Foldable Game Board with Magnetic Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing game boards cannot be easily transported or paused without disrupting the game state, as they are typically stationary and require complete setup or teardown to move or store.
Innovation Solution
A foldable game board design featuring elongated base panels with a folding mechanism that allows the board to transition between open and closed configurations, maintaining game piece placement in both states.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the game board is made stationary and stable for gameplay, then the game pieces can be held securely in place, but the board cannot be easily transported or paused without disrupting the game state
Solution Approach 1:
The game board is divided into multiple panels connected by folding mechanisms, allowing the board to be segmented into collapsible sections. This segmentation enables the board to be folded into a compact configuration for transport while maintaining the complete game surface when opened, thus resolving the contradiction between transportability and game state preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The game board transitions from a static, fixed structure to a dynamic, foldable structure with movable panels and hinges. This dynamic design allows the board to adapt between an open configuration for stable gameplay and a closed configuration for compact storage, enabling users to pause and resume games without disrupting piece placement through magnetic retention.
2Ease of operation
If the game board is made foldable and portable, then it can be easily transported and stored, but the structural complexity increases with folding mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The board is segmented into panels connected by simple hinge joints, breaking down the complex folding mechanism into basic, repetitive components. This segmentation reduces overall complexity by using standardized connection elements rather than a single complex mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The folding mechanism is designed to be self-supporting through the rigidity of the panels and the geometry of the hinge connections. The structure maintains its form without requiring additional support elements or complex locking mechanisms, as the panels themselves provide structural integrity when folded.
3Volume of moving object
If the game board is folded into a compact configuration, then storage space is reduced, but the game pieces may be disrupted or lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical retention systems (such as physical barriers or clips) with magnetic fields to hold game pieces in place. The magnetic force acts on the pieces throughout the folding process, ensuring they remain attached to the board surface regardless of the board's configuration, thus maintaining reliability while enabling compact storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The magnetic field strength and distribution are optimized to maintain adequate holding force during transitions between open and closed configurations. By adjusting magnetic parameters, the system ensures reliable piece retention across different board states without requiring additional mechanical retention structures that would increase storage volume.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided herein are various types of foldable game boards and foldable objects which include a plurality of elongated base panels each of which has an inner surface, an outer surface, and a side panel oriented perpendicularly on each end. The inner surface is capable securely holding game pieces when in an open configuration. The game boards and objects described herein can be folded to a closed configuration to form a hollow polygonal prism. This configuration gives rise to a space for the storage of pieces on the inner surface of the elongated base panels during closed configuration and includes magnetic plates underneath for the purpose of holding pieces in place to save the game state at any point.