Batter's finger-worn variable-density control-pad

Abstract

A baseball batter's improved grip enhancing Pow'rPad™ device providing therapeutic vibration sting-absorption, which in critically configured for use upon one's upper/batting-hand, while primarily employing the forefinger but optionally including the adjacent middle-finger for positioning stability. The user's two fingers are fully inserted (with or without a conventional batting-glove) through a pair of intimately fitting spaced apart holes provided into a resiliently flexile preferably frothed-neoprene roll-stock material, clad on both sides with reinforcing nylon/stretch-fabric. An integral bolster cushion portion is arranged distally opposite the finger-holes, formed via a circular-wrap of the pad material around an extruded-core of resilient material. This constitutes the primary performance enhancing feature, whereby both ‘advanced bat positioning’, and advantageous ‘rebound-effect’ is provided; —enabling the batter to hit a ball further with greater control. The insert-cushion can be selectively changed, thereby offering variable compliance characteristics according to individual user preference; thus encouraging a more aggressive bat-swing action by dispelling any subconscious trepidation over dreaded debilitating hand-injury shock-trauma.

1 .) A lightweight batting-pad device aiding a batter's grip and control of their bat, including positive self-aligning protection of the delicate web area between thumb and forefinger; said device comprising:
 a flexile body made from a conventional planar cushioning material durably clad upon opposing sides with nylon/stretch-fabric including two vertically spaced apart intimately fitting finger-holes arranged proximally along the upper outward-terminus thereof, plus a receiver-sleeve arranged along opposite inward-terminus portion thereof for holding an elongate insert-cushion of optional compliance means forming a bolster lodged proximal the base of upper/batting-hand's forefinger and middle-finger against which the bat-handle is supported, while the proximal lower-half of same hand interfaces the bat directly without aid of cushioning; batting-pad thereby displacing bat-handle further toward forefinger's distal-end to provide improved mechanical-leverage, enabling greater bat swing-speed.   
   
   
       2 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 1 , wherein said receiver-sleeve of said bolster is elastic thereby enabling manual press-fitted installation of said insert-cushion which can be adapted from one of a variety of different materials and cross-sectional configuration embodiments to suit a batter's requirements; thereby enabling impacted ball to linger in contact upon the bat a small fraction of a second longer whilst said bolster becomes slightly compressed then rebounds upon bat-handle during progression of bat-swing; said bolster thereby imparting novel thrust modulation found to advantageously send the ball further. 
   
   
       3 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 2 , wherein said insert-cushion's material and configuration embodiment can be of extruded open-cell or closed-cell foam material, or extruded tubular polymer or elastomer material, and of circular or other cross-sectional shape, which shore-durometer compliance rating quality is therefore regarded as variable and determined according to user preference. 
   
   
       4 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 2 , wherein said insert-cushion's material and configuration embodiment is that of an imperforate resiliently flexile capsule, containing a fluid medium which may be compressible or non-compressible in nature determined according to user preference and engineering-design choice. 
   
   
       5 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 4 , wherein said capsule is a tiny pneumatic cylindrical structure including a finger operated coaxial button incorporating a plunger-piston with integral check-valve means arranged at uppermost terminus of said capsule, whilst lower-terminus of said capsule includes a coaxially arranged push-button relief-valve means; thereby enabling batter to pump-up said aggregate bolster to the degree of compliance firmness they desire, or conversely deflate same to degree desired. 
   
   
       6 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 1 , wherein said receiver-sleeve portion is formed by folding the cushioning material over upon itself 180-degrees, and then sewing that said inward-terminus edge permanently to the main said body portion, resulting in a substantially O-shaped receiver-sleeve cross-section. 
   
   
       7 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 1 , wherein said bolster provides effective protection to the sensitive abductor-pollicis-trans musculature while also protecting the proximal joint of the thumb and proximal joint of the forefinger. 
   
   
       8 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 1 , wherein said finger-holes are nominally sized approximately ⅜ths-inch to 1-inch in diameter, covering usage from beginning youngster to professional. 
   
   
       9 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 1 , wherein thickness of said bolster lodged between bat-handle and base of both forefinger and middle-finger is sufficient to advance stroke position of the bat's longitudinal-axis approximately 1½-degrees to 3-degrees as bat is gripped normally in usage; and is measured as an angle-of-incidence from the bat's longitudinal-axis generally poised at a right-angle from batter's forearm-axis. 
   
   
       10 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 1 , wherein said cushioning material is closed-celled frothed-neoprene or its equivalent, and is of approximately 1/16-inch to ¼-inch in thickness. 
   
   
       11 .) An ultra-lightweight batting-pad device aiding a batter's grip and control of their bat, while providing protection to the delicate web area between thumb and forefinger; said device comprising:
 a flexile body made from a conventional planar cushioning material durably clad upon opposing sides with nylon/stretch-fabric including a single intimately fitting forefinger hole arranged proximal the upper outward-terminus thereof, plus a receiver-sleeve arranged along opposite inward-terminus portion thereof adapted to receive an elongate insert-cushion of optional compliance means forming a bolster lodged proximal the base of upper/batting-hand's forefinger against which the bat-handle is supported, while proximal lower portion of same hand interfaces the bat directly without aid of cushioning; batting-pad thereby displacing the bat further toward forefinger's distal-end to provide improved mechanical-leverage, enabling greater bat swing-speed.   
   
   
       12 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 11 , wherein said receiver-sleeve of said bolster is elastic enabling easy manual press-fitted installation of said insert-cushion which can be adapted from one of a variety of different materials and cross-sectional configuration embodiments to suit a batter's requirements; thereby enabling impacted ball to linger in contact upon the bat a small fraction of a second longer whilst said bolster becomes slightly compressed then rebounds upon bat-handle during progression of bat-swing; said bolster thereby imparting novel thrust modulation found to advantageously send the ball further. 
   
   
       13 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 11 , wherein said material and configuration embodiment can be of extruded open-cell or closed-cell foam material, or extruded tubular polymer or elastomer material, and of circular or triangular cross-sectional shape, which shore-durometer compliance rating quality is therefore regarded as variable and determined according to user preference. 
   
   
       14 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 11 , wherein said material and configuration embodiment is an imperforate flexile capsule, containing a fluid medium which may be compressible or non-compressible in nature determined according to user preference. 
   
   
       15 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 11 , wherein said receiver-sleeve is formed by folding the cushioning material over upon itself 180-degrees, and then sewing that said inward-terminus edge permanently to the main said body portion, resulting in a substantially O-shaped receiver-sleeve cross-section. 
   
   
       16 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 11 , wherein said receiver-sleeve with insert-cushion provides effective protection to the sensitive abductor-pollicis-trans musculature while also protecting the proximal joint of the thumb and proximal joint of the forefinger. 
   
   
       17 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 11 , wherein said finger-holes are nominally sized approximately ⅜ths-inch to 1-inch in diameter, covering usage from beginning youngster to professional. 
   
   
       18 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 11 , wherein thickness of said bolster lodged between bat-handle and base of both forefinger and middle-finger is sufficient to advance stroke position of the bat's longitudinal-axis approximately 1½ degrees to 3-degrees as bat is gripped normally in usage; and measured as an angle-of-incidence relative to a reference-line extending at a right-angle from batter's forearm at the wrist. 
   
   
       19 .) The batting-pad device according to claim- 11 , wherein said cushioning material is closed-celled frothed-neoprene or its equivalent, and is of approximately 1/16-inch to ¼-inch in thickness. 
   
   
       20 .) A method of making and using a lightweight batting-pad device aiding a batter's grip, control, and thrust of their bat, while providing protection to the delicate web area between thumb and forefinger; said method comprising:
 providing a flexile planar body of closed-cell foam-material which is permanently clad upon both broad sides with nylon/stretch-fabric that is at least approximately 1/16-inch but not greater than approximately ¼-inch in thickness; then die-cutting said body of material into an elongated D-shape while simultaneously providing a forefinger-hole proximal the upper-corner of the outward-terminus thereof;   providing an integral bolster arranged along the opposite inward-terminus of said body by folding-over an approximate ½-inch strip once upon itself, and permanently sewing long-edge of said strip to said body, resulting in an elastic receiver-sleeve dependent from said finger-hole body portion and having a substantially O-shaped cross-section;   providing an elongate insert-cushion adapted from one of various conventional pliant materials and cross-sectional configuration embodiments for manual press-fitted installation into said receiver-sleeve;   providing a user's upper/batting-hand and installing batting-pad thereto by simply extending the forefinger through said forefinger-hole, then laying bat-handle against said bolster and closing the fingers in a normal manner of two-handed batting-grip, the effect of said bolster's upper presence thereby at once outsetting the upper portion of the bat-handle at a slight bias relative to the upper batting-hand's lower fingers while forcing said bolster firmly against the web area between thumb and forefinger now at a substantially advanced angle-of-incidence relative to batter's forearm;   providing batter a pitched ball and upon choosing to swing at and impacting the moving ball, the bat-handle compresses said bolster lodged against upper portion of user's upper batting-hand, whereupon a fraction of a second later the bolster rebounds thereby helping to send the ball further.