Return _data array from ORM with FuelPHP

Question

I'm creating a REST API using FuelPHP and its ORM, docs found here: http://fuelphp.com/docs/packages/orm/crud.html

I can return a object of the database row like so:

$entry = Model_V1_Inventory::find(1);

This returns me the object where the PK is equal to 1, which is as expected. How do I access the _data array to json_encode it and return it as part of the REST response? I can access individual items in the array by simply calling:

$entry->product_ref

As an example but I can't see anyway of returning the _data array with it being protected.

The returned objected from the ORM:

    Model_V1_Inventory Object
(
    [_is_new:protected] => 
    [_frozen:protected] => 
    [_sanitization_enabled:protected] => 
    [_data:protected] => Array
        (
            [product_ref] => from the model
            [cost_price] => 0.99
            [rrp_price] => 11.67
            [current_price] => 5.47
            [description] => test description
            [created_at] => 2016-04-26 14:29:20
            [updated_at] => 2016-04-26 14:29:20
            [id] => 1
        )

    [_custom_data:protected] => Array
        (
        )

    [_original:protected] => Array
        (
            [product_ref] => from the model
            [cost_price] => 0.99
            [rrp_price] => 11.67
            [current_price] => 5.47
            [description] => test description
            [created_at] => 2016-04-26 14:29:20
            [updated_at] => 2016-04-26 14:29:20
            [id] => 1
        )

    [_data_relations:protected] => Array
        (
        )

    [_original_relations:protected] => Array
        (
        )

    [_reset_relations:protected] => Array
        (
        )

    [_disabled_events:protected] => Array
        (
        )

    [_view:protected] => 
    [_iterable:protected] => Array
        (
        )

)

Answer 1

Ok after some playing I found a fix for this with one of FuelPHP's built in classes, Format;

Format::forge($entry)->to_array();

Will carry out the conversion and then json_encode the array for the response. Here is my full method for sending a json encoded string back to the user using the FuelPHP ORM:

public function get_product()
{
    $product_id = Uri::segment(4);
    $response = new Response();
    try{
        if($product_id == null){
            throw new Exception('No product ID given');
        }else{
            $entry = Model_V1_Inventory::find($product_id);
            $entry = Format::forge($entry)->to_array();

            $response->body(json_encode($entry));
            $response->set_status(200);
            return $response;
        }                
    }catch(Exception $e){
        $response->body(json_encode(['Status' => 400, 'Message' => $e->getMessage()]));
        $response->set_status(400);
        return $response;
        throw new Exception($e);
    }
}