FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to sports apparatuses, and more particularly to ball pitching devices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Tennis is a popular sport, played by professionals and amateurs. The game is usually played by at least two players, but for practicing purposes, a player may play alone by throwing a ball against a wall, or by using a pitching machine which serves the ball to the player.

When playing a tennis game, much of the time and energy are spent on chasing balls and picking them up for re-use.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

A method and apparatus for pitching tennis balls towards the players in certain embodiments saves a lot of time and energy for the players, and thereby makes the game more enjoyable.

Accordingly, certain embodiments overcome the limitations of prior art ball pitching machines, and provide an apparatus or system having a pitching machine for a match of two players, in which at the mere press of a button either player gets a ball thrown right to his or her hand or racquet.

Certain embodiments are designed for a tennis match between at least two players, although also a single player may benefit from it.

In accordance with certain embodiments, the apparatus or system is designed to reduce the time wasted waiting for new balls during a typical tennis match between two players, by providing a system of pitching balls. In some cases, the system also includes an automated ball collector that collects the tennis balls that have fallen on the tennis court, and that have been kicked or gathered to points adjacent the bottom of the net, into a pitching machine.

In accordance with one embodiment, the pitching machine pitches a ball in the direction of a player, and in some embodiments directly to that player's hand or racquet, by receiving a wireless signal from a remote control placed on the player and determining a position of the player wherever the player is located on or even off the court or field.

In certain embodiments, the pitching machine uses a ball shooting machine that can be aimed upwards and downwards, and the pitching machine can rotate sideways, so that a ball may be aimed and pitched anywhere. The apparatus or system is able to carry out the function of the ball boy utilized in professional tennis matches and even do so in a more efficient and faster manner.

In one aspect, there is provided a system for delivering balls to each of two players playing on opposite sides of a field, said system comprising a remote control unit worn or placed on each of the two players, each remote control unit configured, upon activation of a particular player, to transmit a wireless signal that identifies a location of the particular player; a ball pitching machine situated off the field, comprising: a housing, including at least one wheel, configured to receive and hold the balls, a ball shooting mechanism that receives the balls and shoots one of the balls at a time; and a controller comprising a position-locator, the controller configured to receive and process the signal, direct positioning of the ball shooting mechanism so as to face the player that sent the signal and shoot one of the balls in a direction of the player's position, in accordance with the signal received from the remote control unit.

In some embodiments, the ball pitching machine is situated adjacent a one end of a net that divides the field.

In some embodiments, the positioning of the ball pitching mechanism in accordance with a direction of the controller is accomplished by the controller directing rotation of a plate at a bottom of the ball pitching machine.

In some embodiments, the position locator is configured to determine a position of an outstretched hand of the player who activated the remote control such that the player who activated can conveniently catch a ball shot by the ball pitching machine.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to instruct the ball shooting mechanism to shoot the ball at a distance and an angle so as to be conveniently catchable by an outstretched (i) hand or (ii) racquet of the player.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to direct the ball shooting mechanism to shoot the one of the balls in the direction of the player's position within one second.

In some embodiments, the ball pitching mechanism is configured to pitch balls to either player on any part of the field.

In some embodiments, the ball pitching mechanism is configured to pitch balls to either player on any part of the field other than within a predefined distance from a net that divides the field.

In some embodiments, the ball shooting mechanism includes two rotatable wheels situated such that balls coming from the ball feeder are urged to contact each of the two rotatable wheels so as to be thrust between the two rotatable wheels and shot out of the ball pitching machine.

In some embodiments, the ball shooting mechanism includes two rotatable wheels attached to a fixture rotatable to change an angle at which the ball shooting mechanism ejects balls.

In some embodiments, the ball shooting mechanism is configured to receive the balls from a ball feeder.

In some embodiments, the system further comprises an apparatus for collecting the balls, the apparatus comprising a ball-adhering ribbon surrounding a perimeter of a bottom of a net on the field; a scooper attached to the ball-adhering ribbon and configured to advance relative to the ribbon and thereby collect balls that have adhered to said ribbon and urged the collected balls into the ball pitching machine for re-use, so that the players do not need to chase after the balls used during the game, thereby enhancing the game experience. In some embodiments, the scooper is configured to direct collected balls to a bottom of the ball pitching machine and wherein the ball feeder is configured to receive balls from the bottom of the ball pitching machine. In some embodiments, the ball pitching machine is situated adjacent one end of the track.

In another aspect, there is provided a system for delivering balls to each of two players playing on opposite sides of a field, said system comprising a remote control configured to be placed on each of the two players and configured to send a wireless signal that identifies a location of a particular player of the two players that sent the signal; a ball pitching machine comprising: a housing configured to receive and hold the balls, a ball feeder, a ball shooting mechanism that receives the balls, one at a time, from the ball feeder and is configured to shoot one of the balls at a time; and a rotatable barrel in communication with the housing and oriented at an angle to the housing, the barrel having an ejection component that cooperates with the shooting mechanism; a controller comprising a position-locator, the controller configured to receive and process the signal, direct rotation of said rotatable barrel such that the ejection component faces the player that sent the signal and shoot one of the balls in a direction of the player's position, in accordance with the signal received from said remote control unit.

In some embodiments, the ball shooting mechanism is inside the rotatable barrel.

In some embodiments, the ball shooting mechanism includes two rotatable wheels situated such that balls coming from the ball feeder are urged to simultaneously contact each of the two rotatable wheels and be thrust between the two rotatable wheels.

In some embodiments, the controller is configured to instruct the ball shooting mechanism to shoot the ball at a distance configured to be catchable by an outstretched hand of the player.

In some embodiments, the ejection component juts out of the housing and wherein a remainder of the barrel is within the housing.

In some embodiments, the rotatable barrel is oriented at an angle to a side of the housing.

In some embodiments, the ball feeder is configured to receive balls that were collected on the field and urged into the ball pitching machine. In some embodiments, the system further comprises an apparatus for collecting the balls, the apparatus comprising: a ball-adhering ribbon surrounding a perimeter of a bottom of a net on the field; a scooper attached to the ball-adhering ribbon and configured to advance relative to the ribbon and thereby collect balls that have adhered to said ribbon and urged the collected balls into the ball pitching machine for re-use, so that the players do not need to chase after the balls used during the game, thereby enhancing the game experience. In some embodiments, the scooper is configured to direct collected balls to a bottom of the ball pitching machine and wherein the ball feeder is configured to receive balls from the bottom of the ball pitching machine. In some embodiments, the ball pitching machine is situated adjacent one end of the track.

These and other features, aspects and advantages will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, descriptions and claims.

