LACROSSE HEAD

Abstract

The lacrosse head has a downwardly facing vertex where the curvature of side walls stops extending downward and begins extending upward. When a mesh pocket is attached to the head, the vertex defines the location where the pocket is the deepest. The vertex is located at about the midpoint of the lacrosse head. The vertex causes the lacrosse head to come as close as possible to the 2.75 inch maximum thickness of the entire head. The pocket can be made as deep as possible within the limitation that it must extend below the bottom edge of the lower side rail by less than the minimum diameter of a lacrosse ball. Moving the vertex as close as possible to the scoop shortens the distance the ball must travel from deep in the pocket to leaving the distal end of the scoop. This results in quicker release from the lacrosse head.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved lacrosse head. The art of design of lacrosse heads is characterized by compromise. When inventing a novel and unobvious lacrosse head, the inventor must remain cognizant of the fact that any lacrosse head must fit within the requirements of the lacrosse rules of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

It is helpful to review the basic rules of the NCAA. With reference to FIG. 1, a diagram set forth in Appendix IV of the NCAA Crosse specifications is reproduced. As seen there, the lacrosse head must be at least 10 inches long from the throat to the end of the scoop. Other minimum dimensions between the throat and the scoop are also displayed. Additional requirements are set forth in Sections 17 and 18 of Rule 1 of the NCAA lacrosse rules. Of particular note is the limitation that the side wall may not be more than 2 inches wide.

Appendix I of the lacrosse rules describes ways by which lacrosse referees may perform a “stick check” to ensure that the stick including its head complies with the NCAA lacrosse rules. One aspect pertinent to the present invention is that the mesh has a limitation beyond which it may not “droop” below the side wall. In particular, Appendix I specifies: “B. If one can see daylight between the top of the ball and the bottom edge of the side wall, this is an illegal deep pocket.” Thus, one must understand the dimensions of a legal lacrosse ball.

In Appendix IV, the size of the ball is described as follows: “The ball may measure between 7¾ and 8 inches in circumference. This corresponds to a diameter of within the range of 2.47 and to 2.55 inches. Considering the lower range, what this means taking into account the “daylight restriction,” is that the pocket may not droop below the bottom edge of the side wall more than 2.47 inches.

Thus, when considering inventing a new lacrosse head, within the above-described parameters, the inventor must give serious consideration to what is being improved. One possible improvement involves shortening the distance from the location where the lacrosse ball typically rests in the mesh to the far distal edge of the scoop where the ball is finally released from the head. Another aspect is to render the pocket of the mesh deep enough to enhance control of the ball. Concerning this latter aspect, in theory, if the mesh pocket is made shallower, this increases the risk that the ball can more easily be dislodged from the pocket either by an opponent or just through motions of the stick by the player holding it. Thus, it is often the case that a compromise must be decided between deepening the pocket to enhance control or shortening the distance from the pocket to the end of the scoop to allow quicker release of the lacrosse ball.

In another aspect, it is also important to seriously consider the relationship between the axis of the handle of the lacrosse stick and the various structures on the lacrosse head attached to the handle. Thus, it is important to consider the relationship between where the hands of the user grip the handle and the various structures of the head, including where the lacrosse ball will be carried with respect to the location or elevation of the hands.

In another aspect of the NCAA lacrosse rules, a stick check may include placing the lacrosse head and its handle upside down on a flat table. When so doing, the height of the head without the mesh cannot exceed 2.75 inches. Since lacrosse heads are often arcuate in some of their aspects to define different structures thereon, this limitation limits the degree to which a lacrosse head can be “bent” for performance reasons.

The present invention takes into account the NCAA rules and the various parameters of the lacrosse head design described above in seeking a compromise that provides the most effective performance in a lacrosse head. It is with these aspects in mind that the present invention was developed.

Numerous lacrosse heads compete in the marketplace. Their manufacturers tout their supposed advantages. Applicants submit that the present invention provides a combination of features, structures and performance advantages not found in any prior art lacrosse head.

Thus, the present invention has bottom rails or walls located further from the extension of the axis of elongation of the shaft or handle than is the case with the STX Super Power +, Maverik Centrik U, Maverik Tank U, Warrior Throat Loc, Brine Clutch Elite, STX

Hammer, Nike Lakota, STX Surgeon U, STX Dual, Maverik Optik, Nike CEO, and the Maverik Metrik. This results in the ability to create a deeper pocket with respect to the extension of the axis of elongation of the shaft or handle, given the NCAA restriction that no daylight may be visible between the top of the ball held in the pocket and the lower edges of the bottom rails or walls. Having this deeper pocket means that the ball sits further from the extension of the axis of elongation of the shaft or handle. This allows the ball to sit lower than a player's hands giving the player more feel of the ball and making it harder to dislodge the ball.

While the Warrior Rabil 2 has bottom rails or walls further from the extension of the axis of the shaft or handle than is the ease with the present invention, the present invention has a longer horizontal distance from the ball stop to where the deepest part of the pocket sits.

This makes the ball sit up further along the extension of the axis of the shaft or handle, closer to the distal edge of the scoop near the top of the head where the ball is ultimately released. This means that the present invention inherently results in a quicker release than the Warrior Rabil 2 while also having a pocket that is located further from the extension of the axis of the shaft or handle.

Furthermore, while the STX Hammer 500 has a deeper pocket that sits higher in the head than the present invention, the present invention has a shorter scoop height from the extension of axis of the shaft or handle than the STX Hammer 500. This allows the ball to achieve greater whip when it is released from the head. By having the scoop height shortened, the ball is restricted from being released later in a player's shot follow through so as to prevent the ball from being released early. This allows a player to be able to exert more force into their shot and not to have to worry about the shot being released early and the ball having too high of a trajectory. By this analysis, the present invention combines the best of the three attributes; (1) deep pocket that (2) sits higher in the head and with (3) a low scoop height. These three elements give a player better feel and control without sacrificing shot speed and accuracy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved lacrosse head. The present invention includes the following interrelated objects, aspects and features:

(1) In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the inventive lacrosse head is designed with rail construction in which a downwardly facing vertex is provided at the point where the curvature stops extending downward and begins extending upward. When a mesh pocket is attached to the head, the vertex defines the location where the pocket is the deepest. That is the location where the ball is typically carried when received in the lacrosse head and before the player shoots or passes the ball.

(2) The vertex in the present invention is located forward of the typical location on prior art lacrosse heads as close as practicable to the distal edge of the scoop. Additionally, the vertex causes the lacrosse head to be defined as coming as close as possible to the 2.75 inch maximum thickness of the entire head taking into account the stick check in which the inverted head is placed on a flat table and its height measured. In so doing, the pocket formed by the mesh can be made as deep as possible within the limitation that it must extend below the bottom edge of the lower side rail by less than 2.47 inches (the minimum diameter of a lacrosse ball).

(3) By moving the vertex as close as possible to the scoop, this shortens the distance the ball must travel from deep in the pocket to leaving the distal end of the scoop. This results in quicker release from the lacrosse head with every tenth of an inch being crucial.

(4) In a further aspect, the inventive lacrosse head is designed so that most of its structures lie below an extension of the axis of elongation of the handle attached to the head. In this way, a lacrosse ball contained within the head and even when it is being released by the scoop is below the level of the hands gripping the handle. At the scoop, some of the ball is above that axis but until the ball arrives at the scoop it is below that axis. This gives added leverage to the player allowing the ball to be “snapped” out of the head with great force and speed.

(5) As such, it is a first object of the present invention to provide an improved lacrosse head.

(6) It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an improved lacrosse head with a downwardly facing vertex that is closer to the distal edge of the scoop than is the case in prior art heads.

(7) It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such an improved lacrosse head with a mesh pocket having its deepest point below the vertex of the head and relatively close to the distal edge of the scoop.

(8) It is a still further object of the present invention to provide such an improved lacrosse head in which the distance from the pocket to the distal edge of the scoop is minimized to minimize the distance a lacrosse ball must travel from being carried to being released.

(9) These and other objects, aspects and features of the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment when read in conjunction with the appended drawing figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a drawing reproduced from the NCAA rule book concerning the required dimensions of a lacrosse stick head.

FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of the inventive lacrosse head.

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the inventive lacrosse head.

FIG. 4 shows a side view of the inventive lacrosse head with certain dimensions displayed.

FIG. 5 shows a view similar to that of FIG. 4 but showing locations on a lacrosse ball in the pocket and as being released.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference is first made to FIGS. 2-4 which show the inventive lacrosse head generally designated by the reference numeral 10. The lacrosse head includes a throat 11, a scoop 13 having a distal edge 15 and upper side walls 17 and 19. The head also includes lower side walls 21 and 23 best seen in FIG. 2. A socket 25 is provided to receive a handle 3 (FIG. 5) within the recess 27 seen in FIG. 2. While the recess 27 is shown to be generally octagonal, its dimensions are sized and configured to be compatible with the distal end of the handle to be inserted thereon. A hole 29 (FIG. 2) may be provided in the socket 25 to receive a screw (not shown) designed to clamp the handle in assembled configuration. A multiplicity of holes 31 are provided not only in the scoop but about the lower side walls 21 and 23 to facilitate attachment of mesh (not shown).

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 which particularly shows the right hand lower side wall 21 and the right hand upper side wall 17. The upper side wall 17 is symmetrical with the upper side wall 19 and the lower side wall 21 is symmetrical with the lower side wall 23.

The dashed line 33 in FIG. 4 represents the extension of the central axis of the socket 25 corresponding to the central axis of the handle received therein. Since the NCAA rules require the handle to be straight in configuration, the dashed line 33 accurately represents the extension of the straight handle (not shown). As seen in FIG. 4, the bottom side wall 21 has a lower edge 35 that extends downwardly from the axis 33 at 37 until it reaches a vertex 39, whereupon the bottom edge 37 begins ascending at 41, to the point where it meets the scoop 13, whereupon the edge 37 curves back downwardly at 16 before having an angular arcuate surface 14 culminating in the distal edge 15.

The vertex 39 defines the deepest location of the pocket 7 to be formed in the mesh 5 (FIG. 5) to be attached to the head. As explained above, the pocket 7 may not droop down below the vertex 39 lower than the minimum diameter of a lacrosse ball, 2.47 inches. As is clear from FIG. 5, the dashed line 8 defines the midpoint of the head, halfway between the proximal location on the throat 11 and the distal edge 16 of the scoop 15. As shown in FIG. 5, the pocket straddles the midpoint line 8, extending proximally and distally with respect to the midpoint line 8. In the preferred embodiment, the midpoint line 8 is about 0.344 inches distal of said vertex 39, preferably less than 0.4 inches distal of said vertex 39 so that a pocket 7 of the mesh 5 straddles the line 8 in the proximal to distal direction.

With reference to the explanation in the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION section concerning the NCAA lacrosse specifications, the dimension L is 10.19 inches. In accordance with the teachings of the present invention, the dimension Z, from the most proximal location on the throat 11 to the vertical projection of the vertex 39 is about 4.75 inches, meaning the remaining distance from the vertex 39 to the vertical projection of the distal end 15 of the scoop is approximately 5.44 inches. The dimension H which is the distance from the axis 33 to the vertex 39 is set by Applicants at about 2.03 inches. The distance downward from the axis 33 to the distal end 15 of the scoop 13 is set at approximately 0.740 inches.

The dimension “a” is equal to the distance H less the distance S and that dimension in the preferred embodiment is about 1.29 inches. The dimension “b” which is the vertical projection of the vertex on the axis 11 to the vertical projection of the end of the scoop 15 is 5.44 inches. Thus, the dimension “t” which is the distance from the vertex to the end of the scoop is about 5.59 inches. This approximately corresponds to the distance a lacrosse ball must travel from being held deep in the pocket 7 of the mesh 5 (FIG. 5) to rolling off the distal surface 15 of the scoop. This is best understood from FIG. 5 which shows the location of a ball 1 as deep as possible within the pocket 7 of the mesh 5 at the vertex 39 and the location where the ball 1 is just leaving the distal edge 15 of the scoop.

The ball 1 depicted below the vertex 39 is as low as it can be because if it were any lower, “daylight” would be visible between the top of the ball and the bottom of the lower side rails 21 and 23, thereby rendering the lacrosse head illegal.

As should be understood, with a handle 3 attached within the recess 27 of the socket 25 and extending rearward along the axis 33, the hands of the player grasp the periphery of the handle. As should be understood particularly from FIGS. 4 and 5, the lacrosse ball 1 when retained within the pocket 7 of the associated mesh 5 is well below the elevation of the hands taking into account the distance below the axis 33 where the ball 1 is located with particular reference to FIG. 5. What this means is that a player may more effectively carry the lacrosse ball while maneuvering the stick and controlling the ball within the mesh.

When the time comes to pass or shoot the ball 1, the ball travels a relatively short distance out of the pocket 7 along the bottom rails 21, 23 of the head 10 until it leaves the head 10 at the location shown in FIG. 5 with a snapping action that enhances the speed and efficiency of passing and shooting.

Thus, the vertex 39 defines a sweet spot where the lowermost portion of the pocket 7 of the associated mesh 5 is located which is relatively forward with respect to prior art pockets and relatively close to the distal edge 15 of the scoop 13 so that the ball 1 leaves the head relatively more quickly.

As such, an invention has been disclosed in terms of a preferred embodiment thereof which fulfills each and every one of the objects of the invention as set forth hereinabove, and provides a new and useful improved lacrosse head of great novelty and utility.

Of course, various changes, modifications and alterations in the teachings of the present invention may be contemplated by those skilled in the art without departing from the intended spirit and scope thereof.

As such, it is intended that the present invention only be limited by the terms of the appended claims.

Claims

1. An improved lacrosse head, comprising:

a) a proximally located throat and a distally located scoop, said scoop having a distal edge;

b) a socket proximal of said throat sized to receive a handle having an axis of elongation;

c) upper left and right side walls extending between said throat and scoop, and lower left and right side walls extending between said throat and scoop;

d) said lower side walls extending distally from said throat, extending downwardly away from an extension of said axis until arriving at a lowest vertex and then extending upwardly toward said extension of said axis and merging with said scoop;

e) a mesh attached to said lower side walls and defining a pocket having a lowermost area directly below said vertex;

f) said pocket extending in a proximal to distal direction proximally and distally of a line defining a midpoint of said head, whereby a lacrosse ball supported in said pocket need only travel approximately half a length of said head to depart said head over said distal edge of said scoop.

2. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein said pocket has a lowermost extent less than 2.47 inches below a lowermost edge of said vertex.

3. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein an entirety of said lower side walls is below said extension of said axis.

4. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein an entirety of said scoop is below said extension of said axis.

5. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein said vertex is located just proximally of said midpoint of said head.

6. The lacrosse head of claim 5, wherein said midpoint of said head is less than 0.4 inches distal of said vertex.

7. The lacrosse head of claim 3, wherein an entirety of said scoop is below said extension of said axis.

8. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein said lower side walls and scoop have holes and said mesh is attached to said head via said holes.

9. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein said vertex is about 2 inches below said extension of said axis.

10. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein said midpoint of said head is less than 0.4 inches distal of said vertex.

11. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein said vertex is located about 4.75 inches distal of said throat.

12. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein said socket includes a generally octagonal recess sized to receive a distal end of said handle.

13. The lacrosse head of claim 1, wherein said head is more than 10 inches long.