Patent · US Expired

Ball diverter and converger

US5931611A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
5References
8Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 11, 1997
Grant dateAug 3, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 11, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA63B2208/12
  • WIPO fieldFurniture, games
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A ball cleaning system incorporates an object converger and diverter. The converger accepts objects from a plurality of inputs at a housing and uses a flexible tube to selectively connect each input to a single output. A motor, elongated member, and actuator move the flexible tube between inputs. The diverter includes a Y-shaped assembly, a solenoid, and a gate wherein the solenoid selectively moves the gate across the Y-shaped assembly so that objects passing through the Y-shaped assembly are directed down different branches of the Y. The actuator is a linear actuator.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.