Foldable Billiard Ball Rack with Hinge Joints for Compact Storage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional billiard ball racks are bulky and difficult to store and transport, and foldable options lack the support provided by fixed-sided racks.
Innovation Solution
A foldable self-aligning billiard ball rack with a base arm and side arms featuring hinge structures and adjustable angles, allowing the rack to be compactly stored and easily assembled into a triangular configuration for adequate ball support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the rack is made foldable to reduce storage space, then the rack becomes easier to store and transport, but the rack loses structural support and stability
Solution Approach 1:
The rack transitions from a static fixed structure to a dynamic foldable structure with hinge joints that allow movement between extended (racking) and collapsed (storage) positions. This enables the rack to reduce storage volume while maintaining structural support during actual use through the mechanical advantage of the hinge connection system.
Solution Approach 2:
The rack is divided into multiple segments (side arms and base arms) connected by hinge joints, allowing each segment to be independently positioned. This segmentation enables the rack to fold into a compact configuration for storage while reconstructing into a stable triangular configuration for racking, resolving the contradiction between compactness and structural integrity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the rack uses fixed sides to provide support, then the rack maintains stability, but the rack becomes bulky and difficult to store
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge joints enable the rack to dynamically transition between a stable extended configuration during racking operations and a compact folded configuration for storage. The mechanical connection maintains stability when extended while enabling significant volume reduction when collapsed, eliminating the need for permanently bulky fixed sides.
Solution Approach 2:
By segmenting the rack into movable arms connected by hinges, the design achieves stability during use through proper geometric arrangement (triangular configuration) while allowing compact storage through folding. The segmented structure provides both structural integrity when assembled and compactness when disassembled.
3Ease of operation
If the rack is made foldable to improve portability, then the rack becomes easier to transport, but the rack fails to provide adequate support for arranging balls
Solution Approach 1:
The rack employs dynamic hinge joints that allow the structure to be easily folded for portability while maintaining rigid support when extended into the racking position. The hinge connection provides sufficient mechanical strength to support billiard balls during the racking operation, ensuring reliability despite the foldable design.
Solution Approach 2:
The segmented arm structure with hinge connections provides both portability through folding capability and reliable ball support when assembled into the triangular racking configuration. Each segment contributes to the overall structural integrity, ensuring adequate support for arranging balls while maintaining ease of transport.
Data Source
AI summary
A billiard ball rack for racking 3 or more billiard balls is provided, comprising a base arm and two side arms configured to enable the billiard ball rack to be foldable and self-aligning. The inner surfaces of the base arms and the side arms are tapered at an angle relative to a top surface of the billiard ball rack, and the arms are pivotally connected to one another and configured such that when the billiard rack is positioned around a set of billiard balls and downward pressure is applied, the base arm and side arms of the billiard rack automatically adjust to form an equilateral triangle. The billiard ball rack is also configured to be folded compactly to fit within standard pool cue cases while the arms remain interconnected. Methods of using the billiard ball rack for racking billiard balls are also provided.