Solar-Powered Golf Ball Washer with Pneumatic Conduit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional golf ball washers require users to touch the device, increasing the risk of spreading pathogens like COVID-19 and other contaminants among golfers.
Innovation Solution
A solar-powered golf ball washer with a porous conduit system that uses air blown by a motor to push the ball through brushes and a cleaning fluid, allowing for touch-free operation, where the ball is cleaned as it moves through the conduit and collected at the outlet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional mechanical golf ball washers are used, then golf balls can be cleaned effectively, but users must touch the device which increases the risk of pathogen transmission
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical operation with an automated pneumatic system. A fan creates air flow that automatically propels the golf ball through the cleaning mechanism, eliminating the need for users to touch or manually operate the device. The air flow serves as the intermediary that performs the mechanical function of moving the ball through brushes and cleaning fluid without human contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces air flow as an intermediary between the user and the cleaning mechanism. The fan-generated air current acts as a mediator that transports the golf ball through the cleaning process, allowing the ball to be cleaned without direct user contact with the device components, thus reducing pathogen transmission risk.
2Reliability
If solar power is used to eliminate batteries, then environmental friendliness and maintenance are improved, but power availability depends on sunlight conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The solar-powered system enables the golf ball washer to generate its own power independently of external electrical infrastructure or battery replacement. The solar panels convert sunlight directly into electrical energy to drive the fan and pumping mechanisms, allowing the device to be self-sufficient and reducing maintenance requirements associated with batteries.
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 touch-free design minimizes the risk of pathogen transmission by eliminating direct user contact with the device, while effectively cleaning golf balls using solar power and gravity-assisted air flow.
Implementation Method 1
a solar power circuit in electrical communication with the motor, the solar power circuit configured to supply power to the motor
Implementation Method 2
the motor configured to blow air through an air tube into a porous conduit section to push a golf ball in said porous conduit section past the at least one brush
Implementation Method 3
the porous conduit is configured to conduct a golf ball by motor-blown air and gravity from the inlet end to the outlet end
Implementation Method 4
a cleaning fluid outlet positioned in operable relation to the porous conduit section, wherein the cleaning fluid outlet is configured to supply cleaning fluid that can permeate the porous conduit and that can contact the golf ball
Implementation Method 5
a conduit having a porous inlet section and a non-porous outlet section, wherein the porous conduit is configured to conduct a golf ball by motor-blown air and gravity
Data Source
AI summary
A touch-free solar powered golf ball washer (1) includes a housing (4) a conduit having an inlet (7), a porous conduit section (6) containing brushes (2) immersed in a cleaning fluid solution (9), an air blowing motor (3), the motor configured to blow air through an air flow tube (20) into the conduit porous section (6) and a non-porous conduit section (15) at through which a golf ball passes on its way to an outlet (8). The washer motor is preferably powered by a solar power circuit (10) in electrical communication with a solar panel (11). The motor can be activated by waiving one's hands proximate a touch-free activator panel (17) on the housing of the washer.