Polymer composite baseball bat endcap

Abstract

A light-weight polymer composite endcap, or plug, for a tubular baseball bat provides structural support to the bat barrel end. The endcap permanently bonded to the bat barrel end with a high strength structural adhesive closes off the hollow barrel end. The endcap has a simple geometric shape and has a relatively uniform and thin wall thickness. The light weight achieved by the polymer composite endcap is useful in meeting reduced standards established by regulating bodies and more importantly improves player bat control and swing-speed during the bat swinging phase.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to baseball bats and more particularly to tubular baseball bats, whose performance, as defined by hitting distance, is controlled by performance standards established by regulatory bodies, and to baseball bats where player bat control when hitting is important, and more specifically to an end cap, or plug, for such baseball bats. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART [0002] Baseball and softball bats, hereinafter referred to simply as “baseball bats” or “bats”, are today typically made solely from aluminum alloys, aluminum alloys in combination with composite materials (hybrid bats), or solely from composite materials (with the exception of solid wooden bats for the Major Leagues). Such bats are tubular (hollow inside) in construction in order to meet weight requirements, and have a cylindrical handle portion for gripping, a cylindrical barrel portion for striking, a tapered mid-section connecting the handle and barrel ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019] A main object of the present invention is to change weight distribution along the length of a baseball bat, specifically to move the balance point of the bat closer to the handle, thus lowering the moment of inertia of the bat. The lower weight endcap of the present invention allows lowering the bat performance as may be required by ongoing changes to bat performance standards, increases the control of the bat by the player while swinging and allows greater bat swing-speed.

[0020] A second object of the present invention is to provide a singular component endcap of simple geometric shape, without stiffeners, ribs, rings, etc., and of thin uniform thickness, in order to maintain low weight, the simple geometric shape being for reducing tooling and manufacturing costs.

[0021] A third object of the present invention is to provide an endcap, which is sufficiently strong and stiff to maintain structural integrity, thus preventing permanent deformation of the barrel end from ball impacts while maintaining low weight.

[0022] A fourth object of the present invention is to close off and seal the barrel end of a tubular bat with an endcap without adding substantial weight to the barrel end in a manner that prevents the endcap from becoming loose during repeated bat-ball impacts and also prevents players from removing the endcap to change the barrel interior.

[0023] The objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing a thin endcap, of simple geometric shape and unitary construction, made of a light-weight, stiff and strong polymer composite material. Such endcap is preferably bonded to the barrel end of the tubular baseball bat, as by an adhesive, without the need to add liquid polyurethane to the interior of the bat barrel end.

[0028] According to the present invention, employing a light weight polymer composite barrel endcap for tubular baseball bats to change the bat weight distribution along the bat length allows bats to be adjusted to conform the bat performance to rules of regulatory bodies. Further, such lowered weight can be utilized to improve bat control by the player during the swing phase of the bat as well as to increase the bat speed during the swing phase. Further, the endcaps of the present invention when of unitary construction and simple geometry can be manufactured with relatively low tooling and manufacturing costs. The endcaps of the present invention are both stiff and strong enough, while maintaining low weight, to prevent permanent deformation of the bat barrel end which could result from ball impacts at the bat barrel end. Furthermore, the endcaps of the present invention can close-off the bat barrel end by being adhesively bonded to the bat barrel end using thin film adhesives, the thin film adhesives being employed to maintain low weight.

Problems solved by technology

Furthermore, what is also needed is a relatively simple baseball bat endcap, preferably of unitary construction without complex features such as ribs, spokes, grooves, etc. which is light weight such that it does not materially increase weight at the barrel end of tubular baseball bats and therefore does not increase bat performance beyond standards of regulatory bodies.

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