EP0968740A2

EP0968740A2 - Gravity distributor of balls, particularly for tennis practice

Info

Publication number: EP0968740A2
Application number: EP99109203A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luca Zama
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-07-02
Filing date: 1999-05-19
Publication date: 2000-01-05
Also published as: EP0968740A3; IT1304452B1; AU3794799A; ITBO980408A1

Abstract

A distributor of balls, includes a hopper (6) for containing a suitable number of balls (P), which are discharged one by one by means (7,9) controlled by the player or automatically by other means (12,13). There are means (11) for electric feeding of the discharging means and of control means, and there are means (15) for conveying the ball, cyclically discharged from the hopper, to the proper height and for making the same ball fall, due to gravity force, in front and beside the player, so that the he/she can volley the falling ball or hit the ball on the rebound, in order to exercise correct tennis strokes.

Description

The present invention relates to a gravity distributor of balls, particularly for tennis practice.
Machines have heretofore been provided, which throw tennis balls along a parabolic trajectory, towards the player, so that he/she trains throwing the ball back. These machines are encumbering, expensive, their use requires a lot of space and their performance is rather limited.
The present invention was evolved with the general object of meeting the above mentioned problems by means of a distributor of balls, whose production costs are low, the dimensions contained, and which can be easily disassembled and reassembled.
Moreover, the proposed distributor should be easily adapted to the user's needs, and on the contrary to the known machines, must make the balls fall, due to gravity, in front and at the side of the player, with limited kinetic energy, so that the player can train different strokes, volleys as well as rebounds, using all of its technical skills.
Due to these functional characteristics, the proposed machine can be used also in small and not properly equipped spaces, and not only on tennis courts.
The above-mentioned object has been achieved by means of a device as described in the appended claims.
This invention contemplates other objects, features and advantages which will become fully apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation partially sectional view of the distributor assembled and ready to use;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the distributor of Figure 1, with a player ready to perform a forehand volley.

With reference to the above mentioned figures, the distributor includes a vertical and telescopic upright 1, whose height is adjustable by acting on a first clamp 3.
The upright 1 includes e.g. pipes of suitable material and length, so that the whole upright can reach the height of e.g. three meters, when all its parts are extended at maximum.
In its lower part, the upright 1 is connected to a pedestal 4 which acts as a support and rests on the ground.
The pedestal 4 includes e.g. three or more feet 104, which are set equidistant at regular angles, and which have one end fit into a related bushing 101.
The bushings 101 are fastened to the lower part of the upright 1 and diverge downwards at a suitable angle.
Typically, all the bushings are inclined at the same angle.
Unlike shown in the drawings, the feet 104 may be equipped with suitable wheels, preferably provided with brakes, which rest on the ground.
In its upper part, the upright 1 carries a plate 5 with a hopper 6 fastened thereto for containing a sufficient number of tennis balls P.
The hopper 6 is made of e.g. suitable plastic material and has a discharge channel 106 directed downwards.
Instead of the hopper, any other type of tennis balls feeder can be used, e.g. balls elevator (scraper elevator or screw feeder, etc.), which leads to the discharge channel 106 and is fed with the balls, manually or automatically, from one side; otherwise, the lower part of the elevator can be connected to a hopper fed with the balls in a pell-mell way.
The diameter of the discharge channel allows only one ball to pass therethrough and extends for a length such that at least two balls to be contained therein, arranged one over another.
The first of the balls contained in the discharge channel is engaged at top and bottom by an escapement device, formed by e.g. horizontal blades 7, 107.
The blades 7, 107 are moved along transversal guides 8, 108 connected to the discharge channel and are articulated to the extremities of a rocker lever 9, whose central part is pivoted to the horizontal output shaft of an oscillating movement actuator 10.
The actuator 10 is connected to a small feeding electric battery 11 via a timer 12 and operated by a remote control 13.
According to this solution, only one ball leaves the discharge channel 106, since while the lower blade 7 is withdrawing from the channel 106, so as to allow the ball situated below to leave the channel, the upper blade 107 is situated inside the channel 106 to block the next ball.
Immediately after the delivery of one ball, the upper blade 107 withdraws and the lower blade 7 enters the channel, so as to stop the next ball, which will leave the channel during the subsequent working cycle.
The user, through the remote control 13, can choose between a ball-after-ball controlled delivery and a timed ball delivery, with fixed or adjustable frequency.
The hopper can be manufactured in such a way that it can oscillate slightly, and a small vibrator 14 can be mounted on one of the hopper walls, for facilitating the balls motion toward the discharge channel 106.
A gutter 15, substantially "L"- like and suitably inclined downwards, is mounted to the discharge channel 106, by means of a front coupling 16, in such a way that the user can set it at a desired angle with respect to the channel axis in the desired direction.
The gutter 15 is formed by e.g. at least two tubular elements 115 and 215, first and second, respectively.
The second element 215 is straight while the first element 115 has angular shape and is introduced telescopically into the second element and fixed thereto by a second clamp 17.
A further tubular element 315 can be mounted to the free end of the second tubular element 215 and is formed in the whole or in part by a corrugated pipe, so as to allow adjustment of the inclination and orientation of the discharge mouth of the gutter 15.
The gutter 15 can be equipped with an additional element, similar to the third tubular element 315 and parallel thereto; in this way the ball P leaving the gutter 15, is sent, by suitable conveying means, not shown, e.g. remote controlled, either to the third tubular element 315 or to the additional tubular element, according to a casual or predetermined sequence.
A reference means can be mounted on the upright 1 to prevent the player from making wrong movements while hitting the ball.
This means includes e.g. a bushing 20 sliding on the upright 1 and locked on the desired height by a clamp 21.
A telescopic horizontal arm 22, with an intermediate locking clamp 23, is cantilevered to the first bushing 20.
The free end of the telescopic arm 22 carries a second bushing 24, with a locking clamp 25.
The shaft of a reference member 26, e.g. "T" - like, is mounted inside the second bushing 24.
The head 126 of the reference member 26, properly situated behind the player T, as shown in Figure 2, prevents the player from twisting his/her shoulders and bust, thus forcing him/her to hit the ball going down from the gutter 15 in the correct way.
In particular, when the player is to play a forehand, the reference member 26 touches the arm holding the racquet, and when the player is to play a backhand, the reference touches the arm which does not hold the racquet.
Figure 2 shows, with continuous line, the player ready to hit the ball P while leaving the gutter 15 with a volley forehand.
In the not limitative example of Figure 1, the gutter 15 is suitably oriented and situated over the player, as indicated with broken line in Figure 2.
Otherwise, the gutter can be situated in a position other than over the player.
The reference member 26 is correctly positioned behind the player's shoulders, so that he/she hits the ball, making a step forward and putting forward the arm, as shown with broken line in Figure 2.
In order to guarantee the correct movements, the player can place on the ground a reference line 27 delimiting the forward step length while hitting the ball P, and he/she can also put a net, not shown, to simulate the playing ground situation.

Claims

Gravity distributor of balls, in particular for tennis practice, characterized in that it includes:

a magazine of balls (P);

means (7,9) for discharging from said magazine one ball at a time, controlled by the player or automatically by other means (12,13);

means (11) for electric feeding of said discharging means and control means;

means (15) for conveying the ball, cyclically discharged from the magazine, to the proper height and for making the same ball fall, due to gravity force, in front and beside the player, so that the he/she can volley the falling ball with reduced kinetic energy, or hit the ball on the rebound, in order to exercise correct tennis strokes.
Distributor, according to claim 1, characterized in that a discharge channel of said magazine is located at the top of a support upright (1), preferably at adjustable height, with said discharge channel (106) having an escapement interception mechanism (7,9) working there, so as to allow one ball at a time to exit therefrom, and said discharge channel having connected thereto a gutter (15), substantially "L"- like, which guides the ball leaving the magazine, so as to make it fall in a proper place, so that the player can hit it correctly and comfortably, without interfering with said support upright (1) and the relative pedestal (4), on which the upright rests.
Distributor, according to claim 2, characterized in that said magazine includes a hopper feeding the balls to the discharge channel due to gravity force, and in that said hopper is equipped with a vibrator (14) for facilitating said balls flowing toward said discharge channel.
Distributor, according to claim 2, characterized in that it is possible to adjust the length and/or orientation of the gutter (15) that receives and conveys the balls cyclically discharged by the magazine towards the falling point.
Distributor, according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with a remote control (13), by means of which the player can control the balls discharge or he/she can program a timer (12), which controls the balls discharge according to adjustable frequency.
Distributor, according to claim 3, characterized in that it is fed by a small battery (11) mounted on the plate (5) fastened to the top of the support upright (1), said plate carrying said discharging channel (106) together with an oscillatory motion actuator (10), said actuator controlling the escapement mechanism discharging the balls from the hopper, said plate supporting also a vibrator (14) and a timer (12) operating said actuator.
Distributor, according to claim 1 or 6, characterized in that the support upright (1) is equipped with reference means (20,24), first and second, respectively, which can be adjusted according to the player's different needs, said first and second reference means (20,24) featuring, at their extremities, a reference member (26,126), which is positioned behind the player's back, so as to prevent him from making wrong backwards movements while hitting the cyclically discharged balls.
Distributor, according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes a reference line (27) to be placed on the ground in front of the player, so as to delimit the player's forward step length while hitting the ball discharged by the distributor, and/or said distributor can be also equipped with a net to simulate the playing ground situation.
Distributor, according to claim 2 or 4, characterized in that said gutter is situated over the player.