Radially Fluted End Caps for Balanced Sports Container
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sports containers, particularly golf bags, face issues with water intrusion, unbalanced weight distribution, and lack of versatility for both transport and play, with many designs being cumbersome and not conducive for use on vehicles like motorcycles or bicycles.
Innovation Solution
A water-resistant sports container with a rigid tube and radially fluted end caps that can be attached to both ends, providing balanced weight distribution and easy access, made from lightweight materials like plastic or aluminum, featuring a quarter-turn thread mechanism for secure attachment and O-ring seals for water resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If hard-shelled golf cases are configured to provide rigid protection during transport, then protection reliability is improved, but adaptability for use during play deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The container is divided into a tube body and two separate end caps that can be attached or removed. This segmentation allows the container to provide rigid protection during transport when caps are attached, and to be opened from either end for use during play when caps are removed or detached.
Solution Approach 2:
The container configuration is made dynamic through the ability to attach and detach end caps and to access contents from either end. This transforms the container from a static protected state to a dynamic usable state, resolving the contradiction between protection reliability and adaptability for play.
2Ease of operation
If sports containers are designed for use during play with open access, then ease of operation is improved, but protection against water intrusion and damage deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
End caps with sealing mechanisms are attached to the tube body in advance to prevent water intrusion and damage. When protection is needed, the caps are already in place. When access is needed, the caps can be quickly removed, providing both protection and ease of operation at different times.
3Adaptability or versatility
If golf bags are designed with unbalanced weight distribution for carrying various articles, then adaptability for different articles is improved, but stability during transport deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The container accepts asymmetric weight distributions of various articles within the tube body, while the symmetric tube structure with end caps on both ends provides external balance and stability. The asymmetric adaptability for different articles does not compromise the overall symmetric stability of the container system.
4Volume of moving object
If container ends are designed with larger cross-sectional area for storage capacity, then volume for storage is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container is segmented into a simple tube body and separate end caps. The end caps can be designed with larger cross-sectional areas to increase storage volume, while the tube body remains structurally simple. This segmentation allows volume optimization without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a sports container apparatus including a rigid tube or shell with opposing open ends. First and second opposing ends having a first end cap and a second end cap, respectively. The first and second end caps are radially fluted and operably attached to the rigid tube in a sealed manner. The sports container is operative for use as a golf bag or transport container and configured to balance stored articles such as golf clubs. The sports container configured to carry golf clubs or other items while being protected from an exposed environment where collisions with other hard surfaced items or the elements could cause damage. The device easily and safely mounts golf clubs or other items to a motorcycle, bicycle, ATV, or other vehicle without the use of brackets or other mounting devices while maintaining a balanced equilibrium.