# US 11,440,055 B2 · Systems and methods for sorting balls > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,440,055 B2 - Document ID: US11440055B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/112,641 - Filed: 2020-12-04 - Published: 2022-06-09 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-04 - Applicants: William Vaughn Jenkins - Inventors: William Vaughn Jenkins - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11440055B2 ## CPC - B07C 5/34: Sorting according to other particular properties {(material testing per se G01N; quality control G07C3/14)} - A63B 47/00: Devices for handling or treating balls {, e.g. for holding or carrying balls} - A63B 47/002: {Devices for dispensing balls, e.g. from a reservoir (automatic teeing devices A63B57/0006; devices for projecting balls A63B69/40)} - A63B 65/12: Ball-throwing apparatus with or without catchers {(hand-held throwing or catching aids A63B59/20); Mechanical projectors, e.g. using spring force} - B07C 5/362: {Separating or distributor mechanisms (switches for postal sorting B07C3/065; particular discharging devices for B65G47/74)} - A63B 2102/02: Tennis - B07C: POSTAL SORTING; SORTING INDIVIDUAL ARTICLES, OR BULK MATERIAL FIT TO BE SORTED PIECE-MEAL, e.g. BY PICKING (specially adapted for a specific purpose covered by another class, see the relevant place, e.g. A43D33/06, B23Q7/12) - A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H) ## Abstract Embodiments of the disclosure can relate to systems and methods for sorting balls. The systems and methods may involve the use of a ball-feeding mechanism for receiving one or more balls, and feeding the one or more balls to a projection element. The projection element may be located beneath the ball-feeding mechanism such that the balls drop from the ball-feeding mechanism to the projection element, and the balls then project from the projection element to a ball-sorting apparatus. The balls may then subsequently be sorted into a sorting container of one or more sorting containers based on the projected height of the ball. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for sorting balls, the system comprising: a ball-feeding mechanism for receiving a first ball, wherein the ball-feeding mechanism comprises a feeding portion at an end of the ball-feeding mechanism, the feeding portion comprising one or more horizontally-oriented and movable slats; a projection element comprising an angled surface, wherein the projection element is located below the feeding portion, and wherein the projection element receives the first ball on the angled surface from the feeding portion; one or more sorting containers that are separate from the projection element, wherein the one or more sorting containers receive the first ball after it is projected from the angled surface of the projection element; a sorting element configured to receive the first ball; at least one processor; and at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: determine that a first sensor of one or more first-type sensors is triggered instead of a second sensor by the first ball passing by the first sensor at a first time, wherein the first sensor is located at a first height; determine that the first height is above a threshold height; send, based on the determination that the first height is above the threshold height, an indication to make a first adjustment to the sorting element, wherein making the first adjustment to the sorting element causes the sorting element to deposit the first ball in a first sorting container; determine that a second sensor of the one or more first-type sensors is triggered, wherein the second sensor is located at a second height; determine that the second height is below the threshold height; and send, based on the determination that the second sensor is triggered and the determination that the second height is below the threshold height, an indication to make a second adjustment to the sorting element, wherein making the second adjustment causes the sorting element to deposit the first ball in a second sorting container. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the sorting element is a tilt table, wherein making the first adjustment to the sorting element comprises actuating the tilt table in a first direction, and wherein the first direction is in a direction of the first sorting container, and wherein making the second adjustment to the sorting element comprises actuating the tilt table in a second direction. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising: one or more second-type sensors, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to: determine, based on the one or more second-type sensors, data, the data including at least one of: an ambient temperature, a humidity, or an atmospheric pressure; and adjust, based on the data, the threshold height. ### Claim 4 An apparatus for sorting balls, the apparatus comprising: one or more first-type sensors; a sorting element configured to receive a first ball; at least one processor; and at least one memory storing computer-executable instructions, that when executed by the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to: determine that a first sensor of the one or more first-type sensors is triggered by the first ball passing by the first sensor, wherein the first sensor is located at a first height, wherein the first ball is received from a projection element, wherein the projection element receives the first ball from a ball-feeding mechanism, wherein the projection element is located below the ball-feeding mechanism, wherein the ball-feeding mechanism further comprises a feeding portion at an end of the ball-feeding mechanism, the feeding portion comprising one or more horizontally-oriented and movable slats; determine that the first height is above a threshold height; send, based on the determination that the first height is above the threshold height, an indication to make a first adjustment to the sorting element, wherein making the first adjustment to the sorting element causes the sorting element to deposit the first ball in a first sorting container; determine that a second sensor of the one or more first-type sensors is triggered, wherein the second sensor is located at a second height; determine that the second height is below the threshold height; and send, based on the determination that the second sensor is triggered and the determination that the second height is below the threshold height, an indication to make a second adjustment to the sorting element, wherein making the second adjustment causes the sorting element to deposit the first ball in a second sorting container. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the sorting element is a tilt table, wherein making the first adjustment to the sorting element comprises actuating the tilt table in a first direction, and wherein the first direction is in a direction of the first sorting container. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising: one or more second-type sensors, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the at least one processor to: determine, based on the one or more second-type sensors, data, the data including at least one of: an ambient temperature, a humidity, or an atmospheric pressure; and adjust, based on the data, the threshold height. ### Claim 7 A computer-implemented method comprising: determining that a first sensor of one or more first-type sensors of a ball-sorting apparatus is triggered by a first ball passing by the first sensor, wherein the first sensor of the ball-sorting apparatus is located at a first height, wherein the first ball is projected from a projection element, wherein the projection element receives the first ball from a ball-feeding mechanism, wherein the projection element is located below the ball-feeding mechanism, and wherein the ball-feeding mechanism further comprises a ball management apparatus configured to control a rate at which the first ball and a second ball are received by the projection element, wherein the ball management apparatus comprises a first member and a second member that form a V-shaped mechanism, wherein the V-shaped mechanism is configured to rotate to a first position in which the first member is parallel with the ball management apparatus to allow the V-shaped mechanism to receive the first ball, wherein the V-shaped mechanism is configured to rotate to a second position in which the second member is parallel with the ball management apparatus to allow the V-shaped mechanism to provide the first ball to a feeding portion at an end of the ball management apparatus; determining that the first height is above a threshold height; and sending, based on the determination that the first height is above the threshold height, an indication to make a first adjustment to a sorting element of the ball-sorting apparatus, wherein making the first adjustment to the sorting element causes the sorting element to deposit the first ball in a first sorting container; determining that a second sensor of the one or more first-type sensors is triggered, wherein the second sensor is located at a second height; determining that the second height is below the threshold height; and sending, based on the determination that the second sensor is triggered and the determination that the second height is below the threshold height, an indication to make a second adjustment to the sorting element, wherein making the second adjustment causes the sorting element to deposit the first ball in a second sorting container. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the sorting element is a tilt table, wherein making the first adjustment to the sorting element comprises actuating the tilt table in a first direction, and wherein the first direction is in a direction of the first sorting container. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising: determining that a second sensor of the one or more first-type sensors is triggered, wherein the second sensor is located at a second height; determining that the second height is below the threshold height; and sending, based on the determination that the second sensor is triggered and the determination that the second height is below the threshold height, an indication to make a second adjustment to the sorting element, wherein making the second adjustment causes the sorting element to deposit the first ball in a second sorting container. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising: determine, based on one or more second-type sensors, data, the data including at least one of: an ambient temperature, a humidity, or an atmospheric pressure; and adjust, based on the data, the threshold height. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the ball-feeding mechanism further comprises: a ball management apparatus configured to control a rate at which the first ball and a second ball are received by the projection element, wherein the ball management apparatus comprises at least one of: a first member and a second member that form a V-shaped mechanism or a paddle wheel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the ball-feeding mechanism further comprises: a ball management apparatus configured to control a rate at which the first ball and a second ball are received by the projection element, wherein the ball management apparatus comprises at least one of: a first member and a second member that form a V-shaped mechanism or a paddle wheel. ### Claim 13 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the ball-feeding mechanism further comprises a feeding portion at an end of the ball-feeding mechanism, the feeding portion comprising at least one of: a trap door configured to be actuated by a motor or servo, one or more movable slats, and/or a rotating plate comprising one or more holes. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the feeding portion comprises two horizontally-oriented movable slats.