Abstract:
Disclosed herein is a bat comprising a handle portion, a transition portion attached to the handle portion, and a barrel portion attached to the transition portion. The barrel portion includes one or more first cross-sections having a first stiffness and a plurality of second cross-sections having a second stiffness. Each first cross-section is beside one second cross-section or between two of the second cross-sections and the first stiffness is greater than the second stiffness. The variance in stiffness between the first cross-sections and the second cross-sections is created by varying the amount of material in the cross-section or by, more accurately, removing material in the second cross sections to make the second cross-sections more flexible by creating holes.

Description:
This is a continuation-in-part application claiming priority based upon co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/135,315 filed May 23, 2005 entitled “Bat with Enlarged Sweet Spot.” 

   A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is, subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
   All patents and publications discussed herein are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates generally to baseball and softball bats. More particularly, the invention relates to a bat having a sleeve with holes. 
   It can be appreciated that numerous attempts have been made to improve the performance of a bat. These prior attempts have included the addition of various shells, inserts, materials, and shapes of the bat in order to improve its performance or usage. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,733,404, 6,497,631, 6,176,795, 6,022,282, 4,930,772, 4,331,330, and 3,990,699, and U.S. patent application Publication No. 2002/0016230 disclose various attempts to improve the performance or use of a bat. 
   The performance of a bat is generally based upon the weight of the bat, size of the bat, and the impact response of the bat at and during impact with a ball. Most of the focus for improvements in bat technology has been in improving the performance of the preferred impact area, or sweet spot. As the prior art bats have increased the performance in this area, many of the sports regulatory agencies have placed performance and/or configuration restrictions on the bats. These restrictions have mandated new innovations in the development of the bat technology. 
   For example, one regulatory body requires a maximum performance from a bat when impacted in the preferred impact area or sweet spot of the bat. Typically, this location is approximately six inches from the end of the bat. As such, the current maximum performance for the bat in its preferred hitting area is limited by these regulations. However, it is also to be understood that the area to either side of the sweet spot on a prior art bat has a significant drop off in performance. 
   The contemporary bat art has made few attempts to improve the performance of the bat sections adjacent the preferred impact area. As such, the performance of the bats in areas distal from, and even adjacent to, the sweet spot dramatically drops for the conventional bats. However, these attempts have drawback. 
   For example, U.S. patent application Publication 2004/0152545 discloses increasing the thickness over the sweet spot of the barrel in order to increase the leaf spring effect of the bat. However, this patent application publication fails to reduce the thickness of any wall within the bat in order to increase performance of the bat. As such, this patent application publication increases the weight of the bat in an attempt to increase the performance of the bat, which is counter productive. This patent application publication also increases the cost of the bat by increasing the amount of material used. Additionally, when there is a portion of a bat that has a change in diameter, that portion becomes a weakened spot. Additionally, the differences in spacing between portions of the body and of the frame can create weaknesses. Further, the differences in distance between the body and frame can cause manufacturing issues as to how to fill the variable distances and how to maintain the variable distances during construction of the bat. Further, this published application discloses placing slots in one end of the bat to reduce the diameter of that end of the insert to more easily place an insert into a bat frame but fails to understand the benefits of placing the slots in both end of the sleeve as to increasing the flexibility of the bat hitting portion beyond the center of the barrel. Further, the slots are not sufficient in length to increase the size of the sweet spot. 
   Thus, there is a continuing need for improved overall performance of bats. These improved bats need to conform to the regulatory agencies&#39; restrictions in the preferred hitting zone while performing well beyond the preferred hitting zone. This needed bat should increase the stiffness in the preferred hitting zone as compared to the area(s) adjacent the preferred hitting zone. This needed bat must not have inconsistent spaces between the sleeve and the hitting portion. As such, what is needed is a bat that varies the stiffness of the wall of the bat in order to enhance performance of the bat. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Disclosed herein is a bat comprising a handle portion, a transition portion attached to the handle portion, and a barrel portion attached to the transition portion. The barrel portion includes one or more first cross-sections having a first stiffness and a plurality of second cross-sections having a second stiffness. Each first cross-section is beside one second cross-section or between two of the second cross-sections and the first stiffness is greater than the second stiffness. The variance in stiffness between the first cross-sections and the second cross-sections is created by varying the amount of material in the cross-section or by, more accurately, removing material in the second cross sections to make the second cross-sections more flexible by creating holes. Likewise, a bat may be provided with third cross sections on the sides of the second cross-sections distal from the first cross-section whereby the third cross-sections are less stiff than the second cross-sections because more material is removed. Spacers may be added to holes to prevent rough surfaces and gaps. 
   It is therefore a general object of the present invention to provide a bat having variable wall stiffness. 
   Still another object of the present invention is to provide a bat having varying amounts of materials in different cross sections of the bat. 
   Yet still another object of the present invention is to enlarge the effective preferred hitting area of the bat. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a bat having an enlarged sweet spot. 
   Yet still another object of the present invention is to increase the length of the barrel/sweet spot without adding additional weight to the bat. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is to decrease the wall stiffness on either or both sides of the main hitting area. 
   And yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bat that increases the performance of the bat in sections of the bat adjacent to the main hitting area. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bat which meets regulatory standards in the preferred hitting area as well as the areas adjacent to it. 
   Yet another object of the present invention is to provide material that can be placed in the holes to prevent rough surfaces and/or to prevent gaps. 
   Other and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading of the following disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of a bat made in accordance with the current disclosure. 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of one embodiment of a sleeve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a side view of yet another embodiment of the sleeve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4A  is a side view of yet another embodiment of the sleeve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4B  is a side view of yet another embodiment of the sleeve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of yet another embodiment of the sleeve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a side view of yet another embodiment of the sleeve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a cutaway view showing the holes in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of yet another embodiment of the sleeve of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring generally now to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , there is shown generally at  10  one embodiment of the bat of the present invention. The bat  10  comprises a handle portion  12 , a transition portion or taper portion  14 , and a barrel portion  16 . The transition portion  14  is preferably attached to the handle portion  12 , while the barrel portion  16  is attached to the transition portion  14 . An end cap  18  is traditionally placed on the end of the barrel portion  16  distal from the taper  14 . A knob  20  is traditionally attached to the handle  12  on the end of the handle  12  distal from the barrel portion  16 . Each bat has a preferred hitting section  28  that can also be called the sweet spot. In a traditional bat, the preferred hitting portion  28  lies in the middle portion of the barrel portion. For the purposes of this application, the area proximal the central part of the barrel portion  16  is the first cross-section  22 . The area on either or both sides of the barrel portion will be called the second cross-section  24 . 
   One focus of the present invention is to make the first cross-section  22  stiffer than the second cross-sections  24 . By doing this, the first cross-section  22 , because it is the center of percussion will continue to be the best performing portion of the bat. However, by making the second cross-sections  24  more flexible, the sweet spot will extend well into the second cross sections  24  as opposed to remaining virtually exclusively in the first cross-section  22 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , there is shown generally at  32  an embodiment of the sleeve of the present invention. In this embodiment, material is removed from the second cross-section  24  in the form of holes  36 . In this embodiment, holes  36  are circular in shape and evenly sized and spaced over exclusively the second cross-section. The mere fact that the holes  36  remove material from the sleeve  32  causes the sleeve  32  to be much more flexible in hoop stiffness in the second cross-section where the holes  36  are removed as compared to the first cross-section  22  where little or no material has been removed. 
   The sleeve portion  32  of a second embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2 . The sleeve  32  has a series of holes  36  of varying sizes. In the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the sleeve has first holes  38  removed from the second cross-section  24  and larger second holes  40  removed from the third cross-sections  23 . Because more material is removed from the third cross-sections  23  than from the second cross-sections  24 , the third cross-sections  23  are more flexible than the second cross-sections  24  which are more flexible than the first cross-section  22 . For a point of reference only, and not necessarily as a functional reference, sleeve  32  has a taper end  44  that is preferably aligned proximal to or along the taper portion  14  of the bat  10  and a distal end  46  that is preferably aligned proximal to or attached to the end cap  18  of the bat  10 . Thus, in the preferred embodiment, holes  36  may be larger or more numerous closer to either end  44 ,  46 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , there is shown generally at  32  another embodiment of the sleeve of the present invention. In this embodiment, material is removed from the second cross-sections  24 , the third cross-sections  23 , and fourth cross-sections  25  located on either side of the sleeve  32 , In this embodiment, more holes  36  are placed in the fourth cross-sections  25  than in the third cross-sections  23 . Likewise, more holes are placed in the third cross-sections  23  than in the fourth cross-sections  24 . Thus, the fourth cross-sections  25  have a stiffness S 4  that is less than the third cross-sections  23  which have a stiffness S 3  which is less than the second cross sections  24  which has a stiffness S 2  less than the stiffness S 1  of the first cross-section  22 . Although this embodiment shows the holes  36  being in a symmetrical arrangement, any order may be used. 
     FIG. 5  is a variation on the theme combining the techniques of the other embodiments. In this embodiment, holes  36  are wide proximal the ends  44 ,  46  and narrower proximal the first cross-section  22 . As a result, more material is removed from the third cross-section  23  than from the second cross-section  22  that have more material removed than the first cross section. As a result, the first cross-section  22  is stiffer than the second cross-section  24  which is stiffer than the third cross-section  23 . In the orientation shown in  FIG. 5 , the width of the hole  36  is wider at either end  44 ,  46  than proximal the second cross-section  24  which is wider than proximal the first cross-section  22 . Additionally,  FIG. 5  also shows than angular holes may be used instead of rounded holes. 
   It should be understood that although  FIGS. 2-5  show embodiments in which all of the material is removed from the respective holes  36 , material may be left in by merely thinning the wall of the sleeve  32  at those points.  FIGS. 6-7  shows such an embodiment. In this embodiment, holes  36  are merely thinner portions of the sleeve  32 . However, the depth of the hole,  40  in this instance, is greater at the ends  44 ,  46  and less proximal to the first cross-section  22 . The same variations in depth from the ends  44 ,  46  can be used for the other shapes shown in  FIGS. 2-5 . By removing more material proximal to the ends  44 ,  46 , the sleeve  32  is more flexible proximal to the ends  44 ,  46 . In the preferred embodiment, material is removed gradually from the ends  44 ,  46  to the termination of the respective hole  36  as shown in  FIG. 7   a.    
   Likewise, we refer to the sleeve  32  as being either a shell or an insert. 
     FIG. 8  shows yet another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the sleeve  32  is made of at least two and preferably three rings. The first ring or material  62  located adjacent second ring or material(s)  64 . The first ring  62  is placed within the barrel portion  16  proximal to the first cross-section  22 . The second ring  64  is placed within the barrel portion  16  on either or both sides of the first ring  62  to lie within either or both second cross-sections  24 . The first ring  62  is stiffer than the second ring  64  thereby making the stiffness S 1  of the first cross-section  22  greater than the stiffness S 2  of the second cross-section  24 . The rings  62  and  64  may be joined together. Also, an envelope  72  may be provided to join at its end to the sleeve  62  to hold the rings  62  and  64  in place. The holes described herein can be placed in any of the rings  60  as necessary to make the second cross-sections  24  more flexible that the first cross-section  22 . 
   In the preferred embodiments, the sleeve  32  and the shell  30  are force or press fit over each other. However, some adhesive can be used in addition to the envelope discussed above. 
   In the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 3 , the barrel is substantially 12.00 inches long, the first cross-section is substantially 2.00 inches long, and each second cross-section is substantially 5.00 inches long. 
   In the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 2 , the barrel is substantially 12.00 inches long, the first cross-section is substantially 2.00 inches long, each second cross-section is substantially 2.00 inches long, and each third cross-section is substantially 3.00 inches long. 
   In the preferred embodiment of  FIG. 4 , the barrel is substantially 12.00 inches long, the first cross-section is substantially 2.00 inches long, each second cross-section is substantially 2.00 inches long, each third cross-section is substantially 2.00 inches long, and each fourth cross-section is substantially 1.00 inches long. 
   It should also be understood that sleeve  32  may be secured to barrel  16  along its entire length or only over a portion. For example, the first cross-section  22  could be secured to the barrel  16  leaving the second cross-section  24  to move independently. 
   It should be understood that bat  10  and sleeve  32  may be constructed from any material including metal, alloys, rubber, and composites. The preferred material for the frame is composite material while the preferred material for the sleeve is some type of metal such as aluminum or titanium. In the preferred embodiment, holes are made by cutting with a router or saw although a laser may be used. 
   It should be understood that holes  36  may be filled in with a spacer material ( 52  in  FIG. 7   a ) that either does not affect the flexibility created by the holes or affects it very minimally. This spacer material  7   a  may be rubber or a powder metal that provides little if any stiffness but prevents the outer or inner surface of the sleeve  32  from having rough surfaces and prevents gapes between the sleeve  32  and the barrel portion  16 . 
     FIGS. 9 and 10  demonstrate that the holes  36  may be placed in the bat  10  instead of a sleeve  32 .  FIG. 9  shows still another embodiment wherein the barrel portion  16  of the bat has the holes  36  to create the various cross-sections shown in the other Figures. In this embodiment, a sleeve  32  is provided inside the barrel portion  16 . However, a sleeve  32  is not necessary.  FIG. 10  is yet another embodiment with the holes  38 ,  40  being placed in the barrel portion  16  of the bat  10  with a sleeve  32  being placed over the barrel portion  16 . 
   If the holes  36  are exposed, then spacers  48  may be used to fill in the holes  36 . A film may be placed over the filled holes. 
   Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present invention of a new and useful Bat with a Sleeve Having Holes, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this invention except as set forth in the following claims.