US20190176008A1 - Squash ball launching machine - Google Patents
Squash ball launching machine Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20190176008A1 US20190176008A1 US16/217,932 US201816217932A US2019176008A1 US 20190176008 A1 US20190176008 A1 US 20190176008A1 US 201816217932 A US201816217932 A US 201816217932A US 2019176008 A1 US2019176008 A1 US 2019176008A1
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- United States
- Prior art keywords
- feed tube
- base unit
- balls
- ball launcher
- automatic ball
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- Abandoned
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- 235000020354 squash Nutrition 0.000 title claims description 30
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Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B69/00—Training appliances or apparatus for special sports
- A63B69/40—Stationarily-arranged devices for projecting balls or other bodies
- A63B69/406—Stationarily-arranged devices for projecting balls or other bodies with rotating discs, wheels or pulleys gripping and propelling the balls or bodies by friction
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B47/00—Devices for handling or treating balls, e.g. for holding or carrying balls
- A63B47/005—Ball heating devices
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B47/00—Devices for handling or treating balls, e.g. for holding or carrying balls
- A63B47/02—Devices for handling or treating balls, e.g. for holding or carrying balls for picking-up or collecting
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2102/00—Application of clubs, bats, rackets or the like to the sporting activity ; particular sports involving the use of balls and clubs, bats, rackets, or the like
- A63B2102/06—Squash
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
- A63B2220/70—Measuring or simulating ambient conditions, e.g. weather, terrain or surface conditions
- A63B2220/72—Temperature
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2220/00—Measuring of physical parameters relating to sporting activity
- A63B2220/80—Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor
- A63B2220/83—Special sensors, transducers or devices therefor characterised by the position of the sensor
- A63B2220/833—Sensors arranged on the exercise apparatus or sports implement
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2225/00—Miscellaneous features of sport apparatus, devices or equipment
- A63B2225/09—Adjustable dimensions
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2225/00—Miscellaneous features of sport apparatus, devices or equipment
- A63B2225/09—Adjustable dimensions
- A63B2225/093—Height
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
- A63B2225/00—Miscellaneous features of sport apparatus, devices or equipment
- A63B2225/64—Heated
Definitions
- the present invention relates generally to automatic sporting projectile and ball feeders, and more particularly, to automatic feeders with the ability to hold multiple balls/projectiles and selectively heat the balls prior to discharge.
- Typical ball launchers employ one or more counter-rotating flywheels that launch the ball when the ball comes in contact with the outer surface of the flywheel.
- Such ball launchers can be configured for launching a variety of projectiles, such as balls used in squash, tennis, cricket, baseball, softball, American football, football, volleyball, pickle ball, etc., and non-spherical projectiles such as shuttlecocks used in badminton.
- Conventional squash ball launchers are designed for group use (e.g., club, team, coach).
- the basic components are a hopper, a heater and the shooter mechanism.
- Such hoppers can have a capacity of up to 80-100 balls.
- the heater is provided to the hopper because tournament grade squash balls must be warmed up to a surface temperature of +/ ⁇ 44 degrees Celsius to bounce properly. In match play, the ball is warmed sufficiently by being struck. But in a hopper with an 80-ball capacity, no ball is struck often enough to become warmed up sufficiently. Thus, the heater is provided.
- a significant drawback to the conventional squash ball launchers described above is that the weight and size (and cost) of the apparatus makes it impractical for an individual to own and use. Moreover, the portability of such machine is poor. Therefore, conventional squash ball launchers are typically owned by groups such as teams or clubs, are used by more than one person, and are stored court-side.
- a projectile launcher that is particularly well suited to automatically feed and launch squash balls.
- the balls are staged in a tubular collector.
- the balls are heated within the collector to a desired temperature.
- the collector is inserted into the top of a base unit that contains the flywheels for launching the heated balls one at a time.
- the base unit is sufficiently small that it can be mounted on a tri-pod, which increases the range of shots that can be simulated. For example, the size and configuration will allow balls to be fed from a location in front of the player.
- the ball launching system is also conveniently lightweight, so it is portable and well suited for use by an individual, yet powerful enough to replicate the ball velocities provided by top of the line conventional ball launching machines.
- an automatic ball launcher that includes a base unit and a feed tube coupled to the base unit.
- the base unit includes an enclosure defining a forward opening where the balls eject and a top opening for receiving the feed tube.
- a pair of counter-rotating flywheels are disposed in a common plane and located inside of the enclosure.
- the feed tube includes an elongated tubular body with an open top end covered by a removable cap and an open bottom end configured to be securely inserted into the top opening of the enclosure.
- the feed tube can include a heating element to heat the balls to a desired temperature prior to launch.
- the feed tube can be used to collect balls from the ground without the user needing to bend over.
- a plurality of adjustable front feet can be provided to the enclosure that telescope vertically downwards from a bottom surface of the enclosure.
- a vertically extending stand or tripod can also be secured to the enclosure so that the base unit is maintained in an elevated position.
- the pair of counter-rotating flywheels each can comprise a rubber material located such that the ball is contacted by the rubber material during a launching event.
- the common plane can be a horizontal plane, a vertical plane, and can be an oblique angle with respect to the horizontal plane.
- the orientation angle of the common plane can also be adjustable.
- the pair of counter-rotating flywheels can be mounted atop a frame that is disposed within the enclosure. At least one flywheel of the pair of counter-rotating flywheels can be disposed in an adjustable track so that a spacing distance defined between the pair of flywheels is adjustable.
- the base unit can further include a ball speed adjustment selector.
- the feed tube can further include a heating element provided to the tubular body or it can be embedded within the tubular body. Insulation can be provided to the exterior surface of the tubular body.
- the heating element can be a resistive heating element.
- a temperature sensor can be disposed within the feed tube.
- the feed tube can further comprise a solenoid provided to the open bottom end to prevent balls from prematurely exiting through the bottom end.
- the method can include storing a plurality of squash balls inside of a feed tube while the feed tube is coupled to a launching base unit, heating the plurality of squash balls stored inside of the feed tube with heating elements disposed in the feed tube until the squash balls reach a desired temperature, and launching the heated squash balls with the launching base unit one at a time while maintaining the desired temperature of the heated squash balls in the feed tube that have not yet been launched.
- the feed tube can be removed from the launching base unit and used to retrieve the squash balls by centering the lower opening over a ball and pushing the feed tube downwards towards the squash ball until the squash ball slips inside of the feed tube.
- a launch angle of the launching base unit can be adjusted by extending one or more feet downwards from a bottom side of the launching base unit.
- a vertical height of the launching base unit can be adjusted by mounting the launching base unit atop a tripod or a stand. The height of the tripod or stand can be adjustable.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 2 is another perspective view of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a feed tube for an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the frame and flywheels sub-assembly of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 6 is a perspective view diagram of a heated ball collector of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 7 is a top view diagram of a heated ball collector of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention.
- FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a squash court showing various example deployment configurations for an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- FIG. 9 is another perspective view of a squash court showing various example deployment configurations for an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
- the automatic ball launcher 100 includes a launching base unit 102 , a vertical feed tube 104 A or 104 B coupled to the base unit 102 and an optional stand 106 .
- the stand can be a tripod, such as shown, or other raised platform. This allows for a wide variety of shot simulations to be performed.
- balls 101 such as squash balls
- feed tube 104 B a plurality of balls 101 , such as squash balls
- the invention can be adapted or adjusted to work with other types of balls.
- a basic feed tube 104 A is a simple tube through which the squash balls are inserted and held while being fed into the base unit 102 .
- the other feed tube 104 B includes heating elements to heat the balls in the tube, if desired.
- the feed tube will be generally designated as 104 hereinafter.
- the feed tube 104 is removable so that it can be used to collect balls 101 and hold them in a ready condition for introduction to the base unit 102 .
- the tube 104 defines a cylindrical or tubular body with a bottom end having a lower collection opening 126 and an open top end covered by a cap 128 .
- the cap 128 keeps balls from overflowing out the top of the tubular body.
- the lower collection opening 126 defines an orifice that only permits one-way travel of the ball upwards into the tube 104 so that the balls do not fall out the bottom end.
- the orifice can be a spring-actuated lever or other means for creating an interference with the balls exiting the lower opening 126 .
- the user pushes the tube 104 downwards over a ball on the ground so that the ball pushes past the orifice and enters the tube's interior.
- the ball is retained inside of the tube.
- Subsequent balls are pushed upwards by the same process until the tube is filled to the cap 128 .
- balls can be retrieved without the need of the user to bend over.
- the user can insert the lower opening 126 into the feed opening 112 in the top of the base unit 102 .
- the base unit 102 includes an enclosure 103 with an opening 110 in the front where the balls eject from the device and a feed opening 112 in the top side where the feed tube 104 protrudes above the enclosure 103 .
- the balls are staged into the open top 105 of the feed tube 104 to form a column of several balls that wait to be launched, one at a time, from the launcher.
- the opposing bottom end of the feed tube 104 is disposed into the feed opening 112 and presents one ball at a time to an inlet located between the side-by-side flywheels 114 (shown in FIG. 4 ).
- a solenoid or other metering means is employed to hold back the ball to be launched until the proper timing setting is satisfied or until triggered by the user.
- a pair of electric motors 115 are provided such that each turns a respective one of the pair of flywheels 114 at a sufficient rotational speed (in opposite directions) to impart a desired initial launch velocity of the ball 101 .
- the initial launch velocity can be set by the user with a dial 116 (shown in FIG. 2 ) or other input means on the base unit 102 .
- the motors 115 can be powered by electricity supplied by a cord, onboard batteries or other suitable power source.
- a single motor can also be used in an alternative embodiment where the motor is coupled to each of the flywheels 114 .
- the flywheels 114 shown in FIG. 4 are disposed in a horizontal orientation in a common plane. However, the flywheels can also be disposed in a vertical plane or at any other plane angle between the vertical and horizontal planes.
- the horizontal spacing of the flywheels 114 can be adjusted via a track 118 defined in the frame 120 to which the flywheels 114 are mounted. This feature allows the base unit 102 to accommodate a wide range of ball diameters and types.
- the feed tube 104 may also be switched to a tube with a larger inner diameter, if necessary, to accommodate the outer diameter of the balls being fed.
- the flywheels 114 can also be changed to provide different circumferential surface types and textures adapted for different types of balls.
- the outer circumferential surfaces can be a firm rubber, soft rubber, metal, plastic, knurled, smooth, etc.
- FIG. 5 further illustrates many of the foregoing components as shown in an exploded parts view.
- the balls 101 in the tube 104 can be heated via a plurality of heating elements 130 disposed within the body of the tube.
- the heating elements 130 can be longitudinally-extending resistive heating rods as shown in the figures, or they can take another form that still allows the balls to be collected.
- the heating elements 130 can also be molded or formed into the tubular body 104 itself.
- the heating elements 130 are connected to an electrical power source 132 such as the one that is used to power the device 100 .
- the tubular body 104 can be covered with an insulating material 134 , such as polystyrene, to better maintain the heat in the balls 101 and minimize heat input needs for the heating elements 130 .
- an insulating material 134 such as polystyrene
- a temperature sensor 136 can also be placed within the tubular body 104 so that the ball temperature can be monitored. That way, the user can set a specified temperature, and the heating system can maintain the balls at the set temperature automatically by adjusting the power to the heating elements as needed.
- the tube 104 can also be used with other ball launching machines other than the machine disclosed herein.
- the heated ball collecting tube 104 advantageously allows the ball launching machine 100 to be made lighter and simpler since no means for heating the balls is required due to the balls being heated prior to introduction of the ball into the launching chamber.
- a plurality of feet 122 extend below the base unit 102 to provide for stability.
- the front feet 122 can be adjusted up and down so that the angle of launch with respect to the horizon can be adjusted at any desired setting within the range of travel of the feet 122 .
- machine 100 A is in a low trajectory setting so that the ball will be launched at a small angle relative to the horizon or the floor of the court.
- machine 100 B is at a much larger angle of launch because the front feet 122 are greatly extended.
- the machine 100 can also be mounted at a raised height (e.g. on tripod 106 ) to simulate an attacking shot.
- both machines 100 A and 100 B are again shown.
- Additional machine 100 C is also seen mounted atop a tripod 106 for added elevation but with a smaller launch angle than machine 1006 .
- the automatic ball feeding and launching system disclosed herein is advantageous for being light, portable and powerful.
- the tube used as a collector provides for quick collection of balls.
- the launcher device can be adjusted to feed high-to-low and feed while located in front of the player.
- multiple ball launchers can be used together simultaneously in a variety of configurations, such as shown in FIG. 8 or FIG. 9 , in order to create shot patterns that would not be possible with a single machine.
- shots can be created from low launch point to correspond generally with a defensive shot. Raising the launch height allows a range of attacking (high to low) shots to be simulated.
- balls can be hand-fed one at a time into the launching apparatus 100 .
Abstract
Description
- This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/598,344, filed on Dec. 13, 2017, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- The present invention relates generally to automatic sporting projectile and ball feeders, and more particularly, to automatic feeders with the ability to hold multiple balls/projectiles and selectively heat the balls prior to discharge.
- Automatic ball launchers are known. Typical ball launchers employ one or more counter-rotating flywheels that launch the ball when the ball comes in contact with the outer surface of the flywheel. Such ball launchers can be configured for launching a variety of projectiles, such as balls used in squash, tennis, cricket, baseball, softball, American football, football, volleyball, pickle ball, etc., and non-spherical projectiles such as shuttlecocks used in badminton.
- Conventional squash ball launchers are designed for group use (e.g., club, team, coach). The basic components are a hopper, a heater and the shooter mechanism. Such hoppers can have a capacity of up to 80-100 balls. The heater is provided to the hopper because tournament grade squash balls must be warmed up to a surface temperature of +/−44 degrees Celsius to bounce properly. In match play, the ball is warmed sufficiently by being struck. But in a hopper with an 80-ball capacity, no ball is struck often enough to become warmed up sufficiently. Thus, the heater is provided.
- A significant drawback to the conventional squash ball launchers described above is that the weight and size (and cost) of the apparatus makes it impractical for an individual to own and use. Moreover, the portability of such machine is poor. Therefore, conventional squash ball launchers are typically owned by groups such as teams or clubs, are used by more than one person, and are stored court-side.
- Another drawback is that the overall height of existing squash ball launchers and their fixed firing height, bulk and limited range of firing angles all severely limit the variety of possible shot simulations, for example, high looped shots from the front of the court, shots played from high to low, or shots where the machine is ideally placed in front of the user. Shot simulations such as feeder feeds and player retrieves can only be practiced with the machine located behind the player on the court (relative to the front wall), which is dangerous because a ball can be launched at up to 150 kilometers per hour.
- Therefore, there is a continuing need to provide an improved ball launching machine that overcomes the deficiencies of prior art devices as completely as possible.
- Provided is a projectile launcher that is particularly well suited to automatically feed and launch squash balls. However, any other ball or rounded projectile can be used. The balls are staged in a tubular collector. The balls are heated within the collector to a desired temperature. The collector is inserted into the top of a base unit that contains the flywheels for launching the heated balls one at a time. The base unit is sufficiently small that it can be mounted on a tri-pod, which increases the range of shots that can be simulated. For example, the size and configuration will allow balls to be fed from a location in front of the player. The ball launching system is also conveniently lightweight, so it is portable and well suited for use by an individual, yet powerful enough to replicate the ball velocities provided by top of the line conventional ball launching machines.
- Provided is an automatic ball launcher that includes a base unit and a feed tube coupled to the base unit. The base unit includes an enclosure defining a forward opening where the balls eject and a top opening for receiving the feed tube. A pair of counter-rotating flywheels are disposed in a common plane and located inside of the enclosure. The feed tube includes an elongated tubular body with an open top end covered by a removable cap and an open bottom end configured to be securely inserted into the top opening of the enclosure. The feed tube can include a heating element to heat the balls to a desired temperature prior to launch. The feed tube can be used to collect balls from the ground without the user needing to bend over.
- A plurality of adjustable front feet can be provided to the enclosure that telescope vertically downwards from a bottom surface of the enclosure. A vertically extending stand or tripod can also be secured to the enclosure so that the base unit is maintained in an elevated position.
- The pair of counter-rotating flywheels each can comprise a rubber material located such that the ball is contacted by the rubber material during a launching event.
- The common plane can be a horizontal plane, a vertical plane, and can be an oblique angle with respect to the horizontal plane. The orientation angle of the common plane can also be adjustable.
- The pair of counter-rotating flywheels can be mounted atop a frame that is disposed within the enclosure. At least one flywheel of the pair of counter-rotating flywheels can be disposed in an adjustable track so that a spacing distance defined between the pair of flywheels is adjustable.
- The base unit can further include a ball speed adjustment selector.
- The feed tube can further include a heating element provided to the tubular body or it can be embedded within the tubular body. Insulation can be provided to the exterior surface of the tubular body. The heating element can be a resistive heating element. A temperature sensor can be disposed within the feed tube.
- The feed tube can further comprise a solenoid provided to the open bottom end to prevent balls from prematurely exiting through the bottom end.
- Further provided is a method of preparing and launching squash balls. The method can include storing a plurality of squash balls inside of a feed tube while the feed tube is coupled to a launching base unit, heating the plurality of squash balls stored inside of the feed tube with heating elements disposed in the feed tube until the squash balls reach a desired temperature, and launching the heated squash balls with the launching base unit one at a time while maintaining the desired temperature of the heated squash balls in the feed tube that have not yet been launched.
- The feed tube can be removed from the launching base unit and used to retrieve the squash balls by centering the lower opening over a ball and pushing the feed tube downwards towards the squash ball until the squash ball slips inside of the feed tube.
- A launch angle of the launching base unit can be adjusted by extending one or more feet downwards from a bottom side of the launching base unit. A vertical height of the launching base unit can be adjusted by mounting the launching base unit atop a tripod or a stand. The height of the tripod or stand can be adjustable.
- The above summary is not intended to limit the scope of the invention, or describe each embodiment, aspect, implementation, feature or advantage of the invention. The detailed technology and preferred embodiments for the subject invention are described in the following paragraphs accompanying the appended drawings for people skilled in this field to well appreciate the features of the claimed invention. It is understood that the features mentioned hereinbefore and those to be commented on hereinafter may be used not only in the specified combinations, but also in other combinations or in isolation, without departing from the scope of the present invention.
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FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 2 is another perspective view of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a feed tube for an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the frame and flywheels sub-assembly of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 6 is a perspective view diagram of a heated ball collector of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 7 is a top view diagram of a heated ball collector of an automatic ball launching system in accordance with certain embodiments of the invention. -
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a squash court showing various example deployment configurations for an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. -
FIG. 9 is another perspective view of a squash court showing various example deployment configurations for an automatic ball launching system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. - While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms, specifics thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the intention is not to limit the invention to the particular example embodiments described. On the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
- In the following descriptions, the present invention will be explained with reference to various exemplary embodiments. Nevertheless, these embodiments are not intended to limit the present invention to any specific example, environment, application, or particular implementation described herein. Therefore, descriptions of these example embodiments are only provided for purpose of illustration rather than to limit the present invention.
- Referring to
FIG. 1 , theautomatic ball launcher 100 includes alaunching base unit 102, avertical feed tube base unit 102 and anoptional stand 106. The stand can be a tripod, such as shown, or other raised platform. This allows for a wide variety of shot simulations to be performed. - Note that a plurality of
balls 101, such as squash balls, are shown inside offeed tube 104B. Of course, the invention can be adapted or adjusted to work with other types of balls. - Two different types of feed tubes are shown. A
basic feed tube 104A is a simple tube through which the squash balls are inserted and held while being fed into thebase unit 102. Theother feed tube 104B includes heating elements to heat the balls in the tube, if desired. The feed tube will be generally designated as 104 hereinafter. - The
feed tube 104 is removable so that it can be used to collectballs 101 and hold them in a ready condition for introduction to thebase unit 102. Referring toFIG. 3 , thetube 104 defines a cylindrical or tubular body with a bottom end having alower collection opening 126 and an open top end covered by acap 128. Thecap 128 keeps balls from overflowing out the top of the tubular body. Thelower collection opening 126 defines an orifice that only permits one-way travel of the ball upwards into thetube 104 so that the balls do not fall out the bottom end. The orifice can be a spring-actuated lever or other means for creating an interference with the balls exiting thelower opening 126. - In use, the user pushes the
tube 104 downwards over a ball on the ground so that the ball pushes past the orifice and enters the tube's interior. Thus, the ball is retained inside of the tube. Subsequent balls are pushed upwards by the same process until the tube is filled to thecap 128. Thus, balls can be retrieved without the need of the user to bend over. - The user can insert the
lower opening 126 into thefeed opening 112 in the top of thebase unit 102. There is structure inside of theorifice 112 to selectively retract the lever so that the balls can be fed one-at-a-time into the inlet of the flywheels. - The
base unit 102 includes anenclosure 103 with anopening 110 in the front where the balls eject from the device and afeed opening 112 in the top side where thefeed tube 104 protrudes above theenclosure 103. The balls are staged into theopen top 105 of thefeed tube 104 to form a column of several balls that wait to be launched, one at a time, from the launcher. The opposing bottom end of thefeed tube 104 is disposed into thefeed opening 112 and presents one ball at a time to an inlet located between the side-by-side flywheels 114 (shown inFIG. 4 ). A solenoid or other metering means is employed to hold back the ball to be launched until the proper timing setting is satisfied or until triggered by the user. - Referring to
FIG. 4 , a pair ofelectric motors 115 are provided such that each turns a respective one of the pair offlywheels 114 at a sufficient rotational speed (in opposite directions) to impart a desired initial launch velocity of theball 101. The initial launch velocity can be set by the user with a dial 116 (shown inFIG. 2 ) or other input means on thebase unit 102. Themotors 115 can be powered by electricity supplied by a cord, onboard batteries or other suitable power source. A single motor can also be used in an alternative embodiment where the motor is coupled to each of theflywheels 114. - The
flywheels 114 shown inFIG. 4 are disposed in a horizontal orientation in a common plane. However, the flywheels can also be disposed in a vertical plane or at any other plane angle between the vertical and horizontal planes. - By varying plane angle and the relative speed of the
counter-rotating flywheels 114, a variety of spins can be imparted to the ball being launched. - The horizontal spacing of the
flywheels 114 can be adjusted via atrack 118 defined in theframe 120 to which theflywheels 114 are mounted. This feature allows thebase unit 102 to accommodate a wide range of ball diameters and types. Thefeed tube 104 may also be switched to a tube with a larger inner diameter, if necessary, to accommodate the outer diameter of the balls being fed. - The
flywheels 114 can also be changed to provide different circumferential surface types and textures adapted for different types of balls. For example, the outer circumferential surfaces can be a firm rubber, soft rubber, metal, plastic, knurled, smooth, etc. -
FIG. 5 further illustrates many of the foregoing components as shown in an exploded parts view. - Referring now to
FIGS. 6-7 , theballs 101 in thetube 104 can be heated via a plurality ofheating elements 130 disposed within the body of the tube. Theheating elements 130 can be longitudinally-extending resistive heating rods as shown in the figures, or they can take another form that still allows the balls to be collected. Theheating elements 130 can also be molded or formed into thetubular body 104 itself. Theheating elements 130 are connected to anelectrical power source 132 such as the one that is used to power thedevice 100. - The
tubular body 104 can be covered with an insulatingmaterial 134, such as polystyrene, to better maintain the heat in theballs 101 and minimize heat input needs for theheating elements 130. - A
temperature sensor 136 can also be placed within thetubular body 104 so that the ball temperature can be monitored. That way, the user can set a specified temperature, and the heating system can maintain the balls at the set temperature automatically by adjusting the power to the heating elements as needed. - The
tube 104 can also be used with other ball launching machines other than the machine disclosed herein. - The heated
ball collecting tube 104 advantageously allows theball launching machine 100 to be made lighter and simpler since no means for heating the balls is required due to the balls being heated prior to introduction of the ball into the launching chamber. - Referring to
FIGS. 8-9 , a plurality offeet 122 extend below thebase unit 102 to provide for stability. Thefront feet 122 can be adjusted up and down so that the angle of launch with respect to the horizon can be adjusted at any desired setting within the range of travel of thefeet 122. - In
FIG. 8 , themachine 100A is in a low trajectory setting so that the ball will be launched at a small angle relative to the horizon or the floor of the court. In contrast,machine 100B is at a much larger angle of launch because thefront feet 122 are greatly extended. Themachine 100 can also be mounted at a raised height (e.g. on tripod 106) to simulate an attacking shot. - In
FIG. 9 , bothmachines Additional machine 100C is also seen mounted atop atripod 106 for added elevation but with a smaller launch angle than machine 1006. These variations and the ability to change the launch speed provide for a wide variety of launch characteristics to be selected by the user. - The automatic ball feeding and launching system disclosed herein is advantageous for being light, portable and powerful. The tube used as a collector provides for quick collection of balls. The launcher device can be adjusted to feed high-to-low and feed while located in front of the player.
- In yet another aspect, multiple ball launchers can be used together simultaneously in a variety of configurations, such as shown in
FIG. 8 orFIG. 9 , in order to create shot patterns that would not be possible with a single machine. For example, shots can be created from low launch point to correspond generally with a defensive shot. Raising the launch height allows a range of attacking (high to low) shots to be simulated. - In a further use case, balls can be hand-fed one at a time into the
launching apparatus 100. This simulates a typical coaching/training scenario where a coach/player A feeds a ball and player B executes a desired shot in return. This provides for greater accuracy and control, particularly for difficult-to-execute feeds, for example, simulated serves to player B's backhand. - While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments. It will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and equivalent arrangements can be made thereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, such scope to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and products. Moreover, features or aspects of various example embodiments may be mixed and matched (even if such combination is not explicitly described herein) without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims (20)
Priority Applications (1)
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US16/217,932 US20190176008A1 (en) | 2017-12-13 | 2018-12-12 | Squash ball launching machine |
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US201762598344P | 2017-12-13 | 2017-12-13 | |
US16/217,932 US20190176008A1 (en) | 2017-12-13 | 2018-12-12 | Squash ball launching machine |
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US20190176008A1 true US20190176008A1 (en) | 2019-06-13 |
Family
ID=64949235
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US16/217,932 Abandoned US20190176008A1 (en) | 2017-12-13 | 2018-12-12 | Squash ball launching machine |
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US (1) | US20190176008A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2019115719A1 (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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CN112642117A (en) * | 2020-12-18 | 2021-04-13 | 华南理工大学广州学院 | Working method of ball picking and serving device |
CN113181618A (en) * | 2021-04-13 | 2021-07-30 | 燕山大学 | Badminton serving machine and method for belt friction serving |
WO2021228994A1 (en) * | 2020-05-13 | 2021-11-18 | Stingray Squash Machines Limited | Squash ball launching machine |
US20220104990A1 (en) * | 2020-10-05 | 2022-04-07 | Altimate Medical Holdings, Inc. | Carriable complex rehabiltation technology systems |
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DE3151886A1 (en) * | 1981-12-30 | 1983-07-07 | Erick Klaus Richter | Serving machine for squash balls |
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US4632088A (en) * | 1983-02-28 | 1986-12-30 | Bruce Norman R | Ball throwing apparatus |
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US20080032828A1 (en) * | 2006-08-02 | 2008-02-07 | Alger Jeffrey H | Soccer ball delivery system and method |
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WO2021228994A1 (en) * | 2020-05-13 | 2021-11-18 | Stingray Squash Machines Limited | Squash ball launching machine |
US11724170B2 (en) | 2020-05-13 | 2023-08-15 | Stingray Squash Machines Limited | Squash ball launching machine |
US20220104990A1 (en) * | 2020-10-05 | 2022-04-07 | Altimate Medical Holdings, Inc. | Carriable complex rehabiltation technology systems |
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CN113181618A (en) * | 2021-04-13 | 2021-07-30 | 燕山大学 | Badminton serving machine and method for belt friction serving |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
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WO2019115719A1 (en) | 2019-06-20 |
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