IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0757240
(2007-06-01)
|
등록번호 |
US-7828679
(2010-11-25)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
- Tell, Robert
- Fisher, David B.
- McIlvain, Scott H.
- Rumfola, III, Ross
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
Edell, Shapiro & Finnan LLC
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
14 |
초록
▼
The present invention discloses a play implement positioning device including an implement support for holding a first play implement in a play position to be struck. The invention also discloses a mechanism for selectively, automatically placing multiple stored play implements onto the implement su
The present invention discloses a play implement positioning device including an implement support for holding a first play implement in a play position to be struck. The invention also discloses a mechanism for selectively, automatically placing multiple stored play implements onto the implement support after the first implement has been struck and dislodged from the implement support.
대표청구항
▼
We claim: 1. An implement positioning device comprising: a base; an implement support including a first end connected to said base and a second end, the second end including an implement connector attached thereto; a play implement coupleable to the implement connector to connect the play implement
We claim: 1. An implement positioning device comprising: a base; an implement support including a first end connected to said base and a second end, the second end including an implement connector attached thereto; a play implement coupleable to the implement connector to connect the play implement to the implement support; and a loader including a base connector and a storage member, the loader connected to the base via the base connector, the storage member including a tubular space sized to receive the play implement, and having a first end pivotally connected to the base connector and a second end, the storage member being pivotable about the base such that the second end of the storage member is moved upwardly so that it is positionable within proximity of the implement connector, wherein when the play implement is proximate to the second end of the storage member and the storage member is pivoted so that its second end is disposed proximate to the implement connector, the play implement is coupled to the implement connector. 2. The implement positioning device of claim 1, wherein the implement support includes a suspension arm and a flexible member, the suspension arm includes a first end connected to the base and includes a second end, the flexible member includes a first end connected to the second end of the suspension arm and a second end to which the implement connector is connected. 3. The implement positioning device of claim 2, wherein the base includes a support surface engagement member and an elevation member, the elevation member being adjustable to elevate the suspension arm and the base connector relative to the support surface engagement member. 4. The implement positioning device of claim 3, wherein the elevation member includes an upper post arranged telescopically with respect to a lower post, the second end of the implement support and the base connector being connected to the upper post and the lower post is connected to the support surface engagement member. 5. The implement positioning device of claim 4, wherein the adjustment of the elevation member includes adjusting the upper post relative to the lower post. 6. The implement positioning device of claim 1, wherein the implement connector is a first implement connector, the play implement including a second implement connector that is coupleable to the first implement connector to connect the play implement to the first implement connector. 7. The implement positioning device of claim 1, wherein the storage member includes an opening in communication with the tubular space, the tubular space extends to the second end of the storage member, and the play implement is positionable in the tubular opening and passable to the second end of the storage member within the tubular space. 8. The implement positioning device of claim 1, wherein the storage member is pivotable between a first position in which the second end of the storage member is proximate to the implement connector and a second position in which the second end of the storage member is spaced apart from the implement connector. 9. The implement positioning device of claim 8, further comprising: a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism being coupled to the storage member and configured to cause the storage member to move between the first position and the second position; a first sensor, the first sensor being configured to determine when a first implement is detached from the implement connector; and a second sensor, the second sensor being associated with the storage member, the second sensor being configured to determine whether a second implement is present in the storage member, the drive mechanism being activated to move the storage member from the second position to the first position when the first sensor determines that the first implement is detached and the second sensor determines that a second implement is present in the storage member, the second implement being coupleable to the implement connector when the storage member is in the first position. 10. The implement positioning device of claim 8, further comprising: a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism being coupled to the storage member and configured to cause the storage member to move between the first position and the second position; and a control system, the control system being connected to the drive mechanism, the control system being configured to determine when a first play implement has been hit and when a second play implement can be loaded. 11. The implement positioning device of claim 10, wherein the control system includes a first sensor that is configured to determine when the first play implement is detached from the implement connector of the implement support. 12. The implement positioning device of claim 11, wherein the control system includes a second sensor that is configured to determine when the second play implement is present in the storage member of the loader, the control system being configured to activated the drive mechanism when the second play implement is present and the first play implement has been detached. 13. The implement positioning device of claim 8, further comprising: a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism being coupled to the storage member and configured to cause the storage member to move between the first position and the second position; and a control system, the control system being connected to the drive mechanism, the control system being configured to activated the drive mechanism to move the storage member after a pre-determined period of time. 14. The implement positioning device of claim 13, wherein the control system repeatedly activates the drive mechanism to reload an additional play implement after each pre-determined period of time elapsed provided that the additional play implement is present in the storage member. 15. The implement positioning device of claim 8, wherein the loader includes a motor and an arm, the motor is connected to the arm and the arm is connected to the storage member, and during operation, the motor transfers a force to the arm and the arm transfers a force to the storage member to pivot the storage member relative to the base connector. 16. The implement positioning device of claim 15, wherein the arm includes a rigid arm portion and a flexible arm portion, the rigid arm portion being connected to the flexible arm portion. 17. The implement positioning device of claim 16, wherein the flexible arm portion is a spring. 18. The implement positioning device of claim 15, further comprising: an actuator, the actuator being located in the base and configured so that when the actuator is pressed, the motor is operated to pivot the storage member from the first position to the second position. 19. The implement positioning device of claim 1, further comprising; an actuator, the actuator being supported on the implement support, the actuator including a movable member, the movable member being configured to be moved by a player to cause movement of the storage member from a non-load position to a load position. 20. The implement positioning device of claim 19, wherein the movable member includes a receptacle configured to receive an object therein, the movable member and the object being configured to be utilized as a lever to move the storage member between the non-load position to a load position. 21. The implement positioning device of claim 19, wherein the movable member is pivotally supported by the implement support and the storage member is pivotally supported by the implement support. 22. The implement positioning device of claim 19, wherein the movable member includes a cam member, the storage member includes a cam surface, and the cam member is configured to engage the cam surface of the storage member so that movement of the movable member causes movement of the storage member. 23. The implement positioning device of claim 19, wherein the movable member includes a first portion that defines a first receptacle and a second portion that defines a second receptacle, the first receptacle being located on one side of the implement support and the second receptacle being located on an opposite side of the implement support. 24. An implement positioning device comprising: a base; an implement support including a first end connected to the base and a second end, the second end including an implement connector attached thereto; a loader including a base connector and a storage member, the loader connected to the base via the base connector, the storage member including a tubular space and having a first end pivotally connected to the base connector and a second end, the storage member being pivotable about the base such that the second end of the storage member is moved upwardly so that it is positionable within proximity of the implement connector; and an actuator, the actuator being supported on the implement support, the actuator including a movable member, the movable member being configured to be moved by a player to cause movement of the storage member from a non-load position to a load position. 25. The implement positioning device of claim 24, further comprising a drive mechanism, the drive mechanism being coupled to the storage member and configured to cause the storage member to move between the non-load position and the load position when the movable member is moved. 26. The implement positioning device of claim 24, wherein the loader includes an arm, the actuator is connected to the arm and the arm is connected to the storage member, and during operation, movement of the movable member transfers a force to the arm and the arm transfers a force to the storage member to pivot the storage member relative to the base connector. 27. The implement positioning device of claim 24, wherein the implement support includes a suspension arm and a flexible member, the suspension arm includes a first end connected to the base and includes a second end, the flexible member includes a first end connected to the second end of the suspension arm and a second end to which the implement connector is connected. 28. The implement positioning device of claim 24, wherein the base includes a support surface engagement member and an elevation member, the elevation member being adjustable to elevate the implement support relative to the support surface engagement member. 29. The implement positioning device of claim 24, wherein the implement connector is a first implement connector, the device further comprising a play implement, the play implement including a second implement connector that is coupleable to the first implement connector to connect the play implement to the first implement connector. 30. An implement positioning device comprising: a base; an implement support including a first end connected to the base and a second end, the second end including an implement connector attached thereto, the implement support depending from the base; a loader including a base connector and a storage member, the loader connected to the base via the base connector, the storage member including a tubular space and having a first end pivotally connected to the base connector and a second end, the storage member being pivotable about the base such that the second end of the storage member is moved upwardly so that it is positionable within proximity of the implement connector; and an actuator supported on the implement support, the actuator including a movable member configured to be moved by a player to cause movement of the storage member from a non-load position to a load position, wherein the movable member is pivotally supported by the implement support and the storage member is pivotally supported by the implement support. 31. The implement positioning device of claim 30, wherein the implement support includes a suspension arm and a flexible member, the suspension arm includes a first end connected to the base and includes a second end, the flexible member includes a first end connected to the second end of the suspension arm and a second end to which the implement connector is connected. 32. The implement positioning device of claim 30, wherein the implement connector is a first implement connector, the device further comprising a play implement, the play implement including a second implement connector that is coupleable to the first implement connector to connect the play implement to the first implement connector.
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