BALL THROWING MACHINE AND METHOD

• US 20150352425A1
• Filed: 02/09/2015
• Published: 12/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TOCA Football, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Toca LLC
• Inventors: Lewis, Edward J., Barberi, Steven Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,555,306 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/402 giving spin
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/025 on rollers or wheels
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0647 Visualisation of executed movements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0677 Input by image recognition, e.g. video signals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/068 Input by voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0683 Input by handheld remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/02 Tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/06 Squash
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/065 Racketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/14 Lacrosse
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/18 Baseball, rounders or similar games
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/182 Softball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2102/20 Cricket
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 : Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 : with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 : Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/062 : used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0025 : Football American football A63B2243/007
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2243/0095 : Volleyball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0075 : Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/002 : for football American-football dummies A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/40 : Stationarily-arranged devices for projecting balls or other bodies golf cups with ball ejector means A63B57/405; traps for clay-pigeon targets F41J9/18
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/406 : with rotating discs, wheels or pulleys gripping and propelling the balls or bodies by friction
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 : Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0038 : Sports
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 : relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

A ball throwing machine can include a hopper for receiving one or more balls and a ball delivery device. The ball delivery device can be used to throw or pitch a ball from the hopper to a user of the machine. The ball delivery device can include wheels to impart speed to the ball and a direction system to control the projection angle of the ball. The direction system can control at least one of the up and down angle and the side to side angle of the ball as it is thrown, among possibly other throwing parameters. A controller may be provided for controlling operation of the ball throwing machine.

Claims

1. A soccer ball throwing device comprising:

a hopper configured to hold a plurality of soccer balls;

a ball delivery device configured to receive the soccer balls from the hopper, the ball delivery device comprising;

one or more wheels configured to impart motion to one of the soccer balls, and

a frame attached to the one or more wheels, wherein the frame is positionable to control a trajectory of the ball;

a ball delivery control circuit configured to control the position of the frame and the speed of the one or more wheels; and

a controller in communication with the ball delivery control circuit, the controller comprising one or more processors configured to at least;

cause the soccer ball throwing device to perform an initial training program that comprises a set of one or more ball trapping drills, wherein the controller causes the soccer ball throwing device to pitch one or more of the soccer balls to a player during said one or more ball trapping drills, enabling the player to practice trapping the ball and thereby improve ball control skills;

record player training data, the player training data comprising information regarding training of the player performed during the initial training program;

submit the player training data from the controller over a network to a soccer network application along with a request for feedback from a remote coach through the soccer network application; and

in response to said submission of the training session data,

receive a customized training program from the coach via the soccer network application, the customized training program comprising one or more second drills to be executed by the soccer ball throwing device.

2. The soccer ball throwing device of claim 1, wherein the angle of trajectory comprises an up and down angle and a side to side angle.

3. The soccer ball throwing device of claim 1, wherein the frame comprises a first bracket, a second bracket, and a mechanical actuator, wherein the mechanical actuator is configured to change a positionable relationship of the first bracket with respect to the second bracket.

4. The soccer ball throwing device of claim 1, further comprising a turntable configured to move the frame from side to side.

5. The soccer ball throwing device of claim 1, wherein the ball delivery device is configured to deliver soccer balls that are smaller than adult regulation size soccer balls to thereby enable more effective training of ball trapping skills.

6. A system for controlling a ball throwing device, the system comprising:

a ball machine control module configured to cause a soccer ball throwing device to perform an initial training program that comprises a set of one or more ball trapping drills, wherein the ball machine control module causes the soccer ball throwing device to pitch one or more balls to a player during said one or more ball trapping drills, enabling the player to practice trapping the ball and thereby improve ball control skills; and

a training module implemented in one or more processors, the training module configured to;

record player training data, the player training data comprising information regarding training of the player performed during the initial training program,

submit the player training data over a network to a soccer network application along with a request for feedback from a remote coach through the soccer network application, and

in response to said submitting the training session data, receive a customized training program from the coach via the soccer network application, the customized training program comprising one or more second drills to be executed by the soccer ball throwing device.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the player training data comprises a log of pitches made by the soccer ball throwing device.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the player training data comprises a log of successful traps made by the player during the initial training session.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the log of successful traps is populated by input from the player.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the log of successful traps comprises a trap completion percentage.

11. The system of claim 6, further comprising a safety module configured to enable a user to selectively control access to the soccer ball throwing device by the player.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the safety module is further configured to enable the user to place a limit on ball throwing velocity.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the safety module is further configured to enable the user to input a password to enable actuation of the ball throwing device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the safety module is configured to automatically disable the soccer ball throwing device after a period of idle time.

15. The system of claim 6, further comprising a favorites module configured to enable the player to save favorite training drills with respect to the soccer ball throwing device.