Foam Projectile Launcher Prototype

Description:

• This toy is a spring powered toy that shoots foam projectiles. To use this toy, a child would push a spring loaded button to release the clip. Once released, the child would slide the spring on the side of the clip down and load the foam projectiles. With the spring still depressed, the clip would be slid back into the toy allowing the button to click back into place, locking it. Then the child would then pull the sliding lock on the top of the toy to cock the gun, pull the slide on the side of the toy, sealing the barrel. The toy would then be fired by pressing the trigger mechanism. The firing mechanism works as follows: the trigger releases the spring on the lock and pushes a plunger into a tube. This plunger creates pressure, which in turn fires the foam projectile. The toy would ideally be used in a makeshift game of tag between multiple children.

• This toy is based on the concept of Hooke's spring law, pressure changes, and projectile motion.

• The toy is meant to be mass produced and be almost entirely made out of injection molded parts held together by metal screws and springs. The initial construction cost for the toy would be high because due to the manufacturing method, but, as the company NERF has shown, low costs can be obtained when enough units are sold. Estimated price per unit: 25 USD.