Toy Projectile With Rotating Flexible Prongs for Bristle Targets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing toy projectiles designed for children lack the ability to safely penetrate and adhere to plastic bristle targets while maintaining safety and play value, as they are either too blunt or require smooth targets for suction cup attachment.
Innovation Solution
A toy projectile with a head section featuring multiple flexible prongs extending from a common circular base, allowing rotation and penetration into bristle targets, and a tail section with fletching for stability during flight.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a large soft head is used on the toy projectile, then safety is improved, but the ability to penetrate the target deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The head of the projectile is segmented into multiple flexible prongs that can independently deflect and penetrate target bristles. This segmentation allows the projectile to maintain safety through flexibility while achieving penetration through multiple contact points working together.
Solution Approach 2:
The material properties of the prongs are designed to change under impact - they remain flexible during normal use for safety but can temporarily deform and penetrate target bristles during impact, then return to their original shape. This parameter change enables both safety and penetration capabilities.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a suction cup head is used on the toy projectile, then safety is improved, but target design options deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible prong head design serves multiple functions: it provides safety through flexibility, enables penetration of bristle targets, and works with various target types including smooth surfaces. This universal design replaces the suction cup's limited functionality with a more versatile penetration mechanism.
3Strength
If a traditionally pointed projectile design is used, then penetration ability is improved, but safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The projectile head has non-uniform local properties - the prongs are flexible and can deflect to prevent injury, while their尖端 (tips) are designed to penetrate target bristles. This local differentiation of properties allows the same structure to provide both safety and penetration capability.
4Device complexity
If the head section is fixed relative to the tail section, then structural simplicity is improved, but penetration effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the head section and tail section is designed to be dynamic rather than rigid - it allows rotation during impact to enable the prongs to better penetrate the target board and not bounce away, even when impact occurs at an angle. This dynamic capability significantly improves penetration effectiveness while adding minimal structural complexity.
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
Enables safe penetration and secure attachment to bristle targets, even at angles, by utilizing flexible prongs that intermesh with target prongs and rotate to maintain engagement.
Implementation Method 1
The tail section contains fletching elements to provide stable flight
Implementation Method 2
The flexible prongs that intermesh with target prongs and rotate to maintain engagement
Data Source
AI summary
A toy projectile that is intended to be thrown at a bristle target board. The toy projectile has a head section and a tail section. The head section of the toy projectile has a plurality of prongs that extend from a common circular base. The prongs have the same length, wherein the length of the prongs is generally equal to the diameter of the circular base. The prongs and the base are unistucturally molded together as a single piece. The common circular base of the head section is connected to the tail section in a manner that enables the common circular base and the prongs to rotate together relative to the tail section. The ability to rotate enables the prongs on the projectile to better penetrate a bristle target board and not bounce away, even when impact occurs at an angle.