Toy Arrow Design: Segmented Shaft and Tips for Flight Stability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional toy arrows face limitations in propulsion efficiency and user safety due to materials and design, such as difficulty in gripping the tip and insufficient rigidity for stable flight.

Innovation Solution

A toy arrow with an elongated flexible hollow plastic shaft, a soft foam tip, lightweight fins, and a rigid rear tip with a nock for easy bowstring attachment, providing enhanced rigidity and stability for efficient propulsion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a soft foam tip is used for safety, then user safety is improved, but the tip becomes difficult for children to grip

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveuser safetyVSAvoidgrip ability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The arrow is divided into distinct segments with different material properties: a soft foam tip for safety and a rigid shaft for structural integrity and grip. This segmentation allows each part to fulfill its specific function without compromise.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different parts of the arrow have different material qualities - the tip is made soft and flexible for safety, while the shaft is made rigid for structural support and ease of gripping. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction between safety and grip ability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Use of energy by moving object

If a hollow flexible plastic shaft is used, then the arrow requires less power to launch, but the shaft may lack rigidity for stable flight

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelaunch power requirementVSAvoidflight stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The arrow employs composite construction combining hollow flexible plastic shaft with rigid rear tip and foam tip. This composite structure provides both the low mass needed for efficient propulsion and the rigidity required for stable flight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The hollow flexible plastic shaft acts as a flexible shell that reduces mass for easier launch, while the rigid tips provide structural stability during flight, combining flexibility and rigidity in different parts of the same object.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Stability of the object's composition

If lightweight fins are added for stability, then flight stability is improved, but the overall weight of the arrow increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveflight stabilityVSAvoidarrow weight

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The fins are designed with optimized parameters - lightweight material and minimal surface area - to provide sufficient stabilizing effect while minimizing weight addition. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between stability and weight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS9562752B1Toy arrow

Publication Date: 2017.02.07 MARKY SPARKY INC

AI summary

Provided is an arrow that includes a shaft, a forward tip affixed to a first end of the shaft, a rear tip affixed on a second end of the shaft, and a plurality of fins. The shaft is formed by extruding a flexible plastic, forming a thin wall that extends an entire length of the shaft and enclosing a hollow.