BAT CONDITIONING DEVICE AND METHOD
A bat conditioning device for breaking in or seasoning softball or baseball bats. A preferred conditioning device includes a handle having a first end and a second end, a grip attached to the first end of the handle, and a head attached to the second end of the handle having an impact response that mimics that of a regulation softball. In the preferred form, the head is a regulation softball. The bat conditioning device is of a length that allows softball bats to be broken-in by striking a bat held in one hand of a user, with the conditioning device being held in the other hand.
This invention relates generally to sports equipment and, more specifically, to bat conditioning devices and methods.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONBats used by softball and baseball players often require some form of break-in or conditioning period before they can reach their full potential and to avoid possible damage. Many manufacturers recommend breaking in their softball bats by hitting softballs in a way that causes them to strike the bat in a particular pattern, so the bat will be broken in evenly. However, breaking in a bat by hitting softballs takes a considerable amount of time because the softballs must be pitched by a person on a playing field or by a machine in a batting cage to the person breaking in the bat. It is also difficult to accurately follow the suggested break-in pattern in this manner because of the uncertainty about where the softball will strike the bat. There is no available system or device to properly break in a bat.
Therefore, there is a need for a device that allows quick and accurate conditioning of a softball bat while replicating the effect of a ball striking the bat.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONA bat conditioning device includes a handle having a ball or like object secured to or formed on one end. In a preferred example of the invention, the handle has a first end and a second end, with a grip attached to the first end of the handle and a standard regulation softball or baseball attached to the second end.
The “ball” may alternatively be formed in any shape, preferably from a material that is firm, yet yields slightly on impact in a way that is similar to the manner in which a standard regulation softball reacts when striking a hard surface. The bat conditioning device is of a length that allows softball bats to be broken-in by striking a bat held in one hand of a user with the bat conditioning device held in the other hand, thus allowing quick and accurate conditioning of a softball bat while replicating the effect of a softball striking the bat.
Preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings:
A ball 26 is secured to the second end of the handle 22. As shown, the ball is in the form of an actual regulation softball or baseball to serve as the working end of the conditioning device. In other forms of the invention, the working end of the device comprises a head that is at least partially rounded and has hardness and resiliency that approximates that of a baseball or softball.
The first end of the handle 22 provides a means for grasping the device when in use. In the simplest form, no particular grip is required and the user can simply grasp the first end of the handle. In preferred examples of the invention, a grip is formed on or attached to the first end of the handle. As shown in
In another example of the invention, the ball 26 is attached to the handle 22 without the use of a central bore. In such an example, an external clamp attached to the handle surrounds all or a portion of a circumference of the ball in order to secure the ball to the handle. The clamp may provide merely a frictional attachment, or may include supplemental means of securement such as one or more protrusions extending into the ball.
Although a regulation softball with a circumference of approximately 12 inches is used in the preferred embodiment because it is the most common size, other sized objects are used in other embodiments. For example, a softball with an 11 inch circumference may be used in other embodiments because softballs of that size are used in some women's and youth leagues. Additionally, a larger softball with a circumference of approximately 16 inches may be used because such larger softballs are common in softball leagues in the Chicago area and some other locations.
Other embodiments may use a wholly or partially rounded object other than a standard regulation softball that is able to approximately mimic the response of a standard regulation softball and is formed such that it is firm, yet yields on impact in a way that is similar to the manner in which a standard regulation softball reacts when striking a hard surface. An object that is not completely spherical may also be used in place of the softball 26, so long as the object has a striking face that is formed in such a way that it is firm, yet yields slightly on impact in a way that is similar to the manner in which a softball reacts when striking a hard surface and can approximate the effect of a softball striking a surface when the bat conditioning device 20 is used. As one example, a cut away portion of a softball, such as a half or a quarter of a softball, could be secured to the handle or encased in plastic or other materials and then secured to the handle. In such a fashion, the head of the device can approximate the resiliency response of a softball even though a softball is not used for the head. As another example, a working head formed from rubber or other materials for an exterior surface can encase one or more other internal materials in order to mimic the resiliency of a softball.
In other embodiments, the second end of the handle 22 also may be shaped in such a way that allows insertion of the handle 22 into the softball 26 with a force less than that required to remove the handle 22 from the softball 26. An example would be for the second end of the handle 22 to include a series of concentric protrusions which are angled on the side of each ridge that faces the softball during insertion, but have a surface that is approximately perpendicular to the axis running along the length of the handle 22 on the other side of each ridge, thus allowing for easier insertion than removal of the handle 22 from the softball 26. In this embodiment, the preferred overall length of the bat conditioning device 20 is approximately 16 inches. The length of the bat conditioning device 20 may differ in other embodiments, but still is such that a user of the bat conditioning device 20 is able to hold a softball bat in one hand and the bat conditioning device 20 in the other hand while using the bat conditioning device 20, thus allowing quick and accurate conditioning of a softball bat while replicating the effect of a softball striking the bat.
A pin 52 having an externally threaded first end 54 and externally threaded second end 60 is attached to the coupler via engagement of the first threaded end and the internal threads of the coupler. The pin 52 extends through a bore in the softball 56. In this form of the invention, the pin and bore extend fully through the softball, in contrast with prior embodiments in which the bore preferably extended only partially through the ball. The second end of the pin engages a cap 58 having internal threads 62 that engage the external threads 60 of the pin.
The threaded configuration of the pin and handle, together with the use of the coupler and cap, allow the ball to be secured to the handle. By turning the coupler or cap in the appropriate directions, additional force can be exerted on the ball to more firmly hold it in place. Conversely, by loosening either the cap or coupler fully, the ball can be removed and replaced if desired.
In an additional embodiment, the bat conditioning device 40 does not have a grip 44 attached to the first end of the handle 42, but instead has an additional end cap attached to the first end of the handle 42 that is held in place by matching sets of threads in similar fashion to the way the end cap 58 is held in place on the holding element 52.
In any of the foregoing embodiments, the softball may be replaced by a baseball or by a tool head having at least a partially rounded surface that is configured to mimic the response of a softball when the tool head strikes a bat.
While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
Claims
1. A bat conditioning device comprising:
- a handle having a first end and a second end; and
- a ball secured to the second end of the handle.
2. The bat conditioning device of claim 1, wherein the ball is a standard regulation softball and the second end of the handle extends at least partially into an interior of the ball.
3. The bat conditioning device of claim 2, wherein the softball is approximately 12 inches in circumference.
4. The bat conditioning device of claim 2, wherein the softball is approximately 11 inches in circumference.
5. The bat conditioning device of claim 2, wherein the softball is approximately 16 inches in circumference.
6. The bat conditioning device of claim 2, further including a cushioning layer attached to the handle.
7. The bat conditioning device of claim 2, further comprising a grip attached to the first end of the handle.
8. The bat conditioning device of claim 7, wherein the handle is further secured to the softball with an adhesive.
9. The bat conditioning device of claim 8, wherein the grip includes a plurality of finger grooves.
10. The bat conditioning device of claim 1, further comprising:
- a pin extending through the ball;
- a coupler attaching the pin to the handle; and
- a cap attached to the pin to secure the ball to the pin.
11. The bat conditioning device of claim 10, further comprising a grip attached to the first end of the handle.
12. The bat conditioning device of claim 11, wherein the ball is a standard regulation softball.
13. A bat conditioning device, comprising:
- a handle having a first end and a second end; and
- a head secured to the second end of the handle, the head comprising an exterior surface having at least one rounded portion, the head being configured such that the resiliency of the at least one rounded portion is substantially the same as a regulation softball.
14. The bat conditioning device of claim 12, further comprising a handle extending at least partially into the head.
15. The bat conditioning device of claim 14, further including a cushioning layer attached to the handle.
16. The bat conditioning device of claim 15, further comprising a grip attached to the first end of the handle.
17. A method for conditioning a bat, comprising:
- holding a bat to be conditioned; and
- striking the bat with a bat conditioning device, the bat conditioning device having a handle and a head.
18. The method of claim 17, wherein the head of the bat conditioning device comprises of regulation softball.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of striking the bat comprises striking a barrel end of the bat in a substantially uniform pattern.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of striking the bat further comprises a series of impacts against the barrel of the bat in a substantially uniform pattern about a circumference of the bat.
Type: Application
Filed: May 19, 2006
Publication Date: Nov 22, 2007
Inventors: John James (Menlo Park, CA), Bill Martorana (Menlo Park, CA)
Application Number: 11/419,392
International Classification: A63B 69/00 (20060101);