Modular Mini Golf Obstacle Kit With Interlocking Sockets
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a lack of ability for individuals to create and play mini golf at home with customizable obstacles and barriers, limiting the enjoyment and practice of the game beyond traditional putting.
Innovation Solution
A modular miniature golf course obstacle kit featuring interlocking elements such as ramp, wedge, gap, and wall pieces with common male and receiving socket configurations, allowing users to design and assemble their own mini golf courses with various themes and configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional putting green pads are used, then putting practice is enabled, but the ability to play mini golf with obstacles and barriers is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The mini golf course is divided into separate modular obstacles and barriers that can be individually assembled. Each obstacle is a discrete component with standardized connection points, allowing users to build different course configurations without creating a complex monolithic structure. This segmentation enables versatility while keeping individual components simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The obstacles and barriers are designed with universal connection mechanisms that allow them to be used in multiple positions and configurations. The same obstacle piece can serve different functions depending on its placement in the course layout, maximizing versatility without requiring multiple specialized components for each function.
2Adaptability or versatility
If modular interlocking elements are used, then creativity and customization are enabled, but the complexity of assembling and disassembling increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple connection functions are merged into standardized connection points on each obstacle. The same connection mechanism handles both structural support and positioning, eliminating the need for separate fastening operations. This merging simplifies assembly while enabling extensive customization through the modular system.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection mechanism is designed to be dynamically adjustable, allowing obstacles to be easily connected and disconnected without specialized tools. The interlocking elements engage and disengage through simple manual manipulation, making the system both customizable and easy to reconfigure for different course designs.
3Adaptability or versatility
If standardized receiving sockets and male interlocking elements are used, then interchangeability is achieved, but the precision requirements for manufacturing increase
Solution Approach 1:
The interlocking surfaces are designed with optimized dimensional parameters that balance precision requirements with manufacturability. The receiving sockets and male elements incorporate tolerances that are achievable through standard manufacturing processes while still providing reliable interlocking. Key dimensional parameters are scaled to ensure both interchangeability and manufacturing feasibility.
Data Source
AI summary
A modular mini-golf obstacle kit to allow individual creativity by enabling users to design their own miniature golf hole. The kit may have a number of various types of pieces and obstacles, each including uniform connecting mechanisms so that the pieces can interlock with one another in a variety of combinations. This allows for flexibility in design so each user can construct their own perfect mini golf hole anywhere they take the kit.