US3531891A - Switch means for controlling an animation device in a figure toy - Google Patents

Description

A. E. GOLDFARB AL 3,531,891

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 hmvrar: 4004! I. 6010/44: 571M!!! I war" Oct. 6, 1970 swlwcn MEANS FOR CONTROLLING AN ANIMATION DEVICE IN A FIGURE TOY Filed Iarch 1a. 1968 \lN l i m X m m Q Oct. 6, 1970 v GOLDFARB EI'AL 3,531,891

SWITCH MEANS FOR CONTROLLING AN ANIMATION DEVICE IN A FIGURE TOY' Filed March 18, 1968 2 Sheets$heet 2 AMA-wrap;

United States Patent Office 3,531,891 SWITCH MEANS FOR CONTROLLING AN ANIMATION DEVICE IN A FIGURE TOY Adolph E. Goldfarb, North Hollywood, Calif., and Stanley A. Weston, New York, N.Y., assignors to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Califl, a corporation of California Filed Mar. 18, 1968, Ser. No. 713,971

Int. Cl. A63h 33/26 US. Cl. 46-227 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Flow of electric current to electrically-operated animation means, such as light bulbs and a buzzer, is controlled by switch means including a vibratile contact which may be caused to vibrate by flicking a weight carried thereby.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention will be set forth in two parts:

Field of the invention The present invention pertains generally to switch means in figure toys and more particularly to switch means for controlling an animation device in a figure toy.

Description of the prior art One example of a switch means for controlling an anirnation device in a figure toy includes neon tubes which are mounted behind eye-simulating windows in a figure toy. The neon tubes are caused to blink by capacitors which take a considerable period of time to charge to the ionization potential of the neon tubes. The charge on the capacitors drops quickly. Thus, the period when the neon tubes are not glowing is very long, while the period of glow is very short.

One disadvantage with switches of this type resides in the fact that neon tubes and capacitors are somewhat complicated and expensive for use in a figure toy.

Another disadvantage resides in the fact that this type of switch means does not readily adapt itself to the rough usage to which the figure toy may be subjected by child users thereof.

Another example of switch means for controlling an animation device in a figure toy includes a light bulb which supplies light to simulated eyes, a simulated nose and a simulated carrot through light piping. A bi-metallic strip is provided in the light bulb to periodically interrupt current flowing to its filament.

Switch means of this type have the disadvantage that the bulb may become damaged when the toy is subjected to rough treatment. Additionally, this type is not readily available in a small enough size.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view or" the foregoing factors and conditions characteristic of switch means for controlling an animation device in a figure toy, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful switch means not subject to the disadvantages enumerated above and having a vibratile contact means for rapidly energizing and deenergizing an animation device in a figure toy efiiciently, safely and expeditiously.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a switch means of the type described which is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, is of rugged construction and has a long life.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a switch means of the type described which includes a vibratile contact, which may be vibrated by movement of a weight attached to the vibratile contact member, for rapidly energizing and deenergizing an animation device in a figure toy.

According to the present invention, a figure toy includes electrically-operated animation means and means for supplying electric current to the animation means. Flow of current from the supply means to the animation means is controlled by a new and useful switch means including a fixed contact means, a vibratile contact means engageable with the fixed contact means, circuit means connecting the contact means to the animation means and to the current supply means and weight means carried by the vibratile contact means for increasing its period of vibration.

The animation means is shown for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as including a first light bulb mounted in an accessory holder simulating a ray gun carried by one arm of the figure toy and a second light bulb mounted in the torso of the figure toy behind a lens mounted in the chest of the figure toy and in light-transmitting relationship with simulated jewels mounted in the figure toys belt. The second bulb is in communication with elongated light-conducting, object-illuminating rods carrying light from the second bulb to a lens mounted in a helmet on the figure toy. The animation means may also include an electric buzzer.

The figure toy is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as comprising a doll simulating an explorer of other planets. The switch means of the present invention is mounted in a floor stand electrically connected to the feet of the doll. This stand also houses a pair of dry cells for energizing the animation means.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the like elements in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view, with parts broken away to show internal construction, of a figure toy of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial side elevational view of the toy of FIG. 1, with parts broken away to show internal construction;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view of an electrical supply and control means forming part of the toy of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an illuminateable accessory means which may be connected to the toy of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, partial, cross-sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring againto the drawings, a figure toy constituting a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, generally designated 10, is shown herein for purposes of illustration, but not of limitation, as comprising a doll having a torso 12 to which a pair of legs 14, 16 are connected. A left arm 22 and a right arm 24 are swingably connected to torso 12 by any suitable means, such as the connecting means 26 shown for the right arm 24. Connecting means 26 includes a hollow boss 28 which is formed integrally with arm 24 and which is rotatably received in a hollow cylindrical member 30 provided on torso 12. Boss 28 carries a finger 34 engageable with a first stop pin 36 (FIG. 2) and a second stop pin 38 limit- 3 ing movement of arm 24 from the position shown in FIG. 2 to the downwardly-directed position shown in FIG. 1.

Torso 12 is provided with a cylindrical neck post non-rotatably receiving a doll head 42. Torso 12 includes a chest portion 44 which is provided with an aperture 46 in which a light-transmitting lens 48 may be mounted. The play value of toy 10 may be enhanced by imparting suitable colors, such as red, blue, green or the like, to lens 48, through suitably colored glass or plastic buttons 49. A hollow bracket 50 extends from the side wall 52 of torso 12 laterally across lens 48 in alignment therewith and carries a small light bulb 58 maintained in position therein by a clip 59. A light-conducting illuminating rod 60 has one end portion 62 received in bracket 50 and includes a first leg 64 extending upwardly through neck post 40 to a position behind a lens 65 mounted in a helmet 66 and a second leg 67 extending from a second end 68 of leg 64 to lens 65.

An accessory holder 86 may be provided on the end of arm 24 for both simulating a ray gun and for receiving accessories which may be illuminated by a light bulb 88 provided in accessory holder 86. Accessory holder 86 includes a housing 89 having a front, recessed wall 92. Front wall 92 is provided with an aperture 94 in which an accessory receiver 96 in mounted. Receiver 96 includes a rear cylindrical portion 98 receiving light bulb 88 and a front, open portion 100 adapted to receive suitable accessory means, such as a simulated gun barrel extension (FIG. 4).

The simulated gun barrel extension 105 includes a lighttransmitting rod 134 having a first end 136 engageable in open end 1000 of receiver 96 and a second end 138. Rod 134 is encompassed by a plurality of light-transmitting discs 140 of decreasing diameter from end 136 to end 138. The lens 48, rods 60 and 134 and discs 140 may be made from a clear plastic material, such as Lucite.

Torso 12 maybe molded from suitable plastics of types well known to those skilled in the doll making art and includes a simulated waist belt 142 and a pair of simulated shoulder straps 144, 146 extending upwardly from a simulated buckle 148 on belt 142 to right shoulder 150 and left shoulder 152, respectively, of doll 10. Belt 142 and straps 144, 146 may be formed integrally with torso 12 and are provided with a plurality of apertures 154 in which stems 156 of colored translucent buttons 158 are engaged.

Doll 10 may be supported on a simulated space station or floor stand 160 which includes a housing 162 having a top wall 164, a front wall 166, a rear wall 168, a pair of side walls 169, and a bottom wall 171. Housing 162 is provided with a battery chamber 172 adapted to receive a pair of dry cells 173 and 174. An electrical conductor 182 is mounted on front wall 166 and includes a first end 184 engageable with the positive terminal 186 on dry cell 174. Conductor 182 also includes a second end 188 engageable with the negative terminal 189 on dry cell 173.

The negative terminal 190 on dry cell 174 is engaged by an electrical contact 192 provided on a partition 194 in housing 162. The positive terminal 208 on dry cell 173 engages an electrical contact 210 provided on partition 194. A vibratile switch means 224 is electrically connected to contact 210 through a switch 225 by first, second and third leads 226, 227 and 228, respectively, a moveable contact 229 in switch 225, a fixed contact 230 and a fourth lead 232. Switch means 224 includes a vibratile contact means 233 having a first end 234 afiixed to a post 235 provided in housing 162 and a free end 236 to which a weight 237 is aflixed. Switch means 224 also includes a =fixed electrical contact 238 which is engaged intermittently by vibratile contact means 233 when it is vibrated. Weight 237 continues vibratile contact means 233 in motion when it is flicked by a user of toy 10. Vibratile contact means 233 may be made from an electricalconducting material which is somewhat springy so that vibratile contact means 233 will continue to vibrate under the influence of weight 237 and initial flicking force is removed.

A lead 240 connects vibratile contact means 233 to a fixed contact 242 affixed to tap wall 164 of housing 162 for engagement by a contact 244 affixed to leg' 16 of doll 10. A lead 246 extends up through leg 16 and connects contact 244 to bulb '58 which, in turn, is connected by leads 248 and 250 to a fixed contact 252 carried by leg 14 of doll 10. A fixed contact 254 is mounted in top wall 164 and is engaged by contact 252 when doll 10 is maintained in position on top wall 164 by a stirrup means 256 mounted thereon. Contact 254 is connected to contact 192 in battery chamber 172 by a lead 258 which, in turn, is connected to a buzzer 260 by a lead 262.

Buzzer 260 includes a coil 264 forming a part of an electro-magnet 266 carried by an L-shaped arm 268 formed on a bracket 270 afllxed to partition 194. Magnet 266 includes an armature 272 adapted to attract a buzzer arm 274 when coil 264 is energized. Buzzer arm 274 is affixed to bracket 270 by a resilient contact-carrying conductor 276 provided with an electrical contact 278 normally biased into engagement with a fixed contact 280-. Contact 280 is aflixed to wall 168 and is connected to coil 264 by a lead 282. Resilient conductor 276 is connected to switch 225 by a first lead 284, leads 227, 228 and move able contact 229. Resilient conductor 276 is connected to bracket 270 by a first fastening means 286 and to arm 274 by a second fastening means 288.

Bulb 88 (FIG. 3) is connected by a lead 290 to lead 250 and by a lead 292 to a contact 294 carried by leg 16 (FIGS. 1 and 2). Contact 294 is engageable with a fixed contact 296 mounted on tap wall 164 and connected to switch 225 by a lead 298 and lead 228. Leads 290 and 292 pass through boss 28' and arm 24 to bulb 88. Stops 36 and 38 limit rotation of arm 24 to prevent damage to leads 290 and 292.

In use, bulbs 58 and 88 and buzzer 260 may be energized by closing switch 225. Intermittent operation may then be instituted by flicking weight 237 causing vibratile contact means 233 to vibrate into and out of engagement with fixed contact 238.

While the particular figure toy and switch means combination herein shown and described in detail is fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction and design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims, which form a part of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a figure toy having electricallyoperated animation means and switch means for supplying electric current to said animation means, said switch means comprising:

fixed contact means;

mechanically vibratile contact means movable, when vibrating, cyclically into and out of engagement with said fixed contact means; and

circuit means connecting said contact means to said animation means and to said current supply means.

2. A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said vibratile contact means carries a weight for increasing the vibration period.

3. A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said animation means includes a first light bulb means mounted in said figure toy and a lens provided in said figure toy in alignment with said first light bulb means.

4. A combination as stated in claim 3 wherein said figure toy includes an arm and an accessory holder affixed to said arm, said animation means including a second light bulb means mounted in said accessory holder.

5. A combination as stated in claim 4 including an accessory piece connectable to said accessory holder for illumination by said second light bulb means.

6. A combination as stated in claim 5 wherein said animation means also includes an electric buzzer.

7. A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said switch means is mounted in a housing comprising a stand for said figure toy, said stand including electric contact means engageable with like contact means provided on said figure toy for electrically connecting said figure toy to said stand.

8. A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said animation means includes:

a light bulb means;

a light-transmitting elongated element in communication with said light bulb means; and

an illuminateable object affixed to said elongated element.

9. A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said vibratile contact means comprises a springly member having one end fixed adjacent said fixed contact means and a free end, said free end being provided with a weight and extending exteriorly of said toy.

10. A combination as stated in claim 9 including a fioor stand housing said fixed contact means and said vibratile contact means, said figure toy including legs removably and electrically connected to said stand.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,115,533 4/1938 Meyers 46--227 X 2,310,037 2/1943 Reno 46226 X 2,933,853 4/1960 Laval 46-228 3,221,120 11/1965 Mooney et al 335-90 3,232,004 2/1966 Felshcr 46228 X FOREIGN PATENTS 584,648 11/1958 Italy.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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