Hockey Training Aid

Abstract

Here is disclosed a hockey training aid for use with a hockey stick which teaches the player how to correctly capture and shoot the puck. The hockey training aid includes a resilient plastic member mounted to the hockey stick blade. The plastic member consists of a curved plastic web having a middle portion mounted to the hockey stick blade and first and second arms projecting from the middle portion. The arms curve away from the blade in an arch like or cup like fashion. The first arm is configured to be movable between a first position wherein the arm projects away from the blade and a second position wherein the arm is flat against the blade. The first arm is biased towards its first position.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to training aids for assisting in the training of hockey players.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Capturing and shooting the puck is a critical part of the game of hockey. Generally, hockey coaches spend a great deal of time teaching young hockey players the correct technique for capturing the puck with the blade of the hockey stick and the correct technique for shooting the puck. The natural instinct of young players is to capture the puck near the tip of the blade and then shoot the puck by forcefully moving the stick in a slapping motion with the arms. Hockey coaches must spend a significant amount of time training students to capture the puck towards the heal of the hockey stick blade and to shoot the puck by using their wrist as opposed to their arms.

Several hockey training aids have been proposed to help students practice their shooting technique. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,520,386 to Sasko discloses a hockey stick weight which clips onto the blade of the hockey stick and serves to help build the players strength. U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,753 to Scarry discloses another hockey training device consisting of a flat paddle like structure mounted perpendicularly above the blade to obscure the player's view of the blade of the hockey stick, thereby forcing the player to not look at the blade. While both of these references are aimed at devices for training players how to use the hockey stick, neither deal with the specific problem of training a player the correct technique for capturing the puck near the heal of the blade and shooting the puck via a wrist motion. A training aid which compels the player to capture the puck in the correct fashion and which likewise compels the player to shoot the puck in the correct way is therefore required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hockey training aid for use with a hockey stick which teaches the player how to correctly capture and shoot the puck. The hockey training aid includes a resilient plastic member mounted to the hockey stick blade. The plastic member consists of a curved plastic web having a middle portion mounted to the hockey stick blade and first and second arms projecting from the middle portion.

The arms curve away from the blade in an arch like or cup like fashion. The first arm is configured to be movable between a first position wherein the arm projects away from the blade and a second position wherein the arm is flat against the blade. The first arm is biased towards its first position.

With the foregoing in view, and other advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, the invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, which includes a description of the preferred typical embodiment of the principles of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a hockey stick with a hockey stick training aid made in accordance with the invention mounted to the blade of the hockey stick at an optimal position for positioning a hockey puck (the sweet spot of the blade).

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the hockey stick training aid shown in FIG. 1 showing the front of the training aid.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the hockey stick training aid shown in FIG. 2 showing the back of the training aid.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the hockey stick training aid made in accordance with the invention being used to position a hockey puck at the sweet spot of the hockey stick blade immediately prior to the player taking a wrist shot with the hockey stick.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the hockey stick training aid made in accordance with the present invention showing the player applying a wrist shot to the hockey stick forcing the first arm of the blade to move into its flattened position against the blade.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the hockey stick training aid made in accordance with the invention showing an interval of time immediately after the player begins to apply the wrist shot where the puck is positioned adjacent the toe of the blade.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the hockey stick training aid made in accordance with the invention showing the puck leaving the hockey stick from a wrist shot applied by the player.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3, a hockey training aid made in accordance with the present invention is shown generally as item 10 and consists of a plastic member 12 mounted to blade 14 of hockey stick 16. Hockey stick 16 is a standard hockey stick having a handle 18 and a blade 14. Blade 14 has a heel portion 20 adjacent handle 18 and a toe portion 22. Plastic member 12 consists of a resilient plastic piece having a clip 40 formed on middle portion 26. Arms 28 and 30 curve away from middle portion 26 in an arch so that tips 32 and 34 of arms 28 and 30 are approximately parallel to one another and the arms form a cup for holding puck 36. Arms 28 and 30 are sufficiently long and sufficiently curved such that the diameter of the cup formed by the arms is slightly larger than the diameter of puck 36 so that the puck fits loosely between arms 28 and 30. Blade 14 has a height of a few inches which is slightly greater than the height of arms 28 and 30 such that top edges 42 and 44 of the arms are an inch or so below top edge 38 of blade 14. The arms have a lower edge 46 which is roughly parallel with lower edge 48. Clip 40 and arms 28 and 30 may be dimensioned such that lower edge 46 of the plastic member is positioned slightly higher than lower edge 48 of blade 14 to prevent the plastic member from rubbing on the surface of the ice or playing field (not shown).

Referring now to FIGS. 4 through 7, the use of the training aid shall now be explained. The player (not shown) training with the device grasps hockey stick 16 by handle 18 and attempts to catch puck 36 between arms 28 and 30. Since training aid 10 is positioned at the optimal position on blade 14 (i.e. the sweet spot on the blade), the training aid helps to train the player to capture the puck correctly. Alternatively, the player may just place puck 36 in position between arms 28 and 30 if he/she wishes only to practice their wrist shot. To practice the wrist shot, the puck is positioned as shown in FIG. 4. Arms 28 and 30 project away from blade surface 24 and form a cup which loosely holds the puck. Plastic member 12 is made of a highly flexible yet resilient plastic material such that arm 28 is biased towards its extended position (first position) as shown in FIG. 4. The player then engages his/her wrists to rotate the blade while moving it forward slightly. This motion of the blade forces the puck towards toe portion 22 all the while keeping the puck engaged with blade surface 24. Arm 28, being flexible, deflects into its flattened (second) position to permit the puck to travel over arm 28 and towards toe portion 22 as shown in FIG. 6. The blade is further rotated quickly to then launch the puck from toe portion 22 as illustrated in FIG. 7.

The present invention forces the player to train the proper catching and holding of the puck because the cup formed by arms 28 and 30 compels the player to position the blade such that the puck is received between the arms. The player can then train his/her wrist shot because the flexible nature of training aid allows the arms to flex sufficiently to permit the puck to travel from the sweet spot of the blade towards the toe portion of the blade. Preferably the training aid is made of an injection molded plastic with the clip portion formed as an integral part. This permits the training aid to be clipped onto any ordinary hockey stick; however, it is possible to build the training aid in two or more parts or to build the training aid directly into the hockey blade.

A specific embodiment of the present invention has been disclosed; however, several variations of the disclosed embodiment could be envisioned as within the scope of this invention. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims

Claims

1. A hockey training aid for use with a hockey stick having a handle and a blade, the blade having a heal portion adjacent the handle and a toe portion positioned away from the handle, the hockey training aid comprising a resilient plastic member, the plastic member formed as a curved web having a middle portion mounted to the hockey stick blade and first and second arms projecting from the middle portion with the arms curving away from the blade, the first arm configured to be movable between a first position wherein the arm projects away from the blade and a second position wherein the arm is flat against the blade, the first arm being biased towards its first position.

2. The hockey training aid defined in claim 1 wherein the middle portion is mounted to the blade at a spot on the blade adjacent the heal of the blade, the spot on the blade being the optimal position for capturing a puck on the hockey blade for then launching the puck by a wrist shot.

3. The hockey training aid defined in claim 2 wherein a clip is formed on the middle portion, the clip being configured to securely clip the plastic member to the hockey blade.

4. The hockey training aid defined in claim 1 wherein both the arms and the hockey stick blade have a height, the height of the arms being less than the height of the hockey stick blade.

5. The hockey training aid defined in claim 1 wherein the arms are dimensioned to loosely receive a standard sized hockey puck between them when the first arm is in its first position.

6. The hockey training aid defined in claim 1 wherein the plastic member has a lower edge and wherein the plastic member is dimensioned to position the lower edge of the plastic member slightly above a lower edge of the hockey stick blade.