bat

Abstract

To provide a bat capable of inhibiting consumption of an impact energy as a deformation energy of a ball.SOLUTION: A bat includes: a rod-shaped core material 3 provided with a head part 17 at a front end in an axial direction; an outer tuber 5 disposed outside in a radial direction of the core material 3 with a gap 27 therebetween; a support member 7 that is partially disposed in the axial direction between the outer tube 5 and the core material 3 and elastically supports the outer tube 5 so as to be displaceable with respect to the core material 3; and a seal member 9 which is disposed on a front end side of the core material 3 with respect to the support member 7 and seals between the outer tube 5 and the core material 3 and which has lower rigidity than the support member 7. A clearance 29 is present in the axial direction between portions of the seal member 9 and a front end part 5a of the outer tube 5 which are closest to the head part 17 in the axial direction, and the head part 17.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to bats for ball games such as baseball and softball.

Background Art

[0002] As conventional bats, there are metal bats in which a second tube is fixed to the outside of the bat body with a gap, as in Patent Documents 1 and 2.

[0003] This bat is said to be able to suppress the consumption of impact energy as the deformation energy of the ball by preventing the second tube from bending inward when hitting the ball.

[0004] However, in reality, the second tube hardly deformed when hitting the ball, and it was not possible to suppress the consumption of the impact energy as the deformation energy of the ball.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The problem to be solved is that it was not possible to suppress the consumption of the impact energy as the deformation energy of the ball.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The present invention includes a rod-shaped core material, an outer tube disposed with a gap on the outer side in the radial direction of the core material, and a support member disposed axially between the outer tube and the core material to elastically support the outer tube so as to be displaceable with respect to the core material. , a sealing member between the outer tube and the core material, which is positioned on the tip side of the core material relative to the support member and has lower rigidity than the support member, and a head portion provided at the axial tip of the core material,We provide a bat equipped with [the following features]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] This invention prevents the bat's impact energy from being consumed as deformation energy for the ball, as the outer tube is displaced relative to the core material by the elasticity of the support member when the ball is struck. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a bat according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of Figure 1, with a portion of the bat omitted. [Figure 3] Figure 3(A) is a cross-sectional view of the line IIIA-IIIA in Figure 2, and Figure 3(B) is a transverse cross-sectional view of the line IIIB-IIIB in Figure 2. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the bat during ball contact, with a portion omitted. [Figure 5] Figure 5 is a partially omitted longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a bat according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a partially omitted longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a bat according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a partially omitted longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a bat according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0010] The objective of suppressing the consumption of impact energy as deformation energy of the ball was achieved by supporting the outer tube in a displaceable manner with a gap on the radially outer side of the core material.

[0011] As shown in the figure, the ball game bat 1 of the present invention comprises a core material 3, an outer tube 5, and a support member 7.

[0012] The core material 3 is rod-shaped. The outer tube 5 is arranged with a gap 27 on the outer side in the radial direction of the core material 3. The support member 7 is partially arranged axially between the outer tube 5 and the core material 3, and elastically supports the outer tube 5 so as to be displaceable with respect to the core material 3.

[0013] The bat 1 may be arranged on the tip side of the core material 3 with respect to the support member 7, and may include a seal member 9 between the outer tube 5 and the core material 3 that has lower rigidity than the support member 7.

[0014] Such a bat 1 may have a head portion 17 provided at the axial tip of the core 3 material, and may have an axial clearance 29 between the portion closest to the head portion 17 axially and the head portion 17 within the head portion 17 of the seal member 9 and the tip portion 5a of the outer tube 5.

[0015] As another embodiment, the seal member 9 may not be provided. In this case, the head portion 17 may be provided integrally with the outer tube 5, or the head portion 17 of the core material 3 and the outer tube 5 may be connected by an elastic body 35.

[0016] The support member 7 only needs to be partially arranged axially between the core material 3 and the outer tube 5, and can have any shape, number, and position.

[0017] As one embodiment, the support member 7 may be arranged at an axial interval with respect to the seal member 9.

[0018] Also, as one embodiment, the support member 7 may be in a circumferential shape, particularly a ring shape.

[0019] Also, as one embodiment, the support member 7 may have a configuration including a first support member 31 and a second support member 33 provided at two axial positions of the outer tube 5.

[0020] The seal member 9 can have any shape and position as long as it closes the space between the core material 3 and the outer tube 5.

[0021] As one embodiment, the seal member 9 may be located on the inner circumference of the tip portion 5a of the outer tube 5. [Examples]

[0022] [The structure of the bat] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a bat according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the bat in Figure 1 with a portion omitted. Figure 3(A) is a cross-sectional view along the line IIIA-IIIA in Figure 2, and Figure 3(B) is a transverse cross-sectional view along the line IIIB-IIIB in Figure 2.

[0023] The bat 1 in this embodiment is used for ball games such as baseball and softball, and comprises a core material 3, an outer tube 5, a support member 7, and a sealing member 9.

[0024] In this embodiment, the core material 3 is formed in the shape of a hollow rod. However, the core material 3 may be solid as long as it is in the shape of a rod. The material of the core material 3 is fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), and in this embodiment, carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) is used, but other resins such as FRP, metal, or wood may also be used.

[0025] This core material 3 comprises a grip area 11, a transition area 13, a hitting area 15, and a head area 17, extending from the base end to the tip in the axial direction. The axial direction is the direction along the axis of the bat 1. In the following, the circumferential direction is the direction along the outer circumference of the bat 1, and the radial direction is the direction along the outer diameter of the bat.

[0026] The core material 3, including the grip area 11, the transition area 13, and the hitting area 15, has an annular (circular) cross-sectional shape and a constant wall thickness.

[0027] The grip area 11 has a consistent cross-sectional shape that transitions from the base end to the tip end, and the grip tape 19 is wrapped around it to form the grip 21 that the batter holds. A grip end 23 that protrudes radially is integrally provided at the base end of the grip area 11.

[0028] The tip of the grip area 11 is integrally provided with a hitting area 15 via a transition area 13. The cross-sectional shape of the transition area 13 gradually increases from the base end to the tip end, leading to the hitting area 15.

[0029] The hitting area 15 has a larger outer diameter than the grip area 11, and its cross-sectional shape transitions uniformly from the base end to the tip end. This hitting area 15, together with the outer tube 5 (described later), constitutes the hitting area 25. The hitting area 25 is the part of the bat 1 used to hit the ball B. The head portion 17 is attached to the tip of the hitting area 15.

[0030] In this embodiment, the head portion 17 is configured as a plate-shaped, for example, disc-shaped cap and is connected to the ball-hitting area 15. This head portion 17 bulges radially relative to the ball-hitting area 15 and is approximately the same as the outer diameter of the outer tube 5, which is the outer diameter of the ball-hitting area 25. However, the outer diameter of the head portion 17 may be larger or smaller than the outer diameter of the ball-hitting area 25. The material of the head portion 17 may be the same as or different from that of the ball-hitting area 15.

[0031] The shape of the core material 3 is just an example, and can be changed as appropriate depending on the characteristics required of the bat 1. For example, the head portion 17 may be integrally provided in the hitting area 15. Alternatively, the core material 3 may be composed of one or more of the grip area 11, transition area 13, hitting area 15, and head portion 17 as separate components, and these separate components may be integrally joined together.

[0032] Furthermore, the cross-sectional shape of the core material 3 may be elliptical or other shapes instead of circular. The thickness of the core material 3 may vary in either the circumferential direction or the axial direction, or both. Also, the cross-sectional shape of the core material 3 may transition uniformly from the grip area 11 to the hitting area 15. It is also possible to make the grip area 11 and the hitting area 15 eccentric in cross-section.

[0033] The outer tube 5 is a tubular member positioned radially outside the hitting area 15 of the core material 3, with a gap 27 in between. That is, the outer tube 5 has a cross-sectional shape that is concentric with the core material 3 and is an annular (circular) shape, and has an inner diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of the corresponding radial portion of the core material 3.

[0034] The cross-sectional shape of the outer tube 5 gradually increases in diameter from the base end to the tip end with a constant wall thickness, and then transitions to a nearly constant shape. The impact center of the hitting section 25, the so-called sweet spot, is located at the point where the cross-sectional shape of the outer tube 5 transitions to a nearly constant shape.

[0035] The shape of the outer tube 5 is just one example, and can be changed as appropriate depending on the characteristics required of the butt 1. For example, the cross-sectional shape of the outer tube 5 is not limited to a circle; it can also be an ellipse or the like, and it may transition smoothly from the base end to the tip end.

[0036] The gap 27 between the outer tube 5 and the core material 3 has a circumferential shape corresponding to the shapes of the core material 3 and the outer tube 5. In this embodiment, the gap 27 gradually increases radially from the base end to the tip end in the axial direction, and then becomes almost constant. In the circumferential direction, it is a cylindrical shape with a constant radial dimension. However, the gap 27 may have a variable radial dimension in the circumferential direction. For example, this may occur when the core material 3 and the outer tube 5 are eccentric in cross-section.

[0037] The tip 5a of the outer tube 5 faces the head portion 17 with a clearance 29 in the axial direction. The base end 5b of the outer tube 5 is supported in the axial direction by a collar 30. Alternatively, the inner diameter of the outer tube 5 may be larger than the outer diameter of the head portion 17, so that the tip 5a does not face the head portion 17.

[0038] The clearance 29 should be such that the head portion 17 and the outer tube 5 do not come into contact, and can be set to, for example, 5 mm. It is preferable that the axial dimension of this clearance 29 be as small as possible. However, the clearance 29 can also be widened to such an extent that the ball B does not get caught between the head portion 17 and the outer tube 5 when the ball B strikes.

[0039] The outer tube 5 is made of FRP such as CFRP, similar to the core material 3, but it can also be made of other FRP resins, metal, or wood.

[0040] This outer tube 5 is supported by a support member 7 against the core material 3, and a clearance 29 and a gap 27 are set.

[0041] The support member 7 is partially positioned axially between the outer tube 5 and the core material 3, and elastically supports the outer tube 5 so that it can be displaced relative to the core material 3. The displacement of the outer tube 5 is permitted within the range of the gap 27. For this reason, the gap 27 is a space filled with air, but it may be filled with other gases, etc. Also, the gap 27 may be filled with a material that has lower rigidity than the support member 7.

[0042] The support member 7 in this embodiment includes a first support member 31 and a second support member 33 provided at two locations in the axial direction of the outer tube 5. The support member 7 may consist of one or more members.

[0043] In the axial direction, the first support member 31 is positioned towards the tip, and the second support member 33 is positioned towards the base. In this embodiment, the first support member 31 is positioned around the sweet spot of the hitting section 25 in the axial direction. The second support member 33 is positioned at the base end of the outer tube 5 in the axial direction. However, the axial positions of the first support member 31 and the second support member 33 are not limited as long as they support the outer tube 5 with a gap 27 relative to the core material 3.

[0044] These first and second support members 31 and 33 are formed in a circumferential shape corresponding to the shape of the outer tube 5 and the core material 3. In this embodiment, the circumferential shape of the first and second support members 31 and 33 is a continuous ring shape in the circumferential direction. However, the first and second support members 31 and 33 may be a circumferential shape provided intermittently in the circumferential direction or a non-circumferential shape provided partially in the circumferential direction. The first and second support members 31 and 33 may also be spiral-shaped or the like.

[0045] The first support member 31 has a circular inner and outer circumference, and its inner and outer diameters are constant along the axial direction. As a result, the radial dimension of the first support member 31, which is half the difference between the inner and outer diameters, is also constant along the axial direction. The axial dimension of the first support member 31 is larger than the radial dimension of the first support member 31.

[0046] The second support member 33 has an inner diameter that is constant along the axial direction, and an outer diameter that gradually increases from the base end to the tip end. The axial dimension of the second support member 33 is smaller than its radial dimension. This radial dimension of the second support member 33 is larger than the radial dimension of the first support member 31. Note that the radial dimension of the second support member 33 refers to the largest part in this embodiment.

[0047] The first and second support members 31 and 33 are bonded to the outer tube 5 and core material 3, respectively, at their outer and inner circumferences. This bonding connects the first and second support members 31 and 33 to the outer tube 5 and core material 3 in the circumferential direction. However, the bonding method is not limited to bonding.

[0048] These first and second support members 31 and 33 can each be made of a viscoelastic material such as a thermosetting or thermoplastic foamed polyurethane elastomer, foamed polystyrene elastomer, foamed olefin elastomer, or foamed silicone elastomer.

[0049] The material, radial dimensions, axial dimensions, and axial positions of the first support member 31 and the second support member 33 should be set appropriately considering the characteristics required of the butt 1.

[0050] The sealing member 9 is positioned on the tip side of the core material 3 relative to the first support member 31 of the support member 7, and closes the space between the outer tube 5 and the core material 3. Here, closing means closing to a degree that prevents the entry of foreign matter such as dirt.

[0051] Furthermore, if there are multiple support members 7 as in this embodiment, the sealing member 9 is positioned further forward than the support member 7 located at the very front (first support member 31). The sealing member 9 can also be omitted.

[0052] In this embodiment, the sealing member 9 is positioned with an axial gap between it and the first support member 31. However, the sealing member 9 may be positioned adjacent to the first support member 31 without any axial gap.

[0053] In this embodiment, the sealing member 9 is located on the inner circumference of the tip portion 5a of the outer tube 5. This sealing member 9 is positioned flush with the tip portion 5a of the outer tube 5. Therefore, the sealing member 9 faces the head portion 17 with an axial clearance 29, similar to the tip portion 5a of the outer tube 5. However, the axial position of the sealing member 9 is not limited.

[0054] The clearance 29 should be provided axially between the seal member 9 and the part of the tip 5a of the outer tube 5 that is closest to the head portion 17 in the axial direction, and the head portion 17. Therefore, if the seal member 9 protrudes axially from the tip 5a of the outer tube 5 toward the tip, a clearance 29 is set between the seal member 9 and the head portion 17.

[0055] Furthermore, the clearance 29 can be omitted. In this case, the sealing member 9 and the part of the tip 5a of the outer tube 5 that is closest to the head portion 17 in the axial direction will come into contact with the head portion 17 to the extent that it does not hinder the displacement of the outer tube 5.

[0056] The sealing member 9 is made of urethane, rubber, silicone, etc., and has a circumferential shape, being a continuous ring in the circumferential direction. The sealing member 9 has a constant inner and outer diameter in the axial direction, and its outer and inner circumferences are bonded to the outer tube 5 and core material 3, respectively. The axial dimensions of the sealing member 9 are smaller than those of the first support member 31 and second support member 33 of the support member 7.

[0057] The sealing member 9 has lower rigidity than the support member 7 due to its material, axial and radial dimensions, etc. As a result, the sealing member 9 does not affect the deformation of the support member 7.

[0058] Furthermore, the material and shape of the sealing member 9 should be set appropriately so that its rigidity is lower than that of the support member 7.

[0059] [The effects of the bat] Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the bat during ball contact, with a portion omitted.

[0060] When the bat 1 strikes the ball B, as shown in Figure 4, the outer tube 5 of the hitting section 25 collides with the ball B on one radial side. At this time, the ball B presses the outer tube 5 of the hitting section 25 to the other radial side. This pressing causes the support members 7 that support the outer tube 5 of the bat 1, particularly the first support member 31, to be compressed on one radial side and stretched on the other radial side.

[0061] The second support member 33 is compressed on one side in the radial direction, but its radial dimensions are small and the amount of compression is also small. For this reason, this embodiment will mainly describe the first support member 31. One side in the radial direction refers to the side in the radial direction separated by the axis of symmetry passing through the center of the cross-section of the butt 1, and the other side in the radial direction refers to the side opposite to the one side in the radial direction separated by the axis of symmetry.

[0062] The compression of the first support member 31 causes the outer tube 5 to be displaced toward the core material 3 on one radial side. Subsequently, the ball B is supported by the core material 3 via the first support member 29 of the support member 7, which is displaced on one radial side and compressed, and deforms. Therefore, the bat 1 of this embodiment can cause a bending effect in the hitting area 25, and can suppress the deformation of the ball B during hitting.

[0063] In this case, the tip 5a of the outer tube 5 and the sealing member 9 do not come into contact with the head portion 17 due to the clearance 29, allowing the displacement of the outer tube 5 and the deformation of the support member 7 to proceed smoothly. Therefore, the deformation of the ball B during impact is suppressed more reliably.

[0064] Although foreign matter such as dirt may enter the clearance 29, the entry of foreign matter into the hitting area 25 is suppressed by the sealing member 9 located on the inner circumference of the tip 5a of the outer tube 5. Furthermore, foreign matter in the clearance 29 will naturally fall out and be discharged because the clearance 29 is annular. Even if foreign matter is retained in the clearance 29, it can be discharged through impact, forced displacement of the outer tube 5, and deformation of the sealing member 9.

[0065] Furthermore, since the support member 7 includes a first support member 31 and a second support member 33 provided at two locations in the axial direction of the outer pipe 5, the outer pipe 5 is stably supported and its displacement can be stably controlled.

[0066] Therefore, the bat 1 of this embodiment can more reliably suppress the deformation of the ball B during batting.

[0067] Furthermore, since the support member 7 is provided separately from the sealing member 9, suitable materials can be used for both the sealing member 9 and the support member 7. Therefore, in this embodiment, the rigidity of the sealing member 9 can be made lower than that of the support member 7, and its rigidity can be further reduced to the point where it does not contribute to the rigidity of the support member 7.

[0068] As a result, the deformation of the support member 7 is not hindered by the sealing member 9, and the displacement of the outer tube 5 can be easily performed. At the same time, reliable closing by the sealing member 9 is also possible.

[0069] Furthermore, by using a low-rigidity material for the support member 7, it is possible to reduce the density and thus the weight.

[0070] Since the support member 7 and the sealing member 9 are positioned with an axial gap between them, mutual interference due to deformation during compression when the outer pipe 5 is displaced can be suppressed. Therefore, the displacement of the outer pipe 5 can be made smoother and more stable. Moreover, by setting the axial gap between the support member 7 and the sealing member 9, the first support member 31 can be positioned near the sweet spot, thereby improving performance.

[0071] In this way, in this embodiment, the deformation of ball B during impact can be reliably suppressed, and a portion of the impact energy from the bat 1 is prevented from being consumed as deformation energy of ball B. Instead, a portion of the impact energy is stored as deformation energy of the support member 7.

[0072] The deformation energy stored in the support member 7 is converted into kinetic energy of the ball B via the outer tube 5 as the support member 7 stretches when the ball B bounces back.

[0073] Therefore, the bat 1 of this embodiment can reduce energy loss due to the deformation of the ball B during impact, and can improve the distance the ball B travels.

[0074] These effects can be achieved in all directions in the cross-section because the support member 7 has a circumferential shape. Furthermore, because the circumferential shape of the support member 7 is a continuous ring in the circumferential direction, the support member 7 can be easily assembled by sliding it from the base end side of the core material 3. [Examples]

[0075] Figure 5 is a partially omitted longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a bat according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. In Embodiment 2, the basic configuration is the same as that of Embodiment 1, so the same reference numerals are used for corresponding components, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0076] In this embodiment, the butt 1 omits the sealing member 9 and has a head portion 17 at the tip of the outer tube 5, with the space between the head portion 15 and the outer tube 5 closed. The head portion 17 is provided separately from the outer tube 5 and attached to the outer tube 5. However, the head portion 17 may be integrated with the outer tube 5.

[0077] The core material 3 has a shape that omits the head portion 17 compared to Example 1, and the tip portion 3a is configured as a cylinder. The tip portion 3a of the core material 3 is positioned relative to the outer tube 5 having the head portion 17 with an axial clearance 29 and a radial gap 27. Otherwise, it is the same as Example 1.

[0078] In this second example, the same effects and advantages as in the first example can be achieved. [Examples]

[0079] Figure 6 is a partially omitted longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a bat according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Note that in Embodiment 3, the basic configuration is the same as in Embodiment 1, so the same reference numerals are used for corresponding components, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0080] In this embodiment, the butt 1 omits the sealing member 9 and is configured such that the tip 5a of the outer tube 5 and the head portion 17 are connected by an elastic body 35.

[0081] The elastic body 35 is annular in shape, and both axial ends are connected to the tip 5a and head portion 17 of the outer tube 5, respectively. This closes the space between the outer tube 5 and the head portion 17. The elastic body 35 is made of urethane, rubber, silicone, etc., and stretches between the outer tube 5 and the head portion 17, thereby allowing displacement of the outer tube 5. Otherwise, it is the same as in Example 1.

[0082] In this third example, the same effects and advantages as in the first example can be achieved. [Examples]

[0083] Figure 7 is a partially omitted longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a bat according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention. In Embodiment 3, the basic configuration is the same as that of Embodiment 1, so the same reference numerals are used for corresponding components, and redundant explanations are omitted.

[0084] In this embodiment, the butt 1 is configured with a projection 9a on the sealing member 9. This projection 9a is the part of the sealing member 9 and the tip 5a of the outer tube 5 that is closest in the axial direction to the head portion 17.

[0085] Specifically, the protrusion 9a projects axially from the tip 5a of the outer tube 5 toward the head portion 17. The shape of the protrusion 9a is spherical, but is not particularly limited. Furthermore, the protrusion 9a can be provided continuously or intermittently along the circumferential direction of the sealing member 9.

[0086] In this embodiment 4, the same effects and advantages as in embodiment 1 can be achieved. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0087] 1 bat 3 Core material 5 Outer tube 5a Tip 7. Support Member 9. Sealing member 17 Head section 27 gaps 29 Clearance 31 First support member 33 Second support member B Ball

Claims

1. A rod-shaped core material, An outer tube is positioned radially outside the core material with a gap between them, A support member is partially positioned axially between the outer tube and the core material and elastically supports the outer tube so that it can be displaced relative to the core material. A sealing member is provided between the outer tube and the core material, which is positioned on the tip side of the core material relative to the support member and has lower rigidity than the support member. A head portion provided at the axial end of the core material, A bat equipped with [unclear / unclear].

2. A bat according to claim 1, The sealing member is arranged with respect to the support member at an interval in the axial direction. bat.

3. A bat according to claim 1, The support member has a circumferential shape. bat.

4. A bat according to claim 1, The support member is ring-shaped and continuous in the circumferential direction. bat.

5. A bat according to claim 1, The support member includes a first support member and a second support member provided at two locations in the axial direction of the outer tube. bat.

6. A bat according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The sealing member is located on the inner circumference of the tip of the outer tube, bat.

7. A rod-shaped core material, An outer tube is positioned radially outside the core material with a gap between them, A support member is partially positioned axially between the outer tube and the core material and elastically supports the outer tube so that it can be displaced relative to the core material. A sealing member is provided between the outer tube and the core material, which is positioned on the tip side of the core material relative to the support member and has lower rigidity than the support member. The core material comprises a head portion provided at the axial end of the core, The sealing member and the tip of the outer tube have an axial clearance between the portion closest to the head portion in the axial direction and the head portion. bat.

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