Bowling Ball Maintenance Device with Omnidirectional Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bowling ball maintenance devices, such as the Rejuvenator, are expensive and inefficient in cleaning the entire ball surface due to uneven heat distribution, leading to clogged pores and reduced performance over time.
Innovation Solution
A bowling ball maintenance device that heats and circulates air around the ball to liquefy and remove oil and contaminants from the porous surface, using a housing with a ball chamber, heating element, and circulation device controlled by a processor, ensuring consistent and gentle heat without direct exposure, and a basin to collect excess oil and debris.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a heating element is positioned to the side of the bowling ball, then the device can be simpler in structure, but the heat distribution becomes uneven causing inconsistent cleaning results
Solution Approach 1:
The heating system is segmented into multiple heating elements positioned at different locations (side, top, bottom) around the ball chamber, allowing each element to contribute to uniform heat distribution across the entire ball surface without requiring complex mechanical positioning mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The heating approach transitions from a single-side linear heating method to a three-dimensional omnidirectional heating system, with heating elements arranged vertically and horizontally to envelop the ball in a heat zone, ensuring uniform thermal treatment of all ball surfaces simultaneously
2Manufacturing precision
If the ball is run through the Rejuvenator in multiple orientations or for a long time, then cleaning coverage improves, but the process becomes more time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The circulation device continuously moves heated air around the ball throughout the treatment period, maintaining constant thermal contact with all ball surfaces without interruption or repositioning, ensuring complete and uniform cleaning coverage in a single continuous operation
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning process transitions from sequential multi-orientation treatment to simultaneous three-dimensional treatment, where heated air reaches all ball surfaces (top, bottom, sides) at the same time through vertical and horizontal circulation patterns, reducing total processing time while maintaining comprehensive coverage
3Productivity
If aggressive heat treatment is applied to clean the ball, then cleaning effectiveness improves, but the ball surface may be damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses controlled temperature parameters with the heating element maintaining heat within a safe range (not exceeding ball material tolerance), while the circulation device ensures this moderate heat is distributed uniformly and continuously, achieving effective cleaning without localized overheating or surface damage
Solution Approach 2:
Heated air serves as an intermediary medium that transfers thermal energy uniformly to the ball surface, avoiding direct contact between the heating element and the ball, thereby distributing heat evenly and preventing localized thermal shock or surface damage while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
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
The device effectively cleans bowling balls efficiently and affordably, maintaining performance without damaging the ball, allowing for home use and reducing the need for multiple orientations or extended cleaning times.
Implementation Method 1
A processor in the maintenance device controls a heating element to heat air within the maintenance device
Implementation Method 2
controls a circulation device to circulate the air around the enclosed ball
Implementation Method 3
heats and circulates air around the ball to liquefy and remove oil and contaminants from the porous surface
Data Source
AI summary
A bowling ball maintenance device performs a de-oiling process on bowling balls having porous surfaces. The maintenance device may comprise a container sized to store at least one bowling ball within the container and structured to receive the bowling ball. A heating element is structured to warm an internal environment of the container at least to a level at which oil that may have accumulated in the pores of the ball begins to flow out of the pores. Embodiments also include a ball support cup within the container that is structured to contain the oil that has flowed out of the pores of the ball. Depending on the embodiment, the ball support cup may include three or more ball support extensions structured to support the ball in a stationary position over a height of the walls or edges of the ball support cup during operation of the maintenance device.