Magnetic Reusable Water Balloon Structure for Leak-Resistant Flight
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing reusable silicone water balloons deform during flight, leading to water leakage, and their production involves high material and equipment costs with a lengthy cycle due to multiple molds and magnetization processes.
Innovation Solution
A reusable toy water balloon design featuring snap-fitted hemispheres with hollow columns and reinforcing ribs, using fewer magnets, and incorporating a sealing groove and block for improved stability and sealing, along with pre-magnetized magnets and shared molds.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If 16 magnets are used to ensure sealing performance when two silicone hemispheres are connected, then sealing performance is improved, but material cost increases and the water balloon still deforms during throwing and flight
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the magnetic connection system into modular hollow columns with magnets, where the hemispheres are segmented into upper and lower parts with corresponding hollow columns. This segmentation allows for precise magnetic alignment and reduces the total number of magnets needed while maintaining sealing performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining silicone hemispheres with hollow columns and magnets to create a multi-functional structure that provides both sealing and structural support, reducing reliance on numerous magnets alone for maintaining shape stability.
2Manufacturing precision
If two sets of molds are used for producing the water balloon (one for rubber-coated middle frame magnet module and one for overall forming), then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and production time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the middle frame and hollow columns into an integrated structure that can be molded together with the silicone hemisphere in a single mold. This eliminates the need for separate molding of the middle frame and reduces assembly steps, while maintaining manufacturing precision through integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The single mold design serves multiple functions by simultaneously forming the silicone hemisphere, hollow columns, and connection structures in one operation, making the molding process universal and eliminating the need for multiple specialized molds.
3Strength
If magnetization equipment is used after overall molding to magnetize the magnets, then magnetic properties are improved, but production cycle is prolonged due to high temperature and cooling requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-magnetizing the magnets before they are assembled into the water balloon structure. This eliminates the need for post-molding magnetization equipment and associated cooling processes, significantly reducing production cycle time while maintaining required magnetic attraction forces.
4Ease of manufacture
If the water balloon is made as a disposable product filled with water from a faucet, then ease of manufacture is improved, but environmental harm increases due to garbage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies discarding and recovering by designing a reusable silicone water balloon that can be emptied and refilled multiple times. The durable silicone material and magnetic connection structure allow the balloon to be recovered and used repeatedly, eliminating the need to discard single-use latex balloons and reducing environmental pollution.
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
Reduces deformation and water leakage, lowers material costs, and shortens production time by using fewer magnets and molds, while maintaining structural integrity and sealing performance.
Implementation Method 1
magnets attracted to each other are fixedly arranged on the hollow columns
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a reusable toy water balloon, belonging to the technical field of toys. The toy water balloon includes a lower hemisphere and an upper hemisphere, where the lower hemisphere and the upper hemisphere are snap-fitted with each other, and the lower hemisphere and the upper hemisphere are connected to each other through a connecting body; hollow columns corresponding to each other are fixedly arranged in the lower hemisphere and the upper hemisphere, and magnets attracted to each other are fixedly arranged on the hollow columns; and the hollow columns in the lower hemisphere and the upper hemisphere are fixedly connected through reinforcing ribs. Meanwhile, the production of the water balloon only needs to use a group of molds, so that the use of magnet and equipment is reduced, and the process cycle is shortened.