Pitching machine and batting bay systems
AssigneeHome Run Dugout, LLC
InventorsNicholas S. Hermandorfer, Lauren West, John Kevin Gentry, Tyler L. Bambrick, Rodney D. Muras, Scott Hudson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A ball pitching device including a launching surface for receiving balls, the launching surface being configured to receive and hold a ball in the launching position prior to the ball being launched, a launching system including at least one impulse mechanism configured to impact the ball in the launching position, and one or more control components configured to control at least one of a pitch power and a pitch trajectory of the ball launched from the launching position.
Claims20
A ball pitching device comprising:
- a launching surface for receiving balls, the launching surface being configured to receive and hold a ball in the launching position prior to the ball being launched;
- a launching system including at least one impulse mechanism configured to impact the ball in the launching position;
- and
- one or more control components configured to control at least one of a pitch power and a pitch trajectory of the ball launched from the launching position.
The ball pitching device of claim 2, wherein a position of the impulse mechanism is configured to be adjustable relative to the launching position to control the pitch trajectory.
A method of controlling a ball pitching device, the method comprising:
- receiving a ball at a launching surface, the launching surface being configured to hold the ball in a launching position prior to the ball being launched;
- determining a desired pitch power and pitch trajectory for the ball held in the launching position;
- adjusting a position of an impulse mechanism disposed under the launching position in at least two dimensions based on the desired pitch trajectory;
- and
- impacting, with the impulse mechanism, the ball held in the launching position with an amount of force corresponding to the desired pitch power to launch the ball from the launching position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.