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.

1 . A bat comprising: 
 a barrel;    an integrated stem axially aligned with the barrel;    a handle surrounding the stem; and    an elastomeric decoupler so mounted between the stem and the handle of the bat as to isolate the handle from shocks and vibrations set up in the bat.    
   
   
       2 . A bat as defined in  claim 1  which comprises: 
 a knob attachment component at a proximate end of the bat handle;    a knob fixed to the attachment component; and    a spacer surrounding the stem and extending between the knob and the nearest end of the bat handle.    
   
   
       3 . A bat as defined in  claim 1  wherein: 
 a transition segment of the barrel extending from the proximate end of the bat handle toward the distal end of the bat is tapered; and    the handle laps onto the tapered barrel segment.    
   
   
       4 . A bat as defined in  claim 1  wherein the barrel and stem of the bat are fabricated from an alloy or a composite material.  
   
   
       5 . A bat comprising: 
 a stem;    a knob attached to the stem;    a handle surrounding the stem; and    an elastomeric DTMS device housed in the knob;    the DTMS device and the knob having facing surfaces; and    the bat comprising an element independent of the DTMS device positively spacing the surface of the DTMS device from the facing surface of the knob.    
   
   
       6 . A bat as defined in  claim 5  wherein the DTMS-independent element comprises a feature of the knob.  
   
   
       7 . A bat as defined in  claim 5  in which there are a plurality of knob-associated spacing features and wherein those features are grouped around a longitudinal axis of the knob.  
   
   
       8 . A bat as defined in  claim 5  wherein: 
 the DTMS device has an element extending into the stem of the bat; and    the DTMS-independent element comprises a pin extending from side to side through the stem of the bat and that element of the DTMS device in the stem.    
   
   
       9 . A bat comprising: 
 a stem;    a handle surrounding the stem; and    a grip comprising an array of progressive resistance elements;    the grip surrounding the handle of the bat.    
   
   
       10 . A bat as defined in  claim 9  wherein: 
 the grip is an elongated member fabricated of an elastomeric material; and    the member is wrapped around the handle of the bat.    
   
   
       11 . A bat as defined in  claim 10  in which the grip: 
 comprises a substrate; and    the progressive resistance elements are integral with and protrude from the base.    
   
   
       12 . A bat as defined in  claim 9  wherein each of the progressive resistance elements has therein a recess which opens onto a side of the progressive resistance element on the opposite side of the element from the base.  
   
   
       13 . A bat comprising: 
 a stem;    a handle surrounding the stem; and    a damper surrounding the stem at a location intermediate opposite ends of the handle;    the damper being 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.    
   
   
       14 . A bat as defined in  claim 13  wherein the damper is a band of elastomeric material fixed to the stem of the bat.  
   
   
       15 . A bat which comprises: 
 a stem and barrel with communicating hollow interiors;    a knob with a hollow interior;    a knob attachment component;    an elastomeric DTMS device with 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 providing fluid communication from the interior of the knob to: (1) the ambient surroundings, and/or (2) the communicating hollow interiors of the bat stem and barrel.    
   
   
       16 . A bat as defined in  claim 15  wherein: 
 the DTMS device has a second, adjoining element in the stem of the bat; and    the pressure relief system comprises a bore extending from end to end through, and opening onto external surfaces of, the elements of the DTMS device, one end of the bore communicating with the interior of the stem and a second end of the bore communicating with the interior of the knob.    
   
   
       17 . A bat as defined in  claim 16  wherein the pressure relief system comprises gaps between external surfaces of the knob-housed element of the DTMS device and facing internal surfaces of the knobs, the gaps communicating with a second end of the passage through the elements of the DTMS device.  
   
   
       18 . A bat as defined in  claim 15  wherein the pressure relief system comprises: 
 a port through the knob of the bat; and    gaps between external surfaces of the knob-housed DTMS element and facing internal surfaces of the knob, the gaps communicating with the ambient surroundings through the port in the knob.    
   
   
       19 . A bat as defined in  claim 15  wherein: 
 the DTMS device has a second, adjoining element in the stem of the bat;    the pressure relief system comprises a passage defined by a recess opening onto a surface of the second DTMS element and the stem of the bat; and    one end of the passage communicates with the interior of the knob; and    a second, opposite end of the passage communicates with the interior of the bat stem.    
   
   
       20 . A bat which comprises: 
 a barrel;    a stem integrated with and extending axially from the barrel;    a handle surrounding and spaced from the stem;    an elastomeric decoupler so mounted between the stem and handle of the bat as to isolate the handle from shocks and vibrations set up in the stem of the bat;    a hollow knob mounted to the stem of the bat at a proximate end of the stem; and    a damper device housed in the knob of the bat.    
   
   
       21 . A bat as defined in  claim 20  which has a shock/vibration damping grip surrounding the handle of the bat.  
   
   
       22 . A bat as defined in  claim 21  wherein the decoupler, the knob-housed DTMS device, and the grip are all formed of elastomeric material.  
   
   
       23 . A bat as defined in  claim 21  wherein the grip is a spirally wound wrap.  
   
   
       24 . A bat as defined in  claim 21  wherein the grip comprises: 
 a base and an array of integral, progressive resistance elements protruding from one side of the base.    
   
   
       25 . A bat as defined in  claim 24  wherein each of the progressive resistance elements has therein a recess which opens onto an exposed side of the element opposite the base.  
   
   
       26 . A bat as defined in  claim 20  which has a sound deadening damper interposed between the stem and the handle of the bat at a location intermediate the ends of the handle, the damper being so dimensioned and configured as to be contactable by the handle of the bat coincident with flexing of the bat stem and/or the handle.  
   
   
       27 . A bat as defined in  claim 20  wherein: 
 the DTMS device has a head housed in the hollow bat knob and an integral stem extending into the end of the bat stem;    the stem of the DTMS device being in contact with interior wall surfaces of the bat stem; and    the head having edge portions which are free of contact with the interior surfaces of the knob and are consequently free to so distort as to modify the decay times of shocks and vibrations set up in the stem of the bat and transmitted to the head of the device via its stem.    
   
   
       28 . A bat as defined in  claim 20  which has a static mechanism positively maintaining the head of the DTMS device out of contact with an end wall of the knob.  
   
   
       29 . A bat as defined in  claim 28  wherein the static mechanism comprises one of the following: 
 one or more integral projections which extend inwardly from a wall of the bat knob into contact with a central portion of the DTMS device, or a pin which extends seriatim through the stem of the bat and the stem of the DTMS device.    
   
   
       30 . A bat as defined in  claim 28  wherein: 
 the knob of the bat is assembled to the bat handle by welding; and    the bat comprises a pressure relief system for so venting the interior of the knob to the ambient surroundings and/or to the stem and barrel of the bat as to keep those gases heated in the knob of the bat during welding from being forced into and weakening the weld.