Motion-Activated Illuminated Cup for Child Drinking Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sippy cups fail to hold the attention of children in a busy environment filled with dynamic and flashy electronic devices, leading to children losing interest in their drinks.
Innovation Solution
An illuminated drinking cup with a translucent body and electronic assembly that includes light sources powered by a battery and controlled by an event sensor, such as an accelerometer, which activates the lights in response to motion or a timer, creating a visually engaging experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If conventional sippy cups use static painted decorations on sidewalls, then manufacturing is simple and cost-effective, but the cup fails to capture and maintain children's attention in a busy environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms static painted decorations into dynamic illuminated displays by incorporating LED light sources that can change patterns, colors, and intensities. The translucent cup body allows these dynamic light patterns to be visible, creating an engaging visual experience that maintains children's attention while managing structural complexity through modular electronic components.
2Strength
If the cup body is made opaque for durability and insulation, then structural strength is improved, but the light sources cannot be visible from outside
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite structure where the cup body combines opaque sections for structural strength and insulation with translucent sections for light visibility. This allows the cup to maintain durability and thermal properties while enabling the illuminated decorations to be seen from the outside, resolving the contradiction between strength and light visibility.
3Illumination intensity
If continuous illumination is provided to maintain child's attention, then visual engagement is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements periodic illumination patterns where LEDs are activated in sequences, flashes, or intermittent cycles rather than continuous operation. This periodic action maintains children's visual engagement and attention while significantly reducing overall energy consumption, allowing the cup to operate longer on battery power.
4Illumination intensity
If multiple electronic components are added to create dynamic light patterns, then visual attractiveness is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses universal electronic components such as standard LED modules, common cathode/anode configurations, and integrated control circuits that can be easily sourced and assembled. The design allows the same basic components to create multiple visual patterns and effects, reducing the need for specialized parts and simplifying manufacturing while maintaining high visual attractiveness.
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 illuminated cup effectively captures and maintains the attention of children by providing a dynamic and attractive visual stimulus, encouraging them to drink their contents.
Implementation Method 1
An electronic assembly is also provided that includes at least a first plurality of light sources disposed in the intermediate cavity formed between the walls of the body... causing said light sources to light up and become visible outside said body
Implementation Method 2
the event sensor is an accelerometer adapted to sense a particular motion of the body for example, when the body is shaken or placed on a relatively hard surface
Data Source
AI summary
A closed cup for dispensing comestible products, such as drinks for babies and infants, includes a double walled body and a top. An electronic assembly is disposed between the two walls of the body and includes one or more light sources arranged to emit light through the body sidewall. An event sensor, such as an accelerometer, senses when a certain event is taking places, for example, the cup is shaken, causing the light source(s) to be activated.