Adjustable Batting Tee With Multi-Axis Ball Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional batting tees cannot simulate a variety of pitches effectively, particularly low inside and low outside or high inside and high outside pitches, as they restrict the batter's swing due to the ball being placed on top of a vertical support, limiting the ability to achieve proper bat angles and contact points within the strike zone.
Innovation Solution
A tee with a ball support assembly that is slidably, pivotably, and rotatably adjustable along multiple axes and planes, allowing the ball to be positioned at various heights and angles, including below knee level, and featuring suspension members that give way to absorb the energy of a bat swing, enabling simulation of diverse pitches and proper bat angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the ball is placed on top of a vertical support, then the ball is easily positioned and maintained, but the batter's swing is restricted and proper bat angles cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The ball support assembly is made dynamically adjustable through multiple degrees of freedom including vertical sliding along the support, rotation about the support axis, and tilting in multiple directions. This allows the ball to be positioned at various heights and angles to simulate different pitch types while maintaining ease of positioning through the guided adjustment mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds multiple spatial dimensions to the ball positioning capability. Instead of fixed vertical placement, the ball support assembly can move vertically, rotate horizontally, and tilt in multiple directions, creating a three-dimensional adjustment space that enables simulation of various pitch trajectories and locations.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the ball is fixed on a vertical support, then the structure is simple and stable, but it cannot simulate low inside, low outside, high inside, or high outside pitches
Solution Approach 1:
The ball support assembly incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities with multiple degrees of freedom, allowing it to transition between stable fixed positions and adaptive configurations. The assembly can be adjusted to various heights, angles, and orientations while maintaining stability at each positioned through locking mechanisms or friction-based holding.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball support assembly is divided into multiple independently adjustable segments or components, each responsible for a specific degree of freedom (vertical position, rotation angle, tilt angle). This segmentation allows each component to be adjusted independently while contributing to the overall stability and versatility of the system.
3Device complexity
If the ball is placed on top of the support, then the structure is simple, but the ball obstructs the batter's swing path
Solution Approach 1:
The ball support assembly is designed to be dynamically positionable, allowing the ball to be placed in locations that do not obstruct the swing path. The assembly can be adjusted to position the ball at appropriate heights and distances from the batter, eliminating obstruction while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the ball support assembly is made adjustable along multiple axes, then pitch simulation capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ball support assembly implements dynamic adjustability through a integrated mechanism that provides multiple degrees of freedom. The adjustment mechanism uses coordinated movement components that allow vertical, rotational, and tilting adjustments while maintaining structural coherence and avoiding excessive complexity through unified design.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustment mechanism is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously - positioning the ball at various heights, angles, and orientations using a coordinated system of components. This multi-functionality reduces overall complexity by having a single adjustment system handle multiple positioning requirements rather than separate mechanisms for each degree of freedom.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables batter training to simulate a range of pitches, improving swing technique by requiring proper bat angles and contact points, enhancing the ability to hit low and high inside and outside pitches, and preventing obstruction during the swing.
Implementation Method 1
the suspension members are biased so that if a bat or other object swinging at the ball contacts one or more suspension members, the suspension members give way and then return to their original position
Data Source
AI summary
A tee for supporting a ball. The tee comprising a base, a vertical support extending from the base and a ball support assembly adjustably secured to the vertical support. The ball support assembly is arranged and configured to support a ball and is slidably, pivotably and/or rotatably adjustable within one or more planes defined by the base, vertical support and ball support assembly to adjust the position of the ball support assembly, and thus a ball, in a variety of positions. The tee can also be vertically adjustable along the vertical support.