Serve apparatus and tennis robot

Abstract

This application relates to the field of sports training equipment technology, and provides a serving device and a tennis robot. The serving device includes: a base with a mounting frame on top of the base; a serving mechanism for launching tennis balls, rotatably connected to the mounting frame and capable of rotating relative to the mounting frame in a vertical plane; and a swing assembly, driven by the serving mechanism, for driving the serving mechanism to swing in pitch relative to the mounting frame to adjust the pitch launch angle of the serving mechanism. The technical solution of this application, by driving the swing assembly to the serving mechanism and driving the serving mechanism to swing in pitch relative to the mounting frame to adjust the pitch launch angle of the serving mechanism, allows tennis balls to be launched at different pitch launch angles, improving the user experience.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of sports training equipment technology, specifically to a ball-serving device and a tennis robot. Background Technology

[0002] Tennis has become a popular sport in recent years, with an increasing number of participants. Traditional tennis training involves frequent shot drills, often requiring a sparring partner to serve. To improve training convenience, some manufacturers offer automatic serve devices to replace sparring partners and enable individual training. However, these devices typically cannot adjust the pitch or angle of the serve, only launching the ball at the same angle, thus limiting the ability to launch skillful shots with varying pitches and angles, ultimately reducing the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0003] To address the problem that ball-serving devices in related technologies have a single pitch launch direction or angle, which can only launch tennis balls at the same pitch launch angle and cannot launch skill balls with various pitch launch directions, thus reducing the user experience, this application provides a ball-serving device and a tennis robot.

[0004] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides a ball-serving device, comprising: a base having a mounting frame on the base; a ball-serving mechanism for launching a tennis ball, the ball-serving mechanism being rotatably connected to the mounting frame and capable of rotating relative to the mounting frame in a vertical plane; and a swing assembly being drivenly connected to the ball-serving mechanism, the swing assembly being used to drive the ball-serving mechanism to pitch and swing relative to the mounting frame to adjust the pitch and launch angle of the ball-serving mechanism.

[0005] In a further embodiment of this application, the swing assembly is at least partially disposed on the mounting bracket.

[0006] In a further embodiment of this application, the swing assembly includes a swing drive and a swing transmission connected by a transmission mechanism; the swing drive is connected to the mounting bracket, and the output shaft of the swing drive is arranged in a horizontal direction; one end of the swing transmission is connected to the output shaft of the swing drive, and the other end of the swing transmission is rotatably connected to the serving mechanism, and the connection point between the swing transmission and the serving mechanism is eccentrically arranged relative to the swing axis of the serving mechanism, so that the swing drive can drive the serving mechanism to pitch and swing around the swing axis through the swing transmission.

[0007] In a further embodiment of this application, the swing transmission component includes a first swing arm and a second swing arm. One end of the first swing arm is connected to the output shaft of the swing drive component, and the other end of the first swing arm is rotatably connected to the second swing arm. The end of the second swing arm away from the first swing arm is rotatably connected to the serving mechanism.

[0008] In a further embodiment of this application, the length of the first swing arm is less than the length of the second swing arm; wherein, the second swing arm includes a first segment, a second segment and a third segment connected in sequence, the first segment and the second segment are offset in the thickness direction, and the second segment is inclined relative to the first segment and the third segment, so that at least a portion of the second swing arm is in a bent state.

[0009] In a further embodiment of this application, the swing drive is disposed on the side of the mounting bracket away from the launch port of the serving mechanism; the connection point between the serving mechanism and the swing transmission is located below the swing shaft of the serving mechanism.

[0010] In a further embodiment of this application, the mounting frame includes: a mounting base connected to a base, the mounting base having a support portion extending vertically upward; a mounting frame body including a mounting base plate and a mounting side plate connected to each other, the mounting base plate being connected to the support portion, and the mounting side plate extending vertically upward relative to the mounting base plate; wherein, the ball-serving mechanism is rotatably connected to the mounting side plate, and at least a portion of the swing assembly is connected to the mounting side plate.

[0011] In a further embodiment of this application, the base includes a base body and a base cover. The base cover is disposed around the base body and can cover the circumferential sidewalls and part of the top wall of the base body. The top of the base body is provided with a downwardly recessed base groove, and the mounting bracket is disposed in the base groove and connected to the bottom wall of the base groove.

[0012] In a further embodiment of this application, a cover is connected to the top of the base and forms a receiving cavity with the base. The mounting bracket, the swing assembly, and the serving mechanism are all located in the receiving cavity. A first opening is provided on the side wall of the cover corresponding to the launching port of the serving mechanism, and the launching port is located in the first opening. The top of the cover has a receiving groove, and a second opening is provided on the bottom wall of the receiving groove. The second opening communicates with a conveying channel, and the end of the conveying channel away from the second opening communicates with the serving mechanism to convey a tennis ball to the serving mechanism.

[0013] In a further embodiment of this application, the mounting frame is rotatably connected to the base, and the rotation axis extends vertically; the ball-serving device also includes a rotating assembly, which is disposed on the base and is pulsatorically connected to the mounting frame to drive the mounting frame to rotate horizontally relative to the base to adjust the horizontal launch angle of the ball-serving mechanism.

[0014] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a tennis robot, comprising: a serving device as described in any of the embodiments of the first aspect; a walking system disposed at the bottom of a base; and a controller communicatively connected to the walking system and the serving device, the controller being used to control the walking system to move the serving device and to control the serving device to launch a tennis ball toward a target direction.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the above-mentioned technical solution of this application are as follows: According to the technical solution in this application, by improving and optimizing the structure, the swing component is connected to the serving mechanism via a transmission. The swing component is used to drive the serving mechanism to swing in pitch relative to the mounting frame, so as to adjust the pitch launch angle of the serving mechanism. This allows tennis balls to be launched at different pitch launch angles, which can effectively improve the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a tennis robot according to one embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a perspective view of a portion of the structure of a ball-serving device in one embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a portion of the structure of a tennis robot in another embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is a top view of a portion of the structure of the ball-serving device in one embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a perspective view of a portion of the structure of the ball-serving device in another embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a rear view of a ball-serving device in one embodiment of this application (the base is cut along a first direction). Figure 7 This is a side perspective view of a ball-serving device in one embodiment of this application (the base and mounting frame are cut along the second direction). Figure 8 This is a perspective view of the mounting bracket in one embodiment of this application; Figure 9 This is a side view of a partial structure of a tennis robot according to one embodiment of this application; Figure 10 This is a front view of a partial structure of a tennis robot according to one embodiment of this application; Figure 11 This is a top view of the tennis robot in another embodiment of this application; Figure 12 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of a partial structure of the tennis robot in another embodiment of this application; Figure 13 This is a perspective view of the guide groove in another embodiment of this application; Figure 14 This is a schematic block diagram of a tennis robot in another embodiment of this application.

[0017] In the above-mentioned figures, arrow F1 indicates the first direction, arrow F2 indicates the second direction, and arrow F3 indicates the height direction.

[0018] Additionally, it should be noted that, Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figure 9 , Figure 10 as well as Figure 12 The ball guide tubes shown in the figure are all in a state without flexible deformation. Therefore, the flared structure shown in the figure is located on the outside of the ball guide tube. In reality, the flared structure is located inside the ball guide tube and squeezes the inner wall of the ball guide tube, causing the inner wall of the ball guide tube to undergo flexible deformation of outward bulging.

[0019] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 400 Tennis Robot; 1 Walking System, 111 Walking Wheels, 3 Controllers; 4 Serving Device, 41 Base, 411 Base Body, 4111 Base Base Groove, 412 Base Cover, 413 Mounting Frame, 4131 Mounting Base, 4132 Support Part, 4133 Mounting Frame Body, 4134 Mounting Base Plate, 4135 Mounting Side Plate, 4136 Rotating Shaft, 4137 Swing Shaft, 4138 Swing Bearing, 4139 Rotating Bearing, 42 Rotating Assembly, 4221 Rotating Drive Component, 4222 Rotating Transmission Component 4223 First transmission arm, 4224 Second transmission arm, 43 Ball launching mechanism, 431 Launch port, 432 Conveying channel, 433 Ball guide tube, 4331 Third opening, 434 Guide groove, 4341 Flared structure, 44 Cover, 441 Receiving cavity, 442 First opening, 443 Storage groove, 444 Second opening, 45 Swing assembly, 451 Swing drive, 452 Swing transmission, 4521 First swing arm, 4522 Second swing arm, 4523 First section, 4524 Second section, 4525 Third section. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Similar elements in different embodiments are referred to by related similar element reference numerals. In the following embodiments, many details are described to facilitate a better understanding of the present application. However, those skilled in the art will readily recognize that some features may be omitted in different situations, or may be replaced by other elements, materials, or methods. In some cases, certain operations related to the present application are not shown or described in the specification. This is to avoid obscuring the core parts of the present application with excessive description. For those skilled in the art, detailed description of these related operations is not necessary; they can fully understand the related operations based on the description in the specification and general technical knowledge in the art.

[0021] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of this application.

[0022] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0023] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to abutment; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0024] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0025] The serving device of this application can use a swing assembly to drive the mounting frame and the serving mechanism to tilt and swing relative to the base, thereby adjusting the pitch and launch angle of the serving mechanism, so that the tennis ball can be launched in different directions according to the usage requirements during tennis training. The serving device can also be combined with a walking system to form a tennis robot, and move accordingly according to the control instructions of the controller to realize mobile serving.

[0026] For ease of description, in the following embodiments, the horizontal direction of the serving device is taken as the first direction, and the vertical direction of the serving device is taken as the second direction. The vertical direction of the serving device refers to the front-to-back direction relative to the launch port of the serving mechanism, and the horizontal direction of the serving device refers to the left-to-right direction relative to the launch port of the serving mechanism.

[0027] The following describes some embodiments of the ball-serving device and tennis robot of this application, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0028] An embodiment of the first aspect of this application provides a ball-serving device 4. For example... Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 As shown, the serving device 4 includes a base 41, a serving mechanism 43, and a swing assembly 45. The serving mechanism 43 can load a tennis ball and launch it outwards to achieve a serve towards the target direction. The base 41 serves as a load-bearing structure, and a mounting frame 413 is provided on the base 41; the base 41 can also be equipped with a walking system to form a movable chassis structure. The serving mechanism 43 is used to launch the tennis ball. The serving mechanism 43 is rotatably connected to the mounting frame 413 and can rotate relative to the mounting frame 413 in a vertical plane so as to swing in pitch relative to the mounting frame 413; the swing assembly 45 is drivenly connected to the serving mechanism 43. The swing assembly 45 is used to output power to the serving mechanism 43 to drive the serving mechanism 43 to swing in pitch relative to the mounting frame 413, thereby adjusting the pitch and launch angle of the serving mechanism 43 to meet different needs during tennis training. Among them, the swing assembly 45 only serves as a power output mechanism, and there is no mutual support or load-bearing relationship between the swing assembly 45 and the serving mechanism 43.

[0029] In this embodiment, the ball-serving device 4, through structural improvements and optimizations, connects the swing component 45 to the ball-serving mechanism 43 via a transmission connection. The swing component 45 drives the ball-serving mechanism 43 to swing relative to the mounting frame 413 in a pitching motion to adjust the pitch launch angle of the ball-serving mechanism 43. This allows the ball to be launched at different pitch launch angles, effectively enhancing the user experience.

[0030] In further embodiments of this application, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, in the ball-serving device 4, at least a portion of the swing assembly 45 is mounted on the mounting bracket 413 so that the swing assembly 45 is close to the ball-serving mechanism 43, which facilitates connection and assembly and makes the overall device more compact.

[0031] In this embodiment, the ball-serving device 4, through structural improvements and optimizations, optimizes the arrangement of the swing component 45 while achieving pitch and swing adjustment of the ball-serving mechanism 43. The mounting bracket 413 simultaneously supports the swing component 45 and the ball-serving mechanism 43. The swing component 45 and the ball-serving mechanism 43 are only connected by transmission, eliminating the need for the ball-serving mechanism 43 to support the swing component 45. This avoids increasing the weight and swing inertia of the ball-serving mechanism 43, which helps reduce energy consumption and control operation difficulty.

[0032] In further embodiments of this application, such as Figure 4 , Figure 5 As shown, the swing assembly 45 includes a swing drive 451 and a swing transmission 452 connected by a transmission mechanism. The swing drive 451 is connected to the mounting bracket 413, and its output shaft is arranged in a horizontal direction. Correspondingly, one end of the swing transmission 452 is connected to the output shaft of the swing drive 451, and the other end is rotatably connected to the serving mechanism 43. The swing drive 451 can transmit power to the serving mechanism 43 through the swing transmission 452. The connection point between the swing transmission 452 and the serving mechanism 43 is eccentrically arranged relative to the swing axis 4137 of the serving mechanism 43, that is, there is a certain distance between the connection point between the swing transmission 452 and the serving mechanism 43 and the connection point between the serving mechanism 43 and the mounting bracket 413. When the output power of the swing drive 451 is transmitted to the serving mechanism 43 through the swing transmission 452, it can push the serving mechanism 43 to swing around the swing axis 4137, thereby adjusting the pitch and launch angle of the serving mechanism 43.

[0033] Furthermore, in a specific example, such as Figures 4 to 6 In the example shown, the swing transmission 452 includes a first swing arm 4521 and a second swing arm 4522; the swing drive 451 employs a drive motor and is connected to the mounting bracket 413 (e.g., Figure 6As shown in the mounting side plate 4135, the output shaft of the swing drive 451 extends horizontally. One end of the first swing arm 4521 is connected to the output shaft of the swing drive 451, and the other end is rotatably connected to the second swing arm 4522. The end of the second swing arm 4522 away from the first swing arm 4521 is connected to the serving mechanism 43, forming a two-link transmission mechanism. When the swing drive 451 is working, it drives the first swing arm 4521 and the second swing arm 4522 to swing through the output shaft, thereby causing the serving mechanism 43 to pitch relative to the mounting frame 413. The specific shape and size of the first swing arm 4521 and the second swing arm 4522 can be set according to the required pitch swing amplitude of the serving mechanism 43. When the serving mechanism 43 needs to pitch in the opposite direction, the output shaft of the swing drive 451 can be controlled to rotate in the opposite direction, thereby driving the first swing arm 4521 and the second swing arm 4522 to swing in the opposite direction, thereby pushing the serving mechanism 43 to pitch in the opposite direction. The first swing arm 4521 and the second swing arm 4522 can limit the pitch swing of the serving mechanism 43. In practical applications, the dimensions of the first swing arm 4521 and the second swing arm 4522 can be designed according to the pitch swing angle range that the serving mechanism 43 needs to adjust, so as to meet the needs of pitch swing angle adjustment.

[0034] Furthermore, in a specific example, such as Figures 5 to 7 As shown, on the mounting bracket 413, the swing drive 451 is located on the side away from the launch port of the serving mechanism 43, that is, behind the serving mechanism 43, to avoid interference with the launch range of the launch port 431, and to make full use of the space behind the serving mechanism 43 for structural layout. The connection point between the serving mechanism 43 and the swing transmission 452 is located below the swing shaft 4137 of the serving mechanism 43 (that is, below the connection point between the serving mechanism 43 and the mounting bracket 413). This allows the swing transmission 452 to generate a larger lever arm relative to the swing shaft 4137 of the serving mechanism 43, enabling the generation of a relatively large torque with a smaller power source. Furthermore, it lowers the installation height of the swing drive 451 and the swing transmission 452, which helps to further reduce the overall center of gravity of the equipment.

[0035] Furthermore, in a specific example, such as Figure 4 and Figure 7In the example shown, the length of the first swing arm 4521 is less than the length of the second swing arm 4522. When the swing drive 451 drives the first swing arm 4521 to swing, the swing trajectory of the first swing arm 4521 will not occupy too much space, thus avoiding interference with other surrounding structures and eliminating the need for large clearance spaces, which is beneficial for spatial layout. Simultaneously, this arrangement also prevents the serving mechanism 43 from swinging too much due to the excessive length of the first swing arm 4521, improving the adjustment accuracy of the serving mechanism 43's swing amplitude. It is understandable that during tennis training, the pitch and launch angle of the tennis ball is usually within a preset range, but adjusting the pitch and launch angle requires high precision, especially for small-amplitude adjustments. If the length of the first swing arm 4521 of the swing drive 452 is too large, the output shaft of the swing drive 451 needs to rotate at a relatively small angle, placing high demands on the design of the swing drive 451 and making it difficult to achieve. In this embodiment, by using a relatively short first swing arm 4521, the above-mentioned problems can be effectively alleviated. Even if the output shaft rotation angle of the swing drive 451 is large, the pitch swing amplitude of the ball-serving mechanism 43 can be reduced by the first swing arm 4521 and the second swing arm 4522 to meet the small-range adjustment requirements of the pitch launch angle. At the same time, the design requirements of the swing drive 451 can also be reduced accordingly.

[0036] Furthermore, such as Figure 4 and Figure 7 In the example, the second swing arm 4522 specifically includes a first segment 4523, a second segment 4524, and a third segment 4525 connected sequentially. The first segment 4523 and the third segment 4525 are offset in the thickness direction, while the second segment 4524 is inclined relative to the first segment 4523 and the third segment 4525. Both ends of the second segment 4524 are connected to the first segment 4523 and the third segment 4525 respectively, causing at least a portion of the second swing arm 2522 to be bent. In this embodiment, by employing a bent second swing arm 4522, the structural strength can be effectively improved, bending deformation caused by lateral forces can be prevented, and it can also be adapted to the shape of the mounting bracket 413, facilitating connection and assembly. Figure 4 In the example, both the swing drive 451 and the serving mechanism 43 are connected to the mounting side plate 4135 of the mounting bracket 413. However, since the output shaft of the swing drive 451 needs to be connected to the first swing arm 4521 first, and then the first swing arm 4521 is connected to the second swing arm 4522, a certain gap is formed between the connection position of the second swing arm 4522 and the serving mechanism 43 in the first direction. By setting the second swing arm 4522 in a bent state, the gap in the first direction can be effectively compensated so as to facilitate the connection with the serving mechanism 43.

[0037] In further embodiments of this application, such as Figures 2 to 5As shown, the serving device 4 also includes a rotating assembly 42 mounted on a base 41. The rotating assembly 42 is drive-connected to a mounting frame 413, and the mounting frame 413 is rotatably connected to the base 41. The rotating shaft 4136 of the mounting frame 413 extends vertically to drive the mounting frame 413 to rotate horizontally relative to the base 41 via the rotating assembly 42, thereby adjusting the horizontal launching angle of the serving mechanism 43 to perform the serving operation according to the user's training requirements. In a top-down view (e.g., ...), Figure 4 (as shown in the diagram) The projection of the rotating component 42 on the horizontal plane is at least partially located outside the projection of the mounting frame 413 on the horizontal plane, that is, at least part of the structure of the rotating component 42 is located on the side of the mounting frame 413, so as to make full use of the space on the base 41, and to reasonably arrange the mounting frame 413 and the rotating component, so as to reduce the space occupied in the height direction, thereby lowering the overall center of gravity height and improving the motion stability of the ball-serving device 4.

[0038] Furthermore, such as Figures 4 to 7 As shown, the rotating assembly 42 specifically includes a rotating drive member 4221 and a rotating transmission member 4222. The rotating drive member 4221 is used to output power and is connected to the rotating transmission member 4222 to transmit power through the rotating transmission member 4222. Among the rotating drive member 4221 and the rotating transmission member 4222, one is connected to the mounting frame 413 and the other is connected to the base 41. The connection point between the rotating assembly 42 and the mounting frame 413 is eccentrically set relative to the rotation axis 4136 of the mounting frame 413, so that a lever arm is formed between the force point of the mounting frame 413 (the connection point with the rotating assembly) and the rotation axis 4136, and a torque is generated when the rotating assembly 42 outputs power, driving the mounting frame 413 to rotate horizontally around the rotation axis 4136, thereby adjusting the horizontal launching angle of the ball launching mechanism 43 located on the mounting frame 413. Meanwhile, due to the eccentric connection between the rotating component 42 and the mounting bracket 413, the rotating component 42 and the mounting bracket 413 can be arranged in the horizontal direction, which can effectively overcome the disadvantage of the center of gravity being raised due to the need for the rotating component and the mounting bracket to be arranged vertically.

[0039] More preferably, such as Figure 6 and Figure 7In the example shown, the rotation drive 4221 is connected to the mounting bracket 413, and the rotation transmission 4222 is located on the side away from the launch port 431 of the ball-serving mechanism 43. The rotation transmission 4222 includes a first transmission arm 4223 and a second transmission arm 4224 connected to each other. The output shaft of the rotation drive 4221 is arranged vertically (e.g., downward as shown in the figure). One end of the first transmission arm 4223 is rotatably connected to the base 41, and the other end of the first transmission arm 4223 is rotatably connected to one end of the second transmission arm 4224. The end of the second transmission arm 4224 away from the first transmission arm 4223 is fixedly connected to the output shaft of the rotation drive 4221, forming a two-link transmission mechanism. When the rotation drive 4221 is working, the output shaft drives the second transmission arm 4224 to swing, and the first transmission arm 4223 swings accordingly. Simultaneously, the reaction force generated by the base 41 is transmitted to the mounting frame 413 through the first and second transmission arms 4223 and 4224, causing the mounting frame 413 to generate a torque relative to the rotation shaft 4136. This, in turn, pushes the mounting frame 413 and the ball-serving mechanism 43 located thereon to rotate horizontally around the rotation shaft 4136. When the ball-serving mechanism 43 needs to rotate in the opposite direction, the output shaft of the rotation drive 4221 can be controlled to rotate in the opposite direction, thereby driving the second transmission arm 4224 and the first transmission arm 4223 to rotate in opposite directions, and thus pushing the mounting frame 413 and the ball-serving mechanism 43 located thereon to rotate in the opposite direction. The first transmission arm 4223 and the second transmission arm 4224 can limit the rotation of the mounting bracket 413. In practical applications, the dimensions of the first transmission arm 4223 and the second transmission arm 4224 can be designed according to the horizontal angle range that the ball-serving mechanism 43 needs to adjust, so as to meet the requirements of horizontal angle adjustment.

[0040] In further embodiments of this application, such as Figures 5 to 8 As shown, the mounting frame 413 includes a mounting base 4131 and a mounting frame body 4133 arranged vertically in sequence. The mounting base 4131 is rotatably connected to the base 41, allowing it to rotate horizontally relative to the base 41. The mounting base 4131 has a support portion 4132 extending vertically upward. The mounting frame body 4133 is connected to the support portion 4132, creating a certain gap between the mounting frame body 4133 and the bottom wall of the mounting base 4131 to facilitate the arrangement of the connection structure between the mounting base 4131 and the base 41, as well as the rotation shaft 4136. The mounting frame body 4133 specifically includes a mounting base plate 4134 and a mounting side plate 4135 connected to each other. The mounting base plate 4134 is connected to the support portion 4132, and the mounting side plate 4135 extends vertically upward relative to the mounting base plate 4134 to form a three-dimensional frame structure. Wherein, as... Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 9As shown, the ball-serving mechanism 43 is mounted on the mounting frame body 4133 and is rotatably connected to the mounting side plate 4135, and at least a portion of the swing assembly 45 is connected to the mounting side plate 4135.

[0041] Preferably, the mounting base 4131 is provided with two opposing support parts 4132, and the support parts 4132 can be adopted as follows: Figure 6 The bending plate shown is similar to the mounting bracket body 4133, which includes a mounting base plate 4134 and two oppositely arranged mounting side plates 4135 for connection with the ball-serving mechanism 43. Furthermore, both the mounting base plate 4134 and the mounting side plates 4135 can have corresponding openings or perforations to facilitate clearance and weight reduction.

[0042] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 10 As shown, the mounting base 4131 of the mounting bracket 413 is connected to the base 41 via a vertically arranged rotating shaft 4136. Specifically, corresponding positions on the mounting base 4131 and the base 41 are provided with shaft holes, through which the rotating shaft 4136 passes. A rotating bearing 4139 is provided on the side of the mounting base 4131 facing the base 41. The rotating bearing 4139 is a disc-shaped needle roller bearing with a relatively large diameter. The rotating bearing 4139 and the rotating shaft 4136 are coaxially arranged, and the mounting base 4131 is rotatably connected to the base 41 through the rotating bearing 4139 and the rotating shaft 4136. The rotating bearing 4139 is adapted to the horizontal rotation of the mounting bracket 413 and provides support for the mounting bracket 413 between the base 41 and the mounting base 4131. A large annular contact surface is formed between the rotating bearing 4139 and the mounting base 4131, resulting in a more uniform force distribution on the base 41 by the mounting bracket 413. This allows the ball-launching mechanism 43 on the mounting bracket 413 to be adjusted horizontally more smoothly, while also improving connection strength and effectively preventing the mounting bracket 413 from tilting relative to the rotating shaft 4136. The rotating shaft 4136 can be in the form of a pin or bolt, and axially fixed using a cotter pin or nut.

[0043] Furthermore, such as Figure 6 and Figure 10As shown, a swing bearing 4138 is provided at the connection between the serving mechanism 43 and the swing shaft 4137. Specifically, the swing bearing 4138 is a needle roller bearing; shaft holes are provided on the side wall of the serving mechanism 43 and the mounting side plate 4135 of the mounting bracket 413. One swing bearing 4138 is provided on each side of the side wall of the serving mechanism 43, and the two swing bearings 4138 are coaxially arranged with the shaft holes on the side wall of the serving mechanism 43 and the shaft holes on the mounting side plate 4135; the swing shaft 4137 passes through the two swing bearings 4138 and the two shaft holes, so that the serving mechanism 43 and the mounting bracket 413 form a rotatable connection. The swing shaft 4137 can be in the form of a pin or bolt, and is axially fixed by a cotter pin or nut. By providing swing bearings 4138 on both sides of the sidewall of the serving mechanism 43, the serving mechanism 43 can tilt and swing relative to the mounting side plate 4135 of the mounting frame 413 via the swing bearings 4138 and the swing shaft 4137. The resistance during swinging is low, making the tilt angle adjustment of the serving mechanism 43 smoother. Furthermore, the swing bearings 4138 have a compact structure and occupy little space, making them suitable for use in the narrow space between the sidewall of the serving mechanism 43 and the mounting side plate 4135 of the mounting frame 413. Preferably, swing bearings 4138 are provided at the connection points between the two opposite sidewalls of the serving mechanism 43 and the corresponding swing shafts 4137, so that both sidewalls of the serving mechanism 43 are rotatably connected to the two mounting side plates 4135 of the mounting frame 413, resulting in more even force distribution on the serving mechanism 43.

[0044] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 as well as Figures 5 to 7 As shown, the base 41 includes a base body 411 and a base cover 412. The top of the base body 411 has a downwardly recessed base groove 4111. A mounting bracket 413 is disposed in the base groove 4111 and connected to the bottom wall of the base groove 4111, further lowering the overall height and center of gravity of the serving device 4, thus improving its stability. When the serving device 4 also includes a rotating component 42, the rotating component 42 is also disposed in the base groove 4111, and the mounting bracket 413 is rotatably connected to the bottom wall of the base groove 4111. The base cover 412 is disposed circumferentially around the base body 411 and covers the circumferential sidewalls and part of the top wall of the base body 411, providing protection for the base body 411. The base groove 4111 is exposed relative to the base cover 412 to facilitate the installation of the rotating component 42 and the serving mechanism 43.

[0045] In further embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1 , Figure 10In the example shown, the serving device 4 also includes a cover 44 disposed on the base 41. The cover 44 is arranged circumferentially around the mounting frame 413, the serving mechanism 43, and the swing assembly 45. The bottom of the cover 44 is connected to the base 41 and together with the base 41 forms a receiving cavity 441, so that the mounting frame 413, the serving mechanism 43, and the swing assembly 45 are all located within the receiving cavity 441, so as to achieve shielding and protection through the cover 44. A first opening 442 is provided on the side wall of the cover 44 corresponding to the launching port 431 of the serving mechanism 43. The launching port 431 of the serving mechanism 43 is located inside the first opening 442, and the tennis ball launched from the launching port 431 can pass through the first opening 442 and be launched outward. The shape and size of the first opening 442 can be set according to the launching angle range of the launching port 431 of the serving mechanism 43, so that the launching port 431 can be covered by the first opening 442 at any achievable angle, so as to avoid obstructing the launched tennis ball.

[0046] Correspondingly, such as Figure 1 and Figure 10 In the example shown, the top of the casing 44 is provided with a storage groove 443, and a second opening 444 is formed on the bottom wall of the storage groove 443. The second opening 444 is connected to the conveying channel 432, and the end of the conveying channel 432 away from the second opening 444 is connected to the serving mechanism 43. During use, the collected tennis balls can be placed into the storage groove 443. The tennis balls pass through the second opening 444 into the conveying channel 432, and then enter the serving mechanism 43 along the conveying channel 432. Under the drive of the serving mechanism 43, they are launched outward from the launching port 431.

[0047] Furthermore, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 , Figures 10 to 12As shown, the serving device 4 also includes a ball guide tube 433 and a guide groove 434 disposed within a housing 44. The ball guide tube 433 is a cylindrical structure made of flexible material. The top of the ball guide tube 433 is connected to the second opening 444 of the housing 44, and a third opening 4331 is provided on the side of the ball guide tube 43 facing the serving mechanism 43. Correspondingly, the guide groove 434 is disposed on the side of the ball guide tube 433 facing the serving mechanism 43 and is connected to the serving mechanism 43. One end of the guide groove 434 is connected to the launch port 431, and the other end of the guide groove 434 extends into the ball guide tube 433 through the third opening 4331. The guide groove 434 and the ball guide tube 433 form a conveying channel 432, which is connected to the serving mechanism 43. The tennis ball entering the ball guide tube 433 through the second opening 444 can fall into the guide groove 434 and move along the guide groove 434 to the serving mechanism 43. The launching port 431 and the portion of the guide groove 434 extending into the ball guide tube 433 expand outwards to both sides, forming a flared structure 4341. The width of the flared structure 4341 is greater than the width of other areas on the guide groove 434. Simultaneously, the outer edge of the flared structure 4341 abuts against the inner wall of the ball guide tube 433, increasing the coverage area of ​​the guide groove 434 relative to the internal space of the ball guide tube 433. This ensures that the tennis ball, after entering the ball guide tube 433 through the second opening 444, accurately falls into the flared structure 4341 of the guide groove 434, preventing the tennis ball from falling out. The ball guide tube 433 can be connected and fixed to the casing 44 or to the base 41.

[0048] The guide groove 434 is connected to the serving mechanism 43. When the serving mechanism 43 rotates horizontally under the drive of the rotating component 42, the guide groove 434 can rotate horizontally with the serving mechanism 43, and the flared structure 4341 rotates horizontally inside the ball guide tube 433. Since the ball guide tube 433 is a flexible structure, the inner wall of the ball guide tube 433 can be flexibly deformed under the pressure of the flared structure 4341 to adapt to the horizontal rotation of the flared structure 4341 inside the ball guide tube 433. Thus, when the serving mechanism 43 and the guide groove 434 rotate to any angle, the conveying channel 432 formed by the guide groove 434 and the ball guide tube 433 remains unobstructed, so that the tennis ball can move smoothly through the conveying channel 432 to the launching port 431 of the serving mechanism 43.

[0049] Furthermore, in a specific example, such as Figure 9 , Figure 10 , Figure 12 and Figure 13 As shown, the ball guide tube 433 is a flexible structure made of soft rubber material, which has good elasticity. The inner wall of the ball guide tube 433 can undergo adaptive elastic deformation with the rotation of the flared structure 4341, and can also deform accordingly with the pressure change of the flared structure 4341, thus having a strong reset function.

[0050] More preferably, such as Figure 13 In the example, the outer edge of the flared structure 4341 is rounded to fit the inner wall of the ball guide tube 433, increasing the contact area between the ball guide tube 433 and the flared structure 4341. The size of the flared structure 4341 can be slightly larger than the inner diameter of the ball guide tube 433, so that the flared structure 4341 can adhere to the inner wall of the ball guide tube 433 in any state and generate a certain squeezing effect, causing a slight outward convex deformation of the inner wall of the ball guide tube 433, further increasing the coverage area of ​​the flared structure 4341. Furthermore, the internal area of ​​the flared structure 4341 can be set as a smooth curved surface to further enhance its guiding effect on the tennis ball.

[0051] Furthermore, in a specific example, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 In the example shown, the height of the flared structure 4341 of the guide groove 434 is greater than the height of the guide groove 434 at one end of the launch port 431, making the guide groove 434 tilted as a whole. When the tennis ball falls into the flared structure 4341, it can roll in the guide groove 434 under its own gravity and then move to the launch port 431 of the serving mechanism 43. Through the arrangement of the guide groove 434 in this embodiment, the tennis ball can be self-moving and transported without the need for additional driving force, and the accumulation of tennis balls in the ball guide tube 433, causing blockage, can be effectively avoided.

[0052] In addition, it should be noted that the guide groove 434 can also pitch and swing together with the ball-serving mechanism 43. The flared structure 4341 of the guide groove 434 can also pitch and swing inside the ball-guide tube 433. The inner wall of the ball-guide tube 433 can undergo corresponding flexible deformation under the extrusion of the flared structure 4341, thereby avoiding obstruction or interference.

[0053] An embodiment of the second aspect of this application provides a tennis robot 400, such as... Figures 1 to 4 and Figure 11 , Figure 14 As shown, the tennis robot 400 includes a serving device 4, a walking system 1, and a controller 3 as described in any of the embodiments of the first aspect. The walking system 1 is disposed at the bottom of the base 41 of the serving device 4 to drive the serving device 4 to move, thereby realizing a mobile serving operation. The walking system 1 can adopt the following... Figure 1 , Figure 11The walking wheel 111 shown is driven to rotate by a corresponding walking wheel drive component to achieve movement. Of course, depending on the actual use requirements, the walking system 1 can also adopt other implementation methods such as tracks, which will not be elaborated here. The controller 3 is communicatively connected to the walking system 1 and the ball-serving device 4 to send corresponding control commands to the walking system 1 and the ball-serving device 4, thereby controlling the walking system 1 to drive the ball-serving device 4 to move, and controlling the ball-serving device 4 to launch the tennis ball in the target direction (including the adjustment of the launch angle and the launch operation of the tennis ball).

[0054] The tennis robot 400 in this embodiment enables automatic driving, mobile tennis launching, and adjustment of the launching angle, thereby meeting different needs during tennis training and providing a superior user experience. Specifically, by connecting the swing component 45 to the serving mechanism 43, the swing component 45 drives the serving mechanism 43 to pitch and swing relative to the mounting frame 413, adjusting the pitch and launching angle of the serving mechanism 43. This allows for launching tennis balls at different pitch and launching angles, enhancing the user experience. Through structural improvements and optimizations, the arrangement of the swing component 45 is optimized while achieving pitch and swing adjustment of the serving mechanism 43. The mounting frame 413 simultaneously supports both the swing component 45 and the serving mechanism 43, with only a transmission connection between them. The swing component 45 does not need to be supported by the serving mechanism 43, thus avoiding increased weight and swing inertia of the serving mechanism 43, which helps reduce energy consumption and control complexity. In addition, when the ball-serving device 4 is also equipped with a rotating component 42, it can drive the mounting frame 413 and the ball-serving mechanism 43 located on the mounting frame 413 to rotate horizontally relative to the base 41, so as to adjust the horizontal launch angle of the ball-serving mechanism 43, thereby further expanding the coverage range of the ball-serving angle.

[0055] Furthermore, the controller 3 can also be equipped with a wireless communication module to establish a wireless communication connection with the user's mobile phone, computer, remote control, cloud server and other devices, so that the user can perform corresponding control operations on the tennis robot 400, and can also perform operations such as storing relevant data information.

[0056] In use, the controller 3 can control the tennis robot 400 to move along a preset motion trajectory according to the preset control program, and launch tennis balls at the target angle from the preset serving point; wherein, the serving device 4 can load multiple tennis balls at one time to perform continuous or intermittent serving, thereby reducing the number of loading times and improving training efficiency.

[0057] Furthermore, the tennis robot 400 can also be equipped with a corresponding power supply component, which is located in the cavity 441 formed by the housing 44 and the base 41, and is electrically connected to the ball serving mechanism 43, the swing component 45, the walking system 1 and the controller 3 to supply power to the above components.

[0058] Furthermore, the tennis robot 400 in this embodiment also has all the beneficial effects of the serving device 4 in any of the embodiments of the first aspect described above, which will not be repeated here.

[0059] The above-described specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains can make various simple deductions, modifications, or substitutions based on the concept of this invention.

Claims

1. A serving device, characterized in that, include: A base having a mounting bracket; A serving mechanism for launching a tennis ball, the serving mechanism being rotatably connected to the mounting frame and capable of rotating relative to the mounting frame in a vertical plane; And a swing assembly, which is connected to the serving mechanism in a transmission manner, the swing assembly being used to drive the serving mechanism to swing in pitch relative to the mounting frame, so as to adjust the pitch launch angle of the serving mechanism.

2. The serving device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The swing assembly is at least partially located on the mounting bracket.

3. The serving device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The swing assembly includes a swing drive component and a swing transmission component that are connected by a transmission. The swing drive is connected to the mounting bracket, and the output shaft of the swing drive is arranged in the horizontal direction; One end of the swing transmission component is connected to the output shaft of the swing drive component, and the other end of the swing transmission component is rotatably connected to the serving mechanism. The connection point between the swing transmission component and the serving mechanism is eccentrically set relative to the swing axis of the serving mechanism. The swing drive component can drive the serving mechanism to pitch and swing around the swing axis through the swing transmission component.

4. The serving device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The swing transmission component includes a first swing arm and a second swing arm. One end of the first swing arm is connected to the output shaft of the swing drive component, and the other end of the first swing arm is rotatably connected to the second swing arm. The end of the second swing arm away from the first swing arm is rotatably connected to the serving mechanism.

5. The serving device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The length of the first swing arm is less than the length of the second swing arm; The second swing arm includes a first segment, a second segment, and a third segment connected in sequence. The first segment and the second segment are offset in the thickness direction, and the second segment is inclined relative to the first segment and the third segment, so that at least a portion of the second swing arm is in a bent state.

6. The serving device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The swing drive is located on the mounting bracket on the side away from the launch port of the ball-serving mechanism; The connection point between the serving mechanism and the swing transmission component is located below the swing axis of the serving mechanism.

7. The serving device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that, The mounting bracket includes: Mounting base, which is connected to the base, has a support portion extending vertically upward; The mounting frame body includes a mounting base plate and mounting side plates connected to each other. The mounting base plate is connected to the support part, and the mounting side plates extend vertically upward relative to the mounting base plate. The ball-serving mechanism is rotatably connected to the mounting side plate, and at least a portion of the swing assembly is connected to the mounting side plate.

8. The serving device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The base includes a base body and a base cover. The base cover is disposed around the base body and can cover the circumferential sidewalls and part of the top wall of the base body. The top of the base body is provided with a downwardly recessed base groove, and the mounting bracket is disposed in the base groove and connected to the bottom wall of the base groove.

9. The serving device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, Also includes: A housing, which is connected to the base and forms a receiving cavity with the base, wherein the mounting frame, the swing assembly and the ball-serving mechanism are all located in the receiving cavity; The cover has a first opening on one side wall corresponding to the launching port of the ball-launching mechanism, and the launching port is located in the first opening. The top of the cover has a storage groove, and a second opening is provided on the bottom wall of the storage groove. The second opening is connected to a conveying channel, and the end of the conveying channel away from the second opening is connected to the serving mechanism to convey a tennis ball to the serving mechanism.

10. The serving device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The mounting bracket is rotatably connected to the base, and the rotation axis extends vertically; The ball-serving device also includes a rotating assembly, which is mounted on the base and connected to the mounting frame for driving the mounting frame to rotate horizontally relative to the base to adjust the horizontal launch angle of the ball-serving mechanism.

11. A tennis robot, characterized in that, include: The ball-serving device as described in any one of claims 1 to 10; A walking system, wherein the walking system is disposed at the bottom of the base; A controller is communicatively connected to the walking system and the serving device. The controller is used to control the walking system to move the serving device and to control the serving device to launch a tennis ball toward the target direction.

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