Spring-Biased Lawn Dart Head for Impact Absorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
The original lawn dart game was banned due to safety concerns, and subsequent blunt-headed safety darts tend to bounce or skip on impact, losing the skill-based gameplay of the original, while there is a need for a target and carrying solution for indoor and outdoor use.
Innovation Solution
A lawn dart design featuring a blunt safety head with a weight and spring mechanism to absorb impact, ensuring it sticks to the ground, combined with an electronic target that provides audio feedback and a caddy for convenient storage and transport.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If blunt headed safety darts are used, then safety is improved, but the darts bounce or skip on impact instead of sticking in the ground
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating a compressible material within the dart head that activates upon impact. This pre-positioned cushioning mechanism absorbs the shock of impact, preventing the dart from bouncing or skipping while maintaining safety by eliminating sharp points. The cushioning material is prepared in advance within the dart structure to engage automatically when the dart strikes the target surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical properties of the dart head through the inclusion of compressible material. This changes the dart's impact characteristics from rigid rebound to controlled compression, altering how the dart interacts with the target surface. The parameter change transforms the dart from a purely rigid structure to one with controlled compliance, enabling consistent sticking behavior without sacrificing safety.
2Reliability
If pointed metal tipped darts are used, then the darts stick in the ground effectively, but safety concerns arise
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies taking out by removing the harmful pointed metal tip from the dart while retaining the functional elements needed for effective play. The sharp point that caused safety issues is extracted and replaced with a blunt head containing compressible material, eliminating the safety hazard while preserving the dart's ability to stick effectively in the target surface through controlled impact absorption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies blessing in disguise by converting the potential harm of a blunt dart (bouncing or skipping) into a benefit through the compressible material. The very feature that could cause inconsistent impact (blunt heading) is transformed into an advantage by using the compression characteristic to ensure reliable sticking, thus turning a potential defect into a functional advantage while maintaining safety.
3Adaptability or versatility
If traditional plastic hoop targets are used, then they work outdoors, but they cannot be used indoors due to size and portability constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nested doll by designing the target as a telescoping structure that can be collapsed into a compact form for indoor storage and transport, then expanded to full size for outdoor play. The target components nest within each other when collapsed, similar to a Russian doll, allowing the large outdoor target to be reduced to a small portable unit that can be easily stored indoors or carried between locations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a target that can dynamically change its size and configuration. The target transitions from a compact collapsed state suitable for indoor environments and storage to an expanded functional state for outdoor play. This dynamic transformation allows the same target to adapt to different usage scenarios and environmental constraints, providing versatility across indoor and outdoor settings.
4Ease of operation
If darts and targets are stored separately, then accessibility is improved, but organization and portability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining the dart storage and target storage into a single integrated carrying case. The case is designed to hold multiple darts in designated slots and accommodate the collapsed target, merging what would otherwise be separate storage requirements into one unified portable unit. This maintains ease of operation by keeping all components accessible within the case while simplifying organization and improving portability.
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 new lawn dart design eliminates bouncing and enhances gameplay by ensuring consistent impact, while the electronic target provides engaging scoring and the caddy keeps game components organized and portable.
Implementation Method 1
The head is attached to one end of the shaft and includes an upper head portion and a lower resilient head portion. Disposed within the head assembly is a weight and a spring.
Implementation Method 2
the spring sized and positioned within the head assembly to outwardly bias the weight and lower head portion from the upper head portion while still permitting the spring to compress to absorb the impact of the ground or floor surface upon impact
Implementation Method 3
The weight is of sufficient mass such that when the dart is properly thrown in an underhand manner in a lobbed or arched trajectory, the weight causes the head assembly, and preferably the lower head portion, to impact the ground or floor surface first
Data Source
AI summary
A safety lawn dart game including safety lawn darts, a caddy and targets. The lawn dart includes an elongated shaft, a plurality of flights extending outwardly from the shaft and a head assembly having a weighted, spring biased head portion. The target may include a target hoop or electronic target. The caddy carries and stores the safety darts and targets in a convenient manner to keep all of the game components together.