Baseball bat handguard

Abstract

The handguard is an improved protection device to be attached to the knob and grip portion of a bat. A molded substratum provides a means to insure maximum protection for a batter's hands during impact by a baseball or softball. The impact absorbing substratum is partially covered by a thin, formed skin utilized to enhance the marketability and individuality of the protection device by providing an obvious location for display of visual designs or team logos. The handguard is provided with flexible attachment straps to promote a quick on/off process while ensuring the device will not rotate during impact by a ball.

1 . A protective device for the hands and fingers to be attached to the knob and grip portion of a baseball or softball bat, comprising:
 a. a molded substratum having a predetermined cross-sectional shape, thereby being the sole means of structural support for said protective device
 a. 1. said substratum of  claim 1 .a. being molded from closed cell foam, thereby being effective to absorb impact energy and prevent dangerous deflection of an impacting ball 
 a.2. said substratum of  claim 1 .a. being molded with a plurality of holes to minimize wind resistance during a batter's swing and to facilitate the locating of hereafter to be described attachment devices 
   b. a thin flexible skin to subsequently overlay a portion of said molded substratum for the purpose of enhancing marketability and individuality of said protective device while not adding to the structural strength of said molded substratum
 b.1. said thin flexible skin of  claim 1 .b. being formed of, but not limited to, plastic, foam, metal or a combination thereof 
 b.2. said thin flexible skin of  claim 1 .b. being formed with one color, but subsequently to be overlaid with other colors, visual designs, and logos 
   c. a plurality of attachment devices being a means to quickly and securely attach the said protective device to the said knob and grip portion of a baseball or softball bat, thereby minimizing the possibility of said protective device to rotate on the bat during impact by a baseball or softball
 c.1. said plurality of attachment devices of  claim 1 .c. being straps of ‘hook and loop’ or comparable flexible material 
 c.2. said plurality of attachment devices of  claim 1 .c., comprising ‘hook and loop’ material or comparable flexible material, and a retainer device to insure a secure attachment of said ‘hook and loop’ material to the molded substratum of the protective device. 
   
   
   
       2 . A protective device for the hands and fingers to be attached to, but not limited to, the knob and grip portion of a baseball or softball bat, comprising:
 a. a molded substratum having a predetermined cross-sectional shape, thereby being the sole means of structural support for said protective device
 a.1. said substratum of  claim 2 .a. being molded from, but not limited to, soft plastic, closed cell foam, metal, or a combination thereof; thereby being effective to absorb impact energy and prevent dangerous deflection of an impacting ball 
 a.2. said substratum of  claim 2 .a. being molded with a plurality of holes to minimize wind resistance during a batter's swing and to facilitate the locating of hereafter to be described attachment devices 
   b. a thin flexible skin to subsequently overlay a portion of said molded substratum for the purpose of enhancing marketability and individuality of said protective device while not adding to the structural strength of said molded substratum
 b.1. said thin flexible skin of  claim 2 .b. being formed of, but not limited to, plastic, foam, metal, or a combination thereof 
 b.2. said thin flexible skin of  claim 2 .b. being formed with one color, but subsequently to be overlaid with other colors, visual designs, and logos 
   c. a plurality of attachment devices being a means to quickly and securely attach the said protective device to the said knob and grip portion of a baseball or softball bat, thereby minimizing the possibility of said protective device to rotate on the bat during impact by a baseball or softball
 c.1. said plurality of attachment devices of  claim 2 .c. being straps of ‘hook and loop’ or comparable flexible material 
 c.2. said plurality of attachment devices of  claim 2 .c., comprising ‘hook and loop’ material or comparable flexible material, and a retainer device to insure a secure attachment of said ‘hook and loop’ material to the molded substratum of the protective device