Device for Ball Replacement in Sportive Practices

Description

This utility model is related to a device for ball replacement in sportive practice environments, such as fields, courts, and general gym centers.

BACKGROUND

Currently, ball replacement in sportive matches, such as football, is performed manually by a ball boy or by a ball boy staff.

By that time of the match, the ball boy must catch the ball to be removed from the field and provide another one to the players. As they are manually performed, these steps depend on the ball boy's skills, so that various concerns and deficiencies arise.

Initially, one notes a lack of accuracy in the ball removal. Balls can, for instance, slip from the hands of the ball boy and ricochet into an undesired area, either inside or outside the field.

Similarly, in a ball replacement, the ball boy can fail to correctly direct the ball, and insufficient strength or accuracy can raise difficulties or even bar to the reception thereof by a player.

Another disadvantage lies on the delay in the ball removal or replacement, due to such failures during the match. This can favor or disfavor either team, by virtue of a delay in resuming the match.

As a consequence from a further confusion, ball boys can replace two or more balls in field.

Of note, the ball boy staff may consciously act with partiality, in an attempt to benefit either team to the detriment of the other.

Additionally, companies are always in search of new forms of advertising in the market. To meet the demands from technology and growing competition, innovation became a crucial tool to draw the consumers' attention. In this context, the proposed invention appears as an innovative solution that, in addition to meeting market needs, is also in line with the demand for new advertising strategies.

The device described herein represents a creative and efficient response for companies in search of better advertising results. Due to its unique functionalities that fit the requirements of modern world, this invention has a potential to radically transform the way how companies communicate with their target market and promote their products and services.

According, the state of art does not disclose any practical and simple solution that allows ball removement and replacement in a quick, accurate and impartial manner, and encompasses additional functionalities.

Objectives of the Utility Model

One objective of this utility model is to provide a device for ball replacement in sportive practices, having multiple functionalities.

Brief Description of the Utility Model

The objectives of this utility model are achieved through a device for ball replacement in sportive practices, comprising: a support structure having a flat frontal surface with at least one ball delivery opening, wherein the flat frontal surface of the support structure still comprises at least one visual information display; at least one ball insertion opening; at least one ball delivery mechanism communicating with the ball insertion opening; at least one ball delivery mechanism actuator.

Preferably, the support structure presents, at least, a housing in its posterior face, wherein each housing communicates with one ball delivery opening and with one ball insertion opening, and wherein the ball delivery mechanism is inside the housing. The ball insertion opening is located in one of a top side and a rear side of the housing, in alignment with the ball delivery mechanism.

The ball delivery mechanism actuator can be one of a wire electronic actuator, a wireless electronic actuator and a mechanical actuator.

Each of at least one visual information display can be a LED panel. The device may comprise a plurality of visual information displays about the flat frontal surface of the structure. At least one visual information display can be coupled in an articulated manner to the flat frontal surface of the structure in front to, at least, one ball delivery opening. This articulated visual information display is coupled to an automatized opening and closing mechanism of said display.

The at least one visual information display can be remotely controlled for displaying different information, preferably in synchrony with the operation of the ball delivery mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This utility model shall be described in further details, based on an example of embodiment represented by the drawings. The figures show the following:

FIG. 1—is a view in frontal perspective of the device with one ball delivery opening;

FIG. 2—is a front view of the device with one ball delivery opening;

FIG. 3—is a posterior view of the device with one ball delivery opening;

FIG. 4—is a front perspective view of the device with two ball delivery openings; and

FIG. 5—is a posterior perspective view of the device with a ball delivery opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

As illustrated by the FIGS. 1 to 5, this utility model generally refers to a device for ball replacement 2 in sportive practices. In one preferential embodiment, the sportive practices this utility model appears to suitably apply to refer to football, meaning soccer, arena soccer, indoor football, beach football or any football modality that can present sport panels arranged in a perimeter of the respective area—either court, field, arena—where the match takes place. The device can also apply to courts and field used on other sportive modalities that require ball replacement. In non-limiting examples, this utility model can be implemented in basketball, volleyball, handball and footvolley courts.

Having submitted the above explanations, we shall address the characteristics of the utility model proposed herein.

This utility model refers to a device for ball replacement 2 in sportive practices. As illustrated by the figures XX, the device is a kind of sportive panel that allows replacing balls in a quick, accurate and safe manner, in addition to displaying customized advertisements in, at least, one of its surfaces. For such, the device 2 comprises a support structure 12 having a flat frontal surface 10 with at least one ball delivery opening 111, wherein the flat frontal surface 10 of the support structure still comprises at least one visual information display.

The delivery opening 111 can be arranged so as to form an angle with the flat frontal surface 10, so that said delivery opening 111 allows delivering the ball 2 through a specific trajectory, for instance, by the time when a player may catch the delivered ball 2; or still allows delivering the ball over a specific spot of the field, where players can, for instance, take a corner kick.

The device according to this utility model has at least one ball insertion opening 112, through which balls are fed to the device to be, then, delivered back to the field. The device also has a ball delivery mechanism communicating with the ball insertion opening 112, and a ball delivery mechanism actuator through which the delivery mechanism is activated to deliver the ball outside the device, for instance, towards the field.

The support structure 12 of the device presents at least one housing 15 in its posterior face. Preferably, the number of housings in the posterior face is the same number of ball delivery openings 111 and of ball insertion openings 112, so that each housing 15 communicates with one ball delivery opening 111 and with one ball insertion opening 112. The ball delivery mechanism is located inside the housing 15, so that, preferably, the number of ball delivery mechanisms is the same number of ball delivery openings 111 and of ball insertion openings 112.

Each ball insertion opening 112 is located at the upper side or at the rear side of a housing 15, in alignment with the ball delivery mechanism, so that, after being fed to the device, the ball may be subsequently delivered without need of an human operator to place the ball in the delivery mechanism. Alternatively, the ball insertion opening 112 can be located in one of the side faces of the housing 15, and even though allow directing the ball fed to the device towards the ball delivery mechanism.

The ball delivery mechanism is activated by its actuator, that can be an electronic actuator connected by wire to the ball delivery mechanism, or a wireless electronic actuator, or still a mechanical actuator, or any kind of actuator or button that is able to activate the delivery mechanism operation to make it deliver the ball out of the device.

In a preferred embodiment, the at least visual information display is a LED panel. Depending on the length of the device and on its intended operationalization, several LED panels can be sequentially arranged in separate parts over the flat frontal surface 10, that are jointly operated to display the wished information, such as advertising (advertising panels), the game score or other kinds of messages. Any other types of electronic displays can be used, such as liquid crystal, OLED, QLED, among others.

According to an alternative embodiment, an element of visual information display is coupled in an articulated manner to the flat frontal surface 10 of the structure in front of at least one ball delivery opening 111. This display element can be moved to the top and to the bottom, so as to open and close the ball delivery opening 111 regardless of the other display elements. If the device has more than one ball delivery opening 111, then each of the openings can be closed and opened by an element of the visual information display, coupled in an articulated manner to the flat frontal surface 10. In this case, the articulated visual information display is coupled to an automated opening and closing mechanism, that shall be responsible for activating the opening and closure of the respective ball delivery opening 111.

The device of ball replacement according to this model can have displays also in its side or rear faces.

The at least visual information display is remotely controlled to display different information. This control of information display can be synchronized to the operation of the ball delivery mechanism. For instance, if a ball is delivered to the corner, the display can be controlled to exhibit a specific kind of information or advertisement that keeps any relation with the time of ball delivery. Before the ball delivery, the display can be controlled to exhibit any other kind of information.

The ball delivery mechanism inside the housing can be of any type, ranging from well-known simple mechanisms used to deliver other kinds of balls in other sportive modalities to complex mechanisms other than the existing ones. Just on an illustrative basis, the ball delivery mechanism of the device for ball replacement under this utility model may comprise an engine 13, at least a launcher 14, a controller (not shown) and at least an actuator 15, so that these components are somehow interconnected to each other to operate in the ball delivery 2.

The engine 13 can be a continuous current engine, wherein this engine 13 and the launcher 14 are connected to each other. Preferably, the launcher 14 is arranged (coupled) to an engine axis 13, so that a rotation of said engine axis 13 provokes the respective movement of said launcher 14 according to a kinematic relation between these components.

In this case, the launcher 14 can be set as a wheel coupled to the motor axis 13, wherein the rotation of said axis causes a movement (rotation) of the launcher 14.

In alternative embodiments, the launcher 14 can still be of a belt type, or in strips adapted to operate as described above, meaning that a rotation of said engine axis 13 also causes the respective movement of said launcher 14.

Anyway, the engine 13 and the launcher 14 are connected to each other, and the engine 13 can be activated through the actuator 15, so that, upon activation, the engine 13 operates in the launcher 14 by moving (activating) it.

In other words, the controller is set to control (command) the ball delivery 2 together with a frequency inverter (not shown), wherein said delivery starts by the time of activation of the actuator 15.

In one preferential embodiment, delivery starts from the manual activation of the actuator 15 through at least 3 seconds, so that the engine 13 is activated at a 600-rpm angular speed. Of note, this angular speed is merely illustrative, and can be adjusted up or down according to the spot to be achieved by the ball 2 at the end of its trajectory.

Such parameters illustrate a particularly satisfactory embodiment, due to the facts that: (i) the at least 3-second period of manual activation of the actuator 15 mitigates mistaken activations, thus avoiding human failure that would be catastrophic to the match, as two or more balls 2 could be in the field, in case of an undesired ball delivery 2; and (ii) the 600-rpm angular speed appeared to be sufficient to deliver the ball 2 from the device 1 to the corner.

So, the delivery opening 111 is set to allow delivering a ball 2 located inside the device 1, so that the ball 2 touches at least one launcher 14, thus allowing the launcher 14 to deliver the ball 2 in a trajectory, upon activation of the engine 13 by the actuator 15.

As to the delivery properly said, the ball 1 is manually inserted by a user or operator (such as a ball boy) in the opening insertion 112, until this latter touches a locking pin (not shown) arranged in a rear portion of the device 1. This locking pin is a component that selectively blocks and releases the ball 2 for delivery through the delivery opening 111.

The locking pin is then set to release the ball 2 for delivery upon activation of the actuator 15, wherein said activation is manually performed by an operator.

In one embodiment, the actuator 15 is preferably se as a button that, upon a 3-second pressure as previously described, delivers the ball 1.

Of note, the selective activation of the actuator 15 also selectively activates a status indicator 16 of the device 1.

Preferably, the status indicator 16 is of visual type, and more specifically is formed by one or more LED-type diodes. In this embodiment, the status indicator 16, when turned on, indicates that the device 1 is ready to deliver the ball; when turned off, it indicates that the device 1 is being prepared, and not ready for delivery.

In alternative embodiments, the status indicator 16 can be of sound type, by vibration, among other types that can be also selectively activated to indicate the status of the device 1. Accordingly, the status indicator can be turned on when the device 1 is ready to deliver the ball 2, while it can be turned off when the device 1 is still being prepared for delivery.

As to the insertion opening 112 in this embodiment, it is located at a rear portion of the device 1, being connected to the delivery opening 111, for instance, through a gutter or a connection channel (not shown). Through this gutter and close to the delivery opening 111, there appears the locking pin.

Therefore, the insertion opening 112 is set to receive the ball 2 to be delivered, and to carry it to the delivery opening 111 through said gutter, so that the carriage of the ball 2 to the delivery opening 111 is thus selectively blocked and allowed by the locking pin.

So, there is a device for ball replacement in sportive practices, that advantageously allows reaching the objectives as proposed herein.

In operation, the device delivers the ball 2 in a trajectory by the delivery opening 111, through activation of at least one launcher 14, This activation is commanded by a controller, together with a frequency inverter (not shown), upon activation of the actuator 15 for a certain period, as previously explained.

Additionally, the selective activation of the actuator 15 selectively activates a status indicator 16 of the device 1, that can be a LED type, as mentioned.

On its turn, the insertion opening 112 is connected to the delivery opening 111, wherein the insertion opening 112 is set to receive the ball 2 to be delivered, and to carry it to the delivery opening 111 through, for instance, a gutter, as previously described.

Moreover, the flat frontal surface 10 is set as a display that can exhibit visual information, and can be formed by a single or by a plurality of lower displays forming an only display composition.

Preferably, the display has 7 m length, 1 m height and can be assembled in modules (lower displays) of 50 cm×50 cm.

Last, we emphasize once more that all the modalities of this utility model, namely the device 1, its method and disposal in a sportive panel are compatible.

Once described an example of preferential embodiment, it should be understood that the scope of this utility model encompasses other possible variations, being exclusively limited by the content of the attached claims, including any possible equivalents.