Portable Basketball Hoop Segmented Post and Hinged Backboard
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current portable basketball hoops are cumbersome to transport and assemble, and often require heavy weights like water or sand to stabilize the hoop, which is inconvenient for storage and transportation.
Innovation Solution
A portable basketball hoop system with a base that includes a hemispherical base with circumferentially positioned openings for weights, a post composed of releasably connected segments with locking structures, and a backboard that hinges for easy folding and storage, allowing for quick assembly and disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If portable basketball hoops are designed to disassemble into manageable components, then ease of storage is improved, but ease of transport deteriorates due to size and weight
Solution Approach 1:
The post is divided into multiple telescoping segments that can be nested within each other, allowing the hoop to be compacted to a small size for storage and transport while maintaining full extension capability when assembled
Solution Approach 2:
The telescoping post segments are designed to nest within each other like dolls, with each segment fitting inside the larger segment, maximizing space efficiency during transport while providing full height when extended
2Stability of the object's composition
If heavy weights like water or sand are used to stabilize the hoop, then stability is improved, but ease of transport and storage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a spring-loaded counterbalance mechanism that provides stabilizing force opposite to the direction of potential tipping, eliminating the need for heavy external weights while maintaining stability
Solution Approach 2:
The spring mechanism automatically adjusts to provide the necessary stabilizing force based on the hoop's position and load, requiring no external weights or manual adjustment while maintaining stability throughout operation
3Ease of operation
If the basketball hoop is designed for quick assembly and disassembly, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism uses movable pins that can be easily inserted and removed to lock and unlock the telescoping segments, allowing quick assembly and disassembly through simple dynamic actions rather than complex fastening procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded pins automatically engage with the segmented post structure when assembled, providing self-locking functionality that simplifies the assembly process while maintaining structural integrity
Data Source
AI summary
A portable basketball hoop includes a base; a post comprising a bottom segment, at least one middle segment, and an upper segment. The base has a plurality of openings circumferentially positioned around at least a part the perimeter of the bottom surface. The bottom and at least one middle segment have a body portion with a plurality of locking structure-engaging areas thereby forming pairs of locking structure-engaging areas arranged in at least two rows locking structures engage the locking structure-engaging areas to secure the post segments together. A backboard comprising two outer sections hingedly connected to a middle section which secures to the upper segment of the post.