DEVICE FOR HITTING A BALL

Abstract

A strung bat for use in playing cricket includes an elongate handle for a user to hold and a blade elongated in the direction of the handle. The blade includes a perimeter defining an internal space that is strung with an array of strings for hitting a ball. The perimeter frame has a leading edge and an opposing trailing edge, and the array of strings lies in a plane that may be substantially aligned with the leading edge of the frame or is closely adjacent to the leading edge of the frame. An apparatus for playing the game using the strung bat is also disclosed.

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A device for hitting a ball, comprising: an elongate handle for a user to hold the device; a blade extending from the handle, the blade comprising a perimeter frame defining an internal space that is strung with an array of strings for hitting a ball.

15. The device for hitting a ball according to claim 14, wherein the blade is elongated in the direction of the handle and has a substantially rectangular outline sized and configured to resemble a blade of a cricket bat.

16. The device for hitting a ball according to claim 14, wherein the perimeter frame has a leading edge that leads when the device is used to hit a ball and an opposing trailing edge that trails when the device is used to hit a ball, and the array of strings extends in a plane that is substantially aligned with the leading edge of the frame or be closely adjacent to the leading edge of the frame.

17. The device for hitting a ball according to claim 14, wherein the array of strings comprises a first plurality of spaced parallel strings extending longitudinally along the blade, and a second plurality of spaced parallel strings extending transversely to the first plurality across the face of the blade.

18. The device for hitting a ball according to claim 16, wherein the perimeter frame further includes a plurality of ribs extending from one side to the other side that is integrally formed with the perimeter frame.

19. The device for hitting a ball according to claim 18, wherein the plurality of ribs is positioned at or adjacent to the trailing edge of the frame and wherein each rib curves outward away from the face of the blade intermediate its ends to resemble the back of a conventional cricket bat.

20. The device for hitting a ball according to claim 14, including an end cap removably mounted on a base end of the blade and forming a wear surface that engages with a support surface on which the device is used.

21. The device for hitting a ball according to claim 20, wherein the end cap is mechanically connected to the blade by at least one mechanical fastener passing through the frame and into the end cap.

22. The device for hitting a ball according to claim 14, wherein the handle and blade are formed integrally of a composite material.

23. A strung bat for use in playing cricket, the bat comprising: an elongate handle for a user to hold the device; a blade elongated in the direction of the handle extending from the handle, the blade comprising a perimeter defining an internal space that is strung with an array of strings for hitting a ball, wherein the perimeter frame has a leading edge and an opposing trailing edge, and the array of strings lies in a plane that is substantially aligned with the leading edge of the frame or is closely adjacent to the leading edge of the frame.

24. The strung bat for use in playing cricket according to claim 23, including an end cap removably mounted on a base end of the blade and forming a wear surface that engages with a support surface on which the device is used.

25. The strung bat for use in playing cricket according to claim 23, including a plurality of ribs at spaced intervals along the blade, each rib extending across the blade and forming a back of the blade.

26. An apparatus for playing a game including a device for hitting a ball, comprising: an elongate handle for a user to hold the device; a blade extending from the handle, the blade comprising a perimeter frame defining an internal space that is strung with an array of strings for hitting a ball.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0070] A device that is a cricket bat in accordance with this invention may manifest itself in a variety of forms. It will be convenient to hereinafter describe at least two embodiments of the disclosure in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The purpose of providing this detailed description is to instruct persons having an interest in the subject matter of the invention how to carry the invention into practical effect. However, it is to be clearly understood that the specific nature of this detailed description does not supersede the generality of the preceding broad description. In the drawings:

[0071] FIG. 1 (prior art) illustrates a traditional or conventional cricket bat and ball;

[0072] FIG. 2 (prior art) illustrates a player playing cricket with a traditional or conventional cricket bat;

[0073] FIG. 3 is an upper front perspective view of a device that is a cricket bat according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0074] FIG. 4 is a lower front perspective view of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

[0075] FIG. 5 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

[0076] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 3 (with some detail omitted for clarity of the ribs on the rear of the blade);

[0077] FIG. 7 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

[0078] FIG. 8 is a schematic front view of a perimeter frame and array of strings of the embodiment of FIG. 3 (not drawn to scale and with some detail omitted for clarity);

[0079] FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of an end cap that is removably mounted on a base of the blade;

[0080] FIG. 10 is a schematic drawing illustrating the bat of FIG. 3 in use;

[0081] FIG. 11 is a schematic front perspective view of part of a device in accordance with another embodiment of the invention showing how the strings are wound onto the perimeter frame to string the device;

[0082] FIG. 12 is a rear perspective view of part of the device of FIG. 11;

[0083] FIG. 13 is an exploded upper perspective view of a lower portion of the device of FIG. 11 showing how an end cap can be fitted to the blade of the device; and

[0084] FIG. 14 is a cross sectional view showing additional detail of the arrangement of strings and the end cap in the device of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE INVENTION

[0085] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate prior art arrangements that have been discussed in the background section of the specification. As such, they will not be described further in the detailed description.

[0086] FIGS. 3 to 9 illustrate a cricket bat indicated generally by reference numeral 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The cricket bat may also be described as a cricket racquet because it has an array of strings that resemble in a small way the strings of a tennis racquet.

[0087] The cricket bat 10 according to one embodiment of this invention comprises a handle 20 and a blade of the bat 10.

[0088] The handle 20 has a generally cylindrical shape and it is similar to the handle of a conventional or traditional cricket bat in shape and dimension. The handle 20 will usually be solid but it could conceivably be hollow.

[0089] The blade 30 of the bat 10 comprises an elongate rectangular frame 31 which defines a face which is similar to the face of a blade of a conventional or traditional cricket bat in shape and dimension.

[0090] The blade 30 has an upper end or handle end adjacent the handle 20 and an opposed lower end which forms a base end of the blade 30. The blade 30 also has two sides extending between the upper end and the base end. Finally, the blade 30 also has a face of the blade and a back or rear surface opposed to the face.

[0091] The face of the blade 30 is strung with an array of strings 35. The array of strings 35 comprises longitudinal strings extending longitudinally along the face, and transverse parallel spaced strings extending transversely across the face. The longitudinal and transverse strings are interwoven to form a cross-hatched pattern that resemble a string pattern on a tennis racquet. The longitudinal and transverse strings define an array of rectangular openings.

[0092] In one example embodiment, the openings may have a dimension of about 15 mm in a longitudinal direction and a dimension of about 10 mm in the transverse direction. However, it will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that any suitable string pattern and spacing may be used.

[0093] The frame 31 may be reinforced by a plurality of transverse cross members or ribs 32 at the rear of the blade 30, which are preferably arcuate in shape. The members 32 may be integral with the elongate rectangular frame 31. The function of the cross members 32 is to strengthen the longitudinal sides of the frame 31 to give it rigidity and limit its deformation when the strings 35 are tensioned.

[0094] The strings may be made of natural material (e.g., catgut) or synthetic material (e.g., nylon, polyamide, and other polymers). Further, the strings may be strung to a desired tension. Typically, the strings are strung to a tension that is comparable to the tension of strings on a tennis racket, e.g., 50 psi.

[0095] To enable the strings 35 to be strung onto the blade 30, through apertures 33 are formed in the frame 31 from the leading edge to the trailing edge. The strings 35 can then be threaded through the apertures on the frame 31 as shown more clearly in FIGS. 7 and 8.

[0096] The perimeter frame 31 is formed integrally with the handle 20 as a single piece as shown in the drawings. The device can be manufactured by injection moulding as a single pieces of carbon composite.

[0097] The frame 31 and/or the handle 20 are formed of a composite material, e.g., carbon fibre composites, or a tough rigid plastics material. This provides a frame having a suitable strength and rigidity while still being of lightweight. Alternatively, the frame 31 and/or the handle 20 made be made of a light metal, such as aluminium.

[0098] The array of strings 35 defines a string plane which is aligned with or close to a front or leading edge of the frame 31, which faces the ball in use. This feature is shown in Figure FIGS. 8, 11 and 13.

[0099] This arrangement mimics the flat face configuration of a traditional cricket bat (unlike a tennis racquet in which the string plane is set back from the leading edge of the head frame). In this manner, the frame 31 does not interfere with contact between the strings and the ball thereby avoiding the edge effects which occur when the bat strikes the ball close to the frame of a tennis racket. This feature thus enables the bat 10 to be used in a similar manner to a conventional cricket bat. Additionally, a central portion of the stringed area forms a ‘sweet spot’, which encourages players to hit the ball in the middle of the blade 30.

[0100] An optional feature of the described embodiment is a removeable or exchangeable end cap 36, illustrated in FIG. 9. This end cap 36 may be replaced, e.g., if worn from repeated striking of the playing surface, e.g., the ground. The end cap portion 36 can also be changed to another end cap having a different weight to vary the ‘feel’ of the bat 10, e.g., by changing the weight of the bat and in particular the weight distribution along the bat 10 and the position of its centre of mass.

[0101] FIGS. 11 to 14 illustrate a device that is a cricket bat in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

[0102] FIG. 11 shows how the device is strung to obtain an array of longitudinal and transverse strings.

[0103] The strings pass from the face of the blade through passages to the rear of the blade. The passages are formed by small passage elements that are cast integrally with the perimeter frame when it is formed. The strings are then displaced along the frame a short distance and then passed through an adjacent passage back to the face of the blade. They then extend across the face of the blade forming a string of the array of strings.

[0104] In a similar manner, both the longitudinally extending and transverse strings are strung on the frame.

[0105] The construction of the frame including the transverse ribs is an important element in conferring sufficient strength on the frame to handle the tension of the strings when the bat is strung with 50 lbs of tension in each string.

[0106] The vertical strings are 10 mm apart vertical and the horizontal strings are 15 mm apart. Part of the reason for this is that if the horizontal strings were 10 mm apart, 2500 lbs of tensile force would be generated. The frame needs to be able to handle the string tensions involved and even carbon fibre would distort under that tensile force.

[0107] The racket has 33 horizontal strings and 7 vertical strings on the racket. Each string has a tension of 50 lbs so the actual stress on the racket pulling both sides inwards in amounts to 1550 lbs of horizontal tensile force and 350 lbs of vertical tensile force.

[0108] If you hold up a working protype of the cricket bat racket like that in FIGS. 11 to 13 and look along the edge, you will notice a slight bow inwards between the ribs on the frame.

[0109] This inward bowing is caused by the strings pulling the sides of the frame inwards. This helps to illustrate the function performed by the ribs. That is, to limit the bowing of the sides of the frame. If the ribs were not present, the sides would bow even more once the cricket bat was strung with strings, e.g., to the point where the bat would lose its effectiveness. Additionally, the strings would lose their tension towards the centre of the cricket racket.

[0110] Yet further, the construction of the frame is a critical element in handling the tension of the strings. If the ribs were not present, the racket might collapse or break in the middle when a ball is centred on the blade.

[0111] The face of the blade with its elongation is not the same as a round head of a tennis racquet where the frame itself, because of its round shape cannot pull inwards. This arrangement of the frame with the transverse ribs enables the string tension to be maintained, and the shape distributes the energy of a ball strike throughout the entire frame. The ribs on the frame create a structure that defines a string area that mimics the head of a tennis racket and thus handles the tensile forces on the strings in a similar way.

[0112] FIG. 13 shows an end cap 36 that is mounted on the base end of the blade 30.

[0113] The end cap 36 is typically formed of a hard plastics material such as an engineering plastic by an injection moulding process. The end cap is formed with passages therein that enable it to be replaceably mounted on the frame at the base end of the blade. The end cap is rigidly connected to the frame by means of two fasteners that are passed through the frame and then into receiving apertures formed in the end cap. In the illustrated embodiment, the fasteners are threaded and are engaged with a complementary threaded bore in each of the receiving apertures.

[0114] This way, the end cap can be removed at any time and replaced with another end cap. This enables end caps with different weights to be provided for use on the bat which enable a user to tailor the weight distribution of the device to suit individual requirements.

[0115] FIG. 12 shows the back of the frame which receives the strings passed through the passage from the face. The strings then extend across the back of the frame a short distance then through the next passage back to the face.

[0116] As shown in the drawings, the rear of the frame has a shallow elongate channel formed therein along its length on each side. This channel extends continuously along each side of the frame and receives the strings on the rear of the blade therein, so they do not project out proud of the frame. The strings are effectively received in the channel on the back of the frame.

[0117] FIG. 14 illustrates a cross section through a lower region of the device of FIG. 12 with the section extending from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the blade. FIG. 14 shows how the strings are arranged relative to each other on the leading edge and also shows how the end cap is mounted on the perimeter frame.

[0118] Further, Applicant submits that the following features are not taught or suggested by the prior art and contribute to an inventive step: [0119] stringing the blade of the bat in a plane corresponding to the face of the bat; [0120] providing reinforcing ribs extending across the back of the blade that divide the face of the bat into a plurality of string zones each having a similar configuration to a head of a tennis racket; and [0121] providing an arrangement of strings where the strings are moved across to align with a next string on the back of the bat (so there is no surface crossover on the face of the bat.

[0122] In use as shown in FIG. 10, the bat 10 can be held and used in a similar manner to a conventional solid wood cricket bat. It can be used to play a full range of cricket shots with a correct batting technique.

[0123] The array of strings can generate significant power when the bat 10 hits the tennis ball which enhances the game. The use of the stringed cricket bat in accordance with the invention enables the feel of formal cricket played with a hard ball to be more faithfully reproduced than use of a solid wooden cricket bat with a tennis ball.

[0124] Further, the bat 10 with its strung head, is lighter than a conventional solid wood cricket bat and thus easier to use for young players. It is also more suitable for use with a soft ball such as a tennis ball rather than a hard cricket ball because it efficiently transfers kinetic energy to the ball with reduced energy losses.

[0125] Related to this, the bat 10 enables a competitive and interesting game of compact cricket to be played in an area, e.g., a street or garden, which area is not suitable for using a cricket ball. Further, this apparatus also minimises the risk of injury if a player is struck by the ball.

[0126] It is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not limiting. Although the invention has been described with particular reference to the illustrated embodiment, it is intended that this application cover modifications or variations thereof as would be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.