Folding Golf Ball Retriever for Damage-Free Putter Grip Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing golf ball retrievers are difficult to attach and remove from a putter grip without damaging the grip, and there is a need for an improved design that facilitates easy installation and removal.
Innovation Solution
A golf ball retriever with folding arms that can be removably affixed to a threaded port in a putter grip, featuring a base with magnets and hinges for secure attachment, and folding arms that form a claw-like pocket for grasping balls, allowing easy deployment and retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a machine screw or barbed fastener is used to affix the retriever to the putter grip, then the attachment is secure, but the putter grip is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
A threaded insert is introduced as an intermediary component between the retriever and the putter grip. The insert is embedded in the grip cavity and provides external threads for the retriever to engage, allowing secure attachment without damaging the grip's outer surface. This mediator transfers the attachment force internally while preserving the grip's integrity.
2Strength
If a machine screw or barbed fastener is used to affix the retriever to the putter grip, then the attachment is secure, but the installation and removal process is complex
Solution Approach 1:
The threaded insert serves as a mediator that simplifies the attachment process. Instead of requiring complex fastening operations into the grip material, the retriever simply threads onto the external threads of the insert, enabling easy installation and removal by the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment system is segmented into three distinct components: the putter grip with embedded insert, the retriever with internal threads, and the threaded insert itself. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall assembly and disassembly process.
3Reliability
If the retriever is designed with folding arms and magnets, then the ball grasping capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple functional elements are merged into a single integrated retriever unit: the folding arms provide mechanical grasping, while magnets embedded in the arms provide magnetic attraction to the ball. This combination of mechanical and magnetic forces enhances ball securing capability without requiring separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms are designed to be foldable rather than fixed, allowing the retriever to transition between a compact storage configuration and an expanded operational configuration. This dynamic structure reduces storage space requirements while maintaining full functionality during use.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables easy and damage-free attachment to and removal from a putter grip, facilitating efficient retrieval of golf balls from difficult-to-reach areas.
Implementation Method 1
a base with magnets and hinges for secure attachment
Data Source
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AI summary
A golf ball retriever adapted to be removably affixed to a putter grip is provided. A grip cap secures the golf ball retriever to an internally threaded port in the putter grip, which functions as a point of attachment for counter weights and other accessories. The golf ball retriever includes folding arms that are movable from a stowed position to a deployed position, forming a claw-like pocket for grasping a golf ball. The folding arms can be manually manipulated from the deployed position to the stowed position for conventional use of the putter or when returning the putter to a golf bag.