Patent Application
20240416204
The present invention relates to training bats for baseball and softball. The present invention provides a training bat which improves player swing strength and speed.
In sports such as baseball and softball, a players swing speed contributes heavily to the player's batting success. It is desirable to improve the speed at which a player can swing the bat without adversely affecting other aspects of the player's swing.
Non-limiting and non-exhaustive examples of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. Unless otherwise noted, the drawings have been drawn to scale. Skilled artisans will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity. For example, the dimensions of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help improve understanding of various examples of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments of the present invention.
It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The examples shown each accomplish various different advantages. It is appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element or advantage in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of the examples in greater clarity. Similarly, not every example need accomplish all advantages of the present disclosure.
In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one having ordinary skill in the art that the specific detail need not be employed to practice the present invention. In other instances, well-known materials or methods have not been described in detail in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.
In the above disclosure, reference has been made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific implementations in which the disclosure may be practiced. It is understood that other implementations may be utilized and structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. References in the specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” “an example embodiment,” etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, such feature, structure, or characteristic may be used in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. The particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined in any suitable combination and/or sub-combinations in one or more embodiments or examples. It is appreciated that the figures provided herewith are for explanation purposes to persons ordinarily skilled in the art.
As used herein, “adjacent” refers to near or close sufficient to achieve a desired effect. Although direct contact is common, adjacent can broadly allow for spaced apart features.
As used herein, the singular forms “a,” and, “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.
As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to the complete or nearly complete extent or degree of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, an object that is “substantially” enclosed would mean that the object is either completely enclosed or nearly completely enclosed. The exact allowable degree of deviation from absolute completeness may in some cases depend on the specific context. However, generally speaking the nearness of completion will be such as to have the same overall result as if absolute and total completion were obtained. The use of “substantially” is equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer to the complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic, property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, a composition that is “substantially free of” particles would either completely lack particles, or so nearly completely lack particles that the effect would be the same as if it completely lacked particles. In other words, a composition that is “substantially free of” an ingredient or element may still actually contain such item as long as there is no measurable effect thereof.
As used herein, the term “about” is used to provide flexibility to a number or numerical range endpoint by providing that a given value may be a significant figure above or a significant figure below the number or endpoint.
As used herein, a plurality of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and/or materials may be presented in a common list for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as though each member of the list is individually identified as a separate and unique member. Thus, no individual member of such list should be construed as a de facto equivalent of any other member of the same list solely based on their presentation in a common group without indications to the contrary.
Dimensions, amounts, and other numerical data may be expressed or presented herein in a range format. It is to be understood that such a range format is used merely for convenience and brevity and thus should be interpreted flexibly to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. As an illustration, a numerical range of “about 1 to about 5” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited values of about 1 to about 5, but also include individual values and sub-ranges within the indicated range. Thus, included in this numerical range are individual values such as 2, 3, and 4 and sub-ranges such as from 1-3, from 2-4, and from 3-5, etc., as well as 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, individually.
Existing weighted training bats have a moment of inertia which is higher than is desired. While these bats provide a higher swinging weight, the high moment of inertia negatively affects the rotation of the bat and can cause deficiencies in the way that the player swings the bat.
Turning now to
The barrel 18 is made from a thin wall tubing. In the example training bat 10, the barrel 18 is made from steel tubing that is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter and has a wall thickness which is about 0.04 inches (1 mm). The barrel wall thickness is typically between about 0.03 inches (0.7 mm) and about 0.06 inches (1.5 mm), and is more preferably between about 0.03 inches (0.7 mm) and about 0.05 inches (1.2 mm), and often about 0.04 inches (1 mm). The thin wall tube used to make the barrel is quite light and contributes little to the weight or moment of inertia of the training bat 10. The diameter of the barrel 18 is chosen to fit well with the diameter of the weighted pieces associated with the bat handle 14.
The proximal end of the bat includes a handle bar 30, swing weight 22, a proximal end knob 26, and a distal barrel mount 34 that strengthens the attachment between the handle 14 and barrel 18. The handle 14 may be constructed in a few similar ways. In one example, the handle bar 30 may extend through the proximal knob 26 and swing weight 22 and form the barrel mount 34. The proximal knob 26 and swing weight 22 are drilled to fit over the handle bar 30 and may be welded, bonded, or otherwise attached to the handle bar 30. As such, the swing weight 22 may have a through bore 38 that allows for fastening onto the handle bar 30. In another example, the swing weight 22, proximal knob 26, handle bar 30, and barrel mount 34 may be separate pieces that are attached together by welding or fastening.
The example handle bar 30 is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) diameter solid steel and forms a hand grip section 42 which is about 10 inches (25 cm) long. The swing weight 22 is typically between about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long and about 5 inches (12.5 cm) long and between about 2 inches (5 cm) and about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter and is also formed from solid steel. The barrel mount 34 is between about 0.7 inch (1.7 cm) and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter, between about 2 inches (5 cm) and about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long, and is also formed from solid steel or thick wall steel tubing. The diameter of the barrel mount 34 is selected so that the tubing used for the barrel 18 fits closely over the barrel mount and a secure connection is provided. A steel barrel 18 may be welded to the barrel mount 34 and/or the swing weight 22. A barrel 18 made from aluminum or composite material may be bonded to the barrel mount 34. The training bat 10 may include pin holes 46 formed in the barrel 18 and barrel mount 34. The pin holes 46 may allow a supplemental swing weight 50 to be attached to the training bat 10 and retained with a pin 54. The supplemental swing weight 50 includes a through bore 58 that fits closely over the barrel 18 without excessive slop; allowing the supplemental swing weight 50 to be slid over the barrel 18 and fixed in place against the bat swing weight 22 with the pin 54. As shown, a few holes 46 and a few sizes of supplemental swing weights 50 may be provided. The supplemental swing weights 50 allow the training bat 10 to me made heavier and allows a person to alter their training program or to modify the training bat as their strength progresses.
The hand grip section 42 may be wrapped with conventional baseball bat grip tape 62 or otherwise provided with a gripping surface that improves grip and the ability to use the training bat 10.
The training bat 10 places nearly all of the bat weight in the handle section 14. The barrel 18 is lightweight and contributes relatively little to the overall weight and to the overall moment of inertia of the training bat 10. This provides a training bat 10 which is heavy, but which places nearly all the weight at the user's hands. The training bat 10 requires a high amount of effort to hold the bat up and accelerate the bat forwards through a swing without overly increasing the effort needed to rotate the bat through the swing. A user must exert greater effort to move the bat forwards through the swing, but the training bat 10 does not significantly change the effort of rotating the bat as it moves through the swing.
The rotational moments of inertia for the example training bats 10 are calculated in units of kg*m{circumflex over ( )}2. These 6 training bats result in the following overall weights and moments of inertia:
For the first series of training bats 10, the ratio of the moment of inertia per kg of mass is about 0.05 m2 or the moment of inertia in kg*m{circumflex over ( )}2 is about 1/20 of the weight in kg.
The training bats 10 have about 350 grams of weight in the barrel 18, leaving the balance of the weight in the handle 14 (with barrel mounting stub 34) and the swing weight 22. As shown in the following chart, the first series of example bats 10 has between about 81 and about 92 percent of the bat weight in the handle portion of the bat 10, including the swing weight 22 and barrel stub 34.
Preferably, the training bat 10 includes greater than about 75 percent of the bat weight in the handle section and swing weight. More preferably, the training bat 10 includes between about 80 and about 95 percent of the bat weight in the handle section and swing weight. More particularly, the training bat 10 includes between about 81 and about 92 percent of the bat weight in the handle section and swing weight. In combination with the handle weight and swing weight, it is preferable that the rotational moment of inertia in kg*m2 is about 5 percent of the training bat weight in kg. It is preferable that the rotational moment of inertia in kg*m2 is between about 3 percent and about 8 percent of the bat weight in kg, more preferable that the rotational moment of inertia in kg*m2 is between about 4 percent and about 6 percent of the bat weight in kg, and still more preferable that the rotational moment of inertia in kg*m2 is about 5 percent of the bat weight in kg.
A second series of example training bats 10 have weights from about 70 oz (2 kg) through about 150 oz (4.2 kg). The example training bats are made with handles 30 that are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter and about 10 inches (25 cm) long, swing weights 22 that are incrementally increased in length and are about 3 inches (7.5 cm) in diameter and about: 0.5 inches (1.2 cm), 1 inch (2.5 cm), 1.5 inches (3.8 cm), 2 inches (5 cm), 2.5 inches (6.4 cm) and 3 inches (7.5 cm) long. The training bats 10 have barrel mounts are about 0.9 inches (2.3 cm) in diameter and about 3 inches (7.5 cm) long, and have barrels 18 that are thin wall tubing with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) outer diameter, about 0.9 inches (2.3 cm) inner bore diameter, and which bring the total length of the bat 10 to about 34 inches (86 cm).
These 6 training bats result in the following overall weights and moments of inertia:
For the second series of training bats 10, the ratio of the moment of inertia per kg of mass is about 0.05 m2 for the lighter bats and decreases to about 0.04 m2 for the heavier bats. Line 74 and its associated data points in
Reference line 82 shows a moment of inertia which is 0.06 kg*m2 per kg of weight. Reference line 86 shows a moment of inertia which is 0.07 kg*m2 per kg of weight. The training bats 10 are designed so that, for a large range of training bat weights, the moment of inertia is less than 0.07 kg*m2 per kg of weight. More preferably, the training bats 10 are designed and constructed so that, for a large range of training bat weights, the moment of inertia is less than 0.06 kg*m2 per kg of weight. Even more preferably, the training bats 10 are designed and constructed so that, for a large range of training bat weights, the moment of inertia is between about 0.05 kg*m2 per kg of weight and about 0.04 kg*m2 per kg of weight as shown by the example first series of training bats 10 and second series of training bats 10.
Training bats 10 with a swing weight 22 that is about 2 inches in diameter have a relatively consistent rotational moment of inertia in kg*m2 which is about 1/20 of the weight in kg. Training bats 10 with a swing weight 22 that is about 3 inches in diameter have a rotational moment of inertia that, as a fraction of the bat weight, decreases slightly with increasing bat weight. This results in a training bat 10 that may be increasingly heavy while maintaining a particularly low rotational moment of inertia. The example series of training bats 10 show training bats with different lengths of swing weights 22 that are permanently attached to the training bat 10. The training bat in
In the example training bats 10, the diameter of the barrel 18 is approximately the same as the diameter of the handle 14. The swing weight 22 is between about 2 times the diameter of the training bat handle 14 and barrel 18 and about 4 times the diameter of the bat handle 14 and barrel 18. More preferably, the swing weight 22 has a diameter which is between about 2 times and about 3 times the diameter of the handle 14 and barrel 18.
In each of the example training bats 10, the handle and barrel mount are solid metal and contribute significantly to the weight of the bat 10. The swing weight 22 adds additional weight annularly around the handle 22 at a greater diameter than the handle 14. The barrel is hollow tubing that contributes little to the overall weight or rotational moment of inertia. In each example, the additional weight is placed at the distal end of the handle grip section. The training bat designs places nearly all of the weight of the bat in the handle and at the distal end of the handle grip section. The bat design and swing weight 22 significantly increases the weight of the training bat 10 without significantly increasing the rotational moment of inertia of the training bat. This allows a person to train with a heavy bat that requires significant effort to pull forwards through a hitting swing while still rotating easily during the swing. This allows the trainer to condition their muscles for a strong forwards movement and a quick forwards rotation of the bat.
Traditional bat donut weights that slide over the proximal end of the bat and lodge near the enlarged hitting zone of a traditional bat barrel increase the bat weight but also significantly increase the bat's moment of inertia; making the bat significantly harder to rotate as the hitter pulls the bat through their swing. In this situation, the hitter increases their strength in pulling the bat through a swing, but is rotating the bat through the swing at a slow speed. This trains the batter to rotate the bat more slowly and can impede good swing technique and power.
The training bats 10 are advantageous in training athletes in sports such as baseball and softball to improve their swing. The training bat 10 in effective in increasing the athlete's swinging speed and power. The combination of a heavy training bat 10 with a low moment of inertia requires the athlete to exert significant effort to move the bat forwards through the swing without significantly impeding the rotation of the bat. This allows the athlete to develop good top hand movement and rotate or whip the bat as the bat moves through the swing. The athlete develops good swing motion and mechanics and good bat control. Athletes using the training bat 10 for just a few weeks have increased the exit velocity of the baseball leaving the bat while batting with a conventional bat by 2 to 15 miles per hour. The training bat 10 allows for a wide range of weights to suit different athletes and to continue to strengthen an athlete using the training bat 10.
The above description of illustrated examples of the present invention, including what is described in the Abstract, is not intended to be exhaustive or to be limiting to the precise forms disclosed. While specific examples of the invention are described herein for illustrative purposes, various equivalent modifications are possible without departing from the broader scope of the present claims. Indeed, it is appreciated that specific example dimensions, materials, etc., are provided for explanation purposes and that other values may also be employed in other examples in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/472,779, filed Jun. 13, 2023, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63472779 | Jun 2023 | US |
