Plush-Exterior Bouncing Toy With Nested Resilient Ball

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional plush toys do not bounce effectively, while conventional bouncing balls lack a soft and cuddly exterior, failing to provide a fun and engaging play experience.

Innovation Solution

A bouncing ball toy with a plush exterior is designed, featuring a highly resilient internal structure covered by plush fabric that maintains bounce and liveliness, with facial features and extremities sewn using stiff materials to minimize impact on bouncing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a plush exterior is used on a bouncing ball, then softness and cuddliness are improved, but bouncing ability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesoftnessVSAvoidbouncing ability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies nesting by placing a small bouncing ball inside a larger plush toy shell. The inner bouncing ball (5 cm diameter) is nested within the outer plush structure (15 cm diameter), allowing the inner ball to provide bouncing functionality while the outer shell provides softness and cuddliness. This nested structure resolves the contradiction by separating the bouncing function from the plush exterior.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses composite construction by combining two distinct materials/structures: a resilient bouncing ball material (rubber or plastic) and a soft plush fabric. This composite approach allows each material to perform its optimal function - the inner ball for bouncing and the outer plush for softness - thereby resolving the contradiction between bouncing ability and softness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If a hard exterior is used for bouncing, then bouncing ability is improved, but softness and cuddliness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebouncing abilityVSAvoidsoftness

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies nesting by placing a small bouncing ball inside a larger plush toy shell. The inner bouncing ball (5 cm diameter) is nested within the outer plush structure (15 cm diameter), allowing the inner ball to provide bouncing functionality while the outer shell provides softness and cuddliness. This nested structure resolves the contradiction by separating the bouncing function from the plush exterior.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality by giving different parts of the toy different properties: the inner ball is made hard and resilient for bouncing, while the outer shell is made soft and plush for cuddliness. Each part has localized quality appropriate to its function, resolving the contradiction between hard exterior for bouncing and soft exterior for cuddliness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If plush stuffing material is used, then softness is improved, but bouncing ability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesoftnessVSAvoidbouncing ability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies nesting by placing a small bouncing ball inside a larger plush toy shell. The inner bouncing ball (5 cm diameter) is nested within the outer plush structure (15 cm diameter), allowing the inner ball to provide bouncing functionality while the outer shell provides softness and cuddliness. This nested structure resolves the contradiction by separating the bouncing function from the plush exterior.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies extraction by removing the bouncing function from the plush stuffing material and placing it in a separate inner ball component. Instead of trying to make plush material bounce, the bouncing capability is extracted and embodied in a dedicated resilient ball that is placed inside the plush structure, resolving the contradiction between plush softness and bouncing ability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

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 plush exterior bouncing ball provides a multifunctional play experience, combining softness and bounce, allowing for enjoyable interaction and cuddliness without significantly dampening the ball's bouncing ability.

Implementation Method 1

The interior ball structure can provide ample bounce and liveliness even when surrounded by the plush fabric exterior

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12434107B2Bouncing toy with plush exterior

Publication Date: 2025.10.07 TY INC

AI summary

The present application relates to a toy comprising an internal ball structure comprising a highly resilient material capable of significant bouncing off a hard surface, a plush fabric skin configured to cover the internal ball structure such that the plush fabric exterior does not significantly impact or dampen the ability of the internal bouncing ball structure to bounce when impacting a surface.