Tri-Fold Backboard with Winged Ball Deflector
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional indoor basketball games often feature small hoops, protruding parts that pose tripping hazards, limited portability, and require significant space, leading to frustration and safety concerns due to improper attachment and space constraints.
Innovation Solution
A portable indoor basketball game system with a vertically-extending tri-fold backboard, a winged ball deflector, and a free-standing hoop that allows for shooting from various angles, featuring a 16-inch diameter hoop and a ball return mechanism, enabling easy setup and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the hoop is made bigger (16 inches diameter), then player success rate is improved, but the game system occupies more space
Solution Approach 1:
The backboard is designed as a tri-fold structure that can be folded flat for storage and deployed to a large size during play. This dynamic transformation allows the system to occupy minimal space when not in use while providing adequate playing area when needed, resolving the contradiction between space occupation and player success rate.
2Ease of operation
If the game is made portable and lightweight (12 lbs), then ease of movement is improved, but structural stability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The game system is divided into separate components including a collapsible backboard, detachable hoop assembly, and modular ball deflector. Each component can be independently assembled and disassembled, allowing the system to be lightweight and portable while maintaining structural stability when assembled correctly. The tri-fold backboard design further enhances portability by enabling compact storage.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If protruding parts are removed from the playing surface, then tripping hazards are reduced, but the ball deflector mechanism becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The ball deflector is positioned on the ground adjacent to the backboard rather than protruding from the playing surface. This intermediary placement allows the deflector to perform its ball-return function while minimizing tripping hazards. The deflector's winged design enables it to redirect balls effectively without creating significant obstacles in the player's path.
4Ease of operation
If the backboard is made tri-fold for compact storage, then portability is improved, but assembly time may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tri-fold backboard is designed with pre-configured folding mechanisms and pre-attached components that allow for rapid assembly. The hoop assembly and ball deflector are pre-positioned on the backboard structure, enabling players to simply unfold the backboard and attach components rather than assembling the entire structure from scratch, thus reducing assembly time while maintaining compact storage capability.
Data Source
AI summary
The indoor basketball game system includes a multi-paneled folding backboard with a basketball hoop disposed on it. A winged ball deflector is disposed on the ground adjacent the bottom of the backboard and inclined upwards on the board from the bottom edge to form a ball return feature. The ball return feature of the present system via the deflector allows repeated shooting without worrying about chasing down the ball after every shot. Folding side panels of the backboard pivot to provide blocking sides and stability to the backboard, and can be angled to allow the player to shoot from many different positions. The backboard and deflector can be collapsed for storage and transport.