Baseball Bat Vibration Absorber with Threaded Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Metal and composite material baseball and softball bats vibrate upon impact, causing painful shock to the hands and arms of the batter, and existing multi-component bats with vibration dissipating characteristics are complex to manufacture and prone to structural failure.
Innovation Solution
A multi-component bat design featuring a vibration absorber made of elastomeric material molded onto the handle, with a secure attachment to the barrel using threaded connections and polymeric adhesive, providing effective shock dissipation and absorption while maintaining a simple and cost-effective manufacturing process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a multi-component bat design with vibration dissipating characteristics is implemented, then vibration and shock dissipation is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bat is divided into multiple components including a barrel, handle, and separate vibration absorber that can be assembled together. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while maintaining overall vibration dissipation performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The vibration absorber is constructed from composite materials including an elastomeric outer layer and a viscoelastic inner layer, combining the advantages of different materials to achieve effective vibration damping while controlling complexity.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a multi-component bat design with vibration dissipating characteristics is implemented, then vibration and shock dissipation is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration absorber is pre-formed as a separate component with integrated locking sections and engagement features, allowing for standardized manufacturing processes and reducing assembly complexity, which helps control manufacturing costs despite the multi-component design.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If existing multi-component bats with vibration dissipating characteristics are used, then vibration dissipation is improved, but reliability decreases due to structural failure
Solution Approach 1:
The vibration absorber is designed with locking sections and engagement features that create redundant connection points between components, providing structural reinforcement and preventing failure at connection points before they can fail under repeated use.
Solution Approach 2:
The use of composite materials in the vibration absorber, particularly the combination of elastomeric and viscoelastic layers, provides both vibration dissipation and enhanced structural integrity, improving reliability while maintaining the multi-component design benefits.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The bat effectively reduces vibrations and shock during impact, enhancing user comfort and durability, with a secure connection between components that resists failure over time.
Implementation Method 1
The vibration absorber is typically comprised of a shock absorbing material, such as an elastomeric material
Implementation Method 2
provide vibration and shock dissipating and absorbing characteristics
Implementation Method 3
An adhesive is disposed in the circumferential gap for adhering the vibration absorber to the barrel. The adhesive may comprise a polymeric material having shock absorbing characteristics.
Data Source
AI summary
A barrel of a baseball or softball bat is coupled to an end of a handle of the bat by means of a vibration absorber affixed to the end of the handle. Projections of a first locking section of the vibration absorber engage with depressions formed on an inner surface of the barrel. Adhesive disposed within gaps and channels of the vibration absorber adhere the vibration absorber to the barrel. A second locking section of the vibration absorber is attachable to a sleeve disposed over the handle. The sleeve may be of a material having shock absorbing or dissipating characteristics.