The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 02, 1994
Filed:
Jul. 20, 1992
Connie J Silin, Kansas City, MO (US);
David E Fowler, Overland Park, KS (US);
Other;
Abstract
A baseball pitching analyzer having a housing in the form of a cube with a forward face including an opening through which the baseball may pass. The periphery of this opening is angled inward to provide a funnel arrangement such that balls striking the front face will be deflected through the opening. Located within the housing is an open rectangular frame mounting a plurality of light emitters and associated light detectors, arranged to form an array or grid of intersecting light beams. The frame includes lenses spaced from the emitters and detectors to maintain a well collimated light beam. The emitters and detectors are alternated about the periphery of the frame, such that light emitters are located adjacent each of the light detectors. The associated beam for each detector is therefore less likely to impinge upon another detector, reducing crosstalk and permitting a closer grid spacing. The control system includes a timer which is started upon the blocking of a light beam and stopped upon the unblocking of a light beam. This time is used with the known diameter of a baseball to calculate the velocity of the pitch. Balls received within the device are conveyed to an elevated dispensing opening and passed out of the device, such that they may be easily received within a storage bag or pitchback device. The results of the location and speed of the pitch may be displayed by a printer and/or display unit.