Ball bat including a fiber composite barrel having an accelerated break-in fuse region

Abstract

A ball bat extending about a longitudinal axis and configured for testing under an accelerated break-in test. The bat includes a barrel portion including a proximal region and a distal region. The barrel portion is formed of a fiber composite material having wall thickness of at least 0.100 inch. The fiber composite material includes at least first and second plies. The first ply includes a first plurality of fibers aligned adjacent to one another and a first resin, and the second ply includes a second plurality of fibers aligned adjacent to one another and a second resin. The first ply includes a first fiber discontinuity and the second ply includes a second fiber discontinuity. The first and second fiber discontinuities are generally aligned with each other such that one of the first and second fiber discontinuities substantially overlies the other of the first and second fiber discontinuities creating an ABI fuse region of the barrel portion. The ABI fuse region forms a crack initiation location when the bat is subjected to the accelerated break-in test.

1 . A ball bat extending along a longitudinal axis and configured for testing under an accelerated break-in test, the bat comprising:
 a barrel portion including a proximal region and a distal region, the barrel portion being formed of a fiber composite material having wall thickness of at least 0.060 inch, the fiber composite material including at least first and second plies, the first ply including a first plurality of fibers aligned adjacent to one another and a first resin, and the second ply including a second plurality of fibers aligned adjacent to one another and a second resin, the first ply including a first fiber discontinuity and the second ply including a second fiber discontinuity, the first and second fiber discontinuities being generally aligned with each other such that one of the first and second fiber discontinuities substantially overlies the other of the first and second fiber discontinuities creating an ABI fuse region of the barrel portion, the ABI fuse region forming a crack initiation location when the bat is subjected to the accelerated break-in test, each of the first and second discontinuities forming first and second spaces between the first and second pluralities of fibers, respectively, one or both of the first and second resins filling the first and second spaces.   
     
     
         2 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the at least first and second plies includes at least the first ply, the second ply and a third ply, wherein the third ply includes a third fiber discontinuity, and wherein the third fiber discontinuity is generally aligned with the first and second fiber discontinuities such that one or both of the first and second discontinuities substantially overlie the third discontinuity or the third discontinuity substantially overlies one or both of the first and second discontinuities. 
     
     
         3 . The ball bat of  claim 2 , wherein the at least first and second plies includes at least the first ply, the second ply, the third ply and a fourth ply, wherein the fourth ply includes a fourth fiber discontinuity, and wherein the fourth fiber discontinuity is generally aligned with the first, second and third fiber discontinuities such that one or more of the first, second and third discontinuities substantially overlie the fourth discontinuity or the fourth discontinuity substantially overlies one or more of the first, second and third discontinuities. 
     
     
         4 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second fiber discontinuities extend about a discontinuity plane. 
     
     
         5 . The ball bat of  claim 4 , wherein the discontinuity plane is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis by an angular amount within a range of 45 to degrees. 
     
     
         6 . The ball bat of  claim 4 , wherein the discontinuity plane is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         7 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second fiber discontinuities define a curved line radially spaced from the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         8 . The ball bat of  claim 7 , wherein the curved line is a spiral line. 
     
     
         9 . The ball bat of  claim 8 , wherein the curved line extends about a portion of a circumference of the barrel portion within a longitudinal dimension of 13 inches or less. 
     
     
         10 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , further comprising a stiffening element positioned within the barrel portion and adjacent the ABI fuse region. 
     
     
         11 . The ball bat of  claim 10 , wherein the stiffening element is an annular member. 
     
     
         12 . The ball bat of  claim 10 , wherein the stiffening element is a circular disc. 
     
     
         13 . The ball bat of  claim 10 , wherein the stiffening element is longitudinally spaced apart from the ABI fuse region by a distance within the range of 0.0 inch to 1.0 inch. 
     
     
         14 . The ball bat of  claim 10 , wherein the stiffening element is longitudinally spaced apart from the ABI fuse region by a distance within the range of 0.1 to 0.75 inch. 
     
     
         15 . The ball bat of  claim 10 , wherein the stiffening element is formed of a rigid material selected from group consisting of aluminum, polycarbonate, polyurethane, titanium, other metals, other polymeric materials and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second fiber discontinuities is a plurality of segmented cuts generally defining a curved dashed line radially spaced from the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         17 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second plies have first and second ply thicknesses, respectively, and wherein at least one of the first and second fiber discontinuities is a cut extending through at least 50% of one of the first ply thickness and the second ply thickness. 
     
     
         18 . The ball bat of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the first and second fiber discontinuities is a cut extending through at least 75% of the thickness of at least one of the first and second plies. 
     
     
         19 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second fiber discontinuities directly overlies the other of the first and second fiber discontinuities. 
     
     
         20 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the one of the first and second fiber discontinuities substantially overlies the other of the first and second fiber discontinuities such that a longitudinal dimension between the first and second discontinuities can be within the range of 0.0 to 0.2 inch. 
     
     
         21 . The ball bat of  claim 20 , wherein the longitudinal dimension between the first and second discontinuities can be within the range of 0.0 to 0.1 inch. 
     
     
         22 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the first ply includes a first proximal ply portion and a first distal ply portion, and wherein the first fiber discontinuity separates the first proximal ply portion from the first distal ply portion. 
     
     
         23 . The ball bat of  claim 22 , wherein the first plurality of fibers of the first proximal ply portion are generally aligned to define first proximal angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first plurality of fibers of the first distal ply portion are generally aligned to define first distal angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the first proximal angle and the first distal angle vary by at least 10 degrees. 
     
     
         24 . The ball bat of  claim 22 , wherein the first proximal angle and the first distal angle vary by at least 30 degrees. 
     
     
         25 . The ball bat of  claim 10 , wherein the stiffening element is longitudinally positioned within the barrel portion such that the ABI fuse region overlies the stiffening element.