Abstract: A sporting good item or other product includes a “shrink-label” formed from a shrink-sleeve, shrink-wrap, or a stretch-sleeve adhered to or otherwise affixed to an outer surface of the item. The shrink-label includes pre-printed graphics and closely conforms to the item's outer surface, including any contours or tapered regions, so that the graphics may be displayed anywhere on the item. The shrink-label may optionally be applied to the item via an automated device. A clear coat or other protective layer may optionally be applied to an outer surface of the shrink-label to increase its durability and resistance to abrasion, which is particularly beneficial when the shrink-label is applied to an item intended for impact applications, such as a ball bat.

Abstract: A ball bat exhibits improved barrel performance in regions located away from the “sweet spot” of the bat barrel, as a result of strategic placement of interface shear control zones (“ISCZs”) in the barrel. The ball bat includes a barrel having a first region adjacent to the tapered section of the ball bat, a second region adjacent to the free end of the barrel, and a third region located between the first and second regions, that includes the sweet spot of the barrel. The first and second regions each include at least one interface shear control zone. The third region includes at least one fewer interface shear control zone than at least one of the first and second regions. ISCZs may also be strategically placed in the bat handle and/or the tapered section of the ball bat to improve the compliance and overall performance of the ball bat.

Abstract: A composite hockey stick having a tubular hollow rectangular shaft and a blade is disclosed. The shaft comprises an inner layer and an outer layer, each of the inner and outer layers are formed of uni-directional substantially continuous fibers disposed in a hardened resin matrix and wrapped and molded around a middle elastomer layer. A new manufacturing method is also disclosed in which a cured hollow tubular composite hockey stick shaft is inserted between the front and back faces of an un-cured composite hockey stick blade and the blade is then cured in a mold around the hockey stick shaft to form a unitary composite hockey stick.

Abstract: A frame for a ball catching and delivery head for use in, for example, the sport of lacrosse comprising a frame having a scoop, a base and spaced lateral sidewalls therebetween defining the periphery of a ball receiving and delivery face. Each of the lateral sidewalls includes a flex region which is more elastically compliant and resilient than the remainder of the frame. In one embodiment, the flex regions define regions of the sidewalls comprised of a material which is more flexible than the material comprising the remainder of the frame. In another embodiment, the flex regions are defined by springs incorporated into the sidewalls. In a further embodiment, the flex regions are defined by regions of the sidewalls of reduced height and cross-section. In a further embodiment, the sidewalls comprise separate, pivotable aft and fore frame/sidewall members.

Abstract: A composite hockey stick having a tubular hollow rectangular shaft and a blade is disclosed. The shaft comprises an inner layer and an outer layer, each of the inner and outer layers are formed of uni-directional substantially continuous fibers disposed in a hardened resin matrix and wrapped and molded around a middle elastomer layer. A new manufacturing method is also disclosed in which a cured hollow tubular composite hockey stick shaft is inserted between the front and back faces of an un-cured composite hockey stick blade and the blade is then cured in a mold around the hockey stick shaft to form a unitary composite hockey stick.

Abstract: A head of a lacrosse stick including a frame defining a back stop wall at one end, a scoop wall at an opposite end and side walls therebetween. A plurality of fingers are spaced along the interior face of the back wall and side walls respectively. Each of the fingers protrude outwardly from the interior face of the back wall and side walls respectively and include an outer sloped surface adapted to guide and direct a lacrosse ball into the pocket of the head. Each of the fingers also include a lower sloped shoulder adapted to hold the lacrosse ball in the head and guide and direct the ball between the back wall and the scoop wall. In one embodiment, the length of the fingers increases between the back wall and the side walls to define a pocket for the ball and then decreases along the side walls in the direction of the scoop wall to define a ball ramp.

Abstract: A handle for sports equipment such as a lacrosse or hockey stick including cushioning and grip ribs. In one embodiment, the shaft of the handle defines one or more regions of reduced diameter or thickness such as, in one embodiment, a plurality of elongate longitudinal grooves extending around the periphery thereof in spaced-apart relationship. Interior cushioning ribs are defined in the region of the grooves by a layer of cover or coating material which is applied to the surface of the shaft and fills the grooves. In another embodiment, the shaft includes tapered regions in the shaft and the layer of cover or coating material fills the tapered regions to define cushioning ribs.

Abstract: A ball bat exhibits improved barrel performance in regions located away from the “sweet spot” of the bat barrel, as a result of discrete lamina tailoring in those regions. One or more layers, or laminae, in regions of the bat barrel away from the sweet spot, are tailored to increase the radial compliance, or reduce the radial stiffness, of the bat barrel in those regions, so that they perform more like the sweet spot of the barrel. Additionally, or alternatively, one or more laminae in the bat handle and/or the tapered section of the bat may be tailored to increase the radial compliance in those regions.

Abstract: A safety game ball (21) with a cloth cover (23) having a flat stitched seam (31) and method of manufacturing the same. The safety game ball (21) includes a spherical core (22) formed of an elastically-deformable material, a flexible cloth cover (23) mounted over and enclosing the core (22) and having cover edges (28, 29) juxtaposed along a circumferentially-extending butt seam (31). An edge binding assembly (32) including a cloth-edge reinforcing strip (33) and a plurality of binding stitches (34) closely proximate to each of the edges (28, 29) is provided, and a plurality of seam stitches (36, 36a) extend from a position (37) inwardly of the edge binding assembly (32) on one side of the seam (31) to a position (38) inwardly of the edge binding assembly (32) on the other side of the seam (31).