RFID golf ball testing apparatus and systems
US10799770B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 12, 2019 |
| Grant date | Oct 13, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 12, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA63B2225/54
- WIPO fieldFurniture, games
- WIPO sectorOther fields
Abstract
Systems and apparatus for Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) golf ball testing include, in at least one aspect, an apparatus including: one or more RFID readers having associated read zones; a star wheel unit defining cavities to receive golf balls; golf ball sensors including at least one sensor for each respective path through the read zones; kickers including at least one kicker positioned after each respective path through the read zones and arranged to change a golf ball's direction of travel when the at least one kicker is activated; and a controller coupled with the kickers, the golf ball sensors, and the one or more RFID readers, wherein the controller is configured to activate any of the kickers responsive to the one or more RFID readers inadequately reading an RFID tag in a golf ball detected by the at least one sensor for that kicker's associated path through a read zone.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.