Fibre Laminate Toy Weapon Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional toy weapons made of foam or plastic are not sufficiently safe for children, as they lack the necessary flexibility and resilience to absorb impacts during play, potentially leading to injuries and are not biodegradable.
Innovation Solution
The toy weapon is constructed using a laminate structure of fibre materials, such as cotton or linen fibres, which provides increased flexibility and resilience, allowing for a stronger and more durable product that is also biodegradable, with layers attached via bonding and stitching to achieve the desired strength and safety features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional foam or plastic materials are used for toy weapons, then the structure is rigid and easy to manufacture, but the safety is insufficient due to lack of flexibility and impact absorption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining fibre materials (such as cotton or linen fibres) with bonding agents to create a laminate structure. This composite construction provides both flexibility and strength, allowing the blade to bend and absorb impacts while maintaining structural integrity. The fibre layers are bonded together to form a material that is safer than traditional foam or plastic while still providing adequate strength for a toy weapon.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by using natural fibre materials instead of synthetic foam or plastic. The fibre material has different mechanical properties including higher flexibility and elasticity, which allows the blade to deform under impact and return to its original shape, thereby absorbing impact energy and improving safety.
2Reliability
If fibre materials are used to increase flexibility and safety, then the resilience and impact absorption improve, but the manufacturing complexity increases due to laminate structure requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the blade into multiple thin fibre layers that are bonded together to form a laminate structure. This segmentation allows each layer to contribute to the overall flexibility and strength of the blade. The layered construction simplifies the manufacturing process compared to creating a single-piece fibre component, as layers can be prepared separately and then bonded together using standard lamination techniques.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The fibre-based toy weapon is more resilient and safer for children, reducing the impact of collisions and offering a non-meltable, fire-resistant option that maintains safety and environmental sustainability.
Implementation Method 1
As the elasticity of a fibre material is typically higher than the elasticity of a typical foam or plastic material, a sword made from a fibre material will typically be more resilient during play, thereby resulting in an impact being less hard during play.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention provides an elongated toy weapon comprising a handle and an elongated blade. The weapon extends longitudinally between opposite ends from a bottom end formed at the handle to a top end formed at the blade. The handle and the blade are made substantially from a fibre material, where at least the blade comprises a plurality of thin layers extending in the longitudinal direction. Each thin layer is attached to an adjacent thin layer.