Step on the pedal and watch the stunt man fly! After reaching his maximum altitude, the stunt man will open his arms and helicopter gracefully to the ground. This toy is perfect for kids over the age of five and completely safe for younger children who have an adult to step on the pedal for them.
The stunt man relies on the concepts of force, air pressure, lift, and gravity to complete his flight. When the child applies a load to the pedal, air will pump through a tube and into a constricted cylinder within the hollow body of the stunt man. The pressure build up inside the stunt man’s body will force him upward at varying speeds which are proportional to the force applied to the pedal.
Hinges attach specially designed blades to the stunt man’s body. When he begins his descent, air will force the blades upward until they are parallel to the ground. Three blades are used to ensure stability and are weighted and positioned such that the stunt man will fall slowly to the ground in a helicopter-like motion.
After being caught by the child, gravity will cause the stunt man’s blades to collapse back to his side and he is instantly ready for a second flight.
The stunt man’s body and arms are made of a soft foam material so that he can withstand multiple impacts without experiencing any major deformations. In turn, its foam exterior makes this toy kid friendly and eliminates the potential danger of incorporating sharp helicopter blades on the figure. The cannon, base, and pedal are made of light plastic and rubber. Because these parts will experience more abuse than the stunt man, they are made to be more durable in order to withstand the forces being applied to them. The cost of this product will be relatively low at approximately $10 per kit. Each kit will include one base assembly unit and two differently sized stunt men and/or women.
Cecily Sunday
Carnegie Mellon University
January 20, 2010