GB2415636A

GB2415636A - Bat or club with sound producing element

Info

Publication number: GB2415636A
Application number: GB0414503A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Munk; Edward James Gawn; Lee Thomas Walsh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-06-29
Filing date: 2004-06-29
Publication date: 2006-01-04
Also published as: GB0414503D0

Abstract

A club or bat, e.g. baseball bat 10, includes an internal passage within the handle 11 and/or body 12, and a shuttle body 17 arranged to move within the passage when the bat is swung. The passage may be substantially straight, and the shuttle body 17 fits closely with the passage in order that the shuttle only moves when the bat is swung. Stop means 14, 16 may be provided at the ends of the passage against which the shuttle impacts in order to produce a tactile, visual, and/or audible effect, e.g. a sound similar to the noise of the bat striking a ball. A sound may alternatively be produced using electrical means (not shown), and the bat or club may alternatively comprise a cricket bat, golf club, hockey stick or sports racket.

Description

1 241 5636 Novel Club Fhe present mention relates to novel clubs of the

types used for Caving games and for pastimes.

Clubs mod in playing games such as cruet baseball, golf, rackets, etc. and flames demred or related thereto involve striating a ball or other projectile with the club.

An object ofthe invention is to provide a GiUb which generates one or more effects Dent Another Eject of the invention is provide a club which produces an elTect of stnhug a loll or other projectile.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a club which produces a sound of the hi pe ansng from stril;ing a ball or other projectile.

The foregoing objectives are met in one degree or other by clubs according to the invention The present invention provides a club as defined in claim t of the set of claims fiQ1Iomn this descnon. optional anchor preferred features of the club are defined in Me other claims of the set of Clairol.

Me clubs of the invention incites clubs of Me types used as, erg., cricket harsh baseball clubs, golf clubs, hockey sucks rackets (including rackets for tennis squash, badmintony, inter alla The foregoing is intended to be a representative list olclubs, but is not u, exhaustive list.

The effect generated the club when used may be acoustics visual tactile or any combination of the foregoing effects. The acoustic effect ma' be a sound representative of the sound of a hall or other projectile being struck by a club.

The nvenhon is now described Edith reilerence to a non-limmtive embodiment which is given way of illustrative example and with reference to the drawings in which: Figure I Is a side view of a baseball club according to the invention: and Figure is a cr?ss-secuanal view- of the baseball bat of Figure I. Reference Is made to File I in which the baseball club is L:eneraTIv indicated by numeral 10. The club comprises a handle 1 1 and a GiUb body 19. Sips 13 of fabric are wound spirally around Me handle 1 I for the comfort of the user. The handle 11 may be made from a rigid plastics material or blood or metal (e.g., aluminium) or any other suitable material.

Reference is nov'- made to Figure a. The club boy 19 is Holland and the handle 11 extends On the hollow clah body 17 from one end thereofto the other. The handle 1 1 is in file fond of a hollow tube which is closed at the exposed end of the handle by a first stop member 14 and at the other end be a closure part I which also serves as part of the end region of the club body 19. A second stop member 16 abuts the closure Hat 15. A shuts e member 17 is located in the hollow, tube provided bit the handle] 1. The dimensions of the shuttle 17 are such that the shuttle will move in the hollow tube only' taken the club 10 is swamp Thug Were should be a certain amount of friction to prevent the shuttle Mom moving in the Tallow tube except when the club 1 Q is swung. A person of ordiry skill would be able to determine the dimensions of the shuttle to prevent movement except upon a suing movement ofthe club.

The materials of the shuttle member 17 and the second stop member I are selected so that when the club 10 Is swags the shuttle member I 7 slides along the hollow tube and shilies the second stop member 6, and the impact produces a sound lil;e' or similar to Me soured of a baseball being struck by a basebaTI club The shunts body 17 and the second stop member 16 may he of owl to achieve this sound erects or one or both mat, be of suitable plasf ics materials The sound effect may alternatively (or additonalk) be produced by suitable electrical sound-producing means {not shown) in the club when the shuffle Sykes the second stop member 16. However the sound is produced, it may be amplified by suitable ampIiing means (not shown) in the club It) The shuttle body 17 may be hollow or solid all the way through Me G]U may be msed for educabonaI purposes for amusement or for Me relief of stress. It may be Useful as an executive office toy or business promotional material.

The club as shnook in the drawings is embodied as a baseball bat or club. However, clubs according to the in'enuen may be embodied Us clubs or hats for other sports or games Examples cclubs or hats for use in over sports or games are: cricket hats, golf clubs rackets7 hccle y sticl;s, inter alla A feature described herein in relation to one embodiment may be End in over embedments About departing from Me invention as defined in the claims which follow Call:

Claims

1. A club comprising a handle or shaft by which the club is held, a head

for sting a hall or other projectile when the club is swung, a passageway within the handle andlor head' and a shuttle body within Me passageway and which is arranged to nerve in the passageway when the club is swung.

9. The club Claim I wherein the passageway is substantially straight.

3. The club of claim 1 or claim Herein the shuttle body fists closely with at least part of the passage Evans so that it moves only when Be club is swung,.

4. T he club of any prying claim comprising stop means at one or both ends ofthe said passageway against which the shuttle body impacts When the club is swung to cause anchor initiate a sensible effect.

S. The club Claim 4 wherein the stop means at least partly closes a respective end of the passageway.

6. The club of claim 4 or claim comprising stop means at both ends of the passageway.

7. The club Early Disclaims 4 to wherein the stop means andstor the shuttle body isobars of synod or plastics material andlor of metal.

8. The club of claims 4 to 7 wherein He sensible effect is an effect selected from one or more of acoustic andior visual ar dior tactile effects.

9 The club of claim 8 wherein the effect Is an audible effect.

1 O. The club Claim 9 wherein the audible effect is likes or similar to, the audible elect of the club striking a ball or other projectile.

1 1 The club of any preceding claim in the form of a cricket bat, baseball ciub7 golf clubs hocl;e shcI;, racket.

I

9. A club suts.stantiallv arc described andlor illustrated in tile accompanying drawings.