Animated doll

Amusement devices: toys – Figure toy or accessory therefor – Having mechanism or manipulatable means to move figure or...

Patent

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Details

446295, 446297, 446304, A63H 300, A63H 320, A63H 328

Patent

active

058204415

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an animated doll and relates particularly, though not exclusively, to an animated toy baby human doll.


BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Virtually every household is in possession of at least one toy doll, and usually many dolls, especially if there are children or grandchildren associated with the household. Toy dolls come in an immense variety of shapes and sizes and in appearance conform to varying degrees to the real life animal or human figure they are intended to represent. From the simple rag doll made of cloth material filled with stuffing, to the finely detailed and highly realistic human baby dolls made from ceramic, wooden or soft moulded plastics materials, children in every culture enjoy playing with dolls. Toy dolls encourage children to use their imaginations and to role play human relationships. Young girls in particular find great enjoyment and satisfaction in exploring parental role models by play acting with a doll, placing themselves in the role of parent with the doll in the role of child. For this reason, it is not uncommon for a strong bond to develop between the child and the doll, and for the doll to develop a unique "personality" in the mind of the child.
Doll manufacturers recognise that the formation of a strong bond between the child and a toy doll, enhances enormously its "play value". The play value of a toy is an attempt to place a value on its capacity to hold a child's attention and interest, and to keep the child amused. This involves a somewhat subjective judgement, but generally it is thought that increasing the number of moving parts, incorporating various simulated physiological functions, including sounds, and/or improving the life-like appearance of a doll enhances its play value. Nevertheless, such features in themselves will not evoke the interest and involvement of a child unless the child's imagination is stimulated and an emotional attachment is formed.
Most prior art dolls are immobile, although with many the arms, legs and head can be moved to various positions. Some known toy robots have moving arms and can move about the floor on wheels. However, such movements are mechanical by nature and extremely predictable so that the child quickly loses interest and the toy is discarded.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The animated doll of the present invention was developed with a view to providing a doll that moves in response to an external stimulus so that when embodied in a form of a toy doll, the emotional attachment of a child to the doll can be enhanced and its play value thereby increased. Although the following description will be given primarily with reference to a toy doll, it is to be understood that the animated doll may also be embodied in the form of an educational aid that can be used, for example, to demonstrate and/or teach mothercare skills.
According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an animated doll having a head, torso and limbs, the doll further comprising: animation mechanism being housed in a casing adapted to be received within the torso of the doll and comprising: into one of said plurality of movable limbs of the doll to transmit a pivoting movement to the limb; said pivotal members and having a cam follower that engages with a wheel cam operatively coupled to said electric motor, a plane of rotation of said wheel cam and a plane of pivoting movement of said lever arms being substantially parallel to a plane that passes through both said torso and said plurality of limbs of the doll, wherein said cam means is adapted to produce an unco-ordinated movement of said plurality of limbs of the doll which appears to be less mechanical in nature and more life-like; and, for activating the animation mechanism when said external stimulus is detected whereby, in use, the doll appears to respond to the external stimulus by moving said plurality of limbs.
According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided an animation mechanism for moving a plurality of limbs o

REFERENCES:
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patent: 4139968 (1979-02-01), Milner
patent: 4276714 (1981-07-01), Albert et al.
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patent: 4875886 (1989-10-01), Sung
patent: 4983890 (1991-01-01), Satoh et al.
patent: 5158492 (1992-10-01), Rudell et al.
patent: 5176560 (1993-01-01), Wetherell et al.
patent: 5224896 (1993-07-01), Terzian
patent: 5468172 (1995-11-01), Basile

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