AUTOMATIC BALL DELIVERY AND SWING CONDITIONING DEVICE

摘要

An automatic launching assembly that delivers balls vertically from the ground upwards to a user. The user may take swings at the vertically-launched balls and deliver the balls into a catching assembly. The catching assembly intercepts the balls and directs the balls to a return ramp and a ball sequencer. The ball sequencing mechanism aligns the balls into a single-file line and returns each ball back to the launching mechanism.

主权项

1. A vertical ball serving and return apparatus using a limited physical footprint and for athletic training and practice in sports wherein a user strikes an airborne ball, the apparatus comprising:
a ball launching assembly that provides predetermined, vertical force at a regular time interval to a ball, whereby, in use, a ball imparted vertical force is launched into the air for striking by the user at a substantially horizontal flight arc away from the ball launching assembly; a sequencing mechanism positioned adjacent to said ball launching assembly for automatically feeding balls, one at a time, toward the ball launching assembly; a catching assembly, having a backstop that, in use, collects said balls having the substantially horizontal flight arc away from the ball launching assembly and the catching assembly positioned remote from the ball launching assembly; and a return ramp disposed between the catching assembly and the sequencing mechanism, the return ramp, in use receives said balls collected by the catching assembly and delivers said balls toward the sequencing mechanism, wherein the return ramp, in use, facilitates the balls over a distance between the catching assembly and the sequencing mechanism.