Amusement devices: toys – Figure toy or accessory therefor – Having mechanism or manipulatable means to move figure or...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-03
2001-05-01
Ricci, John A. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices: toys
Figure toy or accessory therefor
Having mechanism or manipulatable means to move figure or...
C446S376000, C446S383000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224456
ABSTRACT:
SPECIFICATION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to dolls and toy figures and particularly to dolls and toy figures having limbs movable in response to a manually actuated mechanism.
2. Background of the Invention
Dolls having movable limbs are well known in the art and have been provided for many years. A great number of so-called “posable” dolls have been provided having limbs or other appendages which are directly movable by hand manipulation of the limb or appendage. The posable quality of such dolls and toy figures arises from their tendency to maintain a particular position once moved by the user. Other types of dolls and toy figures having movable limbs or other appendages utilize some type of movement mechanism to provide their movement. Such mechanized dolls and toy figures are generally categorized as either powered or manual. Powered mechanisms utilize some type of motor such as a battery-driven electric motor or a spring-driven wind-up motor to operate the mechanism. Manual movement mechanisms typically use an indirect movement, that is to say one or more limbs are movably supported upon the doll or toy figure such as arms or legs while an additional movable lever or tab is positioned elsewhere on the doll or toy figure. An operative drive mechanism couples the movement of the lever or tab to the movably supported limb to provide the desired movement as the lever or tab is manipulated. In many dolls and toy figures having movable limbs, the degree of movement of the movable limb is intended to resemble or replicate a particular well known movement undertaken by humans. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,311 issued to Lyons, et al. sets forth a MECHANISM FOR MOVING AN UPPER APPENDAGE OF A TOY FIGURE in which a push button on the upper side of the toy figure torso is hand-operated to transmit motion to a mechanism within the doll torso. An arm is pivotally movable upon the torso and coupled to the mechanism and further holds a toy sword. When the button is moved, the arm pivots raising and lowering the sword in a combat maneuver.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,126,961 issued to Barlow, et al. sets forth an ARTICULATED DOLL having a torso and pivotally supported head. A ball and socket joint supports a toggle which extends outwardly from the rear torso and inwardly into the torso cavity. A lever and pivot mechanism couples the movement of the interior end of the toggle to the head support to cause the doll's head to nod.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,758,982 issued to Lemelson, et al. sets forth an ACTIVITY DOLL having a hollow body and one or more pivotally mounted limbs. A push button mechanism is supported at the rear torso and an internal drive gear system converts the in and out movement of the button against the torso to pivotal movement of the limb. A similar mechanism is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,613 also issued to Lemelson, et al.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,022,263 issued to Liu, et al. sets forth MECHANICAL TOY FIGURES having upper and lower torsos rotatably attached together with arms and legs rotatably secured to the upper torso. A spring connected to the lower torso and upper torso rotates the upper torso between first and second positions. A friction clutch retards or slows the torso movement. A gear drive is connected to the lower torso and is operative to move an arm shaft which in turn moves the arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,518 issued to Luke sets forth a KICKING DOLL WITH DETACHABLE TRIGGER MEANS in which a doll supports a pivotally movable leg and a gear drive system operative to cause the leg to undergo a rapid kicking motion. An external trigger is provided which is secured to the doll torso and operative to release the kicking mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,721,489 issued to Galoob sets forth an ILLUMINABLE FIGURE which includes a movement mechanism operative upon the doll to provide arm motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,879 issued to Terzian, et al. sets forth a DOLL WITH ROTATING AND BENDABLE ARMS having an infant doll figure supporting a pair of pivotally movable bendable arms. A rotatable wheel is supported at the rear torso of the doll and is coupled by a gear mechanism to arm bending and movement apparatus within the doll.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,069 issued to Liu, Dexter C. sets forth an ACTION CHARACTER FIGURE WITH SPARKING MECHANISM having a doll supporting a pivotable arm and a spark-producing mechanism. The pivoting arm and spark-producing mechanism are moved simultaneously by a common drive system.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,394,766 issued to Johnson, et al. sets forth a ROBOTIC HUMAN TORSO which simulates the size, appearance and movements of a human torso. The torso includes a combination of high speed rotary and linear actuators arranged in a geometry that enable anatomically correct human-like movement.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,072 issued to Arad, et al. sets forth an IMAGE-PROJECTIVE TOY having a torso supporting a projecting lens in the frontal surface thereof. A light source within the torso produces a beam of light directed forwardly and outwardly through the projecting lens. A rotatable wheel within the torso supports a plurality of film segments movable by rotation thereof into alignment with the light beam and projecting lens. Rotation of the film wheel is accomplished by a rearwardly extending shaft and a knob supported at the rear of the torso.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,241 issued to Dyson, et al. sets forth a TOY FIGURE WITH MANUALLY OPERABLE INGESTION SYSTEM which simulates eating and digestion in response to movement of a rear supported lever.
Additional examples of early doll structures having movable limbs are found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,381,897 issued to Geller, U.S. Pat. No. 2,764,841 issued to Birbaum, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,147,566 issued to Liu Hong Ong.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved the doll and toy figure art and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved, interesting and amusing dolls and toy figures.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved doll or toy figure. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved doll or toy figure which utilizes a simple but effective manually actuatable mechanism for moving a limb or appendage.
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a doll comprising: a torso defining a rear surface having a slot formed therein, a shoulder socket and a torso interior; an arm having a ball end defining a slot, the ball end pivotably movable within the shoulder socket, an arm shaft having an outer end defining a shoulder flange received within the slot supporting the arm in the shoulder socket and an inner end extending inwardly into the torso interior, the inner end of the arm shaft defining an arm shaft ball; a traveler slidably movable within the torso interior having a lever extending rearwardly through the slot and an upper end defining a socket receiving the arm shaft ball, the traveler being movable between first and second positions causing the arm shaft to pivot between first and second angular positions; and a spring coupled to the traveler urging the traveler toward the first position, the traveler and the arm shaft cooperating to pivotally move the arm as the traveler is moved between the first and second positions and the arm shaft is pivoted between the first and second angular positions.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2381897 (1945-08-01), Geller
patent: 2764841 (1956-10-01), Birnbaum
patent: 3147566 (1964-09-01), Ong
patent: 3758982 (1973-09-01), Lemelson et al.
patent: 3955311 (1976-05-01), Lyons et al.
patent: 4069613 (1978-01-01), Lemelson et al.
patent: 4126961 (1978-11-01), Barlow et al.
patent: 4186518 (1980-02-01), Luke
patent: 4504241 (1985-03-01), Dyson et al.
patent: 4579542 (1986-04-01), Meyer et al.
patent: 4721489 (1988-01-01), Galoob
patent: 4723932 (1988-02-01), Kelley et al.
patent: 4802878 (1989-02-01), Terzian et al.
patent: 5334069 (1994-08-01), Liu
patent: 5394766 (1995-03
Ekstrand Roy A.
Mattel Inc.
Ricci John A.
LandOfFree
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