Modular Backstop and Retractable Netting for Fast Field Installation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sports field backstop and netting systems are labor-intensive, site-specific, and lack modularity, leading to imprecise installations, high costs, and difficulties in modification or netting storage, with issues in pole integrity under weather conditions and limited mounting surfaces for additional devices.
Innovation Solution
A modular backstop and netting system with coupleable wall sections, poles, and retractable netting, featuring coupling sleeves and attachment tracks for easy installation and adjustment, allowing for quick setup and modification, and incorporating features like video boards and ball return systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional customized backstop systems are installed on-site, then the system can be adapted to specific site requirements, but the installation becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The backstop system is divided into modular components including pre-fabricated wall sections, individual poles, and separate netting sections. Each component is manufactured off-site to precise specifications and can be independently transported and assembled on-site, enabling rapid installation while maintaining site-specific adaptability through configurable module arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
Critical components such as wall sections, poles, and netting are pre-manufactured and pre-assembled into modular units before delivery to the installation site. This preliminary preparation eliminates on-site cutting and custom fabrication, dramatically reducing installation time while ensuring manufacturing precision is maintained.
2Reliability
If more poles are used in the backstop system, then pole integrity and mounting surfaces for additional devices are improved, but lines of sight are blocked
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from traditional vertical pole-only support to a three-dimensional structure where horizontal wall sections connect multiple poles, creating a rigid spatial framework. This dimensional change distributes structural loads across the entire framework rather than relying on individual pole strength, enabling fewer poles to achieve the same integrity while improving sight lines.
Solution Approach 2:
The backstop functionality and structural support functionality are merged into an integrated wall-pole framework. The wall sections serve dual purposes as both backstop surfaces and structural bracing elements, eliminating the need for excessive poles while maintaining both structural integrity and mounting surfaces for devices.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If the netting is permanently installed, then the backstop structure is complete, but the netting cannot be removed or stored for replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The netting system incorporates dynamic attachment mechanisms that allow the netting to be easily detached and reattached. The modular connection design enables netting sections to be removed, stored, and replaced without damaging the underlying structural framework, extending the overall system service life while facilitating maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The netting is designed as a replaceable component that can be removed and stored for later reuse or replacement. The modular attachment system allows netting sections to be efficiently detached, stored in a protected state, and reinstalled when needed, preventing waste and extending the operational life of the netting material.
4Adaptability or versatility
If custom cutting and adjustment is performed on-site, then the system fits specific site requirements, but installation becomes error-filled and imprecise
Solution Approach 1:
The system is segmented into standardized modular components with precise manufacturing tolerances achieved during off-site fabrication. Each module is designed with standardized connection interfaces that ensure accurate assembly on-site without requiring custom cutting or field modifications, eliminating installation errors while maintaining site adaptability through module configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
Various backstop and netting system embodiments have at least one wall section, at least two poles, and at least two coupling sleeves that couple the wall section (and any adjoining wall sections) and the poles. Further, certain systems include a netting that extends between and is coupled to two adjacent poles and moves between a deployed position and a retracted position within a cavity of the wall section. Many exemplary implementations of these systems include a plurality of wall sections, poles, and coupling sleeves that can be easily installed in a modular fashion to create a backstop for a playing field, such as, for example, a softball or baseball field.