Composite bat having a multiple tube structure

• US 7,883,434 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2006
• Issued: 02/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: PrIncorporatede Sports Incorporated (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Prince Sports Incorporated (Authentic Brands Group, LLC)
• Inventors: Davis, Stephen J., Pozzobon, Michele, Pinaffo, Mauro, Pezzato, Mauro, Gazzara, Roberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Graham; Mark S
• Application Number:
  US11/509,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20080051230A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,627 Days
• Field of Search: 473560-568, 473549-551, 473/519, 473/520, 473/457, 473/316
• US Class Current: 473/567
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/01 Special aerodynamic features, e.g. airfoil shapes, wings or air passages
• 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 59/52 made of wood or bamboo
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 59/54 made of plastic
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/50 with through-holes A63B60/18 takes precedence; for stringing purposes A63B49/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 60/54 with means for damping vibrations

Abstract

A structure for a bat is described by using multiple composite tubes bonded to one another, wherein apertures, or “ports,” are molded between the tubes to improve the stiffness, strength, aerodynamics and comfort of the bat.

Claims

1. A bat having a longitudinal axis;

a tip end;

a butt end;

a handle portion extending from said butt end;

a hitting portion, with a cross-section larger than said handle portion, extending from said tip and coupled to said handle portion, wherein at least a portion of said bat further comprises;

two or more hollow tubes, each tube having a length, the tubes being coextensive along at least a part of their lengths and having facing surfaces along said part, wherein portions of said facing surfaces are fused together along fused portions so as to form an integral interior wall of the shaft, and wherein said tubes have non-facing surfaces which form external surfaces of the bat, and wherein said interior wall extends from an external surface of one hollow tube through the interior of the bat to the exterior surface of another hollow tube;

wherein said facing surfaces are separated from one another at one or more locations between fused portions such that the walls of the facing surfaces at the separated locations define one or more ports which extend through the bat in a direction at least generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, the ports being defined by separated, facing surfaces of the tubes, wherein said ports are formed without forming holes through either tube; and

wherein the facing surfaces of the two or more tubes comprise a composite material including a plurality of fiber layers, the composite material extending continuously along said fused portions and the one or more locations at which the facing surfaces are separated to form one or more ports.

2. The bat defined in claim 1, further comprising a connecting portion coupling said handle portion and said hitting portion, wherein at least one of said handle portion, said connecting portion, and said hitting portion contain said two or more hollow tubes.

3. The bat defined in claim 1, wherein said hollow tubes are composed of a composite material.

4. The bat defined in claim 2, wherein at least one of said ports is formed in said connecting portion.

5. The bat defined in claim 1, wherein said walls of said ports are shaped to form a double opposing arch structure.

6. The bat defined in claim 1, wherein said bat contains at least two of said ports which have different axial orientations with respect to the longitudinal axis of said bat.

7. The bat defined in claim 1, wherein said bat contains at least two of said ports which vary in size from one another.

8. The bat defined in claim 1, wherein said bat contains at least two of said ports which vary in shape from one another.

9. The bat defined in claim 1, wherein a portion of said bat formed of at least two hollow tubes is joined end-to-end with a portion of said bat formed of a single tube.

10. The bat defined in claim 9, wherein said portion of said bat formed of a single tube is composed of a material selected from a group comprising metal, plastic, wood, and a composite material.

11. The bat defined in claim 9, wherein said portion of said bat formed of a single tube is bonded to said portion of said bat formed of two or more tubes.

12. The bat defined in claim 1 having one or more ports having axes oriented in a first direction and one or more ports having axes oriented in a second direction.

13. The bat defined in claim 1, wherein a portion of said bat is formed of a first tube, a second tube, a third tube, and a fourth tube, each tube having two walls facing and bonded to, along portions of their length, walls of two adjacent tubes forming internal reinforcing walls which are oriented at approximately 90 degrees relative to one another.

14. A bat as defined in claim 13, wherein said walls of said first tube and said second tube are separated from the facing walls of said third tube and said fourth tube at one or more locations to form one or more ports oriented in a first direction.

15. The bat defined in claim 14, wherein said walls of said first tube and said third tube are separated from the facing walls of said second tube and said fourth tube at one or more locations to form one or more ports oriented in a second direction.

16. A bat as defined in claim 6, wherein two of said ports are located on the same portion of said bat and further wherein the axes of said two of said ports are orientated perpendicular to each other.

17. The bat defined in claim 6 wherein two of said ports are located on different portions of said bat and further wherein the axes of said two of said ports are orientated perpendicular to each other.

18. The bat defined in claim 15, wherein one of said ports oriented in said first direction and one of said ports oriented in said second direction are located at the same axial location, forming a double port generally cross-shaped, said port having four openings oriented approximately 90 degrees with respect to one another.

19. The bat defined in claim 1, wherein a portion of said bat is formed of a first tube, a second tube, and a third tube, each tube having two walls, along portions of their length, facing and bonded to walls of two adjacent tubes, forming internal reinforcing walls which are oriented at approximately 120 degrees relative to one another.

20. The bat defined in claim 19, wherein said facing walls of said first tube and said second tube, said facing walls of said second tube and said third tube, and said facing walls of said first tube and said third tube are separated from one another at the same axial location, forming a Y-shaped port having three openings whose respective axes are oriented at 120 degrees relative to one another.

21. The bat defined in claim 1, wherein along said fused portions, the facing surfaces are at least substantially flat.