Rotatable Tray Regulates Toy Door Opening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing model toys simulating kitchen utensils, such as the ones described in JP-A-2018-164492, do not allow for an easily observable state change during the cooking process, making it difficult for users to enjoy the transformation of a food item from before to after cooking.
Innovation Solution
A model toy and cooking appliance toy design featuring a rotatable tray support and door mechanism, where the tray support is configured to rotate between two angle postures, regulating the door's opening operation to maintain a closed state during the transformation, allowing a first figure body before cooking to be placed on one portion and a second figure body after cooking on another, creating a simulated cooking experience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the tray support is made rotatable to enable state change simulation, then the cooking simulation capability is improved, but the door opening operation becomes complex and difficult to control
Solution Approach 1:
The tray support is designed to be rotatable between horizontal and inclined positions, enabling dynamic transformation to simulate different cooking states. This dynamic mechanism allows the tray to change orientation while the door remains constrained, resolving the contradiction between simulation capability and operational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The regulated portion on the door acts as an intermediary element that interacts with the tray support to control door opening. When the tray support rotates to intermediate positions, the regulated portion prevents door opening, automatically coordinating door behavior with tray position without requiring complex control mechanisms.
2Ease of operation
If the door is allowed to open freely for observation, then the usability is improved, but the cooking simulation authenticity deteriorates due to premature state change visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The regulated portion serves as a mediator between the door and the user, controlling when the door can open based on tray support position. This ensures the door remains closed during the cooking simulation phase (when tray is inclined) and only opens when simulation is complete (when tray is horizontal), maintaining authenticity while allowing observation at appropriate times.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism preemptively prevents door opening by positioning the regulated portion to block door movement when the tray support is in intermediate cooking positions. This preliminary constraint ensures simulation authenticity is maintained before the cooking process is complete, preventing premature observation of the final state.
3Loss of information
If the tray support rotation is made visible for educational purposes, then the learning value is improved, but the immersion in cooking simulation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The regulated portion acts as an intermediary that couples the tray support rotation mechanism with the door operation. This coupling ensures the door only opens when the tray support reaches its final horizontal position, allowing the rotation to occur (maintaining learning value) while preventing premature door opening that would break immersion.
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A model toy includes: a tray support (6) configured to support a supported portion (75) of a tray (7) including first and second opposite placement portions (71, 72); a housing (2, 3) supporting the tray support (6) rotatably around a first axis and having an opening (31); a door (8) supported rotatably around a second axis and provided at the opening (31). The door (8) includes a main body (81) and a regulated portion (82) which are provided at symmetrical positions with respect to the second axis. When the tray support (6) is in an intermediate angle range between a first angle posture and a second angle posture reversed from the first angle posture, at least part of the tray support (6) is located closer to the regulated portion (82) than that in the first and second angle postures such that the tray support (6) regulates an opening operation of the door (8) and supports the door (8) in a closed state.