Soft Squeezable Silicone Bath Toy Configurations
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing bath toys do not offer a soft, squeezable, and easy-to-assemble option for young children that allows for various configurations and easy cleaning, limiting their play experience and learning opportunities during bath time.
Innovation Solution
A bath toy set comprising soft and flexible containers made of silicon or similar materials, with inlet and outlet features, mounting members for wall attachment, and interchangeable T-shaped and angled pipes, enabling children to create multiple configurations for water play and easy assembly/disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional hard plastic bath toys are used, then structural strength is maintained, but ease of operation and safety for young children deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies flexible silicone material to create bath toys that are soft and squeezable, directly resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and structural strength. The flexible shell allows gentle squeezing by children while maintaining sufficient structural integrity for functional use.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from rigid plastic to flexible silicone, transforming the physical properties of the toy to simultaneously achieve ease of handling for children and adequate structural strength for functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If complex assembly structures are used, then device functionality is enhanced, but ease of manufacture and cleaning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The bath toy system is segmented into separate components (containers, connectors, spouts) that can be independently manufactured and then easily assembled by children. This segmentation enables both configuration versatility and ease of assembly/disassembly for cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic, reconfigurable connections between toy components that allow children to easily assemble and disassemble different configurations. The connections maintain stability during play while enabling simple separation for cleaning, resolving the contradiction between versatility and ease of manufacture.
3Ease of operation
If rigid materials are used, then manufacturing precision is maintained, but ease of operation and safety for children deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible silicone shells that can be precisely molded while maintaining flexibility. This allows the material to be squeezable for child operation while achieving sufficient manufacturing precision for functional components like connectors and openings.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses silicone as a composite material that combines the benefits of flexibility for easy operation with the ability to maintain manufacturing precision through molding techniques, resolving the contradiction between squeezability and dimensional precision.
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 bath toy set provides a safe, versatile, and educational play experience by allowing children to arrange containers in various configurations, facilitating water flow and bubble creation, while being easy to clean and safe for children to handle.
Implementation Method 1
The mounting member includes one of a rubber pad, an adhesive pad, a suction cup, a clamp, and any combination thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A soft and squeezable bath toy set for young children for use in bathtubs and/or pools is disclosed. The bath toy set includes containers, each container having a body, an inlet and an outlet. Each container includes a mounting member for connecting the container to a wall. The bath toy set includes a T-shaped pipe, angled connecting pipes and a tube assembly. The tube assembly includes a tube holder holding tubes. The tube holder includes a tube mounting member for connecting the tube holder to the wall. The containers position in different configurations and the tube assembly positions underneath the containers. The T-shaped pipe or the angled connecting pipes interchangeably connect the outlet of the containers above, and the inlet of the containers or the tubes below. The containers at the top receive water through the inlet and water flows down via the outlet into the container or the tubes positioned underneath via the T-shaped pipe and/or the angled connecting pipes.