Motion-Controlled Spinning Top With Counter-Rotor Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotating toys and novelty items struggle with maintaining stability and control, particularly in terms of rotational direction and horizontal movement, due to inherent counterrotation and lack of effective counteracting mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a counter-rotor system, typically comprising a centrifugal fan or offset mass, counteracts the undesirable counterrotation, allowing for rotational stability and controlled horizontal movement through a combination of gyroscopic effects and controlled mass displacement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a conventional spinning top is set into rotation, then it rotates freely, but it experiences undesirable counterrotation and lacks stability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by introducing a counter-rotor that rotates in the opposite direction to the main rotor. This counter-rotor generates a counter-torque that pre-compensates for and cancels out the undesirable counterrotation effects, allowing the spinning top to maintain rotational stability without the harmful counterrotational movements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs the anti-weight principle by using a counter-rotor as a counterbalancing element. The counter-rotor acts as a rotational counterweight that offsets the destabilizing counterrotation forces, similar to how counterweights balance forces in mechanical systems, thereby achieving stable rotation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a spinning top is designed to allow horizontal movement, then it becomes more versatile, but it loses rotational control
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by separating the control functions into independent components: the main rotor provides rotational motion, the counter-rotor maintains rotational stability and enables directional control, while the body's ability to tilt and precess enables horizontal movement. This functional segmentation allows both rotational control and horizontal mobility to coexist without interference.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamics by allowing the body to dynamically adjust its orientation and tilt angle. The spinning top can lean and precess in response to gravitational forces and counter-torque, enabling controlled horizontal movement while the rotational control is maintained through the counter-rotor mechanism that adapts to the body's dynamic posture changes.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a counter-rotor system is added to eliminate counterrotation, then rotational stability is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining multiple functions into the counter-rotor component. It not only counteracts the counterrotation to provide stability but also serves as a control mechanism for directing horizontal movement. By merging these functions into a single integrated component rather than adding separate systems, the patent reduces overall device complexity while achieving rotational stability.
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 stable, controlled rotational direction and horizontal movement of the device, facilitating interactive play scenarios such as battles, racing, and obstacle courses, with the ability to return to a stationary state upon loss of user input.
Implementation Method 1
a counter-rotor arranged and configured to exert a counter-rotation in a second rotational direction, rotationally opposite the first direction
Implementation Method 2
allowing for rotational stability and controlled horizontal movement through a combination of gyroscopic effects
Implementation Method 3
controlled mass displacement
Data Source
AI summary
A self-propelled and stabilized remote-controlled device is provided, that includes a spinning rotor and a separate platform above the spinning rotor that is rotationally stabilized to provide the device with an evident orientation to the user on which to base controlled movement. The device is suitable for use as a toy or similar novelty and suited for use in battle-type games between devices of a similar type.