JP2019080684A - Pitching machine - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a pitching machine that can optionally set types of balls to throw (types of pitch such as a straight pitch, curve and fork), in the pitching machine of a configuration for throwing a ball by air pressure.SOLUTION: A pitching machine 1 has throw means 3 for throwing the ball toward a hitter by air pressure, ball rotating means 4 for giving rotation to the ball, and rotation axis turning means 5 for making a rotation axis of the ball turn. The pitching machine is characterized by providing: throw speed setting means 7 for freely setting a throw speed of the ball by the throw means 3 in a continuous range; rotational speed setting means 8 for freely setting the rotational speed of the ball by the ball rotating means 4 in the continuous range; and rotation axis angle setting means 9 for freely setting the tilt angle of the rotation axis of the ball by the rotation axis turning means 5 in the continuous range.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a pitching machine that uses pneumatic pressure to dump balls.

  Hitherto, pitching machines that throw a ball with a rotating arm have been widely used as baseball training and play equipment, but in recent years, instead of an arm type, a pneumatic type that uses the pressure of air to fire a ball Has been developed (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-33157

  However, in the above-described conventional pneumatic pitching machine, since the ball is fired using air pressure, no rotation is applied to the ball as it is, and a non-rotation ball is thrown out toward the batter It will

  Therefore, in the above-mentioned conventional pneumatic type pitching machine, it is desired to be able to arbitrarily set the type of the thrown-out ball (ball type: straight ball, curve, fork, etc.).

  Therefore, in the present invention according to claim 1, a throwing means for throwing the ball toward the batter by the pressure of air, a ball rotating means for rotating the ball, and a rotating shaft rotating means for rotating the rotating shaft of the ball And a pitching speed setting means for freely setting the pitching speed of the ball by the pitching means within the continuous range, and for freely setting the rotation speed of the ball by the ball rotation means within the continuous range The rotational speed setting means of the invention and the rotational axis angle setting means for freely setting the inclination angle of the rotational axis of the ball by the rotational axis rotation means within the continuous range are provided.

  Further, in the present invention according to claim 2, in the present invention according to claim 1, the ball rotating means is a pair of a rotating body in contact with the ball and a pair of spaced apart positions facing the rotating body. A pressing body is provided, and the ball is held by the pair of pressing bodies and the rotating body, and the ball is provided with rotation.

  In the present invention according to claim 3, according to the present invention according to claim 1 or 2, the pitching means is provided with two upper and lower shutters in a passage where a ball passing from the batter can be visually recognized It was decided to open the ball and send the ball to the lower closed shutter through the passage and throw the ball towards the batter.

  And, in the present invention, the following effects can be obtained.

  That is, in the present invention, a pitching machine having a throwing means for throwing a ball toward a batter by air pressure, a ball rotating means for providing rotation to the ball, and a rotating shaft rotating means for rotating a rotating shaft of the ball. Throwing speed setting means for freely setting the throwing speed of the ball by the throwing means within a continuous range; and rotation speed setting means for freely setting the rotation speed of the ball by a ball rotating means within a continuous range And pitch axis setting means for freely setting the angle of inclination of the axis of rotation of the ball by the axis rotation means within the continuous range. The type of ball thrown from the pitching machine (ball type: straight ball, curve, fork, etc.) can be arbitrarily set using the means and rotational axis angle setting means. .

  In particular, the ball rotating means has a rotating body in contact with the ball, and a pair of pressing bodies arranged at an interval opposite to the rotating body, and holds the ball between the pair of pressing bodies and the rotating body. If the ball is designed to provide rotation to the ball, the ball can be provided with good rotation.

  Also, the throwing means is provided with two upper and lower shutters in the passage where the ball passing from the batter can be seen, and the upper shutter is opened to send the ball to the lower closed shutter through the passage and the ball towards the batter The batter can well recognize the timing at which the ball is thrown out.

The block diagram which shows a pitching machine. Explanatory drawing which shows the throwing speed of a ball, rotational speed, and the inclination angle of a rotating shaft. Side surface sectional drawing which shows a throwing apparatus. The back side partial side expanded sectional view. The same rear side partial plane expanded sectional view. The front side partial side expanded sectional view. The front part partial front enlarged sectional view.

  Hereinafter, a specific configuration of the pitching machine according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the pitching machine 1 includes a throwing means 3 for throwing the ball 2 toward the batter by the pressure of air, and a ball rotating means 4 for providing rotation to the ball 2 in the throwing direction of the ball 2; The rotating shaft rotating means 5 for rotating the rotating shaft of the ball 2 in a direction perpendicular to the throwing direction of the ball 2 is provided. These ball throwing means 3, ball rotating means 4 and rotating shaft rotating means 5 Are connected to the control means 6 and controlled.

  Also, the pitching machine 1 has a pitching speed setting means 7 for freely setting the pitching speed of the ball 2 by the pitching means 3 within a continuous range (for example, 50 Km / h to 160 km / h) Rotation speed setting means 8 for freely setting the rotation speed of the ball 2 (rotation speed per unit time) within a continuous range (for example, 0 rpm to 3000 rpm), and the rotation speed of the ball 2 by the rotation shaft rotation means 5 It has rotational axis angle setting means 9 for freely setting the inclination angle of the rotational axis within a continuous range (for example, 0 degree to 360 degrees), and these pitching speed setting means 7 and rotational speed setting means 8 The rotary shaft angle setting means 9 is connected to the control means 6, and the pitching speed, rotational speed and rotational speed set by the pitching speed setting means 7, the rotational speed setting means 8 and the rotational axis angle setting means 9 by the control means 6 Axis tilt angle ball 2 Are controlled so that the throwing means 3, the ball rotating means 4 and the rotating shaft rotating means 5 are thrown out (see FIG. 2).

  In addition, the pitching machine 1 accommodates said structure in a housing | casing, forms the throwing apparatus 10, and has mounted the throwing apparatus 10 on the upper part of the mount frame 11 so that attachment or detachment is possible. Therefore, the throwing apparatus 10 can be removed from the rack 11 and maintenance work of the throwing apparatus 10 can be performed. Further, the gantry 11 is provided with height adjusting means 12 for adjusting the height, inclination adjusting means 13 for adjusting the inclination of the front and back, and traveling means 14 for moving. Therefore, the height, inclination angle and position of the ball 2 thrown from the throwing device 10 can be easily adjusted.

  The throwing device 10 is, as shown in FIG. 3, at the front end portion of the throwing means 3 for linearly advancing the non-rotational ball 2 forward with air pressure, to the ball 2 shot from the throwing means 3. The ball control means 15 for giving a desired change is connected, and it is configured to throw the ball 2 toward the batter in the front (forward side) from the pitching opening 16 formed at the front end (tip) of the ball control means 15 .

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the throwing means 3 includes an air injection mechanism 17 for injecting high-pressure compressed air, and a ball supply mechanism 18 for supplying the ball 2 to the air injection mechanism 17.

  The air injection mechanism 17 accommodates the compressor 20, the volumetric tank 21 and the on-off valve 22 in the hollow box-shaped casing 19. Here, the compressor 20 supplies a constant volume of air to the constant volume tank 21 per unit time. The constant volume tank 21 is connected to the compressor 20 and stores a fixed volume of air at a predetermined pressure. The on-off valve 22 is provided between the volumetric tank 21 and the ball 2 (ball supply mechanism 18). Control means 6 (computer) is connected to the compressor 20, the volumetric tank 21 and the on-off valve 22.

  In the air injection mechanism 17, when the control means 6 closes the on-off valve 22 and drives the compressor 20, air is supplied from the compressor 20 to the volumetric tank 21. Thereafter, when the on-off valve 22 is opened by the control means 6, an injection pipe provided at the front end of the on-off valve 22 with the compressed air (air compressed at a pressure according to the driving time of the compressor 20) stored in the volumetric tank 21 The ball 23 can be jetted toward the ball 2 inside the ball supply mechanism 18.

  The ball supply mechanism 18 includes a supply device 24 for supplying the balls 2 to the air injection mechanism 17 one by one and a set device 25 for setting the balls 2 one by one to the air injection mechanism 17.

  The supply device 24 connects the ball supply port 26 formed in the ceiling portion of the casing 19 to the lower end portion of the passage 27 which is extended in the upper and lower front and rear slopes, and the pair of upper and lower shutters 28 and 29 in the passage 27. Are mounted at intervals up and down. The control means 6 is connected to the shutters 28 and 29. The passage 27 is transparent or open front so that the passing ball 2 can be visually recognized (visually viewed) from the batter.

  The supply device 24 supplies the balls 2 one by one from the upper end (upper shutter 28) of the passage 27 to the lower end (lower shutter 29) of the passage 27 by appropriately interlocking the upper and lower shutters 28 and 29. At the same time, the balls 2 are supplied ball by ball from the lower end (lower shutter 29) of the passage 27 to the setting device 25 below.

  The set device 25 connects the rear end of the outer cylinder 30 extended in the front and rear direction to the front end of the injection pipe 23 of the on-off valve 22 and slides the inner cylinder 31 extended in the front and rear inside the outer cylinder 30 back and forth It accommodates freely. A communication port 32 communicating with the lower end opening of the passage 27 of the supply device 24 is formed in the front upper portion of the outer cylinder 30. Further, on the left and right sides of the inner cylinder 31, a pair of left and right arms 34, 34 inserted in long holes 33, 33 extending in the front and rear direction formed in the outer cylinder 30 are connected. The electric cylinders 36, 36 supported by the brackets 35, 35 attached to the outer peripheral part of the outer cylinder 30 are connected. The control means 6 is connected to the electric cylinders 36, 36.

  The setting device 25 opens the communication port 32 by moving the inner cylinder 31 backward with the electric cylinders 36, 36, and receives the ball 2 supplied from the supply device 24 into the inside of the outer cylinder 30, and then, By moving the inner cylinder 31 forward with the electric cylinders 36, 36, the ball 2 is pushed to the front end of the outer cylinder 30 at the front end of the inner cylinder 31, and the communication port 32 or the long hole formed in the outer cylinder 30 33, 33 are closed to keep the inside airtight. A packing 37 made of a flexible or elastic material such as rubber or urethane is provided at the front end of the outer cylinder 30, and an opening smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the outer cylinder 30 is formed at the center of the packing 37. Even if the ball 2 is a hard ball having a seam, the opening of the packing 37 enables the ball 2 to be held airtight.

  The throwing means 3 is configured as described above, and supplies the ball 2 from the supply device 24 to the setting device 25 and sets the ball 2 at the front end of the outer cylinder 30 by the setting device 25. By injecting high pressure compressed air from the air injection mechanism 17, the ball 2 is shot forward from the front end of the outer cylinder 30 by air pressure. At this time, the ball 2 is thrown out at a speed according to the air pressure, for example, 80 km / h at 2 atm, 100 km / h at 4 atm, and 120 km / h at 6 atm. Also, the ball 2 is fired forward with almost no rotation in order to be uniformly pushed out by air pressure. Therefore, since the non-rotational ball 2 is thrown out as it is, it changes in an unexpected direction. Therefore, the ball control means 15 is required to rotate the ball 2 so that it can be thrown in a desired direction. In addition, after the ball throwing means 3 sets the ball 2 by the setting device 25, the shutter 28 above the supply device 24 is opened and the ball 2 is sent through the passage 27 to the shutter 29 closed below. It can also be controlled by the air injection mechanism 17 to throw the ball 2 toward the batter.

  The ball control means 15 is an outer cylinder of the ball throwing means 3 in a state in which a hollow cylindrical ball control tube 38 having an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of the ball 2 is extended back and forth as shown in FIGS. A ball rotating means 4 connected to the front end of the ball 30 via a packing 37 and contacting the ball 2 ejected from the throwing means 3 at the front end of the ball control tube 38 to give rotation to the ball 2; A rotating shaft rotating means 5 is provided which rotates the rotating shaft of the ball 2 by rotating left and right. In the ball control tube 38, when the ball 2 discharged from the throwing means 3 passes through the inside of the ball control tube 38, the outer peripheral portion of the ball 2 contacts the inner peripheral portion of the ball control tube 38. It is determined that the firing direction of the control ball 38 coincides with the distraction direction of the control ball tube 38.

  The ball rotation means 4 rotatably inserts a hollow cylindrical connecting pipe 39 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the ball 2 at the front end of the ball control tube 38, and penetrates the lower part of the connecting pipe 39 The hole 40 is formed, and a support 41 covering the through hole 40 is attached to the outer periphery of the connection pipe 39. The support 41 rotatably supports a rotating shaft 42 extending in the left and right direction. A motor 43 attached to the outside of the support 41 is connected to the rotation shaft 42, and a rotating body 44 disposed inside the support 41 is attached. The rotating body 44 projects from the through hole 40 to the inside of the connecting pipe 39, and the outer periphery of the ball 2 passing through the connecting pipe 39 is in contact at one point.

  In addition, the ball rotation means 4 forms a pair of left and right through holes 45, 46 in the upper part of the connecting pipe 39 (a position facing the rotating body 44) and covers the through holes 45, 46 on the outer periphery of the connecting pipe 39. Supports 47 and 48 are attached. The supports 47 and 48 support the pressing bodies 49 and 50 via the holders 51 and 52. The pressing bodies 49 and 50 have a tip end surface (lower end surface: a surface in contact with the ball 2 passing through the connecting pipe 39), and an arc surface having the same diameter as the outer diameter of the ball 2 is formed. The outer circumferences of the balls 2 are in contact with each other. A pair of left and right pressing bodies 49, 50 is disposed at a position facing the rotating body 44 with an interval equal to or greater than the width of the rotating body 44 and presses the ball 2 passing through the connecting tube 39 toward the rotating body 44. It is supposed to Although one or three or more pressing bodies 49 and 50 may be used, a hard ball having a seam as a ball 2 may be provided by providing an interval on the left and right of the pressing body 49 without providing the pressing bodies 49 and 50 at positions facing the rotating body 44. Even in the case of using the above, the area for escaping the seam is secured, and the ball 2 can be favorably rotated by the rotating body 44. For this purpose, the pressing surfaces of the pressing bodies 49 and 50 (the surfaces in contact with the ball 2 passing through the connecting pipe 39) form grooves on the surface such as stepped surfaces instead of arcs and contact with the balls 2 The area may be reduced.

  In this ball rotating means 4, the rotating body 44 is brought into contact with the outer periphery of the non-rotating ball 2 emitted from the throwing means 3 by forcibly rotating the rotating body 44 with the motor 43. I am trying to give it. At this time, the balls 2 are rotated by making the rotational speed of the rotating body 44 different.

  The rotary shaft rotation means 5 mounts the motor 53 on the upper portion of the ball control tube 38 and mounts the pinion 54 on the motor 53 while mounting the rack 55 on the annular ring on the rear end outer peripheral portion of the connection pipe 39 And the pinion 54 are engaged.

  The rotating shaft rotating means 5 rotates the connecting pipe 39 to the left and right with respect to the control ball tube 38 by the motor 53, whereby the ball rotating means 4 rotates left and right in the circumferential direction of the control ball tube 38 It is like that.

  The pitching means 3, the ball rotating means 4 and the rotating shaft rotating means 5 described above are controlled by the control means 6. At that time, the control means 6 controls in the state set by the setting means (pitching speed setting means 7, rotational speed setting means 8, rotational axis angle setting means 9). The setting means are independent of each other, and the setting value can be continuously set in a predetermined range by a variable resistor or the like. Therefore, the pitching speed setting means 7 sets the throwing speed at which the ball 2 is thrown toward the batter and the rotational speed setting means 8 sets the rotational speed (number of revolutions per unit time) of the ball 2 When the inclination angle of the rotation axis of the ball 2 is set at 9, the control means 6 controls the compressor 20 of the throwing means 3 so as to achieve the throwing speed set by the throwing speed setting means 7 and stores it in the volumetric tank 21. Control the motor 43 of the ball rotating means 4 to adjust the pressure of the air jetted toward the ball 2 so as to achieve the rotational speed set by the rotational speed setting means 8. The motor 53 of the rotary shaft rotation means 5 is controlled to adjust the tilt angle set by the rotary shaft angle setting means 9, and the tilt angle of the rotary body 44 of the ball rotation means 4 is adjusted. As a result, the pitching machine 1 can throw the ball 2 toward the batter with various ball types set by the pitching speed setting means 7, the rotation speed setting means 8 and the rotation axis angle setting means 9.

  As described above, the pitching machine 1 has the ball throwing means 3 for throwing the ball 2 by the pressure of air, the ball rotating means 4 for giving rotation to the ball 2, and the rotation shaft for rotating the rotation axis of the ball 2. A throwing speed setting means 7 for freely setting the throwing speed of the ball 2 by the throwing means 3 in a continuous range while having moving means 5 and a range in which the rotational speed of the ball 2 by the ball rotating means 4 is continuous The rotational speed setting means 8 for freely setting it internally, and the rotation axis angle setting means 9 for freely setting the inclination angle of the rotation axis of the ball 2 by the rotation axis rotation means 5 within the continuous range. It has a configuration provided.

  Therefore, in the pitching machine 1 configured as described above, the type of ball 2 thrown from the pitching machine 1 using pitching speed setting means 7, rotation speed setting means 8 and rotation axis angle setting means 9 (ball type: straight ball, curve or fork Etc. can be set arbitrarily.

  Further, in the pitching machine 1, the ball rotating means 4 has a rotating body 44 in contact with the ball 2, and a pair of pressing bodies 49, 50 arranged at intervals opposite to the rotating body 44. The ball 2 is held between the pair of pressing bodies 49 and 50 and the rotating body 44, and the ball 2 is rotated.

  Therefore, in the pitching machine 1, the ball 2 can be favorably rotated by the ball rotating means 4.

  Furthermore, in the pitching machine 1, two throws 28 and 29 are provided in the passage 27 where the throwing means 3 can visually recognize the ball 2 passing from the batter, the upper shutter 28 is opened and the ball 2 is passed through the passage 27 And the ball 2 is thrown out toward the batter.

  Therefore, in the pitching machine 1 configured as described above, the batter can well recognize the timing at which the ball 2 is thrown out by the throwing means 3.

1 pitching machine 2 ball 3 throwing means 4 ball rotating means 5 rotating shaft turning means 6 control means 7 throwing speed setting means 8 rotational speed setting means 9 rotating shaft angle setting means 10 throwing machine
11 stand 12 height adjustment means
13 Tilt adjustment means 14 Driving means
15 control means 16 pitcher
17 Air injection mechanism 18 Ball supply mechanism
19 casing 20 compressor
21 constant volume tank 22 opening and closing valve
23 injection pipe 24 supply device
25 set device 26 ball supply port
27 passage 28, 29 shutter
30 Outer cylinder 31 inner cylinder
32 communication port 33 long hole
34 arm 35 bracket
36 electric cylinder 37 packing
38 Control ball 39 Connection pipe
40 through hole 41 support
42 rotating shaft 43 motor
44 Rotating body 45, 46 Through hole
47, 48 Support 49, 50 Press
51, 52 Carrier 53 Motor
54 pinion 55 rack

Claims (3)

Throwing means for throwing the ball toward the batter by the pressure of air,
Ball rotation means for giving rotation to the ball;
Rotation shaft rotating means for rotating the rotation shaft of the ball;
In a pitching machine having
Throwing speed setting means for freely setting the throwing speed of the ball by the throwing means within a continuous range;
Rotation speed setting means for freely setting the rotation speed of the ball by the ball rotation means within a continuous range;
Rotation axis angle setting means for freely setting the inclination angle of the rotation axis of the ball by the rotation axis rotation means within a continuous range;
The pitching machine characterized by having provided.   The ball rotating means has a rotating body in contact with the ball and a pair of pressing bodies arranged at an interval opposite to the rotating body, and holds the ball between the pair of pressing bodies and the rotating body. A pitching machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it is arranged to impart rotation to the ball.   The throwing means is provided with two upper and lower shutters in the passage where the ball passing from the batter can be seen, and the upper shutter is opened to send the ball to the lower closed shutter through the passage and direct the ball towards the batter The pitching machine according to claim 1, wherein the pitching machine is thrown out.

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