Mechanical Golf Counter with Rotating Pointer and Multi-Revolution Strokes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing mechanical golf counters are limited in their ability to accurately and intuitively display scores, often restricting them to two or three-digit displays, which can lead to inaccuracies and are not user-friendly for all skill levels, especially when accounting for handicaps.
Innovation Solution
A mechanical golf counter with a first counter for strokes per hole, a second counter for total strokes, and a third counter for holes played, featuring a rotating total pointer for analogue display, a bezel for setting handicap, and a mechanism allowing multiple revolutions for the first counter, enabling continuous counting without capacity limitations and easy resetting of all counters with a single pusher.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a two-digit or three-digit display with dials is used, then the device structure is simple, but the measurement precision and ease of operation deteriorate due to inaccuracies and lack of user-friendliness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional digital dial displays with a purely mechanical analog pointer system. The total stroke counter uses a pointer that rotates around a dial with markings, providing continuous visual feedback instead of discrete digital numbers. This mechanical analog approach improves measurement precision while maintaining mechanical simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimensional approach by using a rotating pointer that can indicate positions beyond a single revolution. The first counter allows multiple revolutions to accommodate more than 12 strokes per hole, adding a temporal dimension to the display that exceeds traditional single-revolution dials.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the first counter is constrained to a single revolution for 12 strokes, then the device structure is simple, but the adaptability deteriorates when exceeding 12 strokes per hole
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the counter dynamic by allowing the first counter to revolve multiple times instead of being constrained to a single revolution. The mechanism accommodates variable numbers of strokes per hole (more than 12) by enabling the pointer to complete multiple full rotations, with the number of revolutions indicating the total count.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent prepares the counting mechanism in advance to handle extended ranges by designing the first counter with multiple revolution capability from the outset. The gear train and pointer assembly are configured to naturally accommodate multiple rotations without requiring additional complex mechanisms or manual intervention.
3Ease of operation
If separate pushers are used for each counter function, then each counter can be controlled independently, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to multiple buttons to press
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple counter reset functions into a single integrated pusher mechanism. When the hole counter pusher is actuated, it simultaneously resets the first counter (strokes per hole) to zero while advancing the hole counter, eliminating the need for separate reset pushers for each counter.
Solution Approach 2:
The hole counter pusher serves multiple functions: it advances the hole counter to the next hole number and simultaneously resets the first counter to zero. This multi-functional design simplifies operation by requiring the user to press only one pusher instead of multiple separate pushers for different counter operations.
4Measurement precision
If a totalizer with limited digit display is used, then the device structure is simple, but the measurement precision deteriorates due to the 99-stroke limit
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the static digital display into a dynamic analog pointer system for the total stroke counter. The pointer rotates continuously around a dial with appropriate markings, allowing it to indicate total strokes beyond the 99-limit of digital displays. The pointer's position provides continuous visual feedback for tracking total strokes throughout the game.
Data Source
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AI summary
A first counting mechanism counts the number of strokes per hole. A second counting mechanism counts the total number of strokes. A third counting mechanism counts the number of played holes. A press button (212) indexes the third counting mechanism to a next position and automatically sets the first counting mechanism back into a zero position. The central sum hand (203) of the second counting mechanism can be rotated about a central pivot of a golf counter.