Embodiments of the disclosure can relate to systems and methods for sorting balls. The systems and methods may involve the use of a ball-feeding mechanism for receiving one or more balls, and feeding the one or more balls to a projection element. The projection element may be located beneath the ball-feeding mechanism such that the balls drop from the ball-feeding mechanism to the projection element, and the balls then project from the projection element to a ball-sorting apparatus. The balls may then subsequently be sorted into a sorting container of one or more sorting containers based on the projected height of the ball.

The present disclosure involves systems for applying finishing treatment to balls. The system includes an arm that transports at least one ball through a plurality of stations. A first station includes a first actuator, which permits introduction of a ball into the arm. A second station includes a buffer, which buffs the surface of the ball and rotates the ball in place relative to the arm, a spray nozzle configured to apply treatment to the ball, and a camera configured to capture images of the ball. A third station includes an inspection camera that captures inspection images of the ball and a rotating plate configured to rotate the ball in place relative to the arm. A fourth station includes a second actuator, which ejects the ball from the arm.

The present disclosure involves systems for applying finishing treatment to balls. The system includes an arm that transports at least one ball through a plurality of stations. A first station includes a first actuator, which permits introduction of a ball into the arm. A second station includes a buffer, which buffs the surface of the ball and rotates the ball in place relative to the arm, a spray nozzle configured to apply treatment to the ball, and a camera configured to capture images of the ball. A third station includes an inspection camera that captures inspection images of the ball and a rotating plate configured to rotate the ball in place relative to the arm. A fourth station includes a second actuator, which ejects the ball from the arm.

An automatic ball launcher includes a ball feed control system that includes a meter wheel with radially-spaced ribs or grooves to selectively block and pass balls to the flywheels of the launcher. The meter wheel rotates to selectively block and release a single ball to pass at a time. The controller of the launcher can be programmed to stop the meter wheel when a ball has been metered by monitoring the current at peak of the motor driving the meter wheel. A meter-event can be determined to have occurred when the current of the drive motor drops to a trough by a pre-set magnitude following a rise to a peak value. A remote control can be provided for the user to operate the launching machine and adjust a plurality of parameters.

A ball retrieval device; comprises: a) a telescopic tubing assembly suitable to house a plurality of balls; b) a retrieval mechanism suitable to allow the passage of a ball into said tubing assembly and to prevent its discharge therefrom; c) a positioning element suitable to cooperate with slotted connecting elements and to prevent the undesired rotation of parts of said telescopic tubing assembly relatively to one another; and d) capping element provided with stopping elements, suitable to release balls from the device when said stopping elements are in an open position.

A bag for storing tennis balls has an hermetic enclosure formed of flexible material, an opening larger than a tennis ball into the enclosure, the opening having a hermetic sealing zipper by which the opening may be opened and closed, and a flexible tubing from outside the enclosure through the flexible material, the flexible tubing having an open end adapted to engage an air pump, and a one-way valve adapted to admit air into the enclosure and to prevent air from exiting the enclosure through the tubing. Tennis balls placed into the bag are placed under pressure higher than the pressure inside a tennis ball by closing the opening by closing the hermetic sealing zipper, engaging an air pump to the open end of the flexible tubing, and operating the air pump until a predetermined pressure is established in the bag.

A bag for storing tennis balls has an hermetic enclosure formed of flexible material, an opening larger than a tennis ball into the enclosure, the opening having a hermetic sealing zipper by which the opening may be opened and closed, and a flexible tubing from outside the enclosure through the flexible material, the flexible tubing having an open end adapted to engage an air pump, and a one-way valve adapted to admit air into the enclosure and to prevent air from exiting the enclosure through the tubing. Tennis balls placed into the bag are placed under pressure higher than the pressure inside a tennis ball by closing the opening by closing the hermetic sealing zipper, engaging an air pump to the open end of the flexible tubing, and operating the air pump until a predetermined pressure is established in the bag.

An intelligent ball passing system is provided, including: a ball passing robot configured for carrying out a ball passing action according to human body postures, including: a video capture device configured for acquiring human body posture data, a movement mechanism configured for driving the ball passing robot to move according to a ball passing instruction, and a central processing module connected to the movement mechanism and the video capture device respectively; and a software system configured for controlling the ball passing robot to carry out the ball passing action, the central processing module recognizing and classifying the human body postures by using the software system that uses a BP neural network.

A golf aid device for placing in the ground a tee and a golf ball thereon includes an elongate body, a ball and tee holder at a lower end of the elongate body, and a manually operable control means at an upper end of the elongate body. The ball and tee holder is movable between a closed state wherein a ball and tee may be held thereby, and an open position wherein the ball and tee may be removed therefrom. The manually operable control means is configured for moving the holder between the closed and open states, wherein upon moving the holder to the closed state, the device is biased to remain in the closed state.

A golf aid device for placing in the ground a tee and a golf ball thereon includes an elongate body, a ball and tee holder at a lower end of the elongate body, and a manually operable control means at an upper end of the elongate body. The ball and tee holder is movable between a closed state wherein a ball and tee may be held thereby, and an open position wherein the ball and tee may be removed therefrom. The manually operable control means is configured for moving the holder between the closed and open states, wherein upon moving the holder to the closed state, the device is biased to remain in the closed state.