Bowling Ball Pin Separator Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electromechanical pinsetter machines often damage bowling pins, balls, and machine components due to failure in properly separating pins from balls, leading to increased maintenance costs and reduced operational efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A bowling ball and pin separator device with a base plate, hinge, spring, and rigid arm is installed in the pinsetter machine, which deflects pins away from the ballwheel using the weight of the bowling ball to move the arm and prevent pin entrapment, allowing for efficient separation without slowing down the machine's operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ballwheel speed is reduced to prevent pin damage, then pin and ball damage is reduced, but game speed and productivity decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The separator arm is positioned in advance to intercept pins before they reach the ballwheel. By placing the separator at the optimal location where pins can be deflected away from the ballwheel path, the system prevents potential damage before it occurs, eliminating the need to slow down the ballwheel while still protecting pins and balls from damage.
2Reliability
If springs and bungee cords are added to cushion pin separation, then pin damage is reduced, but device complexity increases and reliability decreases due to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex cushioning mechanisms (springs, bungee cords) from the system and replaces them with a simple rigid separator arm. By extracting these unnecessary components and using only the essential separator function, the design achieves pin protection through geometric interception rather than mechanical cushioning, thereby reducing complexity and improving reliability.
3Reliability
If a rigid separator arm is added to deflect pins, then pin entrapment is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a complex mechanism to actively push pins away or cushion their impact, the patent uses a simple rigid arm that passively blocks the path of pins through its presence alone. The separator works by creating a physical barrier that pins naturally encounter and are deflected by, rather than requiring active mechanical intervention. This inverted approach simplifies the mechanism while maintaining 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 separator effectively prevents pin damage and machine jams, allowing for faster game play and reduced maintenance costs by ensuring smooth operation of the pinsetter machine without compromising speed or durability.
Implementation Method 1
The hinge connects the rigid arm to the base plate, and the spring provides sufficient tension such that only the weight of a bowling ball is enough to cause the arm to be moved
Implementation Method 2
only the weight of a bowling ball is enough to cause the arm to be moved
Data Source
AI summary
A bowling ball and pin separator to prevent bowling pins from being caught up by a ballwheel within an electromechanical pinsetter machine. The separator includes a base plate, a hinge with a spring, and a rigid arm. The hinge connects the rigid arm to the base plate, and the spring provides sufficient tension such that only the weight of a bowling ball is enough to cause the arm to be moved. In certain embodiments, the rigid arm is an elongated member having a plurality of bends.