US 11,717,733 B2
Identifying the sweet spot of a bat
Brian Carr, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed by Brian Carr, Cambridge, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/197,089.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/988,419, filed on Mar. 12, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/987,411, filed on Mar. 10, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0283476 A1, Sep. 16, 2021
Int. Cl. A63B 60/42 (2015.01); G01P 1/00 (2006.01); G01P 15/04 (2006.01)
CPC A63B 60/42 (2015.10) [G01P 1/06 (2013.01); G01P 15/04 (2013.01); A63B 2220/40 (2013.01); A63B 2220/833 (2013.01); A63B 2225/74 (2020.08)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a bat support mechanism that supports a bat characterized by a knob, handle, and barrel in a vertical orientation from a contact location proximate to the knob of the bat, the bat support mechanism limiting rotational movement of the bat to a single plane;
an impact mass support mechanism that supports an impact mass at a selected elevation relative to the bat, the elevation of the impact mass relative to the bat being adjustable such that a point of contact between the impact mass and the bat along the axial length of the bat is adjustable; and
an accelerometer adapted to be temporarily affixed to the handle of the bat;
whereby a sweet spot of the bat is identifiable without modifying the bat by using the temporarily affixed accelerometer to measure peak acceleration at the handle in response to impact with the impact mass at a constant velocity at different points of contact along the axial length of the barrel of the bat, the sweet spot corresponding to minimum peak acceleration.