Defective Toy Design Leads to Multiple Fires

Case Overview

This case involves a class action that was initiated in response to a line of defective and dangerous children’s toys. It is alleged that the toys, which contained a large battery pack along with motorized components, posed a significant fire hazard while in use and while charging. It was believed that a circuit board on these toys had a propensity to over-heat, causing spontaneous ignition of the toy’s internal electronic components. This has caused the toys to emit smoke, fumes, sparks, and flames in several separate instances, some of which have resulted in building fires and extensive injuries. It is alleged that the circuity contained in these toys was negligently and dangerously designed, and that owners of the toys were not warned of the potential for fire. A batteries expert witness was sought to opine on this issue.

Questions to the Electrical expert and their responses

Do you have extensive knowledge in circuit board engineering?

I am very experienced with circuit board engineering and would be happy to assist on this case. This includes system specification analysis, detailed circuit analysis, circuit overcurrent protection analysis, electronic application review, inspection of circuit boards, IPC standards, circuit layout implementation, and other aspects of the toy's design and construction.

Please explain the dangers a toy can cause?

Dangers specific to electronic toys are generally no different than other consumer electrical products. A failure of any one component can lead to end effects that create safety hazards such as fires due to electrical shorting and arcing, design oversight, overheating of components, manufacturing processes, and more. It seems, given the consistent and repeated nature of the failure described here, that the failure is related to some faulty element in the toy's design or construction.

About the expert

This expert has investigated the root cause of hundreds of electrical and electronic equipment failures in commercial, residential, industrial, and military systems. He belongs to the Association of Professional Engineers, Geologists, & Geophysicists of Alberta and has served as the lead on a number of design and research projects in the engineering space. He has held a number of positions in the field and currently serves as an electrical failure analysis engineering specialist at a private engineering firm in Canada.

E-009823

Specialties:

Electrical