CA2359303C

CA2359303C - Apparatus for providing a controlled propulsion of elements toward a receiving member

Info

Publication number: CA2359303C
Application number: CA002359303A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Mark J. Rappaport; Jose E. Leal
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-01-14
Filing date: 2000-01-14
Publication date: 2003-03-18
Anticipated expiration: 2020-01-14
Also published as: EP1150749A1; WO2000041775A1; US6190271B1; US6371871B1; CN1336838A; EP1150749A4; AU2508300A; CA2359303A1; JP2002534238A

Abstract

A portable apparatus (10) for propelling an element (12) towards a hitting member (14) held by a player (18). The apparatus (10) includes a housing (52 ) with a hollow passage (58), a ramp (84) supported on the housing (52) holds a plurality of elements (12) for sequential movement into the passage (56). Th e element (12) is supported on the fingers (62) of a rotary detainer (64). The member (14) includes a switch (16) manually operable to transmit signal from a transmitter (20) located on the member (14) towards the apparatus (10) for propelling an element (12) towards a player (18) holding a member (14).</SDO AB>

Description

APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING A CONTROLLED PROPULSION
OF ELEMENTS TOWARD A RECEIVING MEMBER
This invention relates to apparatus for providing an individual with an opportunity to practice receiving an element. For example, the invention relates to apparatus which propels balls toward a batter so that the batter can practice hitting the propelled balls. The invention is particularly advantageous because the batter can control when the ball is propelled toward the hitter.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many youngsters are interested in improving their skills in hitting a baseball. Because of this, machines have been provided on a commercial basis for pitching balls to a batter. The batter positions himself or herself in a batting cage and the machine then transmits a plurality of balls in sequence to the batter.
The batter pays for this by inserting coins into a coin box or by paying a cashier.
There are at least three (3) problems with the arrangement described in the previous paragraph. One problem is that the batter cannot control when successive balls are propelled to the batter by the pitching machine. Another problem is that the batter has to travel to the site of the pitching machine to the inconvenience of the batter. A third disadvantage is that the pitching machines propel the balls at a high velocity toward the batter. This may be advantageous to teenagers and adults but it is not advantageous to pre-teenagers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides an apparatus for overcoming the disadvantages discussed in the previous paragraph. The apparatus of this invention provides for a control by an individual (e.g. a batter) of the times when a machine propels an element (e.g. a ball) for operation of a member (e.g. a bat) by the individual (e.g. batter). The apparatus of this invention is portable even by pre-teenagers so that the individual operating the member (e.g. the bat) can practice SUBSTITUTE SHEET (RULE 26) _7_ Anywhere including the individual's backyard or a friend's backyard. The apparatus of this invention is especially designed to be used by pre-teenagers.
Although a pitching machine is shown in the drawings to be a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art that other embodiments are within the scope of the invention. F'or example, the apparatus of this invention can be adapted to propel hockey pucks to a player holding a hockey stick or to propel lacrosse balls to a player holding a lacrosse stick.
Accordingly, the present invention provides apparatus for providing a propulsion of an element, including, a member having an outer periphery constructed to receive the propelled element and manually operable to impose a force by the member against the element for propelling the element, and a device for propelling the element toward the member for the manual operation of the member to impose the force on the member, the device being separated from the member, characterized by:
a switch disposed on the periphery of the member and normally disposed in a first state of operation and actuatable to a second state of operation, a transmitter disposed in the member and responsive to the second state of operation of the switch for transmitting signals to the device, a receiver disposed in the device for receiving the signals from the transmitter, -2 a-the device being responsive to the receiver signals for propelling the element toward the member for the manual operation of the member to impose the force on the member.
The present invention also provides apparatus for propelling an element, including, a force-imposing member manually operable by a player holding the member for propelling the element, a first portion of the member being shaped to be grasped by the player's hands and another portion of the member being shaped to impose a force on the element, characterized by:
a switch disposed on the member for manual pressure by the player, and a transmitter disposed in the member for sending signals to a propulsion apparatus, when the switch is manually pressed by the player, to obtain the propulsion of the element by the propulsion apparatus toward the member for the imposition of a force by the member on the element.
In one embodiment of the invention, a member (e.g. baseball bat) includes a switch manually operable to obtain the transmission of signals by a transmitter in the member to apparatus for propelling an element (e.g. ball) toward an individual holding the member.
The apparatus includes a receiver for receiving the transmittal signals and includes a housing with a hollow passage. A ramp supported on the housing holds a -2b-plurality of the elements for sequential movement into the passage. The element in the passage is supported on one of the forgers of a ratary detainer. The detainer is normally prevented from rotating by a release mechanism coupled to the detainer.
The detainer is rotated by the weight of the element when the release mechanism is decoupled from the detainer upon the reception of the transmitted signals. The element then moves downwardly in the passage to a propulsion mechanism which may comprise a pair af~rollers for gripping the opposite ends of the element. The rollers are actuated by motors connected in a circuit with a transportable energy source (e.g. battery) so that the motors are energized only when a ball is disposed on a finger in the detainer, thereby prolonging battery life.

The element is propelled by the propulsion mechanism toward the individual holding the member so that the individual can practice receiving the element (e.g. hitting the ball). The trajectory of the propelled ball can be adjusted by pivoting the housing relative to a base member which supports the housing and which holds the battery.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of (1) a baseball bat and the hands of an individual swinging the bat to hit a ball propelled toward the bat, (2) pitching apparatus for propelling the ball toward the bat and (3) the movement of the ball from the pitching apparatus toward the bat;
Figure 2 is a sectional view in elevation of the pitching apparatus shown in Figure 1 as seen from a position in front of the apparatus;
Figure 3 is an elevational view, partially in section, of the pitching 1 S apparatus as seen from a position to one side of the apparatus;
Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view in elevation of the bat and includes a switch manually operable to provide for a transmission of signals from the bat to the pitching apparatus;
Figure S shows a block diagram of a transmitter in the bat for transmitting signals to the pitching apparatus and a block upon the closure of the switch in Figure 4 and a block diagram of a receiver in the pitching apparatus for receiving the signals transmitted from the bat and for activating the pitching machine to propel a ball toward the bat; and Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit for energizing motors in the pitching apparatus when a ball is disposed in the pitching apparatus, thereby providing for the propulsion of the ball from the pitching apparatus when the receiver receives signals from the transmitter.

_4_ DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment of the invention, apparatus generally indicated at 10 (Figure 1) is provided for propelling a ball 12 toward a bat generally indicated at 14. The ball 12 may be a hard or a soft ball generally provided for baseball games. Preferably the ball is a hollow plastic ball having a light weight and constructed to limit the speed of the ball and the distance of travel of the ball.
This ball is advantageous when the hitter is a child generally less than ten (10) years old.
A switch 16 (Figure 4) is provided in the bat 14, preferably at a position above the positions in the handle portion where the batter's hands 18 grip the bat when the batter is swinging at the ball 12. The switch 16 is depressed by the batter when the batter desires to have the apparatus 10 propel the ball 12 toward the batter.
A transmitter generally indicated at 20 in Figure 5 is disposed in the bat 14 to transmit signals to the pitching apparatus 10 for obtaining the propulsion of the ball 12 by the pitching apparatus toward the bat 14. In one embodiment, the transmitter 20 may include an oscillator 22 for producing signals at a particular frequency such as approximately thirty-two megahertz (32 MHz). The oscillator 22 may be crystal controlled.
The signals from the oscillator 22 may be amplified as at 24 and the amplified signals may be introduced to an antenna 26 which may be provided with an impedance preferably matching the impedance of the amplifier 24. An energy source such as a battery 28 (Figure 4) may be removably disposed in the bottom of the bat to energize the transmitter 20.
A receiver generally indicated at 32 in Figure 5 may be disposed in the pitching apparatus 10 to receive the signals transmitted from the bat 14.
The receiver 32 may include an antenna 34 which may be in the form of a coil.
Amplifiers 36 may be provided to amplify the received signals. The amplified signals may then be mixed as at 38 and the mixed signals may then be detected as at 40 to recover the signals at thirty-two megahertz (32 MHz). The detected signals may then be introduced to a driver 42.
The apparatus 10 includes a base member 50 (Figures 1-3) and a housing 52 pivotably attached to the base member as at 54. The base member is adapted to be supported on a support surface such as the ground. The base member 52 is adapted to hold a transportable energy source such as a battery 56.
The housing 52 is provided with a hollow passage 58. Holes 60 may be provided in the housing 52 at progressive positions along the passage 58, primarily for aesthetic purposes. The ball 12 is adapted to be disposed in the hollow passage 58 against one of a plurality of annularly spaced forgers 62 in a rotatable detainer 64 having a shape such as a star wheel. The detainer 64 is normally engaged by a release mechanism 65 which is actuated to be withdrawn from engagement with the detainer when a solenoid 66 is energized.
The hollow passage 58 is initially disposed vertically and is progressively curved at progressive downward positions to have a horizontal disposition. A pair of pockets 70 are disposed in the housing 52 at the opposite sides of the housing at positions where the hollow passage 58 is substantially horizontal. One of a pair of motors 74 and one of a pair of actuators such as rollers 76 are disposed in each of the pockets 70.
The motor 74 and the roller 76 in each pocket 72 are operatively coupled to each other to provide a rotation of the roller in accordance with the energizing of the motor. The rollers 76 are preferably made from a resilient material and are preferably extended into the hollow passage 58 to grip the opposite ends of the ball 12 in the passage and to propel the ball from the passage WO 00/41775 PCT/iJS00/01061 in accordance with the rotation of the rollers. The motors 74 and the rollers may be considered as a propulsion mechanism.
The battery 56 and the motors 74 are disposed in a series circuit (Figure 6) with a normally open switch 78. The switch 78 becomes closed when the ball 12 is disposed on the finger 62 of the detainer 64. The closure of the switch 78 at such time results from the fact that each finger 62 has some play in its positioning. This causes each finger 62 to be disposed upwardly, with no ball on the finger, from the position which it occupies when the ball 12 is disposed on the finger. In the upward position of the finger 62, the switch 78 is open.
In this way, the motors 74 are energized only when the ball 12 is in the hollow passage 58 in a position to be propelled from the hollow passage when a signal from the transmitter 20 is received by the receiver 32. Furthermore, energy is conserved in the battery 54 to prolong the life of the battery since the battery provides energy to the motors 74 only when the ball 12 is disposed in the hollow passage 56.
The housing 52 is provided at its top end with a stanchion. A tube 82 forming a part of a ramp generally indicated at 84 fits snugly on the stanchion in a removable relationship to the stanchion. The ramp 84 defines an inclined track 86 extending in a spiral path to a position at its bottom end above the hollow passage 58. A plurality of the balls 12 are disposed on the track 86 for a movement of each ball in sequence into the hollow passage 58 when the ball previously in the hollow passage is propelled by the rollers 76 from the passage toward the batter holding the bat 14.
Assume that the ramp 84 is disposed on the stanchion at the top of the housing 52 and that one of the balls 12 on the track 86 has dropped into the hollow passage 58 for disposition on the finger 62 extending into the hollow passage. This causes the finger 62 on the detainer 64 to be positioned to close the _7_ switch 78 in Figure 6 and the motors 74 to be energized. The resultant rotation of the rollers 76 provides for the propulsion of the ball from the hollow passage when the ball is released by the detainer 64.
When the batter manually closes the switch 16 in Figure 4, signals are transmitted by the transmitter 20 in Figure 5 to the receiver 32 in Figure 5.
This causes the solenoid 66 (Figure 3) to be energized and the release mechanism 65 to be retracted from the detainer 64. The detainer 64 is now free to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction by the ball 12 on the finger 62. This rotation frees the ball 12 to move downwardly in the hollow passage 58 to a position between the rollers 76. Since the rollers 76 are already being rotated by the motors 74, the rollers propel the ball 12 from the hollow passage toward the batter when the ball reaches the rollers. At the same time that the ball 12 is dropping through the hollow passage 58, the next ball on the track 86 drops into the hollow passage for disposition against the next one of the fingers 62.
The apparatus described above has been disclosed with reference to a pitching machine for baseball. It is believed that a person of ordinary skill in the art will be able with little or no experimentation to adapt the apparatus for other uses. For example, it is believed that a person of ordinary skill in the art will be able to adapt the invention for use by a hockey player or for use by a lacrosse player.
Although this invention has been disclosed and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, the principles involved are susceptible for use in numerous other embodiments which will be apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art. The invention is, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims.

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. Apparatus for providing a propulsion of an element, including, a member having an outer periphery constructed to receive the propelled element and manually operable to impose a force by the member against the element for propelling the element, and a device for propelling the element toward the member for the manual operation of the member to impose the force on the member, the device being separated from the member, characterized by:
a switch disposed on the periphery of the member and normally disposed in a first state of operation and actuatable to a second state of operation, a transmitter disposed in the member and responsive to the second state of operation of the switch for transmitting signals to the device, a receiver disposed in the device for receiving the signals from the transmitter, the device being responsive to the receiver signals for propelling the element toward the member for the manual operation of the member to impose the force on the member.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, the device including a hollow passage for holding the element and including a propulsion mechanism for propelling the element from the hollow passage toward the member and including a releasable detainer for holding the element within the hollow passage in decoupled relationship to the propulsion device, the detainer being responsive to the signals received by the receiver from the member for releasing the element to the propulsion device for propulsion by the propulsion device through the Mallow passage toward the member.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the propulsion device includes an actuator and a motor for operating the actuator and wherein the motor is energized when the element has been released lay the detainer.

4. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1-3 wherein the propulsion device includes rollers for gripping the element at opposite ends of the element and for rotating the element to propel the element from the hollow barrel and wherein the rollers are energized when the element is released by the detainer.

5. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1-4 including a housing, a ramp supported by the housing for holding a plurality of the elements in a stacked relationship to obtain a sequential introduction of the stacked elements into the housing in accordance with the sequential propulsion of the stacked elements from the housing toward the member.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5, including a base member pivotably coupled to the housing on a horizontal axis for providing a pivotable adjustment vertically in the position of the housing relative to the base member for providing an adjustment in the trajectory of each of the stacked elements in accordance with the pivotal adjustments in the position of the housing relative to the base member, the hollow passage, the propulsion mechanism and the releasable detainer being disposed in the housing.

7. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1-6 wherein the element is a ball and the member is a baseball bat and the apparatus pitches the ball toward the baseball bat.

8. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 2-7 wherein the propulsion device includes rollers for gripping the element at opposite ends of the element after the release of the element by the detainer and for rotating the element to propel the element from the propulsion device toward the member.

9. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1-8 wherein the apparatus includes structure for holding a plurality of elements in a stacked relationship and for releasing the elements sequentially from the stacked relationship in accordance with the reception by the receiver of successive signals from the transmitter upon successive actuations of the switch on the member and for propelling the released elements from the device toward the member.

10. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1-9 wherein an antenna is provided in the device to receive the signals from the transmitter and to transmit the signals on the wireless basis to the member.

11. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 1-10 wherein a source of energy is disposed in the member to energize the transmitter in the member.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein the source of energy in the member is a battery which is removably disposed in the member at the bottom of the member.

13. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 5-12 including:
a base member pivotably coupled to the housing for adjusting the position of the housing on a horizontal axis in a vertical direction relative to the base member to adjust the trajectory of the element propelled from the housing.

14. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 2-13 wherein, the detainer includes a star wheel with a plurality of fingers disposed at progressive annular positions on the star wheel and wherein each finger retains the element within the hollow passage and wherein the release mechanism operates to rotate the star wheel for a release of the element and for a propulsion of the element from the hollow passage by the propulsion mechanism.

15. Apparatus as set forth in any of the claims 1-14, including a source of energy in the propulsion device, and an electrical circuit including the source of energy and the propulsion device for operating the propulsion device to provide for the propulsion of the element from the hollow passage when the element is released by the detainer in the second position of the detainer.

16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein the source of energy in the propulsion device constitutes a battery which is disconnected from the propulsion device until the time that a signal is received by the receiver from the manually operable member.

17. Apparatus for propelling an element, including, a force-imposing member manually operable by a player holding the member for propelling the element, a first portion of the member being shaped to be grasped by the player's hands and another portion of the member being shaped to impose a force on the element, characterized by:

a switch disposed on the member for manual pressure by the player, and a transmitter disposed in the member for sending signals to a propulsion apparatus, when the switch is manually pressed by the player, to obtain the propulsion of the element by the propulsion apparatus toward the member for the imposition of a force by the member on the element.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 17 wherein the first and second portions of the member are separated from each other and wherein the switch is disposed between the first and second portions of the member in the direction of the elongation of the member.

19. Apparatus as set forth either in claim 17 or claim 18 wherein the switch has first and second states of operation and wherein an energy source is disposed in the member for energizing the transmitter to transmit signals when the switch is actuated between the first and second states of operation.

20. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 17 to 19 wherein the energy source is removably disposed in the member.

21. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 17 to 20 wherein the transmitter includes an oscillator for producing signals at a particular frequency for transmission by the transmitter to the device when the switch is actuated between the first and states of operation.

22. Apparatus in any of claims 17 to 21 wherein the transmitter transmits the signals on a wireless basis to the device.

23. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 17 to 22 wherein the second portion of the member is thicker than the fast portion of the member.

24. Apparatus as set forth in any of claims 17 to 23 wherein the member is a baseball bat.