Ultrasonic Ball Detection for Hit Position and Pitching Speed

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional pitching practice devices cannot accurately sense ball pitching speed and require fixed lids on grids, causing inconvenience.

Innovation Solution

A ball detection device equipped with a support rack, target plate, sensing module, and control unit, utilizing ultrasonic sensors to sense ball hitting position and pitching speed, and a control unit to record and display these parameters accurately.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a fixed metal rack with lids is used to detect ball hitting position, then the ball hitting position can be sensed, but the ball pitching speed cannot be sensed and the lid requires fixed installation causing inconvenience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveball hitting position sensing accuracyVSAvoidball pitching speed sensing capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical lid-based detection system with an ultrasonic sensing system. The ultrasonic sensor emits sound waves that reflect off the ball and target plate, enabling detection of both ball hitting position and pitching speed through time-of-flight measurement. This substitution eliminates the need for fixed lids while adding speed sensing capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The ultrasonic sensing module serves multiple functions: it detects ball hitting position, measures ball pitching speed, and eliminates the need for fixed lids. This multi-functional approach resolves the contradiction by making a single sensing component responsible for both position accuracy and speed measurement capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Measurement precision

If a lid is fixed on each grid to enable ball hitting position detection, then the detection function is achieved, but user convenience is reduced due to fixed installation requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveball hitting position detectionVSAvoiduser convenience

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The fixed mechanical lid is replaced with a stationary ultrasonic sensor that emits sound waves. This eliminates the need for fixed lid installation on each grid while maintaining position detection capability through acoustic reflection principles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The detection function is extracted from the lid component and transferred to the ultrasonic sensor. This allows the sensor to be stationary and fixed only once, eliminating the need for multiple fixed lids and improving user convenience while maintaining detection precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Device complexity

If traditional sensing modules are used with fixed racks, then the structure is simple, but both ball hitting position and pitching speed cannot be accurately sensed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidball pitching speed sensing accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces simple mechanical sensing with ultrasonic acoustic sensing. This substitution enables accurate measurement of both ball hitting position and pitching speed by measuring the time-of-flight of sound waves, while maintaining relatively simple device structure through the use of a single stationary sensor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Accurately senses and records ball hitting position and pitching speed, enhancing practice effectiveness by eliminating the need for fixed lids and improving user convenience.

Implementation Method 1

The sensing module includes multiple ultrasonic sensors corresponding to the nine marking zones of the target plate, and a respective one ultrasonic sensor is received in the fixing portion and corresponds to the passing orifice of the respective one marking zone, such that when the respective one ultrasonic sensor emits ultrasounds to the respective one marking zone, the ultrasounds emit out of the target plate via the passing orifice

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectUltrasound: Ultrasound

Implementation Method 2

The circuit board further includes a temperature sensor configured to sense a temperature so as to compensate a response time of the ultrasounds

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTemperature sensing:

Data Source

PatentUS12447387B2Ball detection device

Publication Date: 2025.10.21 SHIE CHENG YI

AI summary

A ball detection device contains a support rack, a target plate, a sensing module, and a control unit. The support rack includes a fixing portion. The target plate includes nine marking zones, and a respective one marking zone has a passing orifice. The sensing module includes multiple ultrasonic sensors corresponding to the nine marking zones of the target plate, and a respective one ultrasonic sensor is received in the fixing portion and corresponds to the passing orifice, such that when the respective one ultrasonic sensor emits ultrasounds to the respective one marking zone, the ultrasounds emit out of the target plate via the passing orifice, thus sensing a ball hitting position and a ball pitching speed by using the respective one ultrasonic sensor. The control unit is electrically connected with the sensing module and is configured to record and display the ball hitting position and the ball pitching speed.