Lacrosse head pocket and related method of manufacture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9409330-B1
Application number	US-201615094479-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2016
Priority date	Oct 17, 2012
Publication date	Aug 9, 2016
Grant date	Aug 9, 2016

Abstract

A lacrosse head pocket and a related method of manufacture are provided. The pocket can be a molded pocket including individual molded strings, combined strings, shooting strings and support rails extending around a perimeter of the pocket. Certain pocket elements can include transition parts to smoothly transition components having different cross sections. The pocket can include a pre-formed ball channel and hole units having broadsides for connection to a head or other component. The pocket can be attached to a pocket frame, and optionally constructed from a mesh or other synthetic material that is tensioned with the pocket frame. A mold and related molding method are also provided.

First claim

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of molding a lacrosse pocket comprising:
placing at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame on a mold base, the mold base defining a first molded pocket cavity portion formed immediately adjacent the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame;
moving a first slide defining a second molded pocket cavity portion toward the mold base to form at least a portion of a complete molded pocket cavity, the moving of the first slide including rotating the first slide about a first pivot axis to bring the second molded pocket cavity portion immediately adjacent the first molded pocket cavity portion to form the at least a portion of the complete molded pocket cavity;
securing the first slide so that the second molded pocket cavity portion remains immediately adjacent the first molded pocket cavity portion;
introducing molding material into the at least a portion of the complete molded pocket cavity to form at least a portion of a molded lacrosse pocket constructed from a network of molded strings integrally and monolithically formed with one another to form a single piece unit, the injection molded material engaging the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame so that the molded lacrosse pocket is joined with the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame by bonding between the material of the molded lacrosse pocket and the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame;
moving the first slide to an open mode by pivoting the first slide about the first pivot axis so that the second molded pocket cavity portion cleanly separates from the molded lacrosse pocket and so that the molded lacrosse pocket remains intact and does not tear or become damaged; and
removing the molded pocket and the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame from the mold.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising moving a second slide including a third molded pocket cavity portion toward the mold base and toward the first slide to form at least a portion of a complete molded pocket cavity.

3. The method of claim 2 comprising moving a clamp plate linearly toward the first slide and the second slide to lock the first slide and second slide in a fixed position during the injection molding.

4. The method of claim 3 comprising trimming excess flashing from the molded lacrosse pocket.

5. The method of claim 1 comprising placing the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame on a retainer portion of the mold base to hold the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame in a predefined location.

6. The method of claim 1 ,
wherein the at least one of a lacrosse head and a pocket frame includes a lowermost portion,
wherein the moving the first slide to an open mode by pivoting step includes pivoting the first slide about the first pivot axis wherein the first pivot axis is located above the lowermost portion of the at least one of a lacrosse head and a pocket frame from a perspective where the at least one of a lacrosse head and a pocket frame is positioned horizontally and opens upward.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first slide is in the form of a first mold door, comprising:
folding the first mold door about the first pivot axis toward the mold base and toward a second mold door; and
folding the second mold door about a second pivot axis toward the mold base and toward the first mold door.

8. The method of claim 7 comprising disposing the first pivot axis on a first side of the mold base, and disposing the second pivot axis on a second, opposing side of the mold base.

9. The method of claim 7 comprising disposing the first mold door and the second mold door across an axis of symmetry of the mold base.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the introducing molding material comprises injection molding the molding material.

11. A method of molding a lacrosse pocket comprising:
placing at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame on a retainer portion of a mold base to hold the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame in a predefined location, the mold base defining a first molded pocket cavity portion;
pivoting a first slide defining a second molded pocket cavity portion about a first pivot axis toward the mold base to form at least a portion of a complete molded pocket cavity;
securing the second molded pocket cavity portion immediately adjacent the first molded pocket cavity portion; and
introducing molding material into the at least a portion of the complete molded pocket cavity to form at least a portion of a molded lacrosse pocket constructed from a network of molded strings integrally and monolithically formed with one another to form a single piece unit, the injection molded material engaging the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame so that the molded lacrosse pocket is joined with the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame by bonding between the material of the molded lacrosse pocket and the at least one of a lacrosse head frame and a pocket frame.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the pivoting step includes pivoting the first slide about the first pivot axis wherein the first pivot axis is located above a lowermost portion of the at least one of a lacrosse head and a pocket frame from a perspective where the at least one of a lacrosse head and a pocket frame is positioned horizontally and opens upward.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the pivoting step includes pivoting the first slide about the first pivot axis wherein the first pivot axis is laterally offset a preselected distance from the at least one of a lacrosse head and a pocket frame.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the at least one of a lacrosse head and a pocket frame defines a groove, comprising introducing the molding material into the groove.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the retainer portion is shaped and sized to correspond to an interior of the lacrosse head, comprising engaging the retainer portion against opposing sidewalls of the lacrosse head and hold the lacrosse head in the predefined location.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first slide is in the form of a first mold door, comprising swinging the first mold door to the closed mold while moving the first mold door along an arcuate pathway.

17. A method of molding a part to an article comprising:
placing an article on a retainer portion of a mold base to hold the article in a predefined location, the mold base defining a first molded part cavity portion;
pivoting a first slide defining a second molded part cavity portion about a first pivot axis toward the mold base to form at least a portion of a complete molded part cavity;
securing the second molded part cavity portion immediately adjacent the first molded part cavity portion; and
introducing molding material into the at least a portion of the complete molded part cavity to form at least a portion of a molded part constructed from a network of molded strings integrally and monolithically formed with one another to form a single piece unit, the injection molded material engaging the article so that the molded part is joined with the article by bonding between the material of the molded part and the article.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first slide is in the form of a first mold door, comprising:
folding the first mold door about the first pivot axis toward the mold base and toward a s

Assignees

• Janisse Richard J
• Warrior Sports Inc

Inventors

• Janisse Richard J

Classifications

• B29K2713/00

  Use of textile products or fabrics for preformed parts, e.g. for inserts (B29K2105/06 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B29C37/02

  Deburring or deflashing {(thermal deburring in general B23D79/005)} · CPC title

• B29C45/14065

  Positioning or centering articles in the mould · CPC title

• B29C2045/14122

  using fixed mould wall projections for centering the insert · CPC title

• B29C2045/14868

  Pretreatment of the insert, e.g. etching, cleaning · CPC title