Plush animal figure having moving ears and nose

Details Plush animal figure having moving ears and nose Plush animal figure having moving ears and nose

2000-08-04

2002-04-16

Ackun, Jr., Jacob K. (Department: 3712)

Amusement devices: toys

Figure toy or accessory therefor

Having mechanism or manipulatable means to move figure or...

C446S298000, C446S300000, C446S369000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06371826

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to animated toy figures and particularly to those utilizing a plurality of movement mechanisms within a common internal housing.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Through the years, a wide variety of toy figures and dolls have been created for entertainment. Such toy figures and dolls have assumed shapes replicating humans, human infants, animals as well as fanciful characters. In their efforts to increase the amusement and play value of such toy figures and dolls, practitioner's in the art have created a variety of toy figures and dolls having movable features and are articulated bodies and limbs. In addition, such articulated and movable figures have been, in some instances, provided with motion energy sources such as wind-up motors or battery-driven electrical motors. A result has been to provide a variety of movable toy figures and dolls.
Another improvement in the continuing efforts of practitioner's in the toy arts to provide increased amusement and play value has been found in the creation of toy figures and dolls which respond to external stimulus. Practitioner's have, in such efforts, provided toy figures and dolls which respond to external stimulous such as sounds, touch or contact with external articles such as another doll or toy figure. Numerous examples of such movable and articulated toy figures and dolls responsive to stimulous are found in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,464 issued to Stern et al. sets forth a TOUCH RESPONSIVE ANIMATED TOY FIGURE having a four-legged plush animal supporting a movable head and an internal drive mechanism for providing angular movement of the head. An extendable tongue is supported within the head and extends and retracts as the head undergoes pivoting movement. A touch sensor is positioned at the animals upper back to trigger an operational interval each time child user touches the back of the toy figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,951 issued to Saigo et al. sets forth a movable toy animal having a toy figure resembling a bunny or the like supporting a motor driven internal movement mechanism. The movement mechanism is operatively coupled to a pair of movable ears and a movable nose. When operated, the ears and nose undergo a predetermined movement cycle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,087 issued to Terzian et al. sets forth a SOFT STUFFED TOY WITH MANUALLY DRIVEN HEAD, EARS AND/OR TONGUE carried in a flexible sling with the head of the figure exposed. The head includes animatable ears driven by rotation of the head relative to the body. In addition, the protuding movable tongue is driven by an actuator which also provides rotation of the head relative to the body.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,225 issued to Satoh et al. sets forth an INTERACTIVE TOY FIGURE WITH SOUND-ACTIVATED AND PRESSURE-ACTIVATED SWITCHES having a toy animal figure which resembles a kitten and which includes a multiply jointed rearwardly extending tail. A pullstring mechanism is operative within the tail under the drive of an internal battery-powered motor to cause wagging of the tail.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,137,371 issued to Marsh and U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,390 issued to Carroll set early examples of dolls and toy figures having movable appendages.
In a related art, a plurality of dolls have been provided which include speech or sound capabilities. These prior art devices are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,038 issued to Arad et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,428 issued to Curran; U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,602 issued to Rose; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,336 issued to Lebensfeld et al.
While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved the art and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless and continuing need in the art for evermore improved, interesting and amusing animal figures having movable components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved plush animal figure. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved plush animal figure having moving ears and nose utilizing a compact and efficient movement mechanism.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a plush toy comprising: a plush animal body having a head, a pair of ears, a nose, a torso and a plurality of legs; a pair of elongated ear paddles within the ears, each of the ear paddle having an interior ear paddle end; an elongated nose paddle extending through the head and into the nose, the nose paddle defining a nose paddle interior end; a pair of ear paddle supports coupled to the interior ear paddle ends pivotably supporting the pair of ears for movement between raised and lowered ear positions; a nose paddle support coupled to the nose paddle interior end pivotably supporting the nose paddle between a raised position and a lowered position; a housing supported within the torso supporting the pair of ear paddle supports and the nose paddle support; a battery supply and reversible motor supported within the housing and a gear drive operatively coupling the reversible motor to the nose paddle support and the pair of ear paddle supports moving the ear paddles and the nose paddle between the respective raised and lowered ear positions and the raised and lowered nose position; a pair of reversing switches supported within the housing operative in response to movement of the pair of ear supports to reverse the motor at the raised and lowered ear positions; and a switch within the plush animal body actuated in response pressure to energize the motor.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2137371 (1938-11-01), Marsh
patent: 3014309 (1961-12-01), Carroll
patent: 4516951 (1985-05-01), Saigo et al.
patent: 4582499 (1986-04-01), Saigo et al.
patent: 4699603 (1987-10-01), Saigo et al.
patent: 4840602 (1989-06-01), Rose
patent: 4923428 (1990-05-01), Curran
patent: 4944708 (1990-07-01), Kawabe
patent: 5141464 (1992-08-01), Stern et al.
patent: 5267886 (1993-12-01), Wood et al.
patent: 5304087 (1994-04-01), Terzian et al.
patent: 5324225 (1994-06-01), Satoh et al.
patent: 5374216 (1994-12-01), Jung et al.
patent: 5376038 (1994-12-01), Arad et al.
patent: 5607336 (1997-03-01), Lebensfeld et al.
patent: 6123598 (2000-09-01), Cook

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