Device and method for table tennis training

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (1) for table tennis training for use with a table tennis table (2), comprising a sensor unit (3) by means of which a trajectory of a ball can be detected, and an actuator unit (4) by means of which a stroke can be applied to a ball detected by the sensor unit (3). In order to enable particularly high-quality training, according to the invention the actuator unit (4) has a support frame (5) having a plurality of individually controlled tiles (6), wherein the device (1) is configured to determine, on the basis of the detected trajectory, the tile (6) which the ball hits and to control said tile (6) in order to apply a stroke to the ball. The invention further relates to a method for table tennis training using a device (1) arranged on a table tennis table (2), comprising a sensor unit (3) and an actuator unit (4), wherein a player plays a ball over the table tennis table (2) to the device (1), after which the ball is detected and played back by the device (1).

Description

[0001] Device and method for table tennis training

[0002] The invention relates to a device for table tennis training for use with a table tennis table, comprising a sensor unit with which a trajectory of a ball can be detected, and an actuator unit with which a blow can be applied to a ball detected by the sensor unit.

[0003] The invention further relates to a method for table tennis training with a device arranged on a table tennis table, with a sensor unit and an actuator unit, wherein a player plays a ball over the table tennis table to the device, after which the ball is detected by the device and played back.

[0004] Devices and methods of the type mentioned above for table tennis training are already known from the prior art. For example, document CN 115888048 A discloses a device attachable to a table tennis table for automatically returning a ball, enabling training without a partner. This document also mentions a camera that can record the trajectory of a ball hit by a player. Further devices of the prior art are known, for example, from documents CN 117244225 A and CN 106606853 A.

[0005] However, it has become apparent that table tennis training using state-of-the-art devices and methods is only possible to an insufficient degree of quality. In particular, training is only possible up to a very low level of difficulty, meaning that the devices known from the state of the art are not suitable for challenging good or very good players. Furthermore, the known devices are also very difficult and expensive to manufacture.

[0006] This is where the invention comes in. The object of the invention is to provide a device of the type mentioned above, which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and enables table tennis training at a high level of play. Furthermore, a technically simple method for table tennis training is to be provided, which is also suitable and challenging for good and very good players.

[0007] The first problem is solved according to the invention by a device of the type mentioned at the outset, in which the actuator unit has a carrier frame with several individually controlled tiles, wherein the device is configured to determine, on the basis of the detected trajectory, the tile on which the ball hits, and to control this tile to apply a blow to the ball.

[0008] Within the scope of the invention, it was recognized that delivering a blow to a table tennis ball with the force or momentum required for good or very good players can only be achieved in a technically simple manner, and thus the device can be manufactured with minimal effort, if the device does not have a single large striking surface, but rather several individually controlled tiles. In this way, one of these tiles can be small and lightweight, allowing it to be accelerated rapidly with minimal energy expenditure to deliver a blow to the ball that is challenging even for a good or very good player and therefore provides a training effect for the player.

[0009] For the purposes of this application, a "hit" is understood to mean both an active hit, in which the tile moves upon contact with the ball, usually towards the ball, and a passive hit, in which the ball simply rebounds off the tile. An active hit thus requires both a targeted alignment of the tile and movement of the tile during ball contact, while a passive hit only requires a defined alignment of the tile before ball contact. In any case, a hit as defined in this application requires timely orientation or alignment of the respective tile before the ball contacts it, which is why the tile must be moved into the respective position within the short time between the recording of the trajectory and ball contact. Accordingly, small and lightweight tiles are advantageous.

[0010] It is understood that, depending on the course of the game, an active or passive stroke may be advantageous to increase or decrease the ball's momentum. Similarly, depending on the course of the game, it may be beneficial to move the tile towards or away from the ball during ball contact, or to maintain the tile's position relative to the ball during ball contact. The device is preferably configured to automatically recognize the required stroke shape to achieve a desired training effect and subsequently execute or apply the corresponding active or passive stroke.

[0011] The device is typically positioned on one of the narrow sides of the table tennis table, allowing a player on the opposite side to hit a ball over the table and net to the device. The sensor unit can be designed in various ways, such as a camera, ultrasonic sensor, or similar device, to detect a ball hit by the player towards the device. While the sensor unit can, in principle, detect the ball within a player-side area of ​​the table and calculate its remaining path to the device, it is preferred that the sensor unit be designed and positioned so that the ball is only detected after contact with the table. This allows for a particularly precise calculation of the point of impact on a tile.For this purpose, the position and speed of the ball are typically recorded at at least one point after it hits the table. It is understood that the more points of the trajectory are recorded, or the more frequently the ball's position and speed are determined, the more accurately the ball's trajectory can be determined.

[0012] In particular, it may also be possible to determine the spin of the table tennis ball, although a sufficiently accurate determination of the ball's point of impact on the tiles is also possible without detecting the spin. The spin can be detected in a variety of ways, for example, by measuring the ball's rotational speed and / or by determining a curvature of the trajectory in space that is not solely due to gravity, such as through optical or acoustic position measurements. Specifically, the sensor unit for detecting the spin can have several light curtains arranged offset along the table axis to determine the spin. After the ball's point of impact on a tile has been calculated, usually with a control unit or...A data processing unit connected to the sensor unit and the actuator unit controls the corresponding tile in such a way that, upon ball contact, it delivers a corresponding strike to the ball, returning it to the player, preferably along a pre-calculated trajectory, so that the ball flies over a net of the table tennis table and then touches the table. It is understood that the device can also be configured to return the ball directly to the player, for example, for training purposes.

[0013] The tiles can, in principle, be arranged in such a way as to cover a multitude or all possible positions that a ball played from the player's side over the net of the table tennis table can reach.

[0014] Preferably, the tiles allow access to positions located outside the table tennis table when viewed from above, making it very easy to attach the device to an existing table tennis table. In particular, the tiles can be positioned on a flat surface perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the table tennis table or to a curved surface, especially a spherical or cylindrical surface, with the center point of this imaginary curved surface being, for example, located in the center of the table tennis table. Furthermore, the tiles can be arranged on multiple surfaces, for example, on two approximately concentric cylindrical or spherical surfaces, in order to easily prevent collisions between the tiles.

[0015] The tiles are typically positioned to form a ball-catching area on the narrow side of the table tennis table opposite the player. This area is 1.1 to 2 times wider than the table and can be, for example, half the width of the table up to twice its width. The width of the ball-catching area can therefore be, for example, 150 cm to 350 cm, particularly 170 cm to 250 cm, and the height 50 cm to 300 cm, particularly around 100 cm. The lower edge of the ball-catching area can be at table level, i.e., at approximately 76 cm. However, especially if the ball-catching area is horizontally offset from the table, its lower edge can also be below the table surface.

[0016] The tiles can be arranged in any way to return balls played by the player over the net and the table tennis table attached to the device. Preferably, several, or preferably all, tiles are arranged vertically and horizontally, particularly in the form of a regular grid.

[0017] To allow shots to be played in different directions with the individual tiles, it is preferably provided that at least one, and preferably each, of the tiles is pivotable about two axes, in particular about two axes perpendicular to a table axis. The table axis is considered to be an axis parallel to a long side of the table tennis table, i.e., from the player's side to the side of the device. The net, usually located in the center of the table tennis table, is positioned in a plane perpendicular to the table axis.

[0018] The way in which the tiles can be moved to strike the balls being played naturally depends on how the tiles are arranged relative to the table tennis table. It is particularly preferred that at least one tile is pivotable by 1 degree to 60 degrees, more preferably 5 degrees to 30 degrees. Typically, at least one, preferably each, tile is pivotable about two axes by corresponding angles, preferably two axes orthogonal to each other, which are preferably normal to the table axis, more specifically a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.

[0019] It is advantageous if at least one, preferably each, of the tiles can be moved translationally perpendicular to a striking surface of the tile to deliver a strike. For example, the tile can then be first brought into the correct position by a pivoting mechanism and subsequently moved translationally, particularly with a sudden movement, to deliver a strike to the ball in the appropriate direction. It is understood that, as a rule, the orientation and intensity of the strike are calculated based on the calculated point of impact on the respective tile in order to achieve a desired trajectory of the ball, after which a corresponding strike is delivered. For this purpose, a data processing unit or a control unit is typically provided, which is connected to both the sensor unit and the actuator unit.

[0020] Additionally, the system can be designed to use a sensor unit or a separate sensor device, such as a camera, to detect whether the calculated trajectory is actually achieved by the applied impact, in order to automatically adjust the impact calculation if necessary. Deviations can arise, in particular, from wear and tear on the tiles or degradation of the actuators that move the tiles, and these can be automatically detected by recording the trajectory caused by the device.

[0021] The movement of individual tiles can, in principle, be achieved in any manner known from the prior art, for example pneumatically, hydraulically, or electromechanically. Combinations are also possible, so that actuators for moving the tiles can be pneumatically, hydraulically, and / or electromechanically operated. Bimetallic actuators, piezoelectric actuators, and the like are also possible.

[0022] To enable even good or very good players to execute particularly demanding shots on the table tennis ball, high tile speeds can be advantageous. To achieve these high speeds with comparatively low power, longer acceleration paths are beneficial. It is therefore preferably provided that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles is movable translationally perpendicular to the striking surface by at least 1 cm, preferably 5 cm to 40 cm, and in particular 8 cm to 15 cm.

[0023] The striking surface is the area of ​​the tile where the tile contacts the ball, usually the front side of the tile facing the player. The striking surface is preferably flat, particularly rectangular, although other shapes are possible, such as a curved striking surface. In the case of a curved striking surface, "normal to the striking surface" refers to a direction perpendicular to a tangent plane of the striking surface at the point of impact where the ball touches the striking surface.

[0024] The individual tiles can be moved in a variety of ways. A particularly robust and easy-to-implement design is achieved when at least one, preferably each, tile is connected to the support frame via at least two actuators, especially servomotors, allowing the tile to pivot about two axes. For example, the tile can be connected to the support frame via a ball or universal joint, with the servomotors or linkages connected to the servomotors acting at different points on the tile, resulting in different pivot axes. Typically, the actuators actuate the tile at points that result in pivot axes arranged approximately perpendicular to each other.

[0025] Furthermore, it can be provided that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles is connected to the support frame via a carrier plate, wherein the carrier plate is movably connected to the support frame, in particular pivotable by actuators such as servo motors. For example, the tile can then be easily detached from the support frame and replaced if necessary, without having to replace parts of the support frame, which are generally adapted in design for connection to the servo motors.

[0026] The support plate can then be connected to the support frame in a pivotable manner, for example via a cardan or ball joint.

[0027] In a suitable arrangement where the support plate is pivotable about a ball or universal joint and rotation is effected by one or two actuators, the tile can be oriented by rotating it around the ball joint. To enable a strike to be applied to the ball with this design, regardless of the point of impact, it is preferably provided that at least one tile is connected to the support plate in a translationally movable manner, particularly in a direction normal to a striking surface of the tile. The tile can then be aligned via the support plate according to the expected point of impact and the direction in which the ball strikes the tile. Subsequently, a corresponding strike can be applied via the translational movement of the tile relative to the support plate, typically normal to the striking surface of the tile.

[0028] The translational movement between the tile and the support plate can, in principle, be achieved using any device, including a tensioned spring. However, it is preferred that an actuator, particularly an electromagnet, be used to apply the translational relative movement between the support plate and the tile. This allows for the simple achievement of high relative speeds and high impact frequencies.

[0029] To apply a targeted and reliable movement to the tile, it is advantageous to provide one or more guides that ensure translational movement of the tile relative to the support plate while simultaneously rigidly connecting the tile to the support plate in a rotational manner. The guides can be formed, for example, by cylinders guided within hollow cylinders or similar elements. Preferably, the guides for translational movement are designed perpendicular to the striking surface.

[0030] It can also be provided that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles is connected to the support frame by at least three actuators, in particular servomotors, such that the tile can be moved rotationally and translationally by the actuators. With such a design, a pivoting support plate relative to which a translational movement occurs can be omitted, since translational and rotational movements can then be effected by the actuators.

[0031] The tile can be pivoted about two pivot axes normal to the table axis and translationally moved normal to the striking surface by means of appropriately arranged actuators, in particular servomotors.

[0032] However, it is also possible, in principle, to provide that the tile can be pivoted by the actuators about three mutually orthogonal spatial axes and translationally moved in three mutually orthogonal spatial axes, so that the tile can perform any movement in space by the actuators.

[0033] It is advantageous if the actuators are connected to the support frame and / or the tile in a rotationally movable manner and rigidly in a translational manner. For example, the actuators can be connected to the support frame and / or the tile via ball joints. The actuators can be designed, for example, as linear motors or servo motors.

[0034] To prevent a ball from hitting the edge of a tile, it is particularly advantageous if at least one, preferably every, tile is movable in a plane parallel to a striking surface of the tile. If the trajectory detected by the sensor unit indicates that the ball would hit the edge of a tile, the tile can thus be moved in time before contact, preventing the ball from striking the edge.

[0035] It is advantageous to have a control system that allows for the movement of one or more additional tiles, particularly adjacent ones, in addition to the tile the ball hits. This is especially important to prevent the ball from striking the edge of a tile and causing a collision between two tiles. For example, if the ball is projected to hit a tile, it may be necessary to move that tile into the ball's trajectory to avoid edge contact. Therefore, to create a system with small gaps between the tiles, it is beneficial to automatically shift adjacent tiles so that the tile on which the ball is projected does not contact or collide with the surrounding tiles.

[0036] To achieve high accelerations while maintaining manageable power consumption from the individual actuators, it is advantageous if at least one, preferably every, of the tiles is made of a lightweight material, particularly balsa wood, carbon fiber, aluminum, wood, a material used in table tennis tables, or plastic. High tile accelerations are especially beneficial because the point of impact or the ball's trajectory can be detected more accurately the later the ball is detected by the sensor unit. However, a later detection of the ball naturally results in a shorter time available to align the tile and deliver the appropriate strike. High accelerations are therefore necessary to achieve a sufficiently high tile speed within a correspondingly short time.The force required to accelerate the tile increases with its mass. Therefore, a lower tile mass allows for the use of less powerful actuators, which can thus be simpler and more cost-effective. The sensor unit and actuator unit are typically rigidly connected, for example, via the support frame. Table tennis tabletops are often made of particleboard, fiberboard (MDF), and / or aluminum sheets, possibly coated with a layer of laminate or resin, particularly melamine resin. Similarly, the tiles can also be made of one or more of these materials, possibly in a sandwich construction, such as an aluminum composite panel (Dibond), to achieve particularly good rebound characteristics with low tile weight.

[0037] It is usually provided that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles has a weight of less than 500 g, preferably less than 200 g, particularly preferably less than 100 g, in particular less than 50 g, preferably less than 30 g.

[0038] Although the tiles can in principle have any shape, in order to achieve the smallest possible gaps, it is preferably provided that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles is approximately rectangular in a front view, i.e. parallel to the table axis, with an edge length of 5 cm to 80 cm, in particular 15 cm to 35 cm.

[0039] To ensure a precise strike, it is advantageous if the striking surfaces of the tiles are smooth, especially with a roughness depth R. a from less than 10 pm.

[0040] Preferably, the striking surfaces of the tiles have surfaces made of wood, plastic, a fiber composite material, and / or rubber. Using a striking surface made of rubber or a similar material with a high coefficient of friction also makes it possible to impart rotation to the ball upon impact.

[0041] The sensor unit can be designed in a variety of ways, for example, with a high-speed camera, a laser, a radar sensor, or an ultrasonic sensor. Preferably, the sensor unit incorporates one or more light curtains, particularly a laser light curtain. This enables highly accurate measurement of the ball's position and speed on the one hand, and cost-effective manufacturing on the other. Especially when multiple light curtains are used, arranged offset along the table axis, the ball's spin can also be detected in addition to its speed, allowing for particularly precise determination of the point of impact.

[0042] If two or more light curtains are arranged offset from each other along the table axis, the distance between them can be between 5 cm and 100 cm. For example, a first light curtain, positioned further away from the actuator unit and perhaps near the net, can be used to calculate an initial estimate of the impact point, roughly positioning the respective tile. Then, using a second or final light curtain positioned closer to the actuator unit, the impact point can be determined with high accuracy. This means that in the relatively short time it takes for the ball to travel from the second or final light curtain to the actuator unit, only fine-tuning of the already pre-positioned tile is necessary.

[0043] To accurately predict the ball's point of impact on the tiles, a small distance between the position where the ball and its speed are detected and the tiles is advantageous. Therefore, it is preferably provided that the sensor unit is located less than 1 m from the tiles, particularly less than 50 cm, and preferably less than 30 cm. For continuous training, it is beneficial to provide a ball-throwing device, which is configured to throw in a new ball depending on the course of the game, especially if a player misses a ball returned by the device.A player missing a ball struck by the device can be detected by a separate sensor or the sensor unit itself. This can be done, for example, by determining whether the player returns the ball within a certain timeframe after striking one of the tiles. Furthermore, it's possible that the player returns the ball but to a position outside the tiles, preventing the actuator unit from returning it. In this case, the system can also be designed to automatically throw in a new ball.

[0044] The device can also include a relative distance actuator to automatically adjust the distance between the device and the table tennis table. This allows the device to be moved closer to the table, for example, when a ball is hit very softly, to prevent the ball from bouncing twice. Conversely, the relative distance actuator can be used to actively move the device away from the table, for example, to catch balls landing close to the edge of the table with the tiles. The relative distance actuator is typically connected to a controller, allowing the distance between the device and the table to be adjusted depending on the course of the game, particularly based on data measured by the sensor unit regarding the position and speed of the ball hit by the player.

[0045] The relative distance actuator can be formed, for example, by one or more motors, in particular linear or servo motors, which are designed and arranged to change a relative distance between the table tennis table and the device, for example, by connecting the table tennis table and the device or the support frame. Furthermore, the relative distance actuator can also be formed by a drive in the rollers of the support frame, so that the device is moved towards or away from the table tennis table by means of the rollers in order to change a distance as desired. To achieve a particularly good training effect, a lighting device can be provided to visually mark a target position on the table tennis table for the player, wherein the lighting device is in particular designed as a laser and / or projector.In this way, for example, an area on the table tennis table can be visually marked, for instance with a dot, a circle, a rectangle, or something similar, indicating the area the player should hit the ball into. This allows for learning a specific playing strategy or for addressing weaknesses, such as in the forehand or backhand. The lighting system can be mounted separately from the support frame or integrated with it. For example, the lighting system could consist of a projector or laser mounted on the support frame, allowing for the targeted illumination or marking of areas of any size and shape on the table tennis surface. Of course, the lighting system can also be provided by light elements integrated into the table itself.

[0046] It is advantageous to have a data processing unit connected to the sensor unit and the actuator unit, with the data processing unit including a modem for establishing a data connection to a mobile phone and / or a server. This allows data collected and potentially stored by the device regarding a player, particularly data concerning the player's skill level, progress, and / or training time completed, to be transmitted to an external device, especially a mobile phone or a central server, which may be connected to the device via the internet, for example. Players can then be assigned a unique ID, which is stored on the server or...It is stored in the cloud, allowing a player, for example, to log in to any device with their mobile phone to build upon training progress achieved on another device. The device can then adopt an assessment created on another device and train the player immediately based on that previously created assessment.

[0047] Furthermore, the data processing device, connected to a mobile phone or server via a modem, enables the collection and output of statistics based on data acquired by the device, such as data on training progress, skill level, and the like. It can also be designed to automatically generate a ranking of all players, which is publicly accessible or at least viewable by the individual player in relation to their own position on the ranking, allowing players to easily compare their achieved ranking. The ranking can correspond to a player's overall skill level or to specific characteristics. For example, rankings can be created separately for maximum ball speed, accuracy in hitting positions on the table, backhand and forehand dexterity, and so on.

[0048] A corresponding device can also be used in a set with a second such device. Preferably, the data processing units of the devices are connected via a data link, and the devices are configured so that the trajectory of a ball hit by a first player, detected by the sensor unit of the first device, can be at least approximately reproduced by the actuator unit of the second device, thus enabling geographically separated players to play together. Information about the balls hit by the individual players is exchanged via the data link and reproduced by the respective other device, allowing players hundreds or thousands of kilometers apart to play together.This can be used, in particular, to allow a player to play and train with a coach who is located elsewhere. The devices can be directly connected via the data connection. Alternatively, a server can be used to establish the connection.

[0049] The illumination of individual areas for training purposes is preferably carried out in conjunction with a camera that captures the player's position, so that the ball's trajectory can be calculated based on the position of the area and the player's position. Preferably, in a set consisting of a table tennis table and a device for table tennis training, the device is designed according to the invention.

[0050] The device may be designed to be automatically movable relative to the table. In particular, the table tennis table may be connected to the device by a relative distance actuator, allowing the distance between the table tennis table and the device to be automatically changed.

[0051] The further problem is solved according to the invention by a method of the type mentioned at the outset, wherein a strike is applied to the ball by one of several controllable tiles of the device. In this way, strikes can be applied at high speed over a simultaneously large area covered by the actuator unit. Preferably, the device for carrying out this method is designed according to the invention.

[0052] It is advantageous to detect whether a player returns a ball played by the device to the actuator unit, particularly by means of a timer triggered by a strike from the device or the sensor unit. If the player does not return the ball played by the device, a new ball is thrown in by a ball launcher. This ensures a continuous flow of play even if a player misses a ball.

[0053] To adapt training to a player's progress, it is preferably provided that players are automatically assessed by the device, particularly based on data acquired by the sensor unit regarding the ball's speed and / or trajectory, whereby the speed and trajectory of the ball played by the device depend on the player's assessment. Thus, as the player's training progresses, the device can continuously or incrementally increase the level of difficulty to achieve further training success. A higher level of difficulty can be achieved, for example, by using a higher impulse with which the shots are struck, imparting spin, and / or playing balls to positions further away from the player. A camera can also be provided to determine the player's position.In particular, the device can also be designed to automatically evaluate different characteristics of the player separately, and the training adjusted accordingly. For example, a player's forehand and backhand can be evaluated separately, and training for each can be tailored accordingly, so that, for instance, more difficult shots are played to one side and easier shots to the other, in order to train both the player's stronger and weaker sides equally.

[0054] The device can be designed to illuminate specific areas of the table tennis table, indicating where the player should aim to hit the ball. This can achieve a particularly effective training effect.

[0055] Further features, advantages, and effects of the invention will become apparent from the exemplary embodiments described below. The drawings referenced therein show:

[0056] Figs. 1 to 4 show various devices according to the invention;

[0057] Fig. 5 shows a detail of a device according to the invention;

[0058] Fig. 6 shows a detail of an alternative device according to the invention.

[0059] Fig. 1 shows a device 1 according to the invention on a table tennis table 2 with a table axis 10 and a net 11. As can be seen, the device 1 has a support frame 5 on which 10 tiles 6 with striking surfaces 9 arranged on their front are distributed vertically and horizontally. Furthermore, this device 1 includes a sensor unit 3 (not shown separately) for detecting a ball or its trajectory, i.e., the ball's position and velocity vector. The sensor unit 3 detects the ball and its velocity after the ball has touched the table tennis table, i.e., after a player using the device 1 for training has struck the ball. Subsequently, the point of impact of the ball on the respective tile 6 is calculated based on the determined trajectory, so that the tile 6 can be controlled accordingly to return the ball.As can be seen, the device 1 can be used with a conventional table tennis table 2, which means that any existing table tennis table 2 can be used for training without a training partner by means of a corresponding device 1.

[0060] Fig. 2 also shows a table tennis table 2 with a corresponding device 1 attached to it. As can be seen here as well, this device 1 also has a support frame 5 with tiles 6 arranged on it in three rows and six columns. The tiles 6 are arranged here approximately on a spherical surface and extend slightly beyond the table tennis table to the left and right. The width 8 of the catch area formed by the sum of the tiles 6 is thus approximately 170 cm and the height 7 of this catch area is approximately 100 cm. Approximately 30 cm in front of the tiles 6 is the sensor unit 3, formed by a laser light curtain, which is also arranged on the support frame 5 and thus rigidly connected to the actuator unit 4, so that a ball played by a player approximately in the direction of the device 1 is detected approximately 30 cm in front of the tiles 6. This allows the point of impact to be determined with particular accuracy.

[0061] Fig. 3 shows another device 1 according to the invention. Here, too, a table tennis table 2 is shown with a device 1 arranged on it, which in turn has a support frame 5, tiles 6 movably arranged on it, and a sensor unit 3. In contrast to the device 1 shown in Fig. 2, the tiles 6 are here partially offset on two approximately concentric, spherical surfaces in order to easily avoid unwanted collisions between the tiles 6.

[0062] Fig. 4 shows a top view of the corresponding device 1, where it is particularly evident that the individual tiles 6 are arranged in different planes. This is especially advantageous because the tiles 6 can also be displaced in a plane approximately perpendicular to the direction of impact 15 or table axis 10 in order to prevent a ball from striking an edge of a tile 6.

[0063] Fig. 5 shows a detailed mechanism for moving a tile 6, wherein the tile 6 is connected to the support frame 5 via a carrier plate 12 and is actuated via the carrier plate 12. It is evident that the carrier plate 12 is connected to the support frame 5 (not shown) via a ball joint and a connecting rod 19. The carrier plate 12 can be pivoted about two pivot axes via two actuators, which here are servomotors 14. The servomotors 14, which are also rigidly connected to the support frame 5, are connected to different points on the carrier plate 12 via linkages 13. The linkages 13 are rotatably connected to the carrier plate 12, for example via ball joints. The tile 6 is connected to the carrier plate 12 via three guides 17, which allow only translational movement of the tile 6 relative to the carrier plate 12.Furthermore, an electromagnet 16 is provided, which is connected on one side to the support plate 12 and on the other side to the tile 6 via a bracket 18, so that the tile 6 can be moved translationally by the electromagnet 16 along the striking direction 15 defined by the guides 17 relative to the support plate 12. The striking direction 15 is usually perpendicular to a striking surface 9 of the tile 6. This allows the tile 6 to be pivoted freely over the support plate 12 and a strike perpendicular to the surface of the tile 6 facing the player, or the striking surface 9, to be applied with the electromagnet 16.

[0064] Fig. 6 shows another mechanism for actuating a tile 6. Here, three actuators, also formed by servomotors 14, are provided, which can be rigidly connected to the support frame 5 (not shown). Because of these three actuators, the tile 6 can be pivoted and moved translationally in space as desired, thus eliminating the need for a separate support plate 12. The servomotors 14 are therefore connected directly to the tile 6 via linkages 13 without an intermediate support plate 12, and are rotatable, for example, via ball joints.

[0065] It goes without saying that more than three actuators can be provided, for example four or eight, to allow even better movement of tile 6 in the room.

[0066] The tiles 6 are typically made of a lightweight material such as balsa wood and have dimensions of, for example, 10 cm to 30 cm. This results in a low weight of, for example, 20 g, which allows high accelerations to be achieved even with simple actuators such as the servomotors 14 shown.

[0067] In a table tennis training method, a ball is played by a player from the narrow side of the table opposite the device 1, over the net 11, hits the table tennis table, and is typically detected by the sensor device after impact. This allows the device 1 to calculate the trajectory and thus the expected point of impact of the ball on one of the tiles 6 of the receiving surface. Subsequently, a stroke is calculated that the device 1 should deliver to the ball, depending in particular on the player's skill level. The tile 6 on which the point of impact lies is then aligned accordingly, and a corresponding stroke is delivered upon impact of the ball.

[0068] The ball struck by device 1 can then be detected by the sensor device. It can be configured to detect whether the player returns the ball within a predefined time, for example, within three seconds. If the ball is not returned within the specified time, it can be automatically concluded that the ball was missed, whereupon a new ball can be thrown in via a ball-throwing device (not shown) to maintain the flow of the game.

[0069] Furthermore, the device 1 can be configured to automatically evaluate the player, for example, based on the number of balls that can be returned at a predetermined difficulty level, in order to adapt the difficulty of the device 1 to the player's skill level and achieve a continuous training effect. For this purpose, the player can also be tracked by a camera (not shown) or similar device, so that, if necessary, at a higher difficulty level, the ball can be played to a position far away from the player. Alternatively, for beginners, the ball can of course be played directly to the player, making it easy to return the ball.

[0070] With a device 1 according to the invention, demanding table tennis training is easily possible even without a training partner.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Device (1) for table tennis training for use with a table tennis table (2), comprising a sensor unit (3) with which a trajectory of a ball can be detected, and an actuator unit (4) with which a strike can be applied to a ball detected by the sensor unit (3), characterized in that the actuator unit (4) has a support frame (5) with several individually controlled tiles (6), wherein the device (1) is configured to determine, on the basis of the detected trajectory, the tile (6) on which the ball will hit, and to control this tile (6) to apply a strike to the ball.

2. Device (1) according to claim 1 , characterized in that several, preferably all, tiles (6) are arranged vertically and horizontally distributed, in particular in the form of a regular grid.

3. Device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles (6) is pivotable about two axes, in particular about two axes normal to a table axis (10).

4. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one tile (6) is pivotable by 1 degree to 60 degrees, in particular 5 degrees to 30 degrees.

5. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles (6) is translationally movable normal to a striking surface (9) of the tile (6) for the application of a blow.

6. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles (6) is movable translationally normal to the striking surface (9) by at least 1 cm, preferably 5 cm to 40 cm, in particular 8 cm to 15 cm.

7. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles (6) is operated by at least two actuators, in particular servomotors (14), is connected to the support frame (5), wherein the tile (6) can be pivoted about two axes by the actuators.

8. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles (6) is connected to the support frame (5) via a support plate (12), wherein the support plate (12) is movably connected to the support frame (5), in particular pivotable by actuators such as servomotors (14).

9. Device (1) according to claim 8, characterized in that the at least one tile (6) is connected to the support plate (12) in a translationally movable manner, in particular in a direction normal to a striking surface (9) of the tile (6).

10. Device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that an actuator, in particular an electromagnet (16), is provided for applying a translational relative movement between carrier plate (12) and tile (6).

11. Device (1) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that one or more guides (17) are provided which ensure translational movement of the tile (6) relative to the support plate (12) and simultaneously rigidly connect the tile (6) to the support plate (12) rotationally.

12. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles (6) is connected to the support frame (5) by at least three actuators, in particular servomotors (14), such that the tile (6) can be moved rotationally and translationally by the actuators.

13. Device (1) according to claim 12, characterized in that the actuators are rotatably movable and translationally rigidly connected to the support frame (5) and / or to the tile (6).

14. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles (6) is movable translationally in a plane parallel to a striking surface (9) of the tile (6).

15. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that a control is provided by which, in addition to the tile (6) on which the ball hits, one or more further, in particular adjacent, tiles (6) can also be moved, in particular to prevent the ball from hitting an edge of a tile (6) and from a collision of two tiles (6).

16. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles (6) is made of a lightweight material, in particular balsa wood, carbon fiber, a material of table tennis table tops or plastic.

17. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles (6) has a weight of less than 500 g, preferably less than 200 g, in particular less than 50 g, preferably less than 30 g.

18. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that at least one, preferably each, of the tiles (6) is approximately rectangular in a front view, wherein an edge length is 5 cm to 80 cm, in particular 15 cm to 35 cm.

19. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the striking surfaces (9) of the tiles (6) are smooth, in particular with a roughness depth R a from less than 10 pm.

20. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that striking surfaces (9) of the tiles (6) have surfaces which consist of wood, plastic, a fiber composite material and / or rubber.

21. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 20, characterized in that the sensor unit (3) has one or more light curtains, in particular a laser light curtain.

22. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 21 , characterized in that the sensor unit (3) has a distance to the tiles (6) of less than 1 m, in particular less than 50 cm, preferably less than 30 cm.

23. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that a ball throwing device is provided, wherein the device (1) is configured to throw in a new ball depending on the course of the game, in particular when a player misses a ball returned by the device (1).

24. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 23 characterized in that a relative distance actuator is provided in order to be able to automatically change a distance between the device (1) and the table tennis table (2).

25. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 24, characterized in that a lighting device is provided to be able to visually mark a target position on the table tennis table (2) for the player, wherein the lighting device is in particular designed as a laser and / or projector.

26. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 25, characterized in that a data processing device is provided which is connected to the sensor unit (3) and the actuator unit (4), wherein the data processing device has a modem for establishing a data connection with a mobile phone and / or a server.

27. Set comprising a first device (1) and a second device (1), wherein the devices (1) are configured according to claim 26, wherein the data processing units of the devices (1) are connected via a data connection, wherein the devices (1) are configured to allow a trajectory of a ball struck by a first player, detected by the sensor unit (3) of the first device (1), to be reproduced at least approximately by the actuator unit (4) of the second device (1), so that players who are geographically separated can play together.

28. Set consisting of a table tennis table (2) and a device (1) for table tennis training characterized in that the device is designed according to one of claims 1 to 26.

29. Method for table tennis training with a device (1) arranged on a table tennis table (2), with a sensor unit (3) and an actuator unit (4), wherein a player plays a ball over the table tennis table (2) to the device (1), after which the ball is detected by the device (1) and played back, characterized in that a strike is applied to the ball with one of several controllable tiles (6) of the device (1), wherein the device (1) is designed in particular according to one of claims 1 to 26.

30. Method according to claim 29, characterized in that it is detected whether a player returns a ball played by the device (1) to the actuator unit (4), in particular by means of a timer which is triggered by a hit made by the device (1) or the sensor unit (3), wherein in the event that the player does not return the ball played by the device (1), a new ball is thrown in by a ball throwing device.

31. Method according to claim 29 or 30, characterized in that players are automatically evaluated by the device (1), in particular on the basis of data acquired by the sensor unit (3) with regard to speed and / or trajectory of the ball, wherein speed and trajectory of the ball played by the device (1) depend on the evaluation of the player.

32. Method according to one of claims 29 to 31, characterized in that the device (1) with a lighting device selectively illuminates areas on the table tennis table into which areas the player is to hit the ball.

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