Launched in 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio, Cardboard Helicopter is a small company that specializes in product design. As the CEO Tim Hayes puts it, they focus on designs that fill in gaps for customers who outsource their speciality. They invent and license products and designs. Cardboard Helicopter has designed more than 350 products for clients and for their interests.
Some of the services offered include design research, concept sketching, prototyping, 3D animation, and consulting.
1. Snack Holders
These include the Weeniesaurus, Nachosaurus, and Tricerataco. The snack holders are for holding different foods like nachos, tacos, sandwiches, and chips in a way that mimics the backs of the prehistoric dinosaur. It started as a pitch to the Kids Funware brand with the intention of making a unique and fun eating experience for children. The products have crossed demographic lines becoming a new mealtime category for all. The Discovery Channel’s product line licensed the snack holder.
2. Chopster Rechargeable Motorbike
Pulse Performance Products commissioned Cardboard Helicopter to design the mini electric motorcycle. The motorbike has a throttle that delivers power instantaneously and has multiple speeds. The design has dual pneumatic air-filled rubber tires, which offer a smooth ride. The hi-tensile steel fork has large frame tubes, which add durability. The bike has a 24-volt rechargeable battery with a run time of 40 minutes. It is easy to operate and safe for use for children of ages eight and up.
3. Kizingo Nudge Plate
Trying new foods can be overwhelming for toddlers. To curb this, Kizingo commissioned Cardboard Helicopter to design a nudge plate. The nudge plate has a spiral nudge section to give the child a little taste of something new, while the rest of the plate has familiar food. It provides a visual reminder to caregivers to offer a small taste of the new food and give a safe for the child to explore it. The plate comes in bright colours, which makes it easy for the kid to recognize their plate. They are fully stackable and are dishwasher friendly. Kizingo nudge plate won gold in 2019 in the European Product Design Award.
4. Groovi Beauty: The Squad
The Squad by Groovi Beauty is a set of five acrylic trays with magnets on the sides to arrange and display or store beauty products. The brass magnets allow one to arrange, stick together and lock the trays in any design they like without sliding.
This set allows everyone to express their individuality uniquely. This innovative beauty storage solution was created with minimalism in mind.
5. Basecamp Tent Fan
When tasked with safeguarding and modernizing Basecamp’s LED tent fan, Cardboard Helicopter added subtle features to make it safer, lighter, and cheaper. The fan has foam blades with two-speed settings. It also has a three-level LED with high, low, and night settings with up to 50 lumens. It has a carabiner hook to hang easily. So when out camping or ice-fishing, the tent fan light/fan combo comes in handy.
6. Aroma Modular K-Cup Organizer
The team at Cardboard Helicopter designed a modular k-cup holder for the Quirky brand to add a modern and smart approach to storing single-serve coffee pods. The display consists of five bamboo frames and two ceramic trays that hold up to twenty pods and other coffee-related items. It has small clips to attach the frames to the wall. They can be organized in any orientation to bring personality and style to a kitchen while saving space.
7. The Splash Infuser
Simple Roots and Cardboard Helicopter partnered to create an innovative solution to encourage people to drink more water. The Splash Infuser has a muddler lid to hold it down and crush fruits and herbs, infusing it with water and other beverages for a healthy kick. The Splash Infuser sinks to the bottom with 70 small holes for the liquid and ingredients to mix while keeping out the pulp.
Kickstarter ran a successful campaign on the infuser and secured a licensing deal with Wow Gear.
8. Jokari Self-Sealing Spout
Jokari, a Texas-based home product retailer, and Cardboard Helicopter teamed up to create a self-sealing spout. The dispenser is used to pour wines, oils, and vinegar. It has an air-tight seal created by a ball-bearing device that maintains the flavour and keeps the liquids fresh. The spout provides a pour control; therefore, less mess is created. It also protects from pests and insects.
It has universal ribs, which allow it to fit most bottles. The spout is easily attached by pressing into the bottle opening until it fits tightly. It’s dishwasher friendly and easy to maintain.
9. Modern Mods Mesa Grill
The studio designed an innovative cooking station for Modern Mods. The Mesa grill allows users to prepare and serve meals outside of the kitchen setting. The portable cooking station can be used in outdoor dining and camping. It consists of features of a wok, grill, and a steamer in a compact setup.
It encourages users to plan, prepare and serve healthy meals and brings out the host in just about anyone. The Mesa grill comprises twelve high-quality pieces made from affordable materials and stellar design methods.
10. Geo Smart Home Speaker
The modern Bluetooth speaker was created for Geo. It has a matte plastic shell, and copper finishes with a concave cutout surface for easy finger access to the control interface.
References:
- Wednesday, K.C.R. |, December 14 and 2016 (n.d.). Cardboard Helicopter’s would-be elves dream up toys, gadgets. [online] Cleveland – Freshwater Media. Available at: https://www.freshwatercleveland.com/devnews/CardboardToys121416.aspx [Accessed 31 Mar. 2022].
- www.youtube.com. (n.d.). Chopster Rechargeable Electric Motorbike from Pulse Performance Product. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ovc0dxmXW8Y&ab_channel=TTPMToyReviews [Accessed 31 Mar. 2022].
- Bustle. (n.d.). The Nachosaurus, A Dinosaur-Shaped Serving Dish For Nachos, Just Revolutionized Game Night Forever. [online] Available at: https://www.bustle.com/p/the-nachosaurus-a-dinosaur-shaped-serving-dish-for-nachos-just-revolutionized-game-night-forever-9845700 [Accessed 31 Mar. 2022].
- Cabel’s Canada. (n.d.). BaseCamp Tent Fan With LED Light | Cabela’s Canada. [online] Available at: https://www.cabelas.ca/product/87350/basecamp-tent-fan-with-led-light [Accessed 31 Mar. 2022].
- CARDBOARD HELICOPTER. (n.d.). Cardboard Helicopter Product Design | Our Work. [online] Available at: https://www.cardboardhelicopter.com/our-work [Accessed 31 Mar. 2022].
- GEAR, W. (n.d.). SPLASH INFUSER. [online] WOW GEAR. Available at: https://wowcup.com/pages/splash-infuser [Accessed 31 Mar. 2022].
- Groupon. (n.d.). Nachosaurus for Snacks. [online] Available at: https://www.groupon.com/deals/gg-nachosaurus [Accessed 31 Mar. 2022].
- Kickstarter. (n.d.). Splash Infuser: Instantly Infuse your water or alcohol! [online] Available at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1593138740/splash-infuser [Accessed 31 Mar. 2022].
- Kizingo. (n.d.). Toddler Plates. [online] Available at: https://kizingokids.com/products/toddler-plate [Accessed 31 Mar. 2022].
- www.amazon.com. (n.d.). Amazon.com | Funwares NACHOsaurus Dip and Snack Dish Set: Serving Trays. [online] Available at: https://www.amazon.com/KidsFunwares-TriceraTACO-Taco-Holder-Prehistoric/dp/B07BPBWRM1?th=1 [Accessed 31 Mar. 2022].
