Hockey stick and hockey stick shaft with first and second bends

Abstract

A hockey stick includes a shaft that includes an upper portion, a lower portion, and a transition portion disposed between the upper portion and the lower portion. The upper portion includes an upper end, wherein a line that is tangent to the upper end is nonlinear with the power portion and is substantially parallel with the lower portion. A midpoint of the shaft is included in at least one of the lower portion and the transition portion. The hockey stick also includes a blade that extends from the lower portion of the shaft, where a first plane defined by the lower portion and at least a point on the transition portion is generally transverse to a second plane defined by the blade.

1 .- 88 . (canceled) 
     
     
         89 . A hockey stick, comprising:
 a shaft that includes a lower portion, an upper portion, a first bend, and a second bend, the second bend disposed between the first bend and the lower portion; and   a blade extending from the lower portion of the shaft, the blade having a blade curvature that defines a forehand direction and a backhand direction;   wherein a midpoint of a longitudinal length of the shaft is included in at least one of the lower portion and the second bend;   wherein the lower portion of the shaft includes a lower backhand sidewall and a lower forehand sidewall, a first plane is defined by longitudinal centerlines of the lower backhand sidewall and the lower forehand sidewall, and wherein a line is defined by midpoints of left and right edges, respectively, of a top of the hockey stick, and wherein the line is not co-planar with the first plane; and   wherein the first bend is disposed between the second bend and the upper portion, wherein the upper portion of the shaft includes an upper backhand sidewall and an upper forehand sidewall and a second plane is defined by longitudinal centerlines of the upper backhand sidewall and the upper forehand sidewall, and wherein the first plane and the second plane are not co-planar.   
     
     
         90 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein a third plane defined by the lower portion and at least a portion of the second bend is transverse to a fourth plane defined by the blade. 
     
     
         91 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the lower portion is linear. 
     
     
         92 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the hockey stick has a first cross-section at the first bend that is the same as a second cross-section at the second bend. 
     
     
         93 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the first bend is in a first direction and the second bend is in a second direction that is different than the first direction. 
     
     
         94 . The hockey stick of  claim 93 , wherein at least one of the first bend and the second bend is a curve. 
     
     
         95 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the second bend includes the midpoint of the shaft. 
     
     
         96 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the lower portion includes the midpoint of the shaft. 
     
     
         97 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the third plane is offset within a range of 75 degrees to 105 degrees from the first plane. 
     
     
         98 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the shaft is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of composite material, titanium, titanium alloy, fiberglass, aramid, carbon fibre, graphite, resin, fiber-reinforced polymer, and fiber-reinforced plastic. 
     
     
         99 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the hockey stick is a one-piece hockey stick. 
     
     
         100 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the blade is releasably attached to the shaft. 
     
     
         101 . The hockey stick of  claim 90 , wherein the third plane is further defined by at least a portion of the first bend. 
     
     
         102 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , comprising a linear middle portion disposed between the first bend and the second bend. 
     
     
         103 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the upper portion is configured to be gripped by a top hand of a hockey player and the middle portion or the lower portion is configured to be gripped by a lower hand of a hockey player spaced apart from the top hand when a puck is directed by the blade. 
     
     
         104 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the first plane is offset from the second plane within a range of 1 inch to 4 inches. 
     
     
         105 . The hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the lower portion of the shaft includes a lower front sidewall and a lower back sidewall, the lower front sidewall perpendicular to the lower forehand sidewall and lower backhand sidewall, a fifth plane is defined by longitudinal centerlines of the lower front sidewall and the lower back sidewall, wherein a second line is defined by midpoints of front and back edges, respectively, of the top of the hockey stick, the front edge perpendicular to the left and right edges of the top of the hockey stick, and wherein the second line is not co-planar with the fifth plane. 
     
     
         106 . A hockey stick, comprising:
 a shaft that includes a lower portion, an upper portion, a first bend, and a second bend, the second bend disposed between the first bend and the lower portion; and   a blade extending from the lower portion of the shaft, the blade having a blade curvature that defines a forehand direction and a backhand direction;   wherein a midpoint of a longitudinal length of the shaft is included in at least one of the lower portion and the second bend;   wherein the lower portion of the shaft includes a lower backhand sidewall and a lower forehand sidewall, a first plane is defined by longitudinal centerlines of the lower backhand sidewall and the lower forehand sidewall, and wherein a line is defined by midpoints of left and right edges, respectively, of a top of the hockey stick, and wherein the line is not co-planar with the first plane;   wherein the first bend is disposed between the second bend and the upper portion, wherein the upper portion of the shaft includes an upper backhand sidewall and an upper forehand sidewall and a second plane is defined by longitudinal centerlines of the upper backhand sidewall and the upper forehand sidewall, and wherein the first plane and the second plane are not co-planar; and   wherein the hockey stick is a one-piece hockey stick.   
     
     
         107 . The hockey stick of  claim 106 , wherein the lower portion of the shaft includes a lower front sidewall and a lower back sidewall, the lower front sidewall perpendicular to the lower forehand sidewall and lower backhand sidewall, a third plane is defined by longitudinal centerlines of the lower front sidewall and the lower back sidewall, wherein a second line is defined by midpoints of front and back edges, respectively, of the top of the hockey stick, the front edge perpendicular to the left and right edges of the top of the hockey stick, and wherein the second line is not co-planar with the fifth plane. 
     
     
         108 . The hockey stick of  claim 107 , wherein the hockey stick has a first cross-section at the first bend that is the same as a second cross-section at the second bend.