Automatic ball cleaning apparatus and method

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and a method for automatically cleaning and drying balls, including golf balls. The apparatus comprises a housing that contains a cleaning liquid, scrubbing channel, drying section, and rotator. An electric motor, which rotates the rotator, is switched “on” in response to a sensor detecting a ball in an entry chute. The rotator moves a ball carrying means (preferably including a wheel for spinning the ball) for receiving the ball from the entry chute and moving the ball through the scrubbing channel and drying section to a point for the ball to exit. The motor is switched “off” in response to a sensor (which can comprise a cam and limit switch) detecting, directly or indirectly, that the rotator has rotated at least enough for the ball to exit. Alternative embodiments may comprise ball counting means and/or biasing means.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

N/A

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for cleaning and drying balls, particularly golf balls.

It is desirable and economically and environmentally advantageous to clean and re-use many types of balls. Golf balls are particularly suited for such treatment due to their tendency to become dirty during normal use, making them less desirable or even wholly unsuitable for re-use thereafter unless considerable effort is expended in cleaning them, which may require taking them out of service to another location for extended periods of time in order to accomplish such cleaning. They also have the quality of performing their original purpose quite well after they have been cleaned. Other types of balls, such as baseballs, ping-pong balls, and balls used in ball bearings, may have similar characteristics. But, the golf ball is certainly a well-known example of a type of ball whose utility could be significantly enhanced by providing users with a convenient means for making the balls re-usable by cleaning them. Thus, golf balls are considered exemplary and have been the subject of previous ideas for devices to clean balls. Among the previously proposed golf ball cleaning devices are the following (it being understood that these summaries do not reflect all of the disclosed elements, features or limitations of, and are not intended as a substitute for the actual documents being referenced).

U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,537 issued to Smith on Feb. 8, 2000, discloses a cleaning apparatus for golf balls with a housing filled with cleaning fluid and containing a horizontal rotating brush and a separate removable cleaning cassette with a chamber lined with upper and lower brushes that encloses the balls which balls are driven in a circular pattern within the cassette by contact with the motorized rotating brush. However, Smith appears to require manual insertion and removal of the balls into and from the cassette and manual insertion and removal of the cassette into and from the housing; and, appears to provide no means for drying the balls after cleaning.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,598,597 issued to Templeton on Feb. 4, 1997, discloses a device for cleaning balls with a ball receiving recess lined with a cleaning medium (e.g., bristles) wherein, after inserting the ball into the recess (which can also contain a cleaning solvent), a motor-driven lid-mounted spindle is lowered onto and engages the ball causing the ball to rotate against the cleaning medium. However, Templeton appears to require manual opening of the lid portion of the device, insertion of the ball, and then closing and re-opening of the lid, and appears to provide no means for drying the ball after it is cleaned with use of solvent.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,381,574 issued to Benkovsky on May 3, 1983, discloses a golf ball washing device with a liquid retaining foam-lined receptacle into which a golf ball is placed and held in position by a holder secured to the underside of a lid (door) while the receptacle (and the foam lining) is rotated about the ball to clean it when an electric motor is switched on (e.g., by closing the lid). However, Benkowvsky appears to require manual opening of the lid, insertion of the ball, and then closing and re-opening of the lid, and to provide no means for drying the ball.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,122 issued to Bogle et al. on Sep. 15, 1998, discloses an automatic golf ball washer caddy with a chamber into which a golf ball is placed, the ball being held within a cradle extending from a removable cover that has a means (e.g., spring) for biasing the ball downward, and the chamber being lined with brushing means and a sealed flexible bottom for holding liquid cleaning solution, and with means (which may include a cam) for an electric motor to reciprocate a shaft that causes the ball to agitate up and down while contacting the brushing means (which can be staggered bristles to also rotate the ball). However, although Bogle discloses the use of an electronic timer for automatic shut off of the motor, it nevertheless appears to require manual opening of a cover, insertion of the ball, and then closing and re-opening of the cover; and, although Bogle discloses an external ring for a towel accessory, it nevertheless appears to provide no means for automatically drying the ball.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,455 issued to Crossley on May 28, 1995 discloses a golf ball washing apparatus with a chamber into which a ball is placed and sealed by a removable top hatch, the ball being inserted within a ring-shaped brush that is caused by an electric motor to rotate around and, assisted by a detergent solution in the chamber, clean the ball. However, Crossley appears to require manual opening of a lid, insertion of the ball, and then closing and re-opening of the lid; and, appears to provide no means for drying the ball.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,299 issued to Duda on Aug. 7, 1979 discloses a manually operated golf ball washer with a vertical cylindrical housing defining a washing chamber that can contain cleaning liquid and has a hemi-toroidal scrubbing means (with bristles) on one inner side of the chamber and a drive member on the other side, with the drive member having a concave front surface for impelling a ball in a circular path around the inside of the chamber (after the ball has been inserted through an opening in the upper part of the housing's cylindrical peripheral wall and the opening has been sealed closed by a removable cap), whereby the ball is scrubbed clean by the bristles as the ball travels and rotates through its path during perhaps several passes around the chamber; and, with the drive member having a convex cam-shaped back surface that, upon removing the cap and reversing the direction of the drive member, causes the ball to move in an outward direction and be automatically ejected out the opening. However, Duda appears to require manual opening of a cap, insertion of the ball, and then closing and re-opening of the cap; and, appears to provide no means for drying the ball.

Thus, it appears that none of the previously proposed devices disclose a ball cleaning machine that is fully automatic in its operation or that has a means for automatically drying the balls after they are cleaned.

It is contended that the present invention, which is described more fully below, provides advantages not afforded by the relevant prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

As used throughout this specification, unless clearly indicated otherwise, the following terms have the definitions referred to or specified in this paragraph. Terms of direction (such as “up,” “down,” “left,” and “right”), relative time (such as “when” and “concurrent”), relative position (such as “aligned,” “adjacent,” “proximate,” and “within”), angular position (such as “shut-off position” and “stop position”), orientation (such as “vertical” and “horizontal”), and shape (such as “circle,” “circular,” “arc,” “arced,” “ellipse,” “elliptical,” “toroid,” and “toroidal”) are not intended to be limited to the exact direction, relative time, relative position, angular position, orientation, or shape referred to but are intended to be inclusive of approximations and substantial similarities to those directions, relative times, relative positions, angular positions, orientations, and shapes. The term “described or shown” is intended to include “described and shown.” The term “such as” is intended to suggest an example, without limitation to only that example. References to a thing being “within” something else are intended as references to the thing being at least partly within the something else. References to a thing moving “through” something else are intended as references to at least part of the thing moving through at least part of the something else. References to a thing occurring “while” something else occurs are not intended as a requirement that the thing be occurring for the entire time the something else occurs. The term “herein” is intended to include the drawings as well as the other sections of this specification (including the claims).

The present invention relates to an apparatus for automatically cleaning and drying balls, and is particularly adaptable for cleaning and drying golf balls. The apparatus can be installed on a vehicle, such as a golf cart, and connected to the vehicle's battery for convenient use, particularly during periods when the user is not near a facility, such as a clubhouse, where other means may be available for cleaning and drying balls.

According to one aspect of the invention, the apparatus comprises a housing, an entry chute, and an exit chute. The housing comprises an interior chamber having one or more sidewalls (“walls”), wherein the one or more walls comprise an entry opening and an exit opening. The wall comprising the entry opening is on an entry side of the housing, and is also referred to herein as an entry wall. The wall comprising the exit opening is on an exit side if the housing, and is also referred to herein as an exit wall. In some embodiments, the entry and exit openings can be on a single wall that, for example, is on only one side of the housing or is a continuous wall around more than one side of the housing. Therefore, in such embodiments, the entry wall and exit wall can be the same wall. However, preferably, the entry wall and exit wall are separated, and, preferably, on opposite sides of the housing.

The interior chamber comprises a lower chamber, which comprises a scrubbing channel; an upper chamber, which comprises a drying section; and, a rotator, which comprises a ball carrying means. The entry chute is adapted to receive a ball of predetermined size outside the housing and to channel the ball, preferably along a downward incline, through the entry opening to the interior chamber. (Preferably, the entry chute channels the ball, at least in part, into the interior chamber. Thus, references herein to the ball being channeled “to” the interior chamber should be understood to include configurations in which the ball is channeled, at least in part, into the interior chamber.)

The rotator is disposed and rotatable within the interior chamber and the ball carrying means can be any means that moves together with the rotator and is effective for receiving and moving the ball. The rotator is at an entry position when the angular position of the rotator sufficiently aligns the ball carrying means with the entry chute for the ball carrying means to receive the ball from the entry chute.

A start sensor (such as a photo-electric, motion, or pressure sensor) is positioned (such as by attaching it to the entry chute) for detecting the presence of the ball in the entry chute, the start sensor being in electrical communication with, and adapted to send an electrical signal in response to detecting such presence of the ball, to a start switch (such as a conventional motor starter or “on”/“off” switch) that is adapted to automatically close an electric power circuit, between an electric motor and an electric power source, to switch the motor “on” (if it is “off”). The start switch can be co-located with the start sensor or located separately, for example, in an electric control box.

The motor can be any electric motor that is effective for rotating the rotator while the ball is being moved through the lower and upper chambers. Preferably, the motor is operable using an electric vehicle battery, such as a golf cart battery, as its power source. Preferably, the motor is adapted to rotate the rotator by transferring at least some torque to the rotator through torque transferring means, such as conventional gears, sprockets, drive chains, or shafts, or any combination of all or some of them operably connected to one another.

Rotation of the rotator causes the ball carrying means to move along a circular path through the scrubbing channel and then through the drying section. Preferably, the ball carrying means comprises a rotator hole large enough for the ball to pass through the rotator. And, preferably, the ball carrying means comprises a ball-roller wheel, wherein the ball-roller wheel is rotatably connected to the rotator and is positioned to contact and spin the ball while the ball is being moved through the interior chamber. And preferably a ball-roller drive wheel is attached to the shaft of the ball-roller wheel for turning the ball-roller wheel in response to contact by the drive wheel with a drive pad that is disposed within the interior chamber (preferably, stationary relative to the movement of the rotator). Preferably, the drive pad is a friction pad and the drive wheel is a friction wheel; although, they may be any combination of conventional parts, such as a gear and a gear track, that result in the drive wheel turning in response to contact between the drive wheel and the drive pad while the drive wheel is being moved by the rotator relative to the drive pad.

The scrubbing channel comprises a scrubbing means (such as a plurality of bush bristles), the scrubbing means being disposed within the scrubbing channel. At least a portion of the scrubbing means (such as the tips of at least some of the bristles) contacts the ball while the ball is being moved through the scrubbing channel. And, a cleaning liquid is disposed preferably within the lower chamber, wherein at least a portion of the ball is wetted by the cleaning liquid, preferably while the ball is being moved through the lower chamber. (As used herein, “cleaning liquid” includes any liquid that is effective for helping to clean the surface of the ball, and “liquid” includes not only any single-substance liquid, such as water, but also any liquid solution, such as soap and water.)

A drying means (such as a plurality of compressible roller pads) is disposed within the upper chamber, wherein at least a portion of the drying means is able to remove at least some of the cleaning liquid from the surface of the ball while the ball is being moved through the drying section. (Preferably, the drying means comprises a material such as terry cloth or other highly liquid-absorbent material on or within the drying means. Although, in alternative embodiments, the drying means can comprise any other conventional material or device that is effective for removing cleaning liquid from the surface of the ball, such as a chamois material or a heat generating or air circulating device.)

The rotational cycle of the rotator comprises an exit position for the ball to exit the ball carrying means. The rotator reaches the exit position, preferably after the ball has moved through the drying section, when the angular position of the rotator sufficiently aligns the ball carrying means with the exit chute for the ball to enter the exit chute from the ball carrying means. The exit chute is adapted to receive the ball from the ball carrying means when the rotator reaches the exit position. After receiving the ball from the ball carrying means, the exit chute channels the ball through the exit opening for the ball to exit to a location outside the interior chamber.

The rotational cycle of the rotator also preferably comprises a stop position, which is a predetermined angular position at which it is desired for the rotator to stop. Preferably, the stop position is an angular position reached by the rotator after it has rotated at least as far as the exit position for the most trailing ball being moved during the rotational cycle. (One ball can trail another where, for example, the rotator comprises more than one ball carrying means.) And, preferably, the stop position is reached before the leading ball carrying means has been moved past its position of alignment with the entry chute for receiving another ball.

A shut-off sensor is positioned (such as by attachment to the rotator shaft and exterior of the wall, in the case of a cam/limit switch combination, or to the exit chute, in the case of an exit ball-detecting sensor) for detecting when the rotator has reached a shut-off position. The shut-off position is a predetermined angular position of the rotator for switching the motor “off” in order to effectuate stopping the rotator at, or at least acceptably close to, the stop position. It is believed that persons skilled in the art relating to this invention can readily determine an appropriate shut-off position for any particular embodiment by undertaking only a small amount of testing or making a simple computation taking into account the momentum of the rotator, preferably rotating at a modest angular rate (such as 30-40 degrees per second), and the resistance to the momentum, such as from the switched-off motor and the parts linking the motor to the rotator, or by a combination of such testing and computation. Of course, the determination can be made more simple and more accurate, if desired, by applying any conventional braking means, directly or indirectly, to the rotator upon switching the motor “off.” (Also see the discussion below, in the Detailed Description section, where it is noted that, at least with respect to the prototype referred to there, the rotator has been found to stop almost immediately.) The shut-off sensor is in electrical communication with an electrical shut-off switch (which can be the same switch as the start switch, if it is capable of both “on” and “off” positions). Preferably, upon detecting the shut-off position, the shut-off sensor sends an electrical shut-off signal to the shut-off switch for automatically switching the motor “off.” The shut-off switch can be co-located with the shut-off sensor or located separately, for example, in an electric control box.

The shut-off sensor can comprise any conventional means for detecting, directly or indirectly, when the rotator has reached the predetermined shut-off position. Thus, the shut-off sensor can be any combination of associated electrical and mechanical parts able to detect the rotator's rotation angle (such as by using a conventional limit switch with a switch-activating plunger rod displaced by a cam attached to the rotator shaft) or able to detect the ball passing through the exit chute (such as by using a conventional photo, motion, or pressure sensor attached to the exit chute) and automatically determine (such as by using a conventional electronic timing circuit and/or digital data processor) the angular position of the rotator based on known factors such as the speed of the rotator and the detected position of the ball in the exit chute. And, the shut-off switch can comprise any conventional electrical switch that is able to automatically switch the motor “off” in response to a shut-off signal from the cam/limit switch combination or other form of shut-off sensor suggested or implied herein.

An alternative embodiment of the invention may comprise a ball counting means to help facilitate automatic operation of the apparatus with more than one ball in it. In such an embodiment, the ball counting means could comprise any conventional electrical counting device, such as an electronic counting circuit or a digital data processor in electrical communication with a sensor that is positioned and adapted for detecting when a ball has entered the entry chute, and with a sensor that is positioned and adapted for detecting the number of balls that have either entered the exit chute or been moved to their exit position. (The exit position being determinable based on the rotator reaching the exit position or another position, such as the shut-off position, with known relationship to the exit position.) In such an embodiment, the counting means could keep track of the number of entering balls by, for example, electronically recording the number of times the start sensor sends an electrical signal to the start switch; and, could keep track of the number of exiting balls by, for example, electronically recording the number of times the shut-off sensor detects (depending on the type of shut-off sensor used) either the rotator reaching a shut-off position or detects a ball passing through the exit chute. The counting means could be adapted to automatically make a determination of whether or not all entered balls have exited the interior chamber by, for example, electronically or digitally computing the difference between the two numbers it is counting. And, wherein, the ball counting means could be adapted to control the “on”-“off” switching of the motor in response to the determination. For example, the counting means might communicate a signal to the shut-off switch for it not to switch the motor “off”, or, if the motor is “off,” communicate a signal to the start switch for it to switch the motor “on.”

An alternate embodiment may also comprise means, such as a spring or other compressible material, or combination thereof, that is compressed by the presence of the ball and applies a reactive force to the ball, for biasing the ball out of the entry chute (preferably toward the ball carrying means), out of the ball carrying means (preferably toward the exit chute), or both.

Thus, a ball need only be inserted into the entry chute and it will be automatically cleaned and dried by the apparatus, the clean and dry ball will then exit to a point where it can be retrieved and re-used, and the apparatus will automatically switch “off” and be ready to receive and clean another ball.

The present invention relates to all embodiments of such an apparatus.

The invention also covers a method for cleaning a ball using an automatic ball cleaning apparatus, wherein the method comprises the following steps. Receiving a ball into an entry chute. Automatically detecting the presence of the ball. Channeling the ball toward a rotator. Automatically switching an electric motor “on” in response to the foregoing step of detecting the presence of the ball. Transferring at least some torque from the motor to the rotator and rotating the rotator, thereby moving a ball carrying means. Receiving the ball into the ball carrying means. Moving the ball while it is within the ball carrying means. Wetting at least some of the surface of the ball with a cleaning liquid. Moving the ball through a scrubbing channel. Scrubbing at least some of the surface of the ball while the ball is being moved through the scrubbing channel. Moving the ball through a drying section. Removing at least some of the cleaning liquid from the surface of the ball while the ball is being moved through the drying section. Receiving the ball into an exit chute and channeling the ball away from the rotator. Automatically detecting when the rotator has reached a shut-off position. Automatically switching the motor “off” in response to the preceding step of detecting when the rotator has reached a shut-off position.

Preferably, the method also includes spinning the ball while the ball is within the ball carrying means.

Alternatively, the method can also include biasing the ball out of the entry chute, out of the ball carrying means, or out of both the entry chute and the ball carrying means.

And, alternatively, the method can also include automatically determining if the number of balls received into the entry chute have been received, or positioned for receipt, into the exit chute; and, automatically controlling the “on”-“off” switching of the motor in response to such determining step.

Thus, the invention relates to both an apparatus and a method that provide a means for automatically cleaning and drying a ball. (Of course, the invention is not limited to cleaning only golf balls, since it can be readily adapted to clean substantially any type of ball.)

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be more clearly understood by reference to this specification in view of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the invention apparatus, and shows a golf ball at a position on one side for being inserted into the apparatus and at a position on the other side for removal from the apparatus, and showing an external source of electric power depicted symbolically as a separate box to represent (in this case) a vehicle battery.

FIG. 2 is a rear view of the embodiment seen in FIG. 1, again showing the ball positioned for insertion and for removal, and showing the electric power source.

FIG. 3 is a left side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, also showing the ball positioned for insertion and showing the electric power source.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, also showing the ball positioned for removal and showing the electric power source.

FIG. 5 is a right side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, as seen through cross-sectional cut I-I, showing the ball as it approaches the lower end of the apparatus entry chute, with the apparatus rotator removed for better visibility.

FIG. 6 is a right side view of the rotator, shown separated from the rest of the apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a right side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, as seen through cross-sectional cut I-I, showing the rotator now in place (and cut by cross-sectional cut I-I), with the ball seen in the lower end of the entry chute.

FIG. 8 is a right side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, as seen through cross-sectional cut I-I, showing the ball in a rotator hole being moved by the rotator through the lower portion of the apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a left side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, as seen through cross-sectional cut II-II, with the rotator removed for better visibility.

FIG. 10 is a left side view of the rotator, shown separated from the rest of the apparatus.

FIG. 11 is a left side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, as seen through cross-sectional cut II-II, showing the rotator now in place (and cut by cross-sectional cut II-II), with the ball seen in a rotator hole being moved by the rotator through the upper portion of the apparatus.

FIG. 12 is a left side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, as seen through cross-sectional cut II-II, showing the rotator soon after it has passed the entrance to the exit chute, with the ball seen in the upper end of the exit chute.

FIG. 13 is a front view of the embodiment in FIG. 3, as seen through cross-sectional cut III-III, showing the ball being moved by the rotator through the lower portion of the apparatus at the point where the ball is centered at cross-sectional cut III-III.

FIG. 14 is a front view of the embodiment in FIG. 3, as seen through cross-sectional cut III-III, showing the ball being moved by the rotator through the lower portion of the apparatus at the point where the first ball-roller assembly is centered at cross-sectional cut III-III.

FIG. 15 is a front view of the embodiment in FIG. 3, as seen through cross-sectional cut III-III, showing the ball being moved by the rotator through the upper portion of the apparatus at the point where the ball is centered at cross-sectional cut II-II.

FIG. 16 is a left side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, as seen through cross-sectional cut IV-IV, showing part of the top portion of the apparatus with a limit switch box depicted with a plunger rod extending downwardly from it and a cam wheel at a rotated position.

FIG. 17 is a left side view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, as seen through cross-sectional cut IV-IV, similar to FIG. 16 but showing the cam wheel at a different rotated position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 show the exterior of an embodiment of the present invention apparatus 1, together with a golf ball 2 and an external electric power source 3, such as a battery on a golf cart or other vehicle. Although this embodiment is adapted for cleaning golf balls, the invention is intended to include other embodiments that are adapted, by appropriate variations in dimensions and other physical characteristics, for cleaning one or more other types of balls such as baseballs, ping pong balls, and ball bearings. FIGS. 1-3 show a path (indicated by the downward arrow) for the ball 2 to enter the apparatus via the apparatus entry chute 4. In FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the ball 2 is seen at the lower end of the apparatus exit chute 5 after being cleaned, and a path is shown (by the upwardly curved arrow in FIGS. 1 and 2) for removal of the cleaned ball 2 from the apparatus.

FIGS. 1-4 also show the apparatus 1 with a housing 6 secured to a base plate 7 by two housing supports 8. Preferably, the material used to make the housing 6, plate 7, and supports 8 is stainless steel and the supports 8 are secured to the housing 6 and the plate 7 by welding. However, any other conventional structural material suitable for making these parts, such as aluminum, and any other conventional means suitable for securing them, such as screws, can be used. The housing 6 comprises a center section shown here as a cylinder 9 with walls 10 secured to its left (entry) and right (exit) sides. (Note that the wall 10 shown on the left (entry) side of the housing is also referred to herein as the “entry wall,” and the wall 10 shown on the right (exit) side of the housing is also referred to herein as the “exit wall.” Each of the walls 10 is substantially a mirror image of the other, but with one located on the entry side of the housing 6 and having an entry opening 30 and the other located on the exit side of the housing 6 and having an exit opening 58. Of course, in a rear view, as shown in FIG. 2, the left side of the housing 6 appears to be on the right side and the right side of the housing 6 appears to be on the left side.) Screws 11 are used for removably securing the walls 10 to the cylinder 9 to form a watertight seal. But, any conventional fasteners or other means for securing the walls 10 to the cylinder 9, including use of welds, adhesives, clamps, or molding, can be used.

FIGS. 1-4 show the ends of a rotator shaft 12, with the left end of the rotator shaft 12 seen in FIGS. 1-3 as having a large sprocket 13 secured to it. The large sprocket 13 is connected via a drive chain 14 to a small sprocket 15. (The large sprocket 13 is visible only in FIG. 3 and the small sprocket 15 is not visible in the figures presented herein. However, the locations of both the large sprocket 13 at the upper end of the drive chain 14 and the small sprocket 15 at the lower end of the drive chain 14 are indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2). The small sprocket 15 is secured to a drive shaft 16 that is connected via a gearbox 17 to an electric motor 18. The electric motor 18 is shown electrically connected by a motor cable 19 to an electric control box 20. (In the embodiment shown here, the electric control box houses conventional circuitry for automatically switching the motor “on” and “off” in response to receiving a start signal for “on” and a shut-off signal for “off,” as further discussed below.)

In FIGS. 1 and 2, a cam 21 is shown secured to the rotator shaft 12, between the outside of the wall 10 on the left (entry) side of the housing 6 and the large sprocket 13. Thus, the cam 21 rotates with the rotator shaft 12. The cam 21 is shown in FIG. 2 as being in a rotational position that places the high point of the cam in contact with the bottom of a switch-actuating plunger rod 22 seen as protruding downwardly from a limit switch box 23. As shown in FIG. 2, the limit switch box 23 is attached, such as by screws, to the outside of the wall 10 on the entry side of the housing 6. As shown in FIGS. 1-3, the limit switch box 23 is electrically connected to the control box 20 by a limit switch cable 24 (shown plugged into the limit switch box 23 using a limit switch connector plug 25).

It should be understood that the relationship shown in FIG. 2 between the plunger rod 22 and the cam 21 is illustrative of only one rotational position of the cam 21 and not intended to represent their relationship at all rotational positions of the cam 21. As the rotator shaft 12 rotates, the relationship between the plunger rod 22 and the cam 21 varies accordingly. During a portion of the rotational cycle of the cam 21, it contacts and displaces the plunger rod 22 upwardly as shown in FIG. 2. However, at another portion of the rotational cycle the cam 21 does not displace the plunger rod 22, thereby allowing the plunger rod 22 to move downwardly to resume a non-displaced position until the cam 21 again rotates to the portion of its cycle for displacing the plunger rod 22. Preferably, the shape of the cam 21 and the proximity of the extended plunger rod 22 are selected for the cam 21 to not contact the plunger rod 22 during the non-displacement portion of the cam's rotational cycle. But, alternatively, the shape of the cam 21 and its proximity to the plunger rod 22 can be selected for the plunger rod 22 to function as a cam follower that remains in continuous contact with the cam 21.

FIGS. 1-4 also show a start sensor 26 attached, such as by threading, to an opening on the top side of the entry chute 4. The start sensor 26 is directed toward the inside of the entry chute and is selected and calibrated for detecting the presence of the ball 2 in the entry chute 4, and upon such detection sending an electrical signal via a start sensor cable 27 to the control box 20. The entry chute is also shown with an underside hole 28 which, depending on the type of sensor used, may be necessary for operation of the start sensor 26. Preferably, the start sensor 26 is a photo sensor, although alternate embodiments could be made using any other sensor capable of detecting the presence of the ball in the entry chute 4, and in some embodiments, operation of the start sensor 26 may not require an underside hole 28.

Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the exit chute 5 has a ball-removal access opening 66, to facilitate removal of the cleaned ball 2 from the apparatus 1 by hand. However, other embodiments could provide any other conventional means for separating the cleaned ball 2 from the apparatus 1, such as by not closing the lower end of the exit chute 5.

The gearbox 17, motor 18, and control box 20 shown in FIGS. 1-3 are attached, by any conventional means such as screws, to an L-shaped support bracket 29 that is secured, by any conventional means such as welding, to the base plate 7. As with the housing 6, base plate 7, and supports 8, the entry chute 4, exit chute 5, and bracket 29 are preferably made of stainless steel but can be made of aluminum or any other conventional structural material or combination of materials, preferably a material or materials with known characteristics of strength, rigidity, durability, and resistance to corrosion deemed best suited for the purposes described herein.

FIG. 5 shows the lower end of the entry chute 4 protruding into the housing 6 through an entry opening 30 in the wall 10 on the left side of the housing 6, with the ball 2 seen within the entry chute 4. The housing is comprised of a lower chamber 31 and an upper chamber 32. The lower chamber 31 contains a scrubbing channel 33 lined with a plurality of brush bristles 34. The internal shape of the scrubbing channel 33, as better seen by also referring to FIGS. 9 and 13-15, is substantially that of a partial semi-toroid formed by rotating a cut circular shape (essentially two opposed concentric arcs) about the centerline of the rotator shaft 12 along an arc that passes through at least part of the lower chamber 30. The scrubbing channel 33 has a left scrubbing channel surface 35 and a right scrubbing channel surface 36. FIG. 5 shows the left scrubbing channel surface 35. Bristles 34 on both the left scrubbing channel surface 35 and the right scrubbing channel surface 36 protrude into the scrubbing channel 33 for scrubbing the ball while it passes through at least a portion of the lower chamber 31. Preferably, as seen in FIG. 5, the lower chamber 31 contains a cleaning liquid 37 (which can be a detergent solution or any other conventional liquid effective for assisting in cleaning undesirable materials from the ball) for helping, together with the bristles, to clean the ball 2 while it travels through the lower chamber 31. Preferably, the cleaning fluid 37 is not left in the apparatus for extended periods of non-use. The cleaning fluid can be added via the entry chute 4 and drained (by tilting the apparatus) via the exit chute 5; or, any conventional means for facilitating the insertion and/or drainage of the cleaning fluid, such as plugable holes or tubes, can be added.

Although their functions will be more apparent when viewed in conjunction with other figures discussed below, FIG. 5 also shows a friction pad 51, the edge of a supporting inner cylinder 54, the edge of a supporting outer cylinder 55, and a plurality (four seen in this figure) of drying roller pads 56 with each roller pad 56 being rotatably secured to the inner cylinder 54 and outer cylinder 55 by a roller pad shaft 57. Preferably, each pad shaft 57 is rotatable relative to its roller pad 56 and relative to both the inner and outer cylinders 54,55; but, optionally, the pad shaft 57 can be fixed relative to either its roller pad 56 or the inner and outer cylinders 54, 55. Preferably, as shown in other figures discussed below, the inner cylinder 54 and outer cylinder 55 are made as part of the inside surface of each wall 10, such as by forming them together by casting, machining, or molding them from the same piece; or, alternatively, by making the cylinders 54, 55 separately and securing them to their respective wall 10 by any conventional means such as by fasteners, welds, or adhesives. Thus, preferably, the right inside of the housing also comprises a supporting inner cylinder 54, supporting outer cylinder 55, and plurality of rotatable roller pads 56 with pad shafts 57.

FIG. 6 shows a right-side view of an uninstalled rotator 38 that includes a ball-moving section 39, a ring support 40, and a radial support 41. The ball-moving section has a rotator shaft hole 42 for securing the rotator 38 to the rotator shaft 12 so that, when so secured and installed in the housing 6, the rotator 38 will rotate with the rotator shaft 12. A setscrew or any other conventional means can be used for so securing the rotator 38 to the rotator shaft 12. The ring support 40 and radial support 41 are seen in FIG. 6 as providing structural support and a counter-balance for the ball-moving section 39. However, in alternate embodiments, either the ring support 40, the radial support 41, or both, may be modified or replaced with any other conventional structure capable of providing the desired support and balance to the rotator 38, or may be eliminated entirely if such additional support and/or balance is deemed unnecessary. For example, in an alternative embodiment, the size of the ball-moving section 39 might be increased (such as by increasing the length of the arc it fills, or even making it as a full circle) so that the ball-moving section 39 alone provides all the structural support it needs. And, counter-balancing may not be needed or cost-effective in some applications.

The ball-moving section 39 is shown in FIG. 6 as including a first rotator hole 43 with its associated first ball-roller assembly 44, and a second rotator hole 45 with its associated second ball-roller assembly 46. Each ball-roller assembly is shown as comprising a ball-roller wheel 47, a friction wheel 48, and a set of friction wheel fasteners 49 for securing the ball-roller wheel 47 and friction wheel 48, by any conventional means such as by use of a setscrew, to a friction wheel shaft 50 (not visible in FIG. 6 but shown in FIG. 14, discussed below). When installed and in operation in the housing 6, the rotator 12 receives a ball from the entry chute 4 into either the first rotator hole 43 or the second rotator hole 45 which, if the rotator 12 were installed and operating in the housing, would move the ball 2 as the rotator 38 is rotated by the rotator shaft 12. Operation of the apparatus with the ball 2 in the first rotator hole 43 is substantially similar to operation of the apparatus with the ball 2 in the second rotator hole 45. Potentially, the apparatus can be operated with a ball in both rotator holes 43,45 at the same time. In alternate embodiments, the rotator 12 may have either only one rotator hole, or may have more than two rotator holes if properly adapted to accommodate them. Preferably, each rotator hole would have its own associated ball-roller assembly. For convenience, this description will, unless otherwise stated, describe the apparatus based on use of only one ball 2 which, as shown in FIGS. 6, 8, 10, and 11, is in the first rotator hole 43 while being moved by the rotator 12.

FIG. 7 shows the rotator 38 installed in the housing, with the ball 2 at the lower end of the entry chute 4. As noted above, the presence of the ball 2 in the entry chute 4 would have been detected by the start sensor 26, which would have sent a signal via the start-sensor cable 27 to the control box 20 (shown in FIGS. 1-4 but not visible in FIG. 7). The control box 20, has conventional circuitry and components for causing the motor 18 to switch “on,” by closing an electric power circuit, in response to the signal from the start sensor 26. The closed electric power circuit creates an electrical connection that supplies electric power from the power source 3 (shown in FIGS. 1-4 but not visible in FIG. 7), via its power source cable 52. (Only a portion of the electric power cable 52 is visible in FIG. 7, but more of it is visible in FIGS. 1-4 where, in FIGS. 1 and 3, it is symbolically shown plugged, via a conventional power cable plug 53, into the control box 20.) While switched “on,” the motor 18 transfers torque to the rotator 38, via the drive shaft 16, gears in gearbox 17, small sprocket 15, drive chain 14, large sprocket 13, and rotator shaft 12 (of these components, only the rotator 38 and rotator shaft 12 are visible in FIG. 7, but each of the others is described elsewhere herein with reference to other figures such as FIGS. 1-4). The motor 18, power source 3, and intervening electrical components are conventional items selected for use based on the level of torque and rpm needed to rotate the rotator 38, fully loaded with its capacity of balls 2, at a modest rotational rate of speed such as 30-40 degrees per second through the lower chamber 31 and upper chamber 32, with due consideration for the resisting forces provided by the components between the motor 18 and the rotator 38 and within the upper and lower chambers 31,32.

In FIG. 7, the rotator 38 is shown in motion, as indicated by the arced arrow around the rotator shaft 12, at a point prior to receiving the ball 2. As the rotator 38 continues to rotate past the lower end of the entry chute 4, the ball drops into the first rotator hole 43 and is urged by the combined first rotator hole 43 and its associated ball rotator wheel 47 along a path defined by an arc running substantially coincident with the centerline of the scrubbing channel 33. (In alternative embodiments, the path of either the ball 2 or the rotator 38, or both, can be offset somewhat from the centerline of the scrubbing channel.) The ball 2 is then confined within the first rotator hole 43 by, and is scrubbed by, the bristles 34, and is also wetted by the presence of a cleaning liquid 37 in the lower chamber 31, while the ball 2 continues to be moved by rotation of the rotator 38 through the scrubbing channel 33.

In FIG. 8, the ball 2 is shown at a position substantially at the bottom of its travel through the scrubbing channel 33 in the lower chamber 31. The ball 2 is seen in FIG. 8 after it has dropped from the lower end of the entry chute 4 into the first rotator hole 43, and has been moved forward into, and through a portion of, the scrubbing channel 33 by the first rotator hole 43 and its associated ball-roller wheel 47 (which, as discussed above, move with the rotator 38 in response to the torque produced by the motor 18). As also shown in FIG. 8, (with reference to both the first ball-roller assembly 44 and the second ball-roller assembly 46) the friction wheel 48 is turning, thus causing its associated wheel shaft 50 and ball-roller wheel 47 to turn, in the direction indicated by the elliptical arrow around the top of the of the wheel shaft 50. The friction wheel 48 is caused to turn by being in contact with the friction pad 51 while the friction wheel 48 is moved by the rotator 38 through at least a portion of the lower chamber 31. (The relationship between the friction wheel 48 and friction pad 51 may be better understood by also referring to FIG. 14 discussed below.) Thus, in addition to any turning of the ball 2 caused by its contact with the bristles 34, the scrubbing and cleaning of the ball 2 is enhanced by it also being spun as a result of it being in contact with the ball-roller wheel 47 while the ball 2 is being carried through the scrubbing channel 38. Preferably, the friction wheel 48 and the ball-roller wheel 47 are made of a rubber (or rubber-like) material; but, any material may be used for making the friction wheel 48 that creates sufficient friction with the friction pad 51, and for making the ball-roller wheel 47 that creates sufficient friction with the surface of the ball 2, to cause the spinning of the ball 2 by the ball-roller wheel 47.

FIG. 9 shows the upper end of the exit chute 5 protruding into the housing 6 through an exit opening 58 in the wall 10 on the right (exit) side of the housing 6. Preferably, in order to avoid potential interference with an incoming ball 2, the center of the upper end of the exit chute 5, as shown in FIG. 9, is at a higher elevation than the center of the lower end of the entry chute 4, as shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 9 also shows the right inside of the housing 6, similar to the left inside of the housing 6 shown in FIG. 5, with the right scrubbing channel surface 36 shown to comprise a plurality of bristles 34. However, FIG. 9 shows more bristles 34 on the right side. (The exit chute 5, as shown in FIG. 9, interferes with the right scrubbing channel surface 36 less than the entry chute 4, as shown in FIG. 5, interferes with the left scrubbing channel surface 35.) Preferably, as shown in FIG. 9, the right inside of the upper chamber 32 includes the same number of roller pads 56, at substantially the same angular locations, as are shown in FIG. 5 for the right inside of the upper chamber 32. Although, in other embodiments, the number and relative positioning of the roller pads can be varied as desired.

FIG. 10 shows the uninstalled rotator 38 as viewed from the left side to be substantially a mirror image of it as viewed from the right side, as shown in FIG. 6 and described above.

FIG. 11 shows the inside of the housing, as viewed from the left looking toward the right (exit) side, with the ball 2 in the first rotator hole 43 at substantially the highest point of its travel through the upper chamber 32 after having passed through the lower chamber 31 as shown in FIG. 8 and described above. As seen in FIG. 11, the ball 2 is being moved by the rotator 38 through the drying section of the upper chamber 32, the drying section being the section occupied by the roller pads 56, in the direction indicated by the arced arrow around the rotator shaft 12. (This is the same angular direction shown in FIG. 8 but viewed from the opposite side.) As the ball 2 is moved through the upper chamber 32, the ball 2 encounters and displaces the surfaces of the roller pads 56, causing the roller pads 56, while being encountered by the ball 2, to turn about their respective pad shafts 57. (This can be seen more clearly by also referring to FIG. 15 discussed below.) Thus, the surface of the ball 2, after being wetted in the lower chamber 31, is dried (at least in part) by the roller pads in the upper chamber 32. As shown in FIG. 11, the ball 2 is not being actively spun by the ball-roller wheel 47 since the friction pad 51 for this embodiment does not extend into the upper chamber 32. (The friction pad 51 is not shown in FIG. 11 but is shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and 8 as being located within the left inside of the lower chamber 31). In other embodiments, the upper chamber 32 could have a friction pad 51 for turning the friction wheel 48, and thereby turning the ball-roller wheel 47 and the ball 2, while the ball 2 is moving through the upper chamber 32. It should be noted that other embodiments could have the roller pads 56 replaced by one or more drying surfaces that do not turn about a shaft when encountered by the ball 2, such as stationary drying surfaces. FIG. 11 also shows that, as the ball 2 continues to be moved through the upper chamber 32 it will come into substantial alignment with the upper end of the exit chute 5, where it can drop into the exit chute 5. (The ball 2 also may be biased toward the exit chute 5 by residual pressure from one or more roller pads 56 or by any other conventional means, such as a spring or other compressible object, for biasing the ball 2 in that direction.)

FIG. 12 shows the first rotator hole 43 at a rotated position slightly past its alignment with the upper end of the exit chute 5. At approximately the time of alignment between the first rotator hole 43 and the upper end of the exit chute 5, the ball 2 would have dropped (and/or been biased) out of the first rotator hole 43 into the upper end of the exit chute 5. Thus, FIG. 12 shows the ball 2 in the upper end of the exit chute 5. The rotator 38 stops automatically, as further discussed below, at or after the time it reaches the angular position at which the first rotator hole 45 has come into alignment with the upper end of the exit chute 5. Preferably, the lower end of the entry chute 4 and the upper end of the exit chute 5 are sufficiently separated in elevation for the second rotator hole 45 to align with the upper end of the exit chute 5, and thereby release any ball 2 that was in the second rotator hole 45, before the first rotator hole 43 passes the lower end of the entry chute 4. This arrangement permits the first rotator hole 43 to receive another ball 2 from the entry chute 4 without first having to cycle through the lower and upper chambers 31,32. Of course, embodiments can be made wherein the rotator does not stop until it is moved through at least part of another cycle, in order to position the first rotator hole 43 (or any other rotator hole) for receiving another ball 2 from the entry chute 4. And, in those embodiments, such separation in elevation between the upper end of the exit chute 5 and the lower end of the entry chute 4 would not be necessary.

FIGS. 13-15 show the inside of the housing 6 as seen from the front, at several angular positions of the rotator 38 after the ball 2 has been received into, and is being moved through, the lower and upper chambers 31, 32. In FIGS. 13-15, the rotator shaft 12 is shown passing through the walls 10 on the left side and on the right side of the housing 6 (although the rotator shaft 12 need not pass all the way through the wall 10 on the right side), with a ball-bearing assembly 59 (only the top and bottom portions being visible in these figures) shown recessed into each of the walls 10, on the right and left sides of the housing 6. Each ball-bearing assembly 59 is shown encircling and supporting the rotator shaft 12, and resisting lateral movement of the rotator shaft 12 by encountering a rotator shaft shoulder 60 (only the top and bottom portions being visible in these figures). (Although a ball-bearing assembly is shown in FIGS. 13-15, other embodiments can use any bearing assembly, such as a roller-bearing assembly, or other conventional means to facilitate rotation of the rotator 12 relative to the wall 10.) FIGS. 13-15 also show the limit switch box 23 having therein a limit switch 61, shown symbolically simply as a rectangle with a limit switch lever 62 in contact with the top of the switch-actuating plunger rod 22. Preferably the outer surface of the roller pads 56 is made of a flexible liquid-absorbent material (such as terry cloth or any other conventional drying material) supported, as shown in FIGS. 13-15, by an inner core 63 made of a compressible material (such as natural or synthetic sponge or any other conventional material that will compress and produce resistance pressure when encountered by the ball 2 moving through the upper chamber 32, and that will thereafter resume substantially the form it had before the encounter). The roller pads 56 also preferably have a sleeve 64 made of any stiff material such as stainless steel that is suitable for providing the core 63 protection against wear due to direct contact between it and the roller pad shaft 57. FIGS. 13-15 also show the locations of the supporting inner cylinder 54 and outer cylinder 55, in both the lower chamber 31 and the upper chamber 32, and show a lower-chamber base material 65 serving as a base for the left scrubbing channel surface 35, the right scrubbing channel surface 36, the bristles 34, and the friction pad 51.

FIG. 13 shows the configuration of the housing 6 interior with the ball 2 in approximately its lowest position of travel through the scrubbing channel 33, which is shown bounded on the left and right respectively by the left scrubbing channel surface 35 and the right scrubbing channel surface 36. The ball 2 is shown in FIG. 13 being scrubbed by the bristles 34 as the rotator 38 is rotating in the direction indicated by the elliptical arrow around the rotator shaft 12.

FIG. 14 shows the configuration of the housing 6 interior with the first ball-roller assembly in approximately its lowest position of travel through the scrubbing channel 33. The friction wheel 48 is shown in FIG. 14 as being in contact with the friction pad 51. As shown in FIG. 14, the rotator 38 is rotating in the direction indicated by the elliptical arrow around the rotator shaft 12, and the friction wheel 48, which is moving with the rotator 38, is caused, by its frictional contact with the stationary friction pad 51, to turn (and thus cause the ball-roller wheel 47 to turn) in the direction indicated by the elliptical arrow around the ball-roller wheel 47. Because the ball 2 is being urged forward (into the page as seen in FIG. 14) by the ball-roller wheel 47, the surface of the ball 2 is receiving a frictional force from the ball-roller wheel 47, which frictional force is tending to spin the ball 2 in a rotational direction opposite the rotational direction of the ball-roller wheel 47. (Conceivably, in an alternate embodiment, the friction wheel and friction pad could be replaced by any other combination of conventional parts wherein one part is caused to turn by moving relative to and making contact with the other part, such as by replacing the friction wheel with a gear wheel and the friction pad with a gear track.) Thus, as shown in FIG. 14, particularly in conjunction with the other figures herein showing the ball in the lower chamber 31, the ball 2 is caused to spin by the ball-roller wheel 47 (in addition to any turning of the ball 2 caused by its contact with the bristles 34 and/or the first rotator hole 43) while the ball 2 is being moved through the brush chamber 33. The resulting spinning direction of the ball 2 is not indicated in FIG. 14, or in the other figures showing the ball in the brush chamber 33, since the resulting spinning direction will depend on the magnitude and direction of the several turning forces acting upon the ball 2. Preferably, the ball-turning wheel 47 and the friction wheel 48 are each made of a material such as natural or synthetic rubber, thermoplastic polymer, or other conventional material that will provide sufficient frictional forces (between the friction wheel 48 and the friction pad 51 and between the ball-turning wheel 47 and the surface of the ball 2) for the frictional force between the ball-turning wheel 47 and the ball 2 to dominate the turning forces acting upon the ball 2. As shown in FIGS. 13-15, the friction pad 51 is a part of the base material 65, with the friction pad preferably roughened sufficiently to serve as a substantially non-skid surface for turning the friction wheel 48 as described herein. Alternatively, the base material 65 can be coated by or secured to another material that provides the non-skid surface desired for the friction pad 51. The base material 65 preferably is a thermoplastic polymer, but can be any material suitable for supporting the bristles 34 and the surfaces as described herein.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, while the rotator 38 is moving the ball 2 through the lower chamber 31, the cam 21 is not displacing the switch-actuating plunger rod 22. However, the cam 21 will approach, and may initiate contact with, the bottom of the plunger rod 22, as shown in FIG. 15, at or shortly after the first rotator hole 43 has moved past its highest point of travel through the upper chamber 32. (The relationship between the cam 21 and the plunger rod 22 are also discussed above in connection with FIG. 2 and below in connection with FIGS. 16 and 17.)

FIG. 15 shows the configuration of the housing 6 interior with the ball 2 in approximately its highest position of travel through the drying section in the upper chamber 32. As seen in FIG. 15, roller pads 56 on each side of the ball 2 are engaged, and each roller pad 56 and its inner core 63 is compressed, by the ball 2 as it is moved by the rotator 38 through the space between the two roller pads 56. The two roller pads 56 shown in FIG. 15 are being pressed against the ball 2 by the reactive pressure from the inner cores 63, and are being rotated in opposing directions, as indicated by the elliptical arrows around the lower ends of the roller pad shafts 57. Thus, the roller pads 56 act to absorb at least some of any residual cleaning liquid from the surface of the ball 2 before the ball 2 reaches the position where the first rotator hole 43 (the one in which the ball is traveling in the figures presented herein) is sufficiently aligned with the upper end of the exit chute 5 for the ball to drop (and/or be urged) into the exit chute 5 where it can then roll through the wall exit opening 58 to the ball-removal access opening 66 (or to other means for removing the ball 2).

FIG. 16 shows the cam 21 being rotated by the rotator shaft 12 in the direction indicated by the arced arrow, and before displacing the switch-actuating plunger rod 22. With the cam 21 in the angular position shown in FIG. 16, the rotator 38 would be at an angular position approximately 30 degrees before reaching a shut-off angular position, the shut-off angular position being a predetermined angular position of the rotator 38 at which the motor 18 is to be switched “off.”

FIG. 17 shows the cam 21 after rotating to a position that displaces the plunger rod 22. The plunger rod 22 is displaced sufficiently to activate the limit switch 61, and thereby cause the motor 18 to be switched “off,” when the angular position of the cam 21, and thus the rotator 38, has reached the shut-off angular position. (Preferably, this would be slightly before full displacement of the plunger rod 22 shown in FIG. 17.) The shut-off angular position is determined based upon the desired stop position (the angular position desired for the rotator 38 to stop), and an evaluation of the angular distance the rotator 38 will cover before stopping after the motor 18 is switched “off.” Preferably, the stop position will place the first rotator hole 43 (and any other rotator hole with a ball occupying it) at a point after the ball 2 has dropped (and/or been urged) into the exit chute 5 and before passing the point at which the first rotator hole 43 is in alignment with the lower end of the entry chute 4 for receiving another ball. The angular distance needed for the rotator 38 to stop can be readily determined based upon the angular momentum of the rotator 38 and the resistance to its continued movement by other components after the motor is switched “off.” It may be necessary, or convenient, to do a limited amount of testing of any particular embodiment in making this determination. However, with a modest rotational speed of the rotator 38, such as the 30-40 degrees per second mentioned above, the resistance generated by the combination of the motor 18 (when “off”) and the components described herein that connect the motor 18 to the rotator 38 and that make contact with the rotator 38 and with the parts connected to it, has been found to result in the rotator 38 stopping almost immediately after the motor 18 is switched “off.” For example, in a prototype, it was found that a rotator would stop within approximately 1-3 degrees after the motor was switched “off,” where a D.C. electric motor that operated at approximately 2,000 rpm was used to rotate a rotator at approximately 6 rpm, with the resistance after switching the motor “off” believed to be almost entirely from the switched-off motor and from the gearbox and sprockets/chain used for achieving the reduction in rpm. (Of course, an alternative embodiment could utilize any conventional brake system adapted to activate and assist in stopping the rotator 38 when the motor 18 is switched “off.”) The motor 18 remains “off” until again switched “on” by the start sensor 26 sensing the introduction of another ball 2. As noted above, however, alternative embodiments could employ conventional means for electronically counting the number of balls inserted via the entry chute 4 and the number of balls exiting via the exit chute 5 to permit continued rotation of the rotator 38 until all of the inserted balls have exited.

It should be understood, that the present invention contemplates and includes all conventional adjustments and modifications to the embodiments described or shown herein, including alternate embodiments of the present invention that have conventional differences in size, shape, proportion, orientation, or direction of rotation from those described or shown herein, without departing from the present invention.

Accordingly, the invention claimed is not limited to the embodiments described or shown herein, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the claims and is limited only by such claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning balls, wherein the apparatus comprises

a. an entry chute for receiving and channeling a ball;

b. a housing wherein the housing comprises an interior chamber therein, an entry opening, and an exit opening, wherein the entry chute receives the ball outside the housing and channels the ball through the entry opening to the interior chamber, wherein the interior chamber comprises a lower chamber therein, the lower chamber comprising a scrubbing channel disposed within the lower chamber, the lower chamber further comprising a cleaning liquid for wetting a ball, the cleaning liquid being disposed within the lower chamber, wherein the scrubbing channel comprises a scrubbing means for scrubbing the ball, wherein the interior chamber comprises an upper chamber therein, the upper chamber comprising a drying section disposed within the upper chamber, wherein the drying section comprises drying means for removing at least some cleaning liquid from the ball, and wherein the interior chamber comprises a rotator, the rotator being rotatably disposed within the interior chamber and comprising a ball carrying means, wherein the rotator is adapted for moving the ball carrying means through the interior chamber, and wherein the ball carrying means is adapted for receiving the ball from the entry chute and for moving the ball through the scrubbing channel and the drying section;

c. an exit chute for receiving and channeling the ball, wherein the exit chute receives the ball from the ball carrying means within the interior chamber and channels the ball out of the interior chamber through the exit opening; and,

d. a start sensor for detecting the presence of the ball in the entry chute and for generating a start signal in response to said detecting of the presence of the ball, wherein the start sensor is in electrical communication with a start switch and is adapted to send the start signal to the start switch;

e. an electric motor for rotating the rotator, wherein the motor is electrically connected to an electric power source wherein the start switch is adapted to automatically switch the motor “on” in response to the start signal, and wherein the motor is connected to the rotator by torque transferring means through which the motor effects rotation of the rotator while the motor is “on”; and,

f. a shut-off sensor for detecting when the rotator is at a shut-off position and for generating a shut-off signal in response to said detecting of the shut-off position, wherein the shut-off sensor is in electrical communication with a shut-off switch and is adapted to send the shut-off signal to the shut-off switch, the shut-off switch being adapted to automatically switch the motor “off” in response to the shut-off signal, and wherein the shut-off switch is either the same switch as the start switch or a separate switch.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the ball carrying means comprises a ball-roller wheel, wherein the ball-roller wheel is rotatably connected to the rotator and is adapted to turn while the rotator moves the ball carrying means through the interior channel, and wherein the ball-roller wheel is positioned to contact and spin the ball while the ball moves through the interior chamber.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ball carrying means further comprises a ball-roller drive wheel attached to the shaft of the ball-roller wheel for turning the ball-roller wheel in response to contact by the drive wheel with a drive pad.

4. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising biasing means for biasing the ball out of the entry chute, out of the ball carrying means, or both out of the entry chute and out of the ball carrying means, wherein the biasing means is located, at least while biasing the ball, operably proximate the entry chute, the ball carrying means, or both the entry chute and the ball carrying means.

5. The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising ball counting means wherein the ball counting means is adapted for automatically determining if the number of balls that entered the entry chute has been moved to an exit position for exiting the interior chamber, and wherein the counting means is in electrical communication with and adapted to control the “on”-“off” switching of the motor in response to the determination made by the ball counting means.

6. An apparatus for cleaning balls, comprising:

a. a housing, the housing comprising an interior chamber bounded, at least in part, by an entry wall and an exit wall, wherein the interior chamber comprises a lower chamber and an upper chamber, and wherein the entry wall comprises an entry opening and the exit wall comprises an exit opening;

b. an entry chute connected to the entry wall, wherein the entry chute is adapted for receiving a ball of predetermined size and channeling the ball through the entry opening to the interior chamber, wherein the entry chute comprises a start sensor, the start sensor being positioned and adapted to detect the presence of the ball in the entry chute and to communicate an electrical start signal to a start switch, wherein the start switch is adapted for switching the electric motor “on” by closing an electric power circuit in response to the start signal, the motor being electrically connected via the power circuit to an electric power source.

c. a rotator disposed within the interior chamber, wherein the rotator is rotatable by the motor, the motor being connected to the rotator by torque transferring means, wherein the rotator comprises a rotator hole large enough for the ball to pass through it, and wherein the rotator is adapted for moving the rotator hole through the interior chamber, and wherein the rotator hole is adapted for receiving the ball from the entry chute and for moving the ball through the lower chamber and the upper chamber;

d. a scrubbing channel disposed within the lower chamber, wherein the scrubbing channel comprises a scrubbing means therein for scrubbing the surface of the ball;

e. a cleaning liquid disposed within the lower chamber, wherein the cleaning liquid wets at least part of the surface of the ball;

f. a drying means disposed within a drying section of the upper chamber, wherein the drying means is adapted to remove at least some of the cleaning liquid from the surface of the ball;

g. an exit chute, wherein the exit chute is adapted to receive the ball from the rotator hole after the rotator hole with the ball therein has moved through at least part of the drying section and wherein the exit chute channels the ball outside the interior chamber through the exit opening;

h. a shut-off sensor positioned and adapted to detect a shut-off angular position of the rotator, the shut-off sensor being in electrical communication with a shut-off switch, wherein the shut-off sensor is adapted to communicate a shut-off signal to the shut-off switch and the shut-off switch is adapted to switch the electric motor “off” in response to the shut-off switch receiving the shut-off signal, and wherein the shut-off switch is either the same switch as the start switch or a separate switch.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising a ball-roller wheel, a ball-roller drive wheel, and a drive pad, wherein the ball-roller wheel and the drive wheel are rotatably attached to the rotator, wherein the drive pad is disposed within the interior chamber, wherein the drive wheel is turned by making contact with the drive pad while the ball moves through the scrubbing channel, wherein the drive wheel is connected to the ball-roller wheel for the ball-roller wheel to turn in response to the turning of the drive wheel, and wherein the ball-roller wheel is adapted to contact the ball while the ball moves through the scrubbing channel.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the drying means comprises at least one roller pad.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the drying means comprises at least one roller pad.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the drive wheel is turned by making contact with the drive pad while the ball moves through the drying section, and wherein the ball-roller wheel is adapted to contact the ball while the ball moves through the drying section.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the ball-roller drive wheel is a friction wheel and the drive pad is a friction pad.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the rotator hole includes a cutout section of the rotator wherein the cutout section comprises part of the circumference of the rotator hole and at least part of the ball-roller wheel is located within the cutout section.

13. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising biasing means for biasing the ball out of the entry chute, out of the rotator hole, or both out of the entry chute and out of the rotator hole, wherein the biasing means is located, at least while biasing the ball, operably proximate the entry chute, the rotator hole, or both the entry chute and the rotator hole.

14. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising ball counting means wherein the ball counting means is adapted for automatically determining if the number of balls that entered the entry chute has been moved to an exit position for exiting the interior chamber, and wherein the counting means is in electrical communication with and adapted to control the “on”-“off” switching of the motor in response to the determination made by the ball counting means.

15. A method for automatically cleaning a ball using a ball cleaning apparatus, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a. receiving a ball into an entry chute;

b. automatically detecting the presence of the ball;

c. channeling the ball toward a rotator;

d. automatically switching an electric motor “on” in response to the foregoing step of detecting the presence of the ball;

e. transferring at least some torque from the motor to the rotator and rotating the rotator, thereby moving a ball carrying means;

f. receiving the ball into the ball carrying means;

g. moving the ball while it is within the ball carrying means;

h. wetting at least some of the surface of the ball with a cleaning liquid;

i. moving the ball through a scrubbing channel;

j. scrubbing at least some of the surface of the ball while moving the ball through the scrubbing channel;

k. moving the ball through a drying section;

l. removing at least some of the cleaning liquid from the surface of the ball while moving the ball through the drying section;

m. receiving the ball into an exit chute and channeling the ball away from the rotator;

n. automatically detecting when the rotator has reached a shut-off position;

o. automatically switching the motor “off” in response to the preceding step of detecting when the rotator has reached a shut-off position;

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of spinning the ball while the ball is within the ball carrying means.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of biasing the ball out of the entry chute, the step of biasing the ball out of the ball carrying means, or the steps of biasing the ball out of the entry chute and biasing the ball out of the ball carrying means.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the step of automatically determining if the number of balls that entered the entry chute is different from either the number of balls that were moved to an exit position, the number of balls that entered the exit chute, or the number of balls that moved to an exit position and entered the exit chute.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of automatically controlling the “on”-“off” switching of the motor, in response to the preceding step of determining.