U.S. patent application number 16/826180 was filed with the patent office on 2020-09-24 for pitching machine and batting bay systems.
The applicant listed for this patent is HOME RUN DUGOUT LLC. Invention is credited to Tyler L. Bambrick, John Kevin Gentry, Nicholas S. Hermandorfer, Scott Hudson, Rodney D. Muras, Lauren West.
Application Number | 20200298087 16/826180 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000004868922 |
Filed Date | 2020-09-24 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200298087 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hermandorfer; Nicholas S. ;
et al. |
September 24, 2020 |
PITCHING MACHINE AND BATTING BAY SYSTEMS
Abstract
A ball pitching device including a launching surface for
receiving balls, the launching surface being configured to receive
and hold a ball in the launching position prior to the ball being
launched, a launching system including at least one impulse
mechanism configured to impact the ball in the launching position,
and one or more control components configured to control at least
one of a pitch power and a pitch trajectory of the ball launched
from the launching position.
Inventors: |
Hermandorfer; Nicholas S.;
(Austin, TX) ; West; Lauren; (Cedar Park, TX)
; Gentry; John Kevin; (Austin, TX) ; Bambrick;
Tyler L.; (Austin, TX) ; Muras; Rodney D.;
(Austin, TX) ; Hudson; Scott; (Georgetown,
TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HOME RUN DUGOUT LLC |
Round Rock |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000004868922 |
Appl. No.: |
16/826180 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2020 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62823548 |
Mar 25, 2019 |
|
|
|
62822624 |
Mar 22, 2019 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 69/40 20130101;
A63B 2069/401 20130101; A63B 2069/0008 20130101; A63B 69/0002
20130101 |
International
Class: |
A63B 69/40 20060101
A63B069/40; A63B 69/00 20060101 A63B069/00 |
Claims
1. A ball pitching device comprising: a launching surface for
receiving balls, the launching surface being configured to receive
and hold a ball in the launching position prior to the ball being
launched; a launching system including at least one impulse
mechanism configured to impact the ball in the launching position;
and one or more control components configured to control at least
one of a pitch power and a pitch trajectory of the ball launched
from the launching position.
2. The ball pitching device of claim 2, wherein a position of the
impulse mechanism is configured to be adjustable relative to the
launching position to control the pitch trajectory.
3. The ball pitching device of claim 2, further comprising a first
mechanical system configured to adjust the position of the impulse
mechanism in a first dimension and a second mechanical system
configured to adjust the position of the impulse mechanism in a
second dimension.
4. The ball pitching device of claim 3, wherein the first and
second dimensions correspond to dimensions of an x-y plane.
5. The ball pitching device of claim 3, wherein the one or more
control components are further configured to control at least one
of the first and second mechanical systems to adjust the position
of the impulse mechanism and the pitch trajectory.
6. The ball pitching device of claim 5, further comprising an
angled mount on which the launching surface and the launching
system are disposed.
7. The ball pitching device of claim 6, further comprising a third
mechanical system configured to adjust an amount of tilt provided
by the angled mount, the one or more control components being
further configured to control the third mechanical system to adjust
the amount of tilt provided by the angled mount and the pitch
trajectory.
8. The ball pitching device of claim 1, further comprising a casing
on which the launching surface is disposed.
9. The ball pitching device of claim 8, further comprising a first
mechanical system configured to tilt the casing about a first axis
and a second mechanical system configured to roll the casing around
a second axis.
10. The ball pitching device of claim 9, wherein the one or more
control components are further configured to control at least one
of the first and second mechanical systems to adjust the pitch
trajectory.
11. The ball pitching device of claim 1, wherein the impulse
mechanism includes a pneumatic cylinder disposed below the
launching position and at least one moveable piston, the pneumatic
cylinder configured to accelerate the at least one moveable piston
toward the launching position.
12. The ball pitching device of claim 11, wherein the one or more
control components are further configured to adjust an amount of
pressure in the pneumatic cylinder and to control the pitch
power.
13. The ball pitching device of claim 1, wherein the impulse
mechanism includes an electromagnetic solenoid disposed below the
launching position and at least one moveable piston, the at least
one moveable piston being a ferromagnetic piston and the solenoid
being configured to accelerate the at least one movable piston
toward the launching position.
14. The ball pitching device of claim 13, wherein the launching
system further includes a power source configured to apply a
current to the electromagnetic solenoid, the one or more control
components being configured to control the pitch power by adjusting
an amount of current applied to the electromagnetic solenoid.
15. The ball pitching device of claim 14, wherein the power source
includes one or more capacitors, the one or more capacitors being
selectively coupled to the electromagnetic solenoid to apply the
current to the electromagnetic solenoid, and the one or more
control components being configured to adjust a charging voltage
applied to the one or more capacitors and to adjust the amount of
current applied to the electromagnetic solenoid by the one or more
capacitors.
16. The ball pitching device of claim 1, wherein the launching
position includes a circular aperture defined in the launching
surface, the aperture having a diameter smaller than a diameter of
the ball, allowing the ball to be held in the launching position
and to be impacted by the at least one impulse mechanism.
17. The ball pitching device of claim 1, wherein the launching
surface is configured to receive a series of balls via a ball
handling mechanism connected to the ball pitching device.
18. The ball pitching device of claim 17, wherein the ball handling
mechanism includes a carousel system configured to rotate around a
bearing to receive the series of balls and provide each ball of the
series of balls to the launching surface one at a time.
19. The ball pitching device of claim 17, wherein the one or more
control components are further configured to operate the ball
handling mechanism and control a pitch frequency of the ball
pitching device.
20. The ball pitching device of claim 1, wherein the one or more
control components are further configured to communicate with an
external device, the external device being configured to control
the ball pitching device.
21. A method of controlling a ball pitching device, the method
comprising: receiving a ball at a launching surface, the launching
surface being configured to hold the ball in a launching position
prior to the ball being launched; determining a desired pitch power
and pitch trajectory for the ball held in the launching position;
adjusting a position of an impulse mechanism disposed under the
launching position in at least two dimensions based on the desired
pitch trajectory; and impacting, with the impulse mechanism, the
ball held in the launching position with an amount of force
corresponding to the desired pitch power to launch the ball from
the launching position.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.
119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/822,624
titled PROGRAMMABLE SYSTEM FOR PITCHING, COLLECTING, AND
TRANSPORTING BALLS FOR USE IN BAT-AND-BALL GAMES, filed Mar. 22,
2019, and also claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 62/823,548 titled TRAINING AND ENTERTAINMENT
CENTER INCLUDING BALL LAUNCHER, PLAYER BAY, AND AUTOMATIC BALL
COLLECTION, filed Mar. 25, 2019. Each of these applications is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all
purposes.
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] Aspects and embodiments disclosed herein are generally
directed to a system for pitching, collecting, and transporting
balls.
BACKGROUND
[0003] In many cases, it is often difficult to find enough people
and an appropriate place to play sports. For example, a game of
baseball (or softball) typically involves two teams of nine (or
ten) players and a marked field with raised pitcher's mound, and a
game of basketball typically involves two teams of five players and
a marked court with two baskets. Though one can try and play team
sports in small groups or alone, enjoyment is usually diminished.
For example, while it may be fun for a few seconds for a player to
toss a baseball in the air and hit it with a baseball bat, it's far
less fun for the player to have to chase the baseball down so that
the player can toss the ball in the air again and try to hit it
again. Having to chase the ball down after each hit also makes it
difficult for a baseball player to practice their baseball swing
when they are alone and without any specialized practice equipment.
In addition, such activities can provide limited availability for
socializing. Likewise, other factors such as climate/weather, field
reservations, and government mandated "social-distancing" can
present additional obstacles when arranging team or group sport
activities.
SUMMARY
[0004] At least one aspect of the present disclosure is directed to
a ball pitching device including a launching surface for receiving
balls, the launching surface being configured to receive and hold a
ball in the launching position prior to the ball being launched, a
launching system including at least one impulse mechanism
configured to impact the ball in the launching position, and one or
more control components configured to control at least one of a
pitch power and a pitch trajectory of the ball launched from the
launching position.
[0005] In one embodiment, a position of the impulse mechanism is
configured to be adjustable relative to the launching position to
control the pitch trajectory. In some embodiments, the ball
pitching device includes a first mechanical system configured to
adjust the position of the impulse mechanism in a first dimension
and a second mechanical system configured to adjust the position of
the impulse mechanism in a second dimension. In certain
embodiments, the first and second dimensions correspond to
dimensions of an x-y plane. In various embodiments, the one or more
control components are further configured to control at least one
of the first and second mechanical systems to adjust the position
of the impulse mechanism and the pitch trajectory.
[0006] In some embodiments, the ball pitching device includes an
angled mount on which the launching surface and the launching
system are disposed. In certain embodiments, the ball pitching
device includes a third mechanical system configured to adjust an
amount of tilt provided by the angled mount, the one or more
control components being configured to control the third mechanical
system to adjust the amount of tilt provided by the angled mount
and the pitch trajectory.
[0007] In one embodiment, the ball pitching device includes a
casing on which the launching surface is disposed. In certain
embodiments, the ball pitching device includes a first mechanical
system configured to tilt the casing about a first axis and a
second mechanical system configured to roll the casing around a
second axis. In some embodiments, the one or more control
components are configured to control at least one of the first and
second mechanical systems to adjust the pitch trajectory.
[0008] In certain embodiments, the impulse mechanism includes a
pneumatic cylinder disposed below the launching position and at
least one moveable piston, the pneumatic cylinder configured to
accelerate the at least one moveable piston toward the launching
position. In some embodiments, the one or more control components
are configured to adjust an amount of pressure in the pneumatic
cylinder and to control the pitch power.
[0009] In one embodiment, the impulse mechanism includes an
electromagnetic solenoid disposed below the launching position and
at least one moveable piston, the at least one moveable piston
being a ferromagnetic piston and the solenoid being configured to
accelerate the at least one movable piston toward the launching
position. In various embodiments, the launching system includes a
power source configured to apply a current to the electromagnetic
solenoid, the one or more control components being configured to
control the pitch power by adjusting an amount of current applied
to the electromagnetic solenoid. In some embodiments, the power
source includes one or more capacitors, the one or more capacitors
being selectively coupled to the electromagnetic solenoid to apply
the current to the electromagnetic solenoid, and the one or more
control components being configured to adjust a charging voltage
applied to the one or more capacitors and to adjust the amount of
current applied to the electromagnetic solenoid by the one or more
capacitors.
[0010] In some embodiments, the launching position includes a
circular aperture defined in the launching surface, the aperture
having a diameter smaller than a diameter of the ball, allowing the
ball to be held in the launching position and to be impacted by the
at least one impulse mechanism.
[0011] In various embodiments, the launching surface is configured
to receive a series of balls via a ball handling mechanism
connected to the ball pitching device. In one embodiment, the ball
handling mechanism includes a carousel system configured to rotate
around a bearing to receive the series of balls and provide each
ball of the series of balls to the launching surface one at a time.
In certain embodiments, the one or more control components are
further configured to operate the ball handling mechanism and
control a pitch frequency of the ball pitching device.
[0012] In one embodiment, the one or more control components are
configured to communicate with an external device, the external
device being configured to control the ball pitching device.
[0013] Another aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a
method of controlling a ball pitching device. The method includes
receiving a ball at a launching surface, the launching surface
being configured to hold the ball in a launching position prior to
the ball being launched, determining a desired pitch power and
pitch trajectory for the ball held in the launching position,
adjusting a position of an impulse mechanism disposed under the
launching position in at least two dimensions based on the desired
pitch trajectory, and impacting, with the impulse mechanism, the
ball held in the launching position with an amount of force
corresponding to the desired pitch power to launch the ball from
the launching position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Various aspects of at least one embodiment are discussed
below with reference to the accompanying figures, which are not
intended to be drawn to scale. The figures are included to provide
illustration and a further understanding of the various aspects and
embodiments, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this
specification, but are not intended as a definition of the limits
of the aspects and embodiments disclosed herein.
[0015] In the figures, each identical or nearly identical component
that is illustrated in various figures is represented by a like
numeral. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be
labeled in every figure. In the figures:
[0016] FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a perspective view of a
side-by-side player bay layout in accordance with one embodiment
described herein;
[0017] FIG. 1B is a diagram illustrating a three-dimensional (3D)
rendering of the side-by-side player bay layout of FIG. 1A in
accordance with one embodiment described herein;
[0018] FIG. 1C is a diagram illustrating an overhead view of the
side-by-side player bay layout of FIG. 1A in accordance with one
embodiment described herein;
[0019] FIG. 1D is a diagram illustrating a front-facing view of the
side-by-side player bay layout of FIG. 1A in accordance with one
embodiment described herein;
[0020] FIG. 1E is a diagram illustrating a cross-sectional view of
the side-by-side player bay layout of FIG. 1A in accordance with
one embodiment described herein;
[0021] FIG. 1F is a diagram illustrating an overhead rendering of
the side-by-side player bay layout of FIG. 1A in accordance with
one embodiment described herein;
[0022] FIG. 1G is a diagram illustrating a portion of the
side-by-side player bay layout of FIG. 1A in accordance with one
embodiment described herein;
[0023] FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating a ball pitching system in
accordance with one embodiment described herein;
[0024] FIG. 2B is a diagram illustrating a side view of the ball
pitching system of FIG. 2A in accordance with one embodiment
described herein;
[0025] FIG. 2C is a diagram illustrating subsystems of the ball
pitching system of FIG. 2A in accordance with one embodiment
described herein;
[0026] FIG. 3A is a diagram illustrating a ball collection and
transport system in accordance with one embodiment described
herein;
[0027] FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating a ball feeding system in
accordance with one embodiment described herein;
[0028] FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating the operation of a ball
feeding system in accordance with one embodiment described
herein;
[0029] FIG. 3D is a diagram illustrating the operation of a ball
feeding system in accordance with one embodiment described
herein;
[0030] FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E, 4F, 4G, 4H, 4I, 4J, 4K, and 4L are
diagrams illustrating a ball pitching device in accordance with
embodiments described herein;
[0031] FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, and 5E are diagrams illustrating a
ball pitching device in accordance with embodiments described
herein;
[0032] FIGS. 6A and 6B are diagrams illustrating the operation of a
ball pitching device in accordance with embodiments described
herein;
[0033] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of triggering a
pitch in accordance with one embodiment described herein;
[0034] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a hopper in accordance with
one embodiment described herein;
[0035] FIGS. 9 and 10 are connection diagrams in accordance with
embodiments described herein;
[0036] FIG. 11A is a diagram illustrating a strike zone in
accordance with one embodiment described herein;
[0037] FIGS. 11B, 11C, 11D, and 11E are diagrams illustrating
example pitch trajectories in accordance with embodiments described
herein;
[0038] FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating a backstop in accordance
with one embodiment described herein;
[0039] FIGS. 13A, 13B, and 13C illustrate a graphical user
interface (GUI) in accordance with embodiments described
herein;
[0040] FIG. 14 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of operating
player bay layouts in accordance with one embodiment described
herein;
[0041] FIGS. 15A, 15B, and 15C are diagrams illustrating control
processes for operating player bay layouts in accordance with
embodiments described herein; and
[0042] FIGS. 16A, 16B, 16C, and 16D are diagrams illustrating
examples of player bay layouts in accordance with embodiments
described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0043] Aspects described herein are directed to a system that
enables a convenient use of a standalone pitching machine for
pitching balls, with a capability to control the trajectory of the
pitch. Aspects described herein may be designed such that they can
be used in batting bays, which may include indoor or outdoor
batting areas where players can practice hitting balls against a
hitting screen or into an open field. Aspects described herein may
also designed be for use in backyards as well as in youth games and
practice sessions.
[0044] According to one implementation of the techniques described
herein, a system includes a storage area configured to store a
ball. The system also includes a ball launcher configured to impart
a launching force to the ball received from the storage area. In
some examples, the ball launcher is disposed below-ground. The
launching force corresponds to a launch direction of the ball and a
launch velocity of the ball, and the launching force causes the
ball to travel upwards and to arc through the strike zone of a
batter. In some examples, the ball may arc outside the strike zone,
e.g., if the pitch is intended to be a "ball" pitch. In embodiments
including a below-ground launcher, the ball may pass through a hole
or an aperture in the ground or a surface below the level of the
base of the batter's strike zone.
[0045] Examples of the methods and systems discussed herein are not
limited in application to the details of construction and the
arrangement of components set forth in the following description or
illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The methods and systems
are capable of implementation in other embodiments and of being
practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Examples of
specific implementations are provided herein for illustrative
purposes only and are not intended to be limiting. In particular,
acts, components, elements and features discussed in connection
with any one or more examples are not intended to be excluded from
a similar role in any other examples.
[0046] Also, the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the
purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Any
references to examples, embodiments, components, elements or acts
of the systems and methods herein referred to in the singular may
also embrace embodiments including a plurality, and any references
in plural to any embodiment, component, element or act herein may
also embrace embodiments including only a singularity. References
in the singular or plural form are not intended to limit the
presently disclosed systems or methods, their components, acts, or
elements.
[0047] The use herein of "including," "comprising," "having,"
"containing," "involving," and variations thereof is meant to
encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as
well as additional items. References to "or" may be construed as
inclusive so that any terms described using "or" may indicate any
of a single, more than one, and all of the described terms. In
addition, in the event of inconsistent usages of terms between this
document and documents incorporated herein by reference, the term
usage in the incorporated references is supplementary to that of
this document; for irreconcilable inconsistencies, the term usage
in this document controls.
[0048] As discussed above, it is often difficult to find enough
people and an appropriate place to play sports. Sports
entertainment experiences attempt to capture the enjoyment of
sports by placing sports practice and game scenarios in a casual
setting, often accompanied by food, drink, and a nightlife element.
On occasion, the line between a sports entertainment facility and a
sports practice facility can be blurred. One common example of a
sports entertainment and/or sports practice facility is a golf
driving range. Casual golfers visit driving ranges for
entertainment and camaraderie, whereas amateur and professional
golfers visit driving ranges to practice/improve their golf swings
and specific golf shots.
[0049] For sports that involve striking a ball, there are at least
two challenges for a training/entertainment facility: 1) presenting
balls to a player for play, and 2) collecting balls once they have
been presented to the player (and potentially, though not
necessarily, struck by the player). In the case of a driving range,
the first challenge is addressed by merely providing access to a
bucket of golf balls, so that the player can place a golf ball on
the ground or on a tee, as the rules of golf require the ball to be
at rest when hit with a golf club. The second challenge is usually
addressed by having collection vehicle(s) canvas the driving range
and collect golf balls that have been hit, so that the collected
balls can be dumped into a vending machine used to fill the
buckets.
[0050] The driving range model may be unsuitable for other sports.
For example, in a batted ball game such as baseball, softball,
cricket, etc., the ball is generally moving towards the player when
the player hits the ball. Further, although collection vehicles can
be used to collect batted balls, such vehicles can be expensive and
prone to mechanical failure due to constantly being in the line of
fire.
[0051] As such, improved pitching machines and batting bay systems
for training/entertainment facilities are provided herein. In at
least one embodiment, the baseballs or softball are launched by a
below-ground launcher towards a player. In one example, the player
can attempt to hit the launched ball with a bat, and the balls are
returned to the below-ground launcher. In other embodiments, the
ball launcher can be disposed above ground level or a surface on
which the batter stands.
[0052] FIGS. 1A-1G illustrate exemplary embodiments of a
side-by-side player bay layout in accordance with aspects of the
present disclosure. In other embodiments, a different layout or
number of player bay(s) may be used. In FIGS. 1A-1G, the player
bays are for baseball/softball. In each bay, baseballs/softballs
are launched, by a respective ball launcher, upwards (though not
necessarily vertically upwards), e.g., through a hole in the ground
(for below-ground launchers), towards a player holding a bat, i.e.,
a batter. The player can swing the bat at the launched ball and try
to hit the launched ball. Each bay is architected to provide
automatic ball collection functionality. Thus, balls that are hit,
as well as balls that are missed, can be automatically directed to
a hopper that feeds the ball launcher, as further described herein.
It should be noted that for ease of understanding, not all player
bay components are labeled in all of FIGS. 1A-1G.
[0053] As shown in FIGS. 1A-1G, for baseball/softball embodiments,
each player bay may include a home plate 4 between two batter's
boxes. A region of the player bay including the home plate 4 and
the batter's boxes may be substantially flat (i.e., horizontal).
Each bay also may include a pitch deck 2 and a collection deck 3.
In the illustrated example, each collection deck 3 is divided into
three regions: 3a, 3b, and 3c. Each deck may be sloped so that
balls landing on the decks are directed to a hopper 32. In certain
embodiments, at least a portion of the collection deck 3 may form a
surface (e.g., bottom surface) of the hopper 32.
[0054] In some examples, the pitch deck 2 has a slope of between
one degree and ten degrees downwards towards a screen 12 and/or
towards the hopper 32. In the embodiment illustrated, the pitch
deck 2 has a slope of approximately two degrees. Portions of the
pitch deck 2 behind the relatively flat batter's box area may also
be sloped to funnel balls towards the sides of the bay. In some
examples, the regions 3a, 3b, 3c of the collection deck 3 have a
slope between one degree and fifteen degrees downwards towards the
hopper 32 and/or away from the projection screen 12.
[0055] In the embodiment illustrated, the central region 3b has a
downward slope of approximately ten degrees and the side regions
3a, 3c have a downward slope of approximately seven degrees.
Generally, slopes of the decks 2, 3a, 3b, 3c may be greater than
the "breakover angle" for the type of balls being pitched, where
the breakover angle is the minimum angle of slope for the ball to
reliably be expected to roll over its laces and make its way
towards a ball collection mechanism.
[0056] In some examples, the pitch deck 2 is made of hardwood and
the collection deck 3 is low pile carpeting or sport court material
that does not hinder the ability of a ball to roll across the
collection deck 3 to the hopper 32. When the pitch deck 2 is made
of hardwood, the grain of the hardwood (and seams between boards of
the hardwood) may be oriented parallel to the direction in which
balls should roll towards the hopper.
[0057] In certain examples, the pitch deck 2 may include, without
limitation, appropriate flooring or floor coverings, such as PVC,
vinyl flooring, linoleum, synthetic turf, or other flooring or
floor covering conducive to enabling balls to roll down the sloped
surface, floor covering may also be conducive to reducing light
reflection to optimize accuracy of IR and camera ball-tracking
technology.
[0058] In some examples, a wall 13 separates the player bays. In
the illustrated example, at least a portion of the wall 13 is an
open lattice structure. Balls hitting the wall 13 or side walls 9,
25 are directed to the hopper 32 in each bay. In the illustrated
embodiment, the player bays are raised and accessible via steps 7,
and a handrail 17 is provided to aid in climbing the steps 7. In
one embodiment, a touchscreen computing device 22 is located
proximate to each bay and enables control of game functionality, as
further described herein. In an entertainment setting, the player
bays may be surrounded by features such as a bar counter 8, foot
stop 10, and guard 11.
[0059] In certain examples, the guard 11 may extend from the top of
a bar counter 8 or table to a height sufficient to protect patrons
from tipped balls flying, bouncing or otherwise entering into a
spectator lounge area, including patrons seated at or standing near
the bar counter 8. In some embodiments, the guard may be from
between six (6) inches and ninety-six (96) inches. The guard 11 may
be transparent so that patrons in the spectator lounge area can
watch the batter and the screen 12.
[0060] In each bay, the player's view is largely filled by the
screen 12, which is configured to display high-definition (or
ultra-high-definition) graphics while cushioning balls so that they
land on the collection deck 3 and roll towards the hopper 32. Stage
lights 19 and a trellis ceiling 16 may be present in some
embodiments.
[0061] In some embodiments, the screen 12 comprises a display
screen, capable of displaying video and/or animated graphics. In a
particular aspect, the graphics displayed on the screen 12 indicate
an estimated (e.g., computer calculated or simulated) ball flight
trajectory when the player swings and makes contact with a
ball.
[0062] For example, the bays may include a projector 18 that
projects the graphics onto the screen 12, where the graphics are
dynamically generated by a computing device based at least in part
on data output by a ball tracking system 14. Although shown as
being side by side, in alternative examples the ball tracking
system 14 may be above home plate 4 and the projector 18 may be a
slightly lower than the ball tracking system 14 and (e.g., 3 feet
to 10 feet, or possibly 4 feet to 6 feet) behind home plate 4.
[0063] An illustrative non-limiting example of a ball tracking
system is HitTrax.RTM. (HitTrax is a registered trademark of
InMotion Systems, LLC of Westborough, Mass.). The ball tracking
system 14 may output ball tracking data, such as exit velocity of
the ball off the bat, launch angle of the ball off the bat,
direction of the ball off the bat (e.g., horizontal angle),
estimated distance that the ball would travel if its trajectory
were not disturbed by the bay screen/walls/decks, etc.
[0064] The ball tracking system 14 may be suspended from the
ceiling 16 or may be placed elsewhere in a bay (e.g., on a wall, in
home plate 4, or on the pitching system 100 itself). In some
examples, speakers or a sound bar may also be placed in the trellis
ceiling 16 to output sound effects/music.
[0065] Although not shown in FIGS. 1A-1G, in some examples, cameras
may be placed around the batting bay. For examples, cameras may
have a view of the batter's swing from various angles, e.g., from
"first base", "second base", and "third base", and footage from
such cameras (which in some cases may include audience reactions
captured from people behind the batter, such as at the bar counter
8, at other seating areas, etc.) may be used for ball tracking
purposes, to generate entertaining instant replays, to generate
content to automatically post to social media websites or display
on various screens/devices in the establishment, etc.
[0066] In a particular embodiment, balls may be launched by a ball
launcher upwards through a hole 33 in the ground, which is also
referred to herein as a "pitch circle." In some embodiments, the
hole 33 is in an access door 21 that is part of the pitch deck 2 of
each bay. FIG. 1E illustrates an example of a ball launcher
(alternatively referred to herein as a ball pitching system,
pitching machine, or ball pitching device) 100 configured to launch
balls through the hole 33.
[0067] In some examples, the hole 33 and home plate 4 may support
multi-color lighting that can convey information to a player, as
shown in FIG. 1G. To illustrate, the periphery of the hole 33 and
the periphery of home plate 4 may change to a particular color
and/or flash in a particular pattern to indicate that a ball launch
is forthcoming, that the ball launcher has encountered an error,
that play is paused/suspended, gameplay targets on screen or in the
field that platers should aim for, etc.
[0068] In a particular embodiment, the hole 33 has a shroud or
other mechanism to provide at least some protection from ball
ingress. In a particular embodiment, home plate 4 is infrared
(IR)-transparent and includes an infrared sensor that is configured
to detect when a player waves a bat over home plate 4. Waving a bat
over home plate 4 may be interpreted as a signal that the player is
ready for ball(s) to be launched. Waving a bat or making some other
appropriate gesture (e.g., a single-wave, double-wave, triple-wave,
or a vertical waving gesture) over home plate may also be used to
indicate a type of pitch desired by the batter.
[0069] In other embodiments, a player may be recognized (and
his/her data input into a computing device for practice/gameplay
tracking), and pitches may be initiated, based on the player having
a radio frequency identification (RFID) tag (e.g., in a batting
glove, bat, etc.) and moving the RFID proximate to RFID reading
circuitry in the player bay.
[0070] Operation of illustrative embodiments of the ball pitching
system 100 is described with reference to FIGS. 2A-7. The ball
pitching system 100 may be a standalone, programmable ball pitching
system/device/robot with the capability to control the trajectory
of a pitch. It is to be understood that trajectory control includes
both launch angle control (e.g., in at least two dimensions) as
well as initial launch velocity control. Trajectory control may
also include imparting a spin to the ball. In one example, a ball
pitching system having command of the trajectory of a pitch may
accurately project a ball to various locations, for example in and
around a strike zone.
[0071] For example, the strike zone may be a 3D volume of space
over home plate extending from the hollow between a batter's
kneecap to a midpoint between the top of the batter's pants and the
top of the batter's shoulders. Thus, the bounds of the strike zone
may change as the batter's stance changes. To illustrate, the
top/bottom of the strike zone may be at a different height for a
shorter player than for a taller player, and even for similar
height players if one has a crouched batting stance and the other
has a more upright batting stance.
[0072] For purposes of training or playing, a player's strike zone
may be set, for example based on an "average" strike zone for
players of a specific or similar height, or, based on player height
and other bodily dimensions, including height of the player's knee,
height of the player's shoulder, etc., a strike zone may be
dynamically calculated. In some embodiments related to dynamic
calculation of an "at bat" player's strike zone, cameras around the
bay detect the batter's stance, and computer vision functions are
used to determine the bounds of the strike zone for that batting
stance.
[0073] Based on such a dynamically calculated strike zone, or on a
preset or predetermined strike zone, the pitching machine can
adjust the parameters of the ball pitch to place the ball within or
around the defined strike zone for the player at bat. The pitching
machine may achieve this placement by changing system parameters
including but not limited to tilt, roll and launch velocity (i.e.,
power delivered to a piston, e.g., pneumatic, solenoid, etc., as
further described herein).
[0074] Tilt, roll, and/or launch velocity determination functions
at the pitching machine may be dynamically adjusted, so that when a
pitch is supposed to be targeted at the top/bottom of the strike
zone (e.g., using the GUI of FIGS. 13A-13C), the pitch is properly
placed at the top/bottom of the strike zone as defined for the
current batter/batting stance. Tilt and roll, which are further
described herein, may correspond to two distinct, orthogonal axes
of motion of the pitching machine (or at least portions
thereof).
[0075] The trajectory control capability of the ball pitching
system 100 may enable users (e.g., the batter or another user that
is playing a game with or against the batter) to select where,
within or outside the strike zone, the ball is to be pitched.
Control over the flight of the ball through the strike zone may
help hitters practice hitting balls in various locations in and
around the strike zone as well as hitting balls pitched at various
velocities.
[0076] FIG. 11A illustrates the pentagonal prism shape of the
strike zone. By controlling the launch direction and initial
velocity of the ball, the ball pitching system 100 may control
points at which the ball enters and exits the strike zone. The
launch direction may be a 3D vector that can be expressed in
accordance with a cartesian notation (e.g., X, Y, and Z components)
or a cylindrical notation (e.g., R, Z, and Theta components).
Therefore, adjusting the launch direction of a ball may include
modifying one, two, or all three components.
[0077] In entertainment settings, it is expected that the
trajectory of launched balls will be slow arcs that pass (e.g.,
arcing descent) through the strike zone in a manner conducive to
hitting. FIGS. 11B, 11C, 11D, and 11E illustrates examples of such
trajectories (though a 3D volume as indicated in FIG. 11B, there is
no batter shown and thus there is no specifically determined lower
or upper bound for the strike zone in FIG. 11B). It will be
appreciated that the pitching machine disclosed herein is capable
of pitching balls for practice/gameplay to both right-handed
batters and left-hand batters without requiring manual intervention
when the handedness of the batter changes.
[0078] The disclosed pitching machine may thus be preferable to a
"from-the-side" machine that lobs a ball to a right-handed hitter
from a location in or behind the left-handed batter's box, and vice
versa, because the "from-the-side" machine would need to be
manually moved to the opposite side of home plate whenever the
handedness of the batter changes. The disclosed pitching machine is
also preferable to using an L-screen to protect a human practice
pitcher, for example because there is no separate pitcher required
for the disclosed pitching machine, because it can be
time-consuming to put up and tear down the L-screen, and because
struck balls would not be automatically returned to the human
pitcher behind the L-screen.
[0079] The disclosed pitching machine may also be preferable to and
provide a more ruggedized solution as compared to battery powered
pitching machines. For example, although a battery powered pitching
machine may offer control over the height of a pitch, as the
battery is drained, a selected height setting (e.g., 7 out of 10)
may result in lower and lower pitches. Even in pitching machines
that run on rechargeable batteries, repeated recharge cycles can
degrade battery performance, especially in the case of lead-acid
batteries.
[0080] Further, the disclosed pitching machine may be preferable to
those that launch balls from underneath plate, because
baseball/softball players are typically taught to hit the ball
before it crosses home plate so that their arms can be extended and
the ball can be hit with more power.
[0081] Turning to FIG. 2A, an example of the ball pitching system
100 is illustrated. A side view of the ball pitching system 100 is
shown in FIG. 2B. Referring to FIG. 2C, two subsystems may be
included in the ball pitching system 100.
[0082] A first subsystem of the ball pitching system 100 is a ball
collection and transport system 200, while a second subsystem is a
ball pitching device 300 (i.e., the ball launcher). In one example,
the ball collection and transport system 200 is connected to ball
pitching device 300 via a length of flexible tubing, e.g., a hose
250. The functions and components of each subsystem are further
explained below.
[0083] FIG. 3A shows the components of ball collection and
transport system 200. Ball collection and transport system 200 is
designed to collect, store, and transport balls to ball pitching
device 300. As used herein, "ball collection" refers to a mechanism
enabling balls to be collected or fed from external to the ball
collection and transport system 200.
[0084] An external body that feeds balls to ball collection and
transport system 200 can be a hopper, a funnel, or another
mechanism that feeds balls that have been struck (or missed and
rolled) to ball collection and transport system 200.
[0085] An example of an external body for feeding balls to ball
collection and transport system 200 is shown in FIG. 3B. In this
example, the mouth 263 of hopper 260 may receive balls 262 from
another mechanism, such as the hitting screen 264 or a hitting
target equipped with a receiving net, or a netting trap, that
attaches to the outer circumference of the hopper mouth 263.
Further, the hopper 260 feeds the ball in play through orifice 261
to ball collection and transport system 200.
[0086] Although the left side of FIG. 3B shows the hopper 260 full
of balls, it is to be understood that such illustration is just to
show an example of the relative size of the hopper 260 relative to
the size of individual balls. For example, in practice, the hopper
260 may only be partially filled with balls.
[0087] In some examples, there may only be one ball at a time in
the hopper 260, as shown on the right side of FIG. 3B, where the
ball may be received after coming into contact with a hitting
screen 264 (e.g., the screen 12). In certain examples, ball storage
may occur in the ball collection system 200 and the hopper 260 may
operate as a funnel or guide to provide the loose ball that was
just hit (or missed) back into the ball collection track 210.
[0088] This type of implementation may be preferred, for example,
because of the ultimate goal of eventually getting the balls in a
single file line prior to feeding the ball pitching device 300.
Thus, if the hopper 260 is too full, no matter the size of the
orifice 261 or hopper 260, the balls may have an opportunity to
bridge and/or jam within the hopper 260. This may be, for example,
due to the weight, material, surface finish, size, and/or surface
features of the balls in use.
[0089] In some implementations of hoppers, this may not be an issue
based on geometry (e.g., implementations based on ball bearings or
grains/feed hoppers), as such systems may effectively make use of
passive hoppers. However, allowing the illustrated hopper 260 to
become too full may require an agitation system or un-jamming
mechanism (e.g., pinball flipper, vibrating motor, etc.) to deal
with bridging.
[0090] Rather than introducing such an agitation system or
un-jamming system, the described embodiment may maintain a passive
hopper and attempt to have as few balls in the hopper at one time
as possible. In some examples, the hopper 260 relies on other
components, such as the ball collection rack, for ball storage.
[0091] The orifice 261 of hopper 260 may be connected to the front
end 201 of the ball collection and transport system 200 shown in
FIG. 3A. As will be discussed in greater detail below, the ball
collection and transport system 200 may include a ball collection
track 210. Ball collection track 210 may be a single-file track,
enabling one ball to be fed, and to roll down, at a time. As such,
the size of orifice 261 of hopper 260 may be advantageously
reduced.
[0092] In a particular example, the ball collection track and hose
(210, 240, and 250) will all be full of balls, ideally. In one
example, the balls may fill up to the location of the shield 230
illustrated in FIG. 3A, allowing storage of the balls in a single
file line. As each ball is launched, all the balls roll forward one
ball diameter and make room for the pitched balls to roll back into
the ball collection system. Thus, the track configuration may
enable a single file line of numerous balls to be fed and
eventually roll down to ball launching mechanism.
[0093] An orifice with a diameter small enough to enable one ball
to be fed at a time into ball collection and transport system 200
may reduce a likelihood of "ball bridging." Ball bridging occurs
when two balls are fed into a place that qualifies for one ball,
which may cause a jam in the hopper and may require human or
mechanical intervention.
[0094] A ball feeding system may be placed in a batting area (e.g.,
player bay), where the batting area is designed such that balls
that have been struck and have fallen to the floor of the batting
area are directed to the ball feeding system, which then feeds the
balls to ball collection and transport system 200. As used herein,
the term "batting area" includes, but is not limited to, backyards
as well as indoor and outdoor areas designed for baseball and
softball practice or gameplay.
[0095] In one example, balls can be hit into a receiving net (which
may or may not be further equipped with a hitting target) that
directs hit balls to a ball feeding system. This example is
illustrated in FIG. 3C. A ball feeding system, such as hopper 260,
is placed in batting area 280. Balls 262 hit against receiving net
270 fall to floor 281 of batting area 280 and are directed to
hopper 260. In some embodiments, the hopper 260 may be under (or
directly under) the receiving net 270 (or alternatively, a screen,
such as the hitting screen 264 or screen 12).
[0096] It should be appreciated that embodiments described herein
are not limited to a specific type of hopper. While the use of a
passive hopper is described above, in other examples, the ball
feeding system may include an agitation system to prevent and/or
resolve ball bridging within the hopper. For example, FIG. 3D
illustrates a ball feeding system including an agitation system 265
configured to continuously or periodically provide physical
agitations (e.g., bumps, vibrations, etc.) to the hopper 260.
[0097] Using a receiving net or the hitting screen 264 to funnel
hit balls back into rotation may extend gameplay and provide users
of ball pitching system 100 with a self-competitive advantage,
because well struck balls may be hit into the net rather than being
"fouled off" to places outside the collection purview of the ball
collection system. Hitting balls into the net or screen helps keep
the rotation of balls going without having to pause to collect
errantly hit balls.
[0098] Referring to FIG. 3A again, when a ball is fed into front
end 201 of ball collection and transport system 200, the ball rolls
down on ball collection track 210. Ball collection track 210 is
supported by support columns 220. Switchbacks 240 can be attached
to ball collection track 210 at various locations to create any
number of turns at various angles (for example, at 45, 60, 90, or
180 degrees), effectively changing the direction of the ball
run.
[0099] Switchbacks 240 enable the formation of a longer ball
collection track within a volume of space in comparison with a
straight ball collection track design within the same volume of
space. One or more shields 230 can be attached to ball collection
track 210 at various locations to prevent balls from falling off
ball collection track 210. In the illustrated example, the shield
230 is installed at front end 201 of ball collection and transport
system 200 where balls are fed.
[0100] In other examples, shields can also or alternatively be
installed around the turns of the ball collection track 210 that
are created by switchbacks 240. In some examples, sensors to
monitor and detect the ball queue may be present, for example via
embedding into components such as shields 230. In certain examples,
the sensors can be used to detect the quantity and/or quality of
balls in the ball queue.
[0101] For example, the sensors may be density sensors configured
to detect/determine a density of each ball. An example of such a
sensor(s) is designated 235 in FIG. 3A. In one example, the sensor
235 is configured to detect balls of poor quality that should be
removed from circulation.
[0102] As shown in FIG. 3A, rear end 241 of ball collection track
210 is connected to a first end 251 of flexible hose 250. Referring
to FIG. 4A, a second end 252 of flexible hose 250 is fed through
collar 310 situated at rear end 520 of the ball pitching device 300
(i.e., the ball launcher), connecting ball pitching device 300 to
the ball collection and transport system 200.
[0103] In one example, the flexible hose 250 is not mechanically
fastened to the collar 310. Rather, there is a slip fit between the
collar 310 and the flexible hose 250, which means that the collar
310 holds the flexible hose 250, while also enabling it to
translate therethrough and rotate therein (and therefore remain in
the collar 310 when the roll and tilt are adjusted). Enabling the
flexible hose 250 to translate through and rotate within collar 310
facilitates various types of motion achievable by the ball pitching
device 300.
[0104] As will be discussed in greater detail below, the ball
pitching device 300 is designed such that it can roll about or
around a first axis and such that its rear end 520 can be lifted
upward (i.e., the pitching device 300 can tilt on or around a
second axis). The flexibility of the flexible hose 250 and its
ability to translate through and rotate within the collar 310
enables the ball pitching device 300 to achieve tilting and rolling
motions without causing any disturbances to the rest of the system,
for example, the ball collection and transport system 200.
[0105] The ball pitching device 300 is designed to pitch balls over
a specific area or within a specified volume. For example, the ball
pitching device 300 can pitch baseballs over home plate and within
the strike zone for a batter to strike at and hit balls against a
screen or into an open field. The ball pitching device 300 is
designed to have the capability to control variables such as
trajectory (e.g., including initial velocity and launch direction)
of the pitch. The capability to control such variables enables the
ball pitching device 300 to pitch balls to very specific locations
within the strike zone as well as to affect the apex of the
pitch.
[0106] With continued reference to FIG. 4A, when a ball exits from
the second end 252 of the flexible hose 250, it rolls onto the
launching box 320. In one example, the launching box 320 is fixed
to the cradle 330, and the cradle 330 is fixed to the base box 340.
The launching box 320, the cradle 330, and the base box 340 are
supported by the support frame 350. In some examples, the support
frame 350 is attached via a hinge 360 to vertical supports 370,
which effectively provide an axis 361, around which the ball
pitching device 300 can tilt.
[0107] In one example, the vertical supports 370 are connected to
the base plate 380. Also shown in FIG. 4A a safety sensor 390 may
be situated near the front end 301 of the ball pitching device 300.
As will be discussed in greater detail below, a ball is launched
from a launching position within the launching box 320.
[0108] In some examples, the launching position is situated near
the front end 301 of the ball pitching device 300. The safety
sensor 390 may prevent the ball pitching device 300 from pitching a
ball when there is an obstruction above the launching position
(e.g., users looking over the launching position). In an
embodiment, the safety sensor 390 is an ultrasonic sensor, the
sensitivity of which is adjustable. A side view of the ball
pitching device 300 is shown in FIG. 4B.
[0109] It is to be appreciated that the launching box 320, the
cradle 330, and the base box 340 may each be manufactured
separately and attached together mechanically or manufactured as a
single integrated unit. The launching box 320, the cradle 330, and
the base box 340, whether manufactured individually or as one
integrated unit, are collectively referred to herein as a
casing.
[0110] An embodiment where casing is manufactured as an integrated
unit is shown in FIG. 4C. In this embodiment, the casing 341 may be
manufactured such that it has a removable side panel 342 that
allows easy access to the interior of the casing 341 for
maintenance and repair of the components housed within the casing
341.
[0111] In some embodiments, components within the casing may be
modular and thus replaceable. To illustrate, the same ball launcher
may be used for different kinds of balls (e.g., baseballs,
pickleballs, footballs, etc.), and only certain components may be
swapped out depending on the type of ball being launched, the
desired launch mechanism, etc.
[0112] FIG. 4D illustrates components that may be housed within
casing 341. For example, the casing 341 may house a solenoid 343, a
capacitor bank 345, a storage gate 321, a launching gate 322, and a
controller 346. In one example, an aperture in the upper surface of
casing 341 defines the launching position 323. Thus, a portion of
the launching box 320 that is "upstream" from the launching
position 323 can be considered a ball storage area from which balls
are delivered to the launching position 323 one-at-a-time.
[0113] Depending on implementation, hoppers, tubing, and/or ball
collection tracks may also be considered ball storage areas. In
some examples, the solenoid 343 includes a ferromagnetic piston
(alternatively referred to herein as a plunger) 344 and is disposed
below launching position 323.
[0114] It should be understood that not all components shown in
FIG. 4D may be housed in the casing 341. For example, as
illustrated in FIG. 4E, components other than the solenoid 343, the
piston 344, and the gates 321-322 may be included in a control
cabinet 367 external to the casing 341. In one example, the
external control cabinet 367 houses the capacitor bank 345 and the
controller 346 as well as the electronics, power supplies, wiring,
motor controllers, etc., collectively indicated at 368.
[0115] As shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E, the solenoid 343 can be
selectively connected to the capacitor bank 345 using switch 366
(which may, for example, be a field effect transistor (FET) that in
some embodiments is external to the casing 341). In other examples,
the solenoid 343 may be connected to the capacitor bank 345 in a
different manner.
[0116] The controller 346 is configured to control the ball
pitching device 300. Together, the storage gate 321 and the
launching gate 322 form a gating system having a see-saw
configuration, enabling one ball to feed forward to the launching
position 323 at a time. In this manner, the gating system regulates
the movement of balls from the front end 201 of the ball collection
track 210 shown in FIG. 3A to launching position 323.
[0117] In one example, the components housed within the casing 341
are the same components housed within the base box 340 in the
embodiment shown in FIGS. 4A-4B. In the embodiment shown in FIG.
4A-4B, the gating system extends from the base box 340 and passes
through the cradle 330. Additional information regarding
embodiments of ball launch mechanisms and control is described with
reference to FIGS. 9-10.
[0118] FIG. 4F shows the storage gate 321 and the launching gate
322 of the launching box 320, as well as the launching position 323
from which a ball is launched. In both embodiments, the gating
system is designed such that when one gate is lowered the other
gate is raised in a seesaw manner. In some examples, the storage
gate 321 and the launching gate 322 are separated by a distance
less than two times a diameter of a ball and greater than a
diameter of the same ball.
[0119] The operation of the gating system is further illustrated in
FIG. 4G (the ball rolling path is shown as substantially horizontal
in FIG. 4G, but it is to be understood that the path may actually
slope downwards so that balls can roll to launching position 323).
Referring to the top diagram of FIG. 4G, at rest, a first ball,
ball 347, is sitting in the launching position 323. The weight of
the piston 344 drives the launching gate 322 up to block a second
ball, ball 348, from advancing forward to the launching position
323.
[0120] As the launching gate 322 drives up, it extends the tension
spring 392 and lowers the storage gate 321. In one example, these
relative motions are accomplished via a series of pivots, such as
gate pivot 393A and piston pivot 393B, and linkages, such as gate
linkage 394A and piston linkage 394B.
[0121] Referring to the bottom diagram of FIG. 4G, when the
solenoid 343 energizes, the piston 344 moves upwards to impact the
ball 347 in the launching position 323. The tension spring 392
returns to its retracted position which drives the launching gate
322 down and the storage gate 321 up. This enables the ball 348 to
roll to the launching position 323 so that it is in position for
launching.
[0122] In some examples, the storage gate 321 prevents a third
ball, such as ball 391, from interfering with the ball 348 while it
moves to launching position 323. Once the solenoid 343
de-energizes, the piston 344 falls down onto the piston linkage
394B, which drives the launching gate 322 up and the storage gate
321 down. This may enable the ball 391 to roll up to the launching
gate 322 and the cycle is ready to repeat itself.
[0123] In one example, the apex of a pitch may depend on the force
with which a ball is struck. In some examples, the mass of the
piston 344 is fixed, and the acceleration can be varied to achieve
the level of force, and, consequently, the apex of the pitch. The
amount of current applied to the solenoid 343 may be adjusted to
affect the acceleration of the piston 344.
[0124] In certain examples, a large amount of current may be
utilized to accelerate the piston(s) 344 at a desirable rate. For
this reason, the solenoid 343 may be connected to a high-voltage,
high-capacity capacitor (for example, capacitor bank 345).
[0125] In some examples, the capacitor (i.e., capacitor bank 345)
can be discharged in a way that is highly controllable. For
example, by controlling a charging voltage applied to the
capacitor, and thus a total charge stored in the capacitor prior to
discharge, the initial launching velocity of the pitch may be
controlled.
[0126] As such, the use of a capacitor allows a variable force to
be applied to the ball. In another example, the voltage applied to
the capacitor may be kept fixed, and the variable force may be
controlled based on the duration of time current is provided
through the coil (e.g., changing the coil ON time) and/or a pulse
width modulated (PWM) signal applied to a switch (e.g., a switching
FET).
[0127] And further, current may be provided to the coil on and off
at a very high frequency at varying duty cycles, which may have the
same effect as adjusting voltage without modulating a voltage
source.
[0128] In a particular embodiment, the ball pitching device 300 may
be configured with a solenoid piston array, and each piston of the
array may be configured to fire at various time differentials,
e.g., microseconds or less of time. By introducing slight
variations in piston firing timings, spin may be applied to a ball
upon launch, enabling approximation of different types of pitches
(e.g., cutters, curveballs, etc.).
[0129] In yet another embodiment, spin dampers may also be present
in the launch path of the ball to negate ball spin so that a
knuckleball can be approximated. For example, two spin dampers may
"sandwich" the ball on launch to negate spin and approximate a
knuckleball.
[0130] The gating system shown in FIGS. 4D-4G may be used in
conjunction with the ball collection track 210 shown in FIG. 3A to
store balls prior to launching. As described above, when a ball is
fed into the front end 201 of the ball collection and transport
system 200 shown in FIG. 3A, the ball rolls down on the ball
collection track 210. The ball collection track 210 is designed to
be a single-file track, enabling one ball to be fed to ball
pitching device 300 at a time.
[0131] In one example, a first ball, from a series of balls, that
is fed into the ball collection and transport system 200 rolls down
on the ball collection track 210 until it is stopped by storage
gate 321 shown in FIGS. 4D-4G. A second ball that is fed into the
ball collection and transport system 200 rolls down on the ball
collection track 210 until it is stopped by the first ball at the
storage gate 321, and so on.
[0132] Together, the single-file track design of the ball
collection track 210 and the storage gate 321 may enable the
formation of a queue of balls that extends from the front end 201
of the ball collection track 210 to the storage gate 321 in the
ball pitching device 300. Such a system effectively creates a
storage mechanism for storing and monitoring balls prior to
launching.
[0133] As discussed earlier with reference to FIG. 3A, the
switchbacks 240 can be attached to the ball collection track 210 in
various locations to create any number of turns at various angles.
The switchbacks 240 enable the formation of a longer ball
collection track within a smaller volume of space in comparison
with a straight ball collection track design within the same amount
of space. The switchbacks 240 effectively enable more balls to be
stored on ball collection track 210 than if ball collection track
210 were straight.
[0134] Referring to FIG. 4H, a side view of the ball pitching
device 300 is shown. In one example, the ball pitching device 300
is designed to have at least two degrees of freedom. In some
examples, the ball pitching device 300 can tilt and roll. These two
types of motions can affect the launch direction (or launch vector)
of a pitch.
[0135] The components of the ball pitching device 300 responsible
for producing a tilting motion include a motor 430, which may be a
stepper motor (or DC servo motor, or another motor with position
control), lead screw 440, carriage 450, mechanical retainer 480,
slide guide 490, linkages 460, shaft 400, and v-roller 410.
[0136] As shown in FIG. 4H, the stepper motor 430 is connected to
the lead screw 440; the carriage 450 is a screw-driven carriage,
the movement of which is facilitated by the slide guide 490; both
of the carriage 450 and the mechanical retainer 480 are connected
to the shaft 400 via the linkages 460; and the v-roller 410 rides
on the shaft 400. The stepper motor/lead screw design may enable
adjustable tilt while keeping the motor in place, which is
advantageous for wire/cable management.
[0137] It should be noted that the carriage 450 and the mechanical
retainer 480 extend across the width of the base plate 380 (i.e.
into the page, with reference to FIG. 4H) and that there are two
sets of linkages connecting the carriage 450 and the mechanical
retainer 480 to each end of the shaft 400. The first set of
linkages, linkages 460, are shown in FIG. 4H, while the second set
of linkages, not shown, run parallel to the linkages 460 on the
other side of the base plate 380.
[0138] FIG. 4A provides a different perspective that shows the
v-roller 410 riding on the shaft 400. In one example, the v-roller
410 rolls on a v-groove track. As shown in FIG. 4A, the support
frame 350 has a bar 420 with a v-groove that effectively acts as
the v-groove track on which the v-roller 410 rolls up or down.
Other alternatives to the v-roller and the v-groove track system
include, but are not limited to, sliding joints and vertical lead
screws.
[0139] Referring to FIG. 4H again, when the stepper motor 430
operates, the lead screw 440 turns. As the lead screw 440 turns,
the carriage 450 moves to either the left or the right side of the
slide guide 490 depending on the direction of rotation of the lead
screw 440. As the carriage 450 moves on the slide guide 490, the
shaft 400 either moves upward or downward depending on the
direction in which the carriage 450 moves.
[0140] For example, as the carriage 450 drives to the left, toward
the stepper motor 430, the shaft 400 moves upward. The carriage 450
pushes the shaft 400 upward or downward using the linkages 460 and
the mechanical retainer 480. As the shaft 400 moves upward or
downward, the v-roller 410 rolls along the v-bar 420 in the same
direction.
[0141] The movement of the shaft 400 and the v-roller 410 against
the support frame 350 (including v-bar 420) causes the ball
pitching device 300 to tilt around the axis 361 (axis 361 is shown
in FIG. 4A). In this manner, the linear motion of the carriage 450
is converted into the rotary or tilting motion of the ball pitching
device 300 using the components described above.
[0142] The tilting motion of the ball pitching device 300 can
range, in one example, over an approximately 40-degree arc (e.g.,
from approximately 5 degrees to approximately 45 degrees), as shown
in FIG. 4J.
[0143] It should be appreciated that, in the embodiment shown in
FIG. 4H, serviceability of the ball pitching device 300 can be
easily performed. Various components of the ball pitching device
300 can be separated to enable for targeted maintenance.
[0144] For example, because there is a slip fit between the collar
310 and the flexible hose 250, the flexible hose 250 can be easily
pulled out. Once the flexible hose 250 is pulled out, and because
the support frame 350 is not permanently secured to the shaft 400
and the roller 410, the support frame 350 can be lifted and tilted
manually from the end that is unhinged, separating the components
above the support frame 350 from the components below.
[0145] As described above, in addition to tilting, the ball
pitching device 300 is capable of rolling. Referring to FIG. 4H,
the ball pitching device 300 is designed to roll around the axis
514 using stepper motor 500, worm gear system 510, and shafts 513A
and 513B. The stepper motor 500 and the worm gear system 510 are
positioned at the rear end 520 of the ball pitching device 300.
[0146] It should be appreciated that the shafts 513A and 513B do
not pass through the cradle 330. Rather, the shafts 513A and 513B
are attached to the outside of the cradle 330, one shaft at each of
the two ends of the cradle 330 as shown in FIG. 4H. The shafts 513A
and 513B are aligned along the same axis, axis 514. The shafts 513A
and 513B are supported by mechanical bushings in the mounts 515A
and 515B, respectively, and can be supported by other types of
bearings as well.
[0147] Referring to FIG. 4I, the components of the worm gear system
510 are shown. The worm gear system 510 is comprised of the worm
511 and the worm gear 512. The worm gear 512 shares the same axis,
axis 514 shown in FIG. 4H, as the shafts 513A and 513B. When the
stepper motor 500 operates, it turns the worm 511. The worm 511
then turns the worm gear 512, which turns the shaft 513A.
[0148] The worm gear 512 changes the rotational movement of the
worm 511 (e.g., at a 90-degree angle) by virtue of how the worm 511
and the worm gear 512 are placed relative to each other. The
rotation of the shaft 513A causes the cradle 330 to roll around the
axis 514 using the shaft 513B. The launching box 320 and the base
box 340 roll in the same manner as the cradle 330 due to their
attachment to the cradle 330 on each side.
[0149] The rolling motion of the ball pitching device 300 can
range, in one example, over an approximately 60-degree arc (e.g.,
from approximately -30 degrees to approximately +30 degrees with 0
degrees being vertical/centered), as shown in FIG. 4J. The stepper
motor/worm gear/worm design may enable adjustable roll while
keeping the motor in place, which is advantageous for wire/cable
management.
[0150] As described above, the hose 250 may be flexible. This may
include an accordion-style extendibility/contractibility and/or an
ability to be pushed inwards or pulled outwards through the slip
joint. To illustrate, as shown in FIG. 4K, an embodiment of the
ball pitching system is designated 400 and includes a hose 251 that
can extend/contract and/or be pushed inwards or pulled outwards
through the slip joint as the ball launcher moves on rails 381.
[0151] In an illustrative example, the ball launcher can move in a
range from a location that is approximately one foot laterally in
front of home plate 4 to a location that is approximately thirty
feet laterally in front of home plate 4. More specifically, the
ball launcher can move in a range from a location that is
approximately five feet laterally in front of home plate 4 to
twenty feet laterally in front of home plate 4.
[0152] In some examples of such embodiments, the ball launcher may
remain vertically below home plate and launch balls through the
hole 33 in the floor. The hole 33 may be non-circular (e.g., ovular
or teardrop shaped) or it may itself be movable (e.g., to various
locations in the access door 21) to match the movement of the ball
launcher along the rails 381.
[0153] When dynamic strike zone calculation is enabled, sensor(s)
(e.g., inertial sensor(s), motion sensor(s), computer vision
sensor(s), etc.) may be configured to determine how far in front of
home plate 4 the pitching machine is, and this distance may be used
to determine tilt, roll, and/or launch velocity adjustment to place
a ball in a particular part within (or outside) the strike
zone.
[0154] In some embodiments, the ball collection system may have
built-in sorting for balls of different types. For example, the
same hopper may feed multiple ball collection tracks. The track for
larger balls (e.g., softballs) may have a hole small enough for the
larger balls to roll over but small enough for smaller balls (e.g.,
baseballs) to fall through onto a different ball collection track,
as shown in FIG. 4L.
[0155] At the flexible tubing 250, a mechanical switch 492 may be
actuated to select which size ball should be fed to the ball
launching mechanism. The mechanical switch 492 may be controlled
electronically, for example via user input at a touchscreen so that
different users can select whether they want to hit baseballs or
softballs.
[0156] FIGS. 5A-5E illustrate a ball pitching device 600 in
accordance with aspects described herein. In one example, the ball
pitching device 600 can be utilized as the second subsystem (i.e.,
ball pithing device) included in the ball pitching system 100 of
FIG. 2A.
[0157] As shown in FIGS. 5A-5E, the ball pitching device 600
includes a ball holder 602, an impulse mechanism 604, a first
adjustment stage 606, a second adjustment stage 608, a carousel
ball feed 610, a gear assembly 612, an angled mount 614, and a
loading chute 616. In some examples, the ball pitching machine 600
includes a ball parameter sensor 618.
[0158] In one example, the loading chute 616 is connected to a ball
source (e.g., the ball collection and transport system of the ball
pitching system 100) to receive a ball or series of balls. The
carousel ball feed 610 may be operated to receive the balls from
the loading chute 616. As shown in FIG. 5D, the carousel ball feed
610 may include a plurality of ball slots 620a, 620b, 620c that can
be rotated around a bearing 622.
[0159] In other examples, the carousel ball feed 610 may include a
different number of ball slots. In one example, the gear assembly
612 is configured to rotate the carousel ball feed 610 such that
each ball received at the loading chute 616 is provided to one of
the ball slots 620a, 620b, 620c. The angled mount 614 may provide a
slope or tilt that allows the balls received at the loading chute
616 to be passively transferred (i.e., via gravity) to the slots
620a, 620b, 620c.
[0160] In some examples, the carousel ball feed 610 includes one or
more sensors configured to determine which slots are empty (or
full), and the gear assembly 612 can be operated to rotate the
carousel ball feed 610 accordingly.
[0161] In one example, the dimensions of each ball slot 620a, 620b,
620c are slightly larger than the ball diameter such that balls can
be transferred from the loading chute 616 with minimal friction. In
certain examples, the ball pitching device 600 is configured to
support multiple types of balls (e.g., baseballs and softballs) and
the dimensions of the ball slots may correspond to the largest ball
diameter supported (e.g., softballs). In other examples, the
carousel ball feed 610 may be removable and different ball feeds
can be swapped in/out to support various ball types.
[0162] As shown in FIG. 5D, the ball holder 602 includes a
launching surface 624 configured to receive and hold a ball in a
launching position 626. The launching position 626 may correspond
to an aperture (i.e., circular cutout) defined in the launching
surface 624 of the ball holder 602.
[0163] The carousel ball feed 610 is rotated to deliver a ball from
one of the ball slots 620a, 620b, 620c to the launching surface
624. Based on the slope provided by the angled mount 614, the balls
may be passively transferred (i.e., via gravity) from the ball slot
to the launching surface 624 of the ball holder 602. As shown, the
ball holder 602 includes a stop ridge 628 allowing the ball to roll
down the launching surface 624 and settle in the launching position
626.
[0164] In some examples, the rotation of the carousel ball feed 610
is controlled to set the pitch frequency. For example, the carousel
ball feed 610 may be rotated to provide balls to the launching
surface 624 at a desired rate. In other examples, the launching
surface 624 can include a gating system similar to the gating
system of the ball pitching device 300 shown in FIGS. 4D-4E to
control pitch frequency.
[0165] The impulse mechanism 604 is disposed beneath the launching
position 626 and configured to impact the ball being held in the
launching position 626. Similar to the ball pitching device 300 of
FIGS. 4A-4L, the impulse mechanism 604 may include an
electromagnetic solenoid (i.e., coil) configured to accelerate a
moveable piston 632.
[0166] In one example, the electromagnetic solenoid is selectively
connected to a power source, such as a capacitor bank. As described
above, a current may be applied to the electromagnetic solenoid
from the power source to accelerate the piston 632 and impact the
ball being held in the launching position 626.
[0167] The amount of current applied to the electromagnetic
solenoid can be adjusted to control the amount of force (or power)
delivered by the impulse mechanism 604 when impacting the ball. In
some examples, the amount of power (or force) delivered by the
impulse mechanism 604 can be adjusted to control pitch
trajectory.
[0168] In one example, the ball pitching device 600 includes a
thermal sensor configured to measure the temperature of the
electromagnetic solenoid or a temperature associated with the
electromagnetic solenoid (e.g., the impulse mechanism 604). In some
examples, the temperature measured by the thermal sensor may be
used to adjust the amount of current applied to the electromagnetic
solenoid.
[0169] For example, if the ball pitching device 600 has been
operating for an extended period of time, the temperature of the
electromagnetic solenoid may increase, and a larger amount of
current may be needed to generate an expected amount of force.
[0170] In another example, the impulse mechanism 604 includes a
pneumatic cylinder. The pneumatic cylinder may be configured to
accelerate the moveable piston 632 using compressed air or other
gasses to impact the ball being held in the launching position 626.
The amount of pressure in the pneumatic cylinder can be adjusted to
control the amount of power (or force) delivered by the impulse
mechanism 604 when impacting the ball.
[0171] Likewise, the amount of pressure in the pneumatic cylinder
can be adjusted to control pitch trajectory. In some examples, the
ball pitching device 600 includes a reservoir of compressed air (or
gas) connected to the pneumatic cylinder of the impulse mechanism
604.
[0172] In some examples, the moveable piston 632 can be adjusted to
maintain an optimal point of impact between the impulse mechanism
604 and the ball being held in the launching position 626. For
example, the length of the moveable piston 632 may be adjusted
based on the type of ball being launched (e.g., baseball or
softball) to maintain the optimal point of impact and provide
consistent performance for different types of balls. In one
example, the optimal point of impact refers to the point of impact
at which a maximum amount of energy is transferred from the
moveable piston 632 to the ball being launched.
[0173] In some examples, the amount of force delivered by the
impulse mechanism 604 may correspond to a physical property of the
ball being held in the launching position 626. For example, the
quality of balls in circulation may degrade over time and the
amount of force delivered by the impulse mechanism 604 may be
adjusted/calibrated for each ball to maintain consistent
performance regardless of potential variations in the ball's
coefficient of restitution (e.g., elasticity or resiliency).
[0174] In addition, the amount of force delivered by the impulse
mechanism 604 may correspond to the type of ball being launched
(e.g., baseball, cricket ball, or kickball). As shown in FIG. 5B,
the ball parameter sensor 618 is positioned in proximity to the
loading chute 616 and configured to detect/measure various
parameters of the balls received at the loading chute 616. In one
example, the ball parameter sensor 618 is configured to measure the
density of each ball received at the loading chute 616.
[0175] Each time a ball is transferred from the carousel ball feed
610 to the launching position 626, the impulse mechanism 604 may be
adjusted to provide an amount of force corresponding to the desired
pitch trajectory and the measured density of the ball. For example,
a larger force may be needed to launch a ball having a higher
density than a ball having a lower density for the same pitch
trajectory. As such, the force delivered by the impulse mechanism
604 can be adjusted based on individual ball parameters (e.g.,
density) to achieve consistent execution of pitch trajectories.
[0176] In one example, based on the measured/detected ball
parameters, the quality of a ball received at the loading chute 616
may be deemed unacceptable and the carousel ball feed 610 may be
operated to remove the ball from circulation (or to prevent the
ball from being transferred to the launching surface 624). In some
examples, the measured/detected ball parameters can be used to
improve the accuracy of tracking pitch exit velocities and
computing the distance of hit balls.
[0177] In addition to adjusting the amount of force delivered by
the impulse mechanism 604, the position of the impulse mechanism
604 can be adjusted to control the trajectory of the ball launched
from the launching position 626. For example, the position of the
impulse mechanism 604 may be adjusted in at least two dimensions
relative to the launching position 626 to alter the location at
which the impulse mechanism 604 impacts the ball.
[0178] As shown in FIGS. 5A-5D, the impulse mechanism 604 is
attached directly to the first adjustment stage 606, the first
adjustment stage 606 is stacked on top of the second adjustment
stage 608, and the second adjustment stage 608 is stacked on top of
a base plate 630 attached to the angled mount 614.
[0179] In some examples, the base plate 630 includes one or more
linear guides and the second adjustment stage 608 may move along
the linear guide(s) to adjust the position the first adjustment
stage 606 and the impulse mechanism 604 in a first dimension (e.g.,
y-axis).
[0180] Likewise, the second adjustment stage 608 may include one or
more linear guides and the first adjustment stage 606 may move
along the linear guide(s) to adjust the position of the impulse
mechanism 604 in a second dimension (e.g., x-axis).
[0181] In some examples, the ball pitching device 600 includes one
or more adjustment devices (e.g., electro-mechanical actuators,
transducers, servo motors, etc.) configured to control the
adjustment of the first and second adjustment stages 606, 608.
[0182] In certain examples, the ball pitching device 600 may
include a third adjustment stage configured to adjust the position
of the impulse mechanism 604 in a third dimension (e.g., z-axis).
For example, the third adjustment stage may adjust the slope/tilt
of the angled mount 614 to further alter the trajectory of the ball
launched from the launching position 626.
[0183] In some examples, the ball pitching device 600 may sit flat
on the base plate 630 (i.e., no angled mount 614) and the third
adjustment stage may be configured to provide desired amounts of
tilt corresponding to pitch trajectories, loading/unloading of
balls, etc.
[0184] As shown in FIG. 5E, the moveable piston 632 of the impulse
mechanism 602 includes an end effector 634. In one example, the end
effector 634 is attached to the end of the moveable piston 632
configured to impact the ball being held in the launching position
626. In some examples, the end effector 634 may have a shape or
form corresponding to a desired impact response of the impulse
mechanism 604.
[0185] For example, certain end effector shapes (e.g., spherical)
may allow for increased flexibility in positioning the impulse
mechanism 604 relative to the launching position 626 (e.g., larger
adjustment ranges). In some examples, different end effector shapes
may be optimized for different ball types and can be swapped in/out
as needed.
[0186] FIGS. 6A-6B illustrate various example pitch trajectories
and impulse mechanism positions according to aspects described
herein. It should be appreciated that the positions and
trajectories shown are merely examples of pitches provided to
demonstrate operation of the ball pitching device 600. As shown,
the trajectory of example pitch A may correspond to the impulse
mechanism 604 being positioned directly under ball in the launching
position 626.
[0187] Likewise, the trajectory of example pitch B may correspond
to the impulse mechanism 604 being positioned slightly off-center
relative to the launching position 626. Similarly, the trajectory
of example pitch C may correspond to the impulse mechanism 604
being positioned substantially off-center relative to the launching
position 626.
[0188] As described above, the power (or force) delivered by the
impulse mechanism 604 may also be adjusted to provide the
trajectories of example pitches A, B, and C.
[0189] In some examples, being that the ball pitching device 600
controls pitch trajectory by adjusting the position of the impulse
mechanism 604, the ball pitching device 600 may require less space
to operate. For example, when incorporated into the player bay
layouts of FIGS. 1A-1G, the clearance between the pitch deck 2 and
the ball pitching device 600 may be reduced.
[0190] In addition, being that the ball pitching device 600 can
provide various pitch trajectories without rotating, the ball
pitching device 600 may be connected directly to the ball source
(e.g., the ball collection and transport system of the ball
pitching system 100). As such, flexible tubing (e.g., flexible hose
250) may be optional.
[0191] In some examples, the ball pitching device 600 can be
positioned in the player bay layouts of FIGS. 1A-1G to minimize the
length of ball return tracks and number of switchbacks.
[0192] FIGS. 4A-5E thus illustrate the components and mechanisms
employed in embodiments to control the trajectory of a pitch and a
frequency of pitches. Through a software application on a mobile
device or a computer system, users of the ball pitching devices
300, 600 can send commands to the ball pitching devices 300, 600 to
pitch balls to specific locations within or near a strike zone.
[0193] To trigger a pitch, the ball pitching devices 300, 600 may
be programmed such that when a player steps on or waves a bat over
home plate, or an area in the floor designated as home plate, a
pitching cycle is initiated. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a
sensor 530 may be installed under a home plate 533.
[0194] In one embodiment, the sensor 530 may be an infrared (IR)
sensor and the home plate 533 may be IR-transparent. The sensor 530
may alternatively be an ultrasonic sensor, or any other appropriate
form of sensor known in the art. In some examples, the sensor 530
is configured to communicate with a controller associated with the
ball pitching devices 300, 600 (e.g., the controller 346) such
that, upon detecting a foot 531 or a bat 532 over home plate 533, a
pitching cycle starts.
[0195] Additionally, an impending pitch may be signaled through
light emitted from a lighting system installed around home plate
and/or around the launching positions 323, 526 of the ball pitching
devices 300, 600, wherein the lighting system is also designed such
that it can be controlled by controllers of the ball pitching
devices 300, 600.
[0196] Together with ball collection and transport system 200 shown
in FIG. 3A, the ball pitching devices 300, 600 enables balls to be
pitched to any location within a strike zone, or intentionally out
of a strike zone, and for balls to be collected, stored, and
transported after being pitched.
[0197] FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of the hopper 32. In the
embodiment shown, the hopper funnels balls towards an opening that
has a bottom edge a height B from the entry of the hose 250 and a
top edge a height T from the entry of the hose 250. The difference
T-B is at least slightly larger than the diameter of the balls to
be collected in the hopper 32.
[0198] Balls from the hopper 32 may enter the hose 250
one-at-a-time, as described above. On the right-hand side of FIG. 8
is shown an example of an agitator (e.g., sweeper) that may be
placed at the entrance of the hopper 32 and used automatically
and/or on-demand, continuously and/or periodically, to cause balls
that may be stuck near the hopper orifice to roll into the
orifice.
[0199] FIG. 8 also shows a cabinet 650 that includes control and
communications circuitry associated with the ball pitching system
100. Although such circuitry is shown as being located below-ground
and proximate to the ball pitching system 100, it is to be
understood that in alternative embodiments all or a portion of
control/communications functionality may be implemented by devices
that are located elsewhere in a player bay or even external to a
player bay.
[0200] Moreover, while certain control and communication operations
are described herein as being based on wired connections, it is to
be understood that such operations may be based on wireless
connections in alternative embodiments.
[0201] FIGS. 9-10 illustrate examples of connections (e.g., wiring)
involving components of the cabinet 650 in accordance with
illustrative non-limiting embodiments. In FIGS. 9-10, a dashed line
is used to delineate components/functions inside the cabinet 650
vs. those outside the cabinet 650. Further, potential
terminal/junctions are shown in FIGS. 9-10 using black dots, but it
is to be understood that these locations are for example only and
are not to be considered limiting.
[0202] Referring to FIG. 9, a mains power supply (PS) may be
coupled to a main switch 702, which in turn provides line (L) and
neutral (N) power connections to a relay 703, a 48-volt (V) power
supply 704, and a 12V power supply 705. Multiple power supplies may
be provided because certain functions (e.g., driving and/or
controlling motors) may be higher voltage whereas other functions
(e.g., LED lighting control and sensor operation) may be lower
voltage.
[0203] The power supplies 704, 705 may be coupled to a printed
circuit board (PCB) 710 that performs/controls various functions
via hardware, firmware, software (e.g., executed by a controller or
processor), or some combination thereof. For example, the PCB 710
may control the initial charging, discharging, and recharging of a
capacitor bank 712 via respective resistors 716, 718, and 720.
[0204] The resistors may control the rate at which the capacitor
bank 712 is initially charged upon system startup (716), that rate
at which the capacitor bank 712 discharges upon system shut down
(718), and the rate at which the capacitor bank recharges between
pitches (720). The different resistor values may limit the current
into or out of the capacitor bank 712.
[0205] The PCB 710 may include an onboard adjustable direct current
(DC) convertor (not shown) that receives the 48V DC supply as input
and converts it to a different magnitude (e.g., between 24V and
48V, such as approximately 28V).
[0206] In the illustrated example, the capacitor bank 712 includes
three capacitors connected in parallel to provide a high overall
capacitance (e.g., around one farad (1 F)). In other examples, the
capacitor bank 712 may include a different number of capacitors
and/or provide a different amount of overall capacitance.
[0207] The capacitor bank 712 is configured to drive a magnetic
field associated with a solenoid 714, which in turn may cause
ferro-magnetic plunger (or moveable piston) to accelerate towards
and imparting a launching force on a ball, as described above with
reference to the ball pitching devices 300, 600. Due to the high
capacitance of the capacitance bank 712, a large current (e.g.,
approximately 120 amperes (amps)) may be applied to the solenoid
714, albeit for a short duration (e.g., less than 100 milliseconds
(ms), such as approximately 40 ms in an example).
[0208] In other examples, different amounts of current may be
applied over different durations of times to provide various
launching forces. In some examples, a fuse 720 and power
distribution blocks 722, 724 may be included to enhance safety
during operation and for connection, disconnection, and maintenance
tasks.
[0209] In a particular embodiment, the PCB 710 is configured to
adjust the frequency, speed, and magnitude of discharging at the
capacitor bank 712. In some examples, this may control the magnetic
field of the solenoid 714 and thus the initial launch velocity of a
ball struck by the ferro-magnetic plunger/piston, as well as when
the next ball is launched.
[0210] Initial launch velocity and launch timing may be controlled
responsive to hardwiring/programming as well as responsive to input
received from an external device, as further described with
reference to FIG. 10.
[0211] In addition to power control, the PCB 710 may perform
communication and motor control. To illustrate, referring to FIG.
10, the PCB 710 may be coupled to a roll motor controller 802 and a
lift (alternatively referred to herein as "tilt") motor controller
804.
[0212] The roll motor controller 804 may provide signals (e.g.,
motor control input(s)) to a roll motor 806, such as a stepper
motor that causes a ball launcher (e.g., the ball pitching device
300) to roll about a roll axis. Similarly, the lift motor
controller 804 may provide signals (e.g., motor control input(s))
to a lift motor 808, such as a stepper motor that causes a ball
launcher (e.g., the ball pitching device 300) to tilt about a tilt
axis.
[0213] As used herein, adjusting "tilt" or "lift" adjusts a launch
angle of a ball relative to the ground, whereas adjusting "roll"
adjusts the launch angle of the ball relative to a vertical
direction that is orthogonal to the ground.
[0214] In other examples, the PCB 710 is configured to operate one
or more motor controllers to control the positioning of an impulse
mechanism of the ball launcher (e.g., the ball pitching device
600). For example, the PCB 710 may control actuators and/or motors
configured to adjust the first and second adjustment stages of the
ball pitching device 600.
[0215] In some examples, an open-loop stepper motor is configured
to natively determine its "current" position upon powerup. Thus, in
embodiments where the motors 806, 808 are open-loop stepper motors,
homing sensors may be used to establish a "home" position for the
stepper motors, such as upon powerup.
[0216] For example, the PCB 710 may be coupled to a roll homing
sensor 810 and to a lift homing sensor 812. The homing sensors 810,
812 may detect physical contact with a portion of the ball pitching
device 300 at one end of the respective axis of motion (e.g., when
the ball pitching device 300 is rolled all the way to the left or
right and when the ball pitching device 300 is tilted all the way
up or down).
[0217] Alternatively, the homing sensors 810, 812 may be
non-contact sensors (e.g., inductive sensors) that detect when
metal of the ball pitching device 300 is in front of them. The PCB
710 may signal the stepper motors 806, 808 to control roll and tilt
of the ball pitching system 100 relative to the detected "home"
positions.
[0218] In some examples, a controller (e.g., Arduino controller,
microprocessor, etc.) is seated on the PCB 710 and executes an
application programming interface (API) that is accessible to an
external device. To illustrate, the PCB 710 (or the controller) may
be coupled to or include a communication interface 814.
[0219] In some cases, the communication interface 814 may be a
universal serial bus (USB) interface. USB signals provided to the
PCB 710 (or the controller) may include data that causes
modification to the timing and trajectory of ball launches, such as
via the roll motor 806, the lift motor 808, and the discharging of
the capacitor bank 712. Thus, the described techniques may enable
controlling ball launch timing and trajectory from an external
device, such as a device (e.g., separate computer) connected via
USB.
[0220] However, it is to be understood that a wired communication
interface 814 is provided merely as an example and is not to be
considered limiting. In an alternative example, the communication
interface 814 includes a wireless communication interface and the
timing/trajectory of ball launches can be controlled wirelessly via
a local network or even the internet.
[0221] The PCB 710 may also control additional functions. In the
illustrated example, the PCB 710 is coupled to a direct current
(DC) fan 818 via a relay 820, a plate sensor 822, a face sensor
824, color LED lights 826 and 832, and white LED lights 830 and
836. In particular examples, the color and white LED lights may be
LED light strips that are individually controllable (e.g., four
light controls).
[0222] The fan 818 may be used to cool the ball pitching system 100
(e.g., due to heat generated at the solenoid 714), and may in some
examples be triggered based on readings from a thermocouple and/or
thermal sensor (not shown) within or near the solenoid 714. The
plate sensor 822 may be configured to detect when a player steps on
home plate and/or when a player waves a bat over home plate,
signaling that he or she is ready for the ball pitching system 100
to launch balls.
[0223] The face sensor 824 may be an infrared, vision, and/or
proximity-based sensor that is placed in or near the hole through
which balls are launched, so that balls are not launched if a
player, player's face, etc. are in the line of fire.
[0224] As described with reference to FIG. 1, in certain
embodiments the periphery of home plate 4 and the pitch circle
(e.g., hole 33) may be outfitted with lights. For example, the
lights 826 and 830 may provide white and multi-color lighting
capability for the pitch circle, respectively.
[0225] Similarly, the lights 836 and 832 may provide white and
multi-color lighting capability for home plate 4. In the
illustrated example, the color lights 826 and 832 are connected to
the PCB 710 via respective dimmers 828 and 834. The illustrated
lighting arrangement may enable the PCB 710 to provide various
light-based signaling in the player bay.
[0226] For example, different light colors, light flashing
patterns, and/or light dimming patterns may be used to indicate
status information, a pitch countdown or impending pitch, etc. As
another example, when the pitch circle or home plate is blue, it
may indicate to the player to try and aim for a target (e.g., blue
or other easily noticeable/distinguishable color) shown on the
screen 12.
[0227] The PCB 710 may be coupled, in some cases, to a disable
switch 816. The disable switch 816 may, for example, serve as a
master kill switch that can be used to quickly shut off some or all
functionality in the player bay.
[0228] It is to be understood that certain components shown in
FIGS. 9 and/or 10 are selected for inclusion based at least in part
on the use of a solenoid/plunger-based ball launcher, and the
solenoid/plunger may drive several other costs (e.g., power use,
electronics, electrical components, etc.) in the overall system. If
a different launch mechanism is used, different components may be
present.
[0229] For example, if a pneumatic ball launching mechanism were to
be employed, the PCB 710 may control storage and/or release of
compressed air (e.g., from a per-pitch accumulator of from a larger
tank that is refilled less frequently) rather than
charging/discharging cycles of the capacitor bank 712.
[0230] As another example, if a mechanical ball launching mechanism
such as a spring were used, the PCB 710 may control compression and
release of the spring (and may be coupled to sensors that monitor
stress and strain on the spring to determine if/when a maintenance
may be required). In other examples, the ball launching mechanism
may be hydraulic.
[0231] FIG. 12 is a diagram to illustrate an example of a backstop
that may be used to provide a continuous wrap under the screen 12
of a player bay, the backstop having a curvature that is
substantially similar to the curvature of the screen 12 (the screen
12 being curved may assist in automated ball collection, provide an
immersive user experience, and provide a more natural feeling to
baseball/softball players because baseball/softball outfields are
usually similarly curved).
[0232] As shown in FIG. 12, the backstop may include various
layers. For example, a curtain weight, such as bent metal stock or
a chain, may be inserted into or wrapped with a foam noodle or
other flexible encasement, and may hang in a sling at the bottom of
the backstop. The wrap fabric may be a thick and absorbent
material, such as 3/8'' felt.
[0233] Behind the wrap fabric may be a foam padding, an angle bar
whose curvature matches the backstop's curvature, and a filler
material. The backstop may "deaden" (e.g., absorb a large amount of
kinetic energy from) balls that hit the backstop, so that such
balls drop onto the collection deck 3 and roll into the hopper
32.
[0234] In one example, angled nets can be included to trap and/or
direct balls onto the collection deck 3. In some examples, angled
nets can be used to feed balls into the hopper 32 directly.
[0235] Various graphical user interfaces (GUIs) may be displayed by
computing devices and/or mobile devices associated with a bay. For
example, FIG. 13A shows an example of GUI that may be used to
determine which area of the strike zone each of the next five
pitches should be launched into.
[0236] In FIG. 13B, the fifth pitch is targeted to the upper right
portion of the strike zone. In FIG. 13C, all five pitches have been
targeted to the lower right portion of the strike zone.
[0237] Although one and five pitches, respectively, are shown being
moved to the same portion of zone, it is to be understood that
individual pitches may be moved to various portions of the strike
zone, may be left alone, or may be moved outside the strike zone,
in any order, without impacting the destination of other pitches in
the set of five pitches. The number of pitches in the set (i.e.,
five) is also for illustration only and not to be considered
limiting.
[0238] In some examples, depending on a gameplay/training
difficulty selected by a user, only certain pitches may be
moveable, and the icons non-moveable pitches may be "grayed out"
and/or non-selectable. To illustrate, in a low difficulty mode,
none of the five pitches may be moveable.
[0239] In a medium difficulty mode, only pitches four and five
(i.e., the last two pitches) may be moveable while the first three
pitches are locked into being strikes down the middle. In a high
difficulty mode, all pitches may be moveable. In an illustrative
aspect, there may be a bonus scoring factor (e.g., multiplier)
applied to the outcome of the moveable pitches or pitches that have
actually been moved from the middle of the strike zone.
[0240] Once the set of five pitches has been pitched, the five
pitch icons may "snap back" to the center of the strike zone for
the next batter (e.g., FIG. 13B or FIG. 13C may eventually
transition back to FIG. 13A). FIGS. 13A, 13B, and 13C thus
represent respective sequences of "frames" of various animated GUIs
in accordance with the present disclosure.
[0241] In some embodiments, the pitch location GUI of FIGS. 13A-13C
enables a user (who may or may not be the batter) to select the
point (or area) at which the ball crosses a vertical plane
coincident with the front of home plate 4. In alternative other
embodiments, the pitch location GUI of FIG. 13A-13C enables the
user to select a point (or area) within or outside the strike zone
at which the ball will be present at some point in its flight,
though not necessarily when at the vertical plane coincident with
front of home plate 4.
[0242] In a particular embodiment, in response to a user dragging a
pitch to a different location on a screen of a computing device,
the computing device converts the location into a roll motor
control input, a lift motor control input, and/or a launch velocity
control input, and such control inputs are communicated to the PCB
710.
[0243] In an alternative example, the desired location of the pitch
(as selected by the user on-screen) is communicated to the PCB 710
(or the controller thereon), where the location is converted into a
roll motor control input, a lift motor control input, and/or a
launch velocity control input.
[0244] Referring to FIG. 14, a method 1200 of operation in
accordance with the present disclosure is shown. The method 1200
includes adjusting roll and tilt of a ball launcher, or pitching
machine, until respective roll and tilt homing sensors are engaged,
at 1201. For example, upon powerup of the ball pitching system 100
or in response to a reset signal, roll of the ball pitching system
100 may be adjusted clockwise or counterclockwise until the roll
homing sensor 810 is engaged.
[0245] In some aspects, the roll homing sensor 810 is an
inductance-based sensor that detects when part of the ball pitching
system 100 is proximate to or in contact with the roll homing
sensor 810. Similarly, tilt of the ball pitching system 100 may be
adjusted up or down until the lift homing sensor 812 is engaged. In
some aspects, the lift homing sensor 812 is an inductance-based
sensor that detects when part of the ball pitching system 100 is
proximate to or in contact with the lift homing sensor 812.
[0246] The method 1200 also includes receiving input indicating a
desired pitch location, at 1202. For example, such input may be
received via a GUI, as described with reference to FIGS. 13A-13C,
and may be received via the communications interface 814.
[0247] The method 1200 further includes performing at least one of
a roll motor adjustment, a tilt motor adjustment, or a launch
velocity adjustment based on the input, at 1203. For example, the
roll motor control 802 may signal the roll motor 806 and cause
component(s) of the ball pitching system 100 to roll about a first
axis of motion.
[0248] As another example, the lift motor control 804 may signal
the lift motor 808 and cause component(s) of the ball pitching
system 100 to tilt about a second axis of motion. As yet another
example, the PCB 710 may adjust the initial launch velocity by
controlling the charging voltage of the capacitor bank 712, the
coil ON time, and/or a PWM signal input to a switch to cause
current to be applied to the coil (e.g., the solenoid 714) at
varying duty cycles.
[0249] The method 1200 includes discharging capacitor(s) to drive a
magnetic field associated with a solenoid and to impart a launching
force on a ball based on acceleration of a ferro-magnetic plunger
towards the ball responsive to the magnetic field, at 1204. For
example, the capacitor bank 712 may be discharged to drive the
magnetic field associated with the solenoid 714.
[0250] The method 1200 also includes automatically recharging the
capacitor(s), collecting the launched ball, and providing the ball
back to the pitching machine via a hopper, at 1205. For example,
the PCB 710 may automatically recharge the capacitor bank 712. As
another example, a struck ball may hit the screen and/or backstop
(e.g., the backstop of FIG. 12) and may roll into the hopper 32 due
to the downward slope of the collection deck 3.
[0251] A ball that is missed by the player may also roll into the
hopper, due to the downward slope of the pitch deck 2. The hopper
32 may provide the ball to the ball pitching device 300 via a
single-file feeding arrangement, for example as described
above.
[0252] The method 1200 further includes determining whether the
next pitch should be launched to the same location or two a
different location, at 1206. When the next pitch is to be launched
to a different location, the method 1200 returns to 1203 to adjust
roll, tilt, and/or launch velocity. When the next pitch is to be
launched to the same location as the previous pitch, the method
1200 returns to 1204 and discharges capacitor(s) without first
adjusting roll/tilt/launch velocity.
[0253] Certain embodiments have been described herein with
reference to a "below-ground" pitching machine. It should be noted
that "ground" in this context is not necessarily ground level.
Rather, "ground" refers to the level at which the batter is
positioned (e.g., the elevation of home plate) or the level of a
deck (e.g., the collection deck 3 or the pitch deck 2) that
includes a hole (e.g., the hole 33) though which the ball enters
the hitting area (and likely the hitter's field of view).
[0254] It will be appreciated that placing the pitching machine
"below-ground" helps facilitate automatic ball collection, for
example by using sloped decks, as described with reference to FIG.
1. It is therefore understood that when an embodiment is described
as having a ball that travels upward through "a hole in the
ground", this means that the ball is travelling through a hole that
is at approximately the same elevation as the batter's feet (e.g.,
and home plate), although the pitching machine and the hole in the
ground may both be above actual geographic ground level.
[0255] In alternative examples, the ball launcher or pitching
machine may not be disposed "below-ground." Rather, according to
the present disclosure, the ball launcher or pitching machine may
be placed "on the ground", i.e., at the same elevation as the
batter's feet (e.g., and home plate). In such embodiments, the
pitching machine may have a protection mechanism to protect
components from being struck by batted balls. Automated ball
collection may not be present or may be modified as compared to the
automated ball collection mechanisms described herein.
[0256] FIGS. 15A-15C include flow chart diagrams illustrating
various control processes in accordance with aspects described
herein. For example, FIG. 15A illustrates an activation process
1502 corresponding to the activation of a player bay. As shown, a
user may interact with a kiosk (or another device) to enable and
setup the player bay.
[0257] In one example, based on the user interaction, at least one
controller of the system is configured to enable and setup a ball
tracking system, a robot (i.e., the ball pitching devices 300,
600), a server or computer system, a projection system, and a
scoreboard. The activation process 1502 may also include error
handling sequences (e.g., a failure to enable equipment in the
player bay).
[0258] FIG. 15B illustrates a gameplay process 1504 corresponding
to operation of the player bay. For example, once the player bay
has been activated, a user may setup various gameplay parameters
such as game modes, skill levels, stadium preferences, etc.
[0259] After the gameplay parameters have been selected, at least
one controller of the system is configured to initialize the system
equipment (i.e., the projection system, the ball pitching devices
300, 600, etc.) based on the selected gameplay parameters. Once the
system equipment has been initialized, the process 1504 may start a
first pitching cycle based on a user signal (e.g., waving a bat
over home plate).
[0260] FIG. 15C illustrates a pitching cycle process 1506
corresponding to a pitching cycle during operation of the player
bay. As shown, a batter may be detected by home plate and at least
one controller of the system may activate the ball tracking system
and operate the robot (i.e., the ball pitching devices 300, 600) to
prepare to deliver a pitch based on desired pitch parameters (e.g.
trajectory).
[0261] In one example, the process 1506 may include a pitch timer
to control the pitch frequency of the pitching cycle. For example,
the pitch timer may reset each time a batter is detected and the
ball pitching device 300, 600 may launch the pitch each time the
pitch timer expires. As shown, the pitch cycle process 1506 can
include other functions such as a strike timer corresponding to
whether a pitch was hit or missed by the batter.
[0262] In some examples, the pitching cycle process 1506 is
configured to receive pitch parameters from an external device. For
example, while a first user (i.e., batter) is playing, a second
user (i.e., pitcher) may control pitch parameters of the pitch
cycle using an external device (e.g., a mobile phone) or the
kiosk.
[0263] FIGS. 16A-16D illustrate alternative layouts for one or
multiple player bays, including "mobile" layouts (e.g., on a
vehicle), substantially rectangular layouts, substantially
diamond-shaped layouts, etc. Further, although not shown in FIGS.
16A-16D, in some embodiments, bays may also be vertically
stacked.
[0264] It is to be understood that the order of steps or operations
described with reference to the foregoing figures is to be
considered illustrative, not limiting. In alternate embodiments,
the order of steps may be different. Further, one or more steps may
be optional and/or replaced by other steps. In addition, one or
more steps may be consolidated.
[0265] In accordance with various embodiments of the present
disclosure, one or more methods, functions, and modules described
herein may be implemented by software programs executable by a
computer system. Further, implementations can include distributed
processing, component/object distributed processing, and/or
parallel processing.
[0266] Particular implementations can be implemented using a
computer system executing a set of instructions that cause the
computer system to perform any one or more of the methods or
computer-based functions disclosed herein. A computer system may
include a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a server computer, a
mobile phone, a tablet computer, a set-top box, a media player, one
or more other computing devices, or any combination thereof.
[0267] The computer system may be connected, e.g., using a network,
to other computer systems or peripheral devices. For example, the
computer system or components thereof can include or be included
within any one or more of the computing components described herein
with reference to the figures.
[0268] In a networked deployment, the computer system may operate
in the capacity of a server or as a client user computer in a
server-client user network environment, or as a peer computer
system in a peer-to-peer (or distributed) network environment. The
term "system" can include any collection of systems or sub-systems
that individually or jointly execute a set, or multiple sets, of
instructions to perform one or more computer functions.
[0269] In a particular implementation, the instructions can be
embodied in a non-transitory computer-readable or
processor-readable medium. The terms "computer-readable medium" and
"processor-readable medium" include a single medium or multiple
media, such as a centralized or distributed database, and/or
associated caches and servers that store one or more sets of
instructions.
[0270] The terms "computer-readable medium" and "processor-readable
medium" also include any medium that is capable of storing a set of
instructions for execution by a processor or that cause a computer
system to perform any one or more of the methods or operations
disclosed herein.
[0271] For example, a computer-readable or processor-readable
medium or storage device may include random access memory (RAM),
flash memory, read-only memory (ROM), programmable read-only memory
(PROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM),
electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM),
registers, a hard disk, a removable disk, a disc-based memory
(e.g., compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM)), or any other form
of storage medium or device.
[0272] Certain aspects and embodiments are directed toward
providing a system for pitching, collecting, and transporting
balls. Particular aspects are directed to a system that enables a
convenient use of a standalone pitching machine for pitching balls,
with a capability to control the trajectory of the pitch.
[0273] Aspects disclosed herein may be designed such that they can
be used in batting bays, which may include indoor or outdoor
batting areas where players can practice hitting balls against a
hitting screen or into an open field. Aspects disclosed herein may
also designed be for use in backyards as well as in youth games and
practice sessions.
[0274] According to one implementation of the techniques described
herein, a system includes a storage area configured to store a
ball. The system also includes a below-ground launcher configured
to impart a launching force to the ball received from the storage
area. The launching force corresponds to a launch direction of the
ball and a launch velocity of the ball, and the launching force
causes the ball to travel upwards through a hole in the ground.
[0275] According to another implementation of the techniques
described herein, a system includes a storage area configured to
store a ball. The system also includes a launcher configured to
impart a launching force to the ball received from the storage
area. The launching force corresponds to a launch direction of the
ball and a launch velocity of the ball.
[0276] According to another implementation of the techniques
described herein, a batting bay includes a hopper configured to
provide, to a ball launcher, a ball that rolls into the hopper. The
batting bay also includes a batter's box area that is substantially
flat. The batting bay further includes a screen and a pitch circle
disposed between the batter's box area and the screen. Balls are
launched upwards through the pitch circle towards a strike
zone.
[0277] The batting bay includes a pitch deck at least partially
surrounding the batters box area and having a first downward slope
towards the screen. The batting bay also includes a collection deck
disposed between the hopper and the screen, and at last a portion
of collection deck has a second downward slope towards the
hopper.
[0278] Having thus described several aspects of at least one
embodiment of this invention, it is to be appreciated various
alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to
those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and
improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure and are
intended to be within the spirt of and scope of this invention.
Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of
example only.
* * * * *