GB2479570A - A bat with three striking faces each with different characteristics - Google Patents

Abstract

A bat having a handle 20 and a blade 30 wherein the blade 30 has three striking faces each being adapted to provide a different striking characteristic. The faces may be substantially planar and substantially symmetrical about a central width and length. The faces may be differentiated by the provision of different areas or widths. The smallest angle between two of the faces may be less than 40 degrees. The blade 30 may have a triangular cross section. There may also be an even greater number of striking faces and a trapezoidal blade cross section is also disclosed. A method of use of the bat is also disclosed wherein the handle 20 is rotated to utilise the different faces when striking a ball or object. The device may be used as a training device for cricket, rounder's, baseball or other similar sports.

Description

SPORTS EQUIPMENT

The present invention relates to sporting equipment, and in particular, although not exclusively to a bat for use as a training aid.

Bats being articles of sporting equipment are well known. For instance, cricket bats and rounders bats have been around for many years. A typical cricket bat has a cylindrical handle connected at a shoulder to a blade. The blade has a striking side and a non striking side. The striking side is conditioned differently to the non striking side. Known cricket bats are symmetrical about a plane that is perpendicular and central to the striking side of the blade. In contrast, known rounder's bats comprise a cylindrical striking area formed as an extension of the handle. Here, the orientation of the rounders bat is not critical as a player can strike the ball with any part of the cylinder.

Known bats provide a consistent striking area. Thus it is not possible to provide a single bat that is able to accommodate varying levels of skill of the player.

It is an object of the present invention to attempt to overcome at least one of the above or other disadvantages.

It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a bat that is able to increase or reduce the level of skill required by the user to obtain the desired effect.

According to the present invention there is provided a bat and method of using a bat as set forth in the appended claims. Other features of the invention will be apparent from the dependent claims, and the description which follows.

In the exemplary embodiments there is provided a bat having a handle and a blade. The blade having a first striking face, a second striking face and a third striking face. Each striking face being adapted to provide a different striking face. In the exemplary embodiments, preferably each face is adapted to provide a different striking area. For instance, each striking face extends further in a direction across the width of the striking face than any other part of the blade. Thus, when viewed from a direction normal to each striking face the other two striking faces are covered by said striking face. Here, the different striking area is achieved by each striking face being a different width to the other two striking faces. Consequently, an exemplary method comprises rotating the handle so that a desired striking face (for instance the first striking face) is facing the direction of impact from a ball or other object. Here the user can use a first area to strike the ball, the total area being the defined by the width of the striking face as other parts of the blade are hidden. The bat can then be used in a conventional manner with a certain skill level obtaining a particular result. The method then comprises rotating the handle so that one of the other faces (for instance the second striking face) is facing the direction of impact and subsequently using the bat in a known manner. If the second striking face has a reduced width to the first, the users skill level to achieve the same result as that with the first side will be higher as the user has a reduced striking area and therefore more chance of a slight error creating an edge or other un-favourable result. The method further comprising, rotating the handle so that the other of the striking faces (for instance the third striking face) is facing the direction of impact. Again, if the third striking face has a reduced surface area to both the first and second striking faces, the users skill level will again need to be increased to obtain the same result.

Advantageously, therefore, there is provided a bat that can enable users of different skill level to compete on a more even basis. Furthermore, when used as a training aid, the same bat can be used without requiring three pieces of equipment.

For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how embodiments of the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a side perspective view from a top aspect of a bat according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a side perspective view from a bottom aspect of the bat of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top end view of Figure 1 and 2; and Figure 4 is a front view perpendicular to the each striking face.

Referring to Figure 1 a bat 10 comprises a handle 20 and blade 30. The handle 20 is joined to the blade 30 at a shoulder. The shoulder is shown suitably in the Figures as extending substantially perpendicular to the handle. The handle 20 is substantially cylindrical and may be covered with a grip (not shown) in a conventional way. The blade extends from the shoulder 12 to a toe 14. Depending on the characteristics of the bat 10, the handle 20 and blade 30 may be made from any suitable material, for example, wood, plastics or metal.

Where appropriate, the handle and blade may be moulded or formed as one piece.

Alternatively, the handle and blade may be formed separately and joined together. Here any suitable joining method may be employed. For instance an overlapping technique such as splicing or using a third member such as in a biscuit joint are particularly suitable.

As shown in Figure 2, the blade includes three striking surfaces. A first striking face 31 has a first striking characteristic. A second striking face 32 has a second, different striking characteristic. A third striking face 33 has a third striking characteristic that is different to both the first and second striking characteristics. Suitably, the striking faces are shown as substantially planar surfaces. Here, the surfaces extend substantially the full width and length of the blade. It will be appreciated that the corners of the blade at the intersection between each face, between the faces and the shoulder, and between the faces and the toe, may be rounded. Also, as with conventional cricket bats, substantially planar is intended to include surfaces having a slight convex nature. Importantly however, each striking face 31,32,33 is substantially symmetrical about a central width and central length of the face.

Preferably, as shown in the Figures, the different striking characteristic between the three faces is a different striking area. Here, the three striking faces have a different width. For instance, referring to Figure 3, the first 31, second 32, and third 33 striking faces have widths A, B, and C respectively. The width of the striking face includes the extent of the rounded edges taken perpendicularly to said striking face. In order for each face to have a different width to the others, A is greater than B and B is greater than C. This means that the striking faces can not be arranged at 45° to each other. Preferably, the minimum angle between the striking faces is less than 400. The ratio C:B:A between the widths may be set appropriate to the use of the bat 10. However, a suitable minimum ratio is around 4:5:6 and a suitable maximum ratio is around 1:3:6 with a particularly suitable ratio being 2:3:4.

The Figures show a three sided bat, wherein three striking surfaces are provided. However, additional striking faces have been envisaged, for instance, a trapezoidal cross-section having four striking surfaces. Again, whilst the ratio between the widths may be set appropriate to the use of the bat. However a ratio of 1:3:3:2 is possible. Whilst, in this case, two of the striking surfaces have the same area, the bat is still provided with three striking faces having different characteristics. It will be appreciated that if characteristics other than area are changed between the two common sized striking surfaces, then all four striking surfaces may have different characteristics. With a trapezoidal cross section, for at least some of the striking surfaces, when said striking face is arranged perpendicular to the impact direction of the object being hit, some of the other sides will also be strikeable. Thus, the striking area may be common with the opposed striking face. However, because the opposed striking face is flat, whereas the smaller striking face, when combined with the strikeable portions of the other striking faces, is not flat. Thus the striking characteristics remain different.

However, it is preferable that when the selected striking face of the bat 10 is arranged to be normal to the impact direction of the object to be hit, that the selected striking face extends further across the width of the blade than any other part of the blade (as shown in Figure 4).

That is, it is important that when the blade is arranged to be perpendicular to the flight of the object, the other striking faces are not strikeable. Thus, the maximum angle between the striking faces is preferably not greater than 900.

As shown in Figure 3, the handle 20 is centred on at least one of the striking surfaces 31. It is preferable for the handle to be centred on two or all of the striking surfaces. Thus with a three sided bat, the handle is arranged on the circumcentre of the three striking faces. However, other arrangements may be necessary dependant on the relative sizes of the striking surfaces.

Although preferred embodiment(s) of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Claims (9)

1. Claims 1. A bat having a handle and a blade, wherein the blade includes a first striking face, a second striking face, and a third striking face, and wherein each striking face is adapted to provide a different striking characteristic.
2. 2. The bat of claim 1 wherein each striking face is a substantially planar face.
3. 3. The bat of any of Claims 1 or 2, wherein each striking face extends substantially the full width and length of a blade when said striking face is arranged perpendicularly to an impact direction of an object to be stroked.
4. 4. The bat of any preceding claim, wherein each striking face is substantially symmetrical about a central width and central length.
5. 5. The bat of any preceding claim, wherein the different striking characteristic is a different striking area.
6. 6. The bat of Claim5, wherein each striking face has a different width.
7. 7. The bat of Claim6, wherein the minimum angle between the three striking faces is less than 400.
8. 8. A method of using a bat to strike an object, the bat being as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the method comprises the steps of: rotating the handle so that one of the striking faces is arranged to be perpendicular to an impact direction of the object and using said striking face to strike the object; subsequently rotating the handle so that one of the other striking faces is arranged to be perpendicular to an impact direction of the object and using said striking face to strike the object; and subsequently rotating the handle so that the other striking face is arranged to be perpendicular to an impact direction of the object and using said striking face to strike the object.
9. 9. A bat or method substantially as herein described and with reference to the Figures.