Portable Net Frame With Hidden Tensioning Risers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing semi-permanent sports net systems are heavy, cumbersome, and require significant assembly/disassembly, often damaging playing surfaces and limiting portability due to their weight and design, while also failing to meet the tension and height requirements of various sports.
Innovation Solution
A net system utilizing a frame with vertical risers and balanced top and bottom cords, where the frame is designed to resist compressive loads, allowing for lightweight construction and easy assembly/disassembly, with a hidden tensioning mechanism that maintains consistent net tension.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a permanent net system with cable and winch is used, then net tension is very stiff and consistent, but the system lacks mobility and versatility
Solution Approach 1:
The net system is divided into modular components: a frame structure, netting sections, and tensioning mechanisms that can be independently assembled and disassembled. This segmentation enables the system to maintain structural integrity and tension consistency while allowing easy reconfiguration and mobility for different sports applications
2Reliability
If semi-permanent systems with metal frame and winch are used, then net tension can be maintained, but the systems weigh over 200 pounds and require significant assembly/disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The tensioning mechanism incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities that allow the net tension to be easily modified without full disassembly. The system transitions from static, heavy-duty permanent tensioning to a more dynamic, adjustable mechanism that maintains reliability while reducing operational complexity and assembly time
3Stability of the object's composition
If the bottom frame is in contact with the court surface, then the net is stable, but the playing surface gets damaged when the system is moved
Solution Approach 1:
A protective intermediary element (such as a protective coating, pad, or distributed contact system) is introduced between the frame and the court surface. This intermediary distributes the contact pressure and prevents direct damage to the playing surface while maintaining the stability and structural integrity of the net system during movement and use
4Shape
If the bottom frame runs parallel to the playing surface, then the net structure is complete, but the ball is blocked from going underneath
Solution Approach 1:
The frame structure is modified to elevate or reposition the bottom frame away from the playing surface in the vertical dimension, or to create an open configuration that allows balls to pass through. This dimensional change maintains the structural completeness of the frame while eliminating the obstruction to ball movement and retrieval
5Reliability
If the frame uses heavy structural members to resist bending loads, then the net tension is reliable, but the frame cannot be broken into sections for transport
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into multiple sections connected by joints or coupling mechanisms that maintain structural integrity when assembled. This segmentation allows the frame to be broken down into manageable sections for easy transport and storage, while reassembled sections maintain the reliability and tension consistency required for proper net function
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a net system comprising a frame, a first and second vertical riser each connected to opposite sides of the frame, a top cord connected to the distal end of each vertical riser, a bottom cord connected to a proximal end of each vertical riser, and a net suspended by the top cord. The top cord and bottom cord are balanced in tension by the flexible vertical risers. When the proximal end of the vertical riser is urged towards the center of the net, by action of a hinge between proximal and distal ends of each vertical riser, the distal end of the vertical riser is moved outward, thus tensioning the top cord.