Hockey puck and training system

Abstract

A hockey puck for puck handling training, comprises a metal core, and one or more rings (made of metal or rubber-like material), concentrically fitted around the core to create a standard sized puck of varying weight. A concentrically arranged core and ring(s) are connected using bolts or screws inserted into holes in the core and ring(s) perimeter walls when said holes are aligned. By varying the size and weight of the metal core, as well as the number and weight of the rings, sets of hockey pucks are provided for player training on different surfaces. The perimeter wall of each hockey puck can be finished with a knurled, rubber-like material to provide a gripping means. A training system is provided for configuring hockey pucks with cores and rings to provide pucks with different weights, and may include a puck capture means, and/or puck shot imaging means.

1 . A hockey puck comprising,
 a) a metal puck core including a circular top side, a circular bottom side, an annular perimeter wall with a height, the annular perimeter wall joining the top and bottom sides;   and one or more holes formed from the perimeter wall radially into the core towards a central axis through the top and bottom walls of the puck core, each hole configured for receiving a securing means;   b) one or more rings, each ring including a ring hole with a diameter defined by an inner ring wall that is large enough for the ring to be fitted around the perimeter wall of the puck core or another ring of the one or more rings, a height substantially the same as the height of the puck core, an outer wall opposite the inner wall, the distance between the inner and outer walls defining the width of each ring; and one or more holes formed radially through the outer and inner walls of each ring towards a central axis of the ring hole, each ring also being configured for receiving the same securing means as the holes of the puck core; and   c) one or more securing means, each for connecting the one or more rings to the puck core,   wherein the hockey puck is configured by fitting at least one of the one or more rings in a concentric arrangement around the puck core, aligning the holes of the puck core with the holes of the at least one of the one or more rings for receiving the securing means and connecting the puck core to the at least one of the one or more rings using the securing means.   
     
     
         2 . The hockey puck according to  claim 1 , wherein the puck core is made of steel. 
     
     
         3 . The hockey puck according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one of the one or more rings is made of plastic, a rubber-like material, or steel. 
     
     
         4 . The hockey puck according to  claim 1 , wherein the hockey puck is configured with one, two, three, or four rings. 
     
     
         5 . The hockey puck according to  claim 1 , wherein the puck core has a diameter of about 1.5 inches, about 2 inches, or about 2⅞ inches. 
     
     
         6 . The hockey puck according to  claim 1 , wherein the puck core has a weight of about 212 g, about 380 g or about 790 g. 
     
     
         7 . The hockey puck according to  claim 1 , wherein the hockey puck is configured to provide a hockey puck with a diameter of about 3 inches. 
     
     
         8 . A puck handling training system for configuring two or more hockey pucks, each hockey puck comprising:
 a) a metal puck core including a circular top side, a circular bottom side, an annular perimeter wall with a height, the annular perimeter wall joining the top and bottom sides; and one or more holes formed from the perimeter wall radially into the core towards a central axis through the top and bottom walls of the puck core, each hole configured for receiving a securing means;   b) one or more rings, each ring including a ring hole with a diameter defined by an inner ring wall that is large enough for the ring to be fitted around the perimeter wall of the puck core or another ring of the one or more rings, a height substantially the same as the height of the puck core, an outer wall opposite the inner wall, the distance between the inner and outer walls defining the width of each ring; and one or more holes formed radially through the outer and inner walls of each ring towards a central axis of the ring hole, each ring also being configured for receiving the same securing means as the holes of the puck core; and   c) one or more securing means, each for connecting the one or more rings to the puck core,   wherein the hockey puck is configured by fitting at least one of the one or more rings in a concentric arrangement around the puck core, aligning the holes of the puck core with the holes of the at least one of the one or more rings for receiving the securing means and connecting the puck core to the at least one of the one or more rings using the securing means.   
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the puck core is made of steel. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein each of the at least one of the one or more rings used to configure each hockey puck is made of plastic, rubber-like material, or steel. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein all of the at least one or more rings used to configure each hockey puck are made of the same material. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein each hockey puck is configured with one, two, three, or four rings. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein each puck core has a diameter of about 1.5 inches, about 2 inches, or about 2⅞ inches. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein each puck core has a weight of about 212 g, about 380 g or about 790 g. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein each hockey puck can be configured to have a diameter of about 3 inches. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the system is provided as a kit of three puck cores, instructions for the assembly of at least three hockey puck configurations, each configuration having an assembled weight in a weight range of about 300 g to about 900 g, a sufficient number of rings with selected dimensions, and a sufficient number of securing means to complete the configuration of the three hockey pucks according to the instructions. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the system further comprises an additional metal puck core with a diameter of about 2⅞ inches, including a circular top side, a circular bottom side, an annular perimeter wall with a height, the annular perimeter wall joining the top and bottom sides; and a rubber-like ring sleeve which can be fitted around the additional metal puck core to create a friction contact interface that secures the rubber-like sleeve around the annular perimeter wall to configure an additional hockey puck with a diameter of about 3 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 8 , wherein the system further comprises a hockey net or tarp, and, optionally, an imaging means for tracking player puck handling manoeuvers. 
     
     
         19 . A method of improving puck handling skills comprising the step of a subject handling a hockey puck according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         20 . A method of improving puck handling skills comprising the step of a subject using a system according to  claim 8 .