Toy Assembly with Breakout Motor and Tether for Housing Release
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a market demand for toys that provide an element of surprise and realism by allowing the toy to break out of its housing, but existing technologies lack effective mechanisms for creating a realistic and unpredictable release mechanism.
Innovation Solution
A toy assembly comprising a housing, an inner object, a tether, and a breakout motor or drive shaft that operates to move the inner object within the housing, causing it to pull on a strip with preformed fracture paths, allowing the inner object to break out of the housing in a seemingly random and realistic manner.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a toy is placed inside a housing for surprise release, then the element of surprise and realism is improved, but the mechanism for releasing the toy becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The toy character autonomously breaks out of the housing by digging through the base using its feet, which are equipped with digging surfaces. The motor inside the toy character drives this self-directed breakout action, eliminating the need for external release mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of having the housing release the toy through a predetermined mechanism, the toy character actively breaks out of the housing itself. This inverts the traditional release concept where the container controls the release rather than the contained object.
2Device complexity
If the toy breaks out of the housing in a predetermined manner, then the release mechanism is simpler, but the realism and unpredictability of the breakout is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The breakout path is not predetermined but dynamically determined by the toy character's movements and the structural characteristics of the housing base. The motor-driven digging action creates variable breakout patterns that adapt to the specific housing configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The base of the housing has specific structural characteristics in different regions that influence where the toy character will dig and break through. The digging surfaces on the toy character's feet are designed to interact with these local variations in the base structure.
3Ease of operation
If the toy character is moved by a motor inside the housing, then the breakout action is more autonomous, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The motor inside the toy character serves multiple functions: it drives the digging action to break out of the housing, and it also powers other features such as lights and sounds. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate power sources and control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The motor, power source, and control electronics are integrated into the toy character itself rather than being separate components in the housing. This consolidation simplifies the overall device structure while maintaining autonomous operation.
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 solution provides a toy assembly that creates a surprising and realistic unboxing experience by allowing the inner object to break out of its housing, enhancing the perceived realism and surprise for the user while ensuring the toy character can interact with the user post-release.
Implementation Method 1
a breakout motor operatively connected to a portion of the inner object to drive the inner object to carry out movement inside the housing
Data Source
AI summary
In an aspect, a toy assembly is provided, and includes a housing, an inner object (which may, in some embodiments, be a toy character) inside the housing, a tether, and a breakout motor. The breakout motor is operatively connected to the tether such that operation of the breakout motor drives the tether to rip a hole in the housing to open the housing.