HU223209B1 - Method and apparatus for golf ball teeing - Google Patents

Abstract

The subject of the invention is a method that is suitable for the simple implementation of golf ball dating automatically and quickly. The operating process based on the procedure can be described as follows: The ball hit from the serving tee (3) cuts into the ball catching net (14) connected to the net (12), where it loses most of its kinetic energy and falls to the lower part of the net (12) which is stretched on a slope juice. The sloping net part is pulled down to the ball conveyor unit (9) at the roll-in hole (8), and since this is the deepest point of the net, the balls roll through the roll-in hole (8) into the ball conveyor (9). Then, the air blower (10) in the ball conveyor (9) blows the balls into the temporary ball reservoir (17), from where the ball feeder (7) drops a ball onto the lifting bucket (5). The bucket-rotator (6) together with the bucket (5) lifts the ball above the serving tee (3) and drops it on top of it. Then the tee lifter (4) starts up and raises the ball to the pre-programmed desired height. From here, the golfer can hit the ball again at any time, and the previous process can start all over again. The subject of the invention is also the equipment implementing the method and the special net arrangement for taming the hit golf ball. ŕ

Description

The present invention relates to a method for implementing automatic golf ball balling. An automatic teeing is the process of automatically putting golf balls into the hitting path without the player having to move out of his previous stroke position to place the next golf ball. (This is called tee support for the golf ball at the point of impact.)

The present invention also relates to an easy-to-install portable apparatus suitable for carrying out an automatic teeing procedure and a special ball grid which can be advantageously used to absorb the energy of the balls fired during exercise.

With the equipment used in the process, the dosing of the balls is completely automatic, and the player's muscles will not suffer any damage, even if the training stroke is too low.

The device can also be advantageously used for indoor or outdoor practice, for automatically tapping balls caught and rolled by the ball net or taken out of a high-capacity ball pool.

In golf practice equipment, there are various solutions for returning a ball and putting it on a tee.

One of these is disclosed in U.S. Patent 4,177,996. Here, the practice balls roll out of a spiral ball through a trough to the hitting tee.

According to the patent, the impact surface can be easily damaged by stiff, deep shocks, and the impact surface, through the golf club, can cause damage to the player's arm and other muscles. The height of the tee is not adjustable.

Due to its mechanical design, the placement of the ball storage is fixed and may also hinder the golfer's movement.

The equipment is not suitable for placing the ball caught in the net on a tee, only it can deliver the ball to the tee semi-automatically from a ball pool.

U.S. Patent No. 4,741,537 discloses placing a golf ball on a semi-automatic tee. The technical solution here is also based on taking the ball out of a spiral tube ball for new shots. The path between the ball and the tee is made by the golf ball using gravity. Start placing the desired ball on the tee with one lever. The lift of the tee is done by low pressure air.

This solution is also not suitable for transporting the ball from the training net to the tee, only semi-automatic operation, the height of the tee is non-programmable, it can only be influenced by pads of different heights. Nothing protects the player's muscles from the impact of the artificial turf surface.

The ball caught in the net is delivered to the mechanical dispenser via a gravity channel from which the player must initiate the ball to the tee.

The ball rolls into the dispenser through a rigid channel between the net and the tee. The distance between the tee and the net is fixed, and the optimum impact distance for the mesh opening is difficult to set. The height of the tee is not adjustable, the harmful muscle demand resulting from the stroke of artificial grass cannot be eliminated, the operation is not automatic.

An automatic tee dispenser is the subject of U.S. Patent No. 4,319,753. Unlike the previous solutions, the height of the tee can be preset to some values, but continuous programming is not possible either. The device has a complicated mechanical structure, high structural height, does not protect the golfer's muscles from damaging the impact surface, is recommended in a recessed version, which makes it very difficult to install, and cannot receive a ball returned from the training net.

U.S. Patent No. 4,662,641 fixes tee members at equal distances from an infinite strap for positioning the ball in a striking position. The ball is placed on the tee using a vacuum. This solution will only work properly if the rim of the rubber tee securely adheres to the uneven surface of the golf ball, which has small recesses to favorably influence the course. Reliable operation requires a fairly high vacuum and good sealing of the system, otherwise the raised ball will fall before the tee reaches the vertical position. The disadvantage of the systems is that in the event of any tee being damaged, I have to replace the entire tee-strap, and the height of the equipment is high and this is dangerous.

U.S. Patent No. 5,645,491 also serves to implement a golf practice equipment.

Here, too, the ball is placed on the tee by means of a vacuum, which is forced into a vertical position by a complicated mechanism during continuous suction. Again, the need to provide a vacuum is disadvantageous. The ball can fall off in the event of any vacuum problem causing malfunction. The structure is complicated and is not suitable for returning a hit ball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art and to provide a simple ball dispenser which is capable of automatically returning the balls captured in the practice net to the bounce, but also useful when hit balls are not automatically retrieved from a large central ball pool. release balls in a row to hit.

One of the objects of the present invention has been to provide a ball dispenser with a portable configuration that is quick to set up, the recycled ball being recycled through a tube, preferably a flexible tube, so that the mesh and the dispenser are not rigidly connected.

Place the ball on the tee before striking with a simple structure consisting of a few parts.

The desired height of the ball should be programmable continuously and no vacuum should be required to place the ball on the tee.

It was also important to ensure that the deep punches that often occur during practice do not cause the golfer's muscles

EN 223 209 B1, which can lead to muscle inflammation, which prevents prolonged exercise.

The object is solved by the automatic golf balling methods according to claims 1 and 2, the equipment according to claims 4 and 5 for carrying out the methods and the net arrangement according to claim 14.

The automatic golf ball teeing method of the present invention and apparatus for practicing it are based on the recognition that the golf ball can be gravitationally injected into a space from which it can be inflated very easily with low pressure, or directly to the top of a serving tee or ball. Top. If the tee and the ball are then lifted to the desired stroke height at any time, the golfer can perform the next practice stroke.

For this new ball, the golfer has to wait very little due to the simple procedure and quick operation.

If the golf ball is lifted onto a flexible brush surface made of a brush, the golfer will not be hit with muscle inflammation at deeper strokes, since the high-speed golf hammer will then be able to penetrate into the flexible impact surface almost without being able to protrude again.

Before the hit, the ball is held by an elastic tee. When the ball is hit, it is sensed by a sensor that sends signals to a central electrical control and power source that triggers an overpressure motor fan that blows the ball into a temporary ball pool and then releases the ball to a rotating lifting spoon to rotate the ball onto it. you can drop it on top of the tee, or you can blow it directly on top of the tee with low pressure.

The tee and ball are then automatically raised to a pre-programmed height by a motorized ball lift unit and the stroke can be repeated again.

In a special way of lifting the ball, the tee attached to the end of the elastic spring shaft is raised by vertically pushing the spring shaft upwards.

The net according to the invention also prevents the shot ball from flying out, and a stepped mesh system, loosely suspended and of different lengths of mesh at various depths at the end of the net, absorbs the energy of the hit ball. The efficiency of energy absorption depends on the surface weight of the mesh, the length of each mesh element, the structure and stiffness of the mesh.

The idea is that the balls hit the loose bottom rather than the stretched part of the net.

A low and flexible ball catch prevents balls from bouncing off the net.

In one embodiment of the invention, an inflatable hose system is used instead of a rigid mesh frame which is otherwise easy to assemble. This special design makes it very easy to have a complete ball catching and rolling net system permanently attached to the hose system, making this system quick to set up, which can be used immediately after inflation. It is also very easy to transport the lowered and slightly folded exercise equipment.

In one embodiment of the impact panel of the device according to the invention, the impact panel can be tilted at any angle for practice purposes. This can simulate real-life situations where a player has to hit a golf course on different slopes,

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. The attached drawings show

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a golf ball balling device according to the invention, a

Figure 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a golf ball balling device according to the invention, a

3-5. Figures 1 to 8 show different versions of the tee sensor of the golf ball balling device according to the invention;

FIG

Fig. 7 is a variation of the net of a golf ball balling device according to the invention in combination with sloping ball panels, a

Fig. 8 is an inclined version of the impact panel of a golfball balling device according to the invention, a

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic representation of a cascade ball catching net of a golf ball balling device according to the invention, a

Fig. 10 is an exterior version of a golf ball balling device according to the invention, a

Fig. 11 is a variation of the golf ball balling device of the present invention blowing the ball over the tee;

Fig. 12 is a version of a golf ball balling device according to the invention that lifts the ball with a flexible spring axis.

One exemplary embodiment, as shown in Figure 1, is a fully automatic golf ball balling device.

The ball is hit from the 3 serving teas. The hit ball, moving in the air on a suitable trajectory, is then cut into a ball catching net 14 where it loses most of its motion energy and then falls to the lower inclined net portion, the deepest point of which is at the roll 8. On a sloping net, the ball begins to roll towards the deepest part of the net and is introduced into the ball conveyor assembly 9 through a ball-sized roll hole. The ball, by its weight, pushes the non-return valve and starts rolling. Then, when the blower 10 is actuated, the non-return valve is closed and the resulting air overpressure conveys the ball through the flexible tube 16 to the transition ball 17.

Multiple balls can be infused sequentially into the temporary ball bar 17, which are suspended by the ball dispenser 7.

HU 223 209 ΒΙ

If there is no ball on the serving roller 3, the ball feeder 7 releases a ball from the temporary ball pool, rolls onto the lifting bucket 5, the lifting bucket rotator 6 starts the lifting bucket, and as soon as it reaches its highest point, the raised golf ball is dropped Top. Thereafter, the tee lifter 4 starts and the serving tee 3, with the ball on top, begins to move upward to the previously programmed tee height.

If the ball is then hit for practice, this is detected by the tee sensor, the tee lifting unit 4 starts down to the lower base position, the ball dispenser 7 releases the next ball from the temporary ball pool 17, and the process described above is repeated. The next ball, which can be hit again, does not appear at the top of 3 serving teas.

On the 2 percussion panels the golfer stands during practice. An easy-to-replace flexible percussion insert 1 is located in the perforated opening on the percussion panel.

The location and operation of the tee sensor 18 may be different according to some embodiments of the invention.

The tee sensor 18 can be placed outside the tee under the ball, inside the tee, or on the impact panel 2.

Sensing can be based on the use of light, or simple weight measurement can be used for this purpose. Each variation is illustrated in Figure 3-5. .

In an interesting embodiment of the invention as shown in Figure 6, which allows quick commissioning and easy transport, the net 12 is held by an inflatable hose body, the inflation being carried out by means of the inflatable unit 20.

In another embodiment of the invention, the movement of the ball is limited by the mesh 12, but the ball is encased in the roll 8 by means of a rigid slanted ball panel 21. This version is shown in Figure 7.

In a particular embodiment of the teeing device according to the invention, the impact panel 2 can be tilted at any angle by means of the lifting units 22, 23, 24, and 25. The tilt angle of the impact panel 2 is coordinated by the central motion controller 26. The arrangement is shown in Figure 8.

The cascade version of the ball retaining net 14 is implemented by the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 9.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 10, unlike the above, the balls fired from the serving tee 3 are not caught by the net 14 and rolled back for another hit, but new balls 28 are always released from the central ball box 29 through the rolling opening 8. ball transfer unit.

The method of blowing the ball to the tee is shown below. FIG. The ball is flown at the end of a tube by the unit foil to tee 27 and continues to fly in the cavity formed by the flexible impact pad 1 to terminate its trajectory at the top of the tee. By this method, the structural height of the device can be kept low and no device is protruding from the flexible impact pad 1 when delivering the ball to the tee.

Figure 12 shows a variation of the ball lift with a flexible spring axis 30. The flexible spring shaft 30, which has a tee at the end, can easily deflect when hit by a golf club.

The golf ball dispensing apparatus of the present invention, due to its excellent properties, is well suited for practicing a golf shot correctly. It is especially useful if you want to memorize the complex course of a golf course with a large number of successive practice strokes without having to leave the stroke position before each stroke due to putting the ball on the tee. In addition, it does not require the older golfers to bend often, which is difficult because of picking up the ball and putting it on the tee.

The device automatically and within seconds secures the next ball on the tee. The period of appearance of the ball is constant, since the different arrival times of the balls rolling in successively through the rolling hole and injected into the temporary ball pool are offset by the temporary ball pool.

The height of the tee can be pre-programmed depending on the type of punch used, and the set height automatically adjusts with each stroke until the program is changed.

If you use a net or other means to catch the hit ball that also rolls the hit ball, the entire practice system will work with some balls indefinitely.

If rollback is not done with rigid surfaces, but preferably with a net, this net can be folded to a small volume during transport, its operation is quiet, and if the installation area is grassy, the grass will not be destroyed as it receives light through the net and continues without difficulty can also be irrigated unhindered.

It also implies that when using a ball collecting net, it is not necessary to always retrieve a new ball from a high capacity ball pool during practice and then collect the balls from the field and return them to the system.

During operation, the balls returned to the system remain clean.

In the training device, the impact surface and the ball delivery system are interconnected via a flexible tube, so they can be easily positioned in the optimum position relative to one another. This makes it easy to adjust to the mesh opening, the net distance, and the players on the right or left. Because of its flexible connection, it is easy to implement an embodiment of the invention that utilizes a tilting impact surface in all directions for practicing particularly difficult golf shots on sloping ground in different directions.

When practicing golf, but even in races, incomplete punching is common. In this case, the golf club wants to dive into the impact surface, which causes the pieces of soil, and thus a piece of the boy, to fly out under the impact of the bat, but to a lesser extent the player's muscles are hit by the golf bat. Artificial tree-dancing is usually used when practicing a stroke, but most of the impact energy in a deep stroke is golf4

EN 223 209 Bl is released back into the player's muscles through a racket and, if practiced consistently, can cause muscle inflammation.

With the device according to the invention, this adverse shock effect cannot occur because the golf club can easily penetrate into the flexible percussion surface and pass it almost unhindered during a deep impact.

In another embodiment of the invention with an inflatable mesh frame, the mesh system is permanently attached to the mesh frame, and therefore, the equipment can be put into use immediately upon inflation. The setup only lasts up to the time of inflating and later, after the air is released, the lowered mesh frame and the net folded, transport is very easy due to its low weight and volume.

A great advantage of the device according to the invention is also the simple construction of the dispensing mechanism. The ball is placed on the tee and hit by a simple mechanical solution. The ball moves freely over the flexible percussion pad while the ball is brought to the tee by the spoon. This method can reduce the structural height of the equipment by shorter lifting of the ball from its lower position. The reduced construction height is also beneficial in order to avoid possible accidents.

When blowing to the tee, the structural size can also be kept low, and the advantage of moving the tee with the flexible shaft is that the tee on the spring can easily deflect from the racket when hit.

Claims (14)

PATENT CLAIMS A method for performing an automatic golf ball balling process, wherein a golf ball entering a ball passage (8) into a ball delivery unit (9) is inflated by a pressurized tube (16) into a temporary ball box (17), and from there through a ball feeder (7) release onto a lifting spoon (5) rotating about a horizontal axis to rotate the ball over the serving trough (3) and drop it onto the top of the tapping trough (3), then lifting the sensed ball to the impact position by raising the tapping trough (3) vertically the lifting spoon (5) drops the golf ball through the opening of the punch (1) from below its level to the top of the serving roller (3) extending from below its level into the hole of the punch. Method for implementing an automatic golf ball balling process, wherein a golf ball entering a ball delivery unit (9) through a roller opening (8) is inflated by overpressure over a tube (16) to a top of a serving tee (3) and raising the sensed ball vertically. in the impact position, characterized in that, through the tube (16), the golf ball moves the overpressure directly into the aperture (3) extending directly from the bottom into the opening in the percussion pad (1). Method according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the golf ball is captured by a net (12), the captured ball being gravitationally introduced into the rolling opening (8) with the lower part of the net stretched and pulled down at one point. Apparatus for carrying out an automatic golf ball teeing according to claim 1, comprising a percussion panel (2), a percussion pad (1) with an opening therein, a tee lifter (4) disposed beneath the percussion pad (1), and an attached percussion pad (4). 1) a dispensing tee (3) arranged substantially vertically in its opening, a temporary ball tank (17) and a ball dispenser (7) arranged thereon, a ball conveying unit (8) receiving a ball (9), a ball conveying unit (9) connected to the transition ball store (17) by a tube (16), a lifting bucket (5) rotating about a horizontal axis below the opening of the percussion pad (1) and an electric control and power supply unit (15) characterized in that the axis of the lifting bucket is located below the level of the impact pad (1) and the movement of the lifting bucket (5) the percussion insert (1) has an opening. Apparatus for carrying out an automatic golf ball teeing according to claim 2, comprising a ball receiving aperture (8), a ball conveying unit (9) comprising a pressure generating unit (10), a percussion panel (2) provided with an aperture in the percussion panel. ), a tee lifter (4) arranged beneath the percussion pad (1), an attached serving tee (3), a golf ball presence sensor (18), and a golf ball from the tubing (9) to the percussion panel (2) 16), characterized in that the end of the tube (16) facing the percussion panel (2) extends substantially through the opening of the percussion insert (1) to the top of the delivery roll (3). Apparatus according to any one of claims 4 and 5, characterized in that the tee lifter (4) is a flexible spring shaft (30) passed through the spring shaft guide (31), the flexible spring shaft (30) being the spring actuator connected to a disk (32) which is actuated by a spring drive disk driver (33). 7. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises a net for receiving the hit golf ball, the tensioned lower part of which is pulled down in one point by the roll opening (8). Apparatus for performing automatic golf ball balling according to claim 7, characterized in that at least two cascaded ball catching nets (14) of different lengths are connected to the net (12). Apparatus according to any one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the mesh (12) is connected to an inflatable mesh frame (19) and to the inflatable unit (20). 10. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the lower part of the net (12) is connected to a sloping ball panel (21). 11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that lifting units (22, 23, 24,25) are connected to the impact panel (2) and a central motion controller (26) is connected thereto. 12. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 11 for performing automatic golf balling Characterized in that the apparatus comprises a central ball box (29) and a ball outlet (28) attached thereto, which is connected to the roll opening (8). Apparatus for performing automatic golf ball balling according to claim 5, characterized in that the apparatus comprises a temporary ball pool (17), a ball dispenser (7) and a ball-blowing unit (27) which is formed from the temporary ball pool. (17) directing the ball released by the ball feeder (7) directly to the top of the serving tee (3). A net arrangement for absorbing the energy of a ball struck in the course of a golf stroke, comprising a ball grid (14) arranged more than one spaced apart, substantially perpendicular to the direction of flight of the ball, characterized in that the lower edge of the its distance from the ground in the direction of the ball's flight decreases.