Variable wall composite bat

Abstract

A composite ball bat comprising a handle, a tapered portion extending from an attachment end of the handle, and a barrel portion extending from the tapered portion to an end-cap end. The barrel portion includes an inner surface and an outer surface, with a uniform thickness between the inner and outer surfaces. The barrel portion also includes a preferred impact area. At least one increased-thickness section is molded and cured integrally with the barrel portion. That composite material forming the barrel portion and at least one increased-thickness section is therefore uniform. At least one of the increased-thickness sections is positioned at or near the preferred impact area, and each increased-thickness section has a thickness greater than the uniform thickness.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A ball bat comprising:
 a handle having a knob end and an attachment end;   a tapered portion extending from the attachment end of the handle;   a barrel portion extending from the tapered portion to an end-cap end, wherein said barrel portion includes:
 an inner surface; 
 an outer surface; 
 a uniform thickness between the inner and outer surfaces; and 
 a point of maximum performance; and 
   at least one increased-thickness section molded and cured integrally with the barrel portion such that composite material forming the barrel portion and at least one increased-thickness section is uniform,   wherein said at least one increased-thickness section is positioned at or near the point of maximum performance, and   wherein each increased-thickness section has a thickness greater than the uniform thickness.   
     
     
         2 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein a said increased-thickness section is positioned at the point of maximum performance. 
     
     
         3 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein a said increased-thickness section is positioned between proximate the point of maximum performance. 
     
     
         4 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein a said increased-thickness section is positioned between about three to eight inches from the end-cap end. 
     
     
         5 . The ball bat of  claim 1  wherein the thickness of a said increased-thickness section is between about 0.300 inches and 0.400 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of a said increased-thickness section is about 0.350 inches. 
     
     
         7 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the uniform thickness is between about 0.110 inches and 0.140 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The ball bat of  claim 1 , wherein the barrel portion is formed from composite materials having constituent matrix components with different angles as compared to said at least one increased-thickness section. 
     
     
         9 . The ball bat of  claim 8 , wherein the barrel portion uses 45-degree reinforcement components and said at least one increased-thickness section uses 55-degree reinforcement components. 
     
     
         10 . A composite ball bat comprising:
 a handle having a knob end and an attachment end;   a tapered portion extending from the attachment end of the handle;   a barrel portion extending from the tapered portion to an end-cap end, wherein said barrel portion includes:
 an inner surface; 
 an outer surface; 
 a uniform thickness between the inner and outer surfaces; and 
 a point of maximum performance; and 
   at least one increased-thickness section positioned along the inner surface of the barrel positioned at or near the point of maximum performance;   wherein each increased-thickness section has a thickness greater than the uniform thickness; and   wherein a transition between the uniform-thickness of the barrel and the increased-thickness section occurs over a distance of approximately 0.140 inches or less.   
     
     
         11 . The ball bat of  claim 10  wherein the transition between the uniform-thickness of the barrel and the increased-thickness section occurs over a distance of between approximately 0.080 inches and 0.140 inches. 
     
     
         12 . The ball bat of  claim 10  wherein a said increased-thickness section is positioned at the point of maximum performance. 
     
     
         13 . The ball bat of  claim 10  wherein a said increased-thickness section is positioned proximate the point of maximum performance. 
     
     
         14 . The ball bat of  claim 10  wherein a said increased-thickness section is positioned between about three to eight inches from the end-cap end. 
     
     
         15 . The ball bat of  claim 10  wherein the thickness of a said increased-thickness section is between about 0.300 inches and 0.400 inches. 
     
     
         16 . The ball bat of  claim 10 , wherein the thickness of a said increased-thickness section is about 0.350 inches. 
     
     
         17 . The ball bat of  claim 10 , wherein the uniform thickness is between about 0.110 inches and 0.140 inches. 
     
     
         18 . The ball bat of  claim 10 , wherein the barrel portion is formed from composite materials having constituent matrix components with different angles as compared to said at least one increased-thickness section. 
     
     
         19 . The ball bat of  claim 18 , wherein the barrel portion uses 45-degree reinforcement components and said at least one increased-thickness section uses 55-degree reinforcement components. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a composite ball bat comprising the steps of:
 forming an uncured composite ball bat to include:
 a handle having a knob end and an attachment end; 
 a tapered portion extending from the attachment end of the handle; 
 a barrel portion extending from the tapered portion to an end-cap end, wherein said barrel portion includes:
 an inner surface; 
 an outer surface; 
 a uniform thickness between the inner and outer surfaces; and 
 a point of maximum performance; 
 
 at least one increased-thickness section positioned along the inner surface of the barrel positioned at or near the point of maximum performance; 
   positioning the uncured composite ball bat within an external mold section;   positioning an internal mold section within the inner surface of the barrel portion, wherein the internal mold section includes an inflatable bladder;   inflating the inflatable bladder to conform to the inner surface and the at least one increased-thickness section positioned therealong;   curing the uncured composite ball bat to form the composite ball bat;   deflating the inflatable bladder to remove the internal mold section from composite ball bat.