Double-barrel ball bats

Abstract

A ball bat includes an outer shell and an insert positioned in a ball striking area of the outer shell. The insert may include a tube element and one or more spacer elements positioned to form a gap between the tube element and the outer shell along at least a portion of a length of the tube element. In some embodiments, the insert or the gap may extend along only the length of the ball striking area. The outer shell may provide some compliance during a hit to create a trampoline effect, while the insert may provide a backstop to limit radial deflection of the outer shell.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ball bat, comprising:
 an outer shell comprising a barrel portion, a handle portion, and a tapered section joining the barrel portion to the handle portion, wherein the barrel portion includes a distal end of the outer shell and the handle portion includes a proximal end of the outer shell, and wherein the barrel portion comprises an elastomeric composite material including an elastomeric matrix reinforced with reinforcing fibers; and   an insert comprising a tube element extending between a first end of the insert and a second end of the insert, the insert further comprising a first spacer element positioned toward the first end of the insert and a second spacer element positioned toward the second end of the insert;   wherein the first spacer element is positioned inside the outer shell toward the distal end of the outer shell and the second spacer element is positioned inside the outer shell toward the proximal end of the outer shell, wherein at least one of the first spacer element or the second spacer element is attached to the outer shell;   and wherein the tube element is spaced apart from the outer shell along at least a portion of a length of the tube element between the first and second spacer elements to form a gap between the tube element and the outer shell.   
     
     
         2 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , further comprising a sleeve element positioned on the tube element in the gap. 
     
     
         3 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the first spacer element and the second spacer element are integral with the outer shell. 
     
     
         4 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more additional spacer elements positioned on the tube element between the first and second spacer elements. 
     
     
         5 . The ball bat of  claim 4 , wherein at least one of the first spacer element, the second spacer element, or the one or more additional spacer elements is integral with the tube element. 
     
     
         6 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the tube element comprises one or more layers of composite laminate material. 
     
     
         7 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more locking elements positioned on an inner diameter of the outer shell and positioned to impede removal of the insert from the outer shell. 
     
     
         8 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the outer shell comprises a handle segment that is separate from, but attached to, a barrel segment, wherein the handle segment includes at least part of the handle portion and the barrel segment includes at least part of the barrel portion. 
     
     
         9 . The ball bat of  claim 8 , further comprising a connecting element that attaches the handle segment to the barrel segment. 
     
     
         10 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel portion comprises a first compression value and the tube element comprises a second compression value that is different from the first compression value. 
     
     
         11 . A ball bat, comprising:
 an outer shell comprising a barrel portion, a handle portion, and a tapered section joining the barrel portion to the handle portion, wherein the barrel portion includes a distal end of the outer shell and the handle portion includes a proximal end of the outer shell, and wherein the barrel portion comprises an elastomeric composite material including an elastomeric matrix reinforced with reinforcing fibers; and   an insert comprising a tube element extending between a first end of the insert and a second end of the insert, the insert further comprising a spacer element positioned toward the first end of the insert; wherein:   the spacer element is positioned inside the outer shell toward the distal end of the outer shell; and   the tube element is spaced apart from the outer shell along at least a portion of a length of the tube element between the spacer element and the second end of the insert to form a gap between the tube element and the outer shell.   
     
     
         12 . The ball bat of  claim 11 , wherein the second end of the insert contacts an interior surface of the tapered section of the outer shell. 
     
     
         13 . The ball bat of  claim 11 , wherein the spacer element is integral with the outer shell or the insert. 
     
     
         14 . The ball bat of  claim 11 , further comprising one or more additional spacer elements positioned between the tube element and the outer shell in the gap. 
     
     
         15 . The ball bat of  claim 11 , wherein the tube element comprises one or more layers of composite laminate material. 
     
     
         16 . The ball bat of  claim 11 , wherein the outer shell comprises a handle segment that is separate from, but attached to, a barrel segment, wherein the handle segment includes at least part of the handle portion and the barrel segment includes at least part of the barrel portion. 
     
     
         17 . A ball bat comprising:
 an outer shell comprising a barrel portion formed with one or more layers of composite laminate material, a handle portion, and a tapered section joining the barrel portion to the handle portion, wherein the barrel portion includes a distal end of the outer shell and the handle portion includes a proximal end of the outer shell;   an insert comprising a tube element extending between a first end of the insert and a second end of the insert, the insert further comprising a spacer element positioned toward the first end of the insert, wherein the spacer element is positioned radially between the outer shell and the tube element, and wherein the spacer element is longitudinally spaced apart from the first end of the tube element; and   an end cap attached to the distal end of the outer shell and attached to the first end of the insert;   wherein the first end of the insert is positioned in the distal end of the outer shell, and the second end of the insert is positioned in the tapered section of the outer shell;   and wherein the tube element is spaced apart from the outer shell along at least a portion of a length of the tube element between the spacer element and the second end of the insert to form a gap between the tube element and the outer shell.   
     
     
         18 . The ball bat of  claim 17 , wherein the second end of the insert contacts an interior surface of the tapered section of the outer shell. 
     
     
         19 . The ball bat of  claim 17 , wherein the outer shell comprises a handle segment that is separate from, but attached to, a barrel segment, wherein the handle segment includes at least part of the handle portion and the barrel segment includes at least part of the barrel portion. 
     
     
         20 . The ball bat of  claim 17 , further comprising an additional spacer element positioned radially between the tube element and the outer shell. 
     
     
         21 . The ball bat of  claim 17 , wherein the first end of the insert is flush with the distal end of the outer shell. 
     
     
         22 . The ball bat of  claim 17 , wherein the spacer element is integral with the tube element or the outer shell.