Volleyball Training Device Claw Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Volleyball players face challenges in practicing skills like hitting, setting, and passing without adequate assistance, as existing training devices are often cumbersome, require multiple players or coaches, and can lead to injury due to excessive stress on hands and arms.
Innovation Solution
A portable, collapsible volleyball training device featuring a support arm assembly with a pivot assembly and claw mechanism that allows for adjustable ball positioning, reducing the need for multiple players or coaches and minimizing injury risk, by enabling players to practice skills at various orientations and heights.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing training devices are used to practice volleyball skills, then the number of practice repetitions can be increased, but the device complexity and requirement for multiple players or coaches increases
Solution Approach 1:
The training device is divided into separate functional modules: a support structure, a ball holder assembly, and a ball return mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high productivity for skill practice
Solution Approach 2:
The ball return mechanism is designed to automatically return balls to the player without requiring manual intervention from coaches or additional players. This self-service feature enables continuous practice repetitions with minimal human assistance, resolving the contradiction between productivity and device complexity
2Productivity
If existing training devices are used to practice skills, then practice intensity can be increased, but the risk of injury due to excessive stress on hands and arms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device introduces an intermediary ball holder and return mechanism between the player and the ball. This intermediary system handles the ball delivery and retrieval, allowing the player to practice with high intensity while the device absorbs the stress and force, thereby reducing injury risk to the player's hands and arms
Solution Approach 2:
The ball return mechanism is designed to gently guide and cushion the ball's return to the player, preventing sudden impacts or erratic ball movements that could cause injury. This beforehand cushioning allows intensive practice while protecting the player from harmful forces
3Reliability
If traditional training methods with multiple players or coaches are used, then skill feedback and correction can be obtained, but the ease of operation and accessibility of training becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The device enables players to conduct self-training sessions with consistent and reliable skill feedback through the automated ball return system. Players can independently practice and receive immediate feedback on their technique by observing ball contact points and return patterns, making training accessible without requiring coaches or multiple players while maintaining reliability through repeatable practice conditions
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
Enables efficient and safe practice of volleyball skills at home or in a gym with minimal assistance, allowing players to adjust the device for different skills and orientations, thereby improving training efficiency and reducing the risk of injury.
Implementation Method 1
a counterweight positioned on the first end of the pivot arm to bias the pivot arm into the raised position
Data Source
AI summary
A sport training device for players practicing with balls that includes a support arm assembly having an arm post, a pivot assembly coupled to the arm post and comprising a claw assembly that supports a ball, and a clamp coupled to the arm post. The claw assembly is movable to a raised position, and the clamp is configured to engage the pivot assembly when the claw assembly moves to the raised position.