Abstract: A multi-walled, tubular baseball bat has a barrel portion with a mid-section wherein the radial stiffness of the overall barrel wall varies along the barrel length to provide an enlarged sweetspot, improved soft feel and performance, plus unique sounds upon impact. The bat has a frame with a barrel portion of consistent diameter. A secondary member, or members, of tubular form extend internally along the barrel. The secondary member provides the required radial stiffness variation by: 1) variations in the thickness of the wall of the secondary member or by, 2) secondary members with unique geometric external surface profiles or by, 3) the presence of functional air cavities, with or without closed ends, between the main bat frame and the secondary member or members or by, 4) the presence of numerous annular secondary members located side by side less than one-half the length of the barrel portion.

Abstract: A tubular baseball bat comprising a substantially full length core shaft of preferably constant cross-section, including a handle portion, and a barrel with a gap or separation between the core shaft and barrel, the core shaft and barrel being connected at two or more locations. Embodiments include bats with long barrels without taper sections, bats with taper sections integral with the barrels, bats with separate taper sections which may be of non-circular cross-section, bats with flexible circumferential connecting structures, bats with folded barrel end portions, and bats with resilient means between the core shaft and barrel. Such bats can have larger hitting areas, larger sweetspots, higher performance, and provide minimal sting to a player's hands.

Abstract: A baseball bat is described having of an elongated cylindrical handle portion for gripping, a cylindrical barrel portion for striking and a tapered cylindrical mid-section connecting the handle portion and the barrel portion, wherein at least the barrel portion is tubular and is constructed solely of a polymer composite material with a three-dimensional fiber reinforcement architecture resulting in improved durability versus conventional polymer composite bats, without any sacrifice in playing performance. Also disclosed are polymer composite baseball bats where the polymer composite material includes between 85% and 100% fiberglass reinforcement fibers, and/or where the central cavity is filled with a damping material such as polymeric foam or a low-density granular material, and/or where the bats are constructed of multiple layers of intertwined tubular braid forms using a precision molding process.

Abstract: A single member tubular baseball or softball bat of unitary construction comprised of an elongated handle portion and a striking or barrel portion wherein the barrel portion has internal and external cylindrical layers separated by one or more separation barriers, which are not bonded to said layers, located internally within the barrel thickness, and being in intimate contact with these layers. This results in equivalent or higher performing baseball bats than the prior art, as measured by hitting distance, and more consistent performance. The bats are also less costly to manufacture than prior art double walled bats.

Abstract: A tubular baseball bat comprising a substantially full length core shaft of preferably constant cross-section, including a handle portion, and a barrel with a gap or separation between the core shaft and barrel, the core shaft and barrel being connected at two or more locations. Embodiments include bats with long barrels without taper sections, bats with taper sections integral with the barrels, bats with separate taper sections which may be of non-circular cross-section, bats with flexible circumferential connecting structures, bats with folded barrel end portions, and bats with resilient means between the core shaft and barrel. Such bats can have larger hitting areas, larger sweetspots, higher performance, and provide minimal sting to a player's hands.

Abstract: A light-weight polymer composite endcap, or plug, for a tubular baseball bat provides structural support to the bat barrel end. The endcap permanently bonded to the bat barrel end with a high strength structural adhesive closes off the hollow barrel end. The endcap has a simple geometric shape and has a relatively uniform and thin wall thickness. The light weight achieved by the polymer composite endcap is useful in meeting reduced standards established by regulating bodies and more importantly improves player bat control and swing-speed during the bat swinging phase.

Abstract: Tubular baseball bats comprised of an elongated handle portion and a striking or barrel portion wherein the barrel portion has variable stiffness along its length. One such bat has a circumferential low cost, low weight stiffener generally located in the sweetspot area designed to increase radial stiffness in a controlled manner which results in decreasing the bat performance to meet a changed bat performance standard and can be applied at low cost to both used field returned bats and bats being newly manufactured. Further, new tubular polymer composite bats can be designed with increased radial stiffness generally located in the sweetspot area or with radial stiffness graduated from highest, generally in the sweetspot area, to lowest at the barrel ends. All bats of the present invention result in calculated bat performance to meet applicable regulatory standards while also increasing the sweetspot size.

Abstract: A single member tubular baseball or softball bat of unitary construction comprised of an elongated handle portion and a striking or barrel portion wherein the barrel portion has internal and external cylindrical layers separated by one or more separation barriers, which are not bonded to said layers, located internally within the barrel thickness, and being in intimate contact with these layers. This results in equivalent or higher performing baseball bats than the prior art, as measured by hitting distance, and more consistent performance. The bats are also less costly to manufacture than prior art double walled bats.