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EP-4241859-B1 - BALL RECOVERY SYSTEM

EP4241859B1EP 4241859 B1EP4241859 B1EP 4241859B1EP-4241859-B1

Inventors

  • INABA Eiki
  • NAKANO KENJI

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20201127

Claims (6)

  1. A ball collecting system (1, 1A) for collecting balls on a floor, comprising: a picker (2) configured to pick up the balls while moving on the floor; and a pit (5, 5A) having a ball-collecting space (51, 51A), a top surface (71a, 74a) located above the ball-collecting space (51, 51A), and an ascending sloping surface (72a, 75a) on which the picker (2) ascends so as to move from the floor to the top surface (71a, 74a), the pit (5, 5A) being configured to enable the balls discharged from the picker (2) on the top surface (71a, 74a) to be collected in the ball-collecting space (51, 51A), wherein a plurality of baskets (BS) whose upper part is open is disposed in the ball-collecting space (51, 51A) to allow the discharged balls to be dropped and stored in the plurality of baskets (BS), wherein the ball-collecting space (51, 51A) is configured such that one end thereof in a horizontal direction is formed as an open zone (52, 52A), to allow the plurality of baskets (BS) to be taken out from the ball-collecting space (51, 51A) through the open zone (52, 52A), wherein the pit (5, 5A) comprises a distribution structure (8, 8A) configured to guide and distribute the balls discharged from the picker (2) to the plural baskets (BS).
  2. The ball collecting system as recited in claim 1, wherein the pit (5, 5A) has a descending sloping surface (73a, 75a) on which the picker (2) descends so as to move from the top surface (71a, 74a) to the floor, and wherein the ascending sloping surface (72a, 75a), the top surface (71a, 74a) and the descending sloping surface (73a, 75a) are arranged along a first direction in top plan view, and the open zone (52, 52A) is formed at one end of the ball-collecting space (51, 51A) in a second direction intersecting the first direction, in top plan view.
  3. The ball collecting system as recited in claim 1 or 2, wherein the pit (5, 5A) comprises: a plate-shaped member (71, 74) defining the top surface (71a, 74a); and a support (6, 6A) supporting the plate-shaped member (71, 74) from therebelow, the support (6, 6A) comprising a plurality of pillar members (61) each extending in a vertical direction, wherein the ball-collecting space (51, 51A) and the open zone (52, 52A) are formed among the plurality of pillar members (61).
  4. The ball collecting system as recited in any of the claims 1 to 3, wherein at least one of the top surface (74a) and the distribution structure (8, 8A) is provided with an inclined surface which is inclined with respect to a horizontal plane to cause the balls discharged from the picker (2) to be rollingly moved.
  5. The ball collecting system as recited in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the top surface (71a, 74a) is configured to cover at least part of the ball-collecting space (51, 51A) in top plan view.
  6. The ball collecting system as recited in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the picker (2) has a picker inclined surface (45a) configured to cause the balls to be rollingly moved and directed toward the ball-collecting space (51, 51A).

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a ball collecting system for collecting balls on a floor. BACKGROUND ART There has been known a system for use in a driving range or the like to collect a large number of balls scattered over a floor so as to reuse them. For example, the below-mentioned Patent Document 1 discloses a system comprising a picker and a pit. In this system, the picker picks up balls while moving on the floor, and stores the balls in a housing of the picker. Then, the picker moves to the pit, and on a platform of the pit, discharges the balls from the inside of the housing. The balls discharged from the picker are collected in a container disposed beneath the platform. A worker takes out the balls from the container, and transfers the balls to a location where users are using balls. CITATION LIST [Patent Document] US 2005/0204717 A1 discloses a system for picking up golf balls over a golf ball practice green. The system consists of an automatic mobile machine and at least one station for discharging the balls picked up into a container. JP 3 039280 U shows a golf ball picker with a container on a mobile base, wherein the collected balls are transported in the container via an inclined conveyor belt. US 5,332,350 A discloses a golf ball picker parked at a golf ball unload station where the balls are dropped through a grate onto a conveyor or chute for transport to the hopper of a golf ball washer. US 2020/0330833 A1 shows a ball picker with a ball collecting drum. US 4, 750, 744 A shows a golf ball practice apparatus and US 2001/0002370 A1 discloses an all weather golf driving range. Patent Document 1: US 2005/0204717 A1 SUMMARY OF INVENTION [Technical Problem] In the system described in the Patent Document 1, the worker needs to lift up the balls to take out the balls from the container which is a concave member. Thus, when trying to take out a large number of balls at the same time, workload will significantly increase due to their weight. As just described, in the conventional system, there remains a need for improvement in terms of the workload when taking out balls from the pit. The present invention has been made to solve the above technical problem, and an object thereof is to provide a ball collecting system capable of reducing workload when taking out balls from a pit. [Solution to Technical Problem] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a ball collecting system for collecting balls on a floor, comprising the features of claim 1. In the ball collecting system of the present invention having the above feature, a worker can move the basket which stores the balls therein, thereby taking out the balls from the ball-collecting space while leaving the balls in the basket. This makes it possible to reduce workload as compared to another working mode in which the worker takes out the balls from a pit without using any basket. It should be noted that as used in this specification, the term "floor" means a surface over which balls are scattered, and not limited to an in-door surface. Therefore, the ball collecting system of the present invention may be used for collection of balls scattered over an in-door floor surface, or may be used for collection of balls scattered over an out-door ground surface. Preferably, in the ball collecting system of the present invention, the pit has a descending sloping surface on which the picker descends so as to move from the top surface to the floor, wherein the ascending sloping surface, the top surface and the descending sloping surface are arranged along a first direction in top plan view, and the open zone is formed at one end of the ball-collecting space in a second direction intersecting the first direction, in top plan view. According to this feature, it becomes possible to cause the picker to ascend the ascending sloping surface and descend the descending sloping surface by moving the picker along the first direction. Further, it is possible to take out the balls from the ball-collecting space while leaving the balls in the basket, by moving the basket in the second direction. That is, according to the above feature, it becomes possible to ensure a moving path of the picker, and a take-out path of the basket. Preferably, in the ball collecting system of the present invention, the pit comprises: a plate-shaped member defining the top surface; and a support supporting the plate-shaped member from therebelow, the support comprising a plurality of pillar members each extending in a vertical direction, wherein the ball-collecting space and the open zone are formed among the plurality of pillar members. According to this feature, it becomes possible to define the top surface, the ball-collecting space and the open zone, while configuring the pit using a simple configuration comprising the plate-shaped member and the support. In the ball collecting system of the present invention, the baske