Wearable Yardage Dial for Accurate Football Marker Reset
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Solution Overview
Problem
Football officials face challenges in accurately maintaining the position of first and ten chains and down markers due to inadvertent movement during games, leading to inaccuracies in determining line-to-gain and down locations.
Innovation Solution
A wearable apparatus with a circular frame and dial display marked with football field yardages, featuring moveable mechanisms to align with field markings, allowing officials to track and quickly reset markers to the correct positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If volunteers are used to man the chains and down indicators, then the official can focus on other aspects of the game, but the markers may be inadvertently moved before or after the official needs them
Solution Approach 1:
The dial provides continuous visual feedback to the official about the current line-to-gain position and down marker location. The rotateable dial with yardage markings and indicator allows the official to immediately see where the markers should be positioned, enabling real-time correction without relying on volunteer memory or manual reporting.
Solution Approach 2:
The dial serves as an intermediary tool between the official and the physical markers on the field. Instead of relying solely on the official's memory or the volunteers' manual coordination, the dial acts as a reference device that mediates the positioning process, allowing the official to quickly determine correct marker locations and instruct volunteers accordingly.
2Device complexity
If the official relies on memory to track marker positions, then no additional equipment is needed, but the official must always remember where the chains and down marker are
Solution Approach 1:
The dial creates a visual copy or representation of the field's yardage markings and marker positions. Instead of relying on the official's memory of abstract positions, the dial provides a concrete visual replica with numbered yardage markings (10, 20, 30, 40, 50) that mirrors the actual field layout, making position tracking more accurate and less mentally demanding.
Solution Approach 2:
The dial is designed to be self-updating through its rotateable mechanism. As the play progresses and the line-to-gain changes, the official can rotate the dial to reflect the new position, and the indicator automatically shows the correct yardage. This self-service functionality eliminates the need for complex calculations or memory reliance.
3Productivity
If the official manually tracks and resets markers, then no additional tools are required, but the official must quickly determine correct positions during fast-moving plays
Solution Approach 1:
The dial is pre-marked with the standard football field yardage positions (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 yards) before the game begins. This preliminary preparation allows the official to instantly recognize and select the correct position during play without needing to calculate or recall the exact yardage, significantly reducing the time required for marker reset.
Solution Approach 2:
The dial's rotateable mechanism allows it to dynamically adapt to changing game conditions. During fast-moving plays, the official can quickly rotate the dial to the appropriate yardage marking, providing immediate visual guidance for marker positioning. This dynamic adjustment capability enables rapid response to changing down-and-distance scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for monitoring the status of the field of play of a football field, the apparatus comprising a frame having a circular structure connected to a first dial display component wherein the exterior of the structure of the a first dial display component is adorned with markings related to yardages on a football field, one or more moveable mechanisms capable of movement to align with the various markings on the first dial display component related to yardages on a football field, and a mechanism configured to affix the apparatus to the user's body or other wearable equipment.