Abstract:
The present invention relates to an apparatus for playing ball sports including softball. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for deterring the modification of ball bats. The bat comprises a barrel, a sweet spot, a transition area, a handle, and an end knob. Within the barrel are found supports used to reinforce the structural integrity of the bat to deter users from crushing the bat, causing the bat to fall outside the legal classification of bats allowed by the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA). The supports are made out of a lightweight durable composition. The supports are held in place by a retaining member. Multiple supports and retaining members may be used.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/005,137, filed Dec. 3, 2007, for Apparatus for Deterring Modification of Sports Equipment. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (a) Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to an apparatus for playing ball sports, such as, for example, softball. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for deterring the modification of ball bats. 
     (b) Background of the Invention 
     In the field of ball bat technology, a known problem is “rolling”. An issue presently exists in softball where players will purchase a softball bat and then modify that bat such that its performance ability is altered and may exceed the standards of the Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA). Persons will perform a process known as “rolling” where they will take a fiber bat and “squeeze” the barrel between large rolling tubes separated by a distance smaller than the diameter of the bat being rolled. The bat is rolled back and forth between these tubes fracturing fibers within the bat so that the bat becomes softer and more elastic. A bat that is so rolled is referred to as “hot” because it has the capacity to send the ball from the bat at a faster pace than a bat not so rolled. Certain regulations are in place under the ASA that make such rolled bats improper for use in any ASA regulated competition. Tests are conducted under the authority of the ASA to determine the rate of speed at which a ball will exit a bat when struck by a batter. Those bats with exit speeds in excess of 98 miles per hour (mph) when using the ASTM F2219 standard test method are illegal under the current rules of the ASA. 
     The Inventor is not aware of any prior art addressing the problem of deterring any portion of a ball bat from being rolled. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art and provides, among other things, a bat which deters the modification of the bat so that the user is capable of hitting the ball further or at a pace faster than permitted within the official rules of the game. 
     A need exists for deterring the modification of ball bats, namely to deter rolling. The present invention discloses a bat that includes one or more supports inside of the bat oriented in such a way as to reinforce the integrity of the bat from the interior. The present invention contemplates using a retaining member to position at least one support within the bat transverse to the bat&#39;s axis to provide integrity to the bat&#39;s composition to deter rolling. Multiple retaining members and supports are preferably employed. 
     The primary objective of the present invention is to minimize the ability to alter the elasticity of the bat through the process of fracturing fibers within the bat thereby creating a hot bat. The bat is characterized in that it comprises an outer shell, preferably of fiberglass, graphite, or composite materials. The ball bat is reinforced from the center using supports transverse to bat&#39;s axis. The supports of the present invention are composed of a resilient material with little or no elasticity thereby providing the maximum structural integrity to the bat. The supports are held into place using a retaining member, such as a urethane foam member, that slides into the interior of the bat. When a support is in a desired location in the bat, the retaining member, support, or both are adhered to the interior of the bat using an adhesive such as glue, urethane, or silicone. 
     The present invention will provide maximum structural integrity to the interior of the bat while continuing to provide a bat with sufficient elasticity for batters to adequately play the sport within the rules of the game. 
     More particularly, the present invention is a ball bat having a barrel with a cavity inside, a support and a retaining member. The support and retaining member are located inside the cavity, and the retaining member positions the support within the cavity. 
     Even more particularly, the retaining member positions the support transverse to the long axis of the bat. The retaining member may have a notch in which the support is retained. 
     Even more particularly, the support is composed of a lightweight resilient material, such as graphite or magnesium. The retaining member may be cylindrical or may be a non-circular geometric shape with at least three contact points and is often composed of urethane foam. 
     The ball bat may include one retaining member positioning one support member. The ball bat may also include two or more retaining members, each positioning one or more support members. Alternatively, the ball bat may include a single retaining member that positions two or more supports. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A better understanding of the present invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1   a  shows a cross section of a bat, sliced lengthwise, having 2 support and retaining member components; 
         FIG. 1   b  shows a cross section of a bat, sliced lengthwise, having 3 support and retaining member components; 
         FIG. 1   c  shows a cross section of a bat, sliced lengthwise, having 2 support components and 1 retaining member component; 
         FIG. 2  shows a second cross section of a bat, sliced along the width; 
         FIG. 3  shows a portion of a retaining member with a support inserted into a notch; 
         FIG. 4  shows a cross section of a retaining member with a support along the lines  4 - 4  shown in  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 5  shows a transverse view of a retaining member with a support; 
         FIG. 6  shows a cross section of a barrel, sliced lengthwise, having a support that is not in its final location; 
         FIG. 7  shows a cross section of a barrel, sliced along the width, having a support that is not in its final location; 
         FIG. 8  shows a cross section of a barrel, sliced lengthwise, having a support that is in its final location; and 
         FIG. 9  shows a cross section of a barrel, sliced lengthwise, having a support that is in its final location. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1-3 , the bat  10  embodied in the present invention is shown comprising a barrel  30 , a sweet spot  31 , a transition area  32 , a handle  33 , and an end knob  34 . A preferred embodiment of the present invention is bat  10  having a barrel  30  of constant outer diameter  42  of 2.25 inches (5.72 cm) and an inner diameter  43  of 1.85 inches (4.70 cm), and having a barrel wall thickness  45  of 0.2 inches (0.51 cm). The composition of the bat  10  is preferably continuous throughout, including the barrel  30 , the sweet spot  31 , the transition area  32 , the handle  33  and the end knob  34 . Alternative bat  10  constructions are known where the end knob  34  is a separate component attached to the handle  33 . Also, the barrel  30  may have a separate end cap. Even further, the bat  10  may be composed of a composite material or a metal/composite combination, as is known in the art. 
     The bat  10  has a sweet spot  31  that is an area at the center of percussion where the contact between bat  10  and ball results in the “best hit.” More particularly, the sweet spot  31  is where the maximum energy is transferred to the ball when struck, the ball leaves the bat  10  with the greatest speed, and the player&#39;s hands feel the least vibration from the impact. The center of the sweet spot  31  is typically five to seven inches (12.7 to 17.8 cm) down from the top of the barrel  30  and extending two inches (5.08 cm) to either side. 
     The novel aspect of the present invention occurs within the cavity  35  bounded by the inner diameter of the barrel. A retaining member  22  is inserted into the cavity  35 . In a preferred embodiment, the retaining member  22  is aligned with the barrel  30  and incorporates one notch  21  allowing one support  20  to be inserted into said notch  21 , positioning the support transverse to bat&#39;s  10  axis  48 . The retaining member  22  is cylindrical in shape so that it may be inserted into the barrel  30 . The retaining member  22  has an outer diameter  43  preferably equal to the inner diameter  43  of the barrel  30  so as to permit the retaining member  22  to fit snugly against the inner wall of the barrel  30  to prevent slippage. In an embodiment with the bat  10  having an inner diameter  43  of 1.85 inches (4.70 cm), the retaining member  22  will have an outer diameter  43  of 1.85 inches (4.70 cm), an inner diameter  44  of 1.6 inches (4.06 cm), and a length  46  of 1 inch (2.54 cm). Preferably one support  20  is positioned about two inches (5.08 cm) on each side of the center of the sweet spot  31 . Therefore, the supports  20  are separated by a distance of about four inches (10.16 cm), as depicted in  FIG. 1   a.    
     As is shown in  FIG. 1   b , another embodiment of the present invention the bat  110  preferably includes three supports  20  with one positioned at the center of the sweet spot  31  and one approximately two inches (5.08 cm) on either side of the center of the sweet spot  31 . The support  20  located at the sweet spot  31  being constructed such that the bat  110  cannot be rolled. 
     In an alternative embodiment,  FIG. 1   c  shows bat  210  with the retaining member  122  having a plurality of notches  21  for which multiple supports  20  may be inserted to provide structural integrity to the interior of the bat  210 . In this alternative embodiment, the retaining member  122  would be approximately 5 inches (12.7 cm) in length  146 . 
     The supports  20  of the present invention should be of a lightweight resilient composition to prevent a “weighting” effect on the bat  10 . Some weighted bats are improper under ASA guidelines. The supports  20  may, for example, be composed of any material suitable to prevent rolling the bat  10 , such as graphite or magnesium. In a preferred embodiment, the supports are disk-shaped. 
     Some embodiments of the present invention utilize the durability and structural integrity of graphite to reinforce the interior cylinder of the barrel. Graphite is a resilient material capable of resisting compression and fracturing in the rolling process. The orientation of the grain within the graphite should be structured so as to provide maximum integrity for all 360 degrees of the bat  10  such that the bat  10  cannot be rolled in any direction. The supports  20  of the present invention will preferably be constructed of 16 to 24 plies of graphite, and approximately one eighth of an inch (3.18 mm) in total thickness  47 . For the bat  10  with an inner diameter  43  of 1.85 inches (4.70 cm), these supports  20  will be disks composed of solid graphite having an outer diameter  40  of 1.75 inches (4.45 cm) and, as is explained hereafter, preferably include a center hole  23  having an inner diameter  41  of 0.625 inches (1.59 cm). However, supports  20  without a hole  23  or in shapes other than disks could be used. 
     The supports  20  of the present invention will preferably include a hole  23  in the center so that a liquid may be poured through the center of the supports in the bat  10  manufacturing process. Thus, in embodiments using disk-shaped supports  20 , the supports  20  of the present invention will resemble washers. 
     The supports  20  should be designed in such a way that they will not cause dead zones within the bat  10 . Dead zones are areas in the bat with extremely low levels of elasticity. The lower the elasticity, the less propulsion effect the bat will have on the ball. In the instance of ball bats, a dead zone is an area where the energy from the ball-to-bat contact is transferred to the bat rather than to the ball. The present invention will allow a manufacturer to determine the elasticity of the bat, such that it will be acceptable under ASA guidelines. 
     The supports  20  are designed to have an outer diameter  40  slightly smaller than the inner diameter  43  of the bat  10 . In one embodiment, the outer diameter  40  is 1.75 inches (4.45 cm) and the inner diameter  43  is 1.85 inches (4.70 cm). Thus, in this embodiment, a gap  56  of 0.05 inches (1.27 mm) will be present between the supports  20  and the bat  10 . This gap  56  is necessary to allow the bat  10  to “hoop bend” without the hoop bend being inhibited by the support  20 . A hoop bend is a slight temporary deformation of the bat  10  when it impacts a ball. 
     The retaining member  22  of the present invention must be reinforced sufficiently to prevent the force of repeated strikes of the bat  10  from knocking the supports  20  loose within the barrel  30  of the bat  10 . The notches  21  made within the retaining member  22  must be deep enough to prevent the supports  20  from coming loose when the bat  10  is used. In a preferred embodiment, the retaining member  22  is composed of urethane foam of sufficient stiffness to maintain the supports  20  in a position transverse to the axis  48  of the bat  10 . 
     In a first embodiment, the retaining member  22  of the present invention is inserted into the barrel  30  and when the supports  20  is at the final location, the retaining member  22  is adhered to the interior of the barrel  30  with an adhesive  24 . In this first embodiment, the retaining member  22  is cylindrical. Any means for adhesion may be used, but preferably the means will be urethane or silicone. 
     In a second embodiment, retaining member  222  is a non-circular geometric shape having at least three contact points  52 , as shown in  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 . In this second embodiment, the retaining member is sized so that the contact points  52  contact the interior of the barrel  30 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The retaining member  222  has a hole  50 . In this second embodiment, the means of adhesion  24  is positioned at the final location of the supports  20 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . In this second embodiment, the means of adhesion  24  is positioned such that the means of adhesion  24  will not contact the retaining member  222 , as shown in  FIG. 7 . The retaining member  222  of the present invention is inserted into the barrel  30  until the supports  20  contacts the means of adhesion  24  at the final location of the supports  20 , as shown in  FIG. 8 . Additional means of adhesion  54  is then added to adhere the entire perimeter of the support  20  to the interior of the barrel  30 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . Any means for adhesion may be used, but preferably the means will be urethane or silicone. 
     The retaining member  22  of the present invention must not be resistant to the adhesive  24 . The retaining member  22  of the present invention will preferably be of a lightweight composition to prevent a “weighting” effect. In a preferred embodiment, the retaining member  22  will be of a lightweight composition capable of being adhered to the interior of the bat  10 , such as urethane foam. 
     The bat  10  of the present invention may be included in one-wall or multiple-wall bat technology. 
     The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom for modifications can be made by those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.