Collapsible Ball Catcher with Telescopic Frame and Dolly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Athletes practicing sports like soccer, football, and baseball face the challenge of needing to chase down balls that have been launched, as existing apparatuses either cannot be transported in their assembled state or require partial disassembly for collapsibility.
Innovation Solution
A portable, collapsible apparatus with a frame, netted enclosure, and dolly system that allows for easy assembly and disassembly, enabling the apparatus to be fully assembled and transported without disassembly, featuring a cable system to prevent lateral disassembly of frame components and a dolly for mobility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the apparatus is made collapsible for transport, then portability is improved, but structural stability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is divided into multiple telescopic sections that can be extended or retracted. Each section contains nested tubular members that slide within one another, allowing the frame to be collapsed into a compact configuration for transport while maintaining full structural dimensions when assembled for use. This segmentation enables the apparatus to transition between portable and stable states.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus incorporates adjustable and movable components including telescopic frame sections, adjustable netting, and movable mounting mechanisms. These dynamic elements allow the structure to be configured in different states - compact for transport and fully extended for stable operation - resolving the contradiction between portability and structural stability.
2Ease of operation
If the frame components are made easily disassemblable for transport, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The frame components are pre-configured with aligned connection features including matching slots, guides, and engagement protrusions. This preliminary arrangement of connection elements ensures that when components are assembled, they automatically align and secure reliably without requiring complex assembly procedures or specialized tools, thus maintaining both ease of operation and connection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Connection elements such as cables, straps, or interlocking mechanisms serve as intermediaries between frame components. These intermediaries provide reliable mechanical coupling while allowing for easy attachment and detachment, bridging the gap between ease of assembly and connection reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
This is a training apparatus for ball players (e.g., soccer, baseball, football) in which a collapsible frame supports an open portion and a closed portion, with a netted enclosure in between the open portion and the closed portion. Across the back ring is a backing material that permits a catching or rebounding of a ball that is thrown, kicked, or hit into the apparatus. A dolly is attached to the rear portion of the apparatus. The frame collapses such that the open portion is moved towards the closed portion, thus permitting the front portion of the apparatus to rest on the dolly's slats. A user may then wheel the apparatus to its desired location, and then extend the apparatus back out to its functional position.