Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to improved ergonomic hockey sticks and hockey goalie sticks having shafts and paddles with variable geometric shapes and facets for enhanced gripping ability, and methods for the production thereof.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to improved ergonomic hockey sticks and hockey goalie sticks having shafts and paddles with variable geometric shapes and facets for enhanced gripping ability, and methods for the production thereof.

Abstract: A construct for a hockey skate outsole formed from layers of sheet molding compound material. The sheet molding compound material may be manufactured to have shorter average fiber lengths with random orientation in order to enhance the mechanical properties of the formed hockey skate outsole.

Abstract: Articles of sports equipment, such as striking implements (e.g., sticks) and wearable articles (e.g., skates, helmets) for playing hockey or other activities, in which at least one of the characteristics (e.g., stiffness) of the articles of sports equipment is adaptable and can be altered during use of the sports equipment, such as by comprising an alterable component coupled to a controller, by comprising an alterable component that is autonomously alterable, and/or by an alterable component that can be altered in response to a command of a remote device.

Abstract: A blade holder for an ice skate (e.g., for playing hockey). The ice skate comprises a skate boot for receiving a foot of a skater. The blade holder comprises a blade-retaining base to retain a blade. The blade-retaining base comprises a first material (e.g., a non-composite polymeric material). The blade holder comprises a support extending upwardly from the blade-retaining base to interconnect the blade holder and the skate boot. The support comprises a second material (e.g., a composite material) different from (e.g., stiffer than) the first material.

Abstract: Articles of sports equipment, such as striking implements (e.g., sticks) and wearable articles (e.g., skates, helmets) for playing hockey or other activities, in which at least one of the characteristics (e.g., stiffness) of the articles of sports equipment is adaptable and can be altered during use of the sports equipment, such as by comprising an alterable component coupled to a controller, by comprising an alterable component that is autonomously alterable, and/or by an alterable component that can be altered in response to a command of a remote device.

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.

Abstract: A construct for a hockey stick that includes a shaft having with variable cross-sectional geometry. The shaft may include one or more portions with pentagonal and heptagonal cross-sections that increase the bending stiffness of the hockey stick shaft.

Abstract: A hockey stick or other sporting implement designed to enhance its use, performance and/or manufacturing, including, for example, by being lightweight, having improved strength, flex, stiffness, impact resistance and/or other properties, reducing scrap waste during its construction, and/or enhancing other aspects of the hockey stick or other sporting implement. For instance, in some embodiments, the hockey stick or other sporting implement may include a structure that is open, such as by being latticed (e.g., trussed), and/or made by additive manufacturing, selective material positioning, etc.

Abstract: Aspects of this disclosure relate to improved ergonomic hockey sticks and hockey goalie sticks having shafts and paddles with variable geometric shapes and facets for enhanced gripping ability, and methods for the production thereof.

Abstract: Articles comprising one or more additively-manufactured components are provided, as are method of additively manufacturing such components. The additively-manufactured components are designed to enhance performance and use of the article, such as, but not limited to: impact protection, including for managing different types of impacts; fit and comfort; adjustability; and/or other aspects of the article. The provided methods of additive manufacturing include methods involving expandable materials and the expansion of post-additively manufactured expandable components.

Abstract: A construct for a hockey stick formed from layers of fiber tape and a reinforcing nanofiber material. The nanofiber is integrated into the molded hockey stick to increase the strength and toughness of inter-laminar bonds between the fiber tape. The nanofiber may include carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: A hockey stick with a co-molded structure and method where the blade member is formed by a molding process onto a preformed shaft member, where the preformed shaft member has a contoured tip at the blade end. The contoured tip helps to secure the blade member to the shaft member in conjunction with the molded composite layers, and in one example, the contoured tip has a width that is greater than the width of the shaft member at the blade-starting region.

Abstract: A construct for a hockey stick formed from layers of fiber tape and a reinforcing nanofiber material. The nanofiber is integrated into the molded hockey stick to increase the strength and toughness of inter-laminar bonds between the fiber tape. The nanofiber may include carbon nanotubes.

Abstract: Articles of sports equipment, such as striking implements (e.g., sticks) and wearable articles (e.g., skates, helmets) for playing hockey or other activities, in which at least one of the characteristics (e.g., stiffness) of the articles of sports equipment is adaptable and can be altered during use of the sports equipment, such as by comprising an alterable component coupled to a controller, by comprising an alterable component that is autonomously alterable, and/or by an alterable component that can be altered in response to a command of a remote device.

Abstract: A hockey stick apparatus may include a molded blade structure coupled to the proximal end of a hollow shaft structure. The molded blade structure can include: a top edge spaced apart from a bottom edge by a blade height, a heel spaced apart from a toe by a blade length, a front face spaced apart from a back face, and an optional slot defining an aperture extending through front face and the back face. A stiffness of the blade may vary along the blade height by changing the shape of the blade and changing a quadratic momentum of the cross-section along the blade height.