Warm-up bat

• US 7,147,580 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2005
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nutter Sports LLC
• Original Assignee: Nutter Sports LLC
• Inventors: Maron, Robert A., Nutter, Mark E., Nutter, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Aryanpour, Mitra
• Application Number:
  US11/033,507
• Publication Number:
  US 20050153797A1
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 473/457, 473/437, 473/422, 473/519, 473/520, 473564-568
• US Class Current: 473/457
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/005 with a weight movable along the longitudinal axis of the club due to centrifugal forces
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/08 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/51 Force
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0062 Monitoring athletic performances, e.g. for determining the work of a user on an exercise apparatus, the completed jogging or cycling distance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0002 for baseball

Abstract

A warm-up bat includes a tubular shell with a handle section, a barrel section, and a tapered section connecting the handle section with the barrel section. The handle is attached at an end of the handle section of the bat. An end cap is attached at an end of the barrel section of the bat. A sliding weight mechanism is entirely contained within the barrel section of the bat, and is positionally supported on a shaft.

Claims

1. A warm-up bat comprising:

a tubular shell with a handle section, a barrel section, and a tapered section connecting the handle section with the barrel section;

a handle attached at an end of the handle section of the bat;

an end cap attached to an end of the barrel section of the bat opposite said tapered section;

a sliding weight mechanism;

said sliding weight mechanism being entirely contained within the barrel section of the bat, and positioned within the barrel section of the bat;

said sliding weight mechanism comprising;

an elongated shaft having a first end and a second end, said shaft first end affixed to said end cap, said shaft extending within the barrel section of said bat and terminating at said second end, said second end being located proximate to said tapered section of said bat;

a magnet affixed to the second end of said shaft by a bolt extending through said magnet and axially engaging said shaft second end;

a foam ball positioned on said shaft, said foam ball being located adjacent to said end capt; and

a magnetically attractable weight slidably supported on said shaft by at least one bushing disposed between said weight and said shaft, said weight being slidable along said shaft from said magnet to said foam ball;

wherein said weight is configured for being held by the magnet until a predetermined amount of force is applied to the weight through a swing of the bat, whereby the force of the magnet is overcome allowing the weight to slide on the shaft.

2. The warm-up bat of claim 1, wherein said at least one bushing is a pair of bushings.

3. The warm-up bat of claim 1, wherein said end cap includes a circular outer portion and a cylindrical inner portion, said cylindrical inner portion disposed within the barrel section of said bat;

and

said shaft first end is affixed to said end cap cylindrical inner portion by a roll pin through said cylindrical inner portion of said end cap and said shaft first end.

4. The warm-up bat of claim 1, wherein said shaft first end is affixed to said end cap by a bolt extending through said end cap and axially engaging said first end of said shaft.