Abstract:
A ball machine has a link mechanism. One end of the link mechanism is connected with an elastic member, and another end of the link mechanism is connected with a power unit. The link mechanism is connected with a deformable carrier. Thereby, a ball is placed on the carrier. The power unit drives the link mechanism to operate. The carrier is deformed to a certain degree to release the link mechanism. The elastic unit brings the link mechanism to restore the carrier so as to toss the ball automatically.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a ball machine. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    A conventional ball machine has a main body. The main body has a guide pipe. Two ends of the guide pipe are to form an inlet and an outlet, respectively. Two rotating wheels are disposed at the outlet to turn in opposing directions. Thereby, a ball is placed into the guide pipe through the inlet. With the rotating wheels to compress the ball, the ball is automatically tossed toward the user. However, it is not easy to control the rotation speed of the rotating wheels, so the conventional ball machine cannot toss the ball to a desired place exactly. Each time the drop point of the ball is different, which is inappropriate for the user to practice and to adjust his/her hitting posture. Besides, the conventional ball machine must be located at a certain distance away from the user. This requires a larger space for the user to practice, and the user cannot control the time to serve a ball. It is hard to know the time to hit a ball. Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve this problem. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The present invention is to provide a ball machine. The ball machine comprises a base, a link mechanism, a carrier, an elastic unit, a power unit, a sensor unit, and a power source. The link mechanism is disposed on the base. The link mechanism is composed of a number of rods which are connected each other. The carrier is made of a deformable material. The carrier is mounted on the link mechanism and driven by the link mechanism. The elastic unit has two ends connected to the base and one end of the link mechanism, respectively. The power unit is connected to another end of the link mechanism opposite to the elastic unit to drive the link mechanism. The sensor unit is located close to the carrier and connected with the power unit. The power source is electrically connected to the power unit to drive the power unit. Thereby, a ball is placed on the carrier to trigger the sensor unit to drive the power unit to operate the link mechanism. The carrier is deformed to a certain degree to release the link mechanism. The elastic unit brings the link mechanism to restore the carrier so as to toss the ball automatically. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0007]      FIG. 2  is a side view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing a link mechanism according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view showing an output unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0010]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the operation of the output unit according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 6  is a partially enlarged sectional view according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a schematic view showing the operation of the present invention before the link mechanism is operated; and 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a schematic view showing the operation of the present invention when the link mechanism is operated. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0014]    Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0015]    As shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , a ball machine  100  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a base  10 , a link mechanism  20 , a carrier  30 , an elastic unit  40 , a power unit  50 , a sensor unit  60 , an output unit  70 , a ball container  80 , and a power source  90 . 
         [0016]    The base  10  has a bottom board  11 . The bottom board  11  has a front end  111  and a rear end  112 . Two parallel standing boards  12  are provided at the front end  111 . A frame  13  is provided at the rear end  112 . A limit cover  14  is provided on top of the standing boards  12 . A bearing platform  15  is provided on the frame  13 . The bearing platform  15  has an opening  151 . 
         [0017]    The link mechanism  20  is disposed on the base  10 . The link mechanism  20  is composed of a number of rods which are connected each other. Referring to  FIG. 3 , the link mechanism  20  comprises two parallel first rods  21 . The first rods  21  are located on top of the standing boards  12 , respectively. A first transverse rod  211  and a second transverse rod  212  are transversely connected between the first rods  21 . The first transverse rod  211  is located at first ends of the first rods  21  close to the front end  111  of the bottom board  11 . The second transverse rod  212  is located at second ends of the first rods  21 . Two ends of the first transverse rod  211  are connected with two first link rods  22 . The first link rods  22  are respectively located at two opposing outer sides of the standing boards  12 . A first shaft rod  221  is connected between the first link rods  22 . The first shaft rod  221  is inserted through the standing boards  12  and pivoted on the base  10 . The first link rods  22  are connected with first ends of two second rods  23  which are disposed between the first rods  21  and the first shaft rod  221 . The second rods  23  extend toward the rear end  112  of the bottom board  11 . A stop rod  231  is connected between second ends of the second rods  23 . The stop rod  231  is adapted to stop one end of each standing board  12 . The second rods  23  are connected with two second link rods  24  which are located close to the stop rod  231 . The second link rods  24  extend toward the first rods  21 . A third transverse rod  241  is connected between the second link rods  24 . The third transverse rod  241  has a height which approximates to that of the first transverse rod  211 . Besides, a second shaft rod  242  is provided between the second link rods  24 . The second shaft rod  242  is located between the second rods  23  and the third transverse rod  241  and inserted through the standing boards  12  to be pivoted on the base  10 . 
         [0018]    The carrier  30  is made of a deformable material. The carrier  30  is mounted on the link mechanism  20  and driven by the link mechanism  20 . In this embodiment, the carrier  30  is nonwoven fabric which has two ends connected to the first transverse rod  211  and the third transverse rod  241 , respectively. 
         [0019]    The elastic unit  40  has two ends connected to the base  10  and one end of the link mechanism  20 , respectively. In this embodiment, the elastic unit  40  comprises a fixed rod  41  disposed on the base  10 . The fixed rod  41  is provided with an adjustment bolt  42 . The adjustment bolt  42  has a distal end which is transversely connected with a connecting rod  43 . Two ends of the connecting rod  43  are connected with first ends of two springs  44 . Second ends of the springs  44  are connected to the first transverse rod  211  of the link mechanism  20 . 
         [0020]    The power unit  50  is connected to another end of the link mechanism  20  opposite to the elastic unit  40  to drive the link mechanism  20 . The power unit  50  comprises a motor  51 , a driving disc  52  and a connecting member  53 . The motor  51  is connected with an output shaft  511 . The output shaft  511  passes through the driving disc  52  and is transversally connected with a driving lever  512 . One side of the driving disc  52  is provided with a driving block  521  relative to the motor  51 . The driving block  521  is located within the range of rotation of the driving lever  512 . In this embodiment, the driving disc  52  has two driving blocks  521  which are located at two opposing sides of the driving lever  512 . The connecting member  53  is a chain which has one end connected to the driving block  521  and another end connected to the second transverse rod  212  of the link mechanism  20 . 
         [0021]    The sensor unit  60  is located close to the carrier  30  and connected with the power unit  50 . In this embodiment, the sensor unit  60  is a photoelectric interrupter located at two sides of the limit cover  14 . 
         [0022]    The output unit  70  is mounted on the base  10  and located between the limit cover  14  and the bearing platform  15 . Referring to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5 , the output unit  70  has a seat  71 . The seat  71  has a guide trough  72  which interconnects with the opening  151  of the bearing platform  15  and the limit cover  14 . A stop member  73  is provided in the guide trough  72 . In this embodiment, the stop member  73  is a ring which has a curved portion  731  facing one side of the bearing platform  15  and bent downward. Two ends of the stop member  73  are pivotally connected with two press levers  74 . On end of each of the press levers  72  is connected with one end of a spring  75 . Another end of the spring  75  is connected to the seat  71 . Another end of each of the press levers  74  is connected to a press board  76 . 
         [0023]    The ball container  80  is pivoted on the bearing platform  15  and connected with a motor  81  to be rotatable. Referring to  FIG. 6 , the ball container  80  has a top face  82  and a bottom face  83  opposite to the top face  82 . The ball container  80  comprises a plurality of pipes  84  therein. Each of the pipes  84  interconnects with the top face  82  and the bottom face  83  to form an inlet  841  on the top face  82  and an outlet  842  on the bottom face  83 . It is noted that the pipes  84  are arranged in a circular route which passes over the opening  151  of the bearing platform  15 , so that the outlet  842  of each pipe  84  can pass over the opening  151  when the ball container  80  is rotated. Furthermore, the bottom face  83  of the ball container  80  is provided with a plurality of rollers  85 . A stop plate  86  is provided close to the outlet  842  of each of the pipes  84  to lower the friction when the ball container  80  is rotated. 
         [0024]    The power source  90  is disposed on the base  10  and electrically connected to the power unit  50  to supply power to the power unit  50 . The power source  90  is a dray battery or a power supply unit as shown in this embodiment, so that the ball machine  100  can be used indoor or outdoor by the dry battery to supply the power source. 
         [0025]      FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8  show the operation of the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 2 , when the user uses the ball machine  100  to practice, a number of balls  200 , such as baseball balls, are placed in the ball container  80  through the inlets  841  of the pipes  84 . 
         [0026]    When the ball machine  100  is started, the ball container  80  will be driven by the motor  81  to turn. As shown in  FIG. 6 , when the outlet  842  is aligned with the opening  151  of the bearing platform  15 , the stop plate  86  will be opened for the ball  200  to fall to the guide trough  72  of the output unit  70  and be stopped by the stop member  73 . 
         [0027]    After that, the user presses the press board  76  of the output unit  70  to turn the stop member  73  due to the leverage principle and to release the ball  200 . The ball  200  will roll to the carrier  30  and be confined in the limit cover  14 . It is noted that the stop member  73  has the curved portion  731  facing the bearing platform  15 . When the stop member  73  is turned, the curved portion  731  will stop the next ball  200  from rolling to the carrier  30 . 
         [0028]    When the ball  200  rolls to the carrier  30 , the ball  200  will trigger the sensor unit  60 . The sensor unit  60  will send a signal to the power unit  50 , such that the power source  90  starts to turn the output shaft  511  of the power unit  50  and the driving lever  512  holds against the driving block  521  of the driving disc  52  to turn the driving disc  52  as well. The driving block  521  is further connected with one end of the connecting member  53  and the other end of the connecting member  53  is connected to the second transverse rod  212  of the link mechanism  20 , so that the connecting member  53  pulls the first rods  21  to move toward the rear end  112  of the bottom board  11  through the second transverse rod  212 . The springs  44  at the other ends of the first rods  21  are deformed to have an initial stress. The first link rods  22  are moved by the first rods  21  to move the second rods  23  toward the first end  111  of the bottom board  11 . The second rods  23  bring the second link rods  24  to move, such that the first transverse rod  211  and the third transverse rod  241  approach each other to deform the carrier  30  to be a U shape. The ball  200  is now located at the lowest of the carrier  30 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , when the end connected to the driving block  521  of the connecting member  53  is higher than the output shaft  11 , the initial stress of the spring  44  will force the driving disc  52  to turn, such that the driving lever  512  disengages from the driving block  521  to release the link mechanism  20 . The carrier  30  restores to its original state by the spring  44  to toss the ball in the air for the user to practice hitting. 
         [0030]    It is noted that the carrier  30  is driven by the link mechanism  20  to operate. The error value of the deformation of the carrier  30  is minimal each operation. The ball can be exactly tossed to a predetermined position for the user to practice. The ball machine  100  serves the ball  200  though the link mechanism  20 . The ball machine  100  can be placed near the user to be used in a small space for the user to practice. The user can decide the time to server a ball through the output device  70 . This is convenient for the user to practice. 
         [0031]    Besides, because the link mechanism  20  is provided with the stop rod  231 , the link mechanism  20  can be restored quickly by the elastic force of the springs  44 . The stop rod  231  is used to stop the ends of the standing boards  11 , preventing the link mechanism  20  from being damaged because of excessive action. The initial stress of the springs  44  can be adjusted by the adjustment bolt  42  of the elastic unit  40  so as to adjust the homing speed of the link mechanism  20  and the force of the carrier  30  to toss the ball. 
         [0032]    Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.