SNOOKER CUE STICK TIP CHANGING DEVICE

Abstract

A snooker cue stick tip changing device comprising, a cuboidal housing 1 having four telescopic rods 2 with motorized omnidirectional wheels 3 mapped underneath housing 1 for a locomotion of housing 1, a pair of clamps 4 mapped on a bottom surface of housing 1 for rigidly holding cue stick, a motorized cutting wheel 5 provided on a sliding unit 6 attached on bottom surface of housing 1 for cutting an old tip of cue stick, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 7 mapped in housing 1 to determine a length of old cue tip, a robotic link 8 mapped in housing 1 picks cue tip from container, a blower unit with a nozzle mapped within housing 1 to direct a hot air towards new cue tip placed by robotic link 8 to dry adhesive.

Specification

Description:FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to snooker cue stick tip changing device that is capable of changing the snooker cue tip by gripping the cue stick in appropriate manner and cutting the old tip of the cue stick through a means provided in proposed invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Cue tips constructed of leather or the like are mounted to the ends of tapered cue sticks by bonding materials, and it is recognized that such cue tips have to be periodically replaced by first removing the worn cue tip and then bonding a new cue tip to the end face of the cue stick. This is a time consuming operation which is objectionable, particularly where the user does not wish to lose the use of his cue stick for that period of time. Additional problems arise because of possible damage to the end face of the cue stick in removing the worn cue tip by shearing, cutting.

[0003] Traditionally changing the tip of a cue stick involves using a tip clamp the cue stick is placed in the clamp, and the old tip is removed using a sharp blade or knife. Then, a new tip is glued onto the ferrule, and the clamp is used to hold it in place while the glue dries, but this method requires precision and skill to ensure the new tip is aligned correctly and securely attached. Another traditional method is use a cue lathe, which is a specialized tool for cue maintenance. The cue stick is mounted on the lathe, and the old tip is removed using a cutting tool. Then, a new tip is glued onto the ferrule, and the lathe is used to shape and smooth the tip, additionally this method requires a significant investment in equipment and expertise to use effectively.

[0004] US3554544A discloses about invention that includes about, A tip construction assembly for cue sticks in which one part is mounted to the modified end of a cue stick and a detachable part includes a cue tip on a member which is detached and attached to the mounted member by an improved cam lever and spring combination, detachable part further having means to form an interlock with the front end of the mounted part against rotational movement.

[0005] US5462490A discloses about invention that includes about, A billiard cue 10 comprises a handle section and a cue tip section. This cue tip assembly comprises a ferrule, a cue tip insert and a cue tip pad. The ferrule and the tip of the billiard cue are cooperatively constructed so that the ferrule fits over and around the outer-most part of the cue tip and seats on an annular land at the base of part The cue tip insert and the ferrule are cooperatively constructed so that insert can be releasable joined to ferrule In this combination of the cue tip assembly and the billiard cue shaft, a variety of cue tip pads can be alternately attached to the same shaft (each unique in diameter and/or hardness so as to reduce or enhance cue ball deflection) simply by substituting one insert for another.

[0006] Conventionally, many devices exists that are capable of changing the snooker cue tip by gripping the cue stick in appropriate manner but lacks in grinding the new cue tip in an automated manner for imparting predetermined shape to the new cue tip.

[0007] In order to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, there exists a need in the art to develop a device that is capable of dipping the new cue tip in a binding mixture and blows hot air to dry the adhesive to ensure proper sticking of the new cue tip on snooker as well as grinding the new cue tip in an automated manner for imparting predetermined shape to the new cue tip.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of changing the snooker cue tip by gripping the cue stick in appropriate manner and cutting the old tip of the cue stick through a means provided in proposed invention.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of dipping the new cue tip in a binding mixture and blows hot air to dry the adhesive to ensure proper sticking of the new cue tip on snooker.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to develop a device that is capable of grinding the new cue tip in an automated manner for imparting predetermined shape to the new cue tip.

[0012] Yet another objective is to develop a device that is durable and easy to operate.

[0013] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention relates to snooker cue stick tip changing device that is capable of changing the snooker cue tip by gripping the cue stick in appropriate manner and cutting the old tip of the cue stick through a means provided in proposed invention.

[0015] According to an embodiment of the present invention, A snooker cue stick tip changing device, comprising, a cuboidal housing having four telescopic rods with motorized omnidirectional wheels, provided underneath the housing for a locomotion of the housing, a pair of clamps provided on a bottom surface of the housing for rigidly holding the cue stick, a proximity sensor provided in the housing detect a presence of the cue stick near the the clamps to grip the cue stick, a motorized cutting wheel provided on a sliding unit attached on the bottom surface of the housing for cutting an old tip of the cue stick, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit installed in the housing and integrated with a processor for recording and processing images in a vicinity of the housing, to determine a length of the old cue tip, to trigger the sliding unit with the cutting wheel to cut and remove the old cue tip from the cue stick, a storage container provided in the housing, the container having compartments for storing new cue tips and an adhesive, a robotic link provided in the housing, picks the cue tip from the container, dips an end of the new cue tip in the adhesive to place the cue tip against the cue stick, a blower unit with a nozzle provided within the housing, to direct a hot air towards the new cue tip placed by the robotic link to dry the adhesive, an L-shaped telescopic arm with a grinding wheel, attached in the housing by a ball and socket joint, for grinding the new cue tip on the cue stick to impart it a predetermined shape.

[0016] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the proposed device further comprises of a microphone, linked on the housing for receiving an audio command from the user regarding the changing of the cue tip of the cue stick to trigger the clamp to grip the cue stick and actuate the sliding unit with cutting wheel to cut the old cue tip for the robotic link to place the new cue tip on the cue stick, a wireless communication module, is provided on the housing for enabling the user to remotely trigger a computing unit, to actuate the clamp to grip the cue stick and actuate the sliding unit with cutting wheel to cut the old cue tip for the robotic link to place the new cue tip on the cue stick, for the changing of the cue tip of the cue stick, a battery is associated with the device for powering up electrical and electronically operated components associated with the device.

[0017] While the invention has been described and shown with particular reference to the preferred embodiment, it will be apparent that variations might be possible that would fall within the scope of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:
Figure 1 illustrates an isometric view of a snooker cue stick tip changing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] The following description includes the preferred best mode of one embodiment of the present invention. It will be clear from this description of the invention that the invention is not limited to these illustrated embodiments but that the invention also includes a variety of modifications and embodiments thereto. Therefore, the present description should be seen as illustrative and not limiting. While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative constructions, it should be understood, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0020] In any embodiment described herein, the open-ended terms "comprising," "comprises," and the like (which are synonymous with "including," "having" and "characterized by") may be replaced by the respective partially closed phrases "consisting essentially of," consists essentially of," and the like or the respective closed phrases "consisting of," "consists of, the like.

[0021] As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" designate both the singular and the plural, unless expressly stated to designate the singular only.

[0022] The present invention relates to snooker cue stick tip changing device that is capable of dipping the new cue tip in a binding mixture and blows hot air to dry the adhesive to ensure proper sticking of the new cue tip on snooker as well as grinding the new cue tip in an automated manner.

[0023] Referring to Figure 1, an isometric view of a snooker cue stick tip changing device comprising, a cuboidal housing 1 having four telescopic rods 2 with motorized omnidirectional wheels 3 mapped underneath housing 1, a pair of clamps 4 mapped on a bottom surface of housing 1, a motorized cutting wheel 5 provided on a sliding unit 6 attached on bottom surface of housing 1, an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 7 mapped in housing 1, a robotic link 8 mapped in housing 1.

[0024] The proposed device comprises of a cuboidal housing 1 having four telescopic rods 2 with motorized omnidirectional wheels 3 mapped underneath housing 1 for a locomotion of housing 1. The cuboidal housing 1 made up of stainless steel that offers a corrosion resistant, strength and durability to the device and is easy to maintain. The motorized omnidirectional wheels 3 have small discs or rollers around the circumference of the wheel 3, enabling the wheels 3 to move in all directions, which provide the cuboidal housing 1 with the required movement.

[0025] Herein, the microphone is linked with microcontroller mapped on housing 1 for receiving an audio command from user regarding changing of cue tip of cue stick. The microphone is a type of transducer which converts the sound into electrical signal. The magnetic field created due to current in the voice coil interacts with the magnetic field of the microphone's magnet, which forces the coil to move back and forth, this movement of the coil is detected by the microcontroller in the form of electrical signal thereby receiving an audio command from user regarding changing of cue tip of cue stick. Further, the microcontroller actuates the clamp to grip cue stick and actuate a sliding unit 6 with cutting wheel 5 to cut old cue tip for robotic link 8 to place new cue tip on cue stick.

[0026] Further, the microcontroller actuates a pair of clamps 4 mounted on a bottom surface of housing 1 for rigidly holding cue stick. The clamp is linked with a hinge that is activated by the microcontroller to provide back and forth movement of the clamp to hold the cue stick. The hinge typically refers a mechanical joint that allows rotational movement around a fixed axis using a motor or actuator which provides the rotational force required to move the joint. The motor is typically controlled by an electronic control unit that regulates its speed and direction. The hinge consists of a hinge mechanism that enables rotation around a fixed axis. It usually consists of two parts: a stationary component and a moving component. The stationary component is securely attached to one part of the clamp while the moving component is connected to the other part that aids in providing back and forth movement to the clamp for holding cue stick.

[0027] Herein, the microcontroller actuates a proximity sensor attached in housing 1 detect a presence of cue stick near clamps 4. The proximity sensor comprises of a conducting coils and when the current passes through the coil, the magnetic field is set around the coil by means of electromagnetism. When the manhole cover comes close to the generated magnetic field, the field induces an electrical current inside the conducting coil. The induced current is detected and processed by the microcontroller to detect a presence of cue stick near clamps 4. Further, the microcontroller actuates the clamps 4 to grip cue stick.

[0028] Thereafter, the microcontroller actuates the motorized cutting wheel 5 provided on a sliding unit 6 linked on bottom surface of housing 1 for cutting an old tip of cue stick. The motorized cutting wheel 5 comprises of blades and coupled to a DC motor which work on the basis of based on Lorentz force law which states that whenever a current-carrying conductor is placed in a magnetic field it experiences a force. As a consequence of reaction force, the magnet experiences an equal and opposite force. With the brushed motor, rotation is achieved by controlling the magnetic fields generated by the coils on the rotor, while the magnetic field generated by the stationary magnets remains fixed thereby cutting an old tip of cue stick. Herein, a storage container mapped in the housing 1 having compartments for storing new cue tips and an adhesive.

[0029] Thereafter, the microcontroller actuates a robotic link 8 mapped in housing 1 picks cue tip from container and dips an end of new cue tip in adhesive to place cue tip against cue stick. The robotic link 8 made of several segments that are attached together by joints also referred to as axes. Each joint of the segments contains a step motor that rotates and allows the robotic link 8 to complete a specific motion in translating the equipped clamp towards the cap of bottle(s). also once the clamp gets positioned in contact with the cap as detected by the camera, then the microcontroller actuates another step motor integrated in the clamp for opening and then closing the clamp to dips an end of new cue tip in adhesive to place cue tip against cue stick.

[0030] Further, the microcontroller actuates a blower unit with a nozzle mapped within housing 1 to direct a hot air towards new cue tip placed by robotic link 8 to dry adhesive. The blower unit comprises of a heater, vortex, impeller and an outlet duct. The Blowers increase the pressure of the absorbed air by a series of vortex motions formed by the centrifugal movement of the impeller. When the impeller is rotating, the channels in the impeller push the absorbed air forward through a heater, that increase the temperature of the absorbed air by creating the centrifugal movement that generates a helical movement of the air. During this centrifugal movement, the absorbed air is continuously compressed along the channel and the pressure increases linearly. The pressurized air is transferred from the outlet duct of the blower to direct a hot air towards new cue tip placed by robotic link 8 to dry adhesive.

[0031] Thereafter, the microcontroller actuates an L-shaped telescopic arm with a grinding wheel 5 mapped in housing 1 by a ball and socket joint for grinding new cue tip on cue stick. The grinding wheel 5 comprises of an electric motor and a grinding wheel 5 is coupled with a spindle. On actuation the motor rotates the wheel 5 and the wheels 5 is composed of abrasive grains bonded together in a specific shape. As the rotating wheel 5 comes into contact with the cue tip, the abrasive grains on the wheel 5 grind away small particles from the cue tip on cue stick to impart it a predetermined shape.

[0032] Herein, the microcontroller actuates a wireless communication module, linked with microcontroller mapped on housing 1 for allowing user to actuate clamp to grip cue stick and actuate sliding unit 6 with cutting wheel 5 to cut old cue tip for robotic link 8 to place new cue tip on cue stick for robotic link 8 to place new cue tip on cue stick, for changing of cue tip of cue stick. The computing unit is wirelessly linked with a microcontroller via a communication module which includes but not limited to Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) module, Bluetooth module, GSM (Global System for Mobile Communication) module. The communication module employed herein acts as an intermediate between various electronic components, wherein it is used to establish the communication between the users computing unit and the microcontroller.

[0033] A battery is associated with the device to supply power to electrically powered components which are employed herein. The battery is comprised of a pair of electrode named as a cathode and an anode. The battery uses a chemical reaction of oxidation/reduction to do work on charge and produce a voltage between their anode and cathode and thus produces electrical energy that is used to do work in the device.

[0034] The proposed device works best in the following manner where a cuboidal housing 1 having four telescopic rods 2 with motorized omnidirectional wheels 3 mapped underneath housing 1 for a locomotion of housing 1. Further, the microcontroller actuates the pair of clamps 4 for rigidly holding cue stick. Herein, the microcontroller actuates the proximity sensor to detect a presence of cue stick near clamps 4 and microcontroller to actuate clamps 4 to grip cue stick. Thereafter, the microcontroller actuates the motorized cutting wheel 5 for cutting an old tip of cue stick. Further, the microcontroller actuates the artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 7 to determine a length of old cue tip. Thereafter, the microcontroller actuates the sliding unit 6 with cutting wheel 5 to cut and remove old cue tip from cue stick. Herein, a storage container having compartments for storing new cue tips and an adhesive. Thereafter, the microcontroller actuates the robotic link 8 picks cue tip from container dips an end of new cue tip in adhesive to place cue tip against cue stick. Further, the microcontroller actuates the blower unit with a nozzle to direct a hot air towards new cue tip placed by robotic link 8 to dry adhesive. Thereafter, the microcontroller L-shaped telescopic arm with a grinding wheel 5 for grinding new cue tip on cue stick to impart it a predetermined shape.

[0035] Although the field of the invention has been described herein with limited reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. , Claims:1) A snooker cue stick tip changing device, comprising:

i) a cuboidal housing 1 having four telescopic rods 2 with motorized omnidirectional wheels 3, provided underneath said housing 1 for a locomotion of said housing 1;
ii) a pair of clamps 4 provided on a bottom surface of said housing 1 for rigidly holding said cue stick;
iii) a proximity sensor provided in said housing 1 detect a presence of said cue stick near said clamps 4 to trigger a microcontroller to actuate said clamps 4 to grip said cue stick;
iv) a motorized cutting wheel 5 provided on a sliding unit 6 attached on said bottom surface of said housing 1 for cutting an old tip of said cue stick;
v) an artificial intelligence-based imaging unit 7 installed in said housing 1 and integrated with a processor for recording and processing images in a vicinity of said housing 1, to determine a length of said old cue tip, to trigger said microcontroller to accordingly actuate said sliding unit 6 with said cutting wheel 5 to cut and remove said old cue tip from said cue stick;
vi) a storage container provided in said housing 1, said container having compartments for storing new cue tips and an adhesive;
vii) a robotic link 8 provided in said housing 1, picks said cue tip from said container, dips an end of said new cue tip in said adhesive to place said cue tip against said cue stick;
viii) a blower unit with a nozzle provided within said housing 1, to direct a hot air towards said new cue tip placed by said robotic link 8 to dry said adhesive; and
ix) an L-shaped telescopic arm with a grinding wheel 5, attached in said housing 1 by a ball and socket joint, for grinding said new cue tip on said cue stick to impart it a predetermined shape.

2) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a microphone, linked with said microcontroller, provided on said housing 1 for receiving an audio command from said user regarding said changing of said cue tip of said cue stick to trigger said microcontroller to actuate said clamp to grip said cue stick and actuate said sliding unit 6 with cutting wheel 5 to cut said old cue tip for said robotic link 8 to place said new cue tip on said cue stick.

3) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a wireless communication module, linked with said microcontroller, is provided on said housing 1 for enabling said user to remotely trigger said microcontroller, by connecting with a computing unit, to actuate said clamp to grip said cue stick and actuate said sliding unit 6 with cutting wheel 5 to cut said old cue tip for said robotic link 8 to place said new cue tip on said cue stick, for said changing of said cue tip of said cue stick.

4) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a battery is associated with said device for powering up electrical and electronically operated components associated with said device.

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