Amusement devices: toys – Figure toy or accessory therefor – Having mechanism or manipulatable means to move figure or...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-30
2001-04-03
Ackun, Jacob K. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices: toys
Figure toy or accessory therefor
Having mechanism or manipulatable means to move figure or...
C446S352000, C446S355000, C446S356000, C446S377000, C446S383000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06210249
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to mechanical animal-modeling as defined in the preamble of claim
1
.
Mechanical animal models and in particular mechanical dogs are known of which the fore legs and hind legs are mobile in such manner that the mechanical dog can move forward.
An electromechanically driven motional and walking mechanism is known from the German Patent document A1 43 33 866 as the basis for the manufacture of walking human and animal models. In this quasi robotic design, a hip and shoulder joint with its three degrees of freedom has modeled using several servomotors in series. However this apparatus incurs the drawback of being mechanically complex and costly. Moreover the implementation of forward motion by simulating the hip joint almost naturally requires dynamic equilibrium with corresponding difficult and computer-intensive control of the servomotors of all legs to prevent the animal model from falling down.
An electromechanically driven motional and walking mechanism is known from the German patent document A1 43 33 866 as the basis for the manufacture of walking human and animal models. In this quasi robotic design, a hip and shoulder joint with its three degrees of freedom has been modeled using several servomotors in series. However this apparatus incurs the drawback of being mechanically complex and costly.
Because of the feature of the invention that the first and second drive mechanism are rigidly configured relative to each other in a torso of the animal model, there is the advantage that the actions carried out by real animals, for instance dogs, can be simulated or played back in corresponding manner by the mechanical animal model. In especially advantageous manner, two mutually offset axes of rotation at one hind leg can simulate the leg-raising and corresponding relieving of the animal. Such relieving is carried out by a dog for instance to scent its territory. Moreover the apparatus of the invention advantageously offers an especially simple mechanical design with corresponding simplified selective mechanism control for a forward motion of the animal model with static equilibrium or to simulate a relieving action by the animal model with corresponding “leg-raising” without tipping over the animal model. Corresponding simplified selective mechanism control for a forward motion of the animal model with static equilibrium or to simulate a relieving action by the animal model with corresponding “leg-raising” without tipping over the animal model.
The function “dog relieving i.e., urination” can be especially realistically imitated in that the angle between the two axes of rotation be 90°. As a result the particular hind leg will be substantially raised laterally.
A mechanically and operationally reliable movement of the hind leg with two pivots is achieved in that the second drive mechanism drives a disk with a first cam slot. This cam slot is engaged by a first cam pin of a compensating lever supported at a pivot point and fitted with a second cam slot engaged by a second cam pin of a lever linking the at least one hind leg to its second picot, so that, when the disk is being rotated, the lever moves the hind leg to-and-fro about the second pivot by an angle predetermined by the first cam slot.
A second drive shaft is provided in the gearing unit of the first drive mechanism to provide other functions of the mechanical animal model, an actuator being affixed to said shaft which by means of head lever actuates a rotatable lower jaw, a movable tongue and/or a bellows at a head part.
Appropriately this drive means is a rotary disk with at least one salient cooperating with an end of the head part.
To selectively actuate the first or second drive mechanism of the first gearing unit, the latter comprises at least one shaft, displaceable into at least a first and second position, fitted with at least one gear, or a shaft with at least one gear displaceable into a first or second position, the particular gear transmitting in the first position a drive force to the first drive shaft and in the second position a drive force to the second drive shaft. For this purpose the shaft or the gear will be appropriately be spring-biased and be axially displaceable against the spring force.
In order to pass from actuation through the first drive mechanism to actuation through the second drive mechanism at accurately predetermined positions of the fore and hind legs, preferably a first switch is employed which automatically activates the second drive mechanism when commanded by an operator and deactivates the first drive mechanism.
To assure that the mechanical model shall remain stably erect on three legs—so that this model shall not fall down when the fourth leg is lifted—the first switch is positioned in such manner that it can be automatically actuated in a position of the fore legs wherein the fore leg diagonally opposite the hind leg to be actuated is vertically closer to the ground than the other fore leg and the other hind leg.
A second switch is preferably provided for a correspondingly defined switching reversal from the second to the first drive mechanism in order to deactivate the second drive mechanism as commanded by an operator and to activate the first drive mechanism.
Appropriately an operating system fitted with selection means controlled by an operator is provided to transmit to the first and to the second switch a command to actuate the first or the second drive mechanism. Illustratively the operating system wires the selection means to the switches. Preferably the selection means is three position switch, a first position deactivating the mechanical animal model, a second position transmitting a command to actuate the first drive mechanism and a third position a command to actuate the second drive mechanism. Preferably the operating system includes a power source to power the first and the second drive mechanism. In especially preferred manner, the power source is at least one battery and the operating system shall connect the power source by electrical lines to the switches and the drive mechanisms.
For life-like movements of the fore legs, these are eccentrically linked at the first pivot of the first gearing unit to a first drive shaft and they are also supported in rotatable manner at a third pivot distant from the first and are displaceable in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the fore legs.
To achieve a corresponding synchronized motion between the hind legs and the fore legs when moving forward, preferably a first lever is mounted in each case at the first eccentric pivot of each fore leg, the other end of this first lever in each case being connected to a second lever mounted at the first pivot of a particular hind leg.
To easily mechanically control the optimal actuation time of the second drive mechanism, a drive means for a first switch is provided in such manner at one of the first levers that the drive means can control the switch when the fore leg which is diagonally opposite the hind leg with the second pivot is vertically closer to the ground relative to the first drive shaft than the other fore leg and the other hind leg.
To imitate in a most life-like manner the function of the dog or animal relieving itself, a liquid container and a liquid hose from the container to the rear of the animal model are employed, a pump selectively driven by the second drive mechanism moving the liquid from the container to the rear. The liquid is discharged from an end of the liquid hose. Appropriately a second gearing unit having a shaft axially displaceable into a first position and a second position and fitted with at least one gear or a shaft having at least one gear displaceable axially into a first and second position is provided in the second drive mechanism to selectively control the raising of the hind leg or the liquid pump, the particular gear in the first position transmitting a drive force on a plunger of the liquid pump. The shaft or the gear are appropriately spring biased and are axially displaceable against the spring force.
REFERENC
Ackun Jacob K.
Lowe Hauptman & Gilman & Berner LLP
Miller Bena B.
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