Abstract: An apparatus comprising a practice device for practice of hitting a tennis ball includes a server configured for serving the tennis ball to a user, a net disposed to intercept a flight of the tennis ball after the tennis bell has been hit by the user using a racket and to direct the captured tennis ball back towards the server to be served again to the user, an image detector configured to observe the tennis ball as the tennis ball hurtles towards the net, and a processor. The processor determines, based at least in part on image frames received from the image detector, data indicative of the tennis ball's virtual landing spot. This virtual landing spot is an estimate of where the tennis ball would have landed on an opposing court had the tennis ball not been intercepted by the net.

Abstract: A tennis ball retriever for retrieving a tennis ball on and about a tennis court and for controllably releasing the ball includes a front-end ball collector having two spaced-apart blades defining a ball collection space. The retriever includes one or more detents for retaining the collected ball in the collection space until a programmed or manually-directed release toward a target location such as a tennis baseline. The retriever includes a processor-controller for controlling and directing the retriever during a retrieval session. The retriever may be remote-controlled such as by voice commands.

Abstract: A tennis ball retriever for retrieving a tennis ball on and about a tennis court and for controllably releasing the ball includes a front-end ball collector having two spaced-apart blades defining a ball collection space. The retriever includes a means for gripping and securing a ball positioned at the fore end, and one or more detents for retaining the collected ball in the collection space until a programmed or manually-directed release toward a target location such as a tennis baseline. The retriever includes a processor-controller for controlling and directing the retriever during a retrieval session. The retriever may be remote-controlled such as by voice commands.

Abstract: An air gun utilizes high pressure air to rapidly move projectiles from a magazine to the breech of a barrel, and from there out of the barrel. Actuating a trigger opens a valve which directs high pressure air into a turbine/projectile feed disk assembly causing rotation of the assembly about an axle. The rotation rapidly moves projectiles from the magazine to a position at the barrel breech (one at a time) where the high pressure air launches the positioned projectile through the barrel and out the barrel muzzle. The weapon is innovative in the use of high pressure air in an efficient combination of linear and rotational movement to load and rapidly discharge projectiles through a single barrel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a paintball backpack for storing, transporting and/or delivering projectiles to a device for firing the projectiles, comprising a storage container for the projectiles and at least one delivery connection for transporting the projectiles, wherein the paintball backpack comprises a first and at least one second delivery device, wherein the first and the at least one second delivery device are arranged superposed over each other in or on a storage container and are connected to each other by the at least one delivery connection. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for delivering projectiles from a storage container by at least two delivery devices for transferring the projectiles to a device for firing the projectiles.

Abstract: A ball pitching device includes: a body portion including an upper frame and a lower frame; a first rotation shaft portion supported by the upper frame; a pitching unit configured to pitch a ball and rotate about the first rotation shaft portion and including a first pitching wheel and a second pitching wheel; a first pitching angle adjusting unit adjusting a vertical pitching angle by adjusting a relative length between a bottom surface of the upper frame and the pitching unit; and a second rotation shaft portion connecting the upper frame to the lower frame to be rotatable on a horizontal plane. The first rotation shaft portion is disposed between a center of the first pitching wheel and a center of the second pitching wheel.

Abstract: A pneumatic ball gathering system that clears tennis balls from a tennis court using air supplied to at least one discharge nozzle with optional intervening valves forming a structure that is typically disposed underground and selectively raised to clear balls. In one implementation, the structure is located along one side edge of the tennis court. In an alternate implementation, the structure may be located under the net and be configured with at least one nozzle disposed to direct air in both directions away from the net. A collection trough formed with a slope to cause collated balls to roll downward therein is disposed opposite the at least one nozzle. An optional mechanical conveyor system is placed in the trough to move collected balls to a predetermined location. A vertical conveyor raises balls for discharge into an appropriate container. The system may be used to facilitate drying the court after rain.

Abstract: A paintball system may include a marker and delivery system configured to deliver paintballs to the marker. The delivery system may include a conduit and a gas supply. The gas supply may be configured to provide gas flow to the conduit, which may propel paintballs in the conduit to the marker. The gas supply may be configured to dynamically alter the gas flow to the conduit. The delivery system may include a first seal sized and configured to form a seal with at least one of the paintballs in the conduit.

Abstract: A pain ball gun includes a ball receiving member rotatably received in the top tube of the paint ball gun and the ball receiving member includes a space defined therein which communicates with a receiving hole so that paint balls drop into the space via the receiving hole. The ball receiving member is connected with a rotary unit which is controlled by operation of the trigger powered by a power unit which introduces pressurized air to activate the rotary unit which rotates the ball receiving member. The receiving hole communicates with a hopper to receive a paint ball and pressurized air cannot enter into the ball receiving member when the ball receiving member is in the first position. The receiving hole is sealed and pressurized air enters into the ball receiving member to shoot the paint ball when the ball receiving member is in the second position.