Abstract:
A heated weight adapted to receive an athletic instrument is disclosed. The heated weight has at least two apertures permitting an athletic instrument to pass through the at least two apertures. The heated weight includes a rechargeable, microwaveable heat source that warms an athletic instrument through conventional heating processes such as convection and conduction. The heated weight can be sized and shaped to accommodate a specific athletic instrument, and is particularly well suited for use with a baseball or softball bat. Furthermore, the heated weight can be coupled with an athletic instrument to aid in the exercise of an athlete&#39;s musculature.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/620,041, filed on Oct. 19, 2004, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention resides generally in the field of athletics, and in a particular aspect relates to protective devices of athletic instruments.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0003]     Ambient air temperature can have a significant effect on the performance of athletic instruments that impart or receive energy transfer through contact with an object, such as another athletic instrument or other equipment. Cool ambient air can reduce the temperature of a softball or baseball bat which may have a negative impact on both the longevity and the performance of the bats. In particular, aluminum bats may become dented if used at relatively low temperatures, thus ending the useful life of the bat. Likewise, specially designed composite bats may become cracked if used at relatively low temperatures.  
         [0004]     While attempts have been made to provide warming devices that raise the temperature of certain pieces of athletic equipment, there is a continuing need for improved athletic equipment warming devices. A warming device that is portable, provides for ease of use and is rechargeable is desirable.  
         [0005]     In view of this background, the need remains for improved devices for warming athletic instruments with an easy-to-use, rechargeable heating device. The present invention is addressed to these needs.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0006]     Accordingly, in certain aspects, disclosed embodiments provide a novel device useful in protecting athletic instruments and aiding an athlete&#39;s performance. The novel device involves the use of a weight that is heated.  
         [0007]     Accordingly, in one aspect, certain embodiments provide a weighted device having a first end and a second end with at least one aperture in each end. The weighted device defines a passageway between at lease one aperture on the first end and at least one aperture on the second end. The weighted device is further adapted to be heated by an energy source.  
         [0008]     In a further aspect, certain embodiments provide a weighted device having a first end and a second end with at least one aperture in each end. The weighted device defines a passageway between at lease one aperture on the first end and at least one aperture on the second end. A heating element is disposed within at least a portion of the weight.  
         [0009]     In still another aspect, certain embodiments provide a kit for making a weighted device. The kit includes a covering adapted to create a shell enclosing an internal volume wherein the shell has at least two apertures and a passageway between the at least two apertures. The passageway between the at least two apertures is adapted to receive an athletic instrument. The kit further includes a pad and a heating element, both pad and heating element adapted to be received in the internal volume of the shell.  
         [0010]     The disclosed embodiments provide a weighted device useful for protecting athletic instruments and aiding an athlete&#39;s performance. Additional embodiments as well as features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the further descriptions herein.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself, and the manner in which it may be made and used, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying figures forming a part thereof.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is an isometric view of an embodiment of the heated weight.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of the heated weight in use on a baseball bat.  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is an isometric exploded cross-sectional view of the embodiment in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  shows the components used to create the embodiment in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of a packaging tube useful in creating the embodiment of  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0017]     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, and alterations and modifications in the illustrated devices, and further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein are herein contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.  
         [0018]     As described above, certain embodiments of the present invention provide a device useful in protecting athletic instruments and aiding in an athlete&#39;s performance. As used herein for convenience of description, the term “bat” is intended to encompass any athletic instrument intended to strike another athletic instrument including, but not limited to, baseball bats, softball bats, golf clubs, cricket bats, tennis rackets, etc.  
         [0019]     One embodiment provides for a weighted device having two apertures. A passageway is provided between the two apertures. The passageway can either be tapered from one end to the other end to accommodate a bat or it may be a constant radius passageway from one end of the heated bat weight to the other.  
         [0020]     Turning now to the figures,  FIG. 1  shows one embodiment of a heated bat weight indicated generally at  50  and having an outer covering  55 . Heated bat weight  50  has two apertures, a secured end aperture  60  and a free end aperture  75 . Heated bat weight  50  further defines an internal passageway  62  that is generally tubular in shape extending between apertures  60  and  75 . Heated bat weight  50  can have a fastener, such as tie strings  65 , used to secure the heated bat weight to the athletic instrument, as described in greater detail hereinbelow. It will be understood by those in the art that the term fastener is intended to encompass any feature that serves to secure heated bat weight  50  to an athletic instrument.  
         [0021]     Shown in  FIG. 2  is the heated bat weight  50  placed on and secured around a bat  80 . Bat  80  includes knob  85 , handle  90  and barrel end  95 . Tie strings  65  secure heated bat weight  50  to bat  80  such that tie strings  65  prevent heated bat weight  50  from departing the barrel end  95  of bat  80  when an athlete grips handle  90  and swings bat  80  in a conventional manner. In a preferred embodiment, tie strings  65  are composed of a single nylon rope wherein the ends of tie strings  65  are simply the ends of the single nylon rope. The nylon rope is preferably contained in a channel created by folding the outer covering  55  of heated bat weight  50  near aperture  60  onto itself and fixing the covering  55  in that position by sewing, as shown by stitching  70 .  
         [0022]     Tie strings  65  may be knotted once the heated bat weight  50  is placed around the bat  80 . Thereafter, the heated bat weight  50  may be easily and repeatedly applied to the bat  80  by sliding the knob  85  end through free end aperture  75 . The knotted tie strings  65  will prevent the bat  80  from completely traversing the passageway  62 . The bat weight  50  may be easily removed by sliding bat weight  50  back toward knob  85  end. It is important to note that once tie strings  65  have been knotted, other bats of similar dimensions can use heated bat weight  50  without any change to the configuration of the knotted tie strings  65 .  
         [0023]     Shown in  FIG. 3  is a cut-away view of heated bat weight  50 . Secured end aperture  60  and free end aperture  75  define the ends of passageway  62 . Passageway sheath  115  forms the surface of the passageway  62 , which is adapted to accommodate an athletic instrument such as a bat. In one embodiment, passageway  62  is of substantially uniform cross-sectional diameter such that an increasing size in bat  80  from the handle  90  to the barrel end  95  will create an increasingly snug fit of heated bat weight  50  around bat  80 . In an alternative embodiment, passageway  62  is tapered from one end of heated bat weight  50  to the other end in approximately the same proportions as the taper from handle  90  to the barrel end  95 . Such a taper will serve to prevent the bat  80  from completely traversing the passageway  62 , the taper thereby functioning as a fastener.  
         [0024]     Contained within the space defined between outer covering  55  and passageway sheath  115  are a heating element  110  and optional padding  105  contained in a wrapper  100 . In one embodiment, outer covering  55 , wrapper  100  and passageway sheath  115  are formed from nylon. In another embodiment, padding  105  is replaced with a wrapper  100  having a padded surface. In still another embodiment, padding  105  is replaced with outer covering  55  having a padded surface. In yet another embodiment, padding  105  is eliminated with no substitute in either wrapper  100  or outer covering  55 .  
         [0025]     In one embodiment, heating element  110  is a rechargeable, microwaveable heating element comprised of a substance that accepts energy from a source (such as a microwave oven) and in turn converts the energy into heat. Heating element  110  dissipates this heat energy over time through conventional heat transfer mechanisms with its surrounding environment. Suitable microwaveable heating elements, or heat packs as they are sometimes called, are commercially available from Vesture Corporation of Asheboro, N.C. and marketed under the MICROCORE® trade name. Such heat packs are preferred because temperatures suitable for use in heating athletic devices can be achieved with only a few minutes of warming in a conventional microwave oven set at high power. When warmed in this manner and placed within outer covering  55  and padding  105 , heating element  110  will retain sufficient heat to warm bats for extended periods of time. For example, placing the heating element  110  into a conventional microwave over on high power for 4-7 minutes will achieve a temperature of 175-200 degrees F. and will stay warm for approximately four hours. Once placed within the heated bat weight  50 , the bat  80  will be sufficiently warmed within five minutes. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that other types of heat generating heat packs can also be used, such as those filled with rice, buckwheat, etc.  
         [0026]     In one embodiment, padding  105  is made from cotton batting. In another embodiment, padding  105  is made from polyester batting. In yet another embodiment, padding  105  is made from foam. Padding  105  functions as an insulator, slowing heat loss from the heated bat weight  50  so that more heat is directed toward the bat. Padding  105  also functions as a protective device useful in reducing the external temperature of the heated bat weight  50  so as to permit safe handling by an athlete or other user. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that padding  105  can be made from any material having insulating properties.  
         [0027]     Turning now to  FIG. 4 , shown are the wrapper  100 , the padding  105 , and the heating element  110 . These elements are shown in their conditions prior to preparation for use within heated bat weight  50 . The edges of padding  105  are folded around the edges of heating element  110  creating a subassembly of heating element  110  and padding  105 . The edges of wrapper  100 , in turn, are folded around the subassembly of the heating element  110  and padding  105  to create a package adapted for delivery within heated bat weight  50 , which is rolled prior to placement in the substantially cylindrical heated bat weight  50  shown in  FIG. 3 .  
         [0028]      FIG. 5  shows packaging tube  130  that is used in one embodiment to function simultaneously as a passageway  62  for an athletic instrument and as an outer covering  55  for the heated bat weight  50 . Packaging tube  130  is preferably a tubular piece of nylon  135  at least twice the length of the assembled heated bat weight  50  to accomplish both functions. When manufacturing the heated bat weight  50 , packaging tube  130  is initially compressed and placed along the length of and inside the rolled package of heating element  110 , padding  105  and wrapper  100 . The compressed packaging tube  130  is placed such that its ends extend beyond the ends of the rolled package, but the compressed packaging tube  130  is biased towards one end of the rolled package creating a short end and a long end. The short end of the compressed packaging tube  130  is decompressed and folded over the exterior of the rolled package. The long end of the compressed packaging tube  130  (the end having stitching  70  and tie strings  65 ) is also decompressed and folded over the exterior of the rolled package such that it extends substantially down the length of the rolled package, until it is in the configuration shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0029]     Heated bat weight  50  not only serves to warm athletic instruments, it also serves to exercise an athlete&#39;s musculature. Prior to entering the competitive playing field, an athlete may place the heated bat weight  50  upon bat  80  and conduct practice swings. The act of swinging the bat  80  with installed heated bat weight  50  serves to loosen and condition an athlete&#39;s musculature so as to quicken the athlete&#39;s response to playing conditions.  
         [0030]     While certain embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character. Only certain embodiments have been shown and described, and all changes, equivalents, and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention described herein are desired to be protected. Any experiments, experimental examples, or experimental results provided herein are intended to be illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered limiting or restrictive with regard to the invention scope. Further, any theory, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding stated herein is meant to further enhance understanding of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way to such theory, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding. Thus, the specifics of this description and the attached drawings should not be interpreted to limit the scope of this invention to the specifics thereof. Rather, the scope of this invention should be evaluated with reference to the claims appended hereto. In reading the claims it is intended that when words such as “a”, “an”, “at least one”, and “at least a portion” are used there is no intention to limit the claims to only one item unless specifically stated to the contrary in the claims. Further, when the language “at least a portion” and/or “a portion” is used, the claims may include a portion and/or the entire item unless specifically stated to the contrary.