Flexible Toy Car Track with Interlocking Roll-Up Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Toy car racing tracks face challenges in compact storage due to length limitations and lengthy setup/takedown procedures, with segmented tracks causing discontinuities that impair smooth car movement.

Innovation Solution

A flexible toy car racing track with a raised portion forming a boundary between paths and a recessed portion on the bottom, which engage when rolled up, restricting lateral movement and maintaining the track in a compact storage configuration, allowing for efficient storage and smooth operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the track is made as a single continuous piece, then smooth car movement is maintained, but storage space requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesmooth car movementVSAvoidstorage space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The track is designed to be rolled up into a compact spiral or circular configuration for storage. The raised portion and recessed portion engage with each other during this rolling process, enabling the long continuous track to be stored in a compact form while maintaining its integrity and smooth surface for car movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Area of stationary object

If the track is segmented for easy storage, then storage convenience is improved, but setup time increases and discontinuities are created

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage convenienceVSAvoidsetup time

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The track incorporates a raised portion and a recessed portion that function as engagement features. These features allow the continuous track to be rolled up and held in a compact configuration without physical segmentation, achieving easy storage while avoiding the discontinuities and setup time issues of segmented tracks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Volume of stationary object

If the track is segmented for storage, then storage size is reduced, but track continuity is impaired

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage sizeVSAvoidtrack continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

4Stability of the object's composition

If the raised portion and recessed portion engage during rolling, then lateral movement is restricted, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelateral movement restrictionVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS8758078B2Flexible toy car racing track

Publication Date: 2014.06.24 DAMARIN GARY

AI summary

A flexible toy car racing track comprises two paths to receive and guide toy cars along a length of the track. A raised portion forms a boundary between the two paths. A recessed portion is formed on a bottom of the track and coincides with the raised portion. The raised portion engages the recessed portion when the flexible track is rolled up in a compact storage configuration. The engagement between the raised portion and the recessed portion restricts relative lateral movement between the raised portion and the recessed portion to maintain the track in the rolled up storage configuration.