Hockey blade protection sleeve

Abstract

A hockey stick blade cover comprises a viscoelastic sleeve that may be coupled to a hockey stick blade, wherein a friction force between the viscoelastic sleeve and the hockey stick blade retains the viscoelastic sleeve on the blade. The viscoelastic sleeve comprises a self-healing material. In some embodiments, the sleeve comprises a vitrimer elastomer. In some embodiments, the sleeve comprises a composite material, such as including one or more selected from a group of natural fibers, synthetic fiber, boron nitride nanotubes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene. The hockey stick blade cover is typically attached to the hockey stick blade by expanding the viscoelastic sleeve, sliding the expanded viscoelastic sleeve over the blade, from the toe of the blade toward the heel of the blade, and then releasing the viscoelastic sleeve, thereby allowing the viscoelastic sleeve to contract. A pre-taped hockey stick comprises a viscoelastic wrap that is pre-coupled to the blade.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cover for an item of sporting equipment, the cover comprising:
 a viscoelastic sleeve configured to couple to the item of sporting equipment, wherein a friction force between the viscoelastic sleeve and the item of sporting equipment retains the viscoelastic sleeve on the item of sporting equipment.   
     
     
         2 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic sleeve is configured to be expanded prior to being slid onto the item of sporting equipment. 
     
     
         3 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic sleeve is configured to fixedly couple to the item of sporting equipment. 
     
     
         4 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic sleeve comprises a sheet with a plurality of perforations defined therein. 
     
     
         5 . The cover of  claim 4 , wherein the viscoelastic sleeve comprises a web of joined elongated members. 
     
     
         6 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic sleeve comprises a self-healing material. 
     
     
         7 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic sleeve comprises a vitrimer elastomer. 
     
     
         8 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein the viscoelastic sleeve comprises a composite material, wherein the composite material comprises one or more selected from a group of natural fibers, synthetic fibers, boron nitride nanotubes, carbon nanotubes, and graphene. 
     
     
         9 . The cover of  claim 1 , wherein item of sporting equipment is a field hockey stick, a lacrosse stick, a tennis racquet, or a bat. 
     
     
         10 . A pre-taped hockey stick comprising:
 a hockey stick comprising a shaft and a blade; and   a viscoelastic wrap coupled to the blade of the hockey stick.   
     
     
         11 . The pre-taped hockey stick of  claim 10 , wherein the viscoelastic wrap is fixedly coupled to the blade of the hockey stick. 
     
     
         12 . The pre-taped hockey stick of  claim 10 , wherein the viscoelastic wrap comprises opposing sheets of viscoelastic material coupled to opposing surfaces of the blade. 
     
     
         13 . The pre-taped hockey stick of  claim 12 , wherein the opposing sheets of viscoelastic material have a thickness in a range of 0.01 mm to 0.1 mm. 
     
     
         14 . The pre-taped hockey stick of  claim 12 , wherein the opposing sheets of viscoelastic material have a thickness of less than 0.1 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The pre-taped hockey stick of  claim 10 , wherein the apertures have a width in a range of 0.01 to 0.1 mm. 
     
     
         16 . A method of applying a hockey stick blade cover to a hockey stick blade, the method comprising:
 expanding a viscoelastic sleeve in at least a first direction and a second direction, wherein the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction;   sliding the expanded viscoelastic sleeve over a blade of a hockey stick; and   releasing the viscoelastic sleeve, thereby allowing the viscoelastic sleeve to contract.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein expanding the viscoelastic sleeve comprises expanding the viscoelastic sleeve from an undeformed configuration to a first deformed configuration, wherein releasing the viscoelastic sleeve comprises releasing the viscoelastic sleeve from the first deformed configuration to a second deformed configuration, and wherein the viscoelastic sleeve encloses a greater volume when in the first deformed configuration than in the second deformed configuration. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the viscoelastic sleeve encloses a greater volume when in the second deformed configuration than in the undeformed configuration. 
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing an item of sporting equipment, the method comprising applying a viscoelastic material comprising Vitrimer elastomer to the item of sporting equipment via an additive manufacturing process selected from a group consisting of liquid additive manufacturing, stereolithography, powder additive manufacturing, or selective laser sintering. 
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacturing the item of sporting equipment of  claim 19 , wherein the viscoelastic material is a composite material comprising, one or more fillers selected from a group consisting of natural fibers, synthetic fiber, nanoparticles, boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), or graphene.