Automatic ball delivery and swing conditioning device

Abstract

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.

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.   
     
     
         2 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the ball launching assembly is configured to launch any of:
 tennis balls;   baseballs; and   softballs.   
     
     
         3 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , the sequencing mechanism further comprising:
 a feed channel configured to accept said balls from the return ramp and deliver said balls to the ball launching assembly; and   an alternating gate mechanism, including at least two gates, the gates operable in the feed channel and configured to open at opposing-alternate times to enable balls to progress through the feed channel one at a time.   
     
     
         4 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , the ball launching assembly further comprising:
 a pneumatic hammer configured to strike vertically and impart vertical force to the balls.   
     
     
         5 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , the ball launching assembly further comprising:
 a motorized hammer configured to strike vertically and impart vertical force to the balls.   
     
     
         6 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , the ball launching assembly further comprising:
 one or more gas jets configured to expel high pressure gas in a substantially vertical direction and impart vertical force to the ball.   
     
     
         7 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , the ball launching assembly further comprising:
 an adjustment mechanism for increasing or decreasing the vertical force provided to the ball, thereby adjusting an apex height the ball reaches after launched.   
     
     
         8 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the backstop of the catching assembly has a substantially hyperbolic paraboloid shape. 
     
     
         9 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the backstop of the catching assembly is inflatable and the catching assembly further comprising:
 an air pump coupled with at least the inflatable backstop and configured to inflate the inflatable backstop.   
     
     
         10 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the return ramp is an inflatable ramp coupled to the air pump and configured to share enclosed air held by the inflatable backstop. 
     
     
         11 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the backstop of the catching assembly further comprising:
 a contact sensitive surface configured to display an image, the contact sensitive surface configured to detect both location and velocity of impacts of said balls against the contact sensitive surface.   
     
     
         12 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , the ball launching apparatus further comprising:
 a noisemaker configured to emit a delivery noise a predetermined period of time before providing the predetermined, vertical force to the ball.   
     
     
         13 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the inflatable backstop is comprised of any of:
 polyvinyl;   urethane;   vinyl;   nylon;   hypalon; or   nitrylon.   
     
     
         14 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the catching assembly and return ramp are configured for assembly and disassembly without tools. 
     
     
         15 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a storage compartment configured to store the catching assembly and return ramp when disassembled.   
     
     
         16 . The vertical ball serving and return apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured for use in a rectangular area, the rectangular area having a major length dimension of no greater than ten feet. 
     
     
         17 . A method for vertically serving balls to a user, comprising:
 launching a ball vertically upward from a launcher wherein the ball reaches a predetermined apex height above the launcher;   halting the horizontal progress of the ball by a catching assembly;   
       the catching assembly and a return ramp directing the ball in a controlled manner to return to the ground based launcher; and
 sequencing the ball to feed to the ground based launcher without any simultaneous additional balls. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method for vertically serving balls to a user of  claim 17 , said launching further comprising:
 striking the ball with a hammer to impart vertical force to the ball.   
     
     
         19 . The method for vertically serving balls to a user of  claim 17 , said launching further comprising:
 pushing the ball upwards vertically with one or more jets of high pressure air.   
     
     
         20 . The method for vertically serving balls to a user of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 emitting a delivery noise a predetermined period of time before said launching.   
     
     
         21 . The method for vertically serving balls to a user of  claim 13 , wherein the steps of the method are repeated a plurality of times.