Patent Document ID: 9364734
Application ID: 14121716
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A training bat apparatus, comprising: an elongated shaft having a pair of opposite ends and handgrip and barrel portions disposed in tandem relation to one another along said shaft, said handgrip portion extending from adjacent to one of said opposite ends of said shaft toward the other of said opposite ends thereof, said barrel portion being shorter in length than said handgrip portion and extending from adjacent to said other opposite end of said shaft toward said one opposite end thereof so as to configure said training bat apparatus to be used by a batter for taking a dry swing at a pitched ball; and an audible swing quality indicator being arranged on said elongated shaft so as to produce a noticeable sound in response to said training bat apparatus, when gripped at said handgrip portion of said shaft by a batter, being moved through a dry swing at a pitched ball such that by recognizing what the position of said training bat apparatus is during the dry swing, relative to a given point of simulated ball contact with the pitched ball, when the sound is produced, an indication is provided of the relative quality of the dry swing of the batter in terms of its timing, speed and technique, thereby enabling the batter to undergo effective dry batting training using the training bat apparatus in conjunction with a pitcher and catcher undergoing respective pitching and receiving training in a bullpen session; wherein said audible swing quality indicator includes a sound-producing body and an impact-producing body adapted to strike said sound-producing body; wherein said sound-producing body is a bell affixed to said barrel portion of said elongated shaft at said other opposite end thereof and being configured to produce a sound when struck; wherein said elongated shaft has an elongated bore formed therein extending between and open at said opposite ends of said shaft such that at least a portion of said bell is exposed to said bore at said other opposite end of said shaft; and wherein said impact-producing body is a striker member received within said elongated bore of said elongated shaft so as to be slidably movable within said bore and of sufficient mass to strike said exposed portion of said bell and produce the sound in response to said dry swing of said training bat apparatus by the batter.