U.S. patent application number 15/461970 was filed with the patent office on 2017-06-29 for grips for ball-bat handle and knob having multiple degrees of hardness.
The applicant listed for this patent is EASTON DIAMOND SPORTS, LLC. Invention is credited to Grant DOUGLAS, Keenan LONG.
Application Number | 20170182388 15/461970 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59087548 |
Filed Date | 2017-06-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170182388 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LONG; Keenan ; et
al. |
June 29, 2017 |
GRIPS FOR BALL-BAT HANDLE AND KNOB HAVING MULTIPLE DEGREES OF
HARDNESS
Abstract
A grip for a sporting-good implement, such as a ball bat,
includes a knob portion configured to be positioned around a knob
and a handle portion adjacent to the knob portion. The knob portion
may have a first thickness and the handle portion may have a second
thickness different from the first thickness. The knob portion may
have a first degree of hardness and the handle portion may have a
second degree of hardness. In some embodiments, a sporting-good
implement may include a handle with a recessed region. The recessed
region may be formed between the knob and an edge on the handle.
The recessed region may be configured to receive a handle portion
of a grip element such that the grip element and the handle are
generally flush near the edge.
Inventors: |
LONG; Keenan; (Sherman Oaks,
CA) ; DOUGLAS; Grant; (Santa Monica, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
EASTON DIAMOND SPORTS, LLC |
Thousand Oaks |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
59087548 |
Appl. No.: |
15/461970 |
Filed: |
March 17, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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14918513 |
Oct 20, 2015 |
|
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|
15461970 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29K 2995/007 20130101;
B29K 2075/00 20130101; B29K 2083/00 20130101; A63B 60/14 20151001;
B29C 70/76 20130101; B29L 2031/52 20130101; A63B 60/16 20151001;
A63B 2102/18 20151001; A63B 59/50 20151001; A63B 60/08
20151001 |
International
Class: |
A63B 60/14 20060101
A63B060/14; A63B 59/50 20060101 A63B059/50 |
Claims
1. A sporting-good implement, comprising: a body including a handle
region; a knob at an end of the handle region; and a grip
including: a knob portion positioned over the knob; and a handle
portion positioned over at least a portion of the handle region;
wherein the handle portion has a first end having a first
thickness, a second end having a second thickness different from
the first thickness, and the handle portion tapers between the
second thickness and the first thickness.
2. The sporting-good implement of claim 1 wherein the knob portion
and the handle portion are formed from the same material.
3. The sporting-good implement of claim 1 wherein the knob portion
and the handle portion are separate.
4. The sporting-good implement of claim 1 further comprising a
recessed region configured to receive the grip, the recessed region
having an edge that allows the first end of the handle portion of
the grip to be generally flush with the handle region of the
sporting-good implement.
5. The sporting-good implement of claim 4 wherein the handle
portion tapers to cause the first end of the handle portion to be
generally flush with the handle region of the sporting-good
implement.
6. The sporting-good implement of claim 1 wherein the grip is
formed from materials comprising one or more of silicone, urethane,
rubber, and polyurethane foam.
7. The sporting-good implement of claim 1 wherein the sporting-good
implement is a ball bat including a barrel region attached to or
integral with the handle region.
8. A grip for a sporting-good implement, comprising: a knob portion
configured to be positioned around a knob; and a handle portion
adjacent to the knob portion; wherein the knob portion has a first
thickness, and the handle portion has a second thickness different
from the first thickness.
9. The grip of claim 8 wherein the knob portion comprises a first
material having a first degree of hardness and the handle portion
comprises a second material having a second degree of hardness.
10. The grip of claim 8 wherein the handle portion has a varying
thickness along its length such that the handle portion tapers
toward an end of the grip.
11. The grip of claim 8 wherein the grip comprises one or more of
silicone, urethane, rubber, and polyurethane foam.
12. The grip of claim 8 wherein the knob portion is integral with
the handle portion.
13. The grip of claim 8 wherein the grip is configured to fit over
a knob and handle region of a ball bat.
14. A sporting-good implement comprising: a handle having a first
thickness and a knob attached to the handle, the knob having a
second thickness greater than the first thickness; wherein the
handle comprises a recessed region having a third thickness less
than the first thickness, the recessed region being formed between
the knob and an edge on the handle.
15. The sporting-good implement of claim 14 wherein the recessed
region is configured to receive a handle portion of a grip element
such that the grip element and the handle are generally flush near
the edge.
16. The sporting-good implement of claim 15 wherein the
sporting-good implement is a ball-bat and the handle is attached to
a bat barrel.
17. The sporting-good implement of claim 14, further comprising a
grip element positioned around the knob and around at least part of
the handle region.
18. The sporting-good implement of claim 17 wherein the grip
element comprises a knob portion positioned around the knob, a
handle portion positioned around the at least part of the handle
region, and wherein the handle portion has a tapering thickness
along a length of the handle portion between the knob portion and
the edge.
19. The sporting-good implement of claim 18 wherein the grip is
formed from materials comprising one or more of silicone, urethane,
rubber, and polyurethane foam.
20. The sporting-good implement of claim 18 wherein the knob
portion has a first thickness, a first end of the handle portion
has a second thickness, and wherein the first thickness is greater
than the second thickness.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of, and
claims priority to, pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.
14/918,513, filed Oct. 20, 2015, which is incorporated herein in
its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Baseball and softball bats have conventionally included a
knob at the end of the bat handle primarily to reduce the risk of
the bat being thrown from a player's hands during a swing,
particularly when the player loses grip on the handle. While
conventional batting technique involves a player grasping the bat
handle just above the knob, batters are increasingly adopting a
different technique in which they grasp the knob with the palm of
one hand and up to three fingers. This technique essentially
provides a longer effective length of the bat, and, in turn,
increased leverage for additional velocity and force against a
batted ball. But grasping the knob while swinging a bat can
increase the risk of wrist and palm injuries, and it also largely
defeats the safety purpose of the knob because one hand is already
partially off of the handle portion of the bat. Indeed, the
knob-grasping technique puts added pressure on the hypothenar
region of the palm, and, specifically, on the ulnar nerve, which
can result in temporary failure of the ulnar nerve during the
swing, resulting in injury or a thrown bat.
SUMMARY
[0003] A handle-and-knob grip for a ball bat or other sporting-good
implement includes multiple degrees of hardness. In some
embodiments, a sporting-good implement includes a handle region, a
knob, and a cover or grip, wherein the grip includes a knob portion
generally positioned around the knob and an integral handle portion
generally positioned around the handle region. The handle portion
of the grip may be harder than the knob portion of the grip.
[0004] In some embodiments, a method of manufacturing a
sporting-good implement includes providing a ball bat having a
handle and a knob, providing a mold having a receiving space
configured to accommodate a portion of the handle and the knob, and
positioning the portion of the handle and the knob in the receiving
space. An elastomer is provided in the receiving space to cover the
knob, and, optionally, portions of the handle. Separate portions of
the elastomer may be cured at different temperatures to yield
different material properties, such as different hardness
properties for the handle and knob portions of the resulting
grip.
[0005] In some embodiments, a sporting-good implement may include a
body having a handle region, a knob at an end of the handle region,
and a grip with a knob portion positioned over the knob and a
handle portion positioned over at least a portion of the handle
region. The handle portion may have a first end having a first
thickness and a second end having a second thickness different from
the first thickness. The handle portion may taper between the
second thickness and the first thickness. The sporting-good
implement may have a recessed region configured to receive the
grip, the recessed region having an edge that allows the first end
of the handle portion of the grip to be generally flush with the
handle region of the sporting-good implement. The sporting-good
implement may be a ball bat having a barrel region attached to or
integral with the handle region.
[0006] In some embodiments, a grip for a sporting-good implement
may include a knob portion configured to be positioned around a
knob, and a handle portion adjacent to the knob portion. The knob
portion may have a first thickness and the handle portion may have
a second thickness different from the first thickness. The knob
portion may have a first degree of hardness and the handle portion
may have a second degree of hardness.
[0007] In some embodiments, a sporting-good implement may include a
handle having a first thickness and a knob attached to the handle,
the knob having a second thickness greater than the first
thickness. The handle may include a recessed region having a third
thickness less than the first thickness. The recessed region may be
formed between the knob and an edge on the handle. The recessed
region may be configured to receive a handle portion of a grip
element such that the grip element and the handle are generally
flush near the edge.
[0008] The grip allows a batter to hold the knob portion of a ball
bat during a swing while reducing the risk of injury to the batter
and the risk of a thrown bat. Other features and advantages will
appear hereinafter. The features described above may be used
separately or together, or in various combinations of one or more
of them.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] In the drawings, wherein the same reference number indicates
the same element throughout the views:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ball bat having a grip in
accordance with an embodiment of the present technology.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a mold for applying a
grip in accordance with an embodiment of the present
technology.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a ball bat machined or
constructed to receive a grip in accordance with an embodiment of
the present technology.
[0013] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the handle and knob
portion of the ball bat shown in FIG. 3 positioned in a mold for
applying a grip in accordance with an embodiment of the present
technology.
[0014] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a handle region of a
ball bat having a grip in accordance with another embodiment of the
present technology.
[0015] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a handle region of a
ball bat having a grip in accordance with another embodiment of the
present technology.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The present technology is directed to handle and knob grips
for a ball bat, the grips having multiple degrees of hardness, and
associated systems and methods. Various embodiments of the
technology 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. Accordingly, the technology may have other embodiments
with additional elements or without several of the elements
described below with reference to FIGS. 1-6.
[0017] 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.
[0018] 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.
[0019] Specific details of several embodiments of the present
technology are described herein with reference to baseball or
softball. The technology may also be used in other sporting-good
implements. The present technology allows a user to maximize
velocity and force of a bat barrel during a swing while also
reducing the risk of injury to the user and reducing the risk of a
thrown bat. Examples of this technology are illustrated in FIGS.
1-6.
[0020] FIG. 1 illustrates a bat 100 having a barrel region 110 and
a handle region 120. The bat 100 may be a baseball or softball bat,
or it may be another suitable batting or hitting implement. The bat
100 is collectively referred to herein as a "ball bat" or "bat."
The ball bat 100 may include a transitional or taper region 130 in
which the larger diameter of the barrel region 110 transitions to
the narrower diameter of the handle region 120. The barrel region
110 may be closed with an end cap 140. In some embodiments, an end
cap may be excluded, for example, in bats generally formed from
solid wood or other solid materials.
[0021] An integral or attached knob 150 is positioned at a distal
end of the handle region 120. The knob 150 may have a generally
circular configuration extending circumferentially about the end of
the handle region 120, or it may have another suitable
configuration.
[0022] The ball bat 100 may have any suitable dimensions. The ball
bat 100 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 user of
the bat 100, and may vary greatly between users.
[0023] At least a portion of the handle region 120 and the knob 150
may be covered with a grip 160. In some embodiments, the grip 160
is an integral, single-piece grip 160. In other embodiments
described in further detail below, the grip 160 is formed from
multiple pieces or multiple grips. In some embodiments, the grip
160 covers the entire knob 150. The grip 160 may extend from the
knob 150 up to a distance of approximately 10 inches along the
handle region 120. Accordingly, in some embodiments, the grip 160
may accommodate both of a player's hands. In other embodiments, the
grip 160 may extend a shorter distance from the knob 150 (for
example, approximately 0.5 inches) along the handle region 120.
Accordingly, in some embodiments, the grip 160 may accommodate only
the portion of the player's hand that grasps the knob 150. In yet
other embodiments, the grip 160 may extend from the knob 150 to
other distances along the handle region 120, such as a distance in
the range of 0.5 inches to 10 inches, or other suitable distances,
depending on user preference.
[0024] The grip 160 may be formed with a different degree of
hardness (i.e., durometer measurement) in a handle portion 170 of
the grip 160 than in a knob portion 180 of the grip 160. For
example, the knob portion 180 of the grip 160 may exhibit a softer
degree of hardness in order to allow the knob portion 180 to
temporarily deform slightly during the period of the swing that is
most often associated with injury. Such deformation may temporarily
result in increased contact surface area of the grip 160, which
results in less pressure on the hypothenar region of the hand, and
therefore less risk of injury or risk of a thrown bat. Accordingly,
a user can use a technique that involves gripping the knob 150 for
higher barrel velocity during a swing, while the grip 160 reduces
the risk of injury or a thrown bat.
[0025] The handle portion 170 of the grip 160 may be configured to
have a higher degree of hardness than that of the knob portion 180
so that the upper hand (closest to the barrel region 110) can grip
the bat 100 without causing much deformation of the handle portion
170. This higher degree of hardness in the handle portion 170 may
be desirable to players wanting their top hand to feel more
connected to the bat 100 so that they receive the sensory input
necessary to make fine adjustments to better position the barrel
region 110 to impact a ball during a swing.
[0026] Accordingly, a bat 100 using a grip 160 of the present
technology can provide enhanced safety for the user, and for other
players and spectators, when the user employs a gripping technique
that involves grasping the knob 150, while also maintaining proper
feel for the upper hand on the handle portion 170 for control of
the swing. A grip 160 of the present technology may also be
advantageous for a player using a standard or traditional batting
grip (in which both hands are positioned on the handle region 120
above the knob 150) because, in such a traditional grip, the bottom
hand (closest to the knob 150) still receives the most force,
particularly when the user decelerates the bat.
[0027] In some embodiments, the grip 160 may be formed from
silicone, urethane, rubber, or polyurethane foam. In other
embodiments, the grip 160 may be formed from other suitable
materials, including other elastomers. The grip may be formed from
multiple, different materials, for example, one material may form
the handle portion 170 while another material may form the knob
portion 180. In other embodiments, the grip material may be
generally uniform throughout the grip 160. In such embodiments, the
grip material may be provided with different degrees of hardness in
various locations by curing the material in various locations at
different temperatures. For example, the handle portion 170 may be
cured at a different temperature than the knob portion 180 to
provide the handle portion 170 with a higher degree of hardness (or
a lower degree of hardness, if desired).
[0028] In some embodiments, portions of the grip 160 may have
degrees of hardness ranging from approximately Shore 20 A to Shore
60 D. The hardness of the handle portion 170 and the knob portion
180 may vary according to user preference. For example, in some
embodiments, the handle portion 170 may have a degree of hardness
between approximately Shore 60 A and Shore 60 D. And in some
embodiments, the knob portion 180 may have a degree of hardness
between approximately Shore 40 A and Shore 70 A. In other
embodiments, other suitable degrees of hardness may be used.
[0029] The handle portion 170 of the grip 160 may have a thickness
within the range of approximately 0.03 inches to 0.25 inches. For
example, in some embodiments, the handle portion 170 may have a
thickness of 0.05 inches. The knob portion 180 of the grip 160 may
have a thickness within the range of approximately 0.125 inches to
0.400 inches. For example, in some embodiments, the knob portion
180 may have a thickness of approximately 0.4 inches. In other
embodiments, other suitable dimensions may be used.
[0030] During testing, the inventors were surprised to observe that
batters using embodiments of the present technology achieved
increased exit velocities relative to similar ball bats that did
not include a knob-and-handle grip 160. These increased exit
velocities generally occurred even after the batter took over 100
swings, which is surprising because exit velocities typically
decrease as a batter's hands become fatigued and damaged from such
a high number of swings. And a batter will generally produce
approximately the same exit velocity when swinging bats having a
given barrel, but the inventors were surprised to observe that
batters experienced increased exit velocities when using bats
having the same barrel but incorporating grips 160 of the present
technology.
[0031] Although the grip 160 may be formed as a single integral
grip or a single-piece grip, the grip 160 may alternatively be
formed from multiple pieces, such as two parts. For example, the
knob portion 180 and the handle portion 170 may be separate pieces
contacting or attached to each other at an interface 190. The
interface 190 may be located at any suitable position along the
handle region 120 to accommodate various sizes of user hands and/or
user preferences. In some embodiments, one or more additional grips
may be included on the handle region 120 to accommodate a player's
upper hand (and potentially a portion of the player's lower hand,
depending on the size of the grip 160). In such embodiments, an
upper grip may be formed and/or positioned similar to that of the
handle portion 170, while a lower grip may be formed and/or
positioned similar to that of the knob portion 180. In some
embodiments, the handle portion 170 and the knob portion 180 (or
the two grips) need not abut each other and may be spaced
apart.
[0032] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary mold 200
for applying a grip (e.g., 160) to a bat (e.g., 100) in accordance
with an embodiment of the present technology. As illustrated in
FIG. 2, the mold 200 may have a receiving space or void 210
generally shaped to receive a knob (e.g., 150) and at least a
portion of the handle region (e.g., 120) of a bat 100. The void may
be appropriately sized to be larger than the bat in order to
accommodate material to form the grip 160, which may enter through
an opening 220 at an end of the mold 200 near the knob of the bat.
In other embodiments, the opening 220 (or openings) may be located
at other parts of the mold 200. Material for forming the grip
(e.g., 160) may be poured, injected, or otherwise placed into the
mold 200 around the knob and handle regions of the bat and then
allowed to cure. Accordingly, the grip 160 may be permanently
bonded to the bat 100.
[0033] In order to provide different degrees of hardness for the
grip 160, as described above, different materials may be poured,
injected, or otherwise placed into the mold 200 in sequence. In
other embodiments, as described above, different levels of heat may
be applied to the handle portion (e.g., 170) of the grip 160 than
to the knob portion (e.g., 180) of the grip 160 to provide
different material properties, such as the degrees of hardness.
Other suitable curing processes may be used to yield different
material properties. In yet other embodiments, adjusting the
thickness of various portions of the grip (e.g., the handle portion
170 and the knob portion 180) may facilitate adjustment of
hardness.
[0034] FIG. 3 generally illustrates a ball bat 300 machined or
constructed to receive a grip (e.g., 160) in accordance with an
embodiment of the present technology. In some embodiments, the bat
300 may be generally similar to the bat 100 illustrated in FIG. 1,
and it may further include a grooved surface 310 located at a
portion of the handle region 320 near the knob 350. In some
embodiments, the grooved surface 310 may include part of the knob
350. In other embodiments, the grooved surface 310 may be
positioned only on the knob 350, or it may be positioned only on
the portion of the handle region 320 just above the knob 350. The
grooved surface 310 may be formed by machining or forming the ball
bat 100 to include one or more grooves 315 that engage the grip
(e.g., 160) to form a locked interface, which helps prevent the
grip from disengaging from the bat 300. For example, during the
molding process, the grip material may flow into the grooves
315.
[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a portion of
the ball bat 300 shown in FIG. 3, positioned in a mold 400 for
receiving a grip (e.g., 160) in accordance with an embodiment of
the present technology. Material for forming the grip may be
poured, injected, or otherwise placed into the mold 400 from the
end of the mold 400 closest to the knob 350, or from one or more
other suitable areas. The grip material may flow into the grooves
315 before curing. After curing, the bat 300, including the grip
(e.g., 160) that engages the grooves 315, may be removed from the
mold 400.
[0036] FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a grip 500
positioned on a handle region 505 of a ball bat in accordance with
another embodiment of the present technology. The handle region 505
may include a knob 510 positioned at an end of the handle region
505 near the user during use of the ball bat. In some embodiments
of the present technology, the handle region 505 may include a
recessed region 515, which may have a reduced diameter relative to
other parts of the handle region 505 and may be positioned and
configured to receive the grip 500. For example, the recessed
region 515 may be shaped or sized to allow the grip 500 to be flush
or nearly flush with the remainder of the handle region 505 beyond
the recessed region 515. In some embodiments, a notch or edge 520
in the handle region 505 may be shaped or sized to allow the grip
500 to be flush, or substantially flush, with the handle region
505. For example, the edge 520 may be a tapered edge, a rounded
edge, a beveled edge, or another suitable edge.
[0037] The grip 500 may be formed from multiple parts (for example,
two parts) or it may be integral. In one embodiment, the grip 500
includes a handle portion 525 and a knob portion 530. The handle
portion 525 and the knob portion 530 may meet (for example, abut
each other) at an interface 535. In some embodiments, there may be
a gap between the handle portion 525 and the knob portion 530.
[0038] In a particular embodiment, a thickness 540 of the grip 500
at a first end 545 (for example, near the edge 520) may be between
0.02 inches and 0.08 inches (for example, it may be approximately
0.04 inches). In some embodiments, the handle portion 525 of the
grip 500 may taper such that the thickness near its first end 545
approaches zero inches. The handle portion 525 may have a thickness
550 between 0.1 inches and 0.4 inches (for example, it may be
approximately 0.26 inches) at its second end 555 (for example,
adjacent to the interface 535 with the knob portion 530). In some
embodiments, the handle portion 525 may have a varying thickness
such that it gradually tapers from the thickness 550 at the second
end 555 to the thickness 540 at the first end 545. In some
embodiments, the thickness 540 cooperates with the recessed region
515 to form a flush or generally flush surface. In other
embodiments, there may be no recessed region 515 and the tapering
thickness of the handle portion 525 may still form a nearly flush
surface. In some embodiments, the surface a user grasps may not be
flush.
[0039] A first end 560 of the knob portion 530 may have a thickness
565 of between 0.1 inches and 0.3 inches (for example, it may be
approximately 0.19 inches). A side portion 570 of the knob portion
530 may have a thickness 575 of between 0.2 inches and 0.4 inches
(for example, it may be approximately 0.332 inches). A second end
590 of the knob portion 530 (for example, the end 590 that abuts
the second end 555 of the handle portion 525 at the interface 535)
may have a thickness 595 between 0.1 inches and 0.4 inches (for
example, it may be approximately 0.24 inches). A second end portion
580 of the knob portion 530 (near the second end 590) may terminate
near and/or abut the handle region 505 near the knob 510 and may
have a thickness 585 between 0.1 inches and 0.4 inches (for
example, it may be approximately 0.25 inches). In some embodiments,
the thickness 550 at the second end 555 of the handle portion 525
may be, but need not be, the same as the thickness 595 of the
second end 590 of the knob portion 530 (for convenience, and
because the ends 555 and 590 are illustrated as being adjacent to
each other, the thicknesses 550, 595 share the same dimensional
indicator in the figure).
[0040] In a particular embodiment, the overall length 596 of the
grip 500 may be between 3.5 and 6 inches (for example, it may be
approximately 4.12 inches). In one embodiment, the knob portion 530
may have a length 597 between 0.6 inches and 0.9 inches (for
example, it may be approximately 0.84 inches). The various
thicknesses and other dimensions of the grip 500 may have other
suitable values. The thickness of the grip 500 may be between 0.1
inches and 0.4 inches (for example, it may be 0.25 inches) with a
tapering (reducing) thickness along the length of the handle region
505 toward the first end 545 of the handle portion 525.
[0041] In some embodiments, the knob 510 may be smaller than a
conventional ball bat knob to allow the knob portion 530 of the
grip 500 to have outer dimensions generally similar to a
conventional ball bat knob. In some embodiments, there need not be
a recessed region 515 and embodiments of the grip 500 in accordance
with the technology can be positioned on a conventional ball
bat.
[0042] As mentioned above with regard to the handle portion 170 and
the knob portion 180 of the grip 160, selecting the thickness of
various portions of a grip may facilitate adjustment of hardness.
Likewise, in some embodiments, such as the embodiment generally
illustrated in FIG. 5, the grip 500 may be formed from a single
material having a hardness of approximately Shore 40 A, while the
resulting cushioning provided by the grip 500 varies between the
first end 560 of the knob portion 530 and the first end 545 of the
handle portion 525 as a result of the varying thickness (for
example, tapering) of the grip 500. Accordingly, the knob portion
530, along with the region of the handle portion 525 near the
second end 555 may generally be thicker than the remainder of the
grip 500 such that one of the user's hands can comfortably grip the
knob 510 and part of the handle region 505 with adequate cushioning
for a swing. The user's other hand may hold part of the remainder
of the grip 500. The reduced thickness of the grip 500 toward the
barrel end of the bat (away from the knob 510) provides improved
tactile feedback relative to the thicker portions of the grip. Such
embodiments of the technology allow a user to grip the bat in the
desired swinging configuration with reduced risk of injury.
[0043] In some embodiments, the handle portion 525 may be formed
with a material having a Shore A hardness value of approximately 40
A, while the knob portion 530 may be formed with a material having
a Shore A hardness value between approximately 20A and 50 A, for
example.
[0044] FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a grip 600 on a
handle region 605 of a ball bat in accordance with another
embodiment of the present technology. In the illustrated
embodiment, the grip 600 is generally similar to the grip 500
described above with respect to FIG. 5. The grip 600 may be formed
from multiple parts (for example, two parts) or it may be integral.
In one embodiment, the grip 600 includes a handle portion 610 and a
knob portion 620. The handle portion 610 and the knob portion 620
may meet (for example, abut each other) at an interface 630. In
some embodiments, there may be a gap between the handle portion 610
and the knob portion 620.
[0045] The grip 600 may have thickness dimensions equivalent to or
similar to those described above with respect to the grip 500 in
FIG. 5. However, the grip 600 may be shorter in length than the
length 596 of the grip 500. The length 640 of the grip 600 may be
between 1.5 and 3.5 inches (for example, it may be approximately
2.0 inches) to accommodate generally only one of the user's hands
when the user grips the knob 650 (via the knob portion 620). The
handle region 605 may include a recessed or reduced diameter region
660 to allow the grip 600 to be flush or generally flush with the
remainder of the handle region 605.
[0046] Although grips of the present technology have been described
in the context of ball bats, embodiments of the present technology
may be used in other sporting goods or other equipment. For
example, grips of the present technology may be implemented for
lacrosse sticks, cricket bats, golf clubs, axes, or other swinging
implements.
[0047] From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that specific
embodiments of the disclosed technology have been described for
purposes of illustration, but that various modifications may be
made without deviating from the technology, and elements of certain
embodiments may be interchanged with those of other embodiments.
For example, in some embodiments, the ball bats (e.g., 100, 300)
may be made from wood, metal, composites, or other suitable
materials. In further embodiments, the grooves (e.g., 315) may be
formed by adding protrusions to the bat rather than removing
material from the bat. In yet further embodiments, the grip may
include holes, perforations, aesthetic coloring, or other suitable
variations. In further embodiments, grips of the present technology
may have suitable dimensions other than the dimensions provided
herein.
[0048] Further, while advantages associated with certain
embodiments of the disclosed technology have been described in the
context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit
such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit
such advantages to fall within the scope of the technology.
Accordingly, the disclosure and associated technology may encompass
other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein, and the
invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.
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