Adjustable Baseball Base With Selective Breakaway Thresholds

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing baseball base assemblies lack adjustability in the minimum lateral force required for breakaway, relying on flexible interconnecting members that can degrade over time, and often only allow adjustment in two of the four possible directions, failing to provide selective breakaway options.

Innovation Solution

An adjustable base assembly with four side walls, featuring pairs of locking and non-locking mating engagement surfaces that allow for customizable breakaway thresholds, preventing separation with locking surfaces and enabling relative movement with non-locking surfaces, using convex and concave engagement surfaces and rotatable fasteners or latches to manage breakaway forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a non-breakaway base assembly is used, then the base remains fixed and stable, but the risk of injury increases when players slide into the base

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebase stabilityVSAvoidinjury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The base assembly transitions from a static fixed state to a dynamic breakaway state based on applied force. The engagement surfaces are designed to maintain firm engagement under normal conditions but separate when lateral force exceeds the threshold, allowing the base to move with the player during a slide.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of manufacture

If a fixed breakaway threshold is used, then the base assembly is simple to manufacture, but it cannot be adjusted for different playing conditions or skill levels

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidbreakaway threshold adjustability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

Different sides of the base assembly have different engagement surface configurations, creating localized variations in breakaway thresholds. Each side can be independently configured with locking or non-locking surfaces, allowing customization for different directional requirements without redesigning the entire assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The engagement surfaces are divided into distinct locking and non-locking segments on different sides of the base. This segmentation allows each side to have independent breakaway characteristics, enabling the base to respond differently to slides from different directions based on the specific engagement surface configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If flexible interconnecting members are used for breakaway, then the base can separate under force, but the flexible members degrade over time and change composition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebreakaway functionVSAvoidservice life

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The engagement surfaces are designed as rigid, non-flexible components that maintain their structural integrity indefinitely. Rather than relying on flexible members that degrade, the breakaway function is achieved through the geometric configuration of rigid surfaces that separate when force exceeds the threshold, eliminating material decomposition issues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

4Reliability

If locking engagement surfaces are used on all sides, then the base cannot break away, but this eliminates safety for players sliding into the base

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebase stabilityVSAvoidinjury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS8821324B1Adjustable base assembly and method of using same

Publication Date: 2014.09.02 POTTHAST ROBERT M

AI summary

An adjustable base assembly (10) having a base connector (30) and a base mounting platform (14) with a mating base connector (32) releasably connectable with the base connector (30) with a mounting stud (36) for attaching the bottom (26) against a playing surface (28). The connector (30) and the mating base connector (32) have at least two pairs of mating surfaces including one pair of locking surfaces (40 and 42) that prevents separation of the base (12) from the base mounting platform (14) in response to any lateral forces. Other pairs of different non-locking, mating engagement surfaces (48 and 50, 54 and 56, and 60 and 62) enable separation of the base (12) from the base platform (12) in response to different preselected minimum lateral threshold forces applied against another one of the sidewalls (18, 22 and 16).