Folding Track Assemblies With Gauntlet Indexing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Toy vehicle tracks are often difficult to store and transport due to their assembly requirements and lack of self-contained designs, making them cumbersome and inconvenient for young children to convert for play.

Innovation Solution

A folding track assembly with multiple pivot or hinge points that allows for a compact closed configuration for storage and transportation, and an open configuration for play, featuring gauntlet features and an indexing mechanism to regulate their activation, providing an exciting play experience with pseudo-random gauntlet feature engagement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If track segments are made sufficiently long to provide exciting play opportunities, then play value is improved, but the toy becomes difficult to transport and store

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplay valueVSAvoidtrack length

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The track assembly is divided into multiple individual track segments that can be connected together. This allows the track to be extended for play and collapsed into compact units for storage and transport, resolving the contradiction between providing long tracks for exciting play and maintaining compact dimensions for portability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Volume of moving object

If track assemblies require assembly and disassembly for storage, then compact storage is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to complex assembly requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage compactnessVSAvoidassembly ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The track assembly incorporates movable connections and folding mechanisms that allow the structure to dynamically transition between extended play configurations and compact storage configurations. This dynamic design enables easy transformation without complex assembly or disassembly procedures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If track assemblies are made self-contained for easy storage, then portability is improved, but device complexity increases due to integrated mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveportabilityVSAvoidmechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple functional elements are merged into integrated components. The connections between track segments combine structural support, articulation, and storage functions into single elements. The indexing mechanism integrates gauntlet feature activation with track configuration, reducing the number of separate components and simplifying the overall system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Adaptability or versatility

If gauntlet features are activated randomly for exciting gameplay, then play value is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to unpredictable behavior

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvegameplay varietyVSAvoidbehavior predictability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The indexing mechanism automatically controls gauntlet feature activation based on the track's configuration state. The system self-regulates which features are active without requiring external input or random control, providing predictable and reliable behavior while maintaining gameplay variety through systematic feature selection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS7628674B2Folding track assemblies

Publication Date: 2009.12.08 MATTEL INC

AI summary

Track assemblies for toy vehicles having a plurality of track segments, a plurality of gauntlet features, and an indexing mechanism configured to regulate activation of the gauntlet features.