Crossbar End Indicia for Consistent Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
In track and field vertical clearance events, consistently placing a crossbar on standards is challenging due to the crossbar's tendency to rotate or become misaligned, especially when it develops a bow or is repaired, which affects competition conditions.
Innovation Solution
Employing crossbar ends with directional indices and ordinal indicia to ensure consistent orientation and placement, allowing workers to note and replicate the initial position during subsequent setups, thereby maintaining alignment and eccentricity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If visual checking is used to determine proper crossbar placement, then workers can verify placement without additional tools, but placement consistency deteriorates due to human error and subjective judgment
Solution Approach 1:
The crossbar placement system uses self-aligning features where the crossbar end's flat surface automatically orients itself relative to the pin and standard, eliminating the need for subjective visual verification. The geometric constraints of the components guide correct placement without human intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs visual indicators (such as colored markings or distinctive features) on the crossbar end and corresponding features on the pin/standard that provide unambiguous visual confirmation of correct placement. These indicators change or become visible only when the crossbar is properly positioned, transforming subjective visual checking into objective verification.
2Ease of manufacture
If the crossbar is made with a circular cross-section, then the crossbar can be easily manufactured and handled, but the crossbar rotates or rolls on the pins making consistent placement difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces asymmetry to the otherwise circular crossbar by adding a flat surface or directional feature to the crossbar end. This asymmetric feature prevents rotation on the pin while maintaining the circular cross-section for the majority of the crossbar, preserving ease of manufacture while enabling precise, consistent placement.
3Ease of repair
If the crossbar is repaired by slipping a sleeve over the broken section, then the crossbar can be restored to service, but the bow or repair creates misalignment relative to the center of the bar and standards
Solution Approach 1:
The invention incorporates alignment features (such as reference marks or geometric indicators) on the crossbar end before repair occurs. These pre-established reference features guide the repair process, ensuring that when a sleeve or other repair component is installed, it maintains the correct alignment relative to the crossbar center and the standards, preventing misalignment issues.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for consistently placing a crossbar on a pin on a standard used in a vertical distance field event such as high jump and pole vault. The crossbar has a crossbar end with a directional index on at least one surface. In another example embodiment, the crossbar end has a plurality of ordinal indicia alone or with the directional index. A worker notes the placement of the directional index and the ordinal indicia when placing the crossbar a first time. The worker subsequently places the crossbar making sure the directional index and ordinal indicia appear in the same position relative to the standards and relative to the pin on the standard.