Concept 1
Mr. Slinky
Principles behind Mr. Slinky
Mr. Slinky is a handheld toy that is roughly six inches in diameter that has springs that represent its feet and hands. The springs in the feet of Mr. Slinky have a higher spring coefficient "k" than the springs in the hands. Thus, when the springs on the feet of Mr. Slinky are compressed, they can jump much farther than when the springs on the hands of Mr. Slinky are compressed. The object of this toy is simply to have Mr. Slinky do cartwheels, handsprings, and travel in a manner that utilizes the potential energy that is stored in the compressed springs. This energy eventually becomes kinetic energy when the spring is released, thus causing movement in the toy.
Interaction with Toy
This toy can be played with a manner similar to a Mr. Potato Head toy or an actual Slinky toy that is owned by Poof Products, Inc. All that is required is the movement of the toy in a manner that utilizes the hands and feet. My particular vision of the toy involved trying to make the toy do cartwheels down a staircase without any "training" or "impetus". The plush center of the toy is designed to be soft, with a similar consistency to a pillow, so that the child playing with the toy will not get hurt in rough interactions with the toy.
Construction Cost, Durability, and Safety
The center of the toy, as mentioned above, will be made of all manmade materials, with an outer covering of polyester, and an inner stuffing of softer base polyester or cotton. The outer covering will be yellow with black eyes and mouth. The springs on the feet will be made of 43 feet of aluminum wire and the springs on the hands will be made of 63 feet of aluminum wire. The actual hands and feet themselves will be constructed from felt, with an overall cost including labor of around $10.00. This toy will probably prove to be pretty durable provided the springs on the hands and feet do not stretch out too far, or else they will deform and will not perform their intended function. In the same vein, if the wires are deformed, a strangling potential becomes evident. Thus, children less than five years old should probably not be allowed to play with this toy, and those who do should be closely supervised by adults. Despite the issues with the wires, the plush center of the toy is very durable and will stay intact even if the wires become deformed.
Graphic of Toy
Relevant Links to Similar Toys
