3D Animatronic Eye with Internal Connecting Rods
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animatronic eyes for fashion products are expensive, complex, and limited in application, with visible connecting rods that do not provide a realistic appearance, and lack functionality beyond basic blinking motions.
Innovation Solution
A three-dimensional (3D) animatronic eye with internal connecting rods and motors for blinking and sclera movement, integrated with a camera and control unit for programmable motion patterns, providing a detachable and versatile design for various fashion products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If existing animatronic eyes use visible connecting rods for eye movement, then the mechanical structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the appearance is unrealistic and robotic
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the connecting rod inside the hollow eyeball structure. The rod is positioned within the spherical cavity of the eyeball, allowing it to rotate the eyeball without being visible from the outside. This nested arrangement hides the mechanical components while maintaining their functional simplicity, resolving the contradiction between realistic appearance and structural simplicity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If existing animatronic eyes use complex design elements for eye movement, then the motion capability is improved, but the cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the eye movement functionality into two independent rotational movements: horizontal movement controlled by one connecting rod and vertical movement controlled by another. This segmentation allows each rod to handle a specific direction of movement, simplifying the control mechanism while achieving versatile eye motion capability. The segmentation principle resolves the contradiction by providing multi-directional motion without requiring a single complex mechanical system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic eye movement by allowing the eyeball to rotate freely in multiple directions within its spherical joint. The connecting rods provide dynamic control over the eye's position, enabling realistic saccadic movements. This dynamic approach achieves versatile motion capability while keeping the mechanical structure simple, as the eyeball's spherical geometry naturally accommodates multi-directional rotation without complex constraints.
3Adaptability or versatility
If animatronic eyes are designed with fixed structures, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the application versatility is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by designing the animatronic eye with adjustable parameters. The eyeball's spherical joint allows it to be positioned at different angles and orientations, and the connecting rods can be adjusted to control movement ranges. This multi-functional design enables the same basic structure to be applied to various fashion products (clothing, accessories, decorations) with different positioning requirements, resolving the contradiction between versatility and manufacturing simplicity.
Data Source
AI summary
A 3D animatronic eye is disclosed for fashion products, comprising an eye base and an internal connecting rod mounted on the eye base. The internal connecting rod is placed centrally within the 3D animatronic eye. A lid motor engages to move the lid arm in a predefined angular range. An eye lid is mounted on the lid arm. The motion of the lid arm generates a blinking motion of the eye lid. A sclera is disposed comprising a pupil print. A horizontal motor engages with the sclera to move the sclera linearly in left or right direction. A vertical motor engages with the sclera to move the sclera linearly in upward or downward direction. A housing mounted on the eye base, covers the sclera. A control unit comprises executable program instructions to control the motion of the lid motor, the horizontal motor, and the vertical motor.