Spring-Supported Ball Cart for Constant Tennis Ball Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Tennis instructors face repetitive strain injuries due to reaching into standard ball carts for tennis balls, which are not adjustable in height, and the need for separate bulky tools to collect scattered balls and maintain ball pressure.
Innovation Solution
A ball cart system with adjustable height and integrated ball collection mechanism, featuring springs that adjust the container height based on ball weight and a cylindrical drum for automatic leveling, along with a sealed container to maintain ball pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a standard ball cart with fixed height is used, then the structure is simple and stable, but the instructor must reach further and rotate more as balls are depleted, leading to pain or injury
Solution Approach 1:
The ball cart employs a height-adjustable support leg mechanism that allows the container to be positioned at different vertical levels. As balls are depleted and the container becomes lighter, the support leg automatically extends to maintain the optimal reaching height, preventing instructors from having to bend or rotate excessively.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball cart system automatically adjusts its own height based on the weight of the balls remaining in the container. The support leg mechanism responds to the changing load, extending or retracting without manual intervention to keep the ball access height consistent and ergonomic.
2Productivity
If separate tools like ball mowers or roller collectors are used to collect scattered balls, then ball collection is possible, but the tools are bulky and hard to maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The ball collection mechanism is integrated directly into the ball cart structure. The container serves dual purposes: storing balls during instruction and collecting scattered balls after use. This eliminates the need for separate collection tools, reducing equipment complexity while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball cart container is designed to perform multiple functions: holding balls during the lesson, receiving scattered balls after the lesson, and automatically adjusting height based on ball weight. This multi-functionality replaces several separate tools with a single versatile device.
3Ease of operation
If pressurized tennis balls are stored in open containers, then ball access is easy, but the pressurized gas leaks over time and balls go dead
Solution Approach 1:
The ball cart container incorporates a flexible airtight membrane or film that seals the balls while allowing them to be accessed. This thin film barrier prevents the pressurized gas from leaking into the atmosphere, maintaining ball pressure and preventing them from going dead, while still permitting ball retrieval.
4Ease of operation
If a height-adjustable ball cart mechanism is added, then instructor strain is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The height-adjustable support leg automatically responds to the changing weight of the ball container. As balls are depleted and weight decreases, the mechanism self-adjusts by extending the support leg to maintain the optimal height, eliminating the need for manual adjustment or complex control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The support leg mechanism uses a counterweight or spring system that balances the weight of the balls in the container. As balls are removed and weight decreases, the counterweight automatically adjusts the support leg extension to maintain consistent height, providing ergonomic ball access without complex controls.
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
Reduces strain on instructors by maintaining ball access at a consistent height and prolongs ball life through pressure retention, enhancing user comfort and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of springs, at least one spring of the plurality of springs being coupled to an end of one of the plurality of support rods, and a plurality of rollers, at least one roller of the plurality of rollers being coupled to at least one spring of the plurality of springs. Each spring is configured to compress or decompress according to a vertical force applied onto the spring by a weight within the container
Implementation Method 2
Each spring is configured to compress or decompress according to a vertical force applied onto the spring by a weight within the container
Implementation Method 3
The container is substantially airtight. Tennis balls are typically pressurized. That is, they have a hollow core filled with pressurized gas that improves the ability for the tennis balls to bounce. Pressurized tennis balls are commonly sold in sealed, airtight cans that are pressurized to match the internal pressure of the tennis balls to prolong their life by preventing the pressurized gas inside the tennis balls from leaking out
Data Source
AI summary
A ball cart system includes a cart having a plurality of support rods, a container mounted to the plurality of support rods, the plurality of support rods being configured to support the container, a plurality of springs, at least one spring of the plurality of springs being coupled to an end of at least one of the plurality of support rods, a plurality of rollers, at least one roller of the plurality of rollers being coupled to at least one spring of the plurality of springs, and a ball collector having a cylindrical drum. The container is substantially airtight, and each spring is configured to compress or decompress according to a vertical force applied onto the spring by a weight within the container, and as the weight within the container changes, a height of the container relative to a ground automatically adjusts.