[0001] The invention relates to a blade member, more particularly to a blade member to be
connected to a shaft of a hockey stick or the like.
[0002] Referring to Figure 1, a conventional blade member 1 is shown to include a hollow
shell 11 made of carbon fibers, and a silica gel 12 filled within the hollow shell
11. The silica gel 12 serves to absorb impact momentum transferred from the hollow
shell 11. However, since the silica gel 12 has a relatively high density, the overall
weight of the blade member 1 is increased. Therefore, it is relatively inconvenient
to use a hockey stick fitted with the blade member 1.
[0003] U.S. Patent No. 5,407,195 discloses a blade construction including a blade body,
which has a first face member, a second face member opposite to the first face member,
and a core cavity member sandwiched between the first and second face members. The
first and second face members are made of fiber reinforced plastic materials. The
core cavity member includes rib bridge members and elongated pockets. The rib bridge
members are made of fiber reinforced plastic materials. Each of the pockets is separated
from an adjacent one by a corresponding one of the rib bridge members. The pockets
may be filled with a light foam material, such as polyurethane, for maintaining a
fiber component in the rib bridge members in a transverse configuration during curing.
The impact resistance of the face members can be increased via the use of the fiber
reinforced plastic materials, and the light foam material can absorb the impact transferred
from the face members. However, the configuration of the first and second face members
integrated with the core cavity member is relatively complicated. Therefore, it is
relatively difficult to mold the aforesaid blade construction.
[0004] It is desirable to provide a blade member for a hockey stick with a good balance
of properties, such as high structural strength, good impact absorption, good swing
to impact feeling, light weight, etc. Additionally, easy processing of the blade member
is an important consideration for manufacturers.
[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a blade member to be connected
to a shaft of a hockey stick or the like, which can provide good balance of the properties
described above.
[0006] Accordingly, the blade member of this invention includes an elongated hollow blade
body, a flexible damping portion, and an interface portion. The elongated hollow blade
body defines a receiving cavity, and is made of a fiber reinforced resin composite.
The flexible damping portion is disposed within the elongated hollow blade body, and
is made of cork. The interface portion is disposed between the elongated hollow blade
body and the flexible damping portion.
[0007] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the
following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the
accompanying drawings, of which:
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a conventional blade member for a hockey stick;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of a blade member
according to this invention;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary partly cutaway perspective view of the first preferred embodiment;
Figure 4 is a sectional view of the first preferred embodiment;
Figure 5 illustrates results of a test for comparing the damping effects of the blade
member of the first preferred embodiment and the conventional blade member; and
Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of the second preferred embodiment of a blade
member according to this invention.
[0008] Referring to Figure 2, the first preferred embodiment of a blade member 2 according
to this invention is shown to be connected to a shaft 31 of a hockey stick 3 at a
lower end portion 33 of the shaft 31.
[0009] Referring to Figures 3 and 4, the blade member 2 includes an elongated hollow blade
body 21, a flexible damping portion 22, and an interface portion 23. The elongated
hollow blade body 21 has an inner surface 211 defining a receiving cavity 24, and
an outer surface 212 opposite to the inner surface 211. The elongated hollow blade
body 21 is made of a fiber reinforced resin composite.
[0010] The flexible damping portion 22 is disposed within the receiving cavity 24 of the
elongated hollow blade body 21, and is made of cork. The interface portion 23 is disposed
between the elongated hollow blade body 21 and the flexible damping portion 22, and
includes a first interface layer 231 and a second interface layer 232. The first interface
layer 231 of the interface portion 23 is proximate to the flexible damping portion
22, and is made of a viscoelastic adhesive material. The second interface layer 232
of the interface portion 23 is proximate to the elongated hollow blade body 21, and
is made of a polymer composite having high toughness. Preferably, the polymer composite
is a composition of fibers and resin.
[0011] In use, a hockey puck (not shown) strikes the outer surface 212 of the elongated
hollow blade body 21, which is made of fiber reinforced resin composite. Since the
fiber reinforced resin composite has properties of high structural rigidity and strength,
the elongated hollow blade body 21 can resist the high impact imposed by the hockey
puck so as to sustain the structural integrity of the blade member 2. The flexible
damping portion 22 is made of cork, which is a flexible material, and which has a
damping effect. Therefore, the high impact transferred through the elongated hollow
blade body 21 can be absorbed by the flexible damping portion 22 effectively so as
to reduce the vibration of the blade member 2. Furthermore, the first interface layer
231 of the interface portion 23 also has the vibration absorbing effect so as to further
enhance the damping effect.
[0012] The results of a test for comparing the damping effect of the blade member 2 of this
invention and a conventional blade member composed of wood sheet and glass fiber adhered
on the wood sheet are illustrated on Figure 5, in which X scale indicates the time
for vibration reduction (sec) and Y scale indicates the vibration response (g/N) .
The maximum vibration of the conventional blade member is 5.25 g/N, whereas the maximum
vibration of the blade member of this invention is 2.65 g/N. The vibration value of
the blade member of this invention is about half of that of the conventional blade
member at any analysis time. Furthermore, the blade member of this invention stops
vibrating after 3 seconds. However, the conventional blade member stops vibrating
after 8 seconds, which is much longer than that of the blade member of this invention.
[0013] Additionally, since cork is a relatively light material, the overall weight of the
blade member of this invention can be reduced by 15-40% as compared to that of the
conventional blade member.
[0014] Referring to Figure 6, the second preferred embodiment of the blade member of this
invention is shown to be substantially identical to the first preferred embodiment
in construction, except that the blade member 2 further includes an impact absorbing
member 25 which is composed of a plurality of impact absorbing units 25' having similar
configurations. The impact absorbing units 25' are embedded in the flexible damping
portion 22 in a spaced manner so as to further enhance the damping effect. Alternatively,
the impact absorbing member 25 can be formed as a unitary impact absorbing unit 25'
or as a plurality of impact absorbing unit 25' having different configurations. In
this preferred embodiment, the impact absorbing member 25 is made of rubber. Alternatively,
other suitable materials, such as a porous material, engineering plastic, wood, foaming
material (like foam), medium density fiberboard, paper, cotton, cloth, and the like,
can be used when making the impact absorbing member 25.
1. A blade member (2) adapted to be connected to a shaft (31) of a hockey stick (3),
said blade member (2)
characterized by:
an elongated hollow blade body (21) defining a receiving cavity (24) and being made
of a fiber reinforced resin composite;
a flexible damping portion (22) disposed within said elongated hollow blade body (21)
and being made of cork; and
an interface portion (23) disposed between said elongated hollow blade body (21) and
said flexible damping portion (22).
2. The blade member (2) as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that said interface portion (23) includes a first interface layer (231) proximate to said
flexible damping portion (22) and being made of viscoelastic adhesive material, and
a second interface layer (232) proximate to said elongated hollow blade body (21)
and being made of a polymer composite having high toughness.
3. The blade member (2) as claimed in Claim 2, characterized in that said polymer composite is a composition of fibers and resin.
4. The blade member (2) as claimed in Claim 1, further characterized by an impact absorbing member (25) embedded in said flexible damping portion (22).
5. The blade member (2) as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that said impact absorbing member (25) is made of a material selected from a group consisting
of porous material, rubber, engineering plastic, wood, foaming material, medium density
fiberboard, paper, cotton and cloth.
6. The blade member (2) as claimed in Claim 5, characterized in that said foaming material is foam.
7. The blade member (2) as claimed in Claim 4, characterized in that said impact absorbing member (25) includes a plurality of impact absorbing units
(25').
8. The blade member (2) as claimed in Claim 7, characterized in that each of said impact absorbing units (25') is made of a material independently selected
from a group consisting of porous material, rubber, engineering plastic, wood, foaming
material, medium density fiberboard, paper, cotton and cloth.
9. The blade member (2) as claimed in Claim 8, characterized in that said foaming material is foam.