Contoured Ball Bat Wall for BBCOR-Compliant Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing baseball and softball bats face challenges in meeting league or association rules that limit Bat-Ball Coefficient of Restitution (BBCOR) and Batted Ball Speed (BBS) while maximizing effectiveness and durability.
Innovation Solution
The design of ball bats with contoured inner surfaces featuring radially inwardly and outwardly curving portions, asymmetric distribution, and variable thickness along the length, optimized using computer-aided design to reduce weight and comply with performance regulations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If the bat wall thickness is reduced to decrease weight, then the bat weight decreases improving swing speed, but the bat strength and durability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The bat wall thickness is varied locally along its length, with thinner walls at the handle and thicker walls at the barrel. This allows weight reduction in less critical areas while maintaining strength where needed for durability and performance compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from uniform wall thickness to variable wall thickness along the longitudinal dimension of the bat. This dimensional variation enables optimization of both weight and strength by adjusting thickness at different positions rather than compromising overall durability for weight reduction.
2Reliability
If the bat design is optimized to maximize effectiveness and durability, then the bat performance improves, but the bat may violate league rules limiting BBCOR and BBS
Solution Approach 1:
The bat design optimizes parameters such as wall thickness distribution, contour shape, and material properties to achieve maximum effectiveness and durability while keeping BBCOR and BBS values within league-specified limits. This allows high performance within regulatory boundaries.
3Weight of moving object
If the bat wall is made thinner to reduce weight, then the weight decreases improving performance, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than requiring high precision throughout the entire bat wall, the invention applies varying thickness requirements locally - thinner sections where weight reduction is prioritized and thicker sections where structural integrity is critical. This reduces overall manufacturing precision requirements while achieving weight goals.
Data Source
AI summary
Representative embodiments of the present technology include a ball bat in which part of an inner surface of the bat wall has a contoured region including a plurality of radially inwardly curving portions and a plurality of radially outwardly curving portions. In some embodiments, the contoured region is asymmetric relative to a longitudinal center location of the contoured region. In some embodiments, the curving portions are unevenly distributed along the length of the contoured region. In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a ball bat includes generating a simulated body within a simulation region, the body having a starting geometry that is modified to include less material (less mass) while conforming to displacement limits associated with loads at specified loading locations, among other variables.