Multi-Purpose Football Tee with Resilient Base
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing football tees fail to provide a resilient base that can withstand kicks without breaking and do not facilitate the execution of various kicking techniques such as onside kicks, leading to reduced accuracy and versatility in kicking styles.
Innovation Solution
A multi-purpose football tee with three ball receiving recesses, including a reduced surface area recess for conventional kicks, a recess for squib kicks, and an onside kick recess, designed to minimize surface contact and allow for versatile kicking techniques, made from resilient materials like reclaimed rubber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a hard plastic base is used for the football tee, then the tee provides stable support for the football, but the base cracks when struck by the kicker's foot or shoe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the base from hard plastic to resilient material (such as rubber), fundamentally altering the mechanical properties to accommodate impact forces while maintaining structural integrity and football support stability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining a resilient base material with an insert structure, creating a multi-material system that provides both shock absorption and precise football positioning capabilities
2Stability of the object's composition
If a large surface area recess is used to support the football, then the football is stable on the tee, but the surface contact prevents clean kicking and reduces accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a recess with specific geometric characteristics - the recess surface is shaped to conform to the football's contour, providing localized contact points that ensure stability while minimizing surface area contact to allow clean kicking
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes spheroidality by shaping the recess surface to mimic the curved contour of the football, creating optimal contact geometry that provides stability through conformal contact while maintaining minimal surface area for accurate kicking
3Device complexity
If the tee is designed with a single recess, then the structure is simple, but the tee cannot facilitate multiple kicking techniques such as onside kicks and squib kicks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single recess structure that can accommodate and facilitate multiple kicking techniques (conventional kicks, onside kicks, squib kicks) through its geometric configuration, eliminating the need for multiple specialized tees
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses segmentation by dividing the single recess into distinct functional zones or regions within the recess structure, allowing different areas to support different kicking techniques while maintaining a unified overall structure
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 tee enhances kicking accuracy and versatility by reducing surface contact, allowing for consistent execution of different kicking styles, including onside kicks, and is durable enough to withstand repeated use.
Implementation Method 1
the base was made of a hard plastic and all too often kickers would strike the base and crack it. This necessitated maintaining an inventory of replacement bases with which to supply kickers. Thus, a need arose for a kicking tee with a base that was more resilient so that it could be struck by a kicker's foot or shoe without resultant breakage.
Data Source
AI summary
A football tee combines three ball receiving recesses into a single tee. The ball receiving recesses include a first ball receiving recess for conventional kicks, a second ball receiving recess for squib kicks, and a third ball receiving recess for onside kicks. In a first embodiment, the first ball receiving recess consists of a plurality of elongated arcuate lines with each line conforming to the shape of the surface of the football near the tip. In a second embodiment, the lines are replaced by a similar number of arcuate narrow bands, each of which conforms to the shape of the football above the tip. In a third embodiment, a series of semi-spherical projections are provided, each of which engages the football in a point contact. The bottom of the first recess is open to reduce surface area of ball contact.