Removable, rotatable grip element for a ball bat or other sporting-good implement

Abstract

A sleeve or grip for use on a ball bat or other sporting-good implement includes a low-friction inner surface and a longitudinal slit that facilitates its positioning on, and removal from, a handle of the implement. The grip is rotatable about the handle so that a user's hand may move into an optimal position during a swing. The grip may be readily removable from the implement so that, after a swing, it stays with the user, as opposed to remaining on the implement.

Claims

1. A grip element for use on a sporting-good implement having a knob, the grip element comprising: a body having a length, a first end, and a second end; a substantially linear opening along the length of the body; a low-friction inner surface; and a projection located substantially at the first end, the projection being configured to mate with a groove in the knob; wherein a portion of the grip element is positioned to rotate against a portion of the knob; and wherein the body is tapered between the first end and the second end.

2. The grip element of claim 1 wherein the length of the body is seven inches or less.

3. The grip element of claim 1, further comprising a flange configured to fit over at least a portion of the knob.

4. The grip element of claim 1, further comprising a hinge along the length of the body opposite the opening.

5. The grip element of claim 1 wherein the linear opening facilitates removal of the grip element from a sporting-good implement during a swing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates the same element throughout the several views:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ball bat, according to one embodiment.

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bat handle including a rotatable grip element, according to one embodiment.

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bat handle including a rotatable grip element with a knob flange, according to one embodiment.

(5) FIG. 4 is a side view of the bat handle and rotatable grip element shown in FIG. 3.

(6) FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the bat handle of FIG. 4 taken along Section A-A.

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a batting glove attached to a low-friction grip element, according to one embodiment.

(8) FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a batting glove including a channel and attached to a low-friction grip element, according to one embodiment.

(9) FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a batting glove attached to a hinged grip element, according to one embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(10) Various embodiments of the invention will now be described. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these embodiments. One skilled in the art will understand, however, that the invention may be practiced without many of these details. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description of the various embodiments.

(11) The terminology used in the description presented below is intended to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain specific embodiments of the invention. Certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overtly and specifically defined as such in this detailed description section.

(12) Where the context permits, singular or plural terms may also include the plural or singular term, respectively. Moreover, unless the word or is expressly limited to mean only a single item exclusive from the other items in a list of two or more items, then the use of or in such a list is to be interpreted as including (a) any single item in the list, (b) all of the items in the list, or (c) any combination of items in the list. Further, unless otherwise specified, terms such as attached or connected are intended to include integral connections, as well as connections between physically separate components.

(13) While the concepts described herein may be utilized in a variety of sporting-good implements, a wooden ball bat will primarily be described. It is to be understood, however, that these concepts may also be applied to non-wooden bats, as well as to lacrosse sticks or other sporting goods where hand rotation may be desirable.

(14) Turning now in detail to the drawings, as shown in FIG. 1, a baseball bat 10 includes a handle 12, a barrel 14, and a tapered section 16 joining the handle 12 to the barrel 14. The free end of the handle 12 includes a knob 18 or similar structure.

(15) The ball bat 10 may have any suitable dimensions. For example, the ball bat 10 may have an overall length of 20 to 40 inches, or 26 to 34 inches. The overall barrel diameter may be 2.0 to 3.0 inches, or 2.25 to 2.75 inches. Typical ball bats have diameters of 2.25, 2.625, or 2.75 inches. Bats having various combinations of these overall lengths and barrel diameters, or any other suitable dimensions, are contemplated herein. The specific preferred combination of bat dimensions is generally dictated by the relevant governing association or by the user of the bat 10, and may vary between users.

(16) As shown in FIGS. 2-5, a sleeve or grip element, or grip 20, includes a longitudinal slit 22 or other opening that facilitates its positioning onto the bat handle 12. The slit 22 optionally extends the entire length of the grip 20 so that the grip 20 may be opened and placed onto the bat handle 12 without having to stretch or expand the grip material around the knob 18. The grip 20 may be configured such that, once positioned on the bat 10, the edges 23 of the grip 20 defining the slit 22 return to a position near each other so that there is little or no gap between them.

(17) In another embodiment, one or more hinged sections or gates may be included on the grip 20 at one or more of the edge regions defining the slit 22. Such a gate may be opened (via a living hinge or other hinged arrangement) to allow the grip 20 to be positioned on or removed from the bat 10, and closed over the gap created by the slit 22. In this embodiment, when a hitter finishes a swing, the hinged gate may be configured to swing open from the force of the swing so that the grip stays with the hitter.

(18) The grip 20 may be made of a polymeric material, a thermoplastic material, a thermoset material (for example, a thermoset composite material), or another suitable material. It may be formed via injection molding, three-dimensional printing, or another suitable method.

(19) The inner surface 24 of the grip 20 may include a low-friction material, or may be coated with such a material, so that the grip 20 may readily rotate about the bat handle 12. For example, the inner surface 24 of the grip 20 may be covered or coated with a layer of Teflon, or with another suitable low-friction material, to facilitate rotation of the grip 20 about the handle 12. The outer surface 26 of the grip 20, conversely, may include a higher-friction material, or may be coated with such a material, so that the grip 20 is unlikely to slip out of a user's hand during swinging of the bat 10.

(20) The grip 20 may be configured to accommodate a single hand of a user, or a portion of a hand of a user, so that only one hand of the user rotates during a swing. The grip 20, for example, may have a length of up to approximately seven inches. The grip 20 may be positioned to accommodate the user's lower hand or upper hand on the ball bat 10. If the grip 20 is positioned to accommodate the user's upper hand, a notch or groove in the ball bat 10 into which a portion of the grip 20 may be inserted or seated, or a raised projection against which the grip 20 may abut, may be included to prevent or substantially inhibit axial movement of the grip 20 during a swing. In one embodiment, multiple grips may be employed to facilitate separate rotation of both hands of a user.

(21) In one embodiment, the bat handle's diameter increases toward the knob 18 so that the grip 20 may be positioned over the upper-handle region, then slid down toward the knob 18 to engage in a frictional fit with the larger-diameter region 30. The knob 18 prevents the grip 20 from slipping off of the end of the bat 10. If the grip 20 is positioned against the knob 18, its lower surface may include a low-friction material so that the grip 20 may rotate against the knob 18.

(22) The knob 18 may include a circular channel or groove 32 into which a projecting portion 34 of the grip 20 may seat to aid in properly positioning the grip 20. Other configurations or features, such as a tongue-and-groove configuration, a hinged configuration, or inclusion of a magnetic pin or similar device to inhibit axial movement of the grip 20, may additionally or alternatively be used to properly position the grip 20.

(23) As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the grip 20 optionally includes a flange 36 configured to cover at least a portion of the knob 18 so that a user's bottom hand does not catch on the knob 18 during a swing. In some embodiments, the circumferential groove 32 in the knob 18, and the knob flange 36 on the grip 20, may be used in conjunction with each other.

(24) As shown in FIG. 6, in other embodiments, a partially circular or semi-circular attachment or grip 40, having a low-friction inner surface, may be attached to or positioned against a user's batting glove 42 or hand. If attached, the grip 40 may be fixed to the glove 42 via Velcro, stitching, adhesive, or another suitable connector. The grip 40 conforms to the shape of a portion of the bat handle 12 when a user closes his or her hand around the handle 12. The low-friction inner surface of the grip 40 provides rotation of a user's hand about the handle 12 during a swing. The grip 40 may stay with the user after the swing.

(25) As shown in FIG. 7, in some embodiments, the batting glove 42 may include a rounded, optionally semi-rigid, channel 44 in its palm region. The channel 44 may have a low-friction surface to facilitate rotation of the handle 12 against the channel's surface. An attachment or grip, such as the grip 40 shown in FIG. 6, may be attached to or positioned against the finger-region of the batting glove 42. When a user grips the handle 12, the channel 44 and the grip 40 provide rotational surfaces around a substantial portion of, or all of, the circumference of the handle 12.

(26) As shown in FIG. 8, in some embodiments, a hinged grip 50, having a low-friction inner surface, may be attached to or positioned against a user's batting glove 42. The grip 50 includes a hinge 52 running along its length. The hinge 52 may be positioned at the base of a user's fingers or along the palm. This configuration also provides rotational surfaces around a substantial portion of, or all of, the circumference of the handle 12.

(27) The embodiments described herein provide improved relative hand rotation for baseball and softball players. These features are particularly applicable to professional baseball or other leagues that have rules similar to those of Major League Baseball (e.g., that a one-piece wooden bat must be used). Because the rotatable grips described herein are not part of the bat itself, they provide relative hand rotation to the user without adding a permanent fixture to the bat. Indeed, the grips described herein may optionally be removed from the bat during a swing. As used herein, the term during is also intended to cover situations in which a hitter removes a grip from the bat immediately or shortly after completing a swing.

(28) Any of the above-described embodiments may be used alone or in combination with one another. Furthermore, the ball bats or grips may include additional features not described herein. While several embodiments have been shown and described, various changes and substitutions may of course be made, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The invention, therefore, should not be limited, except by the following claims and their equivalents.