Modular Bowling Ball Return Housing Customization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bowling ball return systems lack customization options for colors, designs, and features, forcing customers to accept standard configurations or incur additional costs for customization, which does not allow for specific images, textures, or finishes after installation.
Innovation Solution
A customizable bowling ball return assembly featuring modular, interchangeable sections with selectable colors, images, graphics, themes, and textures, formed from high-pressure laminate materials with substrate and décor layers, and secured using adhesives or fasteners, allowing for easy customization and future modifications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standard manufactured designs and colors are used for bowling ball returns, then manufacturing consistency and cost are improved, but customization options and design flexibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple separable components (front housing, rear housing, side panels) that can be independently customized and assembled, allowing different colors, images, and designs on different segments while maintaining standardized manufacturing processes for each component
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables parameter changes in color, texture, finish, and graphical content through post-manufacturing application methods such as adhesive sheets, decals, and printable surfaces, allowing the same housing structure to be customized with various aesthetic parameters without re-manufacturing
2Ease of manufacture
If injection molding with manufacturer's signature color is used, then manufacturing process is simplified, but customization of colors, images, and textures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is pre-manufactured with standardized injection molding processes for consistency and cost-effectiveness, but includes pre-designed surfaces, adhesive layers, or decorative receptacles that are prepared in advance to receive custom colors, images, and textures during installation without requiring custom molding for each customization
Solution Approach 2:
Adhesive sheets, decals, or printable film layers serve as intermediary elements between the standardized housing structure and the desired custom appearance, allowing customers to apply their own colors, images, and textures to pre-manufactured housings without modifying the molding process
3Adaptability or versatility
If painting is used for customization, then color customization is achieved, but additional costs and complexity are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs inexpensive, easily replaceable customization layers such as adhesive sheets, decals, and printable films that can be applied and removed without complex processes, allowing customers to customize colors and designs through simple application rather than permanent painting or re-manufacturing
4Ease of manufacture
If standard designs are used, then manufacturing costs are reduced, but ability to incorporate specific images, textures, and finishes deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing design incorporates universal, multi-functional surfaces that can serve both structural purposes and display functions, with standardized components that can accommodate various images, textures, and finishes through adhesive applications or printable surfaces, allowing a single housing design to fulfill multiple aesthetic requirements
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 1D
AI summary
A customizable housing for a bowling ball return at a bowling lane can be provided. The housing can include a housing body, and a throat defined in the housing body that is sized, dimensioned, or configured to allow for passage of the one or more bowling balls to a retrieval area. The housing further can include one or more customizable, modular, or interchangeable portions of a selected size, dimension, shape, or configuration that are configured to be selectively coupled to the housing body, which portions include a surface or face with one or more selected colors, images, depictions, graphics, themes, finishes, textures, or combinations thereof provided thereon.