A tennis ball launcher

Abstract

The present invention provides a tennis transmitter, which relates to the field of transmitters and includes a launching mechanism, a ball-dialing disc, a ball storage bin, and a mounting bracket. The ball-dialing disc and the ball storage bin are installed on the mounting bracket. The ball-dialing disc is arranged at the bottom of the ball storage bin, and the outlet of the ball-dialing disc is communicated with the inlet of the launching mechanism. The ball-dialing disc is used to convey tennis balls from the ball storage bin into the launching mechanism. The launching mechanism includes a link assembly, a pitching assembly, and a limiting assembly. When it is necessary to adjust the launching angle of the launching mechanism, the second baffle in the pitching assembly rotates. At this time, the temporary storage bin rotates around the axis of the rotating shaft. Since the centers of the tennis balls at the outlet of the link assembly intersect with the axis of the rotating shaft when the tennis balls are stacked at the outlet of the link assembly, the link can change but the tennis balls are not squeezed and will not get stuck. The limiting assembly prevents the tennis balls in the temporary storage bin from falling, so that the tennis balls will not fall out when serving is not required, ensuring continuous launching of tennis balls and enabling continuous training for the trainees.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of transmitters, and more particularly, to a tennis transmitter. Background Art

[0002] Tennis training requires multi-directional shooting to exercise the reaction speed, physical fitness and the ability to catch balls in different directions of the trainees, and also requires fixed-direction shooting to enhance the muscle memory of the trainees. Therefore, a tennis transmitter is required to have the function of continuously launching tennis balls.

[0003] Existing tennis transmitters in the market basically have the functions of launching and adjusting the speed gears. More intelligent transmitters can control functions such as the tennis launching frequency, the tennis spin speed, and the ball landing position. However, when the launching outlet of the existing tennis transmitter swings in pitch and changes the launching angle, the tennis ball may occasionally get stuck in the outlet during the serving process, or the tennis ball may be squeezed out when serving is not required, resulting in the interruption of the continuous launching of tennis balls and disrupting the training rhythm of the trainees. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The problem to be solved by the present invention is that the existing tennis transmitter has problems of ball jamming or ball dropping at the launching outlet.

[0005] To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a tennis transmitter, which includes a launching mechanism, a ball-pushing disc, a ball storage bin and a mounting rack. The ball-pushing disc and the ball storage bin are mounted on the mounting rack. The ball-pushing disc is arranged at the bottom of the ball storage bin, and the outlet of the ball-pushing disc is communicated with the inlet of the launching mechanism. The ball-pushing disc is used for conveying tennis balls from the ball storage bin into the launching mechanism.

[0006] The launching mechanism includes a link assembly, a pitch assembly and a limiting assembly. The pitch assembly is mounted at the outlet of the link assembly. The inlet of the link assembly is communicated with the outlet of the ball-pushing disc. The limiting assembly is mounted at the outlet of the pitch assembly and is used to block the tennis ball from falling from the outlet of the pitch assembly.

[0007] The pitching assembly includes a first baffle, a second baffle, a temporary storage bin, a first guide member, a rotating shaft, and a second guide member; the inlet of the temporary storage bin is communicated with the outlet of the link assembly, the upper end of the inlet of the temporary storage bin is rotatably connected to one end of the second guide member, the lower end of the inlet of the temporary storage bin is slidably connected to one end of the first guide member, the other end of the second guide member is slidably connected to the upper end of the outlet of the link assembly, and the other end of the first guide member is rotatably connected to the lower end of the outlet of the link assembly; both sides of the temporary storage bin are respectively connected to one end of the first baffle and one end of the second baffle, the first baffle is rotatably mounted on one side of the link assembly through one of the rotating shafts, and the second baffle is rotatably mounted on the other side of the link assembly through the other rotating shaft; the axes of the two rotating shafts are on a straight line and both pass through the center point of the outlet of the link assembly. When the tennis balls are stacked up to the outlet of the link assembly, the center of the tennis balls at the outlet of the link assembly intersects with the axis of the rotating shaft.

[0008] Optionally, the pitching assembly further includes a pitching motor, a rotating rod, and a connecting rod. The pitching motor is fixed to the other end of the second baffle, one end of the rotating rod is fixedly installed on the output shaft of the pitching motor, the other end of the rotating rod is rotatably connected to one end of the connecting rod, and the other end of the connecting rod is fixedly installed on the link assembly.

[0009] Optionally, the launching mechanism further includes a power assembly. The power assembly includes a connecting plate and friction wheels. The connecting plate is connected to the temporary storage bin. The two friction wheels are arranged on both sides of the temporary storage bin. The two friction wheels pass through the side wall of the temporary storage bin and contact the tennis balls in the temporary storage bin. The friction wheels are used to launch the tennis balls out of the temporary storage bin. The two friction wheels are rotatably mounted on the connecting plate and are used to be connected to a launching motor.

[0010] Optionally, the limiting assembly includes a fixing plate, a limiting member, and an elastic member. The fixing plate is installed on the temporary storage bin. One end of the limiting member is rotatably connected to the temporary storage bin, and the other end of the limiting member passes through the wall thickness of the temporary storage bin and extends into the interior of the temporary storage bin to block the tennis balls from falling out of the outlet of the temporary storage bin. An elastic member is connected between the fixing plate and the limiting member, and the elastic member is used to drive the limiting member to reset to the state of blocking the tennis balls.

[0011] Optionally, the link component includes a first support frame, a second support frame and side baffles. Two side baffles are installed on both sides of the first support frame. The second support frame is installed between the two side baffles. The first support frame, the second support frame and the two side baffles enclose to form a transmission channel for the tennis ball. The other end of the second guide member is slidably connected to one end of the first support frame. A guide post is installed at the lower end of the entrance of the temporary storage bin. The guide post is slidably installed in the first guide member. The other end of the first guide member is rotatably connected to one end of the second support frame.

[0012] Optionally, the ball-pushing disc includes an upper disc frame, a fork disc, a disc retaining frame and a bottom disc plate. The upper disc frame and the bottom disc plate are installed on the mounting frame. The disc retaining frame is installed between the upper disc frame and the bottom disc plate. The fork disc is rotatably installed at the center of the bottom disc plate. The disc retaining frame is arranged around the fork disc. A plurality of forks are arranged along the circumferential direction of the fork disc. Each fork encloses a separation area with the disc retaining frame and the bottom disc plate. Each separation area is used to hold one tennis ball. The fork disc is used to be connected to the output shaft of the ball-feeding motor. The ball outlet of the ball-pushing disc is communicated with the inlet of the launching mechanism.

[0013] Optionally, the ball-pushing disc further includes a first roller, a guide frame, guide wheels and a second roller. The first roller is rotatably installed on the disc retaining frame and is used to guide the tennis ball to move on the bottom disc plate under the push of the fork disc. The guide frame is installed at the ball outlet of the ball-pushing disc. A plurality of guide wheels are installed on the guide frame. The plurality of guide wheels are used to guide the tennis ball to enter the ball outlet of the ball-pushing disc from the separation area. The second roller is installed on the bottom disc plate along the movement track of the tennis ball.

[0014] Optionally, the tennis ball transmitter further includes a moving mechanism. The moving mechanism includes wheel sets, transmission members and linkage members. Four wheel sets are respectively installed at the four corners of the mounting frame. On either side of the moving direction of the moving mechanism, two of the wheel sets on the same side are connected by the transmission member. The transmission member is slidably installed on the mounting frame. The two ends of the linkage member are respectively slidably connected to the two transmission members. The center of the linkage member is rotatably installed on the mounting frame.

[0015] Optionally, the wheel set includes a traveling wheel, a swing member and a shock absorber. The swing member includes a support end, a rotating end and a pushing and pulling end. The support end, the rotating end and the pushing and pulling end are sequentially connected to form a triangle. The traveling wheel is rotatably installed at the support end. The rotating end is rotatably installed on the mounting frame. The pushing and pulling end is rotatably installed at one end of the shock absorber. The other end of the shock absorber is connected to the transmission member.

[0016] Optionally, the tennis transmitter further includes a rotating mechanism, which includes a first reduction wheel, a mounting plate, a ball delivery pipe, and a second reduction wheel. The mounting plate is mounted on the mounting frame. The first reduction wheel and the second reduction wheel are both rotatably mounted on the mounting plate. The first reduction wheel and the second reduction wheel are connected by a transmission member. The ball inlet of the ball delivery pipe is connected to the ball outlet of the ball dial. The outlet of the ball delivery pipe is connected to the inlet of the launching mechanism. The second reduction wheel is concentric with the outlet of the ball delivery pipe. The first reduction wheel is used to be connected to a rotating motor. The launching mechanism is mounted on the second reduction wheel.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0018] For a tennis transmitter provided by the present invention, the tennis balls entering the launching mechanism are in the link assembly. When it is necessary to adjust the launching angle of the launching mechanism, the first baffle and the second baffle in the pitching assembly rotate. At this time, the second baffle drives the temporary storage bin to rotate. When the temporary storage bin rotates, it drives the second guiding member and the first guiding member connected to the temporary storage bin to move. At this time, the second guiding member and the first guiding member slide on the link assembly. The second baffle drives the temporary storage bin to rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft. Since the centers of the tennis balls at the outlet of the link assembly intersect with the axis of the rotating shaft when the tennis balls are stacked at the outlet of the link assembly, it is possible to achieve a change in the link without the tennis balls being squeezed. The tennis balls will not be squeezed and stuck inward. The ball dial and the launching mechanism cooperate in motion. Each time the ball dial transports a tennis ball into the launching mechanism, only one ball is transported upward, so that after each tennis ball is launched, there is another tennis ball locked on the center line of the pitching axis; when there are tennis balls in the temporary storage bin and the temporary storage bin is in a top view angle, but since a limiting component is installed on the temporary storage bin, in the case where the tennis balls are not pushed by an external force, the limiting component prevents the tennis balls in the temporary storage bin from falling, so that the tennis balls will not fall out when serving is not required, ensuring continuous launching of tennis balls and enabling continuous training for the trainees. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 Shows a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a tennis transmitter in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 Shows a top view schematic diagram of a tennis transmitter in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 3 Shows a structural schematic diagram of the launching mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 4 Shows a partial structural schematic diagram of the launching mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 5Shows a partial cross-sectional view of the launching mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 6 Shows a schematic structural diagram of the ball-pushing disc in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 7 Shows a top view schematic diagram of the ball-pushing disc in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 8 Shows a schematic structural diagram of the moving mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 9 Shows a bottom view of the moving mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 10 Shows Figure 9 a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in;

[0029] Figure 11 Shows Figure 10 a partial enlarged view at position A in;

[0030] Figure 12 Shows a schematic structural diagram of the rotating mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 13 Shows a cross-sectional view of the rotating mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. Description of the Drawings:

[0033] 1. Launching mechanism; 2. Ball-pushing disc; 3. Moving mechanism; 4. Ball storage bin; 5. Rotating mechanism; 6. Mounting bracket; 101. Connecting plate; 102. Friction wheel; 103. First baffle; 104. Second reduction wheel; 105. First support frame; 106. Pitch motor; 107. Second baffle; 108. Rotating rod; 109. Link; 110. Fixed plate; 111. Limiting member; 112. Temporary storage bin; 113. First guiding member; 114. Guide post; 115. Second support frame; 116. Side baffle; 117. Rotating shaft; 118. Second guiding member; 201. Upper part of the dial; 202. Fork disc; 203. Dial stop frame; 204. First roller; 205. Guide frame; 206. Guide wheel; 207. Bottom plate of the dial; 208. Second roller; 209. Dial outlet; 301. Traveling wheel; 302. Swing member; 3021. Support end; 3022. Rotating end; 3023. Pushing and pulling end; 303. Shock absorber; 304. Transmission member; 305. Linkage member; 306. First slide rail; 307. First slider; 308. Second slide rail; 309. Second slider; 501. First reduction wheel; 502. Mounting plate; 503. Ball delivery pipe; 504. Ball delivery pipe inlet. Detailed Description of the Invention

[0034] To make the above objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, the following provides a detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] In the accompanying drawings, the Z-axis represents the vertical direction, that is, the up and down position, and the positive direction of the Z-axis (i.e., the direction of the arrow of the Z-axis) represents up, and the negative direction of the Z-axis (i.e., the direction opposite to the positive direction of the Z-axis) represents down; the X-axis in the accompanying drawings represents the horizontal position, and the positive direction of the X-axis (i.e., the direction of the arrow of the X-axis) represents the left side, and the negative direction of the X-axis (i.e., the direction opposite to the positive direction of the X-axis) represents the right side; the Y-axis in the accompanying drawings represents the front and back position, and the positive direction of the Y-axis (i.e., the direction of the arrow of the Y-axis) represents the front side, and the negative direction of the Y-axis (i.e., the direction opposite to the positive direction of the Y-axis) represents the back side. At the same time, it should be noted that the above-described meanings of the Z-axis, Y-axis, and X-axis are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the present invention.

[0036] It should be noted that the terms "first", "second", etc. in the description of the present invention's specification and claims and the above-mentioned accompanying drawings are used to distinguish similar objects and do not necessarily need to be used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged under appropriate circumstances so that the embodiments of the present invention described here can be implemented in an order other than those illustrated or described here.

[0037] In the description of this specification, the descriptions referring to terms such as "embodiment", "one embodiment", and "one implementation manner" mean that the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with the embodiment or implementation manner are included in at least one embodiment or implementation manner of the present invention. In this specification, the schematic expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or implementation manner. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or implementation manners in a suitable manner.

[0038] Figure 1 Fig. shows a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of a tennis transmitter in an embodiment of the present invention. The tennis transmitter includes a launching mechanism 1, a ball-pushing disk 2, a ball storage bin 4, and a mounting bracket 6, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the ball-pushing disk 2 and the ball storage bin 4 are installed on the mounting bracket 6, the ball-pushing disk 2 is arranged at the bottom of the ball storage bin 4, the outlet of the ball-pushing disk 2 is communicated with the inlet of the launching mechanism 1, and the ball-pushing disk 2 is used to convey tennis balls from the ball storage bin 4 into the launching mechanism 1;

[0039] Specifically, the tennis ball is placed in the ball storage bin 4. The tennis balls in the ball storage bin 4 will automatically enter the ball dialing tray 2 due to gravity. The ball dialing tray 2 continuously sends the tennis balls entering it into the launching mechanism 1. Multiple tennis balls push each other in the launching mechanism 1 until a tennis ball reaches the outlet of the launching mechanism 1.

[0040] The launching mechanism 1 includes a link component, a pitching component, and a limiting component. The pitching component is installed at the outlet of the link component. The inlet of the link component is communicated with the outlet of the ball dialing tray 2. The limiting component is installed at the outlet of the pitching component to prevent the tennis ball from falling from the outlet of the pitching component.

[0041] As Figures 3 - 5 shown, the pitching component includes a first baffle 103, a second baffle 107, a temporary storage bin 112, a first guide member 113, a rotating shaft 117, and a second guide member 118. The inlet of the temporary storage bin 112 is communicated with the outlet of the link component. The upper end of the inlet of the temporary storage bin 112 is rotatably connected to one end of the second guide member 118. The lower end of the inlet of the temporary storage bin 112 is slidably connected to one end of the first guide member 113. The other end of the second guide member 118 is slidably connected to the upper end of the outlet of the link component. The other end of the first guide member 113 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the outlet of the link component. Both sides of the temporary storage bin 112 are respectively connected to one end of the first baffle 103 and one end of the second baffle 107. The first baffle 103 is rotatably installed on one side of the link component through one of the rotating shafts 117. The second baffle 107 is rotatably installed on the other side of the link component through the other rotating shaft 117. The axes of the two rotating shafts 117 are on the same straight line and both pass through the center point of the outlet of the link component. When the tennis balls accumulate at the outlet of the link component, the center of the tennis ball at the outlet of the link component intersects with the axis of the rotating shaft 117, that is, the center of the tennis ball at the outlet of the link component is on the axis of the rotating shaft 117.

[0042] Specifically, in the existing tennis ball launcher, the rotation center of the temporary storage bin does not coincide with the center of the tennis ball at the outlet of the link component. When the temporary storage bin rotates and pitches to a certain angle, a corner will appear in the passage for transmitting tennis balls. Since the tennis balls inside the transmission channel are locked and cannot retreat, the tennis balls at the outlet of the link component will be squeezed forward or backward. When the squeezing displacement is too large, the tennis ball is squeezed forward and will be squeezed out of the temporary storage bin when not needed for launching. The tennis ball is squeezed backward and retracts into the transmission channel, resulting in an empty shot of the launcher when needed for launching. Moreover, multiple tennis balls are squeezed and deformed. The cross-section of the tennis balls that could originally roll smoothly in the transmission channel becomes larger, and the edges of the tennis balls are easily stuck in the installation gaps of the link component, resulting in that even if the tennis balls return to their original shape, the edges of the tennis balls still cannot smoothly break free from the installation gaps, blocking subsequent ball serving.

[0043] In this embodiment, the tennis ball entering the launching mechanism 1 is in the link assembly. When the launching angle of the launching mechanism 1 needs to be adjusted, the first baffle 103 and the second baffle 107 in the pitch assembly rotate, driving the second baffle 107 to drive the temporary storage bin 112 to rotate. When the temporary storage bin 112 rotates, the second guide member 118 and the first guide member 113 connected to the temporary storage bin 112 are driven to move. At this time, the second guide member 118 and the first guide member 113 slide on the link assembly. The second baffle 107 drives the temporary storage bin 112 to rotate around the axis of the rotating shaft 117. When the tennis balls are accumulated at the exit of the link assembly, the center of the tennis balls at the exit of the link assembly intersects with the axis of the rotating shaft 117, that is, the temporary storage bin 112 rotates around the center of the tennis balls at the exit of the link assembly, which makes the distance between the center point of the tennis balls in the temporary storage bin 112 and the center point of the tennis balls at the exit of the link assembly unchanged. The rotation of the temporary storage bin 112 will not cause the tennis balls at the connection between the temporary storage bin 112 and the link assembly to squeeze each other, that is, will not squeeze the tennis balls at the exit of the link assembly, so that the link can be changed without squeezing the tennis balls, and the tennis balls will not be squeezed into the launching mechanism 1 and stuck. In addition, when there are tennis balls in the temporary storage bin 112 and the temporary storage bin 112 is at a top-down angle, since a limiting assembly is installed on the temporary storage bin 112, when the tennis balls are not pushed by external force, the limiting assembly prevents the tennis balls in the temporary storage bin 112 from falling, so that the tennis balls will not fall out when serving is not needed, thereby ensuring continuous launching of the tennis balls and enabling the trainees to receive continuous training.

[0044] In the link assembly, the center of a tennis ball coincides with the rotation axis of the temporary storage bin 112, and the link can be changed without squeezing the tennis ball. After a tennis ball is inserted into the center line of the pitch axis (i.e., the axis of the rotating shaft 117), the position of the tennis ball does not change no matter how the temporary storage bin 112 rotates. At the same time, multiple tennis balls in the temporary storage bin 112 near the exit of the temporary storage bin 112 are tangent to the fixed tennis ball, and the distance does not change. At this time, the tennis ball in front will not be pushed forward, but will maintain the original distance from the fixed tennis ball. In this way, the accidental firing caused by squeezing of multiple tennis balls in the temporary storage bin 112 is avoided. It should be noted that the ball-moving disc 2 needs to move in coordination with the launching mechanism 1. Each time the ball-moving disc 2 transports a tennis ball into the launching mechanism 1, it only moves one ball upward, so that after each tennis ball is launched, the next ball is locked on the center line of the pitch axis.

[0045] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 and Figure 5, the pitching assembly further includes a pitching motor 106, a rotating rod 108 and a connecting rod 109. The pitching motor 106 is fixed at the other end of the second baffle 107. One end of the rotating rod 108 is fixedly installed on the output shaft of the pitching motor 106. The other end of the rotating rod 108 is rotatably connected to one end of the connecting rod 109. The other end of the connecting rod 109 is fixedly installed on the link assembly.

[0046] Specifically, the pitching motor 106 drives the rotating rod 108 to rotate, and the rotating rod 108 drives the connecting rod 109 to rotate. Since the rotating rod 108, the connecting rod 109, the second baffle 107 and the temporary storage bin 112 form a quadrilateral, when the connecting rod 109 rotates, it tends to drive the second baffle 107 to rotate, thereby driving the temporary storage bin 112 to pitch.

[0047] In an embodiment of the present invention, the launching mechanism 1 further includes a power assembly. The power assembly includes a connecting plate 101 and friction wheels 102. The connecting plate 101 is connected to the temporary storage bin 112. Two friction wheels 102 are arranged on both sides of the temporary storage bin 112. The two friction wheels 102 pass through the side wall of the temporary storage bin 112 and contact the tennis balls inside the temporary storage bin 112. The friction wheels 102 are used to launch the tennis balls out of the temporary storage bin 112. The two friction wheels 102 are rotatably installed on the connecting plate 101 and are used to be connected to a launching motor.

[0048] Specifically, the launching mechanism needs to provide the tennis balls with sufficient initial velocity so that the tennis balls can reach the baseline under different spins and forces. When the tennis balls are inside the temporary storage bin 112, the friction wheels 102 on both sides of the tennis balls are driven by the launching motor, and the friction wheels 102 rotate. Under the action of friction, the tennis balls squeeze the limiting assembly and pop out of the temporary storage bin 112. In addition, the pitching motion of the temporary storage bin 112 in the launching mechanism can provide multiple different serving directions, so that the launched tennis balls can simulate the incoming balls in various situations on the court. In addition, by adjusting the rotation speed and torque of the two launching motors, the spin and direction of the tennis balls when they are launched can be adjusted, so that the launched tennis balls can simulate various types of incoming balls that will appear on the court. Since the tennis balls will be deformed under the extrusion of the friction wheels 102 during the process of shooting out of the muzzle, we considered the deformation of the tennis balls and reasonably arranged the distance between the two friction wheels 102. In addition, the launching mechanism currently uses friction wheels to provide power for the tennis balls, but air or push rods can also be used to provide power.

[0049] In an embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 5, the limiting component includes a fixing plate 110, a limiting member 111 and an elastic member. The fixing plate 110 is installed on the temporary storage bin 112. One end of the limiting member 111 is rotatably connected to the temporary storage bin 112, and the other end of the limiting member 111 passes through the wall thickness of the temporary storage bin 112 and extends into the temporary storage bin 112 to block the tennis ball from falling out of the outlet of the temporary storage bin 112. An elastic member is connected between the fixing plate 110 and the limiting member 111, and the elastic member is used to drive the limiting member 111 to reset to the state of blocking the tennis ball.

[0050] Specifically, during the launching process, there will be a problem of misfiring continuously in the tennis trainer. By using mechanical limiting and selecting a suitable spring to provide an appropriate force, the tennis ball to be launched must overcome a certain force to be launched. After the tennis ball is launched, the subsequent tennis balls are stuck in the temporary storage bin 112 by the limiting member 111 in the limiting component because no corresponding force is provided, ensuring that the tennis balls are launched individually and orderly, and avoiding the adverse effects on the training players caused by a series of tennis ball launches due to misfiring continuously. In the design of the limiting component, we added the use of bearings to reduce friction, so that the tennis ball will not be subjected to a large frictional force due to friction with the limiting mechanism. At the same time, the service life of the limiting component is also extended.

[0051] In an embodiment of the present invention, as Figures 3 - 5 , the link component includes a first support frame 105, a second support frame 115 and side baffles 116. Two side baffles 116 are installed on both sides of the first support frame 105, and the second support frame 115 is installed between the two side baffles 116. The first support frame 105, the second support frame 115 and the two side baffles 116 enclose to form a transmission channel for the tennis ball; the other end of the second guiding member 118 is slidably connected to one end of the first support frame 105. A guide post 114 is installed at the lower end of the inlet of the temporary storage bin 112, and the guide post 114 is slidably installed in the first guiding member 113. The other end of the first guiding member 113 is rotatably connected to one end of the second support frame 115. A plurality of rollers are installed on one side of the first support frame 105 and the second support frame 115 located inside the transmission channel.

[0052] Specifically, the link component is formed by enclosing the first support frame 105, the second support frame 115 and the two side baffles 116. The overall structure is lighter in weight, convenient for installation, and the transmission state of the tennis ball in the link can be observed. In addition, rollers are installed on the first support frame 105 and the second support frame 115 to reduce the resistance of the tennis ball in the link.

[0053] In an embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 6 and Figure 7, the ball-pushing disc 2 includes an upper disc mounting 201, a fork disc 202, a disc retaining frame 203, and a disc bottom plate 207. The upper disc mounting 201 and the disc bottom plate 207 are mounted on the mounting frame 6. The disc retaining frame 203 is installed between the upper disc mounting 201 and the disc bottom plate 207. The fork disc 202 is rotatably installed at the center of the disc bottom plate 207. The disc retaining frame 203 is arranged around the fork disc 202. A plurality of forks are arranged along the circumferential direction of the fork disc 202. Each fork encloses a separation area with the disc retaining frame 203 and the disc bottom plate 207. Each separation area is used to hold one tennis ball. The fork disc 202 is used to be connected to the output shaft of the ball-feeding motor; the ball outlet 209 of the ball-pushing disc 2 is communicated with the inlet of the launching mechanism 1.

[0054] Specifically, the tennis balls in the ball storage bin 4 fall into the separation areas in the ball-pushing disc 2. Each tennis ball occupies one separation area. When the fork disc 202 rotates driven by the ball-feeding motor, the ball-feeding motor is installed at the bottom of the disc bottom plate 207. As the fork disc 202 rotates, the forks push the tennis balls into the ball outlet 209. When the fork disc 202 rotates continuously, the tennis balls are continuously conveyed to the ball outlet 209. The multiple tennis balls are pressed against each other, continuously pushing the initial tennis ball forward, so as to achieve the purpose of continuously conveying tennis balls. In addition, since one tennis ball is conveyed each time, the angle of each rotation of the fork disc 202 is 360° divided by the number of forks.

[0055] In the existing tennis ball serving machines, the mechanism for storing tennis balls is mostly above the serving machine, and a channel for guiding tennis balls is designed inside to enable the tennis balls to enter the launching mechanism. In this embodiment, the ball storage bin 4 is placed at the bottom. Since this transmitter supplies balls from below, the tennis balls need to overcome gravity to reach the launching mechanism. Therefore, there is also a ball-pushing disc mechanism in the ball storage bin. The advantages of placing the ball storage bin at the lower position are: the center of gravity is lower. Due to the lower placement of the ball storage bin, the center of gravity of the entire trainer will be lower, reducing the probability of tipping caused by "top-heavy and bottom-light"; the ball storage space is larger. After adopting the bottom-ball supply scheme, the size of the ball storage space is not affected by the center and is completely determined by the training requirements. The higher the machine, the larger the ball storage space. On the basis of storing a large number of balls, we use a motor to transport the tennis balls through a certain length of ballistic path to the launching port. This design also alleviates the interference of the ball storage bin to the transmitter to a certain extent.

[0056] In an embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 6 and Figure 7The ball-selecting plate 2 further includes a first roller 204, a guide frame 205, a guide wheel 206 and a second roller 208. The first roller 204 is rotatably mounted on the dial retaining frame 203, and is used to guide the tennis ball to move on the dial bottom plate 207 under the push of the fork plate 202; the guide frame 205 is mounted at the dial outlet 209, and a plurality of guide wheels 206 are mounted on the guide frame 205, and the plurality of guide wheels 206 are used to guide the tennis ball to enter the dial outlet 209 from the separation area; the second roller 208 is mounted on the dial bottom plate 207 in a rolling manner along the movement trajectory of the tennis ball.

[0057] Specifically, the outer shape of the separated area in the ball-selecting plate is slightly larger than the outer shape of the tennis ball, so that the tennis ball can be limited in the ball-selecting plate. At the same time, the ball-feeding motor of the ball-selecting plate does not directly contact the tennis ball, and a bearing design is added to the contact end of the fork to reduce friction, so that the ball can roll when the ball-selecting plate rotates. In addition, below the ball-selecting plate, a second roller 208 is installed on the dial bottom plate 207 that receives the ball, and lubrication treatment is performed. When the ball-selecting plate rotates on the bottom dial bottom plate 207, a bearing is added to the rotation trajectory of the tennis ball to ensure that the tennis ball rotates without resistance in the ball-selecting plate. Around the ball-selecting plate, in order to prevent the tennis ball from getting stuck due to excessive friction around the plate, many first rollers 204 are installed on the dial retaining frame 203 around the dial, that is, bearing lubrication treatment is performed.

[0058] In one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 8 and Figure 9 The tennis ball launcher also includes a moving mechanism 3, which includes a wheel group, a transmission member 304 and a linkage member 305. The four wheel groups are respectively installed at the four corners of the mounting frame 6. Two of the wheel groups on either side of the moving direction of the moving mechanism 3 are connected by the transmission member 304. The transmission member 304 is slidably installed on the mounting frame 6. The two ends of the linkage member 305 are respectively slidably connected to the two transmission members 304. The center of the linkage member 305 is rotatably installed on the mounting frame 6. The linkage member 305 is not blocked by other components when rotating.

[0059] Specifically, during actual use, the tennis launcher needs to quickly move to a designated location within 3 seconds after launching a tennis ball, providing more possible angles for tennis launching and simulating real ball return situations on the court. Since tennis balls are continuously launched and the trainees continuously return the balls during training, some tennis balls will be scattered on the ground on the side of the court where the tennis launcher is located. Therefore, the tennis launcher needs to move normally on the court with scattered tennis balls without affecting the launching of tennis balls. Thus, when the moving mechanism 3 is moving, the four wheel groups are driven by their respective drive motors at the same rotational speed. When steering is required, the four drive motors can rotate differentially to achieve differential operation of the four wheel groups. When a wheel group encounters an obstacle such as a tennis ball, one wheel group is lifted by the obstacle, and the lifted wheel group pushes the transmission member 304 connected to it towards another wheel group on the same side. The other wheel group on the same side is pushed by the transmission member 304 to press down towards the ground, ensuring that the other wheel group on the same side remains in contact with the ground. When the transmission member 304 on this side is pushed, the transmission member 304 drives one end of the linkage member 305 to move, causing the linkage member 305 to rotate. The other end of the linkage member 305 moves in the opposite direction. At this time, the other end of the linkage member 305 pushes the transmission member 304 on the other side to move in the opposite direction to the transmission member 304 on this side. When the transmission member 304 on the other side moves, a wheel group on the other side opposite to the initially lifted wheel group along the Y-axis direction is squeezed, and this squeezed wheel group on the other side moves towards the ground. The remaining other wheel group on the other side is pulled by the transmission member 304 on the other side and lifted upwards, ensuring that all four wheel groups remain in contact with the ground and guaranteeing that the moving mechanism 3 can still operate smoothly when encountering obstacles.

[0060] In an embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 10 and Figure 11 , the moving mechanism 3 further includes a first slide rail 306, a first slider 307, a second slide rail 308, and a second slider 309. The first slider 307 is connected to the transmission member 304. The first slide rail 306 is installed on the mounting bracket 6. The first slider 307 is slidably installed on the first slide rail 306. The second slide rail 308 is connected to the transmission member 304. The second slider 309 is connected to the linkage member 305. The second slider 309 is slidably installed on the second slide rail 308. The second slide rail 308 is perpendicular to the first slide rail 306.

[0061] Specifically, during actual operation, when the transmission member 304 moves, it drives the first slider 307 to slide on the first slide rail 306. When the transmission member 304 moves, it drives the second slide rail 308 connected thereto to move along the X-axis direction, and drives the second slider 309 connected to the linkage member 305 to move along the X-axis direction, causing the linkage member 305 to rotate around the center. Since the linkage member 305 rotates, the vertical distances from both ends of the linkage member 305 to the transmission member 304 become smaller, driving the second slider 309 to slide on the second slide rail 308, that is, the second slider 309 also moves along the Y-axis direction.

[0062] In an embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 10 , the wheel set includes a traveling wheel 301, a swing member 302, and a shock absorber 303. The swing member 302 includes a support end 3021, a rotating end 3022, and a pushing and pulling end 3023. The support end 3021, the rotating end 3022, and the pushing and pulling end 3023 are sequentially connected to form a triangle. The traveling wheel 301 is rotatably installed at the support end 3021. The rotating end 3022 is rotatably installed on the mounting frame 6. The pushing and pulling end 3023 of the swing member is rotatably installed at one end of the shock absorber 303, and the other end of the shock absorber 303 is connected to the transmission member 304.

[0063] Specifically, in the moving mechanism 3, the shock absorber 303 used is a spring suspension shock absorber. The shock absorber, the transmission member 304, and the linkage member 305 together form an adaptive suspension combination structure. When the tennis ball launcher encounters an obstacle during movement, the traveling wheel 301 is lifted, driving the support end 3021 to move upward, causing the swing member 302 to rotate around the rotating end 3022, thereby driving the pushing and pulling end 3023 to push the shock absorber 303 to move, thus causing the movement of the transmission member 304 and the linkage member 305, generating an effect of adaptively adjusting the height difference between the four wheel sets, so that the four wheel sets are always in contact with the external object and keep running normally. The traveling wheels 301 in the moving mechanism 3 can be selected as Mecanum wheels, and the Mecanum wheels need to keep all four wheels on the ground at the same time to form the target movement. For complex terrains, it is very likely that one wheel will be suspended, and at this time, the Mecanum wheels will not be able to form an effective movement. In other words, the role of the adaptive suspension combination structure is to ensure that the tennis ball launcher avoids distortion during movement on complex terrains. Through the action of the quadrilateral link, the four wheels can be in the same plane at the same time, and the tennis ball launcher can better adapt to the messy distribution of tennis balls on the field. At the same time, due to its unique form, it has low requirements for space and is located at the bottom of the frame, saving space for other mechanisms to be arranged.

[0064] The following are the situations of the four Mecanum wheels in various cases:

[0065] In the case of flat ground, the mounting frame 6 runs horizontally, and the four wheels are evenly stressed. At this time, the four wheels are at the same horizontal height.

[0066] When encountering an obstacle, one wheel is lifted by the obstacle. Since three points can balance and support an object, relying solely on traditional spring suspension, due to uneven force on the four wheels, the vehicle body may have a situation where two wheels are on the ground, one wheel is on top of the obstacle, and the other wheel is suspended. At this time, the movement of the entire vehicle will be distorted, showing random rotation and skewed movement. The adaptive suspension combination structure can solve this problem. The angle by which the wheel encountering the obstacle is lifted will be exactly the same as the angle by which the other wheel on the same side descends. This ensures that when one wheel is pressed on the obstacle, the other three wheels can be in contact with the ground simultaneously, guaranteeing the smoothness of the movement.

[0067] In this embodiment, the tennis launcher uses unique Mecanum wheels. On the tennis court, after testing, the Mecanum wheels have abrasion resistance no less than that of other tires, and they have greater movement freedom and stronger movement performance, which means a faster response speed. Given the unique properties of this wheel, we can make the trainer move in multiple directions without a dedicated steering mechanism. Applying it to the tennis launcher has two advantages: smaller installation space and greater layout freedom. Of course, the walking wheel 301 can also use omnidirectional wheels or ordinary rubber wheels.

[0068] In an embodiment of the present invention, as Figure 12 and Figure 13 , the tennis launcher further includes a rotating mechanism 5. The rotating mechanism 5 includes a first reduction wheel 501, a mounting plate 502, a ball delivery pipe 503, and a second reduction wheel 104. The mounting plate 502 is mounted on the mounting frame 6. The first reduction wheel 501 and the second reduction wheel 104 are both rotatably mounted on the mounting plate 502. The first reduction wheel 501 is connected to the second reduction wheel 104 through a transmission member. The ball inlet 504 of the ball delivery pipe 503 is connected to the dial outlet 209 of the ball dialing plate 2. The outlet of the ball delivery pipe 503 is connected to the inlet of the launching mechanism 1. The second reduction wheel 104 is concentric with the outlet of the ball delivery pipe 503. The first reduction wheel 501 is used to be connected to a rotating motor. The launching mechanism 1 is mounted on the second reduction wheel 104. The rotating motor is mounted on the mounting frame 6 through some auxiliary brackets, or on the lower surface of the mounting plate 502, driving the first reduction wheel 501 to rotate.

[0069] Specifically, the upper dial 201 and the second reduction wheel 104 can be pulley wheels or sprocket wheels, etc., which can achieve synchronous rotation through transmission members. The transmission members can be belts or chains, etc.

[0070] When the first reduction gear 501 rotates, it drives the second reduction gear 104 to rotate, and the second reduction gear 104 drives the entire launching mechanism 1 to rotate left and right. The purpose of the ball-feeding tube 503 is to start connecting the ball-feeding disc 2 and the launching mechanism 1. The outlet section of the ball-feeding disc 2, the ball-feeding tube 503, and the transmission channel in the link assembly together constitute the length of the tennis ball transmission path. Additionally, it should be noted that since it is necessary to ensure that the center of a tennis ball is located at the position of the axis of the rotating shaft 117, the length of the entire transmission path needs to be reasonably planned according to the diameter of the tennis ball.

[0071] In addition, the mounting bracket 6 serves as the "foundation" of the transmitter and provides interfaces for other mechanisms to be fixed. This tennis ball transmitter uses a simple "well"-shaped frame to reasonably arrange different mechanisms, making the trainer as a whole more compact. Moreover, each mechanism is a relatively independent module that can be installed separately and then quickly docked with the frame interface. Therefore, the maintenance of each mechanism is simpler, facilitating the iterative replacement of subsequent structures.

[0072] Although the present invention is disclosed as above, the present invention is not limited thereto. Any person skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of the present invention should be determined by the scope defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A tennis ball launcher, characterized in that, It includes a launching mechanism (1), a ball-pushing disc (2), a ball storage bin (4) and a mounting bracket (6). The ball-pushing disc (2) and the ball storage bin (4) are mounted on the mounting bracket (6). The ball-pushing disc (2) is arranged at the bottom of the ball storage bin (4). The outlet of the ball-pushing disc (2) is communicated with the inlet of the launching mechanism (1). The ball-pushing disc (2) is used for conveying tennis balls from the ball storage bin (4) into the launching mechanism (1). The launching mechanism (1) includes a link assembly, a pitching assembly and a limiting assembly. The pitching assembly is mounted at the outlet of the link assembly. The inlet of the link assembly is communicated with the outlet of the ball-pushing disc (2). The limiting assembly is mounted at the outlet of the pitching assembly and is used to prevent the tennis balls from falling from the outlet of the pitching assembly. The pitching assembly includes a first baffle (103), a second baffle (107), a temporary storage bin (112), a first guide (113), a rotating shaft (117) and a second guide (118). The inlet of the temporary storage bin (112) is communicated with the outlet of the link assembly. The upper end of the inlet of the temporary storage bin (112) is rotatably connected to one end of the second guide (118). The lower end of the inlet of the temporary storage bin (112) is slidably connected to one end of the first guide (113). The other end of the second guide (118) is slidably connected to the upper end of the outlet of the link assembly. The other end of the first guide (113) is rotatably connected to the lower end of the outlet of the link assembly. Both sides of the temporary storage bin (112) are respectively connected to one end of the first baffle (103) and one end of the second baffle (107). The first baffle (103) is rotatably mounted on one side of the link assembly through one of the rotating shafts (117). The second baffle (107) is rotatably mounted on the other side of the link assembly through the other rotating shaft (117). The axes of the two rotating shafts (117) are on a straight line and both pass through the center point of the outlet of the link assembly. When the tennis balls are stacked at the outlet of the link assembly, the center of the tennis balls at the outlet of the link assembly intersects with the axis of the rotating shaft (117).

2. The tennis ball launcher according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pitching assembly further includes a pitching motor (106), a rotating rod (108) and a connecting rod (109). The pitching motor (106) is fixed to the other end of the second baffle (107). One end of the rotating rod (108) is fixedly mounted on the output shaft of the pitching motor (106). The other end of the rotating rod (108) is rotatably connected to one end of the connecting rod (109). The other end of the connecting rod (109) is fixedly mounted on the link assembly.

3. The tennis ball launcher according to claim 1, wherein The launching mechanism (1) further includes a power assembly, the power assembly includes a connecting plate (101) and a friction wheel (102), the connecting plate (101) is connected to the temporary storage bin (112), the two friction wheels (102) are arranged on both sides of the temporary storage bin (112), the two friction wheels (102) pass through the side wall of the temporary storage bin (112) and contact the tennis balls in the temporary storage bin (112), the friction wheels (102) are used to launch the tennis balls out of the temporary storage bin (112), the two friction wheels (102) are rotatably installed on the connecting plate (101), and the friction wheels (102) are used to be connected to a launching motor.

4. The tennis ball launcher according to claim 3, wherein, The limiting assembly includes a fixing plate (110), a limiting member (111) and an elastic member. The fixing plate (110) is installed on the temporary storage bin (112). One end of the limiting member (111) is rotatably connected to the temporary storage bin (112), and the other end of the limiting member (111) passes through the wall thickness of the temporary storage bin (112) and extends into the interior of the temporary storage bin (112) to block the tennis balls from falling out of the outlet of the temporary storage bin (112). An elastic member is connected between the fixing plate (110) and the limiting member (111), and the elastic member is used to drive the limiting member (111) to reset to the state of blocking the tennis balls.

5. The tennis ball launcher according to claim 1, characterized in that, The link assembly includes a first support frame (105), a second support frame (115) and side baffles (116). Two side baffles (116) are installed on both sides of the first support frame (105), and the second support frame (115) is installed between the two side baffles (116). The first support frame (105), the second support frame (115) and the two side baffles (116) enclose to form a transmission channel for the tennis balls; the other end of the second guide member (118) is slidably connected to one end of the first support frame (105), a guide post (114) is installed at the lower end of the entrance of the temporary storage bin (112), the guide post (114) is slidably installed in the first guide member (113), and the other end of the first guide member (113) is rotatably connected to one end of the second support frame (115).

6. The tennis ball launcher according to claim 1, wherein The ball-pushing disc (2) includes an upper disc mount (201), a fork disc (202), a disc retaining frame (203), and a disc bottom plate (207). The upper disc mount (201) and the disc bottom plate (207) are installed on the mounting frame (6). The disc retaining frame (203) is installed between the upper disc mount (201) and the disc bottom plate (207). The fork disc (202) is rotatably installed at the center of the disc bottom plate (207). The disc retaining frame (203) is arranged around the fork disc (202). A plurality of forks are arranged along the circumferential direction of the fork disc (202). Each fork encloses a partition area with the disc retaining frame (203) and the disc bottom plate (207). Each partition area is used to hold one tennis ball. The fork disc (202) is used to be connected to the output shaft of the ball-feeding motor. The ball outlet (209) of the ball-pushing disc (2) is communicated with the inlet of the launching mechanism (1).

7. The tennis ball launcher according to claim 6, wherein, The ball-pushing disc (2) further includes a first roller (204), a guide frame (205), guide wheels (206), and a second roller (208). The first roller (204) is rotatably installed on the disc retaining frame (203) and is used to guide the tennis ball to move on the disc bottom plate (207) under the push of the fork disc (202). The guide frame (205) is installed at the ball outlet (209). A plurality of the guide wheels (206) are installed on the guide frame (205) and are used to guide the tennis ball to enter the ball outlet (209) from the partition area. The second roller (208) is installed on the disc bottom plate (207) along the movement track of the tennis ball.

8. The tennis ball launcher according to claim 1, wherein, It further includes a moving mechanism (3). The moving mechanism (3) includes wheel sets, a transmission member (304), and a linkage member (305). Four wheel sets are respectively installed at the four corners of the mounting frame (6). On either side of the moving direction of the moving mechanism (3), two of the wheel sets on the same side are connected by the transmission member (304). The transmission member (304) is slidably installed on the mounting frame (6). The two ends of the linkage member (305) are respectively slidably connected to the two transmission members (304). The center of the linkage member (305) is rotatably installed on the mounting frame (6).

9. The tennis ball launcher according to claim 8, wherein, The wheel set includes a traveling wheel (301), a swinging member (302), and a shock absorber (303). The swinging member (302) includes a supporting end (3021), a rotating end (3022), and a pushing and pulling end (3023). The supporting end (3021), the rotating end (3022), and the pushing and pulling end (3023) are connected in sequence to form a triangle. The traveling wheel (301) is rotatably installed at the supporting end (3021). The rotating end (3022) is rotatably installed on the mounting frame (6). The pushing and pulling end (3023) is rotatably installed at one end of the shock absorber (303). The other end of the shock absorber (303) is connected to the transmission member (304).

10. The tennis ball launcher according to claim 6, characterized in that, It further includes a rotating mechanism (5), and the rotating mechanism (5) includes a first reduction gear (501), a mounting plate (502), a ball delivery pipe (503) and a second reduction gear (104). The mounting plate (502) is mounted on the mounting frame (6). The first reduction gear (501) and the second reduction gear (104) are both rotatably mounted on the mounting plate (502). The first reduction gear (501) is connected to the second reduction gear (104) through a transmission member. The ball inlet (504) of the ball delivery pipe (503) is connected to the dial outlet (209) of the ball dialing plate (2). The outlet of the ball delivery pipe (503) is connected to the inlet of the launching mechanism (1). The second reduction gear (104) is concentric with the outlet of the ball delivery pipe (503). The first reduction gear (501) is used to be connected to a rotating motor. The launching mechanism (1) is mounted on the second reduction gear (104).

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