Hockey puck having a tracking device

Abstract

The present technology relates to a puck having a body cavity and an aperture for accessing the body cavity. The body cavity defines a sidewall that includes a first portion and a second portion defining a first connector. The puck further includes a tracking device disposed in the body cavity and a cap that is received by the body cavity and closing the aperture. The cap includes a cap body with a peripheral portion having a peripheral surface and a chamfer surface extending away from the peripheral surface and abutting the first portion for distributing loads experienced by the puck. The cap body further includes a protruding portion extending from the peripheral portion. The protruding portion includes a lateral wall connected to the chamfer surface and defining a second connector. The second connector geometrically complementary to and engaging with the first connector to securely connect the cap with the body.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A puck comprising:
 a body defining a body cavity and an aperture for accessing the body cavity, the body cavity defining a sidewall,
 the sidewall including:
 a first portion; and 
 a second portion defining a first connector, 
 the first portion and the second portion being angled with respect to one another; 
 
   a tracking device disposed in the body cavity; and   a cap received in the body cavity and closing the aperture, the cap including:
 a cap body including:
 a peripheral portion having a peripheral surface and a chamfer surface, the chamfer surface extending away from the peripheral surface and abutting the first portion for distributing loads experienced by the puck; and 
 a protruding portion extending from the peripheral portion, the protruding portion including:
 a lateral wall connected to the chamfer surface, the lateral wall defining a second connector, 
 the second connector geometrically complementary to the first connector, and 
 in response to the first and the second connectors being engaged with one another, the cap securely connects with the body. 
 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The puck of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first connector is a recess; and   the second connector is a projection received in the recess.   
     
     
         3 . The puck of  claim 2 , wherein the projection is hook shaped. 
     
     
         4 . The puck of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the sidewall is a first sidewall;   the recess is a first recess;   the lateral wall is a first lateral wall;   the projection is a first projection;   the body cavity further comprises a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, the second sidewall having a second portion defining a second recess;   the protruding portion further comprises a second lateral wall opposite the first lateral wall, the second lateral wall defining a second projection received in the second recess.   
     
     
         5 . The puck of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the cap defines a longitudinal axis; and   the projection comprises:
 a sloped section having a first end and a second end, the second end extending laterally outwardly from the first end; and 
 an engaging surface connecting the second end of the sloped section with the lateral wall, a projection of the engaging surface forming an angle with the longitudinal axis. 
   
     
     
         6 . The puck of  claim 5 , wherein the angle formed by the projection of the engaging surface and the longitudinal axis is 90 degrees or less. 
     
     
         7 . The puck of  claim 5 , the engaging portion is closer to the peripheral portion than the first end. 
     
     
         8 . The puck of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the sidewall is a first sidewall;   the chamfer surface is a first chamfer surface;   the body cavity further comprises a second sidewall opposite the first sidewall, the second sidewall having an first portion; and   the peripheral portion further comprises a second chamfer surface opposite the first chamfer surface, the second chamfer surface extending away from the peripheral surface and abutting the first portion of the second sidewall.   
     
     
         9 . The puck of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the cap defines a longitudinal plane; and   the cap comprises a first surface, and a section of the first surface extends outwardly at a wedge angle with the longitudinal plane, and   in response to the cap being received in the body cavity, the section of the first surface applies a pressure onto the body.   
     
     
         10 . The puck of  claim 9 , wherein the section of the first surface is part of the peripheral portion. 
     
     
         11 . The puck of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the wedge angle is a first wedge angle; and   the cap comprises a second surface, and a section of the second surface extends outwardly at a second wedge angle with the longitudinal plane.   
     
     
         12 . The puck of  claim 11 , wherein the second wedge angle is equal to the first wedge angle. 
     
     
         13 . The puck of  claim 1 , wherein the cap has an interference fit with the body. 
     
     
         14 . The puck of  claim 1 , wherein the lateral wall is angled at an insertion angle from the second portion of the sidewall for facilitating insertion of the cap into the body cavity. 
     
     
         15 . The puck of  claim 1 , further comprising an isolating layer surrounding the tracking device. 
     
     
         16 . The puck of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the protruding portion defines a cap cavity, the cap cavity geometrically complementary to a portion of the isolating layer; and   the portion of the isolating layer is received in the cap cavity.   
     
     
         17 . The puck of  claim 1 , wherein the cap is formed as a unitary piece. 
     
     
         18 . The puck of  claim 1 , wherein the tracking device is aligned with at least one of a geometrical center of the body and a center of gravity of the body. 
     
     
         19 . The puck of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body comprises:
 a first surface; 
 a second surface spaced apart from the first surface; and 
 a peripheral surface therebetween, the aperture defined by the peripheral surface; and 
   the peripheral surface of the cap body being flush with the peripheral surface of the body.   
     
     
         20 . The puck of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the body comprises:
 a first surface; 
 a second surface spaced apart from the first surface; and 
 a peripheral surface therebetween, the aperture defined by the peripheral surface; and 
   the body cavity extends radially inwardly from the peripheral surface.