ES1312314U - Ball shooting device - Google Patents

Abstract

A ball-firing device, characterized in that it is made up of equipment in which four zones are established; a loading zone (1), a lifting zone (2), a storage zone (3), and a firing zone (4) where: a) the loading zone (1) includes an elongated casing open on both larger sides, in which the height of the casing is greater than the diameter of the balls (9) to be loaded, and which includes means for retaining and moving the incoming balls to the lifting zone (2); b) the lifting zone (2) includes two chain mechanisms joined together and driven by a motor, in which claws (16) are established that engage the ball (9) in a wedge shape during its elevation; c) the storage area (3) includes a saturation photocell (14) and a second photocell (15) which is arranged in the lower area for controlling the absence of balls, as well as an electrical mechanism (19) for unitary access of balls to the shooting area (4); d) the shooting area (4) includes a rotational elbow (20) associated with a ball trigger (24) by means of motorized rollers (25); the device being provided with an electrical panel, in which a PLC is established for control and management of the elements that constitute the equipment. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

Ball shooting device

TECHNICAL SECTOR

The present invention relates to a ball-firing device with an automated loading and storage system.

The invention focuses on the field of sports, more specifically sports in which soccer balls or similar are used.

The main application that can be attributed to this invention is the improvement of the technique for players.

As secondary applications, the invention could be used in any type of game in which a ball needs to be thrown, whether from the side, at the goal, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In the practical application field of the invention, although there are known devices specifically designed to shoot balls in order to improve the technique of players, this type of device shoots the balls in a unitary manner, making it necessary to feed the device with balls one by one and manually.

This is a nuisance because it is necessary to carry the ball or balls to the machine, feed it and proceed to shoot them with the intervention of at least a second person assigned to this purpose.

Consequently, there is no known device that allows multiple balls to be stored for firing in a fully automated manner.

EXPLANATION OF THE INVENTION

The device proposed by the invention fills the technical gap described above, allowing constant feedback from the machine without having to go to it, since with a shot to its loading area the balls that are not in play can be stored.

For this purpose, and more specifically, the device of the invention is made up of equipment, preferably foldable and easily transportable as it is preferably equipped with self-orienting wheels, in which four operating zones are defined:

- A loading area.

- A lifting zone.

- A storage area.

- A shooting zone.

The loading area includes an elongated casing open on both larger sides, where the height of the casing is greater than the diameter of the balls to be loaded, and which includes means of retention and movement to the lifting area, means that preferably consist of slats capable of rotating 90° to allow the balls to pass. Likewise, said slats can be closed by turning 90°, retaining the balls between a pair of guide ropes. Thus, the guide ropes allow the balls to be retained, being capable of being raised at one of their ends to define a ramp that makes the balls move by gravity towards the end of this area.

More specifically, the guiding ropes guide and unload the balls by gravity towards the lifting area, which includes two chain mechanisms connected and driven by a motor, in which there are some claws that engage the wedge-shaped ball during its elevation. Thus, the balls are unloaded based on the signals received by a series of photoelectric sensors arranged in the storage area.

For its part, in the storage area, in addition to controlling the number of balls it contains, it includes a mechanism below that unitarily feeds the firing area.

Finally, in the shooting area, a rotational elbow is established associated with a ball trigger using motorized rollers, a mechanism that can be rotated at will to control the direction of the ball to be shot, all by means of a manually operated steering wheel.

Thus, the ball-firing device is provided with an electrical panel, in which a PLC is established for control and management of the elements, both electronic and mechanical, that make up the equipment.

It should be noted that, optionally, the device of the present invention has a foldable character, such that the lifting area, the storage area and the ball firing area form a foldable assembly over the ball loading area, the assembly being assisted in the folding maneuver by shock-absorbing elements such as cylinders.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that will be made below and in order to help better understand the characteristics of the invention, in accordance with a preferred example of its practical implementation, a set of drawings is included as an integral part of said description, in which, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a perspective view of a ball-firing device made in accordance with the object of the present invention, a device that appears represented in a folded position.

Figure 2.- Shows a profile view of the device of the invention without folding.

Figure 3A.- Shows an enlarged detail in profile of the ball loading area that participates in the device of the invention.

Figure 3B.- Shows a detail in elevation of the ball loading area.

Figure 4.- Shows a detail in elevation of the lifting area at the level of the exit of the ball loading area.

Figure 5.- Shows an elevation view of the lifting assembly located immediately above the assembly in Figure 4.

Figure 6.- Shows a detail in profile of the ball storage area.

Figure 7.- Shows a perspective detail of the elbow that is established in the firing zone of the device.

Figure 8.- Shows a side view of the detail of the rotational elbow assembly and the balloon trigger that participates in the device of the invention.

Figure 9.- Finally, it shows a plan view of the assembly represented in Figure 8.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of the figures shown, it can be observed that in the device of the invention there are four functionally distinct zones: a loading zone (1) for balls, a lifting zone (2) for said balls, a storage zone (3) for the balls, and a shooting zone (4).

The device includes an electrical panel, in which a previously programmed PLC is established for the control and management of the different sensors, mechanical elements, control devices and automated game sequences or programs.

More specifically, in the loading area (1) a casing of approximately 2 metres in length is defined, equipped with wheels (10) to facilitate its transport, a casing that is open on both larger sides, and in which the height of the casing is slightly greater than the diameter of the balls to be housed. Thus, the loading area has slats (5) that rotate around a vertical axis (11), visible in figure 3B, to allow the balls to pass through.

In this way, once the balls (9) have passed, the slats (5) will return to their initial position, leaving the ball (9) trapped in some guide ropes (6) arranged parallel and below, almost at ground level, which allow the balls (9) to be moved by their inclination, the guide ropes (6) being assisted at one of their ends by a lifting system (7).

A maximum of three balls (9) may be introduced for each cycle, with the loading area (1) being subdivided into three sub-areas in which a detection will be carried out to determine whether or not there is a ball present - by placing ball presence photocells - to inform the lifting system (7) whether or not that sub-areas is available for loading.

Once the three balls have been detected by a ball presence photocell, the corresponding motor associated with the lifting system (7) will be activated, which will move the guiding ropes producing an inclination as shown in figure 3A, and taking the balls to the reception area for their subsequent elevation. This system will return to its initial position, so that when the absence of balls is detected, the loading area will be enabled again.

According to figures 4 and 5, the lifting of the balls (9) will occur in two steps.

Once the balls are in the lifting area (2), they are detected individually by a presence photocell (12) arranged in a reception channel.

In a first stage, the balloon (9) is raised until it reaches a section where there are retention cams (13), visible in figure 4.

These retention cams (13) will hold the ball, while the other two remaining balls are raised.

The second lifting section (figure 5) will occur once the maximum number of balls that the trigger device allows to accumulate has been reached, which is detected by a saturation photocell (14) and a second photocell (15) arranged in the storage area (3) that warns of the absence of balls. Once both conditions have been met, the lifting will proceed.

To this end, and more specifically, the lifting area (2) includes two chain mechanisms connected by a single motor. This mechanism has claws (16) that are attached to the ball in a wedge shape, so that when it comes into contact with the ball, the lifting occurs.

For its part, the storage area (3), shown in detail in figure 6, is materialized in a vertical storage area where the balls can be stored, for example nine balls, being made up of hoops (17) and metal bars (18).

As previously mentioned, at the entrance to the storage area (3) a saturation photocell (14) will be established which indicates the capacity, while at the bottom the second presence photocell (15) is located. Thus, the second photocell (15) indicates when the storage area (3) can be reloaded with balls.

The lower end of the storage area (3) communicates with the shooting area (4) by means of an electrical mechanism (19) arranged in the storage area (3) that allows a ball to pass each time it is needed to the shooting area (4).

More specifically, the electrical mechanism (19) of the storage area (3) gives way to a rotational elbow (20) of the firing area (4), the one shown in figures 7 and 8, which allows the balls to be fired at different angles by virtue of the position of said rotational elbow (20), presenting an operating range of 180°.

The rotational elbow (20) has a mechanism consisting of a crown (21) and gears (22) that can be operated by the user using a steering wheel (23), easily rotating the trigger device to the required area.

This rotational elbow (20) is finally connected to a ball trigger (24), the one shown in figures 8 and 9, in which the ball (9) is passed through two lateral motorized rollers (25) in which a ball trigger acceleration is generated.

It should be noted that by parameterizing different speeds in said motorized rollers (25) different trajectories and speeds are achieved.

In this way, a device with fully automated ball storage and collection is achieved, in which a large number of balls can be stored and fired at different speeds and to different points and in which the collection of the balls is also automated and infinite.

Finally, it should be noted that the assembly formed by the lifting area (2), the storage area (3) and the firing area (4) preferably has cylinders (8) to perform the partial folding manoeuvre on the ball loading area (1). In this way, it is made more manageable when transporting it. Likewise, to facilitate said transport, the ball firing device is provided with wheels (10).

Claims (1)

1st.- Ball firing device, characterized in that it is made up of equipment in which four zones are established; a loading zone (1), a lifting zone (2), a storage zone (3) and a firing zone (4) where: a) the loading area (1) includes an elongated casing open on both larger sides, in which the height of the casing is greater than the diameter of the balls (9) to be loaded, and which includes means for retaining and moving the incoming balls to the lifting area (2); b) the lifting area (2) includes two chain mechanisms connected and driven by a motor, in which nails (16) are established that engage the wedge-shaped ball (9) during its lifting; c) the storage area (3) includes a saturation photocell (14) and a second photocell (15) which is arranged in the lower area for controlling the absence of balls, as well as an electrical mechanism (19) for unitary access of balls to the firing area (4); d) the shooting area (4) includes a rotational elbow (20) associated with a ball trigger (24) by means of motorized rollers (25); The device is provided with an electrical panel, in which a PLC is established for control and management of the elements that make up the equipment. 2a.- Ball firing device, according to claim 1a, characterized in that the means of retaining and moving the balls in the loading area (1) consist of slats (5), provided with means of turning on their vertical axis, arranged so that in one of their extreme turning positions they let the balls pass between them, while when they turn 90° they retain the balls on a pair of guide ropes (6), which are arranged parallel and inferiorly and are assisted at one of their ends by a lifting system (7) which, when the guide ropes (6) rise, defines a ramp that leads to the lifting area (2). 3a.- Ball firing device, according to claim 2a, characterized in that the lifting area (2) has a ball receiving channel provided with a photocell (12) below, establishing a section in which retention cams (13) for the balls participate. 4a.- Ball firing device, according to claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the loading area (1) includes at least one ball presence photocell. 5a.- Ball firing device, according to claim 1a, characterized in that the rotational elbow (20) has a mechanism formed by a crown (21) and gears (22) that can be operated by means of a flywheel (23). 6a.- Ball firing device, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lifting area (2), the storage area (3) and the ball firing area (4) form a foldable assembly on the ball loading area (1), the assembly being assisted in the folding maneuver by shock-absorbing elements such as cylinders (8). 7a.- Ball firing device, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes wheels (10).