Easton Diamond Sports, LLC

Bps Diamond Sports Corp.

Frederic St-Laurent

Dewey Chauvin

Ian Montgomery

Linda Hunt

Stephen Bruce Fitzgerald

Mick Kaplan

Ralph Edward Mitton

A ball bat includes a continuous tape of fiber material wrapped around the longitudinal axis in a helix extending along the longitudinal axis. Interlaminar interfaces between adjacent turns of the tape are oriented obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, the ball bat includes a preform structure, the tape being wrapped around the preform structure. In some embodiments, the ball bat includes a flared element on the preform structure. An end of the continuous tape may be positioned on an angled surface of the flared element. An outer skin may be positioned over the tape. Methods of making ball bats may include attaching a first end of a fiber tape to a flared element on a preform structure or a mandrel and wrapping the fiber tape around the preform structure or mandrel in a helix extending along the longitudinal axis of the preform structure or mandrel.

Composite ball bats with transverse interlaminar interfaces

Representative embodiments of the present technology may include a ball bat with a handle, a barrel attached to or continuous with the handle along a longitudinal axis of the bat, and a reduced-durability region positioned in the barrel. The reduced-durability region may include two adjacent stacks of composite laminate plies, wherein the stacks are spaced apart from each other along the longitudinal axis to form a first gap therebetween. A separation ply may be positioned in the first gap between the stacks. The separation ply may include a non-woven mat material. At least one cap ply element may be positioned around an end of one of the stacks. In some embodiments, an axis of the first gap is oriented at an oblique angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the bat.

Ball bats with reduced durability regions for deterring alteration

A ball bat includes a barrel wall with a composite laminate structure that includes an outwardly facing skin, an inwardly facing skin, a stack of composite laminate plies positioned between the outwardly facing skin and the inwardly facing skin, and a discontinuity in the stack forming a gap along a longitudinal axis of the bat. A rigid or semi-rigid appliance may be positioned in the gap. The appliance may be a ring element, which may have a cross-section that traverses the composite laminate plies in the stack in a direction that is perpendicular or oblique to the longitudinal axis of the bat. The cross-section of the ring element may be triangular. A second ring element may be positioned in the barrel wall. The second ring element may be connected to the other ring element with an adhesive bond or a connecting element.

A ball bat includes outer shell segments longitudinally spaced apart from each other to form a gap between them. A joint connects the segments. A first outer shell segment may include a barrel portion of the ball bat and at least part of a tapered portion of the ball bat. A second outer shell segment may include at least part of the tapered portion. The joint may include a tubular element having a first portion positioned within the first outer shell segment and at least partially overlapping an interior surface of the first outer shell segment, and a second portion positioned within the second outer shell segment and at least partially overlapping an interior surface of the second outer shell segment. The tubular element may include an elastomeric material. In some embodiments, the joint may be formed by an elastomeric material connecting the outer shell segments in the gap.

Ball bat with decoupled barrel

A ball bat may include a barrel wall formed at least in part by a plurality of concentric first composite laminate layers and a plurality of second composite laminate layers oriented transverse to the first composite laminate layers. In some embodiments, a ball bat may include composite material with a plurality of fibers oriented along a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the bat.

Composite ball bats with transverse fibers

A barrel of a ball bat may include a composite laminate with a plurality of composite plies. One or more translaminar elements may pass through the composite plies and around a circumference of the barrel to reduce relative movement between the plies. The translaminar elements may include a first line of stitching, which may include aramid fiber. In some embodiments, the first line of stitching forms two or more coils around the barrel. Lines of stitching may be positioned on opposing sides of a center of percussion of the ball bat. In some embodiments, the translaminar elements may include a line of staples distributed around the circumference of the barrel. A method of making a ball bat may include arranging plies of composite material to form a cylinder, passing a first translaminar element through the plies, and curing the assembly of plies to form a barrel of the ball bat.

Ball bat with stitched composite layers

A nano-enhanced matrix material includes a matrix film carrying one or more nano-additives. The nano-additives may be oriented transversely relative to the matrix film. A composite structure includes a plurality of composite laminate plies and one or more matrix films carrying one or more nano-additive materials, the matrix films being positioned between composite laminate plies. Composite structures may include ball bats, and the matrix films with nano-additive materials may be positioned in selected portions of ball bats, such as wherever improved strength or resistance to fatigue is desired.

Strengthening ball bats and other composite structures with nano-additives

A ball bat includes a first bat portion (such as a barrel portion) and a second bat portion (such as a handle). The portions may be spaced apart along the bat's longitudinal axis. A joint connects the first and second bat portions. The joint may be positioned at or near, or centered about, a location of maximum vibration, such as an antinode of the bat. The joint may include a filler material (such as an elastomeric material) at least partially surrounding a rod element. The filler material and the rod element may span a gap between the first and second bat portions. The filler material and the rod element may extend into the first bat portion or the second bat portion. A cover material may be positioned around the filler material. The joint may form a structural link between the bat portions and it may be configured to absorb vibration.

Ball bat with shock attenuating handle

A butt-end device or knob for a sports implement with a handle for holding the sports implement. The butt-end device or knob has an inner member or inner surface mountable adjacent to a longitudinal end of the handle and a hand-engaging surface to engage a user's hand when holding the handle, the hand-engaging surface being movable relative to the handle in order to follow movement of the user's hand when the user swings the sports implement.

Butt-end device or knob for a sports implement

A tubular bat is provided whereby at least one diaphragm is located within the internal cavity of the bat. The diaphragm is fastened at its peripheral edge to the inner surface of the bat wall, thereby dividing the internal cavity into two separated cavities, thus creating two sweet spots, or shifting the existing sweet spot forward towards the distal end of the bat. This improves player performance by providing an expanded number of optimal hitting zones or by moving the optimal hitting zone farther from the bat handle.

Growing community of inventors

Oak Park, CA, United States of America

Frederic St-Laurent