Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
87 words
A ball bat comprising a fiber-reinforced outer shell having an impact portion, a grip portion, a flexible bending portion situated between said impact portion and said grip portion, and a junction area between said flexible portion and said grip portion wherein the junction area includes a plurality of discrete cuts each severing fibers of the outer shell for reducing shock transmission from the impact portion to the grip portion, with the number of fibers severed by cuts being 5%-95% of the total fibers in said junction area.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
87 words
A ball bat comprising a fiber-reinforced outer shell having an impact portion, a grip portion, a flexible bending portion situated between said impact portion and said grip portion, and a junction area between said flexible portion and said grip portion wherein the junction area includes a plurality of discrete cuts each severing fibers of the outer shell for reducing shock transmission from the impact portion to the grip portion, with the number of fibers severed by cuts being 5%-95% of the total fibers in said junction area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cuts comprise slits of a predetermined width and length extending transversely in relation to a longitudinal axis of the bat.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 1, wherein said cuts are perforations of a predetermined diameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 1 wherein said junction area is encased with a covering layer made of polymeric material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
31 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 4, wherein said junction area comprises a recess of predetermined depth and length, which includes said cuts and is encased by said covering layer.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 4, wherein said covering layer comprises therein a plurality of inlay pieces made of a predetermined material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 4, wherein said junction area comprises therein a plurality of grooves spaced at equal intervals, with each of said grooves having an inlay piece embedded therein.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 5, wherein said recess is of annular shape.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 5, wherein said recess comprises on the surface thereof a plurality of grooves spaced at equal intervals, with each of said grooves having an inlay piece embedded therein.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 6, wherein said inlay pieces are made of material having a predetermined rigidity.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 6, wherein said inlay pieces are made of material having a shock-absorbing property.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
30 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 2, wherein the number of fibers severed by the slits are about 40% of the total number of fibers in the junction area.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cuts include perforations of specified diameter and transverse slits.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 13, wherein the fibers severed by the cuts are about 60% of the total number of fibers in the junction area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 14, wherein the fibers severed by the cuts are about 40% of the total number of fibers in the junction area.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
A ball bat in accordance with claim 2, wherein the slits are in different transverse planes respectively.