Ball bat

Abstract

A ball bat having a body comprised of resin impregnated with five carbon and glass fiber socks, the body having a barrel, a taper portion and a handle portion, and a central cavity extending the length of the body. Additionally, an aluminum sleeve is press-fit along the inside of the barrel, and a flexible end cap is mounted within the end of the barrel.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A ball bat comprising: 
 a body comprising: 
 a plurality of circumferentially-extending fiber layers impregnated in a resin matrix;  
 a barrel having a proximal end and a distal end having an opening adapted to receive an end cap, said barrel further having an inner surface;  
 a taper portion having a proximal end and a distal end terminating in said proximal end of said barrel; and  
 a handle portion having a proximal end and a distal end terminating in said proximal end of said taper portion, said proximal end terminating in an integral knob end; and  
   a central cavity extending along the length of the body.    
     
     
         2 . The ball bat according to  claim 1  wherein said plurality of fiber layers impregnated in a resin matrix comprise five fiber layers, the layers comprising: 
 two fiber outer layers extending from said distal end of said barrel to said proximal end of said handle portion; and  
 three fiber inner layers extending from said distal end of said barrel to said proximal end of said barrel.  
 
     
     
         3 . The ball bat according to  claim 1  wherein said resin matrix comprises bisphenol a/epichlorohydrin-based epoxy resin.  
     
     
         4 . The ball bat according to  claim 1  further comprising a flexible end cap fixedly housed within said open distal end of said barrel.  
     
     
         5 . The ball bat according to  claim 4  wherein said end cap is comprised of material selected from the group consisting of rubber and plastic.  
     
     
         6 . The ball bat according to  claim 1  further comprising a metallic sleeve having an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer surface of said sleeve engaging said inner surface of said barrel, said sleeve providing a medium for vibration absorption when said barrel comes into contact with a projectile.  
     
     
         7 . The ball bat according to  claim 6  wherein said metallic sleeve is made of material selected from the group consisting of steel, titanium, iron and aluminum.  
     
     
         8 . The ball bat according to  claim 2  wherein each said fiber layer is a cylindrical braid-woven sock.  
     
     
         9 . The ball bat according to  claim 2  wherein said fiber layers are comprised of materials selected from the group consisting of carbon and glass.  
     
     
         10 . A ball bat comprising: 
 a body comprising: 
 a barrel having a proximal end and a distal end having an opening adapted to receive an end cap, said barrel further having an inner surface;  
 a taper portion having a proximal end and a distal end terminating in said proximal end of said barrel; and  
 a handle portion having a proximal end and a distal end terminating in said proximal end of said taper portion, said proximal end terminating in an integral knob end;  
 a layer of five circumferentially-extending fiber braid-woven socks concentrically arranged and impregnated in a resin matrix, two of said five fiber braid-woven socks extending from said distal end of said barrel to said proximal end of said handle portion, three of said five fiber braid woven-socks extending from said distal end of said barrel to said proximal end of said barrel and concentrically disposed within said two of said five fiber braid-woven socks.  
   an elongated central cavity extending the length of the body;    a flexible end cap fixedly housed within said open distal end of said barrel; and    a metallic sleeve having an inner surface and an outer surface, said outer surface of said sleeve engaging said inner surface of said barrel, said sleeve providing a medium for vibration absorption when said barrel comes into contact with a projectile.