Easton Sports, Inc.

Jas D. Easton, Inc.

Easton Baseball/softball Inc.

Easton Diamond Sports, LLC

Hsing-Yen Chuang

Dewey Chauvin

William B Giannetti

Ian Montgomery

Gary W Filice

James L Easton

William B Gianetti

Enemecio Hernandez

A ball bat includes a barrel in which one or more stiffening elements or damping elements, or both, are located. The stiffening or damping elements may be positioned at a variety of locations, and may have a variety of configurations, for selectively reducing the barrel's performance without appreciably increasing the bat's moment of inertia.

Ball bat with governed performance

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.

Ball bat including multiple failure planes

A ball bat includes one or more low-durability regions fortified by one or more reinforcing elements, such as a structural patch. If the reinforcing element is altered or removed, the durability of the ball bat is significantly reduced. For example, if the ball bat is subjected to internal shaving or external rolling in an attempt to increase the bat's performance, the reinforcing element would be removed or damaged such that the durability of the bat is reduced to the point that the ball bat's performance remains below a specified limit.

Ball bat including a reinforced, low-durability region for deterring barrel alteration

A ball bat includes one or more low-durability regions fortified by one or more reinforcing elements. If the reinforcing element is altered or removed, the durability of the ball bat is significantly reduced. For example, if the ball bat is subjected to internal shaving or external rolling in an attempt to increase the bat's performance, the reinforcing element would de removed or damaged such that the durability of the bat is reduced to the point that the ball bat's performance remains below a specified limit.

A ball bat includes a barrel having one or more integral features for selectively stiffening regions of the barrel. The barrel may include an indented region forming a rib projecting inwardly into the barrel. Alternatively, one or more inwardly projecting lips may be formed on adjoining barrel sections that are bonded, welded, or otherwise attached to each other, such that an integral, internal rib is formed in the barrel. The internal rib stiffens the barrel, thus reducing the barrel's BBCOR. One or more integral ribs may be provided at any desired barrel locations for selectively limiting the barrel's performance without appreciably increasing the moment of inertia of the ball bat. In another embodiment, a joint, to which two barrel sections are bonded, welded, or otherwise attached, includes an inwardly projecting member that stiffens the barrel, thus reducing the barrel's BBCOR.

Ball bat including integral barrel features for reducing BBCOR

A ball bat includes a barrel having a radially inner surface. Graphics, or an indicator layer including graphics, that provide a visual indication of whether tampering, such as shaving, has occurred to the radially inner surface of the barrel are affixed to, applied to, or integral with the radially inner surface of the barrel. A transparent or translucent cap, or a cap including a window, is optionally attached to an end of the barrel to provide visual inspection of the internal graphics. The cap itself may additionally or alternatively include internal observable features, or external engraved or etched features, that make the cap difficult to replicate or counterfeit.

Ball bat including visual indication of whether internal structural tampering with the ball bat has occurred

A ball bat exhibits improved barrel performance in regions located away from the 'sweet spot' of the bat barrel, as a result of strategic placement of interface shear control zones ('ISCZs') in the barrel. The ball bat includes a barrel having a first region adjacent to the tapered section of the ball bat, a second region adjacent to the free end of the barrel, and a third region located between the first and second regions, that includes the sweet spot of the barrel. The first and second regions each include at least one interface shear control zone. The third region includes at least one fewer interface shear control zone than at least one of the first and second regions. ISCZs may also be strategically placed in the bat handle and/or the tapered section of the ball bat to improve the compliance and overall performance of the ball bat.

Ball bat exhibiting optimized performance via selective placement of interlaminar shear control zones

A composite ball bat includes an exposed region of transparent or translucent material, which provides a visual indication of whether delamination has occurred in the ball bat. As a result, an observer can determine, via visual inspection, whether delamination has occurred, and, if it has, can remove the bat from regulated play.

Ball bat with exposed region for revealing delamination

A multi-piece ball bat includes a first section including a hitting portion, and a second section including a handle portion. A flexible joint connects the first section to the second section. The flexible joint may be a structural joint, such as a spring member, a mechanical locking joint, or a pneumatic or hydraulic joint, or it may be a non-uniform and/or non-continuous elastomeric joint.

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Simi Valley, CA, United States of America

Hsing-Yen Chuang