JP2014140553A - Batting center, and pitching machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve usability and operation rate of a pitching machine used in a batting center.SOLUTION: In a pitching machine (C) and a batting center (A) using it, a ball shooting device (1) is disposed facing toward a batting box (B), an operating device (D) is disposed in the vicinity of the batting box (B), and a control device (E) is connected to the ball shooting device (1) and the operating device (D). The ball shooting device (1) can change a ball speed of a ball (2) to be shot by continuously varying an air pressure. The operating device (D) includes a ball speed operating member (58) capable of continuously changing the ball speed; and a ball speed display member (59) for displaying the ball speed preset by the ball speed operating member (58). The control device (E) controls the ball shooting device (1) to shoot the ball (2) with the air pressure corresponding to the ball speed preset by the ball speed operating member (58) of the operating device (D).

Description

  The present invention relates to a batting center in which a ball launching device is arranged toward a bat, an operation device is arranged in the vicinity of the bat, and a control device is connected to the ball firing device and a pitching machine used in the batting center. is there.

  Conventionally, at the batting center, an arm type pitching machine for throwing a ball from a rotating arm has been widely used.

  In this arm type pitching machine, in order to rotate the arm at a predetermined speed using the tension force of the spring, the rotation speed of the arm, that is, the ball speed of the ball is set to a specific speed by the tension force of the spring. .

  Therefore, in the conventional batting center, in order to provide users with a wide range of pitching machines with various ball speeds and allow them to be used by a wide range of users, a plurality of pitching machines are arranged side by side, and each pitching machine The ball speed was set to a different speed (see Patent Document 1).

JP 2003-159360 A

  In conventional batting centers, different ball speeds are set for each pitching machine, so the users of the batting center are forced to use the pitching machine set to the desired ball speed. When someone else is already using the pitching machine with the ball speed he wants, he was forced to wait for the turn and was not easy to use.

  Also, for the operators of the batting center, when the users who use the same ball speed are concentrated, the operating rate of the pitching machine of a specific ball speed is high, but the operating rate of the pitching machine of other ball speeds is low, As a result, the utilization rate declined.

  Accordingly, in the present invention according to claim 1, in the batting center in which the ball launching device is arranged toward the batting table, the operation device is arranged near the batting table, and the control device is connected to the ball firing device and the operation device. The launching device can change the ball speed of the ball to be fired by continuously changing the air pressure, and the operating device can change the ball speed operating member capable of continuously changing the ball speed and the ball speed set by the ball speed operating member. The control device controls to cause the ball to be fired from the ball firing device at an air pressure corresponding to the ball speed set by the ball speed operation member of the operation device.

  Further, in the present invention according to claim 2, in the pitching machine in which the control device is connected to the ball launching device and the operation device, the ball launching device can change the ball speed of the ball to be fired by continuously changing the air pressure. The operation device has a ball speed operation member that can continuously change the ball speed and a ball speed display member that displays the ball speed set by the ball speed operation member, and the control device is set by the ball speed operation member of the operation device. It was decided to control the ball to be fired from the ball launcher with the air pressure corresponding to the ball speed.

  And in this invention, there exists an effect described below.

  That is, in the present invention, the ball launching device can change the ball speed of the ball to be fired by continuously changing the air pressure, and the operating device has a ball speed operating member capable of continuously changing the ball speed and the ball speed. A ball speed display member that displays the ball speed set by the operation member, and the control device controls the ball launching device to fire the ball at an air pressure corresponding to the ball speed set by the ball speed operation member of the operation device. Therefore, the pitching machine's ball speed can be freely changed and used, so that it can be a user-friendly pitching machine for batting center users, and the batting center operator Therefore, the operating rate of the pitching machine can be improved.

Explanatory drawing which shows the batting center which concerns on this invention. The front view of a pitching machine. FIG. The same side expanded sectional view. The same plane expanded sectional view. The front expanded sectional view (a) which shows a rotation mechanism, and a side expanded sectional view (b).

  Hereinafter, specific configurations of the batting center and the pitching machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the batting center A has a pitching machine C disposed in front of the batter B and facing the batter B, and an operation device D is disposed in the vicinity of the batter B, and the pitching machine C and the operation device are arranged. A control device E is connected to D, and the control device E controls the pitching machine C and the operation device D. In the batting center A, one or a plurality of these batting tables B, pitching machines C, operation devices D, and control devices E are provided.

  In the pitching machine C, the ball launcher 1 is mounted on the upper portion of the base 55 via the course changer 56. The course changer 56 controls the direction of the ball launcher 1 (vertical direction or The course of the ball 2 fired from the ball launching device 1 can be changed.

  The operating device D includes a ball speed operating member 58 formed of a dial capable of continuously changing (setting) the ball speed of the ball 2 to be fired from the ball launching device 1 in a rectangular box plate casing 57, and a ball speed operating member 58. The ball speed display member 59 composed of a liquid crystal display panel for displaying the ball speed set in step (1) and the course (here, the height in the vertical direction) of the ball 2 fired from the ball launcher 1 are continuously changed (set). A course operation member 60 composed of buttons that can be used and a course display member 61 composed of a liquid crystal indicator for displaying the course set by the course operation member 60 are provided. The user can easily set a desired ball speed and course by himself / herself by operating the ball speed operation member 58 and the course operation member 60 while viewing the ball speed display member 59 and the course display member 61.

  The control device E controls the course changing device 56 so that the ball launching device 1 is directed in a direction corresponding to the course set by the course operating member 60 of the operating device D, and the ball speed operating member 58 of the operating device D is used. The ball launcher 1 is controlled to fire the ball 2 at the set ball speed.

  The ball launcher 1 is configured to fire the ball 2 with air pressure, and can change the air pressure (pressure value) when the ball 2 is fired, and the ball speed can be changed by changing the air pressure. It has become. For this reason, the control device E converts the ball speed set by the ball speed operation member 58 of the operation device D into the air pressure when the ball launching device 1 launches the ball 2, and uses the air pressure to launch the ball 2 from the ball launching device 1. By doing so, control is performed such that the ball 2 is fired from the ball launching device 1 at an air pressure corresponding to the ball speed set by the ball speed operating member 58 of the operating device D.

  Thus, in the batting center A according to the present invention and the pitching machine C used therein, the ball launching device 1 can change the ball speed of the ball 2 to be fired by continuously changing the air pressure. D has a ball speed operation member 58 capable of continuously changing the ball speed and a ball speed display member 59 for displaying the ball speed set by the ball speed operation member 58, and the control device E has a ball speed operation member 58 of the operation device D. It is configured to control the ball 2 to be fired from the ball launcher 1 with the air pressure corresponding to the ball speed set in.

  Therefore, the batting center A and the pitching machine C configured as described above can be used by freely changing the ball speed of the pitching machine C. Therefore, for the user of the batting center A, the pitching machine C is easy to use. In addition, the operating rate of the pitching machine C can be improved for the operator of the batting center A.

  The specific configuration of the ball launching device 1 used in the batting center A and the pitching machine C will be described. The ball launching device 1 is a ball for firing the ball 2 with air pressure as shown in FIGS. A ball control means 4 for determining the firing direction and rotation of the ball 2 launched from the ball launching means 3 is connected to the front end of the launching means 3, and a pitching port 5 formed at the front end (tip part) of the ball control means 4. Is configured to throw the ball 2 forward (forward). In addition, the ball launching device 1 is provided with notifying means 6 for notifying that the ball 2 is thrown out in the vicinity of the throwing opening 5.

  The ball launching means 3 includes an air injection mechanism 7 that injects high-pressure compressed air and a ball supply mechanism 8 that supplies the ball 2.

  In the air injection mechanism 7, a tank 10 for storing compressed air is placed at the bottom of a hollow box-shaped casing 9, and an open / close valve 11 capable of adjusting pressure is connected to the tank 10. A driving device 12 is connected to the tank 10 and the opening / closing valve 11.

  This air injection mechanism 7 opens the open / close valve 11 by the control device E, and injects the compressed air stored in the tank 10 from the injection pipe 13 provided at the front end of the open / close valve 11 at a predetermined air pressure (pressure value). To do.

  The ball supply mechanism 8 includes a supply device 14 that supplies the balls 2 one by one and a setting device 15 that sets the balls 2 one by one.

  The supply device 14 connects the upper end portion of the supply pipe 17 extended vertically to a ball supply port 16 formed in the ceiling portion of the casing 9, and the partition plates 18 and 19 are connected to the supply pipe 17 in the vertical direction for approximately one ball. Attach the air cylinders 22 and 23 supported by brackets 20 and 21 attached to the outer periphery of the supply pipe 17 to the partition plates 18 and 19 ing. A driving device 12 is connected to the pneumatic cylinders 22 and 23.

  The supply device 14 supplies the balls 2 one by one from the lower end of the supply pipe 17 to the lower set device 15 by appropriately interlocking the upper and lower partition plates 18 and 19.

  The set device 15 is connected to the front end portion of the injection pipe 13 of the opening / closing valve 11 with the rear end portion of the outer cylinder 24 extended back and forth, and the inner cylinder 25 extended back and forth inside the outer cylinder 24 slides back and forth. It is housed freely. A communication port 26 that communicates with the lower end opening of the supply pipe 17 of the supply device 14 is formed in the front upper portion of the outer cylinder 24. In addition, a pair of left and right arms 28, 28 inserted through elongated holes 27, 27 extending in the front-rear direction formed in the outer cylinder 24 are connected to the left and right side portions of the inner cylinder 25. Are connected to pneumatic cylinders 30, 30 supported by brackets 29, 29 attached to the outer periphery of the outer cylinder 24. A driving device 12 is connected to the pneumatic cylinders 30 and 30.

  The set device 15 opens the communication port 26 by moving the inner cylinder 25 rearward by the pneumatic cylinders 30 and 30 and receives the ball 2 supplied from the supply device 14 into the outer cylinder 24. By moving the inner cylinder 25 forward with the pneumatic cylinders 30 and 30, the ball 2 is pushed out to the front end of the outer cylinder 24 at the front end of the inner cylinder 25, and the communication port 26 formed in the outer cylinder 24 and The long holes 27 and 27 are closed to keep the inside airtight.

  The ball launching means 3 is configured as described above, and the ball 2 is supplied from the supply device 14 to the setting device 15 and set at the front end portion of the outer cylinder 24 by the setting device 15. By injecting high-pressure compressed air from the air injection mechanism 7 toward the front, the ball 2 is fired forward from the front end portion of the outer cylinder 24 by air pressure.

  The ball control means 4 includes a ball control mechanism 31 that determines the firing direction of the ball 2, a rotation mechanism 32 that rotates the ball 2 in contact with the ball 2 fired from the ball launching means 3, and a burst sound that is generated when the ball 2 is fired. And a silencer mechanism 33 for reducing the noise.

  The ball control mechanism 31 is connected to the front end portion of the outer cylinder 24 of the ball firing means 3 in a state where a hollow cylindrical ball control tube 34 having an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the ball 2 is extended in the front-rear direction.

  The ball control mechanism 31 is configured such that when the ball 2 launched from the ball launching means 3 passes through the inside of the ball control tube 34, the outer peripheral portion of the ball 2 and the inner peripheral portion of the ball control tube 34 come into contact with each other. Is set to coincide with the extending direction of the control tube.

  The rotation mechanism 32 has a first friction device 36 attached to the lower part on the rear end side of the hollow cylindrical connecting pipe 35 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the ball 2, and the upper part on the rear end side of the connecting pipe 35. A second friction device 37 is attached. A front end portion of the control tube 34 is inserted into the rear end portion of the connecting tube 35, and the first friction device 36 and the second friction device 37 are positioned at the front end of the control tube 34.

  The first friction device 36 inserts a first friction body 39 through a through-hole 38 formed at the lower rear end of the connection pipe 35 so as to be movable up and down, and the first friction body 39 is inserted into the outer periphery of the connection pipe 35. A pair of left and right brackets 40, 40 are attached so that the vertical position can be adjusted. The first friction device 36 can adjust the rotation applied to the ball 2 by adjusting the vertical position of the first friction body 39 to change the amount of protrusion to the inside of the connecting pipe 35.

  The second friction device 37 is inserted through a through hole 41 formed in the upper rear end of the connecting pipe 35 so that the second friction body 42 and the third friction body 43 can be moved up and down with a spacer 44 therebetween. The second and third friction bodies 42 and 43 and the spacer 44 are supported by a pair of left and right brackets 45 and 45 attached to the outer periphery of the connecting pipe 35 so that the vertical position can be adjusted. The second friction device 37 can adjust the rotation applied to the ball 2 by adjusting the vertical position of the second and third friction bodies 42 and 43 to change the amount of protrusion to the inside of the connecting pipe 35. It has become. Note that the second friction body 42, the third friction body 43, and the spacer 44 may be formed separately, or may be formed integrally as a whole.

  Here, the first friction body 39 of the first friction device 36 extends from the outer periphery of the connection pipe 35 toward the center of the connection pipe 35 (the center of the ball 2 passing through the connection pipe 35), and the tip surface. To make contact with the ball 2. On the other hand, the second and third friction bodies 42 and 43 of the second friction device 37 extend from the outer periphery of the connecting pipe 35 toward the inner side of the connecting pipe 35 and have their tips at the center of the connecting pipe 35 (the connecting pipe The ball 2 is inclined so as to face the center 2 of the ball 2 passing through the tube 35 and comes into contact with the ball 2 on the tip surface. As a result, the first to third friction bodies 39, 42, 43 are arranged in the connecting pipe 35 in the radial direction from the center of the ball 2, and arranged in the circumferential direction along the outer circumference of the ball 2. ing.

  Further, the first friction body 39 of the first friction device 36 is made of a material in which the tip surface contacting the ball 2 is more slippery (the coefficient of dynamic friction with the ball 2 is smaller) than the inner peripheral surface of the control tube 34. It is formed with. On the other hand, in the second and third friction bodies 42 and 43 of the second friction device 37, the tip surfaces that come into contact with the ball 2 are from the tip surface of the first friction body 39 (and the inner peripheral surface of the control tube 34). However, the ball 2 is formed of a material that is difficult to slip (the coefficient of dynamic friction with the ball 2 is large). The second and third friction bodies 42 and 43 are made of a material that expands and contracts in the vertical direction (has a small elastic coefficient) than the first friction body 39.

  The rotating mechanism 32 is configured such that when the ball 2 fired from the ball firing means 3 passes through the connecting pipe 35, the ball 2 comes into contact with the first to third friction bodies 39, 42, 43, thereby A vertical rotation is applied to the ball 2 by the difference in contact resistance (friction) between the friction body 39 and the second and third friction bodies 42 and 43. Since the first friction device 36 and the second friction device 37 are located at the front end of the control tube 34, the rotation mechanism 32 can rotate all the balls 2 to be fired from the ball firing means 3. It can be done. In addition, since the rotating mechanism 32 has the first to third friction bodies 39, 42, 43 projecting from the inner periphery of the connecting pipe 35 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the ball 2, 2 passes while contacting the first to third friction bodies 39, 42, 43, and then the ball 2 passes through the substantially central portion of the connecting pipe 35. As a result, the compressed air injected from the ball launching means 3 flows over the ball 2 from the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the ball 2 and the inner peripheral surface of the connecting tube 35 inside the connecting tube 35. The compressed air can be discharged uniformly and smoothly, and the ball 2 can be passed along the center line of the connecting pipe 35.

  The silencer mechanism 33 has a hollow cylindrical outer cylinder 46 and a hollow porous cylindrical inner cylinder 47 attached at the front end of the casing 9, and a disk-shaped lid at the front ends of the outer cylinder 46 and the inner cylinder 47. 48 and a sound deadening material 49 are filled between the outer cylinder 46 and the inner cylinder 47. The lid 48 is formed with a pitching slot 5 for throwing the ball 2 at the center.

  The muffling mechanism 33 reduces the sound volume by absorbing the plosive sound generated when the ball 2 is fired from the ball launching means 3 with the silencer 49.

  The ball control means 4 is configured as described above, and a ball passage 50 extending back and forth inside the ball control pipe 34 of the ball control mechanism 31, the connecting pipe 35 of the rotation mechanism 32, and the inner cylinder 47 of the silencing mechanism 33. , And the ball 2 fired from the ball firing means 3 passes along the ball passage passage 50 so that the firing direction and rotation of the ball 2 are determined.

  The notification means 6 has a casing 51 attached below the pitching opening 5 of the lid 48 of the silencer mechanism 33, and houses first to third notification means 52, 53, 54 inside the casing 51. The first to third notification means 52, 53 and 54 are arranged in the vertical direction (longitudinal direction) in the order of distance from the pitching slot 5 in the vicinity of the pitching slot 5.

  Each of the notification means 52, 53, 54 is composed of a lamp connected to the driving device 12, and first throws the first notification means 52 for a predetermined time before throwing the ball from the throwing slot 5, and sets a predetermined interval. The second notification means 53 is turned on for a predetermined time after opening, and then the third notification means 54 is turned on for a predetermined time after an interval shorter than the previous interval, and then the ball 2 is thrown out from the throwing hole 5. The lighting is controlled so that

  As described above, the ball launching device 1 is connected to the ball launching means 3 that launches the ball 2 by air pressure, the ball control means 4 that determines the firing direction and rotation of the ball 2, and the ball 2 passes through the ball control means 4. The ball passing passage 50 is formed, and the ball 2 is thrown out from the throwing port 5 at the tip of the ball passing passage 50.

  The ball control means 4 of the ball launcher 1 connects a connection tube 35 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the ball 2 to a ball control tube 34 having the same inner diameter as the outer diameter of the ball 2. A plurality (three in this case) of friction bodies 39, 42, 43 are provided in contact with the ball 2 on the ball 35, and the surface of one of the friction bodies 39 is more ball 2 than the surface of the control tube 34. The ball 2 is less slippery than the surface of the control tube 34 on the surface of the other friction body 42, 43.

  Therefore, in the said ball | bowl launching apparatus 1, rotation can be favorably given to the ball | bowl 2, and all the balls | bowls 2 can be thrown out with sufficient control.

In the ball launching apparatus 1, three or more friction bodies 39, 42, 43 arranged in the radial direction from the center of the ball 2 are provided in the connecting pipe 35 at intervals along the outer periphery of the ball 2.
For this reason, the ball launcher 1 supports the ball 2 at three or more points when the ball 2 passes through the friction bodies 39, 42, 43, and prevents the ball 2 from rolling (blurring). The ball 2 can be thrown out with good control.

  Further, in the ball launching apparatus 1, a plurality of notification means 6 (first to third notification means 52, 53, 54) that notify that the ball 2 is thrown out by lighting the light in order from the vicinity of the pitching opening 5. (Here, three) are provided side by side, and the notification means 6 (the first notification means 52, the second notification means 53, and the third notification means 54) are lit in the order of distance from the pitching slot 5. .

  Therefore, in the ball launching apparatus 1 having the above-described configuration, it is possible to smoothly visually observe the plurality of notifying means 6 from the throwing hole 5 and easily follow the ball 2 thrown out from the throwing hole 5.

  The ball launching device 1 has a configuration in which a plurality of notification means 6 are arranged vertically below the pitching opening 5.

  Therefore, in the ball launcher 1 having the above configuration, the thrown ball 2 can follow more easily, and the usability of the ball launcher 1 can be improved.

  Furthermore, the said ball | bowl launching apparatus 1 becomes a structure which lightes the some alerting | reporting means 6 at intervals gradually.

  Also by this, in the ball | bowl launching apparatus 1 of the said structure, the ball 2 thrown out can follow more easily, and the usability of the ball | bowl launching apparatus 1 can be improved.

A Batting Center B Batting C Citching Machine D Control Device E Control Device 1 Ball Launcher 2 Ball 3 Ball Launcher 4 Ball Stopper 5 Throwing Port 6 Notification Unit 7 Air Injection Mechanism 8 Ball Supply Mechanism 9 Casing 10 Tank
11 Open / close valve 12 Drive unit
13 Injection pipe 14 Feeder
15 Set device 16 Ball supply port
17 Supply pipe 18,19 Partition plate
20,21 Bracket 22,23 Pneumatic cylinder
24 outer cylinder 25 inner cylinder
26 Communication port 27 Long hole
28 Arm 29 Bracket
30 Pneumatic cylinder 31 Ball control mechanism
32 Rotating mechanism 33 Silencer mechanism
34 Control tube 35 Connecting tube
36 First friction device 37 Second friction device
38 Through hole 39 1st friction body
40 Bracket 41 Through hole
42 Second friction body 43 Third friction body
44 Spacer 45 Bracket
46 Outer cylinder 47 Inner cylinder
48 Lid 49 Silencer
50 Ball passage 51 Casing
52 First notification means 53 Second notification means
54 Third notification means 55 Base
56 Course changing device 57 Casing
58 Ball speed operation member 59 Ball speed display member
60 Course operation member 61 Course display member

Claims (2)

In the batting center where the ball launching device is arranged toward the bat, the operation device is arranged near the bat, and the control device is connected to the ball firing device and the operation device.
The ball launcher can change the ball speed of the ball to be fired by continuously changing the air pressure.
The operating device has a ball speed operation member that can continuously change the ball speed and a ball speed display member that displays the ball speed set by the ball speed operation member,
The batting center characterized in that the control device performs control so that the ball is fired from the ball firing device at an air pressure corresponding to the ball speed set by the ball speed operation member of the operation device. In a pitching machine in which a control device is connected to a ball launcher and an operation device,
The ball launcher can change the ball speed of the ball to be fired by continuously changing the air pressure.
The operating device has a ball speed operation member that can continuously change the ball speed and a ball speed display member that displays the ball speed set by the ball speed operation member,
The pitching machine is characterized in that the control device performs control so that the ball is fired from the ball firing device at an air pressure corresponding to the ball speed set by the ball speed operation member of the operation device.

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