Mouse Car

Sketch of Mouse Car

The mouse car uses the idea of potential energy and kinetic engery conversion. When the child pulls the hook attached on the back of the mouse, this winds the rubber band which stores potential energy. When the child releases, the rubber band beings to inwind and the potential energy stored is converted into kinetic energy as the mouse moves forward, stopping because of energy loss as friction.

Construction is simple and cheap with the materials easily available. The rubber band may need to be replaced though after prolong usage due to wear and tear. The roller for the thread serve both the purpose for the thread to wind around and also to move the mouse when placed onthe ground(acting as a wheel). An improvement that can be made is that the tail of the mouse can be made to 'wriggle' as the eubber band unwinds back to its rest state. A small mini bell can also be attached to the tail such that it rings whenever the mouse moves and the tail wriggles.

The toy is designed for children age 7 and below since the toy is really simple and is meant to engage children of a younger age to engage them with motion.

Summary:

Based on potential energy and kinetic energy conversion
Child just need to pull the hook outside on the body and release it for the mouse to move on the ground
Cheap and easy to manufacture. Rubber band may need to be replaced after prolong usage.

Toy concept 1 | Toy concept 2 Yixin Liu
Carnegie Mellon University
February 02, 2009