Baseball bat holder

Abstract

A bat holder is provided. The bat holder includes a cup and a stand. The cup includes a bottom, a sidewall extending upwards from the bottom, and a top rim forming an opening leading into an internal portion of the cup. The internal portion of the cup is sized to receive a hitting end of a bat. The stand is secured to the cup and supports the cup in an upright position when resting on surface. The hitting end of a bat may be placed within the cup and the bat is supported in a substantially vertical position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bat holder comprising:
 a cup comprising a bottom, a sidewall extending upwards from the bottom, and a top rim forming an opening leading to an internal portion of the cup; and   a stand secured to the cup and operable to support the cup in an upright position when resting on a surface, wherein   the internal portion is sized to receive a hitting end of a bat within so that the cup retains the bat in a substantially vertical position.   
     
     
         2 . The bat holder of  claim 1 , wherein the stand comprises a base plate and a support post extending vertically from the base plate, wherein the bottom of the cup is secured to the support post. 
     
     
         3 . The bat holder of  claim 2 , wherein the support post comprises a bottom end releasably secured to the base plate and a top end releasably secured to the bottom of the cup. 
     
     
         4 . The bat holder of  claim 3 , wherein the base plate comprises a base opening to receive the bottom end of the support post and the bottom of the cup comprises a cup opening to receive the top end of the support post. 
     
     
         5 . The bat holder of  claim 4 , wherein the support post comprises a lock latch radially extending from the bottom end and the base comprises a latch slot radially extending from the base opening and sized to receive the lock latch, wherein the latch slot leads to a base lock channel perpendicular to the latch slot, extending along at least a portion of a circumference of the base opening and sized to receive and retain the lock latch within. 
     
     
         6 . The bat holder of  claim 4 , wherein the support post comprises a lock latch radially extending from the top end and the cup comprises a latch slot radially extending from the cup opening sized to receive the lock latch, wherein the latch slot leads to a cup lock channel perpendicular to the latch slot, extending along at least a portion of a circumference of the cup opening and sized to receive and retain the lock latch within. 
     
     
         7 . The bat holder of  claim 2 , further comprising a plurality of rubber pegs extending from a bottom surface of the base plate. 
     
     
         8 . The bat holder of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a side housing secured to the sidewall of a cup;   a cam comprising a lobe and a recess, wherein the cam is rotatably mounted within the side housing so that a portion of the cam is protruding into the internal portion of the cup; and   a spring biasing the recess of the cam within the internal portion, wherein   the cam is rotatable to a position wherein the lobe is protruding into the internal portion against the bias of the spring.   
     
     
         9 . The bat holder of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a pivot pin comprising a top end and a bottom end, wherein the top end and the bottom end are each secured to a portion of the sidewall; and   a cam bushing disposed within the cam, wherein the pivot pin runs through the cam bushing, wherein   the spring comprises a torsion spring comprising a first terminating end secured to the cam bushing and a second terminating end secured to the side housing.   
     
     
         10 . The bat holder of  claim 8 , wherein the cam comprises a rubber material.