Ball bat having a segmented barrel

Abstract

A ball bat includes a segmented or decoupled barrel, which reduces the axial stiffness and BBCOR of the barrel, while providing little or no increase in the bat's moment of inertia. Segmenting the barrel, alone or in combination with other performance-reducing features, may be used to lower the BBCOR (or other specified performance characteristic) of the ball bat below the performance limits of a given regulatory association or other governing body.

1 . A ball bat including a handle connected to a barrel in an axial direction, with the barrel comprising:
 a radially inner wall;   a layer of a first adhesive material on a radially outer surface of the radially inner wall;   a plurality of circumferential, radially outer segments adhered to the radially inner wall via the first adhesive material, wherein the radially outer segments are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction; and   a second adhesive material adhering the radially outer segments to one another in the axial direction.   
     
     
         2 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein radially outer surfaces of the radially outer segments are flush with one another. 
     
     
         3 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the ball bat includes a tapered section between the barrel and the handle in the axial direction, and wherein the radially inner wall is not in contact with the tapered section or the handle of the ball bat. 
     
     
         4 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the ball bat includes a tapered section between the barrel and the handle in the axial direction, and wherein one end of the radially inner wall is integral with the tapered section, while a substantial portion of the radially inner wall is recessed relative to the tapered section. 
     
     
         5 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the radially outer segments are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction by approximately 0.02 to 0.06 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the layer of the first adhesive material has a thickness of approximately 0.02 to 0.06 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the first and second adhesive materials comprise the same material. 
     
     
         8 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the first and second adhesive materials comprise elastomeric adhesive materials. 
     
     
         9 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the barrel includes four to six radially outer segments. 
     
     
         10 . The ball bat of  claim 1  further comprising a radially innermost wall attached to or in engagement with a radially inner surface of the radially inner wall. 
     
     
         11 . A ball bat including a handle connected to a barrel in an axial direction, with the barrel comprising:
 a radially inner initial segment;   a first multi-plane segment including a radially outer portion adhered to a radially outer surface of the initial segment, and a radially inner portion axially adjacent to the initial segment;   at least one additional multi-plane segment, wherein each additional multi-plane segment includes a radially outer portion adhered to a radially outer surface of a radially inner portion of a previous multi-plane segment, and a radially inner portion axially adjacent to the radially inner portion of the previous multi-plane segment; and   a radially outer segment adhered to a radially inner portion of the last of the additional multi-plane segments.   
     
     
         12 . The ball bat of  claim 11  wherein the ball bat includes a tapered section between the barrel and the handle in the axial direction, and wherein the initial segment is integral with the tapered section. 
     
     
         13 . The ball bat of  claim 11  wherein the radially outer segment is connected to or integral with a cap at a free end of the barrel. 
     
     
         14 . The ball bat of  claim 11  wherein an elastomeric adhesive material is used to adhere the segments to one another. 
     
     
         15 . The ball bat of  claim 14  wherein the elastomeric adhesive material has a thickness of approximately 0.02 to 0.06 inches. 
     
     
         16 . The ball bat of  claim 11  wherein the radially outer portions of the multi-plane segments and the radially outer segment are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction by approximately 0.02 to 0.06 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The ball bat of  claim 11  wherein the radially outer portions of the multi-plane segments and the radially outer segment have radially outer surfaces that are flush with one another. 
     
     
         18 . The ball of  claim 11  wherein the barrel includes three multi-plane segments. 
     
     
         19 . The ball bat of  claim 11  further comprising a radially innermost wall attached to or in engagement with at least one of the radially inner segment and the radially inner portions of the multi-plane segments. 
     
     
         20 . A ball bat including a handle connected to a barrel in an axial direction, with the barrel comprising:
 a plurality of radially outer rings spaced apart from, and adhered to, one another in the axial direction, wherein radially outer surfaces of the radially outer rings provide an external hitting surface; and   a radially inner wall adhered to the plurality of radially outer rings.