Abstract:
Apparatus to add weight to an athletic ball striking bat, having a taper along the bat length, comprising in combination a sleeve sized to extend about the bat at the taper location, the sleeve having associated retention means to engage the bat at a zone along said taper to resist lengthwise removal of the sleeve off the bat during bat swinging, a weight or weights carried by the sleeve.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 10/262,734 filed Oct. 1, 2002. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to swinging of ball strikers as, for example, baseball bats. More specifically, it is related to the field of practice or warm-up swinging of such strikers or bats having weight added to them.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     When athletes who handle ball strikers warm-up, or train, they commonly use two strikers, and swing them in unison a few times to loosen muscles. Holding and swinging two strikers is awkward, uncomfortable, and does not achieve the right feel, needed as by gripping and swinging only one striker but one striker does not achieve additional weight as can be provided by two strikers. There is need to overcome this dilemma, in a simple, effective and efficient manner, as is now provided by the present invention. In a similar manner, there is need to provide improvements as respects devices for adding weight to ball strikers such as baseball bats, for example.  
         [0004]     There is also need for a weight holding device that can be easily attached to and removed from a bat and which positively and safely retains the added weight to the bat.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     It is a major object of the invention to provide a simple and effective device or apparatus that meets the above need. Basically, the device is adapted for use in a ball striker or bat having a taper or tapered surface, along its length, and includes:  
         [0006]     a) a sleeve sized to extend about the bat at the taper location;  
         [0007]     b) the sleeve having associated retention means to operatively engage the bat in a zone along said taper to resist lengthwise removal of the sleeve off the bat during bat swinging,  
         [0008]     c) a weight or weights carried by the sleeve.  
         [0009]     As will be seen, the weight or weights are typically carried at a location or locations proximate to the ball striking zone; and the retention means is spaced from the weight or weights, and has an arcuate interior surface to arcuately engage the bat at arcuately spaced locations.  
         [0010]     It is a further object to enable bat reception through the sleeve, so that the bat handle projects from the sleeve, the engaged zone of the bat typically located between the handle and weight or weights. The latter may be located in a pocket or pockets formed by or attached to the sleeve.  
         [0011]     An added object is to provide the retention means to include a retainer at the inner side of the sleeve, and which has an inner surface to engage the bat taper, such inner surface having a configuration defined by one of the following: 
        i) generally cylindrical     ii) tapered, lengthwise of the sleeve        
 
         [0014]     A yet further object it to provide a first pulling device on the sleeve to enable manual pulling of the sleeve endwise along the bat during close fitting assembly of the sleeve to the bat. A second pulling device may be provided on the sleeve to enable manual pulling of the sleeve endwise along and off the bat. Such devices may comprise pullers such as loops projecting at the sleeve exterior.  
         [0015]     Another object is to provide the weight or weights to comprise a deformable mass or masses of surface configuration, at or proximate the bat “Sweet spot”.  
         [0016]     An added object is to provide a retainer having an inner surface characterized by at least one of the following: 
        i) conical shape     ii) tapered     iii) cylindrical     iv) consisting of metal     v) consisting of non-metal     vi) consisting of plastic        
 
         [0023]     Another aspect of the invention concerns provision of a method of use of the sleeve as described, in any of its forms, that includes 
        i) relatively advancing the sleeve in a first direction onto the bat to position the associated retention means at or along the bat taper;     ii) practice swinging the bat,     iii) and subsequently relatively retracting the sleeve off the bat in second direction opposite the first direction.        
 
         [0027]     That method may include use of deformable weight or weights carried by the sleeve in spaced relation to the retainer, as well as the step of allowing said weight or weights to deform during bat swinging.  
         [0028]     It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a bat weight which includes free flowing weighted materials such as shot, steel balls, bead, beans and sand.  
         [0029]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bat weight which can accommodate a plurality of bats having a plurality of widths and diameters.  
         [0030]     These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as the details of an illustrative embodiment, will be more fully understood from the following specification and drawings, in which; 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0031]      FIG. 1  is a front side elevation showing an elongated sleeve-type receptacle receiving a ball striker such as a baseball bat;  
         [0032]      FIG. 2  is a view like  FIG. 1  showing a modification;  
         [0033]      FIGS. 3 and 4  are side views of two types of retainers usable in the sleeve of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ;  
         [0034]      FIG. 5  is a view like  FIG. 1 , showing another modification;  
         [0035]      FIGS. 6-9  are three-dimensional views of further modifications;  
         [0036]      FIG. 10  is a section taken through a modification having inner, outer and intermediate sleeve construction;  
         [0037]      FIG. 11  is a section taken through a modification having inner and outer sleeve construction;  
         [0038]      FIGS. 12 and 13  are side views of modifications having different weight position;  
         [0039]      FIG. 14  is a section taken through a sleeve assembled to a bat, and showing retainer and weight positioning;  
         [0040]      FIG. 15  is an enlarged view of the retainer seen in  FIG. 14 ;  
         [0041]      FIG. 16  is an enlarged view of a modified retainer of the type shown in  FIG. 15 ;  
         [0042]      FIG. 17  is a view like  FIG. 15 , but showing a conical retainer; and  
         [0043]      FIG. 18  is a view showing a modified form of sleeve attachment retainers and  
         [0044]      FIG. 19  is a view of a modified sleeve, retainer and weight structure;  
         [0045]      FIGS. 20-27  show modification; and  
         [0046]      FIGS. 28, 29  and  30  are sections taken on lines  28 - 28 ,  29 - 29  and  30 - 30  in  FIG. 27 .  
         [0047]      FIG. 31  is an alternative embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0048]      FIG. 32  is yet another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0049]      FIG. 32   a  is the complete embodiment of  FIG. 32 .  
         [0050]      FIGS. 33   a  to  33   e  illustrates the method steps of making the implement. of the present invention.  
         [0051]      FIG. 34  illustrates the present invention including the addition of soft donut shaped weights. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0052]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , an athletic ball striker, in the form of a bat  10  has a surface taper along its length, in region  11 . That taper may he defined by a conical section of the bat, between handle  10   a , and the bat sweet spot or region  10   b . The forward end of the bat is seen at  10   c.    
         [0053]     A sleeve  13  is provided and sized to be received endwise on the bat, in direction  14 . As shown, its assembly onto the bat is arrested in the sleeve position shown, extending about taper region  11 , as well as about the sweet spot region  10   b . The sleeve may, for example, consist of flexible plastic material.  
         [0054]     The sleeve has associated retainer means to engage the bat, at taper region  11 , and to resist lengthwise renewal of the sleeve off the bat, in direction  14 . That retainer means may take the form of an annular retainer ring indicated at  15 ,  FIGS. 14 and 15  show the retainer engaging the bat tapered surface, at  16 , with interference, to resist further forward movement along the bat. The sleeve  17  is attached to the retainer, or carries the retainer as at  18 , so that the sleeve is likewise retained against further forward movement on and along the bat. The attachment  18  may be a bond, or the retainer may be mechanically attached to the sleeve, as by a fastener or fasteners. Sleeve material may extend between the retainer and the bat.  
         [0055]     Retainer  115  is shown in  FIG. 17  as generally conical, and as having conical inner and outer surfaces  15   a  and  15   b ,  FIG. 16  shows the modified retainer  25  as comprising an annular ring  25   a  and having a coating  25   b  on it, such as a plastic coating, serving to engage the  10  bat surface without scoring it.  FIG. 18  shows a retainer  26  in the form of a ring, and having an annular recess  26   a . A clamping ring  27  extends about recess  26   a , and clamps a portion  13   b  of the sleeve into the recess, to secure the sleeve to the retainer  26 .  
         [0056]     The sleeve  13  in  FIGS. 1 and 14  carries a weight or weights  20 , spaced forwardly of the retainer  15  at location  116 . See space  21  in  FIG. 14 . That space may be of selected length, and may be almost eliminated to place the weights very near the retainer; however, as shown, the retainer  15  is located between location  116  and the bat handle. That weight or weights may consist of a mass of deformable material such as metallic granules continued in a pocket or pockets  23  (see in  FIG. 14 ) integral with the sleeve. Such pockets hold the granules in close conformity to the bat surface at location  116 , and the pockets may themselves be flexible to enhance such conformity, so that the bat overall configuration remains generally the same, whether or not the sleeve is applied and retained. This may be promoted by forming the pockets in elongated, narrow configuration, and spaced about the bat as indicated by the weight locations seen in  FIG. 1 . The weights are preferably located adjacent region  116 . The pockets may be sewn to the sleeve.  
         [0057]      FIG. 2  shows a sleeve  30  received on bat, and held against forward dislodgement by annular retainer  31 . A first device, such as loop  32  is provided on or attached to the sleeve forward side portion  30   a , for enabling manual pulling of the sleeve forwardly along the bat during assembly. A second device, such as loop  33 , is provided on or attached to the sleeve rearward side portion  30   b , for enabling manual pulling of the sleeve rearwardly along the bat, during disassembly off the bat  34 .  FIG. 4  shows the conical retainer  31 , similar to  115  and  FIG. 3  shows a modified retainer  32 , in the form of a cylinder, similar to  15 .  
         [0058]      FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 1 . The sleeve  13  is split at V-shaped edges  13   e  and  13   f  that extend lengthwise and form a triangle, Stretchable resilient fabric or material ouch as SPANDEX is provided at  36 , and attached to the sleeve along the triangular edges of the sleeve split, of selected length. This allows the sleeve to resiliently expand, for reception on a larger diameter bat, and to fit or adjust to a range of bat diameter sizes.  
         [0059]      FIGS. 6, 7 ,  8  and  8   a  schematically show multiple sections  40   a  and  40   b  of a sleeve assembly  40 . Inner sleeve  40   a  carries an annular retainer at  41  and weights at  42 . Outer section  40   b  fits telescopically over section  40   a , to form the assembly  40 . An end portion  40   b ′ of  40   b  may be pulled back over the retainer  41  and sewn in position at  43 .  
         [0060]      FIG. 9  shows a bat  50 , with a thickened sleeve  51  fitting over the bat sweet spot region. A retainer  52  is attached to the sleeve at its end, and may be attached as during molding of the sleeve, as for example if it is made of rubber or plastic. Solid metallic weights  53  fit into pockets  54  in the sleeve itself.  
         [0061]      FIG. 10  is a cross section that shows an inner sleeve  60  fitting on a bat and carrying weights at  61 ; and an outer sleeve  62  fitting over the inner sleeve. The bat is shown in cross section at  63 .  FIG. 11  shows an inner sleeve  64  fitting on a bat, and an outer sleeve  65  fitting over sleeve  64  and carrying weights at  66 . The weights may be carried in pockets in the sleeves. The sleeve carrying the weights may be firm, and the sleeve not carrying weights may be flexible.  
         [0062]      FIG. 12  shows a sleeve  70  on a bat  71 , and removable weights  32  carried in pockets  74  that can be opened and closed, as via a flap  73 .  FIG. 13  shows a sleeve  80  on a bat  82 , with weights  83  extending about, or annularly about the bat axis, and carried by the sleeve. See retainers at  90  in  FIGS. 12 and 13 .  
         [0063]     In  FIG. 19 , bat  140  extends through sleeve  141 . Weights  142  are carried by the sleeve as shown, and are spaced about the sleeve axis  143 . An annular metallic retainer  144  is carried by the sleeve, and engages the bat tapered surface  145 , at annular edge locus  146 , to return the sleeve to the bat as during practice swinging. The bat handle extends in direction  147 .  
         [0064]     Sleeve material  141   a  extends leftwardly beyond the retainer. An insert ring  148  of material is located leftwardly of the retainer, inwardly of material  141   a , Ring  148  may consist of plastic, and acts as a spacer to keep sleeve end material  141   a  from caving in, or bunching, toward the bat, to interfere with bat separation from the sleeve in direction  149 . The sleeve and its and material may be flexible. Ring  148  is typically carried by the sleeve.  
         [0065]     In the  FIG. 20  modification, the elements include a sleeve with open ends at  200 C and  200   d , weights  201  carried by the sleeve, and spaced about the sleeve at selected positions. The weights can be solid, or flowable in plastic or fabric bags secured to an inner portion of the sleeve. A ring shaped retainer  202  constructed from any material, or coated with vinyl or rubber, extends about the sleeve near sleeve smaller end  200 -d, to retain the sleeve to the bat, which enters at end  200   c . Retainer straps  203  extend crosswise over the retainer, and may be sewed to the sleeve, to position the retainer and hold it in position. Sleeve portion  200   a  has a greater than sleeve portion  200   b.    
         [0066]     Referring to the embodiment of  FIG. 21 , the unit comprises a sleeve  210 , weights  211  carried by the sleeve, as in  FIG. 20 , a flap  212  carrying VELCRO  212   a  (hook or pile), and sleeve portion  210   a  carrying a VELCRO  212   b  (pile or hook) to receive adjustable attachment to VELCRO  212   a . The attachment  212   a  controls the size of the sleeve end portion  210   a  that extends closely about the bat, i.e. is retained to the bat, to retain the sleeve and weights to the bat.  
         [0067]     The embodiment of  FIG. 22  has the following elements: An inner sleeve section  220  of larger diameter to fit various sizes of bat diameters; an inner sleeve section  221  of smaller diameter, to fit over a bat, a narrower section  222   a  as seen in  FIG. 23 ; and sewn together end junctions  223  of  220  and  221 . See also the sew lines  224  and  225  sleeve end opening.  
         [0068]     The embodiment of  FIG. 23  has the following elements: an outer sleeve  230  that fits over inner sleeve  202 , weights  231  associated with the sleeve, and carried by Annular retainer  232 , Retainer  232  is carried by inner sleeve  202  and has inside wall  232   a . The Retainer can be secured by a fabric piece sewn to inner wall of sleeve. A ring of stiff foam  233  or other material acts as a spacer or positioner for an excess fabric end and sleeve inside wall  230   b.    
         [0069]      FIG. 24  illustrates yet another embodiment. This embodiment shows the following elements: outer wall sleeve  240 ; an inner sleeve  241 , with larger diameter section  241   a ; weights  242  carried by  240  or  241 ; ring shaped retainer  243 ; and straps  244  sewn over the retainer, and onto either sleeve, to position the retainer  243 . Finally, outer sleeve end slits  245 , sewn together to narrow the sleeve end  240   a , effectively taper the sleeve to fit a bat taper.  
         [0070]      FIG. 25  has the following elements: fabric sleeve  250 ; cut-outs  251  at one and of  250 , which eliminate excess fabric in the retainer are at  252 ; a sew line  253  at sleeve  250 ; and sleeve end flaps  254 , between cut-outs, to be sewn together as shown in  FIG. 26 .  
         [0071]      FIG. 26  has the following elements associated with  FIG. 25 : sewn together edges  255  of flaps  254 , to provide a reduced diameter sleeve section  250   a  versus the larger diameter sleeve section  250   b , so that the unit may fit many different size bat barrels; and weights  256 .  
         [0072]      FIG. 27  discloses an embodiment having the following elements: an open end sleeve or outer sleeve  260  that fits onto a bat; frame  261  (plastic or metal) associated with or carried by sleeve  260 , to extend about inserted bat; weights  262  carried by the frame in pockets  262   a  and spaced about the bat; a sleeve retainer  263  that extends about the bat, to endwise position the sleeve and frame on the tapered bat, as described above; a frame ring  264 , including an inside wall  264   a ; an open area  265 ; and a foam or added plastic sleeve  266 .  
         [0073]      FIGS. 28-30  are section views, taken relative to  FIG. 27  and show the positions of weight  262  relative to frame members  270 . Zone  271  can be an additional plastic sleeve, extending about the frame. Also, the weight pockets can be spaced about the axis  273 , between frame members.  
         [0074]     Referring now to  FIG. 31  to  34 , further alternative embodiments of the invention are now shown. Referring to  FIG. 31 , an alternative embodiment comprises a foam or rubber coated retainer  300  inside a fabric  302 . Second separated weighted member  304  is affixed to the first member and extends longitudinally  304   a  further down the shaft of the bat when in use. The weighted members  304  can comprise solid, loose or flowable material. Non-exclusive examples of flowable materials may comprise materials such as steel or metallic balls or shot, pellets, beans, bird seed, sand and the like. The rubber coated retainer  300  is sewn to the knob end  303  of the fabric  302  to help retain the device in place when in use.  
         [0075]     In the embodiment of  FIGS. 32 and 32   a , a further alternative the invention comprises a rubber coated retainer  310  in contact with a weighted material  312 . The material  312  is placed in a cavity which is filled with a flowable weighted material such as steel balls, pellets, beans, peas and birdseed or alternatively  
         [0076]     One or more transverse straps  314  are attached in a direction parallel to the longitudinal direction of the bat. The weight may have a fabric or polymeric outer surface  316 . Preferably an additional plastic or polymeric layer  318  divides the outer surface  316  from the weight material  312 .  
         [0077]      FIGS. 33   a - e  illustrates a method for assembling the weight of the present invention. Initially, the inner wall fabric is sewn together  400 . A polymer bag supporting a weight such as steel or a loose or flowable material is then inserted into the fabric  402 . A rubber coated retainer  404  is then applied. Cross straps  408  are then applied for stability. A foam  406  is then applied to prevent wear and a ripping of the inner wall fabric  400 . Additional outer layers are then applied. These are a layer of fabric  410  covered by a foam layer  412  and then encapsulated by an extra fabric layer  414 . The outer wall fabric slips over the inner wall retainer and weights  415 . The unit is then stitched together  416 .  
         [0078]     In a further modification, the embodiment includes a flexible seam comprising spandex or neoprene or similar material. The flexible seam will expand when bigger barrel bats are entered into the bat swing weight and the seam will contract when smaller bats are entered into the bat swing weight to fit snugly to different size barrels. The flexible seam can be any shape and size. Alternatively, the inner wall of the bat swing weight could comprise a flexible material, instead of the inclusion of a flexible seam.  
         [0079]     Referring now to  FIGS. 34   a  to  34   c , directed to still additional embodiments where the invention comprises a donut-shaped weight  500 . As shown in  FIG. 34   a , the invention comprises a donut-shaped weight having an inner fabric  502 , outer fabric  504  and weighted filler  506 , which may comprise a flexible material  508 . A rigid inner band  510  maintains the rigidity of the donut.  
         [0080]      FIG. 34   b  illustrates another donut shaped embodiment, having an outer fabric wall  512 , outer donut  514 , inner donut  516  and inner fabric wall  518 . This embodiment includes a filler material  519 .  
         [0081]      FIG. 34   c  is a section view of the donut  512  showing a rubber or vinyl coated metallic donut  520  encased or covered in soft fabric  522  and/or including a foam  524 . An inner wall  526  and fabric  528  is shown.  
         [0082]     While the present invention has been described in the context of the above discussed preferred embodiment, it is to be appreciated that other embodiments fulfill the spirit and scope of the present invention and that the true nature and scope of the present invention is to be determined with reference to the claims appended hereto.