BASKETBALL ELECTRONICS HOUSING

PROJECT SUMMARY
Pipeline created a waterproof, removable housing for an innovative electronics package. The device allows basketball shooters to optimize their shooting skills.

TEAM:
Mechanical engineer, Machinist, Assembly technician

DESIGN TOOLS USED:
SolidWorks 3D CAD
Photorealistic Rendering
Rapid Prototyping

MARKET:
Consumer Product

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

Housing must be easily removable from basketball for battery replacement
Create watertight seal when stowed in basketball
Hold position fixed relative to basketball
Total mass (including electronics) of less than 30g
Allow sound to escape for user feedback

SUMMARY OF ACTIVITIES

Pipeline was contracted by an innovative sports product manufacturer to produce an electronics housing for a small package meant to fit inside of a basketball. The electronics were battery operated and thus the housing had to be removable for battery replacement. Pipeline employed a plastic snap mechanism that allowed users to comfortably pinch two tabs and remove the entire housing from the ball.

Once out of the basketball, the coin cell batteries are easily removed and replaced with fresh batteries. When placed back inside of the ball, the snap mechanism creates a strong mechanical hold in the basketball, preventing the housing from being unintentionally removed.Since the ball is intended for actual use (i.e. not a novelty product), weight was a crucial factor. In order to minimize the total mass of the product, a low weight/high strength plastic resin was implemented, and the wall thickness was optimized to provide sufficient strength while reducing unnecessary weight. The geometry was also engineered in such a way as to hold the product’s position fixed relative to the basketball.

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Product Design?

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