U.S. patent application number 11/077866 was filed with the patent office on 2005-09-22 for device for automatically picking up objects.
Invention is credited to Colens, Andre.
Application Number | 20050204717 11/077866 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 3891966 |
Filed Date | 2005-09-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050204717 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Colens, Andre |
September 22, 2005 |
Device for automatically picking up objects
Abstract
A system for picking up golf balls over a golf practice green
consists of an automatic mobile machine equipped with a motor and a
power source, for example a rechargeable battery, and provided with
an onboard computer. The machine carries a mechanical device for
gripping and storing the golf balls in a container, a device for
emptying such container, a device for detecting the limits of the
surface for picking up. The system further comprise at least a
station for discharging the balls picked up and preferably a
station for recharging the rechargeable batteries. Both stations
are advantageously integrated to each other.
Inventors: |
Colens, Andre; (Rixensart,
BE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
ARMSTRONG, KRATZ, QUINTOS,
HANSON & BROOKS, LLP
Intellectual Property Law Offices
502 Washington Avenue, Suite 220
Towson
MD
21204
US
|
Family ID: |
3891966 |
Appl. No.: |
11/077866 |
Filed: |
March 11, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11077866 |
Mar 11, 2005 |
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10030745 |
Dec 14, 2001 |
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10030745 |
Dec 14, 2001 |
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PCT/BE00/00064 |
Jun 16, 2000 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
56/344 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2047/022 20130101;
A63B 47/021 20130101; E01H 1/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
056/344 |
International
Class: |
A63B 057/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 17, 1999 |
BE |
9900422 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system for picking up and collecting golf balls, dead leaves
and paper sheets in a golf practice without interrupting the
players comprising an automatic mobile machine provided with an
on-board computer and a power source, said machine having
mechanical means to pick up and store said golf balls, dead leaves
and paper sheets, the machine being programmed to move in a
substantially random way on said golf practice to pick up and store
said golf balls, dead leaves and paper sheets in a container and to
return, and automatically unload, by gravity action, the golf
balls, at a station, said station being provided with recharging
means for said power source.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein said golf practice is provided
with a wire extending at the periphery of said golf practice and
being detectable by a detector carried by the machine.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the automatic mobile machine
reaches the station by following the golf practice limiting wire,
the station being situated along said wire or on an extension
thereof.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the mechanical means to pick up
the golf balls, dead leaves and paper sheets is a driven rotating
flexible disc system.
5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a recharging means and
unloading means for the golf balls, dead leaves and paper sheets
are coupled.
6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine has a
plurality of spaced-apart flexible discs connected to a transverse
rotation shaft such that the golf balls, dead leaves and paper
sheets become wedged between adjacent flexible discs, a plurality
of fingers disposed transversely on the machine between the
flexible discs to extract the golf balls, dead leave and paper
sheets out of the discs wherein the golf balls, dead leaves and
paper sheets fall into the container.
7. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the station has a means
to transmit at least one directional beam, the machine having a
receiver to receive the at least one directional beam such that the
machine may be controlled to direct the machine to the station.
8. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the station comprises a
recovery bowl for the golf balls, dead leaves and paper sheets
equipped with a lifting system and connected to a duct which is
adapted to convey the golf balls, dead leaves and paper sheets at
least partly by gravity from the mobile machine.
9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the station is raised,
the station having ramps connected to an elevated platform, the
mobile machine being directed onto the platform, a recovery bowl
being disposed under the platform wherein the container in the
mobile machine is emptied into the recovery bowl.
10. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the container for the
golf balls, dead leaves and paper sheets has a door, the door being
opened by the computer to empty the container.
11. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the
station having means to recharge the power source.
12. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the station has at
least one fixed rail which is adapted to come in contact with one
of two side brushes carried by the automatic mobile machine, and
side brushes detecting the presence of the fixed rail.
13. The system as claimed in claim 1, further having a detector,
the detector sensing when the power source is in need of recharging
and when the container is full such that the detector directs the
machine to the station.
Description
[0001] Most golf clubs have a practice green, i.e. a lawn surface
designed for the training of golf players.
[0002] Golfers practice their "drives" from a reserved space and
hit balls to distances which are typically of 50 to 200 meters.
These balls have to be regularly picked up and returned to the
driving site.
[0003] Special golf ball pick up machines, particularly operating
on practice greens are already known. They generally operate with a
system which comprises spaced flexible disks having the width of a
golf ball (see for instance U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,388). The disks
rotate and are vertically fitted on a horizontal shaft,
perpendicular to the forward movement of the machine, the latter
being pulled by a self-propelled vehicle or pushed by hand.
[0004] In order to prevent an excessive number of balls from being
in circulation, the picking up action has to be performed
regularly, which involves a considerable labor cost and a regular
disturbance for golf players.
[0005] Hence, there exists an actual need for a system that picks
up balls in a fully automatic manner, and that can operate without
interrupting the players and with no risk of accidents due to
strong drives.
[0006] This invention provides a fully automatic system for picking
up and returning balls, which needs no labor and allows the players
to keep on practicing while balls are picked up.
[0007] In a more general manner, the invention provides a system
for picking up objects on a delimited surface, consisting of an
automatic mobile machine equipped with a motor and a power source,
e.g. a rechargeable battery, and provided with an onboard computer.
The machine carries a mechanical device for gripping and storing
objects in a container, a device for emptying said container, a
device for detecting the limits of the surface for picking up. The
system further comprises at least one station for recharging the
rechargeable batteries and one station for unloading the picked up
objects.
[0008] According to an aspect of the invention, the system includes
a self-contained mobile machine which circulates in a random or
pseudo-random manner, over the ball pick-up surface.
[0009] In a well-known manner, the surface is preferably delimited
by a peripheral wire wherein a low frequency signal circulates to
be detected by the machine. Other systems for delimiting the
operating surface may be used, including physical obstacles, such
as those described in patent application no. PCT/BE91/00068, which
discloses a robotic lawn mower.
[0010] The pick up machine includes a chassis and driving and
guiding members which are known per se, e.g. like those described
in patent applications PCT/BE91/00068 and PCT/BE98/00038.
[0011] The mowing system disclosed in the above documents is
replaced by a system for picking up balls. The system for picking
up balls consists, for instance, of a roller formed by a set of
parallel flexible disks, which have a suitable profile and are
spaced at a distance which is equal or slightly lower than a ball
diameter. As the machine advances, the flexible disk system which
rests on the ground is passively driven into rotation and rolls
over the balls it finds in its way. The roller wedges the latter
between two adjacent flexible disks which, by the ascending
circular movement and the effect of deviation members in the
descending path, bring them back into a collecting basket supported
by the machine. The flexible disk system is preferably fitted on
one or more joints, or is anyway flexibly mounted, which allows it
to stay in contact with the ground in case of irregularities. The
collecting basket has an opening on its bottom side, which is
controlled by the onboard computer.
[0012] In accordance with one embodiment, the flexible disk system
comprises an articulated shaft which is adapted to be lifted, e.g.
by means of a screw jack. In case of a change of direction the
computer forces the flexible disk system to be lifted up to avoid a
considerable friction with the ground, as well as the degradations
of the grass surface and the additional power consumption that may
result therefrom.
[0013] When the basket is full or the batteries of the machine have
to be recharged, the computer for controlling the forward movement
of the machine triggers an algorithm which allows to return it
toward a fixed location (station). The ball filling limit in the
collecting basket may be detected, for instance by an IR
transceiver system connected to the microcomputer.
[0014] According to one embodiment, the machine returns to the
recharging station by looking for the peripheral wire, i.e. by
running, for instance, a straight path in a random manner and after
detecting it, by following it at a fixed distance until reaching
the terminal or recharging station. The latter may advantageously
be connected to and integrated with a ball recovery station.
[0015] In fact, according to a preferred embodiment, once the
terminal has been detected, e.g. by contact, the machine stops and
possibly finds a more accurate position. The computer controls the
door opening, allowing the basket to be emptied and maintains the
machine in a recharging state until batteries are full. After
recharging, the machine starts again for a new pick up cycle, and
covers the surface of the practice green in a random or
quasi-random manner.
[0016] In accordance with other embodiments, currently less
preferred, the machine can reach the recharging station by other
means, e.g. by analyzing a magnetic field with a possible induction
recharge (see for instance U.S. Pat. No. 5,869,910) by radio
control or by infrared signal detection.
[0017] In the latter case, the machine of the invention
incorporates a system which allows it to be controlled and
positioned relative to a fixed station which operates by means of a
directional infrared beam, transmitted by the fixed station, the
mobile robot being provided with a directional infrared
transmission detection system (i.e. detectors) which is connected
to the microcomputer incorporated in the robot, said robot being
displaced over an operating surface in a substantially random
manner, and said microcomputer comprising an algorithm for
controlling the return to the fixed station by displacing the robot
toward the direction of transmission of said infrared beam. The
infrared beam may be a narrow directional beam and the detection
system may be advantageously situated on the chassis at the center
of rotation of the robot, turned toward the moving direction of the
robot, the accurate positioning in the fixed station being obtained
by rotating the machine about a vertical axis according to an
algorithm based on the detection of the narrow beam, e.g. through 2
to 12.degree..
[0018] This system may operate with at least two beams having
substantially different directions, transmitted from or near the
fixed station, the less directional beam/s being used to get closer
to the fixed station, while the more directional beam/s are used
for the final accurate robot positioning step, relative to said
fixed station.
[0019] The machine of the invention may operate while balls are
being driven. The machine has a lower profile, of little
significance as compared with classic pulled or towing machines,
and the collision with a ball is thereby reduced. Moreover, the
shell of the machine, e.g. made of plastic, possibly covered with
foam, is conceived in such a manner as to be able to support the
impact of golf balls without being damaged thereby.
[0020] At certain times, it might be desirable that the surface be
totally clear of balls, e.g. to mow the lawn in a conventional
manner. In this case, the recovery on a random or quasi-random path
system is no longer desirable. A systematic path system may be used
here to cover the whole surface in an optimized time.
[0021] For example, the machine may follow the peripheral wire at a
certain distance from the latter. Thanks to a constant measurement
of the domain of a peripheral wire for delimiting the working
surface such as the one described in patents EP 0550 472 B1 and 0
744 093 B1, the machine constantly determines its distance from the
wire and may increase the latter after each run. Balls will be
recovered in parallel bands from the periphery inwards.
[0022] More precisely, according to the latter method, at first the
machine is positioned along the peripheral wire. Once the machine
is started, the onboard computer periodically measures, in a
well-known manner, the width of the signal transmitted by the
peripheral wire. This measurement allows the onboard computer to
determine its distance from the wire and to control the direction
of the machine in order to maintain a fixed distance from the
wire.
[0023] If the length of the wire has been first entered into the
memory of the onboard computer, the latter may determine with a
reasonable accuracy the moment in which a turn has been completed
by the mower along the wire. Then, the mower can move away from the
wire to a distance equal to the cutting width in such a manner as
to be able to perform a new loop at a distance from the wire which
is increased by the cutting width. Hence, the operation may be
repeated by increasing every time the distance between the mower
and the peripheral wire, ideally until reaching the center of the
area to be mowed.
[0024] According to a variant embodiment, the length of the above
wire shall not be necessarily entered into the computer. In fact,
said length may be determined by the onboard computer by
integrating the speed differences between the driving wheels of the
machine (changes of direction) until the total change reaches or
exceeds 360.degree.. To this end, the system may also
advantageously integrate a magnetic or inertial compass.
[0025] The invention will be further described with reference to
the following embodiment, and referring to the drawings annexed by
way of non-limiting examples.
[0026] FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the machine of the invention.
[0027] FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the machine as shown in
FIG. 1.
[0028] FIG. 3 shows the path followed by the machine.
[0029] FIG. 4 shows an example of electric recharging and golf ball
unloading station.
[0030] FIG. 5 shows a recharging system in detail.
[0031] FIG. 1 is a bottom view of the machine of the invention. It
shows the flexible disks 1, the balls which are wedged between the
disks, the transverse disk rotation shaft 3, which is preferably
linked to the chassis in a non rigid manner, the case comprising
the control electronics and the onboard computer 4, the batteries
5, the motors for the wheels 6, the idle rollers 7 mounted at the
front part, the peripheral wire detector 8, the optical basket fill
detector 30, 31, consisting of an infrared transmitter and
receiver.
[0032] FIG. 2 is a sectional side view of the machine or FIG. 1.
The ball receiving basket 9 is visible herein, provided at its
bottom wall with an opening door which pivots about the axis 11 and
whose opening is controlled by the screw jack 12. The fingers 13
situated on the circular path of the wedged balls extract the balls
out of the disks to let them fall into the basket 9.
[0033] FIG. 3 shows an example of the machine path. This path is
typically of the random type. When the machine is filled up with
balls, and/or when the battery is sufficiently empty, the machine
looks for the peripheral wire 15 and follows it until it detects
the station 17.
[0034] FIG. 4 shows one embodiment wherein the station is raised so
that a container 18 designed to collect the balls may be introduced
thereunder. The ramps 19 allow the machine to reach the platform 20
in which the recharging station is situated. The platform 20 is
fitted with a grid 21 through which the balls released from the
basket opening 9 may reach the container or the ball return
duct.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows the machine connected to the recharging
station. While following the peripheral wire, and at the station,
two brushes 23 at the sides of the machine come in contact with two
guiding rails 24 mounted on each flank of the machine. By providing
rails on the two flanks allows the machine to reach the station
from either direction. The brushes 23 are mounted on the station
via the arm 25 fitted to the case in a flexible manner in 26, which
allows the arm to pivot when the machine contacts it. The onboard
computer constantly checks the tension on the brushes 23. Whenever
a tension is detected, the presence of rails, hence of the station,
is acknowledged, and this allows the computer to stop the
machine.
[0036] The ball unloading system may be advantageously connected to
an automatic ball return system in the immediate proximity of the
players. This system may include slightly inclined ducts, which
convey the balls by gravity. As mentioned above, a recharging
station which is situated appreciably higher than the ball driving
site, and accessible through ramps, will be particularly suitable
to this end.
[0037] Nevertheless, a receiving tub at ground level or a bowl in
the ground may be provided, the tub or the bowl being equipped with
a ball lifting system, e.g. a feed screw, a band conveyor, or the
like, to bring balls into the containers or the return ducts.
[0038] It shall be also appreciated that the system described
herein may be adapted to collect objects other than golf balls.
Particularly, by modifying the system, these objects might be
rubbish or vegetables.
[0039] Hence, the mechanical gripping device may consist of a
rotary brush provided with spikes, radially arranged around the
shaft of said brush. The spikes are adapted to pierce objects
situated on said surface, and said objects are dragged along into a
circular movement, released from the spikes by fixed elements which
are engaged between the spikes, and deviate the objects toward a
storage device. The objects may be, dead leaves or pieces of
paper.
[0040] Also, it shall be understood that the system of the
invention may be connected to a mowing system, possibly carried by
the same chassis. An automatic mowing device as described in the
above PCT applications may be developed separately, while using the
same peripheral wire and the same discharging station.
[0041] It shall be further understood that the robot motor may be
associated to a power source other than a rechargeable battery, for
instance a fuel cell, or a thermal or hybrid motor.
[0042] According to another variant, the system of this invention
would not include a driving means of its own, but would be towed by
a mobile mowing robot whereto it would possibly be linked.
* * * * *