Hockey Stick Blade and Shaft Constructs Using Boron

Abstract

A sporting implement, such as a blade or shaft for a hockey stick, may include a boron-enhanced fiber material configured to increase the strength and reduce the weight of the structure. This boron-enhanced material may form all or a portion of the sporting implement.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A blade for a hockey stick comprising:
 an outer layer;   a core; and
 a boron-enhanced layer covering a first portion of the core; and 
 a carbon-fiber layer covering a second portion of the core. 
   
     
     
         2 . The blade of clause  1 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer comprises a fiber tape having boron fibers encapsulated in a resin matrix. 
     
     
         3 . The blade of clause  1 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer extends along a back face of the blade. 
     
     
         4 . The blade of clause  3 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer comprises a fiber density of at least 5 fibers per inch. 
     
     
         5 . The blade of clause  1 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer comprises a density of at least 4 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         6 . A hockey stick comprising:
 a first boron-containing material configured to be molded to form a portion of the hockey stick, the boron-containing material having a strength value at least 30% higher than a second carbon fiber-reinforced portion of the stick.   
     
     
         7 . The blade of clause  6 , wherein the portion of the hockey stick is the stick shaft. 
     
     
         8 . The blade of clause  6 , wherein the portion of the hockey stick is the stick blade. 
     
     
         9 . The blade of clause  6 , wherein the boron-enhanced material comprises a boron fiber density of at least 5 fibers per inch. 
     
     
         10 . A hockey stick structure, comprising:
 a blade, molded from a first composite material, the first composite material further comprising:
 a first fiber layer having first fibers extending in a first direction; 
 a second fiber layer having second fibers extending in a second direction, non-parallel to the first direction; 
   a shaft, integrally formed with the blade, the shaft molded from a second composite material, the second composite material further comprising:
 a third fiber layer having third fibers extending in a third direction; 
 a fourth fiber layer having fourth fibers extending in a fourth direction, non-parallel to the third direction; and 
 a boron-enhanced layer extending along a back side of the shaft and positioned between a portion of the third fiber layer and the fourth fiber layer, wherein the boron-enhanced layer has fifth fibers extending in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the shaft, 
   wherein the third fiber layer, and fourth fiber layer, and the boron-enhanced layer are molded to one another by an epoxy resin.   
     
     
         11 . The hockey stick structure of clause  10 , the shaft further comprising:
 a plurality of additional fiber layers and a plurality of additional boron-enhanced layers, wherein the plurality of additional boron-enhanced layers are positioned between at least 5% of the additional fiber layers.   
     
     
         12 . The hockey stick structure of clause  10 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth fibers are carbon fibers. 
     
     
         13 . The hockey stick structure of clause  10 , wherein the first, second, third and fourth fibers are glass fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The hockey stick structure of clause  10 , wherein the shaft has a linear density of at least 1.5 g/cm. 
     
     
         15 . The hockey stick structure of clause  10 , wherein the blade has a linear density of at least 1.5 g/cm. 
     
     
         16 . A hockey stick structure, comprising:
 a blade, molded from a first composite material, the first composite material further comprising:
 a first fiber layer having first fibers extending in a first direction; 
 a second fiber layer having second fibers extending in a second direction, non-parallel to the first direction; 
   a shaft, integrally formed with the blade, the shaft molded from a second composite material, the second composite material further comprising:
 a boron-enhanced layer extending along a back side of the shaft and configured to be compressed as the shaft is flexed during a shot or passing motion. 
   
     
     
         17 . The blade of clause  16 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer comprises a fiber density of at least 5 fibers per inch. 
     
     
         18 . The blade of clause  16 , wherein the boron-enhanced layer comprises a density of at least 4 grams per square meter. 
     
     
         19 . A hockey stick structure, comprising:
 a blade, molded from a first composite material, the first composite material further comprising:
 a first fiber layer having first fibers extending in a first direction; 
 a second fiber layer having second fibers extending in a second direction, non-parallel to the first direction; 
   a shaft having a longitudinal axis and being integrally formed with the blade, the shaft molded from a second composite material, the second composite material further comprising:
 a third fiber layer having third fibers extending in a third direction; and 
 a fourth fiber layer having fourth fibers extending in a fourth direction, non-parallel to the third direction. 
   
     
     
         20 . The hockey stick structure of clause  19 , wherein the third direction is between 0 and 25 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis, and the fourth direction is 65 degrees or greater relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         21 . The hockey stick structure of clause  19 , wherein the third fiber layer comprises boron fibers. 
     
     
         22 . The hockey stick structure of clause  19 , wherein the fourth fiber layer has a Young's modulus above 300 GPa. 
     
     
         23 . A hockey stick structure, comprising:
 a shaft having a longitudinal axis and being integrally formed with the blade, the shaft molded from a composite material, the composite material further comprising:   a first fiber layer having a first Young's modulus; and   a second fiber layer having a second Young's modulus which is greater than the first Young's modulus and wherein the second fiber layer extends along a back side of the shaft and configured to be compressed as the shaft is flexed during a shot or passing motion.   
     
     
         24 . The hockey stick structure of clause  23 , further comprising a third fiber layer having a third Young's modulus between the first and the second Young's moduli values. 
     
     
         25 . The hockey stick structure of clause  23 , wherein the second fiber layer extends in a second direction that is approximately 65 degrees or greater relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         26 . The hockey stick structure of clause  23 , wherein the second fiber layer extends in a second direction that is approximately 90 degrees relative to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         27 . The hockey stick structure of clause  23 , wherein the second fiber layer comprises a boron-enhanced layer. 
     
     
         28 . The hockey stick structure of clause  23 , wherein the second fiber layer has a Young's modulus above 300 GPa.