Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc.

Miken Sports, LLC

Matthew V Vacek

Biju Mathew

Tyler Scott Jessie

Curtis Matthew Cruz

Buji Mathew

Douglas Wade Heimer

Peter Wiese

Michael Haas

Doug Heimer

Richard George

Scott Jeffrey Sorenson

Scott Jeffrey Sorensen

A bat for striking a ball comprises an axis, a handle, and a barrel. The handle includes a knob end, an attachment end, and a length separating the knob end from the attachment end. The barrel includes an end cap end, a barrel portion, a barrel length, and a transition section. The transition section is operatively attached to the attachment end of the handle. The bat can include a joint connecting the transition section to the attachment end while separating the barrel from the handle. Further, the bat can include an internal tubular member operatively attached to the end cap end and positioned within the barrel. A knob can be attached to the knob end of the handle while an end cap can be attached to the end cap end of the barrel. A grip can be attached to the handle adjacent the knob.

Bat with performance governing barrel and vibration dampening connection

A helmet with an outer shell made from a fiber reinforced material, and preferably a fiber reinforced polymer. The helmet preferably has a critical impact area that contains a greater concentration of fibers. Preferably, the helmet has a weight, offset, and dimensions which are comparable to a helmet with an outer shell that is not made from a fiber reinforced material. The helmet is preferably stiffer and more protective than a conventional helmet not having a fiber reinforced outer shell.

Fiber reinforced helmet

Helmet

A bat having a handle portion, a transition portion attached to the handle portion, and a barrel portion attached to the transition portion. The area(s) adjacent to the central portion of the barrel have an increased performance with respect to the central portion of the barrel to effectively enlarge the sweet spot, or preferred hitting area. At least one member of the barrel is circumferential aligned and axially spaced from another member.

Bat with circumferentially aligned and axially segmented barrel section

A bat having a handle portion, a transition portion attached to the handle portion, and a barrel portion attached to the transition portion. The area(s) adjacent to the central portion of the barrel have an increased performance with respect to the central portion of the barrel to effectively enlarge the sweet spot, or preferred hitting area. At least one tubular member of the barrel is circumferential aligned and axially spaced from another tubular member.

Included herein is a bat for striking a ball. The bat comprises a barrel portion, transition portion attached to the barrel portion, and a handle portion attached to the transition portion. The handle portion includes a longitudinal axis and a plurality of planes substantially parallel to the axis. The adjacent planes of the plurality of planes are positioned to define apertures substantially parallel to the axis. The planes and apertures are positioned to vary the flexibility of the handle and improve bat performance for a given swing speeds.

Bat with flexible handle

Disclosed herein is a bat comprising a handle portion, a transition portion attached to the handle portion, and a barrel portion attached to the transition portion. The barrel portion includes one or more first cross-sections having a first stiffness and a plurality of second cross-sections having a second stiffness. Each first cross-section is beside one second cross-section or between two of the second cross-sections and the first stiffness is greater than the second stiffness. The variance in stiffness between the first cross-sections and the second cross-sections is created by varying the amount of material in the cross-section or by, more accurately, removing material in the second cross sections to make the second cross-sections more flexible by creating slots. Likewise, a bat may be provided with third cross sections on the sides of the second cross-sections distal from the first cross-section whereby the third cross-sections are less stiff that the second cross-sections because more material is removed.

Bat having a sleeve with slots

A testing apparatus for a composite material includes a base for holding the composite article, a load cell for placing a selected load on a portion of the composite article, and a displacement measuring device for measuring the amount of displacement for a selected load. In operation, a composite article is placed in a testing apparatus, a selected load is placed on the composite article, and the displacement of the composite article is measured.

Testing apparatus and method for composite articles

Disclosed herein is a bat comprising a handle portion, a transition portion attached to the handle portion, and a barrel portion attached to the transition portion. The barrel portion includes one or more first cross-sections having a first stiffness and a plurality of second cross-sections having a second stiffness. Each first cross-section is beside one second cross-section or between two of the second cross-sections and the first stiffness is greater than the second stiffness. The variance in stiffness between the first cross-sections and the second cross-sections is created by varying the amount of material in the cross-section or by, more accurately, removing material in the second cross sections to make the second cross-sections more flexible by creating holes.

Growing community of inventors

Brownsville, MN, United States of America

Matthew V Vacek