Interesting read: patent for titianium hockey sticks

[Beflar 55]

http://www.devileye.net/catalog/child-resistant_closure_with_castellations/titanium_hockey_stick.html

Came across this today. Its a patent for a titanium hockey stick. I though it was interesting enought to share.

Cheers

[ktang 34]

IIRC, Mogilny used a titanium shaft for a while when he was with Vancouver.

[jimmy 194]

Yes, very interesting. Funny how they tried to say a goalie stick was not really a hockey stick for patent comparison purposes. How much would one of these things cost, especially at the thickness needed to prevent buckling.

[stick9 905]

This would need to some ground-breaking engineering to be relavent in todays market. Composite has a huge leg up, it's a proven design and the manufacturing process has been pretty well refined.

[Harv 86]

I believe there is some kind of rule that sticks need to be breakable so guys don't spear themselves if they go into the boards?

[interpathway 9]

The patent reads for a shaft only. Carbon fiber or wood blade is all that's out there currently.

[Chadd 916]

There were a couple companies that had titanium shafts for a couple years. The problem is that while titanium is light, it doesn't have the elasticity of some other materials. As you vary the alloy to get more elasticity, you are losing the weight advantage of titanium.

[Harv 86]

The patent reads for a shaft only. Carbon fiber or wood blade is all that's out there currently.

I see. I figured they'd just start with a shaft.

And good point about the elasticity. I'm no metallurgist, but I would think too many of these flexs on the shaft will either mishape the shaft or it just won't react like you want it with kickpoints.

[AIREAYE 248]

I believe there is some kind of rule that sticks need to be breakable so guys don't spear themselves if they go into the boards?

Correct, part of the certification process.

[stick9 905]

I wonder if they could control the flex points thinkening or thining the shaft walls or the even the shape.

[Chadd 916]

I wonder if they could control the flex points thinkening or thining the shaft walls or the even the shape.

Sure, but you're still going to end up with a warped stick after a couple good slapshots.

[DLK 0]

Yes, very interesting. Funny how they tried to say a goalie stick was not really a hockey stick for patent comparison purposes. How much would one of these things cost, especially at the thickness needed to prevent buckling.

Interestingly, a patent was granted back in 1999 for a aluminum or titanium goal-tending stick.

According to the notes on this patent, they discovered they needed to use at least grade four unalloyed titanium with a wall thickness of 0.033 inches to get decent weight and avoid denting and bowing under their field testing (which appears surprisingly minimal - most of their prototype shafts were only used around six times). Perhaps shafts were much heavier back in 2005 (when this patent was granted), but most of their prototypes were in the 350g range.

Of their field-tested prototype shafts, two were listed at 286g (which seems competitive with today's high-end composites to me). They used grade four titanium with a 0.025 wall thickness for both. One was used once and remained fully functional; the other was used twice and exhibited buckling or collapse and failed completely. Only three of their prototypes were used more than ten times...one without any blemishes. The other two were dented, but remained fully functional. The lightest of those shafts weighed 352 grams.

Given that, it doesn't seem particularly surprising that they haven't been widely adopted.

I found it very interesting that their field testing showed that there were no vibration or harmonic issues with their shaft. I would have guessed they would have had as much of a problem as aluminum shafts do in that regard. In terms of cost, they would probably have been pretty comparable with the higher-end composites. The grades of titanium they were using aren't particularly expensive and are actually quite easy to machine, for titanium.

I wonder if they could control the flex points thinkening or thining the shaft walls or the even the shape.

Tapered and multi-step wall thicknesses were included in this patent and seem to have been their plan all along.

[Harv 86]

Interesting numbers on the weight. Seeing at the TotalOne NXG is 399 grams (and that's a full stick) then 350ish isn't impressive for a shaft.

Now that 286, that's what I want to know more about.

[Blueandgold26 1]

I think mission had a stick with some form of titaniumin it a few years back

[JR Boucicaut 3810]

Interesting numbers on the weight. Seeing at the TotalOne NXG is 399 grams (and that's a full stick) then 350ish isn't impressive for a shaft.

Now that 286, that's what I want to know more about.

There were composite shafts around that weight (XN10); my Metamorphic Flyweight shafts were lighter than 286.

I remember owning a prototype Mission shaft that was at 250g. But at that point, the shaft and blade market was dying, and to be honest, it was hard to achieve balance when the blades weighed so much.

[interpathway 9]

I think mission had a stick with some form of titaniumin it a few years back

Mission produced a OPS around 2006 that had titanium threads woven into their composite structure. Hossa was an early user IIRC. Owned one myself, didn't blow me away.

[JR Boucicaut 3810]

Mission produced a OPS around 2006 that had titanium threads woven into their composite structure. Hossa was an early user IIRC. Owned one myself, didn't blow me away.

Yes, the warranty on it was extended as well.

[troy 12]

There were composite shafts around that weight (XN10); my Metamorphic Flyweight shafts were lighter than 286.

I remember owning a prototype Mission shaft that was at 250g. But at that point, the shaft and blade market was dying, and to be honest, it was hard to achieve balance when the blades weighed so much.

Being standard length, were the RL XN10s the lightest shaft ever?

[Scotty 8]

Being standard length, were the RL XN10s the lightest shaft ever?

They marketed it as such, but the true weight was about 310g on the uncut Regular flex that I used.

[AIREAYE 248]

There is no certification process on sticks.

Bauer had a Titanium shaft around 1993ish.

That's what I was told, so is Harv right or not?

[danno25nh 3]

HECC does not certify sticks.

Regarding Harv's comment about wanting a stick to break to avoid spearing yourself: If the stick breaks it would likely create a sharp end. That would not be desirable. Also, the force required to break even a wooden stick in the longitudinal axis would be enormous. Trying to weaken this would render the stick useless.

We had aluminum shafts for a while, these would not break easily in the direction Harv indicates. Even a pencil will penetrate your body in the direction of spearing.

Titanium wouldn't be any more dangerous from that stand point.

Will it make a good stick? Likely not unless an alloy is made which allows proper flex. Titanium reinforcement might work.

[tareatingrat 4]

Regarding Harv's comment about wanting a stick to break to avoid spearing yourself: If the stick breaks it would likely create a sharp end. That would not be desirable. Also, the force required to break even a wooden stick in the longitudinal axis would be enormous.

I've speared myself pretty hard going into the boards and had nothing break.

Kind of wish it would have.

Sad thing is, I was happy I was hurt but the stick was okay...

[AIREAYE 248]

I had two NHL players with XN10 OPS at 375g before tape.

Incorrect from the standpoint that sticks are not certified.

True, neither HECC nor CSA has any sort of stick certification, but is there some rule as he mentioned?

[boogaard 0]

http://www.hockeymonkey.com/mission-hockey-stick-titanium-sr.html

[SlowLarry 0]

I see. I figured they'd just start with a shaft.

And good point about the elasticity. I'm no metallurgist, but I would think too many of these flexs on the shaft will either mishape the shaft or it just won't react like you want it with kickpoints.

It's actually more of a mechanical engineering issue. Materials have a property called modulus of elasticity. You can flex or stress a material repeatedly below its elastic limit and it will spring back. Your car suspension absorbs a lot more than a Chara slapshot (try a 6000 pound car vs. pothole) and do so millions of times over the life time of your car. Flexxing can work harden but I think you could engineer well beyond NHL usage.