Back to results
US 2012/0231905 A1Published application
Ball bat including multiple failure planes
AssigneeEaston Sports, Inc.
InventorsHsing-Yen Chuang, Dewey Chauvin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A composite ball bat includes multiple failure planes within a barrel wall. By including multiple failure planes in a barrel wall, the bat exhibits a drop in performance when subjected to rolling or other extreme deflection, with no temporary increase in barrel performance. Because the barrel performance does not increase, the ball bat is able to comply with performance limitations imposed by regulatory associations.
Claims20
A ball bat, comprising:
- a barrel including a wall comprising a plurality of composite plies, wherein the barrel wall includes a radially outer surface and a radially inner surface, such that a neutral axis defining a primary failure plane is located between the radially outer and radially inner surfaces;
- a first additional failure plane located between the radially outer surface and the neutral axis of the barrel wall;
- a second additional failure plane located between the radially inner surface and the neutral axis of the barrel wall;
- and
- a handle attached to or integral with the barrel.
2 more elements
A ball bat including a handle attached to or integral with a composite barrel, with the barrel comprising:
- an external surface;
- an internal surface, such that a neutral axis is defined between the external surface and the internal surface;
- a first composite ply located between the external surface and the neutral axis, with the first composite ply including fibers oriented at a first angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the ball bat;
- a second composite ply located between the external surface and the neutral axis, wherein the second composite ply is bonded to the first composite ply, with the second composite ply including fibers oriented at a second angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the ball bat, wherein the second angle differs from the first angle by at least 45 degrees;
- a third composite ply located between the internal surface and the neutral axis, with the third composite ply including fibers oriented at a third angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the ball bat;
- a fourth composite ply located between the internal surface and the neutral axis, wherein the fourth composite ply is bonded to the third composite ply, with the fourth composite ply including fibers oriented at a fourth angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the ball bat, wherein the fourth angle differs from the third angle by at least 45 degrees.
3 more elements
A ball bat, comprising:
- a barrel comprising at least one wall including a plurality of composite plies;
- a handle attached to or integral with the barrel;
- and
- means for causing delamination of neighboring composite plies at multiple radial locations in the barrel wall when the barrel is subjected to failure-inducing deflection.
1 more element
A ball bat, comprising:
- a barrel comprising a plurality of composite plies, wherein the barrel includes an external surface and an internal surface, such that a neutral axis defining a primary failure plane is located between the external and internal surfaces;
- an additional failure plane located between the external surface and the neutral axis of the barrel, or between the internal surface and the neutral axis of the barrel;
- and
- a handle attached to or integral with the barrel.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.