Lacrosse Head Having an Ergonomic Throat

Abstract

An ergonomic throat for a lacrosse head is disclosed having a greater ergonomic shape and design to provide for greater control and maneuverability of the lacrosse head in combination with a stick.

Description

This Utility patent application claims benefit of previously filed provisional patent application No. 60/940,664 filed May 29, 2007 entitled Lacrosse Head Having an Improved Throat.

All patents and publications described or discussed herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a lacrosse head having an improved throat for use with a lacrosse stick. More particularly the present invention relates to an improved throat of the lacrosse stick allowing a player to have better grip and tactile feel of the lacrosse stick and the lacrosse head wherein the stick joins to the socket of a lacrosse head. The invention also includes a strung lacrosse head with the improved throat used in conjunction with a lacrosse stick.

2. Background of the Art

The lacrosse game originates with the American and Canadian Native Americans. Traditionally, the lacrosse stick has a handle portion attached to a head with the head consisting generally of a frame and a pocket. It will be appreciated by those in ordinary skill in the art and a well constructed lacrosse head is essential in both the general play by and especially in success of participants of the sport of lacrosse. Generally the lacrosse head can be described as a basket that attaches at the end of the handle and is used to catch, transport, and deliver the ball as desired. The lacrosse head not only catches the ball and holds the ball during play, but is also used during defensive maneuvers and to obtain the ball during a face off. As such, the lacrosse head is subjected to both large and varying forces during the game resulting in the lacrosse heads typically formed of some type of plastic material which is rigid although can slightly deform so as not to crack or break under the typical stresses experienced during participation in a lacrosse game.

Many attempts have been made to design lacrosse head so they may easily pick up balls and usually control balls better than the lacrosse heads of the prior art. Two examples of such heads are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,935,026 and 5,651,549 issued to Dill et al. These two patents disclose a lacrosse head in which the majority of the head, all the head except the head proximal to the throat lies on a plane below the stick.

Another example of lacrosse head is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,925. This patent discloses an upper and lower wall in which the upper wall and lower wall curve away from the plane and have a curved base and then curve back toward the plane.

Unfortunately, the prior art lacrosse heads do not provide features and/or improvements for the holding of the lacrosse stick wherein the throat is designed to aid in holding the lacrosse stick. Furthermore, as the game of lacrosse has developed, players tend to hold the lacrosse stick with one hand and near as possible to the pocket containing the lacrosse ball with the players often having portions of their gloved hands contacting the lacrosse head of the lacrosse stick. As lacrosse, especially men's lacrosse, is a contact sport, adequate grip and ability to secure the lacrosse stick in the gloved hand is paramount so that the player does not lose the ball or combination ball and stick together upon moving or being contacted by a defensive player. Furthermore, goalies tend to hold their lacrosse stick near the throat area so as to quickly able to respond and move the enlarged goalie lacrosse head and blocking shots.

What is desired therefore is a lacrosse head having an improved throat which can provide better grip and/or holding by the lacrosse player. Indeed, a combination of characteristics including a lacrosse head having an improved throat have been found to be necessary in improving the feel and holding of a lacrosse stick during the game of lacrosse. Also desired is a lacrosse head with an ergonomic throat being attached to a lacrosse stick.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides an ergonomic throat for lacrosse head which is uniquely capable of being easily held and providing better feel of the lacrosse stick.

More particularly, the inventive throat may be substantially shortened so that a player may hold more closely to the connection point between the throat of a lacrosse head and the lacrosse stick which engages the throat. Furthermore, the throat may have a comfort grip including an ergonomic design so that a player may hold closely to the throat and/or over the throat with specific indentations for the fingers of the player.

The inventive throat for lacrosse head may be shortened to provide a closer grip to the pocket area of the lacrosse stick or in further embodiments may include ridges so that a player may hold closely at the head of the lacrosse stick and maintain a secure grip. In yet in further embodiments, the throat for the lacrosse head may include an extension for gripping a lacrosse stick. In some head designs having the inventive throat, an ergonomic extension may be removably attachable to the lacrosse head and/or lacrosse stick.

Advantageously, the ergonomic throat for a lacrosse head may be molded with the initial molding of the head to create an ergonomic throat wherein a player may maintain greater control, comfort, or grasp of the stick during the stresses imparted during the play of lacrosse.

An object of the invention therefore is an ergonomic throat for lacrosse head which enables it to be more comfortable to hold.

Another object of the invention is an ergonomic d throat for lacrosse head having a shortened comfort grip.

Still another object of the invention is an ergonomic throat for lacrosse head having indentations for at least one finger.

Yet another object of the invention is an ergonomic throat for lacrosse stick providing for multiple indentions for the fingers of the player so that a player might grasp the lacrosse at the throat close to the pocket.

Still another object of the invention is an ergonomic throat for a lacrosse stick including an extension to aid in gripping the lacrosse stick near the throat of the lacrosse head.

Another object of the invention is an ergonomic throat for a lacrosse head including an extension which may be removably attachable to the lacrosse head and/or stick.

These aspects and others that will become apparent to the artisan upon review of the following description can be accomplished by providing an ergonomic throat for a lacrosse head which attaches to a lacrosse stick to improve the playability of the lacrosse head and stick combination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustration of an embodiment of a goalie lacrosse head having an ergonomic throat.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of the embodiment of FIG. 1 from a close-up view.

FIG. 3 is an illustration of the embodiment of FIG. 1 from a side view.

FIG. 4 is an illustration of a lacrosse head having an embodiment of the ergonomic throat of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an illustration of the embodiment of FIG. 4 from a rear view.

FIG. 6 is an illustration of the embodiment of FIG. 4 from a side view.

FIG. 7 is an illustration of a lacrosse head having the ergonomic throat of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an illustration of the embodiment of FIG. 7 from a rear view.

FIG. 9 is an illustration of the embodiment of FIG. 7 from a side view.

FIG. 10 is an illustration of an embodiment of the present invention having an attachable ergonomic extension.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-10, there are shown multiple embodiments of lacrosse heads having an ergonomic throat. Generally, lacrosse heads are made of a polymer-type material including plastic, nylons, and are preferably molded. In multiple embodiments, the ergonomic throat is molded with the molding of the lacrosse head, whereas in other embodiments, the ergonomic portion may be molded separately.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown generally at 10 an embodiment of a lacrosse head having ergonomic throat 12. Additionally, lacrosse head 10 includes sides walls 14 and 16, and scoop 18, with the embodiment picture in FIGS. 1-3 preferably used by a goalie. Ergonomic throat 12 includes handle receiving section 20 for the attachment of a handle thereto.

Ergonomic throat 12 of lacrosse head 10 as embodied in FIGS. 1-3, includes a shorter length with contour 22 and ergonomic ridge 24 so that a player may grip closely to throat 12 and have his or her hand comfortingly surrounding both the lacrosse stick (shaft not shown) and a portion of ergonomic throat 12. Advantageously, ergonomic throat 12 is shorter than throats of the prior art, thus allowing players to maintain their hands in a position more near lacrosse head 10, and thus, have greater control. Furthermore, ergonomic throat 12 with both a contour and ergonomic ridge provide a shape allowing a player to grip high on a complete lacrosse stick without the player's hands sliding into the pocket area of the lacrosse head. Preferably, as embodied in FIGS. 1-3, ergonomic throat 12 includes contoured surface 22 which is concaved leading to ergonomic ridge 24. As such, with the shortened grip and single ergonomic ridge combined with the concave nature of the throat, a user may grasp closely on the surface of the improved throat while maintaining great control of a lacrosse stick while manipulating the lacrosse head and will be substantially precludes from sliding upward on the lacrosse head by the ergonomic ridge.

Most often, improved throat 12 providing for the shortened grip, may molded with the lacrosse head during the molding of the lacrosse head. As such, the ergonomic throat may be described as an integral part of lacrosse head in this embodiment and is essentially fixed to the lacrosse head.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, there is at numeral 10 a second embodiment of a lacrosse head having ergonomic throat 12. In this embodiment, throat 12 is not shorted as previously discussed with FIGS. 1-3 but rather includes multiple ergonomic ridges 24 and contoured surfaces 22 so that a player may closely grip lacrosse head 10 with their fingers following within the ridges and contours on ergonomic throat 12.

Preferably, ergonomic throat 12 as embodied in FIGS. 4-6, has an about even length with throat termination point 26 which is about even when comparing the front of ergonomic throat 12 and the back of ergonomic throat 12. More specifically, the back of ergonomic throat 12, as illustrated, may include two ergonomic ridges 24 and two contoured surfaces 22 so that a player may closely grip lacrosse head 10 with their first and second fingers within the ridges and on the contours of the ergonomic throat.

The use of multiple contour surfaces 22 and ergonomic ridges 24 allows a player to closely hold and maintain a grip upon lacrosse head 10 and furthermore may provide many beneficial features during game play. While not illustrated, a player may grasp the head attached to his stick with one hand with their gloved fingers over contoured surfaces 22 and maintain a better grip than of the prior art lacrosse heads with throats not having a contoured surface or ergonomic ridges. In further embodiments not illustrated, there may be a greater or lesser series of ergonomic ridges and contoured surfaces so that the ergonomic throat area corresponds to more than two fingers for grasping. Furthermore, the ridges and contours may span to the front of the throat.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-9, there is at numeral 10 a lacrosse head having further embodiments of ergonomic throat 12. As is illustrated, throat extension 18 extends beyond throat termination point 26 and further provides for an improved area for grasping by a user. In this embodiment, ergonomic throat 12 includes three ridges 24 as well as multiple contoured surfaces 22 and may include more or less ridges in further embodiments. More specifically, ergonomic throat 12 of the embodiment as illustrated in FIGS. 7-9, generally includes two ergonomic ridges on extension 18 and one ergonomic ridge above throat termination point 26 so that a user may grasp up high on lacrosse head 10 when attached to a shaft (not shown). In further embodiments, extension 18 may be longer or shorter and include varying amounts of contours or ergonomic ridges, and furthermore, may comprise a design to encompass a greater portion of an attached lacrosse stick. Generally, as embodied in FIGS. 7-9, extension 18 is substantially about at the rear of ergonomic throat 12 and does not extend around to cover either the sides or the front of an attached stick.

Extension 18 includes interior surface 25 which may be contoured to the exterior shape of a lacrosse shaft. In additional embodiments as illustrated in FIG. 10, extension 18 may be removably attachable and can snap into position about an attached lacrosse shaft (not shown) or alternatively connect to throat 12. In further embodiments not illustrated, extension 18 may be a two piece extension to fit about the perimeter of a lacrosse shaft. Additionally, the extension could also be of a one piece design with an opening to fit a lacrosse shaft there through.

Advantageously, removable extension 18 as embodied in FIG. 10, may provide a user with the option of including throat extension 18 with a completed lacrosse stick so as to better tailor the features of a lacrosse stick to the user's preferences. Yet further, removable ergonomic extension 18 may be of a larger or smaller size and may encompass a greater surface area of an attached lacrosse shaft spanning from the rear of the shaft and possibly including the sides or a portion of the front.

The use of these embodiments for the ergonomic throat for lacrosse stick provide better tactile feel control and maneuvering of the lacrosse head as required by the fast pace of lacrosse. As such, this present invention provides an invaluable feature as a player can only perform as fast as they can manipulate a lacrosse stick.

Accordingly, by the practice of the present invention, an improved throat for lacrosse head having unrecognized characteristics is created. The improved throat for lacrosse head provides for greater control and maneuverability of the lacrosse head resulting in improved performance during game play. The disclosure of all cited patents and publications referred to in this application are incorporated herein by reference.

The above description is intended to enable the person skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is not intended to detail all the possible variations and modifications that are apparent to the skilled worker upon reading the description. It is intended, however, that all such modifications and variations be included within the scope of the invention that is defined by the following claims. The claims are intended to cover the indicated elements and steps that any arrangement or sequence that is effective to meet the objectives intended for the invention, unless the context specifically indicate the contrary.

Claims

1. A lacrosse head comprising:

a frame with a scoop attached distally to two sidewalls with the scoop and sidewalls having a front and a back; and

an ergonomic shortened throat with a front and a back attached proximally to the two sidewalls with the shortened throat having a contoured surface.

2. The lacrosse head of claim 1 wherein the contoured surface comprises a concave surface.

3. The lacrosse head of claim 2 wherein the concave surface is sized to fit a user's forefinger.

4. The lacrosse head of claim 1 further comprising an ergonomic ridge.

5. A lacrosse head comprising:

a frame with a scoop attached distally to two sidewalls with the scoop and sidewalls having a front and a back; and

an ergonomic throat with a front and a back attached proximally to the two sidewalls with the throat having a contoured surface on at least the back of the throat.

6. The lacrosse head of claim 5 wherein the ergonomic throat further comprises one or more ergonomic ridges.

7. The lacrosse head of claim 6 wherein the ergonomic throat comprises at least two ergonomic ridges and at least two contoured surfaces.

8. The lacrosse head of claim 5 wherein the ergonomic throat provides an improved grip.

9. The lacrosse head of claim 5 wherein the ergonomic throat is molded with the frame of the lacrosse head.

10. A lacrosse head comprising:

a frame with a scoop attached distally to two sidewalls with the scoop and sidewalls having a front and a back; and

an ergonomic throat with a front and a back attached proximally to the two sidewalls with the throat having a contoured surface and a throat termination point;

an extension extending from the throat to a point beyond the throat termination point.

11. The lacrosse head of claim 10 further comprising contours on the extension.

12. The lacrosse head of claim 11 further comprising one or more ridges on the extension.

13. The lacrosse head of claim 10 wherein the extension extends from the rear of the throat.

14. The lacrosse head of claim 10 wherein the extension has an interior surface contoured to about the exterior surface of a lacrosse shaft.

15. The lacrosse head of claim 12 further comprising three ridges spanning the throat and the extension.

16. A lacrosse head comprising:

a frame with a scoop attached distally to two sidewalls with the scoop and sidewalls having a front and a back,

an ergonomic throat with a front and a back attached proximally to the two sidewalls with the throat having a contoured surface and a throat termination point; and

a removably attachable extension for extending from the throat to a point beyond the throat termination point.

17. The lacrosse head of claim 16 wherein the removably attachable extension comprises ergonomic ridges and contours.

18. The lacrosse head of claim 16 wherein the removably attachable extension is attachable to the throat.

19. The lacrosse head of claim 16 wherein the removably attachable extension is attachable to a lacrosse shaft.

20. The lacrosse head of claim 16 wherein the removably attachable extension attaches to be in communication with the rear of the throat.

21. The lacrosse head of claim 16 wherein the extension further comprises a two piece design extension to attach around a perimeter of a lacrosse stick.

22. The lacrosse head of claim 16 wherein the extension further comprises an extension with an opening to fit about a perimeter of a lacrosse stick.