Foam Dart Safety Cap With Polygonal Apertures for Impact Cushioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toy darts face challenges in achieving long flight distances while minimizing the risk of injury and manufacturing costs, with hollow caps leading to manufacturing errors and suboptimal impact force dissipation.
Innovation Solution
A toy dart design featuring a solid, deformable cap with polygonal apertures that optimally distribute weight and impact force, using thermoplastic rubber with a Shore A durometer of 20 to 80, allowing for accurate and safe flight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a hollow cap is used to reduce impact force, then safety is improved, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to multiple components and gluing operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the cap and base into a single integrated hollow cap component that is injection molded as one piece. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and gluing operations, reducing manufacturing complexity while maintaining the hollow structure's impact force dissipation capability. The integrated design includes the hollow interior space and external features in a single molded part.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter by using a soft, flexible material with specific durometer range (Shore A 20-40) for the hollow cap. This material parameter change enables the cap to deform and compress upon impact, effectively dissipating impact force while maintaining structural integrity. The material properties are specifically selected to balance safety and manufacturability.
2Ease of manufacture
If gluing operations are used to attach cap and base, then assembly is achieved, but manufacturing precision decreases due to potential misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the need for gluing operations by merging the cap and base into a single injection-molded component. This integration removes the alignment issues associated with multiple gluing steps, as there are no separate components to align. The single-piece construction ensures precise geometry and consistent performance without assembly variability.
3Device complexity
If a solid cap is used to improve manufacturing simplicity, then manufacturing cost decreases, but impact force dissipation performance worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter by using a soft, flexible material with specific durometer range (Shore A 20-40) for the hollow cap. This material parameter change enables the cap to deform and compress upon impact, effectively dissipating impact force while maintaining structural integrity. The material properties are specifically selected to balance safety and manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a hollow interior structure within the cap, creating a porous-like configuration that allows for compression and energy absorption during impact. The hollow spaces enable the cap to collapse and deform, dissipating impact force effectively, while the overall structure remains relatively simple for injection molding production.
4Length of moving object
If the center of gravity is placed at the forward tip to maximize flight distance, then flight distance increases, but safety worsens due to increased impact force at close range
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter by using a soft, flexible material with specific durometer range (Shore A 20-40) for the hollow cap. This material parameter change enables the cap to deform and compress upon impact, effectively dissipating impact force while maintaining structural integrity. The material properties are specifically selected to balance safety and manufacturability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements beforehand cushioning by designing the hollow cap structure to compress and deform upon impact. The hollow interior and flexible material are pre-configured to absorb and dissipate impact energy, providing cushioning protection before the full impact force is transmitted to the target. This reduces harmful effects while maintaining flight performance.
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 design enhances safety by distributing impact force effectively, reducing manufacturing errors, and maintaining accuracy and distance while meeting safety standards.
Implementation Method 1
a solid substantially cylindrical deformable dart cap
Implementation Method 2
the hollow cap needs to be glued to a separate base... This results in increased manufacturing and assembly costs
Implementation Method 3
A toy dart design featuring a solid, deformable cap with polygonal apertures that optimally distribute weight and impact force
Data Source
AI summary
A toy dart includes a deformable cap that safely impacts a target. The cap includes pairs of polygonal apertures formed on the outer surface of the cap which form substantially parallel hollow passages that provide spaces that allow the cap to deform upon impact with a target.