Methods and systems for joints useable in toys

Details Methods and systems for joints useable in toys Methods and systems for joints useable in toys

1999-06-18

2002-02-12

Muir, D. Neal (Department: 3712)

Amusement devices: toys

Convertible from, or serving as diverse article

C446S487000, C403S114000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06346025

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to methods and systems for toys, and in particular to methods and systems for joints useable in toys.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Great efforts have been expended on making toys more fun and more stimulating. Typically, toys are either “reproductions” of real objects, such as jets, cars, and dolls, or are imagined-type objects, such as aliens, space ships, and the like. To make these toys more interesting to children, additional features have been added to toys to make them seem more active and real. For example, toys, such as dolls, have been equipped with devices for reproducing prerecorded or predetermined crying sounds. However, prior art toys still provide inadequate simulation of the reproduced object.
One disadvantage of conventional toy sound generation systems is that they simply play back a limited set of prerecorded sounds. Thus, for example, a toy doll may only be capable of reproducing a crying sound “waa,” a cooing sound “ooh,” and a the sound “mama” as well as a limited vocabulary of like sounds. Each sound is typically reproduced in response to a corresponding single type of stimuli. For example, the doll may play back a cooing sound in response to placing a bottle in the doll's mouth. Similarly, the doll may play back a laughing sound in response to being picked up. Thus, prior art toys are disadvantageously limited to reproducing a limited prerecorded or predetermined vocabulary of sounds in response to a corresponding single stimulus. This limitation greatly reduces toy realism, thus reducing the toy “fun factor.”
More sophisticated conventional toys generate realistic sounds in response to commands issued by a remote control unit. Thus, in a remote control toy car of this type, when a remote control commands the engine to accelerate, these commands or related internal motor control lines are monitored by sound generation equipment and a peelout sound is generated. However, toys of this type require motors which receive remote control commands in order for realistic sound generation to be accomplished. These motorized toys are disadvantageously expensive and are not suitable for younger children or for non-motorized, non-remote control applications.
Furthermore, those prior art toys that emit a sound in response to the movement of the toy or pressure on the toy typically incorporate very simple sensors that provide limited information. These sensors are often merely electrical contacts that close in response to pressure on one contact. The prior art toys lacked sensors which would impart information which could be used to deduce the acceleration or velocity of movement of a portion of a toy, such as the motion of a canon on a tank or the motion of the arm of a doll or action figure. Furthermore, the sensors used in prior art toys typically fail to impart information on the three dimensional, X,Y,Z motion of the toy or of a portion of the toy.
Another disadvantage of prior art toys, such as toy action figures, is their limited modularity. Thus, if an action figure includes electronic circuits for detecting pressure on the action figure or for producing audio signals, those electronics cannot be reused in another action figure. Thus, if a child has ten electronic action figures then the toy purchaser must wastefully pay for ten sets of electronics included in the corresponding action figures.
In addition, many prior art toys that include movable elements use joints that allow only limited ranges of motion.
SUMMARY OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention provides systems and methods for novel joints which may be used in toys, such as, by way of example, a toy tank, or a toy plane. In one embodiment, a joint is used to rotatably couple two wings to a fuselage of a toy plane so that each wing can be independently rotated at least part way around the fuselage. One embodiment of the joint includes a first substantially cylindrically shaped assembly rotatably positioned about the fuselage. A first wing is coupled to the first cylindrically shaped assembly, and a second cylindrically shaped assembly is rotatably positioned about the fuselage adjacent to the first cylinder. A second wing is coupled to the second cylindrically shaped assembly such that the first wing and the second wing can be rotated to be on opposing sides of the fuselage.
In another embodiment, a first toy portion is rotatably and pivotally coupled to a toy body. A second toy portion is also rotatably positioned about the toy body, so that the second toy portion can be rotated at least partly about the toy body. A third toy portion is rotatably positioned about the toy body so that the third toy portion can be rotated to a position opposite the second toy portion.
In yet another embodiment, a toy includes a first toy portion and a ball joint assembly, including a ball assembly and a socket assembly. The ball assembly is rotatatable and pivotable relative to the socket assembly. The socket assembly is coupled to the first toy portion. A shaft extends from the ball, and a second toy portion is coupled to the shaft so that the second toy portion can be pivoted and rotated relative to the first toy portion.
In still another embodiment, a joint is used to movably couple a first toy portion to a second toy portion. By way of example, the joint may include a housing coupleable to the first toy portion. A ball may be rotatably positioned in the housing, with a first yoke rotatably positioned about the ball. The first yoke may contain a slot, where the slot may be one of a variety of shapes, such as an oval, a round, or rectangular shape. A second yoke is rotatably positioned about the ball, the second yoke defining a second slot. A shaft coupleable to the second toy portion extends from at least one side of the ball through the first slot and the second slot, wherein the first yoke and the second yoke rotate at least partially about the ball when the shaft is moved in a first direction.


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