Reconfigurable ball bat and method

• US 7,014,580 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2004
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Composites Design Services, LLC, Hoon/Forsythe Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hoon/Forsythe Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Hoon, Douglas M., Forsythe, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham, Mark S.
• Application Number:
  US10/778,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20040224803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 767 Days
• Field of Search: 473564-568, 473/519, 473/520, 473/457
• US Class Current: 473/566
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• 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 60/02 Ballast means for adjusting the centre of mass A63B60/24, A63B60/54 take precedence

Abstract

A baseball or softball bat configured to allow the removal and replacement of a barrel assembly of the bat for enabling selection of a barrel having particular performance characteristics or simply if the barrel is damaged. Alternatively, the barrel assembly may be selectively changed to meet certain regulation requirements. In particular, the barrel assembly or other bat component can also include a ballast for selectively providing the ball bat with a particular weight. The ballast can be provided as a tube of thin film in the barrel assembly. The thin film ballast tube also forms a tamper resistant shield to inhibit modification of components inside the barrel section. In one aspect, one or more components of the ball bat can be provided as a kit. In one aspect, the kit may be a barrel assembly kit. In another aspect, the ball bat can be made by forming and assembling the components.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable ball bat comprising:

a center tube;

a barrel assembly adapted to be supported on the center tube, the barrel assembly including a transition piece on a proximal end of the barrel assembly and an end cap on a distal end of the barrel assembly;

the end cap having a through hole defined by at least one ledge with a distal face, the ledge having a recess in the distal face;

an end plug fixed in a distal end of the center tube, the end plug having an enlarged head;

wherein;

the enlarged head is positioned in the recess when the ball bat is in an assembled state with the barrel assembly securely supported on the center tube; and

the barrel assembly further comprises a ballast tube supported on the transition piece and on the end cap, the ballast tube forming a tamper resistant barrier for an inner surface of a barrel of the barrel assembly.

2. A reconfigurable ball bat comprising:

a center tube;

a barrel assembly adapted to be supported on the center tube, the barrel assembly including a transition piece on a proximal end of the barrel assembly and an end cap on a distal end of the barrel assembly;

the end cap having a through hole defined by at least one ledge with a distal face, the ledge having a recess in the distal face;

an end plug fixed in a distal end of the center tube, the end plug having an enlarged head;

a resilient member on the center tube and a stop member fixed on the center tube proximally of the resilient member;

wherein;

the resilient member resiliently biases the barrel assembly distally during installation of the barrel assembly on the center tube and during movement of the enlarged head through the through hole and into the recess; and

the enlarged head is positioned in the recess when the ball bat is in an assembled state with the barrel assembly securely supported on the center tube.

3. The reconfigurable ball bat of claim 2, wherein:

at least one of the stop member and the center tube has a plurality of color coded regions;

the transition piece engages the resilient member and extends into at least one of the regions during installation of the barrel assembly on the center tube; and

wherein the transition piece extends into overlying relation relative to a region having a visual indicator representing a secure attachment when the enlarged head is securely positioned in the recess.

4. A reconfigurable ball bat comprising:

a center tube;

a barrel assembly adapted to be supported on the center tube, the barrel assembly including a transition piece on a proximal end of the barrel assembly and an end cap on a distal end of the barrel assembly;

the end cap having a through hole defined by at least one ledge with a distal face, the ledge having a recess in the distal face;

an end plug fixed in a distal end of the center tube, the end plug having an enlarged head;

a threaded sleeve fixed to the center tube and a threaded nut on the center tube for engagement with the threaded sleeve;

wherein;

the threaded nut urges the barrel assembly distally during installation of the barrel assembly on the center tube and movement of the enlarged head through the through hole and into the recess; and

the enlarged head is positioned in the recess when the ball bat is in an assembled state with the barrel assembly securely supported on the center tube.

5. The reconfigurable ball bat of claim 4, wherein:

at least one of the threaded sleeve and the center tube has a plurality of color coded regions;

the threaded nut engages the transition piece and extends into an overlying relation relative to at least one of the regions during installation of the barrel assembly on the center tube; and

wherein the threaded nut extends into overlying relation relative to a region having a color representing a secure attachment when the enlarged head is securely positioned in the recess.

6. A reconfigurable ball bat comprising:

a center tube;

a barrel assembly adapted to be supported on the center tube, the barrel assembly including a transition piece on a proximal end of the barrel assembly and an end cap on a distal end of the barrel assembly;

the end cap having a through hole defined by at least one ledge with a distal face, the ledge having a recess in the distal face;

an end plug fixed in a distal end of the center tube, the end plug having an enlarged head;

a fixed member engaged by a biasing member, the biasing member exerting a force against the fixed member in a proximal direction during locking of the barrel assembly on the center tube, the biasing member adapted to simultaneously urge the barrel assembly distally relative to the center tube during locking of the barrel assembly;

the biasing member, fixed member, and center tube further comprising color coded regions and at least one indicator; and

wherein;

the at least one indicator extends into an at least partially overlying relation relative to one of the color coded regions representing a secure attachment when the enlarged head is securely urged into the recess in a locked position; and

the enlarged head is positioned in the recess when the ball bat is in an assembled state with the barrel assembly securely supported on the center tube.

7. A reconfigurable ball bat comprising:

a center tube;

a barrel assembly adapted to be supported on the center tube, the barrel assembly including a transition piece on a proximal end of the barrel assembly and an end cap on a distal end of the barrel assembly;

the end cap having a through hole defined by at least one ledge with a distal face, the ledge having a recess in the distal face;

an end plug fixed in a distal end of the center tube, the end plug having an enlarged head;

wherein the enlarged head is positioned in the recess when the ball bat is in an assembled state with the barrel assembly securely supported on the center tube;

the reconfigurable ball bat further comprising a first center tube assembly including at least the center tube and the end plug wherein;

the center tube is a first center tube;

the end plug is a first end plug; and

the ball bat further comprises at least a second center tube assembly so that the ball bat includes a plurality of center tube assemblies that selectively and removably receive the barrel assembly.

8. The reconfigurable ball bat of claim 7, wherein the pluralities of center tube assemblies have a predetermined variety of weights and weight distributions based on predetermined weights, configurations and placement of components of the center tube assemblies.

9. A reconfigurable ball bat comprising:

a center tube;

a barrel assembly adapted to be supported on the center tube, the barrel assembly including a transition piece on a proximal end of the barrel assembly and an end cap on a distal end of the barrel assembly;

the end cap having a through hole defined by at least one ledge with a distal face, the ledge having a recess in the distal face;

an end plug fixed in a distal end of the center tube, the end plug having an enlarged head;

a safety pin supported on and protruding radially outwardly from the center tube; and

an axially extending groove on a radially inner surface of the transition piece for slidably receiving the safety pin;

wherein the enlarged head is positioned in the recess when the ball bat is in an assembled state with the barrel assembly securely supported on the center tube.