Patent Publication Number: US-10758806-B2

Title: Shuttlecock launching apparatus

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Continuation of application Ser. No. 15/585,845. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to the field of sporting games. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus used in the game of badminton or like games using shuttlecocks or other feathered missiles. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many sports utilize machines for performing a competitive movement in order to provide practice for its players. For example, in baseball, pitching machines are widely used to provide practice for the batters. The use of the machines permits the batter to practice without requiring a pitcher to throw the balls. Similarly, puck shooting machines are used in hockey so that goalies can practice defending shots on goal. Additionally, a tennis ball launching machine is used in order to provide practice for tennis players. 
     Several machines for launching shuttlecocks are described in the prior art. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,138 to Taryoto a plurality of shuttlecocks line up in a chute and the shuttlecocks are individually launched by a pair of spinning wheels. A feed mechanism comprises a motor driving a four spoke rotor. There are several drawbacks to this type of mechanism. This type of apparatus results in a significant change in trajectory of the shuttlecock prior to ejection, which results in a loss of velocity due to air pressure. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the object of the present invention to provide a novel shuttlecock launching machine wherein shuttlecocks can be transported from a vertical storage tube using a plurality of rotating finger-like projections and coordinating levers to a pair of ejecting wheels, which can launch the shuttlecocks in a wide range of trajectories. 
     The present invention feeds the shuttlecock to the pair of ejecting wheels such that the shuttlecock is ejected in an orientation parallel to the surface plane of the wheels, said orientation causing the shuttlecock to be accelerated by the wheels and ejected with cork or base of the shuttlecock leading in the direction of the trajectory, and the cage section, whether made of feather or synthetic material, also passing between the wheels and trailing the cork, said orientation not causing the shuttlecock to significantly change orientation relative to the trajectory at the time of ejection, thus avoiding a loss of velocity due to air pressure, while maintaining the intended trajectory with greater accuracy. 
     The present invention comprises generally a plurality of rotating finger-like projections; a plurality of levers synchronized with the rotation of the fingers; and a pair of ejecting wheels defining a wheel plane wherein the levers coordinate with the rotating finger-like projections to receive a shuttlecock entering the loading mechanism in a vertical position and eject the shuttlecock from the loading mechanism in an orientation parallel to the wheel plane wherein the pitch of the wheel plane about a wheel horizontal axis; is selectively indexed about a wheel horizontal axis. A key point of novelty is that the shuttlecock is always entering the ejecting wheels in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the ejecting wheels. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is cross section view of the shuttlecock launching apparatus of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is cross sectional side perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the shuttlecock grabbing mechanism of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a side perspective view of the shuttlecock grabbing mechanism of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of a shuttlecock moving through the shuttlecock grabbing mechanism of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross section view of the shuttlecock launching apparatus showing a selected pitch of the wheel plane. 
         FIG. 7  is a cross section view of the shuttlecock launching apparatus showing a selected pitch of the wheel plane. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the ejection wheels  11  are turned by throw motor  10  and the shuttlecocks  2  are gravity fed from the shuttlecock tube  1 . One shuttlecock  2  is fed per cycle and is dropped in to the funnel  6  by the flippers  3 . The flippers  3  and shuttlecock grabbing mechanism assembly  9  are related by gears  4  and the gears  4  are activated by a launch motor  5 . Once the cycle starts, the flippers  3  and shuttlecock grabbing mechanism assembly  9  rotates at a certain ratio defined by the gears  4 , both doing total of 360 degrees per cycle. During the cycle, the flippers  3  grab the shuttlecock  2  and pull the shuttlecock  2  out of the tube  1 , which is gravity fed. The flippers  3  then lower the shuttlecock  2 , and release it into the funnel  6 . The shuttlecock  2  then sits in the funnel  6  and awaits the shuttlecock grabbing mechanism assembly  9 . shuttlecock grabbing mechanism assembly  9  then grabs the shuttlecock  2  which is sitting in the funnel  6  and pushes it between and parallel to the ejection wheels  11  to be launched. Once the shuttlecock  2  touches the fast spinning ejection wheels  11  it is “torn” from the shuttlecock grabbing mechanism assembly  9  and launched out of the machine. Meanwhile, the flippers  3  drop another shuttlecock  2  in to the funnel  6  and this shuttlecock  2  will be launched on the next cycle. The cycle ends after shuttlecock grabbing mechanism assembly  9  rotates 360 degrees. 
     Turning to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the preferred embodiment of the shuttlecock grabbing mechanism is shown in further detail. Magnets  13  keep pincher  9  closed on the finger  8 . In the preferred embodiment there is one finger  8  and four magnets  13 ; however, the invention is not limited to such a configuration. Two magnets  13  attract each other, and two other magnets  13  repel to help the pincher  9  to close. The finger  8  and pincher  9  combined assembly is activated by a gear mechanism and rotates full 360 degrees per cycle. When rotating, once the pincher  9  reaches the sleds  7 , they force the pincher  9  open for a certain distance the finger  8  travels, and then when pincher  9  reaches the end of sleds  7 , the magnets  13  will force the pincher  9  to the initial closed position, where it “grips” the shuttlecock  2  so that it does not slip out of position on the finger  8  as it advances into the ejection wheels  11 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 5 , the shuttlecock  2  sits in funnel  6  and the finger  8  starts its cycle. When the finger  8  and pincher  9  assembly reaches the sleds  7 , the pincher  9  opens The finger  8  then pushes against the inside of the cork of the shuttlecock  2  When the shuttlecock  2  is almost pushed through the funnel  6 , the pincher  9  closes and grabs the shuttlecock  2  by the feathers or cage. The finger  8  and pincher  9  assembly continues to rotate until the shuttlecock  2  touches the ejecting wheels  11  and gets launched. The finger  8  and pincher  9  assembly continues to rotate until it ends its 360 degrees&#39; cycle. 
     The dotted lines in  FIGS. 1-5  represent various positions the finger  8  may occupy during its 360-degree cycle. It is contemplated that more than one finger  8  could be used in the device. 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference has been made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language has been used to describe these embodiments. However, this specific language intends no limitation of the scope of the invention, and the invention should be construed to encompass all embodiments that would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. The particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative examples of the invention and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the invention in any way. For the sake of brevity, conventional aspects of the method (and components of the individual operating components of the method) may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines, or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections might be present in a practical device. Moreover, no item or component is essential to the practice of the invention unless the element is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”. Numerous modifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.