Hockey Stick Blade Textured Zone Puck Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hockey stick blades have smooth faces, making it difficult for players to control and accurately move the puck due to lack of friction, and existing solutions like hockey tape do not optimally account for different types of shots and puck movements.
Innovation Solution
A hockey stick blade with a front face featuring a textured zone for increased friction and a reduced-texture zone to minimize puck slippage, incorporating protrusions shaped like cones, pyramids, or segments of spheres to enhance puck control and spinning motion, while maintaining non-textured areas for reduced friction where necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the blade face is made smooth, then the blade surface is easy to manufacture and has low friction, but the puck control and accuracy deteriorate due to lack of friction
Solution Approach 1:
The blade face is divided into different zones with different texture characteristics. A first zone (upper portion) has a first texture that provides a specific friction level, while a second zone (lower portion) has a second texture that provides a different friction level. This local differentiation allows optimization of puck control in different operational regions while maintaining manufacturability through consistent texturing processes.
2Reliability
If hockey tape is wrapped around the blade to increase friction, then the puck control improves, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The blade is designed to provide its own friction-modifying surface treatment through integral texturing of the blade face. The textured zones are formed directly on the blade surface during manufacturing, eliminating the need for separate hockey tape components. This self-service approach integrates the friction enhancement function into the blade structure itself, reducing component count while maintaining improved puck control.
3Reliability
If the entire blade face is textured to increase friction, then the puck control improves, but the puck mobility and speed deteriorate due to excessive friction
Solution Approach 1:
The blade face is segmented into zones with different friction characteristics. The first zone (upper portion) and second zone (lower portion) have different textures optimized for different functions. This local quality differentiation allows the blade to provide enhanced puck control where needed while maintaining lower friction areas that preserve puck mobility and speed, resolving the contradiction between control and speed.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The blade design improves puck control and accuracy by optimizing friction patterns, allowing for better maneuverability and shot stability through enhanced engagement and spinning of the puck.
Implementation Method 1
plurality of front protrusions forming a front face textured zone extending along a portion of the front face proximate the toe and the striking surface. The front protrusions are shaped to be engageable with a puck to hinder slippage of the puck along the front face
Data Source
AI summary
A hockey stick blade with a rear face and a front face having a heel portion, a toe portion spaced apart from the heel portion, and a central portion intermediate the toe and heel portions. The front face has a textured zone defined by a plurality of front protrusions, and a front face reduced-texture zone. At least part of the textured zone extends in the central portion from a lower edge of the blade. The reduced-texture zone extends adjacent the front face textured zone. At least part of the reduced-textured zone extends in the central portion from an upper edge of the blade and in the toe portion from the lower edge of the blade. The textured zone extends in the toe portion upwardly from the reduced-texture zone.