PORTABLE BASKETBALL SHOOTING MACHINE

• US 20180326278A1
• Filed: 05/11/2018
• Published: 11/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Grind Basketball, LLC
• Original Assignee: Grind Basketball, LLC
• Inventors: Fields, Thomas, Gonzalez, Erik, Gonzalez, Michael, Murugesu, Prasad, Shah, Raj
• Application Number:
  US15/978,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20180326278A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2063/001 Targets or goals with ball-returning means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/401 substantially vertically, e.g. for baseball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0655 Tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/20 Distances or displacements
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/50 Force related parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/803 Motion sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/805 Optical or opto-electronic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/808 Microphones
• 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 2225/54 Transponders, e.g. RFID
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 63/083 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0071 for basketball
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/408 with rotating propelling arm
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/409 with pneumatic ball- or body-propelling means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0036 : Accessories for stowing, putting away or transporting exercise apparatus or sports equipment A63B47/00, A63B55/00, A63B60/56 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/023 : Supports, e.g. poles
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

A shooting system includes a collapsible ball capture support adapted to support a ball capture device and a ball return. The ball return detects a ball captured by the ball capture device and returns the ball to a user in response to the detected ball. To return the ball to the user, the system identifies a location of the user with respect to the shooting system, orients the ball return toward the user, and accelerates the ball along a trajectory based on a distance between the user and the shooting system.

Claims

1. A shooting system, comprising:

a collapsible ball capture support adapted to support a ball capture device; and

a ball return programmed to;

detect a ball captured by the ball capture device; and

return the ball to a user in response to the detected ball.

2. The shooting system of claim 1, wherein returning the ball to the user comprises:

identifying a location of the user with respect to the shooting system;

orienting the ball return toward the user; and

accelerating the ball along a trajectory based on a distance between the user and the shooting system.

3. The shooting system of claim 1, wherein ball return comprises:

a catch adapted to receive the ball;

an arm attached to the catch and support; and

an actuator adapted to rotate arm about the support.

4. The shooting system of claim 1, wherein the ball return is further programmed to:

identify an attempted shot;

identify an outcome of the attempted shot; and

identify a physiological condition of the user while performing the attempted shot.

5. The shooting system of claim 1, wherein the ball return is further programmed to:

identify the user of the ball;

detect a second ball captured by the ball capture device;

identify a second user of the second ball; and

return the second ball to the second user.

6. The shooting system of claim 5, wherein identifying the first user comprises:

reading a radio frequency identification tag of the ball;

matching a identifier provided by the reading of the radio frequency identification tag to the first user.

7. The shooting system of claim 5, wherein identifying the first user comprises:

reading a visual identification tag of the ball;

matching a identifier provided by the reading of the visual identification tag to the first user.

8. The shooting system of claim 1, wherein the ball capture support comprises:

a collapsible support arm.

9. The shooting system of claim 8, wherein the collapsible support comprises a plurality of sections each having different cross section dimensions.

10. The shooting system of claim 9, wherein the cross section dimensions are adapted fit all of the sections of the plurality of sections within one section of the plurality of sections.

11. The shooting system of claim 9, wherein each section is a tubular element.

12. The shooting system of claim 8, wherein the ball capture support further comprises:

a collapsible mast; and

a support manifold adapted to rotatably connect the collapsible support arm to the mast.

13. The shooting system of claim 12, wherein the support manifold is adapted to translate along a length of the collapsible mast.

14. The shooting system of claim 12, wherein the ball capture support further comprises:

a mast support adapted to rotatably connect the mast to the ball return.

15. The shooting system of claim 12, wherein the collapsible support arm is connected to the mast via a first revolute joint.

16. The shooting system of claim 15, wherein the mast is connected to the ball return via a second revolute joint.

17. The shooting system of claim 15, wherein the collapsible support arm and the collapsible mast have a same length when the collapsible support arm is in a collapsed state and the mast is in a collapsed state.

18. The shooting system of claim 15, wherein the ball capture support further comprises:

a second collapsible support arm,

wherein the collapsible support arm has a shorter length than a second length of the second collapsible support arm when the second collapsible support arm is in an extended state and the collapsible support arm is in an extended state.

19. The shooting system of claim 15, wherein the collapsible support arm and the second collapsible support arm have a same length when the second collapsible support arm is collapsed state and the collapsible support arm is collapsed.

20. The shooting system of claim 12, wherein the collapsible support arm is rotatable via the revolute joint to align a length of the collapsible support arm to be parallel to a length of the collapsible mast.