Ball Bat Launch Angle Boosters for Exit Velocity Trade-offs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ball bats struggle to enhance ball flight distance without sacrificing exit velocity, particularly at intermediate launch angles of 20-30 degrees, where harder hits often result in lower exit velocities due to strong impact quality and high efficiency in bat-ball collisions.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of circumferentially-spaced launch angle boosters along the barrel portion of the bat, which are angled between 3° and 12° from the longitudinal axis, enhance launch angle, exit velocity, and ball spin by varying the material or dimensional properties of the bat, such as grooves or dimples, to improve performance without increasing exit velocities at lower launch angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the bat provides strong impact quality and high efficiency in bat-ball collisions, then the ball launch angle increases, but the exit velocity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating non-uniform material distribution or dimensional variations in specific regions of the barrel portion. The launch angle boosters are positioned at circumferentially-spaced locations and angled at specific degrees (e.g., 5-15 degrees) relative to the longitudinal axis, creating localized property changes that selectively enhance launch angle in the 20-30 degree range while preserving exit velocity through optimized local structural characteristics.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by modifying material properties (such as density, stiffness, or elasticity) or dimensional parameters (such as wall thickness or groove depth) in the barrel portion. These parameter variations create regions that selectively influence ball trajectory and launch angle while maintaining overall bat performance characteristics, allowing independent optimization of launch angle and exit velocity.
2Length of moving object
If the bat construction is modified to improve performance, then the ball flight distance increases, but the bat complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the barrel portion into multiple circumferentially-spaced launch angle boosters rather than using a uniform construction. These segmented boosters are positioned at specific angular intervals and orientations, allowing independent optimization of each segment's contribution to ball flight while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular construction approaches.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials or composite structural approaches by combining different materials or structural configurations within the barrel portion. The launch angle boosters may utilize different material compositions or structural characteristics compared to the surrounding barrel material, creating a composite construction that achieves enhanced ball flight distance while managing overall complexity through material science solutions.
Data Source
AI summary
A bat customization method includes the steps of capturing images of a batter's swing, determining a swing plane angle of the batter's swing at ball impact at a middle elevation of a strike zone of the batter based upon the captured images, and providing a bat for the batter. The bat has circumferentially spaced launch angle boosters. Each of the launch angle boosters extends along the axis at an angle based upon the determined swing plane angle.