Invertible Shell Toy With Pulling Member

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional invertible shell toys primarily develop limited motor skills such as pushing or poking in children and infants, failing to enhance skills like grasping, pulling, clenching, and clasping.

Innovation Solution

An invertible shell toy design incorporating a pulling member that allows the shell to invert in response to both pushing and pulling forces, featuring a dome shape with an edge member and a pulling member that can be grasped, providing a popping sensation and promoting the development of additional motor skills.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If conventional invertible shell toys are used, then pushing or poking motor skills are developed, but grasping, pulling, clenching, and clasping motor skills are not developed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemotor skill developmentVSAvoidoperation simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The toy divides the invertible shell into separate functional components: a shell portion for pushing/poking, and a pulling member for grasping/pulling. This segmentation allows each component to independently develop specific motor skills while maintaining overall toy functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invertible shell is designed to perform multiple functions: it can be pushed/poked to invert, pulled to invert, grasped for fine motor control, and manipulated in various ways. This multi-functionality addresses the limitation of conventional toys that only develop pushing skills.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If conventional invertible shell toys are used, then limited motor skills are developed, but the toy structure remains simple

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemotor skill developmentVSAvoidtoy structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The shell portion is made from flexible material that allows it to invert when pushed or pulled. The flexibility enables the shell to change shape and return to its original form, providing the popping sensation while supporting multiple modes of interaction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 toy enables the development of both pushing and pulling motor skills, as well as grasping and clenching abilities, offering an improvement over traditional pop-it toys by allowing independent inversion of each shell.

Implementation Method 1

the invertible shell to invert in response to pushing or pulling forces applied thereto

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS11865472B2Push and pull toy

Publication Date: 2024.01.09 FAT BRAIN TOY CO LLC

AI summary

A toy comprising a frame and an inverting toy. In some embodiments, the inverting toy includes an invertible shell having a first surface and a second surface, the invertible shell configured to protrude outward in a first direction with respect to the frame until a depressing force on the first surface or the second surface in a second direction causes the shell to invert and protrude in the second direction with respect to the frame, wherein the first direction and the second direction are substantially opposite, an edge member formed at an edge of the invertible shell and configured to secure the invertible shell to the frame, and a pulling member formed on and protruding outward from the first surface of the invertible shell.