Ball bat including a slatted barrel

Abstract

A ball bat includes a barrel having one or more slats. The slats may be separated from one another by one or more apertures, cuts, or gaps. The slats may be oriented substantially parallel, substantially transverse, or substantially diagonal to a longitudinal axis of the barrel. The slatted arrangement enhances the BBCOR of the barrel. An external damping sleeve or an internal reinforcing core may be included in the barrel to limit the barrel's BBCOR to meet given regulatory standards.

1 . A ball bat, comprising:
 a handle;   a barrel attached to or integral with the handle, the barrel comprising a plurality of slats oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the barrel, wherein the slats are not supported by an internal core.   
     
     
         2 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the slats are separated from one another by a plurality of substantially longitudinal apertures. 
     
     
         3 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the slats are encased in a molding material. 
     
     
         4 . The ball bat of  claim 1  further comprising a damping sleeve on an external surface of the barrel. 
     
     
         5 . The ball bat of  claim 4  wherein the damping sleeve is adhered to radially outer surfaces of the slats. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A ball bat, comprising:
 a barrel comprising a plurality of slats, wherein at least one of the slats extends to a free end of the barrel;   an encasement surrounding the slats; and   a handle attached to or integral with the barrel.   
     
     
         9 . The ball bat of  claim 8  wherein the slats are oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the barrel. 
     
     
         10 . The ball bat of  claim 8  wherein the slats are oriented substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the barrel. 
     
     
         11 . The ball bat of  claim 8  wherein the slats are oriented substantially diagonal to a longitudinal axis of the barrel. 
     
     
         12 . The ball bat of  claim 8  further comprising a damping sleeve positioned over the radially outer surface of the encasement. 
     
     
         13 . The ball bat of  claim 8  further comprising a stiffening core positioned within the encasement. 
     
     
         14 . The ball bat of  claim 13  further comprising an interface shear control zone separating the stiffening core from the inner surface of the encasement. 
     
     
         15 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A ball bat, comprising:
 a handle;   a barrel attached to or integral with the handle, the barrel comprising a plurality of slats that are not supported by an internal core.   
     
     
         22 . The ball bat of  claim 21  wherein the slats are oriented substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the barrel. 
     
     
         23 . The ball bat of  claim 21  wherein the slats are oriented substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the barrel. 
     
     
         24 . The ball bat of  claim 21  wherein the slats are oriented substantially diagonal to a longitudinal axis of the barrel. 
     
     
         25 . The ball bat of  claim 21  wherein the barrel comprises a composite material. 
     
     
         26 . The ball bat of  claim 21  wherein the slats are encased in a molding material. 
     
     
         27 . The ball bat of  claim 21  further comprising a damping sleeve on an external surface of the barrel. 
     
     
         28 . The ball bat of  claim 27  wherein the damping sleeve is adhered to radially outer surfaces of the slats.