Golf simulator

• US 4,958,836 A
• Filed: 12/15/1989
• Issued: 09/25/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshino, Takashi, Onozuka, Kuniharu
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US07/451,149
• Time in Patent Office: 284 Days
• Field of Search: 273/183 R, 273/183 A, 273/184 R, 273/184 B, 273/185 R, 273/185 A, 273/185 B, 273/185 C, 273/185 D, 273/186 R, 273/186 B, 273/186 C , 273/195 R, 273/196, 273/197 R, 273/197 A, 273/204, 273/208, 273/87 R
• US Class Current: 473/141
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0091 Balls fixed to a movable, tiltable or flexible arm
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/36 for golf

Abstract

In a golf simulator having a housing in which a display and a reproducing device are accommodated, and an arm to the distal end of which a ball is secured, the golf simulator comprises a bed plate which supports a horizontal shaft; a swingable bed rotatable on the horizontal shaft and having another shaft which makes a right angle with the horizontal shaft, and to which the proximal end of the arm is rotatably secured; and drive means for driving the swingable bed so as to enable the shaft of the swingable bed to be selectively in either of a first state in which the shaft inclines with respect to the vertical line and toward approaching to the front side of the housing, and a second state in which the shaft inclines with respect to the vertical line and in the reverse of inclination under the first state.

Claims

1. A golf simulator having a housing in which a display and a reproducing device are accommodated, and an arm to the distal end of which a ball is secured, comprising:

a bed plate which supports a horizontal shaft;

a swingable bed rotatable on the horizontal shaft, and having another shaft which makes a right angle with the horizontal shaft, and to which the proximal end of the arm is rotatably secured; and

drive means for driving the swingable bed so as to enable the swingable bed to be selectively positioned in either of a first state in which the arm slants toward spacing downwardly from the horizontal line at the distal end thereof due to forward inclination of the shaft of the swingable bed with respect to the vertical line, and slants toward approaching the front side of the housing, and a second state in which the arm slants toward spacing upwardly from the horizontal line at the distal end thereof due to backward inclination of the shaft of the swingable bed with respect to the vertical line.

2. A golf simulator according to claim 1, in which the arm which slants downwardly toward spacing away from the horizontal line at the distal end thereof is selectively positioned, by the drive means, in a first position where the arm has a first angle, a second position where the arm has a second angle, and a third position where the arm has a third angle.

3. A golf simulator according to claim 1, wherein respective magnets arranged in the bed plate and the proximal end of the arm lie adjacently to each other.

4. A golf simulator according to claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the arm has a shape of hollow cylinder in the inner periphery of which a groove is provided;

the shaft of the swingable bed has a projection on the outer periphery thereof; and

the shaft is fitted into the proximal end of the arm so as to enable the projection of the shaft to engage with the groove of the arm.

5. A golf simulator according to claim 4, wherein the projection of the shaft is of trapezoidal shape gradually widened in a direction of the arm being inserted.

6. A golf simulator having a housing in which a display and a reproducing device are accommodated, and an arm to the distal end of which a ball is secured, comprising:

a bed plate which supports a horizontal shaft;

a swingable bed rotatable on the horizontal shaft, and having a worm wheel and another shaft which makes a right angle with the horizontal shaft and to which the proximal end of the arm is rotatably secured; and

drive means having a worm meshed with the worm wheel, and moving the swingable bed selectively to be in a first state in which the shaft of the swingable bed inclines with respect to the vertical line and toward approaching the front side of the housing, and a second state in which the shaft of the swingable bed inclines with respect to the vertical line and in the reverse of inclination under the first state.

7. A golf simulator having a housing in which a display and a reproducing device are accommodated, and an arm to the distal end of which a ball is secured, comprising:

a bed plate which supports a horizontal shaft;

a swingable bed rotatable on the horizontal shaft, and having a detected element and another shaft which makes a right angle with the horizontal shaft and to which the proximal end of the arm is rotatably secured;

a sensor secured to a portion, near the detected element, of the bed plate; and

drive means for driving the swingable bed on a signal from the sensor, so as to enable the shaft of the swingable bed to be positioned selectively in each of three positions--a first position, a second position and a third position--which correspond in turn to three angles--a first angle, a second angle and a third angle--which are formed between the shaft and the vertical line and toward making the shaft approach to the front side of the housing.

8. A golf simulator according to claim 7, wherein the drive mean has a stepping motor.

9. A golf simulator according to claim 8, wherein the drive means moves the swingable bed from its reference position to a predetermined position on a signal from the sensor whenever the ball is struck.