Vehicle Toy Wheel Profile for Self-Standing Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle toys imitating two-wheel vehicles often require auxiliary devices like stands to maintain stability when placed on surfaces due to the convex curved shape of their wheel members, which prevents them from standing independently.
Innovation Solution
The vehicle toy design includes wheel members with end portions having equal or larger outer diameters than the rest of the wheel, featuring tapered surfaces to ensure stability without auxiliary devices, and incorporates slide and attachment mechanisms for adjustable placement regions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the wheel member is formed with a convex curved ground contact surface, then the wheel member has a realistic vehicle appearance, but the vehicle toy cannot stand by itself and requires auxiliary devices
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel member is designed with different ground contact surface shapes at different locations: the intermediate portion has a convex curved shape for realistic appearance, while the end portions have flat ground contact surfaces for stable standing. This local differentiation allows the wheel to simultaneously achieve aesthetic realism and functional stability without requiring auxiliary support devices.
2Ease of manufacture
If the outer diameter of the wheel member is uniform, then the manufacturing is simpler, but the vehicle toy cannot stand independently on flat surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel member features a non-uniform outer diameter configuration where the end portions have larger outer diameters than the intermediate portion. This creates extended end surfaces that provide stable contact with flat surfaces, enabling the vehicle toy to stand independently while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through a straightforward molding process.
3Device complexity
If the vehicle toy is designed without auxiliary standing devices, then the device complexity is reduced, but the toy cannot maintain stability when placed on surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The wheel member is designed to provide its own standing function through the flat ground contact surfaces at its end portions. This self-service capability allows the vehicle toy to stand independently on flat surfaces without requiring any auxiliary support devices, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining stability.
4Shape
If the wheel member has a convex curved ground contact surface, then the wheel looks realistic, but additional support structures are needed increasing device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The standing support function is merged into the wheel member itself by incorporating flat ground contact surfaces at the end portions. This integration eliminates the need for separate auxiliary support devices, reducing overall device complexity while preserving the realistic convex curved appearance of the wheel.
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel member combines different surface characteristics in different regions: convex curved surfaces for realistic appearance and flat surfaces for stable contact. This local differentiation allows the wheel to simultaneously fulfill aesthetic and functional requirements without adding external support structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle toy includes a main body, and at least one wheel member connected to the main body member. In a case where a traveling direction of the vehicle toy is a front-rear direction, outer diameters of both end portions of the wheel member in a left-right direction are equal to or larger than an outer diameter of a portion of the wheel member other than the both end portions, and the outer diameters of the both end portions are equal to each other.