# US 10,245,488 B1 · Vibration damping bat and methods of making the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,245,488 B1 - Document ID: US10245488B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 15/798,857 - Filed: 2017-10-31 - Granted: 2019-04-02 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-31 - Assignees: Mizuno Corporation - Applicants: Mizuno Corporation - Inventors: Brendan Kays; Yohei Yamashita; David Llewellyn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245488B1 ## CPC - A63B 60/54: with means for damping vibrations - A63B 59/50: Substantially rod-shaped bats for hitting a ball in the air, e.g. for baseball - A63B 59/51: made of metal - A63B 2102/18: Baseball, rounders or similar games - A63B 2102/182: {Softball} - A63B 2209/00: Characteristics of used materials - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract A softball or baseball bat is provided. The bat can comprise a handle that has a proximate end and a distal end and a barrel that has a hollow portion. The bat can comprise first damping section that comprises a first material, and the first damping section can be at least partially interposed between a portion of the handle and a portion of an inner wall of the barrel. The bat can comprise a second damping section that can comprise a second material, and the second damping section can be at least partially interposed between a portion of the handle and a portion of the inner wall of the barrel. At least a portion of the first damping section or the second damping section can prevent the handle from directly contacting the barrel when the bat is at rest. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A bat comprising: a handle having a proximate end and a distal end; a barrel having a hollow portion; a first damping section comprising a first material, the first damping section being at least partially interposed between, and in contact with, a portion of the handle and a portion of an inner wall of the barrel; and a second damping section comprising a second material, the second damping section being at least partially interposed between, and in contact with, a portion of the handle and a portion of the inner wall of the barrel, wherein the first damping section is located nearer the distal end of the handle than the proximate end of the handle and the second damping section is located nearer the proximate end of the handle than the first damping section, and wherein at least a portion of the first damping section or at least a portion of the second damping section prevents the handle from directly contacting the barrel when the bat is at rest. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The bat of claim 1, wherein the first material has a Shore hardness that is greater than a Shore hardness of the second material. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The bat of claim 2, wherein the first material has a Shore hardness of approximately 70A to approximately 100A. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The bat of claim 2, wherein the first material comprises rubber. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The bat of claim 2, wherein the second material has a Shore hardness of approximately 20A to approximately 40A. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The bat of claim 2, wherein the second material comprises silicone. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The bat of claim 1 further comprising a boundary region between a proximate edge of the first damping section and a distal edge of the second damping section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The bat of claim 7, wherein the boundary region comprises a gap. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The bat of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the first damping section and at least a portion of the second damping section is attached to the barrel with an adhesive. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The bat of claim 1, wherein the first damping section comprises a protrusion, and wherein the barrel comprises a groove in the inner wall, the groove configured to receive at least a portion the protrusion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The bat of claim 10, wherein the protrusion is located about a circumference of an outer surface of the first damping section and the groove is located about a circumference of the inner wall of the barrel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The bat of claim 10, wherein protrusion is a first protrusion and the groove is a first groove, wherein the barrel comprises a second groove in the inner wall, and wherein the second damping section comprises a second protrusion, the second groove configured to receive at least a portion of the second protrusion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The bat of claim 12, wherein the second protrusion is located about a circumference of an outer surface of the second damping section and the second groove is located about a circumference of the inner wall of the barrel. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The bat of claim 1, wherein the first damping section is located substantially within the barrel, and wherein a portion of second damping section is located within the barrel and a portion of the second damping section extends out of the barrel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The bat of claim 1, wherein the handle includes a lip that extends radially outward, the lip having a bottom surface, and wherein a portion of the first damping section abuts the bottom surface. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The bat of claim 1, wherein the handle comprises a composite material and the barrel comprises metal. ### Claim 17 A bat comprising: a handle having a proximate end and a distal end; a barrel having a hollow portion and an inner wall, the inner wall comprising a groove ring traversing a circumference of the inner wall of the barrel; a first damping section comprising rubber having a Shore hardness of approximately 70A to approximately 100A and comprising a protrusion ring traversing a circumference of an outer surface of the first damping section, wherein the first damping section is interposed between a portion of the handle and a portion of the inner wall of the barrel and at least a portion of the protrusion ring is inserted into at least a portion of the groove ring; a second damping section comprising silicone having a Shore hardness of approximately 20A to approximately 40A, the second damping section having a first portion interposed between a portion of the handle and a portion of the inner wall of the barrel and a second portion extending out of the hollow portion of the barrel; and a gap between a proximate edge of the first damping section and a distal edge of the second damping section, wherein at least a portion of the first damping section or at least a portion of the second damping section prevents the handle from directly contacting the barrel when the bat is at rest. ### Claim 18 A method of manufacturing a bat, the method comprising: providing a handle having a proximate end and a distal end; providing a barrel having a hollow portion and an inner wall; providing a first damping section comprising a first material; attaching the first damping section to the handle nearer the distal end of the handle than the proximate end of the handle; providing a second damping section comprising a second material; attaching the second damping section to the handle nearer a proximate end of the handle than the first damping section; and inserting the handle, the first damping section, and at least a portion of the second damping section into the hollow portion of a barrel such that (i) the first damping section is at least partially interposed between, and in contact with, a portion of the handle and a portion of the inner wall of the barrel and (ii) the second damping section is at least partially interposed between, and in contact with, a portion of the handle and a portion of the inner wall of the wall, and such that at least a portion of the first damping section or at least a portion of the second damping section prevents the handle from directly contacting the barrel. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein attaching the first damping section to the handle comprises overmolding the first damping section onto the handle. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein attaching the first damping section to the handle comprises positioning the first damping section on the handle and adhering the first damping section to the handle via curing.