Collapsible Sand Toy Bucket for Compact Part Containment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing toy sets for playing with sand, soil, gravel, or water have issues with large pack size, potential for component loss, and safety concerns due to complex locking mechanisms or increased height.

Innovation Solution

A collapsible bucket with a lid and adaptable small parts that fit within the folded bucket, ensuring compact storage and secure containment of components without protrusion, using a flexible design and geometric adaptations to optimize space utilization.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a rigid bucket with locking mechanisms is used to secure the lid, then the lid is firmly attached to the bucket, but the construction becomes complicated and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelid attachment securityVSAvoidconstruction complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the locking mechanisms entirely from the design. Instead of attaching the lid to the bucket, the lid is designed to rest freely on the bucket's rim, eliminating the complex locking system while still providing secure containment for small parts during transport.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The lid is designed as a separate component that sits on the bucket rather than being integrated or locked to it. This segmentation allows the lid to be easily removable while still providing secure containment when in place, without requiring complex attachment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If separate locking elements are used to attach the lid to the bucket, then the lid is securely fixed, but the construction is complicated and may pose injury risks

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelid fixationVSAvoidinjury risk
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates locking elements entirely, replacing them with a simple resting lid design that has no moving parts or small components that could detach and pose injury risks to children.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the sieve has separate openings for handle protrusion, then longer small parts can be stored, but the overall height of the set increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesmall parts storage capabilityVSAvoidoverall height
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent allows handles to protrude from the sides of the bucket rather than requiring vertical space. By utilizing the horizontal dimension for handle storage, the design accommodates longer small parts while keeping the overall height compact.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Volume of stationary object

If the bucket has a relatively large volume, then it is suitable for its intended purpose, but component loss is harder to notice

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebucket capacityVSAvoidcomponent loss detection
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs color coding and visual markers on the bucket and lid to indicate when small parts are missing. The lid features visual indicators that change appearance or become visible when a component is absent, making it easy to detect loss even in a large-volume bucket.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP4003563B1Improved sand toy
Publication Date: 2026.02.11 COMPACTOYS GMBH& CO KG
  • EP4003563B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4003563B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP4003563B1 patent drawingFigure 4~6

AI summary

The invention relates to the field of sand toys. More precisely, the invention relates to a toy set with small packing dimensions for playing in and with, for example, sand, earth, gravel or water. The toy set for children for playing with sand, earth, gravel and/or water comprises a bucket (10), a lid (20) which covers the bucket (10) on the upper edge (11) thereof, and a plurality of small parts (31, 32, 33, 34, 35) designed to be accommodated in the interior space (12) of the bucket, and is characterised in that the bucket (10) is designed as a collapsible bucket, wherein the small parts (31, 32, 33, 34, 35) can be accommodated in the bucket (10) even when it is in the collapsed state and covered by the lid (20).