Ball bats with lightening perforations

Abstract

A ball bat includes a barrel wall with perforations positioned within a ball striking area of the bat. Perforations may extend through all or part of the barrel wall. In some embodiments, a filler material may be positioned in the perforations, or a cover element may be positioned over the perforations, to form a generally flush surface between the filler material and a surface of the barrel wall. Filler material may be less dense than material forming the remainder of the barrel wall. In some embodiments, a barrel wall may include a plurality of layers of composite laminate material. One or more of the layers may have perforations positioned radially between the other layers. In some embodiments, the perforations in the composite laminate material may be generally aligned to form a larger perforation extending through all or part of the barrel wall.

1 . A ball bat comprising
 a handle, and   a barrel attached to or continuous with the handle along a longitudinal axis of the bat, the barrel comprising a barrel wall formed with a plurality of layers of composite laminate material and surrounding a hollow interior cavity of the bat,   wherein a plurality of perforations extend through the barrel wall, wherein the perforations are distributed around the barrel wall and positioned within a ball striking area of the bat, and wherein   the ball bat further comprises:
 (a) a filler material positioned in one or more of the perforations to form a generally flush surface between the filler material and an outer surface of the barrel wall; or 
 (b) a cover element positioned over one or more of the perforations. 
   
     
     
         2 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the ball bat comprises the filler material, the filler material having a density less than a density of a material forming the barrel wall, and wherein the filler material comprises wood, epoxy, resin, foam, rubber, or plastic. 
     
     
         3 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the ball bat comprises the filler material and the cover element. 
     
     
         4 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the handle includes a plurality of layers of composite laminate material. 
     
     
         5 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the handle includes a metal alloy. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein one or more of the perforations has a width between 0.040 inches and 0.125 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the perforations are arranged in offset rows. 
     
     
         10 . A ball bat comprising:
 a handle; and   a barrel attached to or continuous with the handle along a longitudinal axis of the bat, the barrel comprising a barrel wall;   wherein the barrel wall includes a plurality of layers of composite laminate material,   wherein at least one of the layers of composite laminate material is positioned between other layers of composite laminate material and has one or more perforations.   
     
     
         11 . The ball bat of  claim 10  wherein the one or more perforations are positioned radially between composite laminate material in the other layers of composite laminate material in the barrel wall. 
     
     
         12 . The ball bat of  claim 11  wherein at least one of the other layers of composite laminate material is deformed into the one or more perforations. 
     
     
         13 . The ball bat of  claim 10 , comprising a plurality of perforations, wherein the plurality of perforations are generally aligned and form an aggregate hole extending through at least part of the barrel wall. 
     
     
         14 . The ball bat of  claim 13 , further comprising a cover element positioned over the aggregate hole in a radially outward direction from the aggregate hole. 
     
     
         15 . The ball bat of  claim 13  wherein the aggregate hole opens into an interior cavity of the ball bat. 
     
     
         16 . The ball bat of  claim 13 , further comprising a filler material positioned in the aggregate hole, wherein the filler material is different from, and has a lower density than, material forming the layers of composite laminate material. 
     
     
         17 . The ball bat of  claim 16  wherein the filler material is formed as a shaft or a hollow tube. 
     
     
         18 . A ball bat comprising:
 a handle formed with a metal material; and   a barrel attached to or continuous with the handle along a longitudinal axis of the bat, the barrel comprising a barrel wall formed with a metal material, the barrel wall surrounding a hollow interior cavity of the ball bat; wherein   the barrel wall includes a plurality of perforations extending at least partially through a thickness of the metal material and distributed circumferentially around the barrel wall in a striking area of the bat.   
     
     
         19 . The ball bat of  claim 18 , further comprising a means for filling or covering the perforations to form a generally flush outer surface of the bat. 
     
     
         20 . The ball bat of  claim 18  wherein the metal material in the barrel has a first density, the means for filling or covering the perforations has a second density, and wherein the second density is less than the first density.