Toy Building Set with Articulated Ball and Fixed Snap Socket
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Solution Overview
Problem
Standardized toy building elements lack versatility, resulting in uniform design impressions and limited use in creating diverse toy figures, as each element is either generic or specifically designed for a body part, restricting creative possibilities.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a third building element with a snap connection socket and positioning means that allows for fixed positioning relative to a ball-bearing element, enabling multiple functions and designs by using the same ball for different sockets, such as representing bones, muscles, or mechanical actuators, with resilient flanges and jaws providing secure and adjustable attachments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If standardized building elements are used, then manufacturing simplicity and ease of operation are improved, but adaptability and versatility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The ball element is designed as a universal connector that can interface with multiple types of sockets (first type for articulated movement, second type for fixed positioning). This allows a single standardized ball component to serve multiple functions across different building elements, resolving the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and design versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The building set is segmented into modular components with standardized balls and specialized sockets. This segmentation allows each element to be manufactured independently with simple standardized features, while the combination of elements provides diverse design possibilities through different socket types and positioning mechanisms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If building elements are specifically designed to represent body parts, then adaptability for specific representations is improved, but ease of operation and versatility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The standardized ball serves as a universal interface that works with both articulated sockets for body parts and fixed sockets for other representations. Users can operate all elements uniformly through the same connection mechanism, eliminating the need to learn different assembly methods for different element types.
Solution Approach 2:
While the ball maintains standardized universal features, the sockets are designed with local specializations - articulated sockets for body part representation and fixed sockets for other uses. This allows specific representation capabilities without compromising overall operational simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If articulated ball and socket joints are used, then ease of operation for building figures is improved, but stability of fixed positioning deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The connection system is segmented into two distinct socket types: articulated sockets that enable movement and fixed sockets that provide stable positioning. This segmentation allows users to choose the appropriate connection type for each application, achieving both ease of assembly and stable fixed positioning where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates both dynamic (articulated) and static (fixed) connection capabilities within the same standardized framework. The resilient flanges in fixed sockets provide dynamic adjustment during assembly while maintaining stable fixed positioning once connected, resolving the contradiction between assembly ease and position 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
This configuration allows for a wide range of creative possibilities in building diverse toy figures by enabling the same ball to mount different sockets, providing secure and adjustable attachments while maintaining structural integrity and versatility.
Implementation Method 1
two resilient flanges that extends from a surface on the third building element, so that the two resilient flanges each has a surface facing the other resilient flange, and being adapted for snapping the ball in between the resilient flanges
Implementation Method 2
two resilient jaws each having a concave surface facing the other jaw, and where the distance between the concave surfaces is so that the ball can be snapped in between them, so that the resilient jaws are both pressing against the ball when the ball is snapped in between the jaws
Data Source
AI summary
A toy building set comprising at least a first building element having a ball (5,10) arranged on a connecting rod on each element, and a second building element having a socket (6) arranged and adapted for receiving said ball in order to form an articulated ball and socket joint. According to the invention the building set also comprises at least one third building element having a second type of socket (9) being adapted for receiving said ball on the first building element in order to provide a snap connection between the second type of socket and the ball, and where the first building element and the third building element comprises positioning means adapted for engaging with each other when the ball (5) is received in the second type of socket (9), so as to hold the third building element in a fixed position with respect to the first building element.