Shock absorbing baseball bat and method of manufacturing

Abstract

A bat that has shock absorbing and vibrational damping properties as well as enhanced strength and flexibility and method of manufacturing. Such properties are imparted by laminating under pressure a biaxially braided tubular overlay member formed from a hybrid of carbon fibers and aramid fibers to the handle portion of the bat.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A bat comprising: 
 a bat having a hitting portion and a handle portion;    a tubular biaxial braided overlay member laminated to the handle portion of said bat;    said overlay member comprising a hybrid of carbon fibers and aramid fibers;    said laminated overlay member having shock absorbing properties.    
     
     
         2 . A bat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the lamination of said overlay member to said handle portion of said bat comprises the steps of: 
 applying a thermosetting material to said overlay and said handle portion so that said overlay is substantially saturated with said thermosetting material;  
 wrapping at least a portion of the bat with a suitable material to compress the overlay to the bat handle; and  
 heating the thermosetting material under appropriate conditions to accomplish at least partial setting of the thermosetting material.  
 
     
     
         3 . A bat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said bat is a baseball bat.  
     
     
         4 . A bat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said bat is a softball bat.  
     
     
         5 . A bat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said laminated overlay member reduces handle vibration by approximately sixty percent when compared with a bat without any grip.  
     
     
         6 . A bat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the overlay member is formed with a substantially equal number of carbon fibers and aramid fibers.  
     
     
         7 . A bat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the overlay member is formed with alternating strands of carbon fibers and aramid fibers.  
     
     
         8 . A bat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the overlay member is formed with a plurality of strands of carbon fiber alternating with a plurality of strands of aramid fibers.  
     
     
         9 . A bat as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the overlay member is laminated with a thermosetting resin matrix to the handle portion of the bat.  
     
     
         10 . A bat as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said thermosetting resin matrix is an epoxy system.  
     
     
         11 . A bat as set forth in  claim 9  wherein said thermosetting resin matrix is an epoxy-amine system.  
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing a shock absorbing bat comprising: 
 slipping a tubular biaxial overlay member comprising a hybrid of carbon fibers and aramid fibers onto a handle portion of a bat;    applying a thermosetting material to said overlay and said handle portion so that said overlay is substantially saturated with said thermosetting material;    wrapping at least a portion of the bat with a suitable wrapping material to compress the overlay to the bat handle; and    heating the thermosetting material under appropriate conditions to accomplish at least partial setting of the thermosetting material.    
     
     
         13 . A method of manufacturing a shock absorbing bat as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said overlay is compressed to said bat handle under a pressure of at least approximately 150 pounds per square inch.  
     
     
         14 . A method of manufacturing a shock absorbing bat as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said suitable wrapping material comprises cellophane shrink wrap.  
     
     
         15 . A method of manufacturing a shock absorbing bat as set forth in  claim 14  wherein said overlay is compressed to said bat handle under a pressure of at least approximately 150 pounds per square inch.  
     
     
         16 . A bat as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said laminated overlay member reduces handle vibration by approximately sixty percent when compared with a bat without any grip.  
     
     
         17 . A bat as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said overlay is compressed to said bat handle under a pressure of at least approximately 150 pounds per square inch.  
     
     
         18 . A bat as set forth in  claim 2  wherein said suitable wrapping material comprises cellophane shrink wrap.  
     
     
         19 . A bat as set forth in  claim 18  wherein said overlay is compressed to said bat handle under a pressure of at least approximately 150 pounds per square inch.  
     
     
         20 . A bat as set forth in  claim 19  wherein said laminated overlay member reduces handle vibration by approximately sixty percent when compared with a bat without any grip.  
     
     
         21 . A bat as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the overlay member is formed with a substantially equal number of carbon fibers and aramid fibers.  
     
     
         22 . A bat as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the overlay member is formed with alternating strands of carbon fibers and aramid fibers.  
     
     
         23 . A bat as set forth in  claim 2  wherein the overlay member is formed with a plurality of strands of carbon fiber alternating with a plurality of strands of aramid fibers.