Automatic ball pitching machine

Abstract

An automatic game ball throwing machine. The ball thrower includes a base, a support frame attached to the base, a drive wheel mechanism attached to the support frame, and a human-machine interface which enables customization of ball spin, speed and target location. A light source can be attached to the machine to illuminate each ball at one or more launch points. Further, a launching frame indexing element can be positioned to control the location of the ball target. A resident software program integrates the throwing machine, indexing element and human-machine interface, calculating pitch parameters and converting them to machine outputs to enable customization of pitch variety and characteristics.

Claims

1. A game ball throwing machine, comprising: a base; a support frame attached to the base; at least one drive wheel mechanism attached to the support frame, wherein a rotating mechanism for the drive wheel mechanism is an electric motor; a human-machine interface containing or otherwise utilizing software which enables customization of at least one parameter from a list comprising: i. drive wheel rotation speed, ii. ball spin speed and direction, iii. ball speed and, iv. target location, wherein the human-machine interface is further comprised of a graphical display, wherein the graphical display is comprised of a pitch speed indicator, a ball spin direction indicator, and a ball spin amount indicator, wherein the ball spin direction indicator is shown in a polar arrangement with a plurality of optional ball spin directions and at least one of a rotating directional arrow and a light identifying a selected one of the optional ball spin directions, and wherein the ball spin direction indicator is separate from the pitch speed indicator and the ball spin amount indicator; a support frame indexing element positioned to control the location of the ball target; and a resident software program integrating the throwing machine, indexing element and human-machine interface.

2. The game ball throwing machine of claim 1, wherein the human-machine interface includes a grid representation of a multitude of pitch locations and spin intensities.

3. The game ball throwing machine of claim 2, wherein the human machine interface wirelessly signals the machine indexing element and drive wheel mechanism the calculated values to adjust where and with what speeds and directions of spins to pitch each ball.

4. The game ball throwing machine of claim 1, further comprising a ball visualization aid, wherein the ball visualization aid is at least one of a light source and a gap, wherein the light source illuminates the ball at one or more locations between the area behind the drive wheel before launch and the batter, and wherein the gap is formed in the tube feeding balls forward to the drive wheel.

5. The game ball throwing machine of claim 1, further comprising a gear, a frame drive mechanism, and a ball diameter compensation element, wherein the gear is operatively attached to the support frame and the frame drive mechanism, and wherein the drive mechanism and the gear rotate the support frame to change the aim point of the machine.

6. The software of claim 1 comprising a program utilizing the iterative steps of inputs from a keypad or touch screen interface, processing those inputs in the application of arithmetic formulae resulting in output signals to one or more mechanisms on a pitching machine to adjust a pitching machine aimpoint, wheel speed, ball speed, ball spin speed and ball spin direction, said inputs consisting of one or more of the following: i) visual aimpoints on a grid above a representation of a batter's box homeplate ii) pitch type iii) ball spin intensity iv) ball spin direction v) ball pitch velocity vi) target area vii) target type or viii) player to be simulated.

7. The game ball throwing machine of claim 1, wherein the at least one drive wheel mechanism is further comprised of at least a first drive wheel mechanism and a second drive wheel mechanism, wherein the human-machine interface is further comprised of a ball type input selection comprised of a baseball option and a softball option, wherein the ball speed is displayed on a pitch speed indicator, and wherein the software adjusts the ball speed displayed on the pitch speed indicator depending on the ball type input selection.

8. A game ball throwing machine, comprising: a base; a support frame attached to the base; at least one drive wheel mechanism attached to the support frame, and a human-machine interface which enables customization of drive wheel rotational speed, ball spin, ball speed and target location; a support frame indexing element positioned to control the location of the ball target; a light source illuminating a portion of the ball at one or more locations between the entrance to the drive wheel and the midpoint between the drive wheel and the batter; and a resident software program integrating the throwing machine, indexing element and human-machine interface.

9. The game ball throwing machine of claim 8, wherein the human-machine interface is further comprised of a graphical display, wherein the graphical display is comprised of a pitch speed indicator, a ball spin direction indicator, and a ball spin amount indicator, wherein the ball spin direction indicator is shown in a polar arrangement with a plurality of optional ball spin directions and at least one of a rotating directional arrow and a light identifying a selected one of the optional ball spin directions, and wherein the ball spin direction indicator is separate from the ball speed shown on the pitch speed indicator and the ball spin shown on the ball spin amount indicator.

10. The game ball throwing machine of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of wheel speed controllers connected to the spinning drive wheels and a computer processor in operative communication with the human-machine interface and with the plurality of wheel speed controllers, wherein the human-machine interface is further comprised of a pitch speed user control, a ball spin direction user control, and a ball spin amount user control, wherein a first user input is made to the pitch speed user control, wherein a second user input is made to the ball spin direction user control, wherein a third user input is made to the ball spin amount user control, wherein the computer processor receives the first user input, the second user input and the third user input, wherein the resident software program running on the computer processor is comprised of a set of wheel rotation equations which calculate a set of wheel speeds according to the first user input, the second user input, and the third user input entered into variable user input entries in the wheel rotation equations, and wherein the processor communicates the set of wheel speeds to the wheel speed controllers as a set of wheel speed control signals.

11. The game ball throwing machine of claim 10, further comprising a ball diameter compensation element, wherein the resident software program enables wireless control, programming and customization of pitching parameters, wherein the human-machine interface is at least one of a physical panel structure connected to the support frame and an electronic panel screen for a mobile computing device, wherein the human-machine interface is further comprised of a ball type input selection comprised of a baseball option and a softball option, and wherein the resident software program adjusts the ball speed displayed on the pitch speed indicator depending on the ball type input selection.

12. A throwing machine for a ball, comprising: a base; a support frame attached to the base; a plurality of drive wheel mechanisms attached to the support frame, wherein each one of the drive wheel mechanisms is comprised of a spinning wheel, a motor connected to the spinning wheel and a wheel speed controller, and wherein the drive wheel mechanisms engage the ball to be thrown by the throwing machine; a human-machine interface comprising a graphical display and a plurality of user controls, wherein the user controls are comprised of a pitch speed user control with a first input, a ball spin direction user control with a second input, and a ball spin amount user control with a third input, wherein the graphical display is comprised of a pitch speed indicator, a ball spin direction indicator, and a ball spin amount indicator, wherein the ball spin direction indicator is shown in a polar arrangement with a plurality of optional ball spin directions, and wherein the ball spin direction indicator is separate from the pitch speed indicator and the ball spin amount indicator; and a computer processor in operative communication with the human-machine interface and with the wheel speed controller in each one of the drive wheel mechanisms, wherein the computer processor comprises a set of wheel rotation equations having variable user input entries, wherein the computer processor receives the first input, the second input and the third input, wherein the set of wheel rotation equations calculate a set of wheel speeds according to the first input, the second input, and the third input entered into the variable user input entries in the wheel rotation equations, and wherein the processor communicates the set of wheel speeds to a corresponding one of each wheel speed controller as a set of wheel speed control signals.

13. The game ball throwing machine of claim 12, wherein the human-machine interface is at least one of a physical panel structure connected to the support frame and an electronic panel screen for a mobile computing device, wherein the polar arrangement is further comprised of at least one of a rotating directional arrow and an illuminated light, and wherein the rotating directional arrow and the illuminated light graphically identify a selected one of the optional spin directions that is the second input for the ball spin direction user control.

14. The game ball throwing machine of claim 12, wherein the human-machine interface is at least one of a physical panel structure connected to the support frame, wherein the polar arrangement is further comprised of a plurality of arrows corresponding with the optional ball spin directions and a plurality of lights respectively positioned adjacent to corresponding tips of the arrows, and wherein one of the lights is illuminated and graphically identifies a selected one of the optional spin directions that is the second input for the ball spin direction user control.

15. The game ball throwing machine of claim 12, wherein the first input for the pitch speed user control is a ball speed shown on the pitch speed indicator, wherein the second input for the ball spin direction user control is an angular direction shown in graphical form on the ball spin direction indicator, wherein the third input for the ball spin amount user selection is a percentage of a maximum ball spin amount shown on the ball spin amount indicator, and wherein the maximum ball spin amount corresponds to a maximum tangential wheel speed difference between the plurality of drive wheel mechanisms.

16. The game ball throwing machine of claim 15, wherein the human-machine interface is further comprised of a ball type input selection comprised of a baseball option and a softball option, wherein the ball speed is displayed on the pitch speed indicator, wherein the computer processor adjusts the ball speed displayed on the pitch speed indicator depending on the ball type input selection, and wherein the set of wheel rotation equations are further comprised of the maximum tangential wheel speed difference multiplied by the third input for the ball spin amount user selection and multiplied by a trigonometric function of the difference between a wheel position angle and the spin direction selection.

17. The game ball throwing machine of claim 12, wherein the ball spin direction user control is at least one of a button switch, a rotary potentiometer, and a rotary directional arrow widget.

18. The game ball throwing machine of claim 12, further comprising a light source illuminating a portion of the ball at one or more locations between the entrance to the drive wheel mechanisms and the launch of the ball at the exit.

19. The game ball throwing machine of claim 12 further comprised of a support frame indexing element positioned to control the location of the ball target and a ball diameter compensation element, wherein the computer processor integrates the support frame indexing element and a pitch location input on the human-machine interface, and wherein the pitch location input is comprised of an x-slide amount and a y-slide amount.

20. A game ball throwing machine, comprising: a base; a support frame attached to the base; at least one drive wheel mechanism attached to the support frame, wherein the at least one drive wheel mechanism is further comprised of at least a first drive wheel mechanism and a second drive wheel mechanism; a human-machine interface containing or otherwise utilizing software which enables customization of at least one parameter from a list comprising a drive wheel rotation speed, a ball spin speed and direction, a ball speed and a target location, wherein the human-machine interface is further comprised of a ball type input selection comprised of a baseball option and a softball option, wherein the ball speed is displayed on a pitch speed indicator, and wherein the software adjusts the ball speed displayed on the pitch speed indicator depending on the ball type input selection; a support frame indexing element positioned to control the location of the ball target; and a resident software program integrating the throwing machine, indexing element and human-machine interface.

21. The game ball throwing machine of claim 20, wherein a rotating mechanism for the drive wheel mechanism is an electric motor, and wherein the human-machine interface is further comprised of a graphical display, wherein the graphical display is comprised of a pitch speed indicator, a ball spin direction indicator, and a ball spin amount indicator, wherein the ball spin direction indicator is shown in a polar arrangement with a plurality of optional ball spin directions and at least one of a rotating directional arrow and a light identifying a selected one of the optional ball spin directions, and wherein the ball spin direction indicator is separate from the pitch speed indicator and the ball spin amount indicator.

22. The game ball throwing machine of claim 20 further comprising a ball visualization aid, wherein the ball visualization aid is at least one of a light source and a gap, wherein the light source illuminates the ball at one or more locations between the area behind the drive wheel before launch and the batter, and wherein the gap is formed in the tube feeding balls forward to the drive wheel.

23. The game ball throwing machine of claim 20 further comprising a gear and a frame drive mechanism, wherein the gear is operatively attached to the support frame and the frame drive mechanism, and wherein the drive mechanism operates the gear and rotates the support frame to change the aim point of the machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1: Front trimetric view of the present invention.

(2) FIG. 2: Back trimetric view of the present invention.

(3) FIG. 3: Front trimetric view of the present invention detailing three-wheeled.

(4) FIG. 4: Automated Three-wheeled system front trimetric view of the present invention.

(5) FIG. 5: Three-wheeled system back trimetric: Alternate view of the present invention.

(6) FIG. 6: View of the present invention two-wheeled system control panel.

(7) FIG. 7: Front view of the present invention three-wheeled system control panel.

(8) FIG. 8: View of of the present invention Three-wheeled system control panel.

(9) FIG. 9: Perspective view of the present invention detailing two-wheeled system turntable.

(10) FIG. 10: Perspective view of the present invention detailing two-wheeled system pitch and roll adjustment.

(11) FIG. 11: Detailed view of the present invention ball illumination means.

(12) FIG. 12: Exploded view of the present invention detailing stepper motors.

(13) FIG. 13 Enlarged perspective view of present invention worm gears.

(14) FIG. 14: Alternate view of present invention worm gears1

(15) FIG. 15: Enlarged perspective view of present invention Angle indicator

(16) FIG. 16: Enlarged perspective view of present invention pegboard motor locator;

(17) FIG. 17: Front view of present invention Sawtooth motor locator;

(18) FIG. 18: Enlarged view of present invention Sawtooth;

(19) FIG. 19: Enlarged perspective view of present invention profiled block;

(20) FIG. 20 Enlarged perspective view of present invention Linear bearing machine;

(21) FIG. 21 Enlarged perspective view of present invention bearing means.

(22) FIG. 22: Front view of present invention rectangular grid HMI screen.

(23) FIG. 23: Front view of present invention Polar grid HMI screen;

(24) FIG. 24: Front view of present invention HMI defensive-drill screen;

(25) FIG. 25: Front view of present invention HMI specific pitcher select screen.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(26) FIG. 1: Two-wheeled front trimetric: Machine follows convention of a base tripod, 1, with removable legs, 2, supporting an upper frame structure, 12, which pivots on a vertical (yaw) axis. There is a motor mounting plate, 3, which pivots on a horizontal axis (pitch) with respect to 12 allowing for vertical aiming. Motor plate also rotates on a second horizontal axis (roll), allowing the motor plate orientation to twist, or be rotated into any plane parallel to the vertical aiming axis. Motors, 8, are fastened to the motor mounting plate in a manner that allows the gap between wheels, 4, to be easily adjusted. Wheels 4, and wheel guards 5, are directly attached to the motors, 8, so they move with the motors as an assembly. The ball feed tube, 6, is removable to allow for different ball sizes. Removable handle, 7, provides the user a convenient place to grip the machine for adjusting its aim. Control panel, 9, provides user a means for controlling the machine. Controls on the panel, 9, allow user to control both wheel speeds and the aim of the machine.

(27) FIG. 2: Two-wheeled back trimetric: Motors and wheels, 8 &4, are held in place on the motor mounting plate, by threaded clamping knobs, 10. A similar threaded clamping knob, 11, holds the motor mounting plate, 3, in place, providing a method for adjusting the roll angle of the machine.

(28) FIG. 3: Three-wheeled front trimetric: Same concepts as the 2 wheel embodiment, except there is no roll adjustment needed. Removable transport wheels, 13, have been added.

(29) FIG. 4: automated Three-wheeled front trimetric: Stepper motor housings, 14, are shown. Each stepper motor controls one aiming axis.

(30) FIG. 5: Three-wheeled Back trimetric: Alternate view of prior features shown.

(31) FIG. 6: Two-wheeled Control panel: Panel is a shown as a membrane switch panel with LED indicators, 15, and 7 segment LED displays, 16. User controls machine by pressing buttons, 17, which are momentary switches. Graphics printed on the panel illustrate to the user how the panel works. Control scheme explained in detail later.

(32) FIG. 7: Three-wheeled Control panel: Same concepts as FIG. 6. Control scheme explained in detail later.

(33) FIG. 8: Three-wheeled Control panel: Control panel adapted for a tablet computer or smart phone screen. Consists of rotary slider widgets for setting pitch speed and spin amount. Spin direction is set by rotating directional arrow widget or by selecting a pitch name from the dropdown. Horizontal and vertical aim are set by linear sliders.

(34) FIG. 9: Two-wheeled turntable: Low friction disk, 21, and stainless steel balls, 22, form a large turntable or thrust bearing, allowing upper frame member, 12, to rotate freely relative to tripod base, 1. A shaft clamp, 20, is fixed to the base tripod, 1, allowing a method for locking rotation of 12 when desired. Clamp handle, 23, provides user easy access to partially hidden shaft clamp, 20. Thrust bushing, 19, and retaining ring, 18, keep parts assembled without preventing rotation.

(35) FIG. 10: Two-wheeled pitch and roll adjustment: Machine roll angle is set by rotating motor mounting plate, 3, about shaft, 29. Flanged bushing 28 allows free rotation of said motor mounting plate, and limited axial movement along said shaft. When clamping knob 11, is clamped down, dowel pins, 25, engage in a circle of holes in the motor mounting plate, 3, preventing unintentional rotation. Shaft, 29, and dowel pins, 25, are fixed to a clevis block, 26, which is in turn, fixed to the pitch angle shaft, 24, with dowel pin 31. Clevis block, 26, and pitch angle shaft, 24, rotate freely on ball bearings, 30, mounted on upper frame member, 12. A shaft clamp is fixed to the upper frame member, 12, to lock pitch angle shaft, 24, setting the pitch angle of the motor mounting plate. A handle, 23 with a threaded stud, provides user with a convenient way to close the shaft clamp, 20.

(36) FIG. 11: Laser pointer/spotlight: A highly focused beam of light, 33, is shot across the path of a ball to be thrown, by a laser pointer or small spotlight, 32. The light beam is not visible to the hitter until a ball crosses its path. Because the beam, 33, is located just before or in close proximity to the point where the ball is launched, the appearance of the beam on the ball acts as a visible indicator that a pitch is imminent or occurring. This light, or a subsequent light 32 could also be located some distance closer to the batter, to assist in timing of the pitch by the batter and enable the batter to better focus on the ball.

(37) FIG. 12: Stepper motors: The motor mounting plate's yaw and pitch angles are set by geared stepper motors, 34. Motors are protected by separate housings, 14, which have removable covers, 35. Stepper motors are mounted to the machine with brackets, 36, that allow the use of common parts with machines that are aimed manually. Stepper motor shafts are keyed to transmit torque to hollow shafts, 37. This design allows some axial play between the hollow shaft, 37, and the stepper motor, 34. This prevents any axial load from reaching the stepper motor and damaging it, while also minimizing tangential play that would affect accuracy.

(38) FIGS. 13 and 14: Worm gears: Worm gears provide a fixed, unchanging ratio between input rotation angle and output rotation angle, which a threaded rod arrangement such as the Sports Attack machine does not. The design is self locking because it can not be back driven. User turns hand wheel, 38, which rotates the worm, 41 inside mounted ball bearings, 39. As the worm, 41, rotates, so does worm gear, 40. Worm gear 40 is attached to motor mounting plate, 3, so turning the hand wheel 38 provides a highly leveraged, self locking method of rotating the motor mounting plate, 3, relative to 12, setting the pitch angle of the machine.

(39) FIG. 15: Angle indicator: An indicating pointer, 42, is attached to horizontal shaft, 24, so that the pointer rotates with the shaft, and thus also the motor mounting plate, 3. A visual scale, 43, is added to the upper frame, 12. As the machine's pitch angle is adjusted, the user is provided with visual feedback, informing them how far the machine has moved. A similar indicator can be added for horizontal adjustments.

(40) FIG. 16: Pegboard motor locator: Motors, 8, and thus wheels, 4, can be repositioned to adjust the size of the gap between wheels. This is useful for resetting the machine for balls of different size and hardness. The pegboard design consists of a grid of holes, 51 in the motor mounting plate, 3, and dowel pins affixed to the motors, 8. This provides a set of predefined motor and wheel positions for the user.

(41) FIG. 17: Sawtooth motor locator: Sawtooth shaped plates, 45, are affixed to the motors, 8 and a mating set of sawtooth shaped plates, 44, are affixed to the motor mounting plate. This provides a set of predefined motor and wheel positions for the user. The step size is reduced as compared to the pegboard design, which is limited by the size of the dowels, and the intersection of adjacent grid holes.

(42) FIG. 18: Sawtooth Close up: Close up of sawtooth design.

(43) FIG. 19: Profiled block: A variation of the sawtooth design, profiled blocks, 47, are affixed to the motors, and mating profiled pockets, 46, are designed into the motor mounting plate, 3. The concept is the same as the sawtooth, but reduces part count.

(44) FIGS. 20 & 21: Linear bearing machine: Motor mounting plate is replaced with a parallel linear shaft system. Motors, 8, and thus wheels, 4, are mounted on linear bearings, 50. The bearings slide on linear shafts, 49, which are held in place by a fixed center block, 48. As balls are fed into the wheels, 4, the wheels are free to slide, expanding the wheel gap. This provides shock absorption and a longer contact time between ball and wheel. It also greatly reduces sensitivity to using balls of slightly different sizes or hardness. Expanding the range of motion allows the same basic design to be used for various sized balls of different sports. The motors may be spring loaded to return them to position after a ball has been thrown, but the inertia of the motor may in many cases provide the ball clamping force needed to properly grip the ball. The same basic two shaft layout may be used without the shock absorbing function by replacing one of the linear shafts with a shaft threaded half left-hand, half right-hand. As the shaft is turned, the motors would both move in or out from the center position. This provides a convenient way to quickly adjust the size of the ball gap.

(45) FIG. 22: Rectangular grid Rectangular grid of pitches provides a multitude of pitches which can be selected by single touch.

(46) FIG. 23: Polar grid: Polar grid of pitches provides a multitude of pitches which can be selected by single touch. Polar layout provides graphical representation of which direction ball will curve.

(47) FIG. 24: Defensive screen: Place machine at home plate, then a single touch positions machine to throw to indicated location on field. User can select ground balls, fly balls, or line drives.

(48) FIG. 25: Specific pitcher screen: Users can create custom pitchers, each with a picture, a top speed, and a set of pitches. Each of these pitches can be customized to exactly match real or fictional pitchers using same parameters as screen 1(pitch speed, spin direction, spin amount). Machine can be provided to customer with a library of these pitchers, or users can create their own. Because the machine aim is automatically calculated based on the pitch parameters, the trial and error method of aiming the machine of prior art is eliminated.

(49) As shown in the Figures referred to above, the game ball throwing machine is a diamond sport ball throwing machine, such as for baseball or softball. Other throwing machines can be utilized, such as those for soccer, football, lacrosse, cricket, basketball, and the like, and are contemplated by this disclosure. Turning now to FIG. 1, the device includes a base means 1 such as the indicated tripod, comprising three or more interchangeable legs 2, motor mounting plate 3 securing one or more powered rotating wheel(s) 4 for propelling a round object such as a ball, forward or imparting spin or a combination of propulsion or spin.

(50) In diamond sports, the game ball throwing machine is generally described as a pitching machine. For simplicity's sake that term will be used forward. The pitching machine generally includes wheels 4 that spin and are used to impart force to the ball to project the ball towards a target. The wheels are driven by motors 8 which are adjusted and controlled by a series of controls 9. The pitching machine has an intake opening 6 positioned and sized to receive a ball and deliver that ball to the wheels 4 for the pitching machine. The game balls (not shown) typically have two hemispheres wherein each hemisphere is engaged by one or more of the wheels 4 to impart the force to propel the ball to its target.

(51) Around each wheel 4 is preferably a wheel guard 5. Located generally equidistant between the wheels is a ball feeder tube 6 for delivering the ball forward into the pinch point of the wheels 4.

(52) Preferably attached to the motor mounting plate is an interchangeable, removable handle 7 which may be used to manually adjust the vertical and horizontal primary aimpoint of the two-wheeled pitching machine. Attached mechanically to the mounting plate 3, wheel 4 and guard 5 is a motor 8, control panel 9, motor clamping knob 10, two-wheeled system twist adjustment clamp 11, and rotating top frame 12.

(53) As indicated in the description of FIG. 10 above, the shaft collar/clamp handle 23 connects to the shaft vertical aim adjustment means 24. A dowel pin 25 is connected to the clevis block 26, and a handle mounting stud 27 is provided on motor mounting plate 3.

(54) Generally, the pitching machine includes a base 1, a support frame 12 attached to the base, a drive mechanism attached to the support frame, and a control panel 9 that can be attached to the support frame or can have a wireless connection such as through a tablet computer or smart phone screen as described above. The base can be a base as known in the art that allows for height adjustment of the pitching machine with the game ball feeder. The drive mechanism can be those drive mechanisms known in the art, including various types of motors 8 that can run off AC power, DC power, or both, as desired.

(55) Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of the present disclosure of a new and useful AUTOMATIC GAME BALL PITCHING MACHINE it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this disclosure except as set forth in the following claims.