US2018021646A1PendingUtilityA1

Variable wall bat

25
Assignee: RAWLINGS SPORTING GOODS COMPANY INCPriority: Jul 22, 2016Filed: Apr 14, 2017Published: Jan 25, 2018
Est. expiryJul 22, 2036(~10 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Rebecca S. O'HaraNicole Mcleod
A63B 60/00A63B 59/51A63B 2102/18A63B 59/58A63B 59/56A63B 2102/182
25
PatentIndex Score
0
Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A barrel for a ball bat having a first inside surface and an outside surface, and a first thickness represented by the distance between the first inside surface and the outside surfaces. The first thickness of the barrel is generally uniform except at one or more locations within the ball impact area of the bat. However, the barrel may include one or more than one thick section relative to the uniform thickness of the rest of the barrel of the bat. In addition, the barrel may include one or more than one thin section relative to the uniform thickness of the rest of the barrel of the bat. The shoulders between the thick and/or thin section(s) and the uniform thickness of the remainder of the bat may be relatively abrupt.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A barrel for a ball bat, the barrel comprising:
 a barrel portion and a transition section, the barrel portion having a constant outer diameter and the transition section having an outer diameter that tapers from the barrel portion toward an attachment end of the transition section;   a ball impact area extending from an end-cap end of the barrel portion along the barrel portion and at least a portion of the transition section, wherein the ball impact area has a first thickness measured between an outer surface and a first inner surface section;   at least one thick section positioned along the ball impact area, said at least one thick section having a second thickness measured between the outer surface and a second inner surface section;   at least one thin section positioned along the ball impact area, said at least one thin section having a third thickness measured between the outer surface and a third inner surface section; and   at least one shoulder transitioning between adjacent portions of the barrel having different thicknesses;   wherein the bat has a weight drop of −4 or greater.   
     
     
         2 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness, and the first thickness is thicker than the third thickness. 
     
     
         3 . The barrel of  claim 2  wherein the second thickness is between about 0.170 and 0.200 inches. 
     
     
         4 . The barrel of  claim 2  wherein the third thickness is between about 0.065 and 0.120 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The barrel of  claim 4  wherein the third thickness is between about 0.075 and 0.100 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein the first thickness is less than the second thickness, and the first thickness is equal to the third thickness. 
     
     
         7 . The barrel of  claim 6  wherein the second thickness is between about 0.170 and 0.200 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The barrel of  claim 7  wherein the third thickness is between about 0.065 and 0.120 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The barrel of  claim 8  wherein the third thickness is between about 0.075 and 0.100 inches. 
     
     
         10 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein a ratio between the second and third thicknesses is greater than 1.6. 
     
     
         11 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein a ratio between the second and third thicknesses is between about 1.7 and 2.27. 
     
     
         12 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein the barrel portion is between about three and eight inches in length axially. 
     
     
         13 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein at least one said thick section is between about 1 and 2 inches in length axially, not including any shoulders. 
     
     
         14 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein at least one said thick section is between about 1.5 and 2 inches in length axially, not including any shoulders. 
     
     
         15 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein a ratio between an axial length of the barrel portion and an axial length of a said thick section, not including any shoulders, is between about 1.5 and 5.67. 
     
     
         16 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein a ratio between an axial length of a said thick section and the second thickness is between about 8.11 and 11.76. 
     
     
         17 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein a ratio between an axial length of the barrel portion and the second thickness is between about 17.65 and 50. 
     
     
         18 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein a shoulder has an axial length of about 0.5 inches or less. 
     
     
         19 . The barrel of  claim 1  wherein each shoulder has an axial length of about 0.5 inches or less. 
     
     
         20 . A barrel for a ball bat, the barrel comprising:
 a barrel portion and a transition section, the barrel portion having a constant outer diameter and the transition section having an outer diameter that tapers from the barrel portion toward an attachment end of the transition section;   a ball impact area extending from an end-cap end of the barrel portion along the barrel portion and at least a portion of the transition section, wherein the ball impact area has a first thickness measured between an outer surface and a first inner surface section;   at least one thick section positioned along the ball impact area, said at least one thick section having a second thickness measured between the outer surface and a second inner surface section, said at least one thick section having an axial length of between about 1 and 2 inches;   at least one thin section positioned along the ball impact area, said at least one thin section having a third thickness measured between the outer surface and a third inner surface section; and   at least one shoulder transitioning between adjacent portions of the barrel having different thicknesses, said at least one shoulder having an axial length of about 0.5 inches or less;   wherein a ratio between the second and third thicknesses is above about 1.6.   
     
     
         21 . The barrel of  claim 20 , wherein a ratio between the axial length of a said thick section and the second thickness is between about 5.5 and 11.76. 
     
     
         22 . The barrel of  claim 20 , wherein a ratio between an axial length of the barrel portion and the second thickness is between about 23.5 and 29.5.

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