Introduction

The earliest bubble toys date back to the 17th century, where children used clay pipes to blow bubbles from soap mixtures, as depicted in Figure 1 with the painting Boys Blowing Bubbles by Michaelina Wautier(1640s). However, the commercialization of bubble solutions began in 1934 when Chemtoy, a Chicago-based company, introduced bottled bubble solutions, and making enthusiasm for the product erupt. The innovation of the bubble gun itself can be traced to the 1970s, when toy designers sought to automate the process, initially creating manual air-pump mechanisms that mimicked water guns.  

By the 1980s, battery-operated models with small fans emerged, allowing continuous streams of bubbles with the pull of a trigger. This innovation was driven by the need to create a more engaging and effortless experience for children, reducing the need for constant manual blowing. Over the years, bubble guns evolved to include multiple nozzles, LED lights, and sound effects, making them increasingly interactive and appealing.  

The Gatling-style bubble gun, introduced in the late 2010s, produced hundreds of bubbles in seconds, gaining popularity on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram in 2021.

Parts and Components 

There are 6 major components of a bubble gun machine. It is comprised of: 

• Body/Outer shell 

• Air blower/fan mechanism 

• Bubble Solution Holder 

• Rotating Bubble Wand Disc 

• Trigger/Activation Mechanism 

• Gear and Motor Assembly 

Body/Outer shell 

The body and outer shell houses all the elements needed for the bubble gun to function properly. It is like the skeleton of the product, making sure that the compartments inside, like the motor and other systems don’t get interfered with. As shown in Figure 2, the design also uses color to attract its audience, which is primarily children would be attracted to colorful objects. 

It is also made with durability in mind, making sure that it doesn’t break easily but is also lightweight and not burdensome to carry around. The surface is also designed so that there is proper grip, and it does not get loose or slippery whilst someone is holding it. The handle makes it easy for the activation of the trigger without much effort. Furthermore, the design makes it very easy to see what you must do to set up and activate the product. It is clear to see where the bubble container–originally not connected to the gun–which can be seen in Figure 1 has to be placed with an opening for its top. 

Air Blower/Fan Mechanism 

The fan, when powered, spins rapidly to form a steady stream of air that pushes through the nozzle and bubble wand in front of it. The faster it spins the faster and smaller the bubbles that are formed will be; if it is spun slower, the more time it will have to make larger bubbles since the soap film has more time to expand. wouldn’t expand so no bubbles would actually be made.  

As depicted in figure 3, the fan is surrounded by a circular plastic cover and makes sure that the bubbles are consistently flowing and are going the correct direction. When the power is turned on the fan will also make sure that the bubbles are spread out when they flow out and go further by pushing them with its wind rather than having them fall on the ground immediately.  

Bubble solution Holder/Reservoir 

As shown in figure 4, there are 2 pipes with a circular object separating them. That part is where the bubble solution holder is attached, and the pipes would go inside of it and circulate the solution.

The longer pipe (on the right) is responsible for drawing the solution from the reservoir and then it goes and coats the rotating bubble wand; if it weren’t for this pipe none of the solution would get to the necessary position.

The shorter pipe (on the left) is used as a return or overflow tube; if there is an overflow of solution in the bubble wand or some solution is not used by the wand this pipe redirects it back to the reservoir. This makes sure that the bubble wand is coated the right amount and there is as little wastage as possible.

The tubes are made of flexible silicone so that there is smooth fluid movement. It makes sure to minimize air bubbles inside the pipe so that the flow of the solution isn’t disrupted by anyway.  

Rotating Bubble Wand Disc

The bubble wand, as shown in Figure 5 is the yellow disc with multiple ring-shaped wands enclosed in it. It is designed to continuously be coated with the bubble solution and align with the airflow.

As the trigger is pulled the disc rotates and is coated with more solution every cycle. The wands rotate thorough this so that the rings are coated evenly with the solution. This makes sure that the bubble gun produces multiple bubbles per second. 

Trigger/Activation Mechanism 

The physical trigger that you’d push can be seen in Figure 2 in orange in the corner of the gun. However, it pushes a much smaller button that is hidden behind it, which completes a circuit.

The red and white wires carry an electrical current towards the batteries when the trigger is pulled, which completes the circuit. When the circuit is complete the electricity flows to the motor (Figure 6. Top right in black) and starts it.  

Releasing the trigger stops pushing the button, so the circuit breaks; and in turn the motor stops. This prevents the battery from draining too fast and keeps the bubble gun energy efficient. 

Gear and Motor Assembly 

The motor (Figure 7. Black Cylindrical component) is what actually drives the bubbles gun and causes it to spin. When the trigger is switched on, the motor is commanded to spin a central shaft which makes the gears spin.  

The gear system (Figure 7. Yellow components inside Black Housing) helps regulate and distribute the power of the motor, which spins too fast to be efficient.

Since the motor spins really fast without any stability, if it was directly connected to the bubble wand, the wand would spin too fast for there to be any time for the bubbles to expand and form. However, the gears reduce the speed and cause the rotation to be steadier and more controlled. 

Furthermore, some gears distribute the power by using some power to drive the fan (Figure 3.) and others to rotate the bubble wand disc (Figure 5.). The gear makes sure that the fan spins at optimal speed for consistent airflow and efficient bubble production. Spinning the bubble ring ensures constant coating to new rings and exposure to airflow so more bubbles can be formed.

The gears are made from plastic to reduce the weight of the product while also keeping it cost effecting and sufficiently durable. It is also enclosed with protective housing so that it isn’t exposed to dust, liquids, or other materials that may damage it. It is also efficient in that it is only activated when the trigger is pulled, so the motor doesn’t receive unnecessary wear and tear. 

Conclusion

The bubble gun has innovated the use of bubbles throughout history. Originally just used by children for entertainment. It has automated itself to be even more efficient and can now even be used in many forms of entertainment like plays to make an appealing visual effect for the audience. It is a testament to the evolution of engineering, from just using clay to form bubbles to now using things like motors and fans to form not just one but hundreds of bubbles at once. It shows the impact of technological innovations on even the smallest things. 

References

Townsend, A. (2011, February 16). Bubble solution. Time Magazine. https://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2049243_2048651_2049010,00.html 

Singh, Y. (n.d.). 27 toys that’ll actually keep your kids entertained. BuzzFeed. https://www.buzzfeed.com/yasminesingh1/toys-keep-your-kid-entertained 

Wautier, M. (1640s). Boys blowing bubbles. Seattle Art Museum. https://art.seattleartmuseum.org/objects/13629/boys-blowing-bubbles