Ball Throwing Device with Latitudinal Bends
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ball throwing devices require longer lever arms to achieve greater throwing distances, which are inconvenient to transport and difficult to control.
Innovation Solution
A ball throwing device with a lower handle portion, a middle lever portion featuring a plurality of latitudinal bends, and a head portion with a half-spherical cup for ball retention, allowing for increased energy transfer and throwing distance without the need for an elongated lever arm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the lever arm is made longer to achieve greater throwing distances, then the throwing distance increases, but the device becomes more difficult to control and more inconvenient to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The lever arm is replaced with a curved, spring-like profile that bends and stores elastic energy during the throwing motion. This curved configuration allows the device to achieve greater throwing distances through elastic energy storage and release rather than relying on lever arm length, thereby maintaining ease of control while improving performance
2Length of moving object
If the lever arm is made longer to achieve greater throwing distances, then the throwing distance increases, but the device becomes more inconvenient to transport
Solution Approach 1:
The curved, spring-like profile enables the device to store and release elastic energy, replacing the need for a long lever arm. This results in a more compact device that is easier to transport while achieving the same or better throwing distances through elastic energy storage and release
3Length of moving object
If the lever arm is made longer to achieve greater throwing distances, then the throwing distance increases, but the device requires more power from the user
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-like curved profile stores elastic energy during the loading phase of the throwing motion and releases it during the throwing phase. This energy storage mechanism reduces the power requirement from the user by utilizing elastic potential energy, allowing for greater throwing distances without requiring increased user power
Solution Approach 2:
The device utilizes periodic loading and unloading of the spring-like profile, where energy is stored during the backswing and released during the forward throwing motion. This periodic energy storage and release reduces the instantaneous power requirement from the user while maintaining effective throwing performance
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 longer throwing distances with a shorter overall length, improving control and portability by utilizing the cumulative energy from curving, spring-like profiles of the latitudinal bends.
Implementation Method 1
The middle lever portion may include a plurality of latitudinal bends... utilizing the cumulative energy from curving, spring-like profiles of the latitudinal bends
Data Source
AI summary
A ball throwing device including a lower handle portion, a middle lever portion, and a head portion. The middle lever portion may include a plurality of latitudinal bends positioned between the lower handle portion and the head portion. Additionally and/or alternatively, the head portion may include a half-spherical cup configured to releasably retain a ball, the half-spherical cup having a plurality of edge lobes configured to flex over an outside diameter of the ball.