LACROSSE HEAD POCKET AND RELATED METHOD OF MANUFACTURE

摘要

A lacrosse head pocket and a related method of manufacture are provided to facilitate consistent, repeatable and/or custom manufacture of lacrosse equipment. The pocket can be constructed from multiple different sections joined with one another, or can be knitted, weaved or otherwise assembled on an automated assembly machine from strands, and/or can be formed as a unitary textile material having regions/sections with different physical and/or mechanical properties. The pocket can be integrally molded within portions of a lacrosse head to eliminate manually constructed connections between the pocket and lacrosse head. The lacrosse head can be integrally molded with a lacrosse handle to provide a one-piece unitary lacrosse stick. Related methods of manufacturing also are provided.

主权项

1. A method of making a lacrosse head with an integral pocket, the method comprising:
providing a lacrosse pocket constructed from a unitary textile material having a plurality of strands that are joined together in at least one of a knitted pattern and a weaved pattern, the lacrosse pocket having a predefined, three dimensional, concave shape that is integrally formed in the lacrosse pocket, the lacrosse pocket including a pocket body bounded by a perimeter flange; placing the lacrosse pocket in a mold so that the perimeter flange is disposed in a mold cavity; injecting polymeric material into the mold cavity so that the injected polymeric material flows around the perimeter flange from a first side of the perimeter flange to a second side of the perimeter flange; embedding the injected polymeric material in spaces between individual ones of a plurality of strands located in the perimeter flange; encapsulating the plurality of strands in the perimeter flange with the injected polymeric material; allowing the injected polymeric material to cure, thereby forming at least one of a sidewall, base and scoop of a lacrosse head; and removing the lacrosse pocket joined at the perimeter flange with the at least one of a sidewall, base and scoop, from the mold.