Swingable Toy Eccentric Cam Mechanism

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing swingable toys often require complex gear systems, which complicate the toy's structure and create design challenges.

Innovation Solution

A swingable toy design that utilizes an eccentric cam member and a cam follower, eliminating the need for gears by using intersecting rotation axes to create a simple and effective swinging mechanism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If a gear system is used to create the swinging mechanism, then the swinging motion can be achieved, but the structure becomes complex and design becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructure complexityVSAvoidswinging function

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and eliminates the gear system from the swinging mechanism, replacing it with a direct cam-follower interaction. The cam member (16) directly contacts the cam follower (11b) to generate swinging motion, removing the intermediate gear components entirely while preserving the essential swinging function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a cam member as an intermediary element between the rotating driver and the swingable body. The cam member converts rotational motion into swinging motion through its eccentric profile, serving as a simpler mediator than the previously required gear system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a gear box is added to protect gears from user access, then safety is improved, but the toy structure becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser safetyVSAvoidstructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the gear system entirely, which eliminates the safety hazard of exposed gears. Without gears, there is no need for a protective gear box, thus achieving safety while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the potential harm of exposed moving parts into a benefit by using a cam-follower mechanism that is inherently safer. The cam and follower components have larger clearance and smoother surfaces compared to meshing gears, reducing pinching hazards while maintaining mechanical functionality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 design achieves a simple configuration without gears, allowing for easy operation and aesthetic enhancement, while ensuring safety by allowing easy release of fingers caught between components.

Implementation Method 1

an eccentric cam member (16) provided to be allowed to contact the cam follower (11b) and supported to be rotatable eccentrically around a second rotation axis (CL2) located lower than the first rotation axis (CL1)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectEccentric mechanism: Eccentric

Data Source

PatentUS20250144536A1Swingable toy

Publication Date: 2025.05.08 EPOCH COMPANY LTD

AI summary

A swingable toy includes: a swingable body supported to be rotatable around a first rotation axis and including a cam follower located lower than the first rotation axis; and an eccentric cam member provided to be allowed to contact the cam follower and supported to be rotatable eccentrically around a second rotation axis located lower than the first rotation axis. The first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are arranged to intersect each other when viewed in a vertical direction.