U.S. patent application number 15/460521 was filed with the patent office on 2017-09-21 for apparatus for collecting and storing tennis balls.
This patent application is currently assigned to SURE WIN, LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is SURE WIN, LLC. Invention is credited to Barbara S. Askenazi, David W. Roecker.
Application Number | 20170266516 15/460521 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 59855103 |
Filed Date | 2017-09-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170266516 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Askenazi; Barbara S. ; et
al. |
September 21, 2017 |
APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING AND STORING TENNIS BALLS
Abstract
A ball collecting apparatus is provided that employs a
human-powered ball transport system that moves balls from a
collecting surface to a location above the collection surface. The
ball collecting apparatus employs no motors or other artificially
powered devices to retrieve and transfer balls, which makes it
light and easy to maneuver. The ball collecting apparatus is
primarily contemplated for use of picking up tennis balls, but
other balls of various sizes may be accommodated by the apparatus
as it is scalable.
Inventors: |
Askenazi; Barbara S.;
(Denver, CO) ; Roecker; David W.; (Denver,
CO) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
SURE WIN, LLC |
DENVER |
CO |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
SURE WIN, LLC
DENVER
CO
|
Family ID: |
59855103 |
Appl. No.: |
15/460521 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62310008 |
Mar 18, 2016 |
|
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|
62425542 |
Nov 22, 2016 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 47/02 20130101;
A63B 2225/682 20130101; A63B 2102/02 20151001 |
International
Class: |
A63B 47/02 20060101
A63B047/02 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for collecting at least one ball comprising: a left
panel; a right panel spaced from the left panel; a rear panel
interconnected to a rear edge of the left panel and a rear edge of
the right panel; a front panel interconnected to a front edge of
the left panel and a front edge of the right panel, the front panel
having a lower edge spaced from a lower edge of the left and right
panel to provide a lower opening, and wherein the front panel has
an upper edge spaced from an upper edge of the left panel and an
upper edge of the right panel; an upper axle interconnected between
the left panel to the right panel adjacent to an upper portion of
the apparatus; a first pulley rotatably interconnected to the upper
axle; a lower axle having a first end and a second end
interconnected between the left panel to the right panel adjacent
to a lower portion of the apparatus; a second pulley rotatably
interconnected to the lower axle; a right wheel positioned adjacent
to the right panel, the right wheel interconnected to the first end
of the lower axle; a left wheel positioned adjacent to the left
panel, the left wheel interconnected to the second end of the lower
axle; wherein rotation of at least one of the left wheel or the
right wheel rotates the lower pulley; a belt having an inner
surface that operatively engages an outer surface the first pulley
and the second pulley, wherein rotation of the lower pulley moves
the belt around the first pulley and the second pulley; at least
one ball transferring member extending from an outer surface of the
belt; and wherein the lower opening is adapted to receive at least
one ball that is engaged by the at least one ball transferring
member that moves the at least one ball from the lower opening to
the upper opening as the apparatus is moved forward.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a left arm
extending from the forward edge of the left panel, and a right arm
extending from the forward edge of the right panel, the left arm
and the right arm are configured to direct at least one ball into
the lower opening.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a
handle associated with an upper surface of the apparatus, a storage
area integrated into the upper surface, a water bottle holder
associated with the upper surface, and a writing surface associated
with the upper surface.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus does not employ
an engine or a motor, and wherein the apparatus is powered only by
human energy.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one ball
transferring members is a plurality thereof, and the belt is
comprised of a plurality of segments interconnected by each of the
plurality of ball transferring members.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper opening is adapted
to selectively receive a basket that receives collected balls.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the basket employs selectively
movable handles that are configured to position a lower surface of
the basket away from the surface on which the at least one ball
resides.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ball scoop
located adjacent to the lower pulley opposite the lower
opening.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the ball scoop has a leading
edge with a roller.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper pulley and the
lower pulley employ teeth that selectively engage ribs on the inner
surface of the belt.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ball guide
associated with the lower opening.
12. An apparatus for collecting at least one ball comprising: a
housing having a left side, a right side, a front side, and a back
side, the front side having a lower opening and an upper opening;
an upper axle interconnected between the left side to the right
side adjacent to an upper portion of the apparatus; a first pulley
rotatably interconnected to the upper axle; a lower axle having a
first end and a second end interconnected between the left side to
the right side adjacent to a lower portion of the apparatus; a
second pulley rotatably interconnected to the lower axle; a right
wheel positioned adjacent to the right side, the right wheel
interconnected to the first end of the lower axle; a left wheel
positioned adjacent to the left side, the left wheel interconnected
to the second end of the lower axle; wherein rotation of at least
one of the left wheel or the right wheel rotates the lower pulley;
a belt having an inner surface that operatively engages an outer
surface the first pulley and the second pulley, wherein rotation of
the lower pulley moves the belt around the first pulley and the
second pulley; and a means for transferring a ball extending from
an outer surface of the belt.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising a left arm
extending from a forward edge of the left side, and a right arm
extending from a forward edge of the right side, the left arm and
the right arm are configured to direct at least one ball into the
lower opening.
14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus does not
employ an engine or a motor, and wherein the apparatus is powered
only by human energy.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the belt is comprised of a
plurality of segments each interconnected by the means for
transferring a ball.
16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the upper opening is adapted
to selectively receive a basket that receives collected balls.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the basket employs
selectively movable handles that are configured to position a lower
surface of the basket away from the surface on which the at least
one ball resides.
18. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ball scoop
located adjacent to the lower pulley opposite the lower opening,
the ball scoop having a leading edge with a roller.
19. A method of retrieving balls from a surface and depositing the
balls to a basket, comprising: providing a ball transport system
comprising a segmented belt having a plurality of ball lifting
members extending therefrom; providing a ball scoop that cooperates
with the ball lifting members from a horizontal plane to a vertical
plane; providing a ball guide that facilitates movement of balls
from the surface to the ball scoop; directing balls to the ball
lifting members through the ball guide; moving the balls to the
ball scoop; positioning the balls on a curved upper surface of the
ball lifting members; moving the balls upwardly; and depositing the
balls in a location positioned above the surface.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the balls are tennis balls, and
wherein the location above the surface is a basket.
Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application Ser. No. 62/310,008, filed Mar. 18, 2016, and
U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/425,542, filed Nov.
22, 2016, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated by
reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Embodiments of the present invention are generally related
to an apparatus that gathers balls and moves them to an
easy-to-access location, thereby eliminating the need to manually
transfer balls from one basket to another.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Tennis is a very popular game world-wide. Indeed, many
tennis novices take lessons to increase their proficiency. Lessons
comprise practicing skills necessary to perform at a higher level
and often entail the student hitting many tennis balls against the
wall or returning them to instructor or fellow students across the
net. Two common pieces of equipment assist instructors and
players.
[0004] The first piece of equipment is an instructor teaching cart,
which can hold approximately 350 tennis balls at waist level.
During a lesson, an instructor or student repeatedly reaches into
the teaching cart to access balls. Traditional teaching carts can
move longitudinally and laterally on four wheels, which allows
instructor or player to easily maneuver the cart to different areas
of the tennis court.
[0005] The second piece of equipment is a tennis ball mower that
retrieves a plurality of balls from the court that are later moved
to the teaching cart, ball machine, or smaller ball baskets. The
alternative to using a mower is to hand-pick each ball from the
tennis court. Tennis ball mowers are usually large and bulky, and
take up valuable space on the tennis court. The traditional tennis
ball mowers collect the balls in a basket at ground level,
requiring someone to manually transfer the basket of balls into
another storage area. This task is inefficient and awkward.
[0006] The following describes a tennis ball collecting apparatus
that does not rely on an outside power source, that is very
maneuverable, and that efficiently collects the balls and sends
them automatically upwards to a waist-level storage basket, thereby
offering easy access to the balls without manual transferring the
balls.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is one aspect of embodiments of the present invention to
provide a ball collecting apparatus that has the functionality of
the ball mower and a ball delivery device, commonly known as an
instructor ball cart. The apparatus contemplated by some
embodiments of the present invention collects tennis balls and
moves them from the ground to a second position above the ground,
which makes the balls easy to access without the user having to
bend over. In addition, unlike ball mowers of the prior art, the
ball collecting apparatus of one embodiment does not rely on
motorized devices for propulsion or to transfer collected balls
from the ground to a storage location. Although this disclosure
concentrates primarily on tennis balls, one of ordinary skill the
art will appreciate the ball collecting apparatus and components
thereof described herein can be modified to collect any type of
ball, such as golf balls, basketballs, baseballs, softballs,
ping-pong balls, etc., without departing from the scope of the
invention.
[0008] It is another aspect of embodiments of the present invention
to provide a ball collecting apparatus that can move longitudinally
and laterally. More specifically, after the balls are moved to the
elevated storage position, it is desirous to be able to move the
apparatus longitudinally (i.e., forward and backward) and laterally
(i.e., side to side). This mobility allows the instructor or tennis
player to quickly move the apparatus to a desired location on the
tennis court.
[0009] It is yet another aspect of embodiments of the present
invention to provide a ball collecting apparatus that relies solely
on human power to operate. The absence of batteries, motors, and
other complex machinery, allows the ball collecting device to be
light, which enhances maneuverability. Additionally, the absence of
an outside power source is more efficient as there is no need to
charge any batteries or connect to a power source. The ball
collecting apparatus can operate indoors and outdoors without
requiring a power source or an electrical cord, which may present a
dangerous obstacle on the tennis court. The ball collecting device
of one embodiment employs a plurality of wheels that allow to be
easily moved along a given area. Forward movement activates a ball
transport system that engages at least one ball, moves the ball
into the apparatus, and lifts the ball into the storage location.
For example, the storage location may be a basket positioned above
the ground that is more accessible to the user. An integrated ball
storage location also avoids having to manually transfer/empty the
collected balls into a second instructor cart. Conversely, current
methods include collecting balls at ground level with tennis ball
mowers, hand-held baskets, collection tubes, etc. and thereafter
manually transferring the collected balls to other equipment, such
as tennis ball instructor carts, where they are used for
instruction and practice.
[0010] It is a related aspect of some embodiments of the present
invention to provide a removable basket that receives collected
tennis balls. The removable basket may be used interconnected to
the ball collecting apparatus, wherein the balls are collected and
deposited in the basket at an elevated level. In this mode of use,
the ball collecting apparatus doubles as an instructional cart. In
a second mode of use, the basket is removed and moved to a
different location on the court.
[0011] The basket of one embodiment of the present invention
includes handles. The handles may be rotated relative to each other
such that the upper portions normally used for carrying the basket
are transformed into feet that are placed on the playing surface.
The length of the handles will dictate the elevation of the basket
when the handles are rotated into their second position of use.
Ideally, handles are elongated such that the basket is positioned
at or near waist level. The handles may telescope such that when
used in the first mode of use (i.e., ball collecting), they are
shorter than when they are in the second mode of use (i.e.,
practice configuration). Some ball collecting devices employ
multiple locations for storing more than one basket; once a first
basket is full, it is replaced with an empty basket. In this
example, both baskets can be interconnected to the ball collecting
device.
[0012] Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a housing
having a left panel, right panel, a front panel, and a rear panel
that envelope the ball transport system. The front panel has a
bottom opening configured to receive at least one ball, and an
upper opening associated with the ball storage location, e.g., the
basket. In operation, the ball transport system moves balls
received in the lower opening to the upper opening. Some
embodiments of the present invention include arms adjacent to
lateral edges of the lower opening that help corral the balls into
the lower opening. The arms may be fixed to the left and right
panels or selectively interconnected thereto to facilitate storage.
In some other versions, the arms are selectively deployable and
capable of moving so they do not adversely affect mobility during
instruction.
[0013] The ball transport system of one embodiment of the present
invention employs upper and lower pulleys that operatively
interconnect to a belt. The lower pulley is also operatively
interconnected to primary wheels that support the ball collecting
apparatus. The lower pulley rotates as the wheels rotate forward.
That is, movement of the ball collecting apparatus in the forward
direction moves a portion of the belt from a location near the
bottom opening of the front panel to a location near the upper
opening of the front panel. Movement of the wheels in the opposite
direction, however, will not rotate the lower pulley so the belt
can only move one way. The rear panel may be removable to address
ball jam issues if necessary. The belt also accommodates a
plurality of ball transport members that engage balls and help
transport them to the upper opening of the front panel. In one
embodiment of the present invention, the belt is made from a
plurality of segments, which will be further discussed below.
[0014] It is another aspect of some embodiments of the present
invention to provide a ball collecting apparatus that is durable,
weatherproof, and which includes built-in ergonomic features. For
example, some embodiments employ a recess in an upper portion
thereof adapted to receive a water bottle or cell phone. In
addition, the upper portion may be configured to receive a tablet
computer or a chalkboard. In addition, a dry erase board may be
included on the upper portion to be used for instruction along with
magnets or dry erase markers, for example. The upper portion may
also employ a door that conceals additional storage compartments.
The door may provide selective access to the inside of the
apparatus to clear ball jams if needed. Furthermore, some
embodiments of the present invention provide hooks for towels,
jackets, and tennis rackets.
[0015] It is yet another aspect of the present invention to provide
a security mechanism associated with ball storage areas employed by
the apparatus. More specifically, the apparatus may be adapted to
receive a weatherproof, lockable cover that restricts access to
stored balls.
[0016] It is still yet another aspect of embodiments of the present
invention to provide a ball collecting apparatus that can also
direct, i.e., launch collected balls. For example, collected tennis
balls are selectively taken from the storage location, either
automatically or manually, and fed to a tennis ball launcher.
[0017] It is another aspect of embodiments of the present invention
to provide an apparatus for collecting at least one ball
comprising: a left panel; a right panel spaced from the left panel;
a rear panel interconnected to a rear edge of the left panel and a
rear edge of the right panel; a front panel interconnected to a
front edge of the left panel and a front edge of the right panel,
the front panel having a lower edge spaced from a lower edge of the
left and right panel to provide a lower opening, and wherein the
front panel has an upper edge spaced from an upper edge of the left
panel and an upper edge of the right panel; an upper axle
interconnected between the left panel to the right panel adjacent
to an upper portion of the apparatus; a first pulley rotatably
interconnected to the upper axle; a lower axle having a first end
and a second end interconnected between the left panel to the right
panel adjacent to a lower portion of the apparatus; a second pulley
rotatably interconnected to the lower axle; a right wheel
positioned adjacent to the right panel, the right wheel
interconnected to the first end of the lower axle; a left wheel
positioned adjacent to the left panel, the left wheel
interconnected to the second end of the lower axle; wherein
rotation of at least one of the left wheel or the right wheel
rotates the lower pulley; a belt having an inner surface that
operatively engages an outer surface the first pulley and the
second pulley, wherein rotation of the lower pulley moves the belt
around the first pulley and the second pulley; at least one ball
transferring member extending from an outer surface of the belt;
and wherein the lower opening is adapted to receive at least one
ball that is engaged by the at least one ball transferring member
that moves the at least one ball from the lower opening to the
upper opening as the apparatus is moved forward.
[0018] It is another aspect of embodiments of the present invention
to provide an apparatus for collecting at least one ball
comprising: a housing having a left side, a right side, a front
side, and a back side, the front side having a lower opening and an
upper opening; an upper axle interconnected between the left side
to the right side adjacent to an upper portion of the apparatus; a
first pulley rotatably interconnected to the upper axle; a lower
axle having a first end and a second end interconnected between the
left side to the right side adjacent to a lower portion of the
apparatus; a second pulley rotatably interconnected to the lower
axle; a right wheel positioned adjacent to the right side, the
right wheel interconnected to the first end of the lower axle; a
left wheel positioned adjacent to the left side, the left wheel
interconnected to the second end of the lower axle; wherein
rotation of at least one of the left wheel or the right wheel
rotates the lower pulley; a belt having an inner surface that
operatively engages an outer surface the first pulley and the
second pulley, wherein rotation of the lower pulley moves the belt
around the first pulley and the second pulley; and a means for
transferring a ball extending from an outer surface of the
belt.
[0019] It is yet another aspect of embodiments of the present
invention to provide a method of retrieving balls from a surface
and depositing the balls to a basket, comprising: providing a ball
transport system comprising a segmented belt having a plurality of
ball lifting members extending therefrom; providing a ball scoop
that cooperates with the ball lifting members from a horizontal
plane to a vertical plane; providing a ball guide that facilitates
movement of balls from the surface to the ball scoop; directing
balls to the ball lifting members through the ball guide; moving
the balls to the ball scoop; positioning the balls on a curved
upper surface of the ball lifting members; moving the balls
upwardly; and depositing the balls in a location positioned above
the surface
[0020] It is another aspect of the embodiments of the present
invention to provide a recessed area on either side of the
invention which may be used to secure club logos and/or
advertisements.
[0021] The Summary of the Invention is neither intended nor should
it be construed as being representative of the full extent and
scope of the present invention. That is, these and other aspects
and advantages will be apparent from the disclosure of the
invention(s) described herein. Further, the above-described
embodiments, aspects, objectives, and configurations are neither
complete nor exhaustive. As will be appreciated, other embodiments
of the invention are possible using, alone or in combination, one
or more of the features set forth above or described below.
Moreover, references made herein to "the present invention" or
aspects thereof should be understood to mean certain embodiments of
the present invention and should not necessarily be construed as
limiting all embodiments to a particular description. The present
invention is set forth in various levels of detail in the Summary
of the Invention as well as in the attached drawings and the
Detailed Description of the Invention and no limitation as to the
scope of the present invention is intended by either the inclusion
or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. in this Summary of
the Invention. Additional aspects of the present invention will
become more readily apparent from the Detail Description,
particularly when taken together with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and together with the general description of the
invention given above and the detailed description of the drawings
given below, serve to explain the principles of these
inventions.
[0023] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the ball collecting
apparatus of one embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a right elevation view of the ball collecting
apparatus shown FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the ball collecting
apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 4 is a rear elevation view of the ball collecting
apparatus shown in FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the ball collecting device
apparatus shown in FIG. 1
[0028] FIG. 6 is a front perspective view showing the ball
collecting apparatus and associated basket;
[0029] FIG. 7 is the basket shown in FIG. 6 in a second
configuration of use;
[0030] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional front perspective view of the
ball collecting apparatus of one embodiment of the present
invention with the basket interconnected thereto;
[0031] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a ball transport system of
one embodiment of the present invention;
[0032] FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of FIG. 9;
[0033] FIG. 11 is a detailed view of FIG. 9;
[0034] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing an upper surface of a
ball lift segment of one embodiment of the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing an underside of the
ball lift segment shown in FIG. 12;
[0036] FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a belt segment of one
embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a pulley used by one
embodiment of the present invention disclosed herein;
[0038] FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of the bottom portion of
the ball collecting apparatus of one embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0039] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a ball scoop employed by
one embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] To assist in the understanding of one embodiment of the
present invention the following list of components and associated
numbering found in the drawings is provided herein:
TABLE-US-00001 # Component 2 Ball collecting apparatus 6 Right
panel 10 Left panel 14 Front panel 18 Rear panel 22 Extension 26
Lower opening 30 Left wheel 34 Right wheel 38 Ball transport system
42 Upper opening 46 Handle 50 Upper tray 54 Coaster rollers 58
Basket 62 Basket support rod 66 Lower edge 70 Upper edge 74 Hooked
lip 86 First handle 90 Second handle 94 Hub 98 Lower lock 102 First
leg 106 Second leg 110 Upper lock 200 Upper pulley 204 Lower pulley
206 Freewheel needle bearing 208 Belt 212 Plate 216 Upper axle 220
Lower axle 228 Ridges 232 Teeth 240 Belt segment 244 Tab 250 Ball
guide 254 Bar 300 Ball scoop 304 Leading edge 308 Roller 400 Ball
transport member 400 Curved end 404 Upper surface 408 Rib 412
Channel 416 Feet 500 Ball
[0041] It should be understood the drawings are not necessarily to
scale. In certain instances, details that are not necessary for an
understanding of the invention or that render other details
difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be
understood, of course, that the invention is not necessarily
limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0042] FIGS. 1-17 show a ball collecting apparatus 2 of one
embodiment of the present invention and components thereof. More
specifically, FIGS. 1-5 show a ball collecting apparatus comprising
a right panel 6, left panel 10, a front panel 14 and a rear panel
18. The right panel 6 and left panel 10 include extensions 22 (also
referred to as "arms") that direct balls into a lower opening 26 of
the front panel 14 as the ball collecting apparatus 2 is moved
forward. The ball collecting apparatus 2 also includes a left wheel
30 and a right wheel 34 that maintain a space between an underside
portion of the ball collecting apparatus 2 and a collection
surface, e.g., a tennis court. The ball collecting apparatus 2
employs a ball transport system 38 that is operably interconnected
to the left or right wheel assembly such that when the left or
right wheel is are rotated, the transport system 38 moves in such a
way to transport balls from the ball collection surface through an
upper opening 42 provided in the front panel 14.
[0043] In operation, the user grasps a handle 46 associated with an
upper tray 50 of the ball collecting apparatus 2 and pushes
forward. Propulsion is provided by human energy, facilitated by the
left or right wheels provided on each side of the ball collecting
apparatus. The extensions 22 are supported by caster rollers 54 at
their distal ends. Accordingly, the ball collecting apparatus 2 is
supported by wheels adapted to move in gently one direction
(forward and backward), and to rollers adapted to move in multiple
directions that allow the apparatus to be stable and
maneuverable.
[0044] In operation, the user moves the ball collecting apparatus 2
forward towards one or more balls on a surface. Moving the ball
collecting apparatus 2 forward causes the left wheel 30 and right
wheel 34 to rotate, which imparts a rotation on internal
componentry that moves the ball transport system 38. Balls gathered
by the extensions 22 are channeled towards the lower opening 26 of
the front panel 14, selectively captured by the transport system,
moved to the upper opening 42 of the front panel, and are deposit
in a ball storage location, e.g., a basket.
[0045] The ball collecting apparatus of one embodiment of the
present invention is approximately 40 inches tall, by 22.5 inches
wide. The distance between the handle 46, approximately the extreme
rear of the ball collecting apparatus, and the tips of the
extensions 22 in one embodiment of the present invention is about
37.5 inches. Further, the ball collecting apparatus of one
embodiment of the present invention weighs about 130 pounds and,
thus, is easy to maneuver. The decreased weight savings is achieved
by omitting the use of heavy motors or other drive devices.
Furthermore, components of one embodiment of the present invention
are made of lightweight materials such as linear low-density
polyethylene (LLDPE).
[0046] One of ordinary skill the art will appreciate that the
dimensions of the ball collecting apparatus disclosed herein may be
selectively altered to fit the collection needs. For example, the
wheels of a baseball collecting apparatus may need to be altered to
accommodate grass or AstroTurf which are rougher than a tennis
court. Furthermore, for some collection scenarios a motor may be
needed to help the use to propel the apparatus across a bumpy or
inconsistent terrain.
[0047] FIGS. 6-8 show one embodiment of the present invention
having a selectively interconnected basket 58 that receives
collected balls. The ball collecting apparatus includes a basket
support rod 62 that extends from the left panel 10 to the right
panel 6. The basket support rod 62 generally corresponds with a
lower edge 66 of the upper opening 42 of the front panel and is
contoured to selectively receive the basket 58. One of ordinary
skill in the art will appreciate the basket 58 may be configured
such that it engages the lower edge 66 without departing from the
scope of the invention. Other embodiments provide small protrusions
extending from inner surfaces of the left and right panels that
receive corresponding hook members of the basket. As shown, the
basket 58 includes at least one upper edge 70 defined by the
basket's four sides. At least a portion of the upper edge 70
includes a hooked lip 74. In practice, the hooked lip 74 is
selectively engaged onto the basket support rod 62 to maintain the
position of the basket 58 on the ball collecting apparatus 2. In
operation, as the ball collecting operation apparatus 2 is moved,
balls are transported from the collecting surface through the upper
opening 42 in the front panel 14. The basket 58 captures balls as
they are ejected from the apparatus.
[0048] FIG. 8 provides a cross-sectional view of the ball
collecting apparatus 2 of one embodiment of the present invention
that shows how the basket 58 is interconnected to the basket
support rod 62. This figure also shows the lower opening 26 of the
front panel 14 and how the extensions 22 are configured to channel
one or more balls into the lower opening 26. After the balls enter
the lower opening 26, the moving ball transport system, which is
moved by the rotating wheels, grabs the balls, and moves them
incrementally upwardly towards the upper opening 42. As will be
further explained below, balls are maintained in ball transport
members and the rear panel 18. After balls reach the apex of the
ball collecting apparatus, they are moved around an upper pulley
and ejected out of the upper opening 42 into the basket 58.
[0049] After the balls are collected, the basket 58 may be removed
from the ball collecting apparatus 2 and moved to a second
location. As it may be desirable to position the balls closer to
the tennis player's waist, one embodiment of the present invention
provides a basket 58 with selectively alterable handles. FIG. 7
shows the basket 58 in a second configuration wherein a first
handle 86 in the second handle 40 have been rotated about hubs 94
on the sides of the basket 58. After the first and second handles
are rotated into a second position, they are locked in place by
lower locks 98, thereby forming a first leg 102 and a second leg
106 that support the basket 58. The basket 58 may also include
upper locks 110 that maintain the first and second handles in the
configuration shown in FIG. 6. The basket 58 may incorporate
integrated legs that may be of fixed length or have a length that
is selectively alterable such that the distance between the lower
portion of the basket and the end of the legs may be selectively
altered to fit the player's needs. For example, telescoping legs
may be provided that are concealed within the basket when not in
use. One of ordinary skill of the art should appreciate that the
handles/legs provided in FIGS. 6 and 7 are not limiting, and many
ways of supporting the basket at a height above the collecting
service may be provided. Those of skill in the art should also
appreciate that a removable basket may not be employed. For
example, one embodiment of the present invention includes a fixed
basket, wherein the ball collecting apparatus must be moved to the
location in which the individual is practicing.
[0050] FIGS. 9-11 show the ball transport system 38 of one
embodiment of the present invention. The ball transport system
comprises an upper pulley 200 and a lower pulley 204. As described
in further detail below, each pulley may comprise left and right
pulley members that selectively engage a belt 208. This pulley
configuration comprising separate elements that engage lateral
edges of the belt is lighter than a pulley in the form of a drum
that engages the entire width of the belt. The upper pulley 200 may
be selectively adjustable such that the tension of the belt 208 can
be selectively maintained. More specifically, over time, the belt
208 may become slacker, which can reduce its effectiveness when the
pulleys are rotated. Temperature variations can also cause the belt
to slacken. Thus, some embodiments of the present invention employ
a plate 212 operatively interconnected to an axle 216 associated
with the upper pulley 200. Movement of the plate 212 will
selectively move the axle 216 upward or downward to alter belt
tension. The lower pulley 204 includes an axle 220 selectively
interconnected to the left or right wheel via a geared interface
such that when the left or right wheel rotates, the lower pulley
204 will rotate and move the belt 208. The upper pulley 200 can
"freewheel" and is not driven by an external force, other than
interaction with the belt. Regarding freewheeling, embodiments of
present invention employ a gearing system associated with the lower
pulley 204 such that it can only rotate in one direction, the
direction that facilitates moving balls from the lower opening of
the front panel to the upper opening. More specifically, the wheel
that rotates the lower pulley is interconnected to the lower pulley
by way of a freewheel needle bearing, wherein rotation of the
wheels in the opposite direction, i.e., to reverse the ball
collecting apparatus, will not rotate the lower pulley 204.
[0051] FIGS. 9-11 also show a plurality of ball guides 250
interconnect to a bar 254 that is interconnected to the lower edge
of the front panel 14. The ball guides 250 help direct balls from
the lower opening to the ball transport system. The ball guides 250
also help prevent clogging. Although three ball guides are shown,
one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that any number of
ball guides can be employed without departing from the scope of the
invention.
[0052] Referring additionally to FIGS. 12 and 13, the belt
transport system selectively engages balls that enter through an
opening in the front panel. The balls are urged along the ball
collecting surface and engage a ball scoop 300 which transitions
the balls from a horizontal plane to a vertical plane. After the
balls are transitioned in into the vertical plane, they are held by
ball transport members 400 spaced along the outer edge of the belt
208. The belt 208 includes an inner surface with a plurality of
ridges 228 that engage a plurality of teeth 232 on the pulleys 236
which transmit rotational motion of the pulleys to lateral motion
of the of the belt. As the lower pulley 204 is rotated, the belt
208 is moved which moves the balls upwardly towards the upper
pulley 200. After the balls reach the apex of the upper pulley 200,
gravity will cause them to disassociate with the ball transport
member 400 and fall into the basket.
[0053] FIG. 11 is a detailed view showing how one or more balls 500
are initially engaged by the belt 208. An upper surface 404 of the
ball transport members engages an outer surface of the ball 50.
Further movement of the ball collecting apparatus rotates the lower
pulley 204, which will incrementally move the belt 208 by way of
interaction of teeth 232 on the pulley and ridges 228 on the belt.
The balls 500 will eventually come in contact with a ball scoop
(not shown) which helps transition the balls 500 from the
horizontal plane to the vertical plane. The ball transport members
400 can be spaced such that they closely match the diameter of the
ball 500 being collected, which further helps keep the balls 500
onto the upper surface 404 of the ball transport members.
[0054] FIGS. 12 and 13 show ball transport members of one
embodiment of the present invention. The upper surface 404 of the
ball left segment employs a curve upper profile which terminates at
a curled end 408. The curved profile helps scoop the balls from the
ball collecting surface and to maintain them on the upper surface
404 as they are transitioned from horizontal plane to the vertical
plane. The ball transport members may include a plurality of
stiffening ribs 408 to provide additional rigidity while reducing
weight. The ball transport members also include a longitudinal
channel 412 or pocket, or series of pockets that extend at least
partially the width thereof. The channel 412 is adapted to
selectively receive a portion of a belt segment as described below.
The ball transport members may also include upper and lower feet
416 that engage the outer surface of the belt, which helps increase
stability of the ball transport members relative to the belt
segment. Stated differently, the feet 416 help prevent relative
motion of the ball transport members relative to the belt transport
members and provides a rigid, generally 90.degree. interconnection
between the ball transport members and the belt.
[0055] FIG. 14 shows a belt segment 240 of one embodiment of the
present invention. As described above, the ball transport members
are selectively interconnected to the belt 208 that generally spans
the entire height of the ball collecting apparatus. The belt 208 of
one embodiment of the present invention is made from a plurality of
segments 240 interconnected to each other by the ball transport
members. The belt segments 240 include a generally smooth outer
surface and an inner surface with ridges 228 that selectively
engage corresponding teeth on the lower and upper pulleys. The belt
segment 240 may also include an upper and lower tab 244 that extend
from the outer surface of the belt segment 240. The tabs of belt
segments 240 are selectively engaged and held together when placed
within the channel (412, See FIGS. 12 and 13) provided by the ball
transport members. Fasteners can interconnect the ball transport
members to the belt segments 240 wherein the fasteners are placed
through the upper or lower surfaces of the transport members and
maintained by a nut or other fastening device associated with the
opposite side of the ball transport members. In this way, the upper
and lower edges of the belt segments 240 are sandwiched together
and maintain within the channel of the ball transport members.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the tab 244
associated with the belt segments 244 need not extend the entire
width thereof and smaller tabs may be employed. If belt segments
240 become worn or damaged, they can be easily replaced by removing
the fasteners associated with the ball transport members.
[0056] FIG. 15 shows the pulley of one embodiment of the present
invention. As discussed above, the pulleys may comprise two pulley
wheels (See FIG. 11) as shown in FIG. 15. The pulley includes an
outer surface with teeth 232 that selectively engage ridges on the
inner surface of the belt segments to help propel the same.
[0057] FIG. 16 shows a belt comprising a plurality of belt segments
maintained by the ball transport members. Again, the tabs 244
associated with adjacent belt segments 240 are placed within the
cavity provided by the ball transport members. The tabs 244 may be
maintained within the channels 412 by any common method, such as
gluing, welding, ultrasonic welding, fasteners, etc. However,
fastening allows for a selective interconnection scheme wherein
ball transport members can be selectively removed and replaced if
needed. FIG. 16 also shows the interplay between the teeth 232
provided by the lower pulley 204 and the ridges 228 provided by the
inner surface of each belt segment 240.
[0058] FIG. 16 also shows the ball scoop 300 associated with one
embodiment of the present invention, which is also shown in detail
in FIG. 17. The ball scoop 300 helps transition collected balls
being urged rearwardly by ball transport systems from the
horizontal plane to the vertical plane. The balls contact a leading
edge 304 of the ball scoop 300 and ride on the ball scoop 300 and
are eventually positioned on the upper surface of the ball
transport systems. The ball transport systems will then raise the
balls upwardly as described above. Because it is often important to
maintain a close tolerance between the leading edge 304 and the
collecting surface so balls do not jam between the ball scoop 300
and the collection surface, one embodiment of the present invention
employs a leading-edge roller 308 that facilitates interaction
between the balls so they easily move along the ball scoop. The
leading-edge roller 308 also may contact the collecting surface to
eliminate any gap between the leading-edge 304 and the ball
collecting surface.
[0059] While various embodiments of the present invention have been
described in detail, it is apparent that modifications and
alterations of those embodiments will occur to those skilled in the
art. It is to be expressly understood that such modifications and
alterations are within the scope and spirit of the present
invention, as set forth in the following claims. Further, it is to
be understood that the invention(s) described herein is not limited
in its application to the details of construction and the
arrangement of components set forth in the preceding description or
illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other
embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in
various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and
terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and
should not be regarded as limiting. The use of "including,"
"comprising," or "having" and variations thereof herein is meant to
encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as
well as additional items.
* * * * *