Vibration dampener for metal ball bats and similar impact implements

• US 6,007,439 A
• Filed: 04/14/1997
• Issued: 12/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hillerich & Bradsby Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hillerich & Bradsby Company (Anta International Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: MacKay, Jack W. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US08/838,739
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 473/FOR 169, 473/318, 473/566, 473/332, 473/520, 473/568, 273/378
• US Class Current: 473/520
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/50 Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/51 made of metal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/06 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/16 Caps; Ferrules
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

Dampening of vibrations transmitted to the handle of a tubular metal ball bat or similar implement when the ball bat impacts with a ball or when a similar implement imparts or receives an impact force in spaced relation to a handle normally grasped by a user of the implement. Vibration dampening reduces the "sting" normally transmitted to the hand or hands of the user thereby enabling the user to be more proficient when wielding the bat or other implement. One disclosed vibration dampener embodiment comprises a body of resilient foam-like material having a cylindrical plug which extends into the proximal end of the bat handle and a peripheral flange extending outwardly into the hollow interior of the knob. An axial extension engages the interior surface of the proximal end of the knob, leaving the peripheral flange to oscillate or flex to absorb vibration imparted to the handle of the metal bat. A second disclosed vibration dampener comprises a cylindrical pressurized bladder extending substantially throughout the length of the bat handle, with the inflated bladder exerting an outward pressurized force against the interior surface of the handle. The pressurized bladder supports the tubular handle of the bat and reduces the vibrations that may be transmitted to the handle. The two embodiments can be used singly or in combination to attenuate vibrations imparted to the bat or other implement handle.

Claims

1. A metal ball bat having a tubular barrel including a hitting zone at a distal end, a handle at the proximal end, a transition zone connecting the handle and hitting zone, and a hollow unitary knob attached to the handler, said knob having a proximal end wall with an interior central area a vibration dampening device inserted in said handle and projecting into said unitary knob to dampen vibrations transmitted to the hands of a batter when the bat impacts a ball, wherein said vibration dampening device includes a body of soft, resilient, foam-like material of unitary construction having a stem inserted and anchored into a proximal end of the handle, and a peripheral flange extending beyond the periphery of the handle and into said hollow knob, said flange having its surfaces in spaced relation to the interior of the knob to enable flexing movement of the flange in all directions, wherein said flange includes an axial projection on a proximal surface thereof extending into contact with the interior central area of the proximal end wall of the knob.

2. The bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said body includes an axial passageway throughout the length thereof, said proximal end wall on the knob including an opening aligned with the passageway.

3. The bat as defined in claim 1 wherein said vibration dampening device also includes a separate pressurized bladder positioned in said handle engaging with and exerting an outward force on an interior surface of a peripheral wall of said handle.

4. The bat as defined in claim 3 wherein said bladder is cylindrical having a flexible and resilient peripheral wall in surface-to-surface contact with the interior surface of the peripheral wall of the handle.

5. The bat as defined in claim 4 wherein said bladder includes an inflation valve in a proximal end thereon.

6. A metal bat having a tubular barrel including a hitting zone at a distal end and a handle at a proximal end, said bat having a hollow portion therein, said hollow portion including a pressurized bladder positioned therein, said bladder not filling said bat hollow portion, said handle having a knob attached to said handle, said knob having an end wall, said pressurized bladder having a space between a proximal end of said pressurized bladder and said end wall of said knob.

7. The metal bat of claim 6, said pressurized bladder including an inflation valve in said proximal end thereof, said space having a vibration dampener inserted therein and projecting into said knob, said vibration dampener engaging said pressurized bladder and said end wall of said knob, said vibration dampener having a central bore therethrough aligned with said inflation valve in said pressurized bladder, said end wall of said knob having a central aperture aligned with said central bore in said vibration dampener, where said inflation valve can be accessed through said central aperture and said central bore.

8. The metal bat of claim 6, wherein said pressurized bladder is positioned in said handle engaging with and exerting an outward force on an interior surface of said handle.

9. The bat as defined in claim 6 wherein said bladder is generally cylindrical and includes a flexible and resilient peripheral wall in surface-to-surface contact with an interior surface of the handle, said bladder frictionally engaging and being anchored in the handle when inflated.

10. The bat as defined in claim 6 wherein said bladder extends a substantial portion of said handle and includes an end wall at said proximal end thereof receiving an inflation valve.

11. The bat as defined in claim 6 wherein said pressurized bladder is pressurized by a fluid selected from air, nitrogen, argon or large molecule gas.

12. The bat as defined in claim 6 wherein said pressurized bladder is pressurized to an internal pressurization between about 15 psi to about 50 psi.

13. The bat as defined in claim 12 wherein said pressurization level is between about 20 psi and about 30 psi.

14. A method of dampening the vibration in the handle of a tubular metal ball bat including a tubular barrel, said tubular barrel having a knob end, which comprises the steps of inserting a bladder having a flexible peripheral wall into said handle through an open end of the bat barrel and spacing said bladder from said knob end and pressurizing said bladder such that the flexible peripheral wall engages with the interior surface of the tubular barrel in said handle.

15. The method as defined in claim 14 and including the step of providing the bladder with a self sealing valve to enable inflation of the bladder after insertion into said handle.

16. The method as defined in claim 14 wherein said bladder is pressurized from slightly above atmospheric pressure to less than about 60 psi.

18. The bat as defined in claim 16, wherein said flange includes an axial projection on a proximal surface thereof extending into contact with an interior central area of a proximal end wall of the knob.

19. The bat as defined in claim 18, wherein said body includes an axial passageway throughout the length thereof, said proximal end wall on the knob including an opening aligned with the passageway.

17. A metal ball bat having a tubular barrel including a hitting zone at a distal end, a handle at the proximal end, a transition zone connecting the handle and hitting zone, and a hollow unitary knob attached to the handle, said knob having a vibration dampener inserted therein prior to said knob being attached to said handle, said vibration dampening device inserted in said handle and projecting into said knob to dampen vibrations transmitted to the hands of a batter when the bat impacts a ball, wherein said vibration dampening device includes a body of soft, resilient, foam-like material of unitary construction having a stem inserted and anchored into a proximal end of the handle, and a peripheral flange extending beyond the periphery of the handle and into said hollow knob, said flange having its surfaces in spaced relation to the interior of the knob to enable flexing movement of the flange in all directions.