FIELD
The present disclosure generally relates to handgrip for a baseball/softball bat.
BACKGROUND
Many baseball and softball players struggle to grip the handle of the bat correctly. Various handgrips and grip training implements have been developed that aim to improve a batter's grip position.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present disclosure provides an annular hand positioning shaft to be secured around a handle of the baseball/softball bat; specifically, between a knob and a barrel of the baseball/softball bat. The hand positioning shaft has a longitudinal axis, a bottom end portion, and an upper end portion. The bottom end portion is spaced from the upper end portion along the longitudinal axis.
The annular hand positioning shaft may be formed from a shaft member and an elongate closure member. The shaft member has a first longitudinal edge margin and a second longitudinal edge margin spaced apart by a gap. Each of the first and second longitudinal edge margins of the shaft member includes a locking formation. The elongate closure member has a first longitudinal edge margin and a second longitudinal edge margin. Each of the first longitudinal edge margin and the second longitudinal edge margin of the elongate closure member includes a complementary locking formation. The shaft member is positioned about the handle of the bat such that the gap has a first circumferential dimension with respect to the longitudinal axis. The elongate closure member is inserted longitudinally into the gap while the shaft member is positioned about the handle such that the complementary locking formations of the first and second longitudinal edge margins of the elongate closure member operatively engage the locking formations of the first and second longitudinal edge margins of the shaft member and draws the first longitudinal edge margin of the shaft member toward the second longitudinal edge margin of the shaft member. After the elongate closure member is inserted longitudinally into the gap, the locking formations of the shaft member and the complementary locking formations of the elongate closure member secures the first longitudinal edge margin of the shaft member to the first longitudinal edge margin of the elongate closure member and secures the second longitudinal edge margin of the shaft member to the second longitudinal edge margin of the elongate closure member such that the elongate closure member is secured in the gap. The gap has a second circumferential dimension with respect to the longitudinal axis that is less than the first circumferential dimension.
The annular hand positioning shaft may include an upper hand receiving portion, a lower hand receiving portion, and a hand separation ridge. The upper hand receiving portion and a lower hand receiving portion are spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, with the hand separation ridge located between the lower hand receiving portion and the upper hand receiving portion along the longitudinal axis. The upper hand receiving portion includes plurality of upper axial finger positioning ribs spaced apart along the longitudinal axis, and the lower hand receiving portion includes plurality of lower axial finger positioning ribs spaced apart along the longitudinal axis. The annular hand positioning shaft receives an upper hand of a batter in the upper hand receiving portion and a lower hand of a batter in the lower hand receiving portion such that: (i) the upper and lower axial finger positioning ribs respectively support fingers of the upper hand and the lower hand at predefined locations along the longitudinal axis of the hand positioning shaft, (ii) the hand separation ridge supports the upper hand and the lower hand at respective locations along the longitudinal axis of the hand positioning shaft, and (iii) the hand positioning shaft supports the upper hand and the lower hand of the batter generally at a predefined relative circumferential grip position.
The bottom end portion of the hand positioning shaft may define an axe handle base. The axe handle base includes an upper domed surface protruding radially outward with respect to an adjacent segment of the hand positioning shaft above the upper domed surface. The upper domed surface has an apex curve in a center plane extending along the longitudinal axis. The upper domed surface slopes downward from the apex curve as the upper domed surface extends in opposite first and second directions from the center plane, the apex curve is asymmetrical in the center plane on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis.
The annular hand positioning shaft may further include an upper palm pad configured to receive a portion of a palm of the upper hand at a predefined location along the longitudinal axis of the hand positioning shaft and a lower palm pad configured to receive a portion of a palm of the lower hand at predefined locations along the longitudinal axis of the hand positioning shaft. The lower palm pad is spaced apart along the longitudinal axis with an off-set angle about the longitudinal axis from the upper palm pad.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a handgrip;
FIG. 1A is a front view of the handgrip of FIG. 1 on a baseball/softball bat.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the handgrip of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a back view of the handgrip of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a first side view of the handgrip of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a second side view of the handgrip of FIG. 1;
FIG. 6 is a top view of the handgrip of FIG. 1;
FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the handgrip of FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the handgrip view shown in FIG. 3;
FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the handgrip view shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 10 is an exploded view of the handgrip view shown in FIG. 6;
FIG. 10A is cross section taken in the plane of line 10A-10A of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10B is cross section taken in the plane of line 10B-10B of FIG. 2;
FIG. 11 is an exploded view of the handgrip view shown in FIG. 7;
FIG. 12 is a cross section taken in the plane of line 12-12 of FIG. 8;
FIG. 13 is a cross section taken in the plane of line 13-13 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 14 is a cross section taken in the plane of line 14-14 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 15 is a cross section of plane CP of FIGS. 6 and 7;
FIG. 16 is a cross section taken in the plane of line 16-16 of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 17 is an alternative view of the handgrip of FIG. 1.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIGS. 1-7, an exemplary embodiment of a handgrip for a baseball bat or a softball bat is generally indicated at reference number 10. The handgrip 10 provides a batting handgrip that is comfortable in a batter's hands, secures properly to the bat handle for repetitive training and competition use, and which provides unambiguous guidance on where the batter should position both hands to enable clean and efficient movement to the ball during each swing. As shown, the handgrip 10 comprises a hand positioning shaft having a bottom end portion 12 and an upper end portion 14. The bottom end portion 12 of the hand positioning shaft 10 is spaced from the upper end portion 14 along a longitudinal axis LA, as shown. As explained in further detail, the hand positioning shaft 10 secures around a handle of the baseball/softball bat between a knob and a barrel of the baseball/softball bat as shown in FIG. 1A. The hand positioning shaft 10 includes features for providing unambiguous guidance on where the batter should position both hands to enable clean and efficient movement to the ball during each swing. The features below include one or more of an upper hand receiving portion 16, a lower hand receiving portion 18, a hand separation ridge 20, an axe handle base 22, an upper palm pad 24, and a lower palm pad 26.
In an exemplary embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 8-11, the hand positioning shaft 10 includes a shaft member 28 and an elongate closure member 30 for securing the hand positioning shaft onto the bat. The shaft member 28 includes a first longitudinal edge margin 32 and a second longitudinal edge margin 34 spaced apart by a gap 36. Each of the first and second longitudinal edge margins 32, 34 of the shaft member 28 includes a locking formation 38. As shown in FIG. 9, the elongate closure member 30 has a first longitudinal edge margin 40 and a second longitudinal edge margin 42, each with a complementary locking formation 44 that is configured to interlock with a corresponding locking formation 38 of the shaft member 28. The elongate closure member 30 is configured to be inserted longitudinally into the gap 36 while the shaft member 28 is positioned about the handle of the bat, allowing the complementary locking formations 44 of the first and second longitudinal edge margins 40, 42 of the elongate closure member to operatively engage the locking formations 38 of the first and second longitudinal edge margins 32, 34 of the shaft member.
Referring to FIG. 10, the locking formations 38 on the shaft member 28 comprise longitudinal tongue elements 50 that each have a generally L-shaped cross-sectional shape. In the illustrated embodiment, each tongue element 50 is depicted as a separate piece that is riveted to the remainder of the shaft member 28. But in other embodiments the entire shaft member 28 can be formed from a single piece. In still other embodiments, the tongue elements 50 can be formed on an annular substrate that extends the full circumference of the shaft member 28, and the and positioning features described in further detail below can be over-molded onto the annular substrate.
In cross-section, each tongue element 50 includes a web segment 51 that extends circumferentially from the respective longitudinal edge margin 32, 34 to which it is attached toward the opposing longitudinal edge margin. Each web segment 51 is formed at the radially inner portion of the hand positioning shaft 10, adjacent the point of contact between the hand positioning shaft and the bat handle. In cross-section, each tongue element 50 further comprises a radial extension 53 extending radially outward from the circumferentially distal edge of the respective web segment 51. Each tongue element 50 further comprises an overhang 55 extending circumferentially toward the proximal end of the respective web segment. The overhang 55 is radially spaced apart from the web segment 51 has a free end that is circumferentially spaced apart from the respective edge margin 32, 34 of the shaft member 28 such that each tongue element 50 defines a general L-shaped channel 57. The L-shaped channel 57 has an open upper end and a closed lower end that is closed off by a stop block 52 (see FIG. 8).
As shown in FIG. 10A, the elongate closure member 30 comprises a grooved portion including opposite longitudinal extensions 44 that are L-shaped in cross-section and located on opposite circumferential sides of a groove 59 that is T-shaped in cross-section. The groove 59 opens through the bottom end of the elongate closure member 30 and has a closed upper end. With the shaft member 28 positioned around a bat, the elongate closure member 30 is configured to be inserted longitudinally downward into the gap 36 between the longitudinal edge margins 32, 34 of the shaft member, as shown in FIG. 10B. The extensions 44 are slidably received in the L-shaped channels 57 and the tongue elements 50 are slidably received in the groove 59. Moreover, the extensions 44 and the groove 59 are shaped and arranged so that, as the elongate closure member 30 is pressed downward, the extensions 44 bear against the tongue elements 50 and press them circumferentially toward one another.
Accordingly, it can be seen that engagement of the complementary locking formations 44 of the elongate closure member 30 with the locking formations 38 of the shaft member 28 draws the first longitudinal edge margin 32 of the shaft member toward the second longitudinal edge margin 34 of the shaft member. After the elongate closure member 30 is inserted longitudinally into the gap 36, the locking formations 38 of the shaft member 28 and the complementary locking formations 44 of the elongate closure member secure the first longitudinal edge margin 32 of the shaft member to the first longitudinal edge margin 40 of the elongate closure member and secure the second longitudinal edge margin 34 of the shaft member to the second longitudinal edge margin 42 of the elongate closure member such that the elongate closure member is secured in the gap. Because the locking formations 38, 44 draw the longitudinal edge margins 32, 34 together like a zipper, the hand positioning shaft 10 is cinched tightly around the bat handle and is substantially constrained from movement relative to the bat. Referring to FIG. 12, to explain the effect of the elongate closure member a different way, before the elongate closure member is inserted into the gap 36, the shaft member 28 is positioned about the handle of the bat and the gap 36 has a first circumferential dimension with respect to the longitudinal axis LA. After the elongate closure member 30 is inserted into the gap, as shown FIG. 13, the gap 36 is reduced to a second circumferential dimension less than the first circumferential dimension 46. This reduction in the circumferential gap dimensions reduces the circumference of the hand positioning shaft 10 and thereby cinches the hand positioning gap on the bat handle.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 8, when the elongate closure member 30 is inserted longitudinally into the gap 36 of the shaft member 28, the elongated closure member and shaft member form a substantially smooth and contiguously contoured outer surface.
Although the illustrated embodiment of the handgrip 10 uses the elongate closure member 30 to secure the hand positioning shaft onto the bat handle, it will be understood that other embodiments can use other methods of securement. Furthermore, it is contemplated that the handgrip can be formed as a factory-installed component of a bat in one or more embodiments.
As shown in FIG. 2, the upper hand receiving portion 16 and a lower hand receiving portion 18 are spaced apart along the longitudinal axis LA with the hand separation ridge 20 located between the lower hand receiving portion and the upper hand receiving portion along the longitudinal axis. The upper hand receiving portion 16 includes a plurality of upper axial finger positioning ribs 54 spaced apart along the longitudinal axis LA. Similarly, the lower hand receiving portion 18 includes a plurality of lower axial finger positioning ribs 56 spaced apart along the longitudinal axis LA. The hand positioning shaft 10 is configured to receive an upper hand of a batter in the upper hand receiving portion 16 and a lower hand of a batter in the lower hand receiving portion 18 such that: (i) the upper and lower axial finger positioning ribs 54, 56 respectively support fingers of the upper hand and the lower hand at predefined locations along the longitudinal axis LA of the hand positioning shaft, (ii) the hand separation ridge 18 supports the upper hand and the lower hand at respective locations along the longitudinal axis of the hand positioning shaft, and (iii) the hand positioning shaft supports the upper hand and the lower hand of the batter generally at a predefined relative circumferential grip position.
In the illustrated embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 14, the hand separation ridge 18 ergonomically engages an ulnar portion of the upper hand and a radial portion of the lower hand so that the hands are properly supported at the predefined relative circumferential grip position. The hand separation ridge 18 has an upper side and a lower side. The upper side is configured to support a pinky finger (broadly, ulnar portion) of the upper hand and the lower side is configured to support an index finger (broadly, radial portion) of the lower hand of the batter. The hand separation ridge 20 may protrude radially outward from the longitudinal axis LA to a slightly greater extent than the upper and lower axial finger positioning ribs 54, 56.
In an exemplary embodiment, the predefined relative circumferential grip position arranges the hands for clean and efficient movement to the ball during a swing and/or positions the hands to make a strong palm-up, palm-down attack on the ball. In the illustrated embodiment, the predefined relative circumferential grip position causes the batter to rotate his or her wrists inward toward one another (relative to true door knock grip) such that the middle knuckles of the lower hand are circumferentially offset from middle knuckles of the upper hand by an offset angle of greater than 0° and less than 30° (e.g., greater than 5° and less than 25°). In other words, the upper and lower hand receiving portions 16, 18 are configured to position the hands of the batter such that the wrists are rotated inward slightly from a true door knock position.
As shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 14, an upper imaginary rib center line ILUR extends parallel to the longitudinal axis LA through about circumferential midpoints of the upper axial finger positioning ribs 54 and a lower imaginary rib center line ILLR extends parallel to the longitudinal axis through about circumferential midpoints of the lower axial finger positioning ribs 56. As shown in FIG. 14, the upper imaginary rib center line ILUR may be circumferentially spaced apart from the lower imaginary rib center line about the axis by the offset angle OA1 in an inclusive range of from about 25° to about 50°, (e.g., 30° to about 45°, from about 32° to about 42°.
In accordance with the present disclosure, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 15, the bottom end portion 12 of the hand positioning shaft 10 defines the axe handle base 22 below the lower hand receiving portion 18 along the longitudinal axis LA. The axe handle base 22 is configured to comfortably support and position an ulnar portion of the lower hand during each swing. The axe handle base 22 is canted to orient the lower hand for a strong attack on the ball. The axe handle base 22 includes an upper domed surface 58 protruding radially outward with respect to an adjacent segment 60 of the hand positioning shaft 10 above the upper domed surface. As shown in FIG. 15, the domed surface 58 has an apex curve 62 in a center plane CP (FIGS. 6 and 7) extending along the longitudinal axis LA. The upper domed surface 58 slopes downward from the apex curve 62 two directions as the upper domed surface extends in opposite first and second directions orthogonal to the center plane CP. As shown in FIG. 15, the apex curve 62 is asymmetrical in the center plane CP on opposite sides of the longitudinal axis LA. Because of the canted orientation of the domed surface 58, the apex curve 62 separates into a rising curve segment 64 and falling curve segment 66 on opposite sides of the central passage in which the bat handle is received.
Referring to FIGS. 15 and 16, a center plane imaginary line ILCF in the center plane CP and oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis LA intersects an uppermost point along the apex curve 62. The center plane imaginary line ILCF is offset from the lower imaginary rib center line ILLR by an offset angle less than 20° (e.g., an offset angle less than 10°, an offset angle less than 5°.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the upper and lower palm pads 24, 26 are ergonomically shaped to support portions of the upper and lower palms. The upper palm pad 24 is shaped and positioned on the hand positioning shaft 10 to support a portion of a palm of the upper hand at a predefined location along the longitudinal axis LA. Similarly, the lower palm pad 26 is shaped and positioned to support a portion of a palm of the lower hand at a predefined location along the longitudinal axis LA of the hand positioning shaft. The upper and lower palm pads 24, 26 comprise ellipsoid surfaces protruding radially outward with respect to respective adjacent segments 68 on the hand positioning shaft 10. The ellipsoid surfaces of the upper and lower pad pads 24, 26 are ergonomically shaped to support the palms of the upper and lower hands to keep the bat in “meat of the hands” (e.g., muscles of the palm of the hand). This provides the batter with increased connection, comfort, and control of the bat.
As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the ellipsoid surfaces of the upper and lower palm pads 24, 26 each comprise an imaginary center pad line ILUP, ILLP parallel to the longitudinal axis LA, and extending approximately through circumferential midpoints of their respective ellipsoid surface. About the imaginary center pad lines ILUP, ILLP each of the ellipsoidal surfaces may be symmetrical as shown in FIGS. 3 and 16. The upper palm pad 24 and lower palm pad 26 are positioned on the hand positioning shaft 10 such that the imaginary center pad lines ILUP, ILLP of the upper and lower palm pads are circumferentially offset from each other about the longitudinal axis LA, for example, by an angle OA2 in an inclusive range of from about 45° to about 75° (e.g., an offset angle of from about 50° to about 70°, an offset angle of from about 55° to about 65°). Referring still to FIG. 16, in one or more embodiments the imaginary center pad line ILLP of the lower palm pad 26 is circumferentially offset from the imaginary center rib line ILLR of the lower finger positioning ribs 56 by an offset angle OA3 in an inclusive range of from about 150° to about 180° (e.g., of from about 160° to about 180°). Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6, the imaginary center pad line ILLP of the lower palm pad 26 is circumferentially offset from the imaginary center rib line ILLR of the lower finger positioning ribs 56 by an offset angle OA3 in an inclusive range of from about 150° to about 180° (e.g., of from about 160° to about 180°).
The hand positioning shaft may be formed from various materials without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In an exemplary embodiment, the surfaces in contact with the batter's hand are formed from a soft or compressible (e.g., rubber or rubberized) athletic grip material with similar to feel to other materials commonly used in golf grips, tennis grips, baseball/softball bat grip wraps, etc.
When introducing elements of the present disclosure or the one or more embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a”, “an”, “the” and “said” are intended to mean that there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising”, “including” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.
As various changes could be made in the above apparatuses, systems, and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
Patent Application
20220168619
