Cornhole Board Intersecting Braces for Impact Force Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cornhole boards flex and bow upon impact from tossed bags, leading to bag bouncing and displacement, which affects gameplay stability and aesthetics.
Innovation Solution
A cornhole board with a frame, support legs, and an intersecting bracing system, such as an X-shaped brace configuration, to distribute and dissipate the impact forces, preventing flexing and displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the board is made rigid and inflexible, then the board does not flex and bow upon impact, but the board displaces or walks across the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The board structure is segmented into multiple components: the top panel, frame, support legs, and intersecting bracing system. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function - the bracing system absorbs and distributes impact forces while the top panel remains stable for gameplay, resolving the contradiction between overall rigidity and impact force management
Solution Approach 2:
The intersecting bracing system operates in the dimensional space beneath the top panel, creating a three-dimensional structural framework. This additional dimensional layer allows the bracing to absorb and distribute impact forces without interfering with the two-dimensional gameplay surface, enabling the board to be rigid enough to prevent walking while still managing impact forces effectively
2Force
If the board is made flexible to absorb impact, then the board does not displace, but the board flexes and bows causing bags to bounce
Solution Approach 1:
The board is divided into the top panel and the bracing system, allowing the bracing to handle impact force absorption while the top panel maintains stability. The bracing system acts as a separate structural layer that manages forces without causing the gameplay surface to flex or bow
Solution Approach 2:
The intersecting bracing system serves as an intermediary structure between the ground and the top panel. It mediates the transmission of impact forces, absorbing and distributing them through its X-shaped configuration before they reach the top panel, thereby preventing both board displacement and unwanted flexing
3Strength
If a center brace is added across the back, then the board structure is strengthened, but the board still does not adequately dissipate striking force
Solution Approach 1:
The intersecting bracing system uses an X-shaped asymmetric configuration rather than a simple center brace. This asymmetric design creates multiple intersecting support points that distribute impact forces more effectively across the board structure, preventing both flexing and displacement while maintaining structural strength
Solution Approach 2:
The bracing system extends in multiple dimensions beneath the top panel, creating a three-dimensional framework that dissipates forces more effectively than a single center brace. The intersecting braces at different angles and positions create a distributed force management system that handles striking forces from various directions
Data Source
AI summary
A frame, two support legs extending downward from a first end portion of the frame, a top panel supported by the frame and including an opening through which toss bags can be received, and an intersecting bracing system adjacent a bottom surface of the top panel. The intersecting bracing system is configured to prevent flexing and bowing of the top panel when the top panel is impacted with the tossed bags during game play and also to absorb and distribute the impact forces of the tossed bags striking the top panel during game play.