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Last Updated: March 29, 2024

Claims for Patent: 8,083,620


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Summary for Patent: 8,083,620
Title:Ball bats
Abstract: Ball bats comprising a stem and a handle surrounding the stem. An elastomeric decoupler system installed in the handle sharply reduces the transmission of shocks and vibrations from the stem to the handle, mitigating stinging and other unpleasant sensations experienced by the batter when a ball is struck. Unpleasant sensations can be further reduced by installing a DTMS damping device in the knob of the bat and by installing an elastomeric grip on the handle of the bat; and the unpleasant sound made when a bat strikes the ground or the like can be materially reduced by a device attached to the stem of the bat intermediate the ends of the handle. The present inventions are particularly adaptable to hollow, metal bats; and provision is made for venting the knob of the bat when it is welded in place so hot gases will not be forced into, and reduce the integrity of, the weld. Appropriate ones of the devices described above may also advantageously be employed in wood, composite, and other bats.
Inventor(s): Sims; Steven C. (Shelton, WA), Sims; Gary (Shelton, WA), Winters; Greg (Shelton, WA), Seil; Jonathan F. (Shelton, WA)
Assignee: Sims Vibration Laboratory, Inc. (Shelton, WA)
Application Number:13/066,109
Patent Claims:1. A bat comprising: a barrel; a stem axially aligned in end-to-end relationship with the barrel; a handle surrounding and spaced from the stem; a knob assembled to the stem at one end of the stem; and first and second, elastomeric, shock and vibration mitigating/handle suspension devices mounted between the stem and the handle of the bat only at opposite ends of the handle to isolate the handle from shocks and vibrations set up in the barrel of the bat and to support the handle from the stem; the first of the suspension devices being adjacent, but spaced along the length of, the stem from the knob.

2. A bat as defined in claim 1 which comprises: the handle; a grip comprising an array of contiguous, progressive resistance pillars which are fabricated from an elastomeric material; the grip further comprising a substrate which is fabricated from an elastomeric material and which surrounds and contacts the handle of the bat; the progressive resistance elements being integral with and protruding from an exposed side of the substrate of the grip; and the progressive resistance elements having the capability of elastically deflecting, bending, compressing, and/or stretching in response to the exertion of pressure on those elements.

3. A bat as defined in claim 2 wherein the pillars have configurations which are regular polygons or ellipses as viewed from exposed ends of the pillars.

4. A bat as defined in claim 1 which further comprises: a non-adjustable, shock/vibration damper surrounding, and attached directly to, the stem in the handle at a location intermediate opposite ends of the handle; the damper being: (a) fabricated in its entirety from an elastomeric material, and (b) so dimensioned and configured as to be free of contact with the handle in the absence of a force effecting flexure between the stem and the bat handle.

5. A bat as defined in claim 1 which further comprises: the barrel having a hollow interior which communicates with a hollow interior of the stem; the knob having a hollow interior; a knob attachment component; an elastomeric shock and vibration decay time shortening device which has an element in the knob; a weld attaching the knob to the knob attachment component; and a pressure relief system which keeps those gases in the knob that are heated as the weld is made from being forced into and weakening the weld, the pressure relief system: (a) being free of communication with the exterior of the knob and providing fluid communication from the interior of the knob to the communicating hollow interiors of the stem and the barrel; and (b) comprising a discrete passage extending continuously and completely through the decay time shortening device and communicating at its opposite ends with the hollow interior of the knob and the hollow interior of the stem.

6. A bat which comprises: a barrel; a hollow stem integrated with and extending axially from the barrel; a handle surrounding and spaced from the stem; and radially configured, elastomeric, shock and vibration mitigating/handle suspension devices mounted between the stem and the handle of the bat only at opposite ends of the handle to isolate the handle from shocks and vibrations set up in the barrel of the bat and to support the handle from the stem; a hollow knob mounted to the stem of the bat at a proximate end of the stem; an elastomeric damper housed in the knob of the bat; and a shock/vibration damping grip surrounding the handle of the bat; the first of the suspension devices being adjacent, but spaced along the length of, the stem from the knob; and the grip comprising: a substrate which is fabricated from an elastomeric material and which surrounds and contacts the handle of the bat; and progressive resistance elements integral with and protruding from an exposed side of the substrate; the progressive resistance elements having the capability of elastically deflecting, bending, compressing, and/or stretching in response to the exertion of pressure on those elements.

7. A bat as defined in claim 6 which further comprises: the progressive resistance elements comprising an array of contiguous, progressive resistance pillars which are fabricated from an elastomeric material.

8. A bat as defined in claim 7 wherein the pillars have configurations which are regular polygons or ellipses as viewed from exposed ends of the pillars.

9. A bat as defined in claim 6 which further comprises: a non-adjustable, shock/vibration damper surrounding, and attached directly to, the stem in the handle at a location intermediate opposite ends of the handle; the damper being: (a) fabricated in its entirety from an elastomeric material, and (b) so dimensioned and configured as to be free of contact with the handle in the absence of a force effecting flexure between the stem and the bat handle.

10. A bat as defined in claim 6: wherein there is communication between the hollow interior of the stem and the hollow interior of the barrel; and the bat further comprises: a knob attachment component; an elastomeric shock and vibration decay time shortening device which has an element in the knob; a weld attaching the knob to the knob attachment component; and a pressure relief system which keeps those gases in the knob that are heated as the weld is made from being forced into and weakening the weld, the pressure relief system: (a) being free of communication with the exterior of the knob and providing fluid communication from the interior of the knob to the communicating hollow interiors of the bat stem and barrel; and (b) comprising a discrete passage extending continuously and completely through the decay time shortening device and communicating at its opposite ends with the hollow interior of the knob and the hollow interior of the stem.

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