HandsOnToys came to Sperry Product Innovation with a concept for a catapulting chain reaction toy.

Sperry's goal was to design a fun, educational toy that promoted the discovery of engineering principles related to the physics of trajectory. Multiple units in a kit can be used together to experiment with chain reactions.

To maximize the opportunity to experiment with angles and force, Sperry designed the catapult with adjustments for launch angle, launch force, and direction of flight. This provides unlimited opportunities for experimenting with the flight of the cat. It also needed to remain stationary once the launch arm is activated. The body was designed to pivot on activation to absorb the force of the launch so the Cat-A-Pult stays in place.

Another important aspect in the design of this toy was that it would not appear to be a weapon-like toy as are many of the catapult toys on the market. We designed the toy with bright colors and a caped "Super-Cat" flying through the air to promote an adventure theme rather than a violent one.

Design challenges in the Cat-A-Pult included a snap-together design that would assemble easily with no fasteners. This was necessary for packaging and shipping efficiency since multiple Cat-A-Pults and cats are included in each kit. To ensure safety, only the foam cat works with the launcher.

In addition to designing the toy, Sperry Product Innovation was closely involved in working with the overseas manufacturer to ensure a final product that was a quality toy that met the strict expectations of Sperry Product Innovation and our customer, HandsOnToys.

The Cat-A-Pult is sold in specialty toy stores in kits of two or five.