Faceted Equipment Handle

The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/632,858, filed Apr. 11, 2024, entitled FACETED BAT HANDLE, naming Gunner Peterson as inventor, which is incorporated herein by reference in the entirety.

The present disclosure generally relates to the field of athletic equipment grips.

The present disclosure has been particularly shown and described with respect to certain embodiments and specific features thereof. The embodiments set forth herein are taken to be illustrative rather than limiting. It should be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes and modifications in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.

Reference will now be made in detail to the subject matter disclosed, which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Referring generally to, embodiments of the present disclosure are generally directed to an article of sporting having a faceted grip portion. Facets, as described herein, may include any two adjacent surfaces having distinct surface shapes (e.g., planar, concave, convex, cylindrical, oblong, and the like) separated by at least one ridge or furrow.

Referring to, an article of sporting equipmentis shown. While generally described herein as being generally applicable to a baseball or softball bat, it will be understood by one of skill in the art that the present invention may be applicable to any number of pieces of sporting equipment or other devices having handle portions including, but not limited to, golf clubs, tennis rackets, weight lifting bars or handles, household tools such as shovels, rakes or hammers, and the like.

In one example, as shown in, the equipmentmay be a baseball bat having a barrel portion, a tapered portion, a non-tapering handle portionand a knob portionat a distal end opposite the barrel portion. The equipmentmay further include a grip portionwhich may either be applied around the handle portionor be integrally formed as the handle portion, as described below. The grip portionmay include one or more faceted sides. In use, the faceted sidesmay enhance grip function and/or comfort while facilitating proper grip alignment without having to grasp too tightly, which may adversely influence use results of the equipment.

Referring to, cross-sectional views of the equipmentofalong a cross-sectionperpendicular to a primary axisof the handle portionthrough the handle portionand various examples of the grip portionare shown.

In one example, as shown in, the handle portionmay define a hollow handle wallaround an internal cavity, such as in the case of metal or composite baseball bats. Alternately, as shown in other examples, the handle portionmay have a substantially solid interior, such as in the case of wood bats.

The grip portionmay include a body having a walldefining an at least partially cylindrical interior surfaceand an exterior surfacedefining one or more faceted sides. The faceted sidesmay be angled relative to one another so create one or more intervening ridged portions. The faceted sides/ridged portionsmay enhance grip alignment and comfort and facilitates proper grasping of the handle portionof the equipmentto provide increased grip friction such that a user can effectively control the movement of the equipmentwith minimized grip pressure. As shown in, the faceted sidesmay be generally planar in structure.

The adjacent faceted sidesmay define a perimeter with equivalent planar surfaces of the grip portionextending substantially around the handle portion. In one example, perimeter of the grip portionmay form a regular polygon (e.g., an octagon, hexagon, pentagon, or any other regular shape) with faceted sideseach having an equal widthat a given cross-section. In other examples, the faceted sidesof grip portionmay form an irregular polygon with faceted sideseach having an unequal widths at a given cross-section, as further described below.

As shown in, in one example, the perimeter of the grip portionmay form a regular polygon (e.g., an octagon) where the widthof each of the faceted sidesis uniform as the grip portionproceeds from the knob portionalong the handle portion. In such a configuration, the thickness and/or cross-sectional area of the wallof the grip portionmay, correspondingly, remain uniform as the grip portionproceeds from the knob portionalong the handle portion.

As shown in, in one example, the perimeter of the grip portionmay again form a regular polygon (e.g., an octagon) where the widthof each of the faceted sidesmay taper as the grip portionproceeds, from the end of the grip portionproximate to the end of the equipmentto be gripped (e.g., in the case of baseball bat-type equipment, towards the knob portion) along the handle portiontowards the opposite end of the equipment(e.g., in the case of baseball bat-type equipment, towards the barrel portion). In such a configuration, the thickness and/or cross-sectional area of the wallof the grip portionmay correspondingly decrease as the grip portionproceeds from the knob portionalong the handle portion.

In a case where the widthof each of the faceted sidestapers as the grip portionsuch that the thickness and/or cross-sectional area of the wallof the grip portioncorrespondingly decreases as the grip portionproceeds from the knob portionalong the handle portion, as shown in, the pitch of that taper may change as well. For example, as shown in, the taper of the faceted sidesthe grip portionmay result in in a first portionof the grip portionhaving a first pitchand a second portionof the grip portionhaving second pitchdifferent than the first pitchof the first portion.

As shown in, the perimeter of the grip portionmay define faceted sidesas well as at least one curved facet(e.g. partially cylindrical or oblong). The faceted sidesand the curved facetmay have a distribution and sizing so as correspond to the relative hand structures of a user. Each of the faceted sidesmay have a width generally approximating (e.g., an average of) the respective lengths between a user or group of users' (e.g., an age-grouped set of users) finger joints. For example, the faceted sidesmay have a length corresponding to an average of the lengths between the tip of a user's finger and their distal interphalangeal finger joint, between the user's distal interphalangeal finger joint and their proximal interphalangeal finger joint, and between the user's proximal interphalangeal finger joint and their metacarpophalangeal joint. Further the curvature of the curved facetmay be dimensioned so as to correspond to the curvature of the hand and thumb of a user between the metacarpophalangeal joints and the tip of the thumb when the user is grasping the grip portion.

As shown in, the faceted sidesand/or the curved facetmay have varying widths dimensioned so as more closely correspond to the relative hand dimensions of a user to provide a customizable grip. For example, a first faceted sideA may have a first width generally correspond to a length between the tip of a user's finger and their distal interphalangeal finger joint. A second faceted sideB may have a second width, (e.g., greater than the first width), generally corresponding to a length between a user's distal interphalangeal finger joint and their proximal interphalangeal finger joint. A third faceted sideC may have a third width (e.g., greater than the second width), generally corresponding to the length between a user's proximal interphalangeal finger joint and their metacarpophalangeal finger joint. In this way, the grip portionmay be individually customized (e.g., via discrete user measurements and custom fabrication, such as, via 3D printing) for a given user or set of users having similar hand structures so as to maximize the interaction of the ridged portionswith the corresponding joints of the user's hand to enhance grip.

As shown in, the grip portionmay have a single-piece construction where the grip portionis produced either via a molding or 3D-printing process. In such cases, the grip portionmay be constructed from a material having sufficient elasticity (e.g., silicone, rubber, or other elastic materials) such that the grip portionmay be stretched over the knob portionor the barrel portionto be applied to handle portionof the equipment. The internal diameter of the wallof such an elastic grip portionmay, when in a relaxed state, be dimensioned to be smaller than the handle portionof the equipmentonto which it will be disposed such that the elastic characteristics of the grip portionserve to retain the grip portionin place following application to the handle portion.

Alternately, it may be the case that a user desires a grip portionhaving a more rigid construction than could be provided by one having the elasticity necessary to be stretched over the knob portionor the barrel portion. Referring to, to allow for application of a more rigid grip portion(e.g., having a plastic or polymeric composition), the grip portionmay be constructed such that it has a non-continuous perimeter which includes a seam. The seammay run the length of the grip portionand allow the two sides of the seamto, with the application of force, be flexed apart to allow for the grip portionto be disposed around the handle portion.

In other examples, the grip portionmay have two or more seamsforming two or more components parts of the grip portionwhich may be coupled together around the handle portionvia one or more locking mechanisms (e.g., one or more clips, bands, wraps, cooperatively interlocking members, and the like).

Referring to, in order to at least partially secure a grip portionhaving the seamto a handle portion, the grip portionmay further include one or more friction padsconfigured to resist rotation or slippage of the grip portionrelative to a handle portionwhen gripped and used by a user. For example, friction padsmay include one or more adhesive layers (e.g., double sided adhesive tape), or rubberized layers which engage the exterior surface of the handle portion.

As noted above and as described with respect to, the grip portionmay be separate from the handle portionand may be placed around and secured to the handle portion. Now referring to, as noted above, the grip portionhaving the faceted sidesmay be integrally formed as a portion of the handle portion. For example, the handle portionmay be constructed (e.g., molded, extruded, milled, forged, or otherwise manufactured) such that the handle portionand the faceted sidesare unitary in nature. As shown in, the handle portionmay transition from a knob portionhaving an at least partially planar or rounded end capto form to the handle portionincluding the faceted sides.

Referring to, cross-sectional views of the equipmentofalong a cross-sectionperpendicular to a primary axisof the handle portionthrough the handle portionare shown.

Referring to, the equipmentmay have a handle portionthat has been formed (e.g., molded, extruded, milled, forged, or otherwise manufactured) to have a solid construction such as for a wood bat. As described above, the handle portionmay include the integrally formed faceted sides.

Referring to, the equipmentmay have a handle portionthat has been formed (e.g., molded, extruded, milled, forged, or otherwise manufactured) to define a handle wallaround an internal cavity, such as in the case of metal or composite baseball bats. As described above, the handle portionmay include the integrally formed faceted sides.

Referring to, cross-sectional views of a grip portionhaving additional exemplary surface geometries for the faceted sidesare shown. In, the faceted sidesmay have an at least partially convex shape separated by one or more furrows. Such a configuration may serve to reduce the degree of frictional interaction with the hands of a user thereby providing a more comfortable grip while still maintaining the alignment and some amount of grip control.

As shown in, the faceted sidesmay have an at least partially concave shape. The concave shape of the faceted sidesmay provide for acute ridged portionsproviding for maximized grip control. In one example, the degree of curvature of the concave faceted sidesmay correspond to the curvature of the finger pad tissue portions of fingers of a user (e.g., the finger pad tissue between the tip of a user's finger and their distal interphalangeal finger joint, the finger pad tissue between a user's distal interphalangeal finger joint and their proximal interphalangeal finger joint, the finger pad tissue between a user's proximal interphalangeal finger joint and their metacarpophalangeal finger joint, etc).

As shown in, the grip portionmay include faceted sideshaving alternating segments of concave and convex segments. In other examples (not shown), the grip portionmay include faceted sideshaving any irregularly configured set of concave, linear, or convex segments without departing from the scope of the present disclosures.

In the case of a grip portiondesigned to be gripped by a user with two hands (e.g., a baseball bat), to properly align the user's hands for optimized swing results, it may be desirable to have the relative hand placements of the user defined by the faceted sidesrotated relative to one another. For example, it may be desirable to have a user's proximal interphalangeal finger joints of their top grip and rotated about the handle portionrelative to their bottom grip hand to some degree (e.g., from 15 degrees to 30 degrees) during use. As shown in, to facilitate such hand alignment, the grip portionmay include a top first portionwhich is rotated (e.g., in the case of an 8-sided grip portion, around 22.5 degrees) relative to a bottom second portion.

The various examples of the equipmenthaving a grip portionincluding faceted sidesdescribed herein, the equipmentmay be constructed of a single material used to make known conventional equipment. For example, baseball bats may may be constructed from ash wood, maple wood, hickory wood, bamboo wood, carbon fiber, graphite, and aluminum alloy, but other materials may be used. It is contemplated that other materials may be used in equipmentwhich would not meet typical playing rules for the sport but which might provide an enhanced experience for practice such as increased weight, varied weight distribution, or other modifications which may correspond to training exercises to enhance skill in swinging the equipmentduring a game with a rule-compliant instance of the equipment.

One skilled in the art will recognize that the herein described components (e.g., operations), devices, objects, and the discussion accompanying them are used as examples for the sake of conceptual clarity and that various configuration modifications are contemplated. Consequently, as used herein, the specific exemplars set forth and the accompanying discussion are intended to be representative of their more general classes. In general, use of any specific exemplar is intended to be representative of its class, and the non-inclusion of specific components (e.g., operations), devices, and objects should not be taken as limiting.

The previous description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention as provided in the context of a particular application and its requirements. As used herein, directional terms such as “top,” “bottom,” “over,” “under,” “upper,” “upward,” “lower,” “down,” and “downward” are intended to provide relative positions for purposes of description, and are not intended to designate an absolute frame of reference. Various modifications to the described embodiments will be apparent to those with skill in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments shown and described, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features herein disclosed.

With respect to the use of substantially any plural and/or singular terms herein, those having skill in the art can translate from the plural to the singular and/or from the singular to the plural as is appropriate to the context and/or application. The various singular/plural permutations are not expressly set forth herein for sake of clarity.

It is further contemplated that each of the embodiments of the method described above may include any other step(s) of any other method(s) described herein. In addition, each of the embodiments of the method described above may be performed by any of the systems described herein.

The herein described subject matter sometimes illustrates different components contained within, or connected with, other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being “connected,” or “coupled,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality, and any two components capable of being so associated can also be viewed as being “couplable,” to each other to achieve the desired functionality. Specific examples of couplable include but are not limited to physically mateable and/or physically interacting components and/or wirelessly interactable and/or wirelessly interacting components and/or logically interacting and/or logically interactable components.

Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the appended claims. It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” and the like). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). Furthermore, in those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, and C, and the like” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, and C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, and the like). In those instances where a convention analogous to “at least one of A, B, or C, and the like” is used, in general such a construction is intended in the sense one having skill in the art would understand the convention (e.g., “a system having at least one of A, B, or C” would include but not be limited to systems that have A alone, B alone, C alone, A and B together, A and C together, B and C together, and/or A, B, and C together, and the like). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”

It is believed that the present disclosure and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components without departing from the disclosed subject matter or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form described is merely explanatory, and it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the appended claims.