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:
Feb. 16, 2010
Filed:
Dec. 18, 2007
Dustin Summers, Homer Glen, IL (US);
Erik Perez, Round Rock, TX (US);
Kenneth G. Heinz, Jr., Batavia, IL (US);
John Kaduk, St. Charles, IL (US);
Justin Tobin, Aurora, IL (US);
Dustin Summers, Homer Glen, IL (US);
Erik Perez, Round Rock, TX (US);
Kenneth G. Heinz, Jr., Batavia, IL (US);
John Kaduk, St. Charles, IL (US);
Justin Tobin, Aurora, IL (US);
Other;
Abstract
A ball returning backstop assembly includes a backstop that collects a thrown ball and a ball return assembly that returns the collected ball. The ball return assembly includes a housing that supports a linkage for propelling the collected ball and a motor for driving the linkage. The housing includes a tube that receives the collected ball, with the linkage having a piston that is slidable within the tube to propel the ball out of the tube. The motor is electrically connected to switches that control when the motor drives the linkage. One switch being configured to turn the motor on when the collected ball is ready to be returned and the other switch being configured to turn the motor off after the ball is propelled out of the tube.