Light Cap Assembly for Illuminated Sporting Equipment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional illuminated sporting equipment is prone to damage and short-lived due to fragile electronics and chemical light solutions, making it difficult to maintain and use effectively in outdoor conditions, particularly in ball games.

Innovation Solution

An illuminated sporting equipment assembly featuring a light cap assembly with an integrated circuit stack housed within an illumination cavity, secured using a cylindrical light cap assembly and cap wrench, which includes a power supply, LED circuit, and actuator switch to provide durable and long-lasting illumination.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional fragile and difficult to maintain illumination electronics are used in sporting equipment, then the equipment can provide illumination, but the electronics become damaged or de-energized when used in outdoor conditions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination electronics reliabilityVSAvoiddamage from outdoor conditions and kinetic forces

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination system is divided into separate modular components: a removable light cap assembly that can be detached from the sporting equipment object. This allows the electronics to be separated from the kinetic stressors and replaced independently without damaging the main equipment structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The light cap assembly is designed with pre-attached illumination electronics that are protected during storage and transport. The modular design allows for preliminary replacement of worn components before they cause damage during active use.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional illuminated sporting equipment uses chemical light solutions or phosphor materials, then the equipment can be manufactured with illumination capabilities, but the light sources must be replaced or recharged after mere minutes of play

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination capability integrationVSAvoidlight source duration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces chemical light solutions and phosphor materials with an electrical illumination system using LED components. This substitution enables longer operational duration through battery power while maintaining ease of manufacture through integrated circuit stacks that can be modularly assembled.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If conventional illumination systems are used in sporting equipment, then the equipment can provide light during gameplay, but the systems are permanently sealed or become permanently sealed via mechanical damage and therefore impossible to maintain or repair

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination system durabilityVSAvoidmaintenance and repair capability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination system is segmented into a removable light cap assembly that can be independently detached from the sporting equipment object. This modular design allows the electronics to be separated from the kinetic stressors and replaced independently without damaging the main equipment structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The modular light cap assembly design enables easy replacement of worn or damaged illumination components. Users can remove the entire light cap assembly and replace it with a fresh unit, eliminating the need for complex repair procedures while maintaining durability through protected internal structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

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

The solution provides a durable and long-lasting illumination system for sporting equipment, resistant to outdoor conditions and kinetic forces, with a power-efficient design that prevents accidental activation during gameplay, ensuring extended use without the need for frequent replacement.

Implementation Method 1

an integrated circuit stack configured to generate light within the illumination cavity of the sporting equipment object

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Data Source

PatentUS12194346B2Illuminated object systems and methods

Publication Date: 2025.01.14 P&P IMPORTS LLC

AI summary

Techniques are disclosed for systems and methods to provide illuminated sporting equipment assemblies. An illuminated sporting equipment assembly may include a sporting equipment object such as a game ball and a light cap assembly configured to be secured to the game ball, where the light cap assembly includes a light cap assembly housing configured to secure an integrated circuit stack configured to generate light within the illumination cavity of the sporting equipment object.