BALL FEEDING SYSTEM INCLUDING BALL DELIVERY DEVICE AND BALL FEEDING DEVICE, AND BALL DELIVERY CONTROL METHOD

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ball feeding system including a ball delivery device and a ball feeding device, and a ball feeding control method. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a ball feeding system includes: a ball accommodation part configured to accommodate one or more balls; ball delivery arms each configured to deliver any one of the one or more balls, accommodated in the ball accommodation part, to the pitching machine; a ball delivery post configured to extend vertically from one side surface of the ball accommodation part, and to guide the ball delivery arms through their movement; and a mixing arm configured to move along the ball delivery post at predetermined intervals from the ball delivery arms, and to change the locations of the one or more balls in the ball accommodation part by applying physical force to the one or more balls.

Claims

1. A ball feeding system for feeding balls to a pitching machine configured to pitch balls, the ball feeding system comprising: a ball accommodation part configured to accommodate one or more balls; ball delivery arms each configured to deliver any one of the one or more balls, accommodated in the ball accommodation part, to the pitching machine; a ball delivery post configured to extend vertically from one side surface of the ball accommodation part, and to guide the ball delivery arms through their movement; and a mixing arm configured to move along the ball delivery post at predetermined intervals from the ball delivery arms, and to change locations of the one or more balls in the ball accommodation part by applying physical force to the one or more balls accommodated in the ball accommodation part.

2. The ball feeding system of claim 1, wherein the mixing arm comprises: a mixing plate configured as a flat member formed in a T shape; a coupling plate configured as a flat member disposed and formed to be perpendicular to the mixing plate in parallel with an extension direction of the ball delivery post; and a support plate configured as a flat member disposed to be perpendicular to one surface of the mixing plate and be perpendicular to one surface of the coupling plate in a direction of an internal angle formed between the mixing plate and the coupling plate.

3. The ball feeding system of claim 2, wherein the mixing plate comprises: a coupling portion coupled to the coupling plate; and a mixing portion configured to extend from the ball delivery post in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the ball delivery post.

4. The ball feeding system of claim 3, wherein the mixing portion is formed to become narrow in a direction away from the coupling portion.

5. A ball feeding system for feeding balls to a pitching machine configured to pitch balls, the ball feeding system comprising: a ball introduction part configured such that balls which are delivered to the pitching machine are introduced thereinto; a ball loading part configured such that the balls introduced via the ball introduction part are sequentially loaded thereinto; and a ball sensor part comprising one or more sensors configured to detect the balls loaded into the ball loading part.

6. The ball feeding system of claim 5, wherein the ball sensor part is configured such that the one or more sensors are provided on an inner surface of the ball loading part in a line in an extension direction of the ball loading part in order to detect balls loaded into the ball loading part in a line.

7. The ball feeding system of claim 6, wherein each of the sensors comprises a sensor body and a button configured to be retracted into the sensor body, and one of the balls loaded into the ball loading part is detected in such a manner that the button is retracted into the sensor body as pressure is applied to the button by the ball.

8. The ball feeding system of claim 5, wherein the ball sensor part comprises a control unit configured to control operation of a ball delivery device, configured to deliver and introduce balls into the ball introduction part, based on a number of balls detected via the one or more sensors.

9. A method by which a ball feeding system for feeding balls to a pitching machine configured to pitch balls controls feeding of balls, the method comprising: delivering balls from a ball accommodation part, in which one or more balls are accommodated, via ball delivery arms configured to deliver balls; loading a number of balls, equal to or larger than a predetermined number, selected from the balls delivered by the ball delivery arms; and controlling the delivery of the balls via the ball delivery arms based on a number of loaded balls.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a view showing an example in which a ball feeding system including a ball delivery device and a ball feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a view showing the configuration of the ball delivery device shown in FIG. 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a mixing arm, which is a component of the ball delivery device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the mixing arm, which is a component of the ball delivery device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 5 is a side view showing the mixing arm, which is a component of the ball delivery device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] FIG. 6 is a view showing the operation of the ball delivery device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] FIG. 7 is a view showing the ball feeding device according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] FIG. 8 is a view showing a state in which the side casing of the ball sensor part of the ball feeding device has been removed according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[0029] FIG. 9 is a view showing a state in which balls have been loaded onto the ball sensor part of the ball feeding device according to the embodiment of the present invention; and

[0030] FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a method by which a ball feeding system controls the feeding of balls according to an embodiment of the present invention.

MODE FOR INVENTION

[0031] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in order to enable those having ordinary knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains to easily practice the present invention. However, the present invention may be implemented in different forms, and is not limited to embodiments described herein. Furthermore, in order to clearly illustrate the present invention in the drawings, components and portions unrelated to the following description will be omitted. Throughout the specification, similar reference symbols will be assigned to similar components.

[0032] Throughout the specification and the claims, when one component is described as being connected to another component, the one component may be directly connected to the other component or electrically connected to the other component through a third component. Furthermore, when any portion is described as including any component, this does not mean that the portion does not exclude another component but means that the portion may further include another component, unless explicitly described to the contrary.

[0033] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a view showing an example in which a ball feeding system including a ball delivery device and a ball feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed.

[0035] A ball feeding apparatus 100 shown in FIG. 1 may be configured such that balls are sequentially delivered by a ball delivery device 10, the balls are be introduced into a ball feeding device 20 configured to feed balls to a pitching machine, and the operation of the ball delivery device 10 is controlled based on the number of balls introduced into the ball feeding device 20 and loaded in a line.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 1, the ball delivery device 10 may include a ball accommodation part 11 configured to accommodate one or more balls.

[0037] The ball accommodation part 11 may be formed in an empty pyramid shape having a closed curve-shaped circumference in order to accommodate balls, i.e., a shape the length of the circumference of which becomes narrow in a direction from the upper end thereof to the lower end thereof, preferably a quadrangular pyramid shape.

[0038] Furthermore, the ball delivery device 10 may include a ball delivery post 12, i.e., a delivery post formed vertically from a support surface to deliver balls vertically from the ball accommodation part 11.

[0039] In this case, fixed pulleys may be provided at the upper and lower ends of the ball delivery post 12, a chain 14 may be closely engaged with the fixed pulleys, and a drive motor (not shown) may be provided on the ball delivery post 12 in order to move the chain 14. Preferably, the drive motor may be provided at the lower end of the ball delivery post 12.

[0040] Furthermore, the ball delivery device 10 may include ball delivery arms 13 each formed in a shape capable of fastening a ball in order to hold and deliver a ball in the ball accommodation part 11 and each configured to deliver a ball along the ball delivery post 12.

[0041] The ball delivery arms 13 may be coupled with the chain 14, and may be moved upward and downward along the ball delivery post 12 by the chain 14 which is moved by the drive motor (not shown) of the ball delivery post 12.

[0042] Furthermore, the ball delivery device 10 may include mixing arms 15 configured to be coupled with the chain 14 at predetermined intervals with the ball delivery arms 13, to be moved upward and downward along the ball delivery post 12, and to mix balls accommodated in the ball accommodation part 11.

[0043] Furthermore, the ball feeding device 20 configured to receive balls delivered by the ball delivery device 10 may include a ball introduction part 21 configured such that balls delivered by the ball delivery device 10 are introduced thereinto, and may further include a ball loading part 22 connected to the ball introduction part 21 and configured to load balls so that the balls can be sequentially delivered to the pitching machine.

[0044] Furthermore, the ball loading part 22 may be formed to have an inner diameter similar to that of balls so that introduced balls can be sequentially loaded in a line, and may be preferably formed in a column shape. However, the ball loading part 22 is not necessarily limited to the column shape, but may be formed in a polygonal prism shape the length of the diagonal line of which is similar to the diameter of balls so that introduced balls can be sequentially loaded in a line.

[0045] In this case, the ball loading part 22 may be made of a freely deformable material, preferably a plastic material.

[0046] Furthermore, the ball feeding device 20 may include a ball sensor part 23 configured to detect the number of balls loaded in the ball loading part 22. The ball sensor part 23 may include one or more sensors. The sensors may be located at the lower end portion of the ball loading part 22, and may detect loaded balls.

[0047] Meanwhile, FIG. 2 shows the appearance of the side of the ball delivery device 10, more specifically the ball delivery arms 13 and the mixing arms 15 sequentially arranged along the ball delivery post 12.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 2, in the ball delivery device 10, the ball delivery arms 13, and the mixing arms 15 may be disposed along a ball delivery post 12, formed vertically from the support surface, at predetermined intervals.

[0049] In this case, according to an embodiment, the ball delivery arms 13 and the mixing arms 15 may be alternately disposed, or each mixing arm 15 may be disposed after a predetermined number of ball delivery arms 13 have been successively disposed.

[0050] Furthermore, the ball delivery arms 13 and the mixing arms 15 may be lifted vertically from the support surface on one side surface of the ball delivery post 12, may reach the upper end of the ball delivery post 12, may be moved to the other side surface of the ball delivery post 12, and may be then lowered to the support surface.

[0051] The ball delivery post 12 along which the ball delivery arms 13 and the mixing arms 15 are lifted through movement may be located on one side of the ball accommodation part 11. The lifted ball delivery arms 13 may hold and deliver balls accommodated in the ball accommodation part 11 while passing through a ball delivery point, i.e., a point at which the lifted ball delivery arms 13 pass through the ball accommodation part 11.

[0052] Furthermore, the mixing arms 15 may pass through the ball accommodation part 11 while being lifted along with the movement of the ball delivery arms 13. The mixing arms 15 may apply physical force to balls accommodated in the ball accommodation part 11 while passing through the ball accommodation part 11, thereby moving the locations of the balls and thus mixing the balls.

[0053] Meanwhile, FIGS. 3 to 5 show, in detail, the mixing arm 15 provided on the ball delivery device 10 and configured to mix balls accommodated in the ball accommodation part 11. The mixing arm 15 will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 3, the mixing arm 15 is formed in a T shape. The mixing arm 15 includes: a mixing plate 151, i.e., a flat member formed to be parallel to the support surface and to be disposed perpendicular to a coupling plate 152 so that it is perpendicular to the extension direction of the ball delivery post 12; and a coupling plate 152, i.e., a flat member configured to be coupled to the chain 14 and to be disposed parallel to the extension direction of the ball delivery post 12.

[0055] Furthermore, the mixing arm 15 may include a support plate 153, i.e., a flat member disposed to be perpendicular to one surface of the mixing plate 151 and to be perpendicular to the plane of the coupling plate 152 in the direction of an internal angle formed between the mixing plate 151 and the coupling plate 152.

[0056] The support plate 153 may distribute force applied to the mixing plate 151 to the coupling plate 152 or support the mixing plate 151 between the mixing plate 151 and the coupling plate 152, thereby preventing the mixing plate 151 from being bent.

[0057] Referring to FIG. 4, the mixing plate 151 may be formed in a T shape. The coupling portion 400 of the mixing plate 151 which is coupled to the coupling plate 152 may be formed to have a length equal to the width of the ball delivery post 12. The mixing portion 401 of the mixing plate 151 extending from the ball delivery post 12 in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the ball delivery post 12 may be formed to have a width which becomes narrower as it becomes away from the coupling portion 400 in a perpendicular direction.

[0058] Although the shape of the mixing portion 401 is preferably a triangular shape, it is not necessarily limited to the triangular shape.

[0059] Furthermore, since the mixing arm 15 has the above-described shape, contact areas which come into contact with balls are reduced, so that a large amount of force is not required when the mixing arm 15 passes between balls accommodated in the ball accommodation part 11, and so that the abrasion of balls attributable to friction with the mixing plate 151 can be minimized.

[0060] Furthermore, the mixing plate 151 may be formed to be longer than the ball delivery arm 13, and thus a range which can be reached by the mixing plate 151 may become wider within the ball accommodation part 11. This enables the ball delivery arm 13 to apply physical force even to a ball located outside the ball delivery point, at which a ball is held in order to deliver the ball, in the ball accommodation part 11, thereby effectively overcoming a ball catch or jam phenomenon in the ball accommodation part 11.

[0061] Referring to FIG. 5, the support plate 153 may be located on a side on which an internal angle is formed by the mixing plate 151 and the coupling plate 152 so that a bent formed between the mixing plate 151 and the coupling plate 152 can be maintained and the mixing plate 151 can be supported.

[0062] Since the mixing arm 15 passes between balls accommodated in the ball accommodation part 11 via the support plate 153, force applied to the mixing plate 151 can be distributed to the coupling plate 152, and the mixing plate 151 can be prevented from being bent.

[0063] The ball delivery device 10 can overcome a ball catch or jam phenomenon in the ball accommodation part 11 by using the mixing arm 15 having the above-described shape. This will be described with reference to FIG. 6.

[0064] FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a situation in which balls are delivered by means of the ball delivery arm by moving the locations of balls stuck in the ball accommodation part 11 via the mixing arm 15 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0065] A first situation view 601 shows a situation in which the ball delivery arm 131 cannot deliver a ball 600 because balls 600 accommodated in the ball accommodation part 11 are located outside the ball delivery point of the ball accommodation part 11.

[0066] In other words, in the case where the balls 600 are not moved to the ball delivery point located at the lowest point of the ball accommodation part 11 along the inclined inner wall of the ball accommodation part 11 and thus the balls 600 are located outside the ball delivery point of the ball delivery arm 131 because the balls 600 are stopped outside the ball delivery point of the ball accommodation part 11 due to the surface bents of the balls 60, the balls 600 are stuck on the bent of a boundary portion where the slope of the inner wall of the ball accommodation part 11 changes, or the like, the balls 600 cannot be placed on the ball delivery arm 131.

[0067] Thereafter, in a second situation view 602, the mixing plate 151 of the mixing arm 15 can apply physical force to the balls 600 while the mixing arm 15 located next to the ball delivery arm 131 of the first situation view 601 is passing through the ball delivery point of the ball accommodation part 11, and thus the ball 600 to which physical force has been applied is moved to the ball delivery point ball of the accommodation part 11.

[0068] In this case, preferably, the length of the mixing plate 151 of the mixing arm 15 is formed to extend longer than that of the ball delivery arms 131 and 132, and thus the region of the ball accommodation part 11 through which the mixing arm 15 passes becomes larger than that through which the ball delivery arms 131 and 132 pass.

[0069] Thereafter, the ball 600 located at the ball delivery point of the ball accommodation part 11 can be delivered by the ball delivery arm 132 located next to the mixing arm 15.

[0070] The locations of the balls accommodated in the ball accommodation part 11 are changed by applying physical force to the balls via the mixing arm 15, and thus balls are moved along the inner wall of the ball accommodation part 11, thereby enabling the ball to be located at the ball delivery point of the ball accommodation part 11.

[0071] This enables the ball delivery device 10 to successively place balls on the ball delivery arms 13.

[0072] Meanwhile, FIG. 7 is a view showing, in detail, the ball loading part 22 configured such that balls delivered by the ball delivery device 10 are introduced and then loaded into the ball feeding device 20 and the ball sensor part 23 configured to detect the number of loaded balls.

[0073] Referring to this drawing, balls introduced into the ball introduction part 21 of the ball feeding device 20 may be sequentially loaded along the ball loading part 22, and the ball sensor part 23 may detect the number of balls loaded into the ball loading part 22.

[0074] FIGS. 8 to 9 are views showing, in detail, the inside of the ball sensor part 23 with an outer casing removed therefrom. The ball sensor part 23 will be described in detail with reference to this drawing.

[0075] The ball sensor part 23 may include one or more sensors 231 configured to detect balls loaded onto the side surfaces of thereof, preferably three sensors 231. The sensors 231 may be attached onto the side surface of the ball loading part 22.

[0076] In this case, the sensors 231 can detect balls which are sequentially loaded along the ball loading part 22.

[0077] Each of the sensors 231 includes a sensor body and a button configured to be retracted into the sensor body. The sensor 231 may be a button-type sensor in which, as pressure is applied to the button by a ball loaded into the ball loading part 22, the button is retracted into the sensor body and thus the ball is detected.

[0078] However, the sensors 231 are not necessarily limited to the above-described button-type sensors, but may be sensors using an infrared ray, a laser beam, or the like adapted to detect an object, pressure sensors, or the like.

[0079] Furthermore, the ball sensor part 23 may include an opening and closing member 232 configured to control the opening and closing of a path for balls so that balls loaded into the ball loading part 22 can be sequentially provided to the pitching machine.

[0080] The opening and closing member 232 may include a blocking rod member configured to block the path for balls and an opening and closing member coupled to the blocking rod member and configured to operate the blocking rod member.

[0081] Furthermore, the ball sensor part 23 may include a control unit (not shown) configured to control the operation of the ball delivery device 10 based on the number of loaded balls detected via the sensors 231. The control unit (not shown) may control the operation of the drive motor (not shown) configured to provide power to the chain 14 of the ball delivery device 10.

[0082] Meanwhile, FIG. 9 is a view showing an example of a situation in which a ball is loaded into the ball loading part 22 and detected by the sensor.

[0083] Referring to this drawing, a ball 900 introduced into the ball introduction part 21 may be moved along the ball loading part 22 and stopped and loaded by the opening and closing member 232, and the loaded ball 900 may press the sensor 231 of the ball sensor part 23.

[0084] Accordingly, the control unit (not shown) of the ball sensor part 23 may detect the ball 900 being loaded into the ball loading part 22, and may control the opening and closing member 232 such that the ball 900 is provided to the pitching machine.

[0085] In this case, when a predetermined number of balls 900 are loaded into the ball loading part 22 and all the sensors 231a, 231b and 231c of the ball sensor part 23 detect balls, the control unit (not shown) of the ball sensor part 23 may stop the operation of the ball delivery device 10.

[0086] Preferably, when three balls 900 are loaded into the ball loading part 22 and the buttons of the first to third sensors 231a to 231c are pressed, the operation of the ball delivery device 10 may be stopped.

[0087] Meanwhile, the location of the control unit (not shown) of the ball sensor part 23 is not necessarily limited to the ball sensor part 23, but may be located in the ball delivery device 10. In this case, the ball delivery device 10 may detect the number of balls in the ball loading part 22, and may then control the delivery of balls.

[0088] In other words, unlike a method in which the ball delivery device 10 operates whenever a ball is pitched by the pitching machine, the present invention is configured such that balls are loaded into the ball loading part 22 and the operation of the ball delivery device 10 is controlled based on the number of balls. Accordingly, the time it takes for a ball to be delivered and reach the pitching machine is not required, and thus an effect is achieved in that delay time does not occur when a ball is pitched.

[0089] Meanwhile, FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing the control operation of the ball feeding system 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A method by which the ball feeding system 100 controls the feeding of a ball will be described with reference to the drawing.

[0090] First, the ball feeding system 100 may deliver balls, accommodated in the ball accommodation part 11, via the ball delivery arms 13 by operating the ball delivery device 10 at step S1001.

[0091] Furthermore, the ball feeding system 100 may sequentially load balls into the ball loading part 22 by introducing the balls, delivered by the ball delivery arms 13, into the ball introduction part 21 of the ball feeding device 20 at step S1002.

[0092] Thereafter, the ball feeding system 100 may determine whether a number of balls equal to or larger than a predetermined number have been loaded into the ball loading part 22 at step S1003.

[0093] For example, the ball feeding system 100 may determine whether three or more balls have been loaded into the ball loading part 22.

[0094] Furthermore, when it is determined at step S1003 that a number of balls equal to or larger than a predetermined number have been loaded, the ball feeding system 100 may stop the operation of the ball delivery device 10 at step S1004.

[0095] Furthermore, the ball feeding system 100 may determine whether the operation of the pitching machine has been stopped at step S1005, and may repeat step S1003 until the operation of the pitching machine is stopped.

[0096] The ball delivery control method according to the embodiment, which is shown in FIG. 10, includes steps which are processed by the ball feeding system 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 in a time series manner. Accordingly, an item which is omitted in the following description but has been described in conjunction with the ball feeding system 100 shown in FIGS. 1 to 9 may be also applied to the ball delivery control method according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 10.

[0097] The ball delivery control method according to the embodiment described via FIG. 10 may be implemented in the form of a storage medium including computer-executable instructions, such as a computer-executable program module. The computer-readable medium may be any computer-accessible available medium, and includes all volatile and nonvolatile media and separable and non-separable media. Furthermore, the computer-readable medium may include all computer storage media and communication media. The computer storage medium includes volatile, nonvolatile, separable and non-separable media that are intended to store information, such as computer-readable instructions, a data structure, a program module or another type of data, and that is implemented using a desired method or technology. The communication medium typically includes computer-readable instructions, a data structure, a program module, or the data of a modulated data signal such as a carrier, or another type of transmission mechanism, and includes any information transfer medium.

[0098] Furthermore, a ball delivery control method according to an embodiment of the present invention may be implemented as a computer program (or a computer program product) including computer-executable instructions. The computer program includes programmable machine instructions that are processed by a processor, and may be implemented as high-level programming language, object-oriented programming language, assembly language, machine language or the like. Furthermore, the computer program may be stored in a tangible computer-readable storage medium (for example, memory, a hard disk, a magnetic medium, an optical medium, a Solid-State Drive (SSD), or the like).

[0099] Accordingly, the ball delivery control method according to the embodiment of the present invention may be implemented in such a manner that the above-described computer program is executed by a computing device. The computing device may include at least a part of a high-speed interface coupled to a processor, memory, a storage device, and memory and a high-speed extension port, and a low-speed interface coupled to a low-speed bus and a storage device. These components are coupled to each other using various buses, and may be mounted on a common mother board or may be mounted using another appropriate method.

[0100] In this case, the processor may process instructions within a computing device. These instructions are, for example, instructions that are stored in memory or a storage device in order to display graphic information adapted to provide a Graphic User Interface (GUI) onto an external input or output device, such as a display coupled to a high-speed interface. As another embodiment, a plurality of processors and/or a plurality of buses may be used along with a plurality of pieces of memory and a plurality of memory forms. Furthermore, the processor may be implemented as a chipset composed of chips including a plurality of independent analog and/or digital processors.

[0101] Furthermore, the memory stores information within a computing device. As an example, the memory may be composed of a volatile memory unit or a set of volatile memory units. As another example, the memory may be composed of a nonvolatile memory unit or a set of nonvolatile memory units. Furthermore, the memory may be, for example, another type of computer-readable medium, such as a magnetic or optical disk.

[0102] Additionally, the storage device may provide a large amount of storage space to a computing device. The storage device may be a computer-readable medium or a configuration including such a medium. The storage device may include, for example, devices within a Storage Area Network (SAN) or another configuration. The storage device may be a floppy disk device, a hard disk device, an optical disk device, a tape device, flash memory, another similar semiconductor memory device, or a device array.

[0103] The above description of the present invention is intended merely for the purpose of illustration. It will be apparent to those having ordinary knowledge in the art to which the present invention pertains that the present invention can be easily modified in other specific forms without changing the technical spirit and essential features of the present invention. Accordingly, the above-described embodiments are should be understood as being illustrates and not limitative in every aspect. For example, each component described as being in a single form may be practiced in a distributed form and, in the same manner, components described as being in a distributed form may be practiced in an integrated form.

[0104] The range of the present invention is defined by the following claims, rather than the detailed description. All variations and modifications derived from the meaning and scope of the claims and concepts equivalent thereto should be construed as being included in the range of the present invention.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0105] The present invention relates to the ball feeding system including the ball delivery device and the ball feeding device, and the ball delivery control method; and more specifically to the ball feeding system which enables balls to be sequentially placed on the ball delivery arms configured to deliver balls in order to sequentially feed balls to a pitching machine configured to pitch balls, and which detects the number of balls and then feeds balls so that balls can be sequentially fed to the pitching machine. The present invention has industrial applicability for the ball feeding system.