Basketball Rim LED Strip Illumination and Glare Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing basketball hoop lighting systems are inadequate for outdoor play in low light conditions, as they often require AC power, are difficult to assemble, prone to breakage, and create unwanted shadows and glare, making it hard for players to see the rim and aim accurately.
Innovation Solution
An illumination system featuring an LED strip mounted underneath the basketball rim, powered by a connected source, with a bungee cord attachment and sensors to detect rebounds and shots, providing different illumination patterns for rebounds and made baskets, and a diffuser to prevent glare.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If flood lights are used to illuminate the basketball rim from above, then the rim becomes visible, but unwanted shadows and glare are created that obstruct the user's view
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional lighting approach by positioning the light source underneath the basketball rim instead of above it. This inversion allows light to illuminate the rim from below, making the rim visible while eliminating the shadows and glare problems caused by overhead lighting. The light shines upward onto the rim and backboard, providing illumination without casting shadows in the player's line of sight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the lighting dimension from vertical top-down illumination to vertical bottom-up illumination. By moving the light source to the other end of the vertical axis, the system achieves rim visibility while avoiding the harmful shadow effects that occur when light comes from above the player's viewpoint.
2Illumination intensity
If light bulbs are mounted on long arms hanging over the backboard, then the rim area is illuminated, but the arms can break or become a hazard
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light source from the vulnerable long arm structure and repositions it directly onto the basketball rim itself. This eliminates the need for fragile extending arms that hang over the backboard, removing both the structural weakness and the safety hazard while maintaining effective rim illumination.
Solution Approach 2:
The basketball rim serves dual functions: it acts as both the game structure for shooting and as the mounting structure for the light source. By utilizing the rim's existing structural capacity to hold both the net and the lighting, the patent eliminates the need for separate supporting arms.
3Illumination intensity
If AC power source is required for basketball hoop lighting, then continuous illumination is achieved, but installation becomes complex requiring electrician or laborer
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables the lighting system to be self-powered through integration with the basketball structure itself. The light source can be powered by batteries or other self-contained power sources that do not require AC electrical infrastructure, allowing consumers to install and maintain the system themselves without needing electricians or professional laborers.
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 system provides clear, indirect lighting that enhances visibility of the rim and surrounding areas, reduces glare, and is durable and easy to install, allowing players to accurately aim and track the ball in low-light conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an L.E.D. strip of light arranged in a hoop and mounted directly underneath
Implementation Method 2
a diffuser on the L.E.D. strip of light
Data Source
AI summary
A basketball illumination system includes a light source mounted beneath a basketball rim to prevent glare and improve visibility of the rim in low lit conditions. Some embodiments include an L.E.D. strip arranged in a hoop directly below the rim. A bungee cord may couple the L.E.D. strip to the rim under tension to prevent the L.E.D. strip from straying into the path of balls travelling through the rim. Some embodiments include a rebound sensor and/or a shot senor. Each sensor may change the illumination of the L.E.D. strip in a different way upon detection.