Patent Publication Number: US-2020276484-A1

Title: Baseball or softball bat with adjustable sound generator

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to baseball and softball bats. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bat having a sound generator disposed therein such that upon impact of the bat with an object the sound generator generates a simulated bat impact sound. 
     Baseball and softball are very popular sports in many countries, including the United States, Mexico, Japan and elsewhere. Due to the competitive nature of these sports, players are constantly seeking ways of improving their performance. An important aspect of baseball and softball is the ability to effectively hit the ball. 
     Typically, wooden bats are used at the professional levels, while metal, such as aluminum alloy, and composite material bats are used extensively in other leagues and levels, and particularly in baseball amateur play from Little League to college levels and also in slow- and fast-pitch softball. Metal and composite bats are advantageous over wood bats in that they do not break and splinter like wood bats and thus can be used repeatedly with consequent cost savings. Metal and composite bats also have a larger optimal hitting area or power zone than wood bats. 
     However, these bats have certain disadvantages. Bats comprised of metal or composite materials or combinations thereof vibrate upon impact. The shock caused by the bat hitting the ball may send painful vibrations into the hands and arms of the batter if the ball is not hit at the sweet spot of the bat. 
     As a result, there have been designed and created bats having vibration dissipating or absorbing characteristics. Some of these designs have become so effective that the typical impact sound when a bat barrel strikes a ball is altered, and in some cases muffled or even nearly completely eliminated due to the vibration absorbing and dissipating aspects of the bat. However, it has been found that batters prefer to hear the impact sound, which can be described as a “crack” or “ping” or the like, when they strike a ball with the bat. Depending upon the materials used to construct the bat, or due to the bat incorporating vibration dissipators or absorbers, such bat impact sound is altered or muffled, reducing the enjoyment of the game and leading some batters to wonder if the bat is not performing optimally. 
     Accordingly, there is a continuing need for a bat which incorporates a sound generator that generates a simulated bat impact sound when the bat strikes an object, such as a baseball or softball. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally resides in a baseball or softball bat having a handle and a barrel extending from the handle. The bat incorporates a sound generator which generates a simulated bat impact sound when the bat strikes an object, such as a baseball or softball or the like. In this manner, the bat, even if comprised of composite materials and/or incorporating vibration dampeners, will emit a simulated bat impact sound upon striking the ball. 
     The sound generator is typically disposed within the barrel of the bat. The sound generator comprises a knocker attached to a resilient member. The sound generator is configured such that upon being activated by an impact of the barrel with an object, the resilient member flexes or is deformed, causing the knocker to strike an inner surface of the bat, typically the barrel, and generate the simulated bat impact sound. The knocker is comprised of a metal or other hard material so as to generate the simulated bat impact sound upon striking the inner surface of the barrel. 
     The resilient member comprises a spacer comprised of a resilient material that retains the knocker in relation to the inner surface of the barrel when the sound generator is in an inactive state. Typically, the spacer supports the knocker in spaced relation to the inner surface of the barrel when the sound generator is in the inactive or at-rest state. The spacer may also be in nominal contact with an inner surface of the barrel in the inactive state. 
     The sound generator may be attached to an end cap of the barrel. The spacer may also be attached to an end cap of the barrel. 
     Alternatively, the sound generator may be attached to a portion of the handle extending into the barrel. A connector may extend between the end cap and the spacer. The spacer may instead be attached directly to the handle. 
     In yet another alternative, the sound generator is disposed within the barrel intermediate an end of the barrel and the handle. The resilient member and the knocker may be disposed intermediate the end of the barrel and the handle. 
     The length, material and stiffness of a connecting arm between the resilient member and the knocker can be adjusted in order to alter the sound upon impact between the bat and a ball or other object. As such, the connecting arm can act as a tuner of sorts for the knocker to create the desired simulated bat impact sound. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a bat incorporating a sound generator, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmented and partially sectioned perspective view illustrating the sound generator of  FIG. 1  within the barrel of the bat, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a partially sectioned and fragmented perspective view similar to  FIG. 2 , illustrating a variation of the sound generator; 
         FIG. 4  is a fragmented and partially sectioned perspective view of another sound generator embodying the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a partially sectioned and fragmented perspective view of a sound generator extending from a handle and into a barrel of the bat, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a cut-away and fragmented perspective view of a bat having a sound generator embodying the present invention attached to an end cap of the bat; 
         FIG. 7  is a fragmented and partially sectioned perspective view of another sound generator attached to the end cap of the bat, in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a fragmented and partially sectioned perspective view of another sound generator attached to an end cap of the bat; 
         FIG. 9  is a fragmented and partially sectioned view of a bat having a sound generator disposed within a barrel intermediate the ends of the bat, in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a fragmented and partially sectioned perspective view of another sound generator disposed within the barrel of the bat, intermediate the ends of the bat, in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     As shown in the accompanying drawings, for purposes of illustration, the present invention resides in a baseball or softball bat, generally referred to by the reference number  10 . As will be more fully explained herein, the bat  10  includes a sound generator which generates a simulated bat impact sound when the bat strikes an object, such as a baseball or softball or the like. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a bat  10  embodying the present invention is illustrated. The bat  10  includes a barrel  12  that is hollow and includes an opening  14  at one end thereof and an opening  16  at a generally opposite end thereof. A handle  18  is attached to the barrel  12 , such as by inserting the handle  18  through open end  14 , through the barrel  12  and at least partially out open end  16 , as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The handle  18  may be attached to the barrel  12  by means of a threaded connector  20  having threads  22  which are threadedly connected to internal threads  24  formed in an inner surface of the barrel  12 . Typically, the threaded connection will occur at a tapered section of the barrel  12  adjacent to the open end  16 . 
     The barrel  12  may be comprised of any suitable material, such as metal, including aluminum or an aluminum alloy, or a laminate composite material, such as composite fibers or sheets which may be pre-impregnated with resins or the like. Similarly, the handle  18  may be comprised of any suitable material, including metal, composite material or the like. A grip (not shown) may be placed over a grip portion of the handle  18  so as to provide a degree of friction or grippability to securely hold and swing the bat  10  in use, while providing comfort to the user. A knob  26  may be attached to the free end of the handle  18 , adjacent the gripping portion of the handle, to prevent the user&#39;s hands from slipping off of the end of the bat  10  when swinging the bat  10 . A sleeve  28  may extend over at least a portion of the handle  18  and have internal threads  30  which threadedly connect to a threaded portion  32  of the connector  20 . An end cap  34  may be attached to the end of the bat so as to cover opening  14 . 
     Connector  20  may be comprised of a vibration absorbing and/or dampening material so as to act as a vibration dampener so as to prevent vibrations emanating from the barrel  12  when it hits an object, such as a ball, from traveling to the handle  18  and to the user&#39;s hands. The vibration absorber  20  may be comprised of an elastomeric material, such as an elastic polymer material having a desired hardness so as to be physically attached to the barrel  12  of the bat  10  while also still providing flexibility and vibration dampening and absorbing characteristics. For example, the elastic polymer material may have a durometer hardness of between 25-100 shore A. The material comprising the connector  20  may be molded onto the handle  18 . The vibration absorber  20  may also be attached to the handle  18 , such as by adhesives or the like. 
     However, the connector  20  may not be comprised of a vibration dampening or absorbing material and not constitute a vibration dampener or absorber. Also, the handle  18  and the barrel  12  could be interconnected by other means. 
     With continuing reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a sound generator  36  is attached to a portion of the handle  18  which extends into the barrel  12 . The sound generator  36  comprises a knocker  38  attached to a resilient member  40  in the form of a connecting arm or the like. The knocker  38  is typically comprised of a hard material, preferably a metallic material such that when an object, such as a ball, is struck by the barrel  12  of the bat  10  the sound generator is activated such that the resilient member connecting arm flexes or is deformed causing the knocker  38  to strike an inner surface of the barrel  12  and generate a simulated bat impact sound. The connecting arm  40  may be comprised of a resilient material, such as a polymeric material or the like. The connecting arm  40  can also be comprised of a metallic material. 
     Typically, a spacer  42  is used to retain the knocker  38  in a desired relation to the inner surface of the barrel  12  when the sound generator  36  is in an inactive or at-rest state. The spacer  42  is typically comprised of a resilient material, such as a polymeric material. Typically, the spacer  42  is in contact with an inner surface of the barrel, such as being generally circular in shape so as to fit within the generally circular cross-section of the barrel  12 . The spacer  42  supports the knocker  38  in spaced relation to the inner surface of the barrel  12  when the sound generator is in the inactive state. 
     When the bat barrel  12  strikes an object, such as a ball, the resilient member, which may comprise the connecting arm  40  and/or spacer  42 , flexes or is deformed by the energy caused by the impact of the ball with the barrel, and thus is deformed or flexes, causing the knocker  38  to strike an inner surface of the barrel  12 . This generates a simulated bat impact sound that might be attenuated, muffled or even eliminated due to the selection of the materials used in constructing the bat  10 , such as composite materials comprising the bat barrel  12 , incorporation of vibration dampeners or absorbers and the like. In effect, the sound generator  36  acts as a tuning fork which is struck against an object, which will emit a desired sound. 
     Different sounds can be created under the impact between a ball and the bat  10  by adjusting various aspects of the sound generator  36 , including the length, material and stiffness of the connecting arm  40  and/or spacer  42  of the resilient member. For example, a longer connecting arm  40  will generate a different sound than a shorter connecting arm. Also, the type of material comprising the knocker  38  can make a difference in the sound generated, such that a metallic knocker  38  will generate a different sound than a knocker  38  comprised of a different material, such as composite material or other material. However, the knocker  38  should be comprised of a sufficiently hard and durable material so as to create a desired simulated bat impact sound. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 3 , a bat is illustrated with another sound generator  44 . A spacer  46  is attached to an end of the bat handle  18 . A connecting arm  48  extends between the spacer  46  and the knocker  50 . Similar to that described above, the spacer  46  is generally circular in configuration so as to contact an inner surface of the barrel  12  and position the knocker  50  in relation to the inner surface of the barrel  12 , such as in spaced relation thereto. The spacer  46 , connecting arm  48  and knocker  50  can be comprised of the same materials as described above. Moreover, the sound generator  44  operates in a similar manner as the sound generator  36  described above. In this case, the knocker  50  has a shaft portion  52  which is connected to the connecting arm  48 , such as by being inserted into an end thereof, with a ring or disc structure  54  at an end thereof which will come into contact with an inner surface of the barrel  12 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 4 , yet another sound generator  54  embodying the present invention is illustrated. In this case, the resilient member comprises a generally hollow elongated sleeve  56  which is attached to the bat handle  18  at one end thereof, where it is in contact with an inner surface of the barrel  12  and extends outwardly to a free end  58 . The knocker  60  is disposed on the hollow sleeve resilient member  56 , which serves as both the connecting arm as well as the spacer. The knocker  60  may be disposed along the length of the sleeve  56 , but typically towards the free end  58  which forms an enlarged lip to retain the knocker  60  in place on the sleeve  56 . The resilient member sleeve  56  retains the knocker  60  in a desired relation to the inner surface of the barrel  12  when in an inactive and at-rest state, but the resilient material comprising the sleeve  56  is deformed or flexes upon a ball impacting the barrel  12  such that the knocker  60  comes into contact with the inner surface of the barrel  12  and creates the desired simulated bat impact sound. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 5 , the present invention can be incorporated into a wide variety of bats. The bat illustrated in  FIG. 5  has a barrel section  12  and a handle section  18  which comprise a unitary structure instead of being in separate pieces. For example, the bat may be comprised of a single piece of aluminum or formed as a single piece of composite material and shaped so as to form a handle of an appropriate length and width which tapers to the tapered section of the barrel and then the hitting section of the barrel. An end knob  26  as described above may be attached to the end of the handle section  18 . A sound generator  62  is disposed within the bat and has the general configuration and purpose as that described above. 
     More particularly, the sound generator  62  includes a knocker  64 , such as disposed at an end of a connecting arm  66  having a spacer  68  disposed along a length of the connecting arm  66 . The spacer  68  is typically comprised of a polymeric material, and the connecting arm  66  can be comprised of metal or a non-metallic material. The spacer  68  is typically in contact with an inner surface of either the handle  18  or barrel  12  so as to firmly position the sound generator  62  within the bat and also position the knocker  64  in relation to an inner surface of the barrel  12 , such as in spaced relation. The connecting arm  66  may be comprised of a single piece or member, or multiple members, such as being joined at the position of the spacer  68 . The length of the connecting arm  66  between the knocker  64  and the spacer  68  can be adjusted, as deemed necessary, which can vary the simulated bat impact sound generated by the knocker  64  when the bat comes into contact with a ball or other object. 
     The sound generator of the present invention need not be attached to the handle or disposed within the handle, but instead can be positioned at other locations within the bat. For example, with reference to  FIGS. 6-8 , the sound generator may be disposed adjacent to or in connection with the end cap  34  of the barrel  12 . Preferably, the sound generator is configured and disposed such that the knocker thereof will come into contact with an inner surface of the barrel  12  of the bat so as to generate the simulated bat impact sound in an effective manner. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 6 , the sound generator  70  is disposed within the barrel  12  of the bat near the end cap  34  thereof, as illustrated. A knocker  72  is attached to a resilient member in the form of a connecting arm  74  and spacer  76 , having the characteristics and made of materials as described above. One or more connectors  78  extend between the sound generator  70  and the end cap  34  so as to attach the sound generator  70  to the end cap  34  and retain it in place within the barrel  12  of the bat. The connecting arm  74  and/or spacer  76  are comprised of materials which are able to deform or flex when the bat barrel  12  contacts a ball or other object such that the knocker  72  comes into contact with an inner surface of the bat barrel  12  and generates the simulated bat impact sound, in accordance with the present invention. As the sound generator  70  is attached to the end cap  34 , it can be attached to the end cap  34  during the manufacturing process and slid into the barrel  12  through the open end thereof when assembling the bat. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 7 , yet another sound generator  80  embodying the present invention is shown. Once again, a knocker  82  is attached to a connecting arm  84  extending from a spacer  86 , which is in contact with an inner surface of the barrel  12  and retains the knocker  82  in place with respect to an inner surface of the barrel  12 , such as in spaced relation as illustrated. The sound generator  80  illustrated in  FIG. 7  is similar to that in  FIG. 6 , except that instead of having one or more connector rods  78  extending between the sound generator and the end cap  34 , a connector sleeve  86  extends between the end cap  34  and the sound generator  80 , such as extending between the inner wall of the barrel  12  and the outer surface of the spacer  86 , as shown so as to attach the sound generator  80  to the end cap  34  and enable easy installation thereof when inserting the end cap  34  onto the open end of the barrel  12 . 
     With reference now to  FIG. 8 , another sound generator  88  embodying the present invention is shown. In this embodiment, the sound generator  88  is directly connected to the end cap  34 , such as the spacer  90  being disposed within a cylindrical portion  92  of the end cap so as to be nested therein. The knocker  94 , as described above, is attached to a resilient connecting arm  96 , with at least one of the connecting arms  96  and/or the spacer  90  of the resilient member being deformed or flexing when activated when the bat  12  strikes an object, causing the knocker  94  to come into contact with an inner surface of the barrel  12  and generate the simulated bat impact sound. 
     With reference now to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , it is not necessary that the sound generator be attached to the end cap  34  of the bat. Instead, the sound generator, such as illustrated in these figures, can be disposed within the bat intermediate the ends thereof, preferably within the barrel  12  of the bat. The sound generator  96  is held in place by at least a portion of the resilient member, such as the spacer  98  being in contact with the inner surface of the barrel  12 , such as a frictional fit therewith. The resilient connector arm  100  supports the knocker  102  and extends between the spacer  98  and the knocker  102 . The sound generator  96  can be comprised of the same materials and have the same characteristics and purpose as those described above. 
     With reference now to  FIG. 10 , yet another sound generator  104  is illustrated. Similar to  FIG. 9 , the sound generator  104  is disposed within the barrel  12  of the bat intermediate the ends thereof. In this case, the knocker  106  is disposed on a resilient connector arm  108  that extends between two spacers  110  and  112  which are spaced apart from one another and at least one of which, and typically both, are in contact with the inner surface of the barrel  12  so as to form a frictional fit therewith and position the sound generator  104  within the barrel  12 . Similar to that described above, when the barrel  12  of the bat strikes an object, such as a ball, the resilient connecting arm  108  and/or the spacers  110  and  112  resiliently deform or flex such that the knocker  106  is moved into contact with the inner surface of the barrel  12  so as to generate the simulated bat impact sound. However, during the inactive or at-rest state, the spacers  110  and/or  112  retain the knocker  106  in spaced relation to the inner surface of the barrel  12 . 
     Although several embodiments have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.