
     
         9 . The adjustment device according to  claim 1 , wherein the base bracket and the secondary bracket are symmetrical. 
     
     
         10 . A device for repositioning walls of athletic equipment, the device comprising:
 an adjustment member;   a base bracket secured to one end of the adjustment member, the base bracket comprising a receiving portion including a projection radially extending from the base bracket and configured to receive and lock a wall of the athletic equipment; and   a secondary bracket secured around an opposed end of the adjustment member, the secondary bracket comprising a receiving portion including a projection radially extending from the secondary bracket and configured to receive and lock another wall of the athletic equipment,   wherein pressure from the base bracket and the secondary bracket is applied to and plastically deforms inner surfaces of the walls of the athletic equipment.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the adjustment member is a resilient extension. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the resilient extension is a compression spring configured to apply force to move the base bracket and secondary bracket in opposite directions. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the adjustment member is a rod including a handle and operable to extend when the handle is rotated such that the base bracket and secondary bracket move in a direction away from each other. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the adjustment member is a threaded rod. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 10  further comprising at least one protection member disposed on each of the base bracket and the secondary bracket for protecting a surface of the walls of the athletic equipment. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one protection member is disposed within a cavity located on a front face of the base bracket and a front face of the secondary bracket, and a portion of the protection member protrudes from the cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one protection member is a protective strip on at least one surface of the base bracket and the secondary bracket. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein at least one surface of the receiving portion of the base bracket and the secondary bracket includes a barrier member for protecting a surface of the walls of the athletic equipment, and the barrier member is at least one of disposed within a cavity or is a protective strip located on the at least one surface of the receiving portion of each of the base bracket and the secondary bracket. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the receiving portion defines a slot. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein each of the base bracket and the secondary bracket are made of a material selected from the group consisting of thermoplastic, metal, carbon fiber, and combinations thereof.