TOYS TOYS TOYS!
TOY #3:Poppin' Car
Principle: This toy utilizes the following simple machines:
Tell me more about simple machines!
This toy is built on the same principle as the Fisher Price "Corn Popper". The vehicle is modeled after the Little Tikes Crazy Coupe with a viewable engine, where gears "pop" around as the child moves the car with their feet.
How it works:
How does the Fisher Price "Corn Popper" work?
The Poppin' mechanism works as follows:
1. The front wheels turn
2. The axle is bent in to a U-shape.
3. Every time the axle turns, the U-shaped part of the axle pulls down on a spring and the spring is connected to the popping surface. This makes the gears "pop" when the spring is released by the axle
Construction Cost:
The cost for the Crazy Coupe is $45.00-$55.00, and the price for the Fisher Price "Corn-Popper" is $9.00. So I would estimate a cost of $65.00.
Durability:
From comments on the web-page, and personal experience, the Little Tikes "Crazy Coupe" is incredibly durable. If a spring of decent durability is obtained, I feel that it would cut the durability only slightly, due to the popping and snapping of the surface.
Safety:
The recommended age on the Crazy Coupe is 1 1/2 to 5 years. Safety would not be affect by the new popping system, so it would be the same as the Crazy Coupe. I would defiantly suggest parent supervision at all times.
Stacie Hogya smh@andrew.cmu.edu