Sports Stick and Ball Packaging with Tactile Access Sleeve
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing packaging for sports sticks and balls, such as hockey and lacrosse sets, prevents separation of the stick and ball, making it difficult for consumers to assess tactile features and esthetic qualities, and is often challenging to open without tools.
Innovation Solution
A merchandising display package that locks a sports stick and ball together using a flexible packaging sleeve with circular openings smaller than the ball's diameter, allowing tactile access while preventing separation, and can be easily removed by hand without tools, featuring a locking mechanism and hanger portal for display.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If blister packaging is used to contain the sports ball and stick, then separation of the stick and ball is prevented, but the packaging becomes difficult to open for most consumers
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging is divided into two functional parts: a rigid header portion that provides structural support and a flexible blister portion that contains the products. This segmentation allows the rigid part to maintain stability while the flexible part enables easy opening through tearing or peeling actions.
Solution Approach 2:
The ball is extracted from complete enclosure and positioned within circular openings in the flexible blister portion, allowing it to be partially exposed. This extraction enables consumers to touch and assess the ball's tactile features while still being contained enough to prevent separation from the stick.
2Stability of the object's composition
If typical packaging is used to contain both products, then separation is prevented, but consumers cannot handle the product to judge its tactile features
Solution Approach 1:
The ball is taken out from complete packaging enclosure and positioned within circular openings in the flexible blister portion, allowing consumers to directly touch and assess the ball's tactile features, texture, and esthetic qualities while still preventing separation from the stick.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible blister portion is designed with localized circular openings that provide tactile access specifically at the ball location, while maintaining complete enclosure and stability for the stick. This local quality modification allows selective access without compromising overall packaging integrity.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the packaging sleeve is designed to capture the ball securely, then separation is prevented, but the packaging becomes difficult to remove without tools
Solution Approach 1:
The circular openings in the flexible blister portion have diameters smaller than the ball diameter, creating a secure capture mechanism that prevents the ball from falling out. However, the flexible material and opening design allow the entire blister portion to be easily torn or peeled away from the rigid header, enabling tool-free removal while maintaining secure capture during display.
Data Source
AI summary
A sporting goods merchandising display for a sports stick and ball package, as for playing the sports of ball hockey and lacrosse, wherein a sports ball having a diameter D1 is captured between spaced apart circular holes, each having a diameter D2 less than the diameter D1, in an open-ended packaging sleeve removably locked at a fixed position on the sports stick. Such packaging combines the sports stick and ball to prevent separation while on display but permits tactile access to the product components by sporting goods customers. A purchaser can easily remove the packaging sleeve to separate the product components without the aid of a cutting instrument.