The invention also relates to a ball machine, comprising a ball inlet, a ball collecting chamber connected to the ball inlet, and a ball outlet connected to the ball collecting chamber.

The invention has been especially developed in connection with children's activity rooms. Today many cafeterias, restaurants and shops have children's activity rooms where children can play whilst their parents or their childminder eats and relaxes or shops respectively. One particular type of activity room is a room filled with hundreds of plastic balls of different colours which the children can"swim in"and play with by throwing them into the air etc.

One disadvantage of ball-filled playrooms of this kind is that after a while the children may begin to feel bored.

A second disadvantage is that these playrooms filled with hundreds of balls are time- consuming and difficult to keep clean, which means that often the cleaning is not done properly. Sometimes children take food with them into the playroom, making the need for thorough cleaning greater. Because of the poor hygiene that is often found in these ball-filled rooms, they have been criticised on numerous occasions because they are conducive to the growth of bacteria and other sources of infection, which means that the children who play there are more readily exposed to infection.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a ball playroom where the children's activity can be made more active.

According to one inventive aspect, it is also an object to provide a means of cleaning the balls in the ball playroom.

Therefore, according to the invention, a method is proposed as mentioned above, characterised in that the balls are discharged in the form of a single mass of balls as shower or cascade of balls.

According to the invention, a ball machine is also proposed, as mentioned in the introduction, and is characterised by a lifting device arranged in the collecting chamber for balls received in the collecting chamber, which lifting device can be operated in order to lift the balls upwards in the collecting chamber, an outlet opening for the lifted balls being arranged uppermost in the collecting chamber.

Further features of the method and the ball machine are set forth in the respective dependent claims.

The invention provides a ball-play apparatus which remedies the aforementioned disadvantages in that it encourages the children to be active, as they can put balls into the ball machine or play apparatus, and then perhaps watch the balls roll down a shaft, be lifted in a lift and then fall down in the machine. The balls will gradually be lifted up in the machine and discharged in the form of a"shower"or a"ball cascade"over the children.

The apparatus can also sort out damaged balls and other articles that are not balls, so that they end up in a separate closed chamber that is not accessible to the children. In addition, the ball machine can also have brush means for removing dirt and dust from the balls and may also comprise a cleaning machine for wet cleaning the balls. The ball machine can also include a ball vacuum cleaner that sucks the balls up so that they can be easily removed, allowing the floor in the ball playroom to be cleaned without any difficulty once all the balls have been removed.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a ball machine according to the invention; Figure 2 is a schematic section through the ball machine shown in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a similar schematic section at right angles to the section in Figure 2 ; Figure 4 also shows a section at right angles to the section in Figure 2, but includes some more details;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 6 is a schematic section through the machine shown in Figure 5 ; Figure 7 is a similar schematic section through the machine in Figure 5, at right angles to the section in Figure 6 ; Figure 8 shows a part of the machine in Figures 5-7 ; Figure 9 is a section through the area in Figure 8, approximately along the line IX-IX; and Figure 10 is a section taken approximately along the same line as Figure 9, but with a modified embodiment of the brush means used in this area.

Figures 1-4 show as mentioned a first embodiment of a ball machine according to the invention.

The ball machine shown in a perspective view in Figure 1 comprises a housing 1 having a front wall 2 and a side wall 3. The machine 1 stands on a non-illustrated floor, and optionally has its back 4 against a non-illustrated wall.

At the bottom in connection with the illustrated side wall 3, there is arranged a ball inlet 5 in the form of a box having staggered inclined internal guide plates 6,7 and 8 which together form a labyrinthine passage for balls 9 thrown by a child into the ball inlet 5.

The ball inlet 5 opens into the bottom part of an elevator 10, in this case in the form of a bucket conveyor, having a chain 11 which runs over an upper and lower sprocket wheel 12,13. As shown, the chain 11 carries a number of buckets or carriers 14 which, when the elevator 10 is running, will carry balls received from the labyrinthine chute 6 to 8.

The balls are delivered at the top of the machine and are thrown into a ball collecting chamber 15. Here, the balls fall down and collect on a lifting platform 16.

When the chamber 15 is more or less filled with balls, the lifting platform 16 can be moved upwards as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3, whereby the balls in the ball collecting chamber 15 are thrown out at the top through a horizontal ball outlet opening 17.

One possible embodiment of the lifting device of which the lifting platform 16 is a part, is shown in the section in Figure 4, see also the section in Figure 2.

The ball collecting chamber 15 is defined on one side by the transparent front plate 2 and is defined at the back by a plate or wall 18. This plate 18 defines a rear space towards the back wall 4. Two vertical grooves or slots 19,20 have been made in the plate 18. A support 21 for the lifting platform 16 runs through these two grooves and is connected to two connecting rods 22 by means of a suitable slide 23 which slides on the respective connecting rod 22. An endless chain 24, which runs over a lower and upper sprocket wheel 25,26 supported in the machine, is connected to the two slides 23 (only one is shown in Figure 4) and will thus lift the lifting platform 16 when the chain 24 is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4.

Respective drive motors, merely indicated by means of the reference numeral 27 in Figure 4, are provided for the elevator 10 and the chain drive 24.

The ball machine shown in Figures 1 to 4 works in the following way: Children playing in the activity room in which the ball machine is installed can throw balls 9 into the ball inlet 5. As shown in Figure 2, the balls 9 will roll down and be caught by the elevator 10, which carries the balls up to the top of the machine. There, the balls 9 are thrown into the ball collecting chamber 15, that is defined by the plate 18 and the transparent front wall or front plate 2. The balls 9 fall down onto the lifting platform 16, which to start with is at the bottom of the ball collecting chamber 15, as shown in Figures 1 to 4.

When the balls in the ball collecting chamber 15 reach a certain level, which can be detected by a photocell (not shown), the lifting device is actuated, i. e., the chain drive 24 is set in motion in a direction that causes the lifting platform 16 to move relatively quickly upwards in the ball collecting chamber 15. The balls 9 are thus thrown out as a shower or cascade of balls over the children who are in the ball playroom, i. e., in front of the ball machine 1.

The ball machine gives the children a number of experiences. First, it encourages them to be active in that they can throw the balls into the ball inlet 5, and in the next place, their attention is captured by the balls falling down in the ball collecting chamber 15 and collecting on the lifting platform 16. When a sufficient number of balls have

collected in the ball collecting chamber 15, the lifting platform 16 is lifted quickly, as mentioned, and the balls run out like a cascade of balls or a shower over the children, as indicated by the arrows in the outlet opening 17 in Figure 1, see also Figure 3.

Once the lifting and discharge operations have come to an end, the chain drive 10 is reversed and the lifting platform 16 moves down to its starting position, and then the whole process can be repeated.

In the shaft where the elevator 10 is located, there may advantageously be provided non-illustrated brushes which engage with the balls that are lifted by the buckets or carriers 14 and clean them. Dirt and the like will fall down in the shaft and can be gathered at the bottom.

Optionally, the elevator 10 can itself also be made having relatively stiff brushes which interact with the stationary brushes in the shaft wall, with the purpose of being able to lift the balls up into a position where they can be thrown into the ball collecting chamber 15 and at the same time clean loose dirt off the balls.

It is also conceivable that roller brushes (not shown) may be arranged in the ball inlet 5 itself, that is to say, in the ball path formed by the plates 6,7 and 8. A skilled person will appreciate that here it is possible to mount rotating brushes which clean the balls as they fall down or are conveyed more positively into the inlet by the action of the brushes. Of course, the brushes may also function so as to throw the balls up, for example, under the inclined guide plate 6, whereupon the balls fall down. Such a whirling motion of the balls will, of course, also contribute to the desired cleaning.

Figures 5 to 8 and Figure 9 or 10 show a second, more advanced embodiment of a ball machine according to the invention.

The ball machine 30 shown in perspective in Figure 5 has a front wall 31 having a transparent or clear wall portion 32. The actual ball machine or housing 30 is surrounded by a three-part plastic cover 33,34 and 35. The purpose of this is primarily to shield the machine from the children who are playing around the ball machine. The surrounding cover 33 to 35 is transparent or clear and can be given an amusing or interesting shape as indicated. Decorative figures (not shown) may also be painted on the cover, although it is an advantage that relatively large parts of the front wall 31, and in particular the clear wall part, can be seen from the outside through the cover 33 to 35.

The ball machine shown in Figures 5 to 7 functions basically in the same way as the ball machine taught and described in the above.

Thus, the clear front plate 32 defines a ball collecting chamber 36 wherein there is arranged a lifting platform 37 which through vertical slots 38,39 in a back wall 40 in the ball receiving room 36 is connected to a lifting mechanism which includes connecting rods 41 and slides 42 interacting therewith and a chain drive 43.

A ball inlet 44 is arranged in a side wall of the housing 30 and in this case is simply made in the form of an opening in the side wall. The opening 44 runs into a shaft 45 which at the bottom is made having a curved cavity 46 the bottom of which is defined by two curved steel bars that guide the inserted balls 48 towards an elevator which carries the balls up. From the top of the elevator 49 the balls are thrown into the ball collecting chamber 36 or down into a shaft 50.

The said curved steel bars 16 are spaced apart so that openings are formed in the bottom through which squashed, damaged balls and other articles can fall and be sorted out in a receptacle 51. The receptacle 51 can preferably be monitored by a photocell (not shown) which, when the container 51 is full, will stop the power to the ball-play apparatus and illuminate a red light indicating that the receptacle 51 is full and must be emptied.

Whole, non-squashed balls 48 will continue to the elevator 49, which can start automatically when a ball arrives and stop after a given interval if no more balls arrive in the elevator. This is monitored and controlled by a photocell and an elapsed time clock (not shown). Alternatively, the elevator or the lift 49 can run continuously.

As mentioned, the balls are thrown offthe elevator 49 at the top and enter a ball collecting chamber 36. They can, however, be diverted into a shaft 50 as previously noted. Such diversion is controlled by a pivoted plate 52, which has two positions, an upper position in which it guides the balls into the ball collecting chamber 36, and a lower position in which it will guide the balls down into the shaft 50. The pivoted plate 52 can be controlled by a separate mechanism, the purpose being to redirect a number of balls into the shaft 50, which guides the balls down into a cleaning machine (discussed in more detail below).

The balls delivered to the ball collecting chamber 36 fall down onto the lifting platform 37, and are lifted and thrown out with the aid thereof and in the same way as described above in connection with the first embodiment, the lifting platform 37 being lifted by the chain drive 43 which lifts the slides 42. At the top of the ball collecting chamber 36 there is a rotating roller 53. When the balls are lifted up, they will press against this roller and turn it, whereby the balls will receive the effect of being thrust out through the outlet opening 54. The roller 53 may optionally also have a separate automatic control.

As already mentioned, a ball cleaning machine 55 is incorporated into the ball machine 30. This cleaning machine is positioned under the ball collecting chamber 36, i. e., in the lower part of the ball machine, at floor level. The cleaning machine 55 is so arranged that it can receive balls that are to be washed from the shaft 50.

At the bottom in the shaft 50, on the top of the cleaning machine 55 itself, there is arranged a tray or cage 56, see Figure 8, which can be moved in the direction of the double arrow by means of a suitable actuator 57. As shown in Figure 8, the cage 56extends underneath the shaft 50 and receives a ball 48. At the bottom of the shaft 50 there is arranged a pivoted plate 58 which prevents a ball thereabove from falling down when the plate 58 is turned to a position that sufficiently covers the cross section of the shaft.

When a ball 48 lies in the tray or cage 56, the tray or cage is actuated and drawn towards the right in Figure 8 so that the ball 48 comes into position above the opening 59 which leads into the wet section or washing section of the cleaning machine 55. The tray 56 then moves back to the position shown in Figure 8 and receives a new ball, the stopper 58 being turned away and freeing up the shaft cross section.

The ball that falls down into the cleaning machine through the opening 59 falls down in a short screw conveyor 60 that is driven by a motor 61. The screw conveyor 60 moves the ball to the left and brings it into contact with brushes 62, and also with a part of the screw conveyor 60 which is made in the form of a brush means and in Figure 8 is indicated by the reference numeral 63. Water mixed with a detergent is sprayed in through nozzles 64,65. When the balls have rotated to the washing/brushing section 62,63 and have been scrubbed and washed there, a gate 66 leading into a subsequent rinsing section 67 opens, and in the rinsing section clean rinse water is supplied through

the nozzles 68. The conveyor 60 continues as shown in this rinsing section and carries the balls through the rinsing section 67 and on to the drying section 68, see Figure 6.

The clean, dry ball is delivered to a vertical tube 69 in which there is arranged a screw conveyor 70 which takes the ball up through the tube 69, for discharge in the space just beneath the ceiling (not shown in detail).

A cross section of an advantageous brush embodiment is shown in Figure 9. It can be seen that the screw conveyor 60,63 runs in a tube 71 that is open at the bottom, and that inside the tube suitable stoppers 72 are provided for the ball 48 that is washed, so that the brush can engage with the ball.

A modified embodiment of the brush device is shown in Figure 10, where illustrates rotating brushes 73 in interaction with a rotating brush 74 which forms a part of the screw conveyor 60'.

The tube 69 optionally discharges into a receptacle beneath the ceiling or is routed so that it opens in the space furthest away from the ball machine, thus ensuring that the cleaned balls are returned to the play room as far away as possible from the inlet opening 49. In this way it will be ensured that the least clean balls which have the greatest need to be cleaned lie closest to the inlet opening 44, so that they are most likely to be put in the ball machine and thus be passed into the ball cleaning machine.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated and described herein. Other embodiments within the scope of the claims are quite conceivable. For example, the ball machine can comprise more than one conveyor with intermediate channels or spaces where the balls fall down owing to gravity. The elevator that is illustrated and described herein may also be slanted at a suitable angle, and the same applies to the lifting device and lifting platform in the ball collecting chamber, Thus, the ball collecting chamber may advantageously slant inwards, that is, away from the children, or outwards, i. e., towards and out over the children.

The whole machine can advantageously be made of a transparent material, thereby enabling the children to observe both the throwing in and lifting of the balls, and the ball collection and discharge.