Patent ID: 7438656
Filing Date: 2008-10-21
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
1. A solid laminated blank suitable for machining to form a laminated bat, said laminated blank comprising: an elongated blank body disposed about a longitudinally extending axis, said blank body having an outer surface defined by the exterior outline of the blank, said blank body composed of a plurality of blank portions; a first plurality of thin strips, each thin strip defining a pair of opposed faces, each said face defining a substantially flat plane, each said plane being substantially parallel to the other, each said strip further defining a peripheral edge connecting said opposed faces, at least one face of one of said strips being bonded to a face of an adjacently disposed strip, said first plurality of bonded together strips defining a first portion of the blank; a second plurality of thin strips, each thin strip defining a pair of opposed faces, each said face defining a substantially flat plane, each said plane being substantially parallel to the other, each said strip further defining a peripheral edge connecting said opposed faces, at least one face of one of said strips being bonded to a face of an adjacently disposed strip, said second plurality of bonded together strips defining a second portion of the blank; wherein at least one thin strip of said first plurality of thin strips is composed of a first material; wherein at least one thin strip of said second plurality of thin strips is composed of a second material; wherein the density of the first portion of the blank differs from the density of the second portion of the blank; wherein at least one of the length of the first portion of the blank and the width of the first portion of the blank is different from that of the second portion of the blank creating size delta value; wherein the density of said first portion, the density of said second portion, the location of said first portion, the location of said second portion, and the size delta value are selected to provide for a blank having a predefined weight distribution; and wherein said first plurality of thin strips and said second plurality of thin strips are disposed apart from one another along the width of the blank.