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 one-piece hockey stick, comprising:
 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 including an upper end, the transition portion including a first bend and a second bend, the first bend is in a first direction and the second bend is in a second direction that is generally opposite the first direction;   wherein a line that is tangent to the upper end is non-linear with the lower portion and is substantially parallel with the lower portion, and wherein a midpoint of the shaft is included in at least one of the lower portion and the transition portion; and   a blade that extends from the lower portion of the shaft, wherein 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.   
     
     
         90 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the transition portion is substantially linear. 
     
     
         91 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 90 , wherein at least one of the first bend and the second bend is a curve. 
     
     
         92 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 91 , wherein at least one of the first bend and the second bend includes two or more sub-bends, at least two of the two or more sub-bends having different radii of curvature. 
     
     
         93 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 92 , wherein the first bend has a first radius of curvature and the second bend has a second radius of curvature that is different than the first radius of curvature. 
     
     
         94 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 93 , wherein at least one of the first bend and the second bend includes two or more sub-bends, and wherein at least one of the two or more sub-bends is substantially linear. 
     
     
         95 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 94 , wherein at least one of the first bend and the second bend comprises a first linear section and a second linear section, wherein the first linear section and the second linear section are contiguous and define an angle between the first linear section and the second linear section. 
     
     
         96 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the first bend includes the midpoint of the shaft. 
     
     
         97 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 91 , wherein the second bend includes the midpoint of the shaft. 
     
     
         98 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 91 , further comprising a middle portion disposed between the first bend and the second bend, the middle portion being generally linear. 
     
     
         99 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 91 , wherein the first plane is substantially orthogonal to the second plane. 
     
     
         100 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 99 , wherein the first plane is offset within a range of about 75 degrees to 105 degrees from the second plane. 
     
     
         101 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 100 , wherein the transition portion includes the midpoint of the shaft. 
     
     
         102 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the lower portion includes the midpoint of the shaft. 
     
     
         103 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the shaft is constructed of a material selected from the group consisting of wood and carbon fibre. 
     
     
         104 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the first plane is further defined by at least a point of the upper portion. 
     
     
         105 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 104 , wherein a third plane is defined by longitudinal centerlines of left and right surfaces, respectively, of the lower portion, and wherein a fourth plane is defined by longitudinal centerlines of left and right surfaces, respectively, of the upper portion, and wherein the third plane and the fourth plane are co-planar. 
     
     
         106 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 104 , wherein a third plane is defined by longitudinal centerlines of left and right surfaces, respectively, of the lower portion, and wherein a fourth plane is defined by longitudinal centerlines of left and right surfaces, respectively, of the upper portion, and wherein the third plane and the fourth plane are not co-planar. 
     
     
         107 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 89 , wherein the first plane is offset within a range of about 75 degrees to 105 degrees from the second plane. 
     
     
         108 . The one-piece hockey stick of  claim 107 , wherein the transition portion includes the midpoint of the shaft.