Autonomous Toy Base with Removable Member Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing children's toys that encourage movement, such as crawling and walking, often require frequent relocation by parents as children become more proficient, making it difficult to maintain engagement and promote continued movement.
Innovation Solution
A children's toy with a base that moves along a path and includes a removable member, featuring a housing with actuating pins and a button switch for feedback, a driving mechanism with controllable wheels, and modes of operation that change based on the removable member's presence, providing interactive movement and rotation options.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a toy is placed beyond the child's reach to encourage crawling, then the child is incentivized to move, but the toy must be frequently relocated by parents as the child becomes more proficient
Solution Approach 1:
The toy is equipped with autonomous driving mechanisms including motors, driving wheels, and a pivot wheel that enable it to move independently along a path without requiring parental relocation. The CPU controls the motors to automatically navigate the toy, allowing it to serve itself by maintaining its position ahead of the child as the child progresses in mobility skills.
Solution Approach 2:
The toy features a dynamic design with individually controllable driving wheels and a freely rotating pivot wheel that allows the base to adapt its movement pattern. The system can transition between different movement modes (circular path, random path, rotating in place) based on the child's interactions, making the toy equally effective for both crawling and walking stages.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the toy moves along a fixed path, then the movement pattern is predictable, but the child's engagement decreases over time
Solution Approach 1:
The toy's movement pattern is dynamically adjustable through a slide switch that allows the child to select between different modes: circular path movement, random path movement, or rotating in place. The CPU receives input from the slide switch and accordingly controls the motors to execute the selected movement pattern, providing variety without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms including a button switch that detects when the removable member is placed in the cradle, and proximity sensors that detect objects in the path. This feedback allows the CPU to adjust the movement pattern appropriately - for example, stopping and rotating when an object is detected, or changing direction based on child interaction, thereby adapting to the child's needs while maintaining manageable system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the toy includes multiple interactive features, then child engagement increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The toy integrates multiple functions into a single unified base unit. The same base houses the driving mechanism, the cradle for the removable member, the actuating pins for bobbing motion, the button switch for detection, the proximity sensors, and the mode selection switch. This multi-functional design provides rich interactive capabilities while avoiding the complexity of multiple separate devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the movable base with the cradle structure into a single integrated housing. The upper portion of the housing defines the cradle, and the lower portion contains the driving mechanism, with both portions mating together to form one cohesive unit. This merging eliminates the need for separate structures and reduces overall system complexity while maintaining all interactive features.
Data Source
AI summary
A children's toy includes a base having an upper portion and a lower portion and a driving mechanism operably connected to the lower portion of the base. The driving mechanism is configured to move the base along a plurality of paths. One or more lights operably connected to the base are configured to display a patterned light display as the base moves along one of a plurality of paths. A removable member is also included for placement on the base with a sensor on the base triggered by the removable member which affects the path of the base.