Golf driving range equipment and method for automatically controlling the supply of golf balls according to the number of players.

Abstract

The objective is to provide golf practice facility equipment that can efficiently supply golf balls without excess or shortage, ensuring that a sufficient number of golf balls are supplied to the tee-up devices in front of each player's hitting bay even when there are many players, and preventing golf balls from accumulating in the U-turn area when there are few players. [Solution] The front computer constantly monitors the number and percentage of players occupying multiple hitting bays, and automatically controls the amount of golf balls supplied per unit time from the golf ball supply unit to the forward transport path in the golf ball transport device according to the number of players.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to golf driving range equipment in which the supply amount of golf balls is automatically controlled in order to supply golf balls to a practitioner without excess or deficiency.

Background Art

[0002] In a golf driving range, various devices are known for a system for supplying golf balls to a practitioner's hitting bay. Patent Document 1 discloses golf driving range equipment in which golf balls are conveyed by a conveying chain, sent to an automatic tee-up device through a flat ball tank device, and the golf balls on the tee are hit by a practitioner standing in the hitting bay. In order to replenish golf balls corresponding to the golf balls hit by the practitioner, golf balls are always supplied to the conveying device. However, in golf driving range equipment with dozens of hitting bays, consideration for supplying according to the number of practitioners is required. When there are many practitioners, it is necessary to increase the number of golf balls per unit time conveyed by the conveyor. However, when there are few practitioners, it is wasteful for the supply amount of golf balls per unit time to be too large, and golf balls that make a U-turn without being used may also accumulate. Development of golf driving range equipment that can accurately supply golf balls to the practitioner's hitting bay without excess or deficiency according to the number of practitioners has been expected.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned problems of the conventional technology, the present invention aims to provide golf practice facility equipment that can supply golf balls to the hitting bays of practicers in an appropriate quantity, whether indoor or suburban. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] To achieve the above objective, the golf driving range equipment according to the present invention, which automatically controls the amount of golf balls supplied according to the number of players, is characterized in that the golf balls are supplied from a golf ball supply unit to the forward transport path in a golf ball transport device, the golf balls are supplied from the forward transport path to the automatic tee-up device of the hitting bay where the golf balls have been used among a plurality of hitting bays, the golf balls that were not supplied to the automatic tee-up device are transported from the forward transport path through a U-turn section to the return transport path and collected from a golf ball collection unit, and the amount of golf balls supplied per unit time from the golf ball supply unit to the forward transport path is automatically controlled according to the number of players grasped by a front computer.

[0006] The present invention provides a method for automatically controlling the amount of golf balls supplied according to the number of practicers, characterized in that, in a golf driving range facility where golf balls are supplied from a golf ball supply unit to the forward transport path in a golf ball transport device, the golf balls are supplied from the forward transport path to the automatic tee-up device of the hitting bay where the golf balls have been used among a plurality of hitting bays, and the golf balls that were not supplied to the automatic tee-up device are transported from the forward transport path through a U-turn section to the return transport path and collected from a golf ball collection unit, the amount of golf balls supplied per unit time from the golf ball supply unit to the forward transport path according to the number of practicers as determined by a front computer. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, the number of golf balls supplied per unit time on the golf ball transport path is automatically controlled according to the number of players, so that players do not have to wait for golf balls to be supplied, and situations in which an excess of golf balls accumulates can be avoided. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This diagram shows a golf driving range system that automatically controls the amount of golf balls supplied according to the number of players. [Figure 2] This is a diagram showing a flat-type ball tank device. [Figure 3] This is a side view of a golf ball transport system using a chain-type horizontal conveyor. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Figure 1 shows a golf driving range facility 1 that automatically controls the amount of golf balls supplied according to the number of players. Golf balls 2 are sent from the golf ball supply unit 3 to the transport path 4 in the golf ball transport device by a drive motor located in the golf ball supply unit 3. The golf balls 2 are transported along the transport path 4 by a conveyor. A chain-type horizontal conveyor is most suitable as the conveyor, but other transport methods are also possible.

[0010] The golf practice facility 1 has multiple hitting bays 7, allowing multiple practicers to hit golf balls 2 that are set on tees 8 by an automatic tee-up device 6.

[0011] When a golf ball is used by a player standing at batting cage 7 and hitting a golf ball 2, the golf ball 2, which has been transported along transport path 4, is supplied to the automatic tee-up device 6 via the flat ball tank device 5. The golf ball may also be supplied to the automatic tee-up device 6 by a mechanism other than the flat ball tank device 5.

[0012] Golf balls 2 that do not enter the flat ball tank device 5 are transported further along the transport outbound path 4, reverse direction through the U-turn section 9, and are transported along the transport return path 10 to be collected from the golf ball collection section 11.

[0013] The front computer 12 is connected to each of the automatic tee-up devices 6 at multiple hitting bays 7, and keeps track of the status of each golf ball used by the practicer. In other words, it constantly monitors the number and percentage of hitting bays occupied by practicers.

[0014] The system automatically controls the quantity of golf balls 2 sent from the golf ball supply unit 3 to the transport path 4 per unit time, according to the number and proportion of players being monitored. When there are many players, a sufficient quantity of golf balls 2 is supplied. When there are few players, the supply of golf balls 2 is reduced to prevent excessive accumulation of golf balls 2 at the U-turn section.

[0015] There are various control methods. For example, if the proportion of practice players among the total number of batting cages exceeds a predetermined value, the supply level could be set to a certain percentage higher than the supply level when there are fewer practice players. The target proportion of practice players for switching levels could be set at half the total number of batting cages, with a lower supply level when there are fewer practice players and a higher supply level when there are more. Alternatively, multiple levels of practice player numbers to control can be set, and multiple supply levels corresponding to each level can be set. By changing to a higher supply level as the number of practice players changes from a low level to a high level, the supply level can be gradually increased. By automatically controlling the supply quantity using a computer according to the number and proportion of practitioners, it is possible to avoid problems that may arise from overlooking increases or decreases in the number of practitioners in manual control.

[0016] Figure 2 shows a flat ball tank device 5. The flat ball tank device 5 is a device for storing golf balls 2 and sending them to an automatic tee-up device 6 as needed, and consists of a box body 13 and a tank drive unit 14. Side walls 15a, 15b, 15c, and 15d are erected along the four sides of the box body 13, and a golf ball discharge port 16 large enough for one golf ball 2 to pass through is formed at one end of the side wall 15b, and a golf ball supply port 17 large enough for multiple golf balls 2 to pass through is formed in a part of the side wall 15d, and this golf ball supply port 17 is adjacent to the transport forward path 4. If there are no golf balls 2 near the golf ball supply port 17 of the box body 13, golf balls 2 on the transport forward path 4 will enter the box body 13 from the golf ball supply port 17, thereby supplying golf balls 2 to the flat ball tank device 5. At the bottom of the box body 13, a number of golf ball feed plates 18 are arranged parallel to the discharge side wall 15b which forms the golf ball discharge port 16. The golf ball feed plate 18 is shaped like a long, narrow strip, and is designed to rotate at a predetermined angle around the longitudinal direction of the strip, alternating every other piece. As the golf ball feed plate 18 rotates, the golf balls 2 are sent toward the discharge side wall 15b. The golf balls 2 that hit the discharge side wall 15b line up in a row and are discharged one by one from the golf ball discharge port 16 and supplied to the automatic tee-up device 6.

[0017] The automatic tee-up device 6 has a tee 8 on which a golf ball 2 is placed, and the device places the golf ball 2 placed on the tee 8 in front of the player. The automatic tee-up device 6 receives the golf ball 2 discharged from the golf ball discharge port 16, places it on the tee 8, and places it in front of the player standing at the hitting bay 7.

[0018] Figure 3 is a side view of the golf ball conveying device 19 by a chain type horizontal conveyor. A chain 20 is stretched around the conveying path 4, the U-turn part 9, and the conveying return path 10 in the golf ball conveying device 19. Golf ball moving protrusions 21 are provided at a predetermined interval above the chain 20, and the golf balls 2 individually enter between the golf ball moving protrusions 21. In Figure 3, the link pin 22 of the chain 20 extends upward to become the ball moving protrusion 21.

[0019] Lower guide rollers 23 made of synthetic resin are provided at a predetermined interval below the chain 20. The lower guide rollers 23 roll on the bottom wall 24 of the conveying device housing (not shown) to smooth the movement of the chain 20.

Industrial Applicability

[0020] According to the present invention, since the golf ball supply amount is automatically controlled by changing it according to the number of practitioners, even when there are many practitioners, the golf balls will not fail to reach the tee-up device in front of the practitioners' hitting stations. Also, when there are few practitioners, the golf balls will not stay in the U-turn part. The golf balls can be supplied efficiently without excess or shortage and without waste. The industrial applicability of being able to provide such golf practice field equipment is great.

Explanation of Signs

[0021] 1 Golf practice field equipment 2 Golf ball 3 Golf ball supply part 4 Conveying path 5 Flat ball tank device 6 Automatic tee-up device 7 Hitting station 8 Tee 9 U-turn part 10 Conveying return path 11 Golf ball collection part 12 Front computer 13 Box body 14 Tank drive part 15 Side wall 16 Golf ball outlet 17 Golf ball supply port 18 Golf ball feed plate 19 Golf ball transport device 20 chain 21 Protrusion for moving golf balls 22 Link Pins 23 Lower guide roller 24 Bottom wall

Claims

1. A golf driving range facility that automatically controls the amount of golf balls supplied according to the number of players, wherein the golf balls are supplied from a golf ball supply unit to the forward transport path in a golf ball transport device, the golf balls are supplied from the forward transport path to the automatic tee-up device of the hitting bay where the golf balls have been used among a plurality of hitting bays, the golf balls that were not supplied to the automatic tee-up device are transported from the forward transport path through a U-turn section to the return transport path and collected from a golf ball collection unit, the golf driving range facility is characterized in that the amount of golf balls supplied per unit time from the golf ball supply unit to the forward transport path according to the number of players as determined by a front computer.

2. A method for automatically controlling the amount of golf balls supplied according to the number of practicers, wherein the golf balls are supplied from a golf ball supply unit to a forward transport path in a golf ball transport device, the golf balls are supplied from the forward transport path to the automatic tee-up device of the bay where the golf balls have been used among a plurality of bays, the golf balls that were not supplied to the automatic tee-up device are transported from the forward transport path through a U-turn section to a return transport path and collected from a golf ball collection unit, the method being characterized by automatically controlling the amount of golf balls supplied per unit time from the golf ball supply unit to the forward transport path according to the number of practicers as determined by a front computer.

3. The golf practice facility according to claim 1, which automatically controls the amount of golf balls supplied according to the number of players, is characterized in that the golf balls are supplied from the transport route to the tee-up device via a flat ball tank device.

4. The method for automatically controlling the amount of golf balls supplied according to the number of players, as described in claim 2, characterized in that the golf balls are supplied from the transport route to the tee-up device via a flat ball tank device.

5. The golf ball transport device for transporting the golf balls in the forward transport path, the U-turn section, and the return transport path is configured with a chain-type horizontal conveyor, and is characterized in that the golf driving range equipment according to claim 1 automatically controls the amount of golf balls supplied according to the number of players.

6. The method for automatically controlling the amount of golf balls supplied according to the number of players, characterized in that the golf ball transport device that transports the golf balls in the forward transport path, the U-turn section, and the return transport path is configured with a chain-type horizontal conveyor.

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