Toy with moving parts

Details Toy with moving parts Toy with moving parts

1999-05-17

2001-02-27

Muir, D. Neal (Department: 3712)

Amusement devices: toys

Figure toy or accessory therefor

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

C446S134000, C446S136000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06193581

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention which is the subject of this application relates to a toy having a play environment for an article thereon and particularly to a toy of relatively small scale wherein a small scale article can be moved around the environment as the child wishes.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The provision of environments for articles depicting humans, animals or imaginary figures is well known as being attractive to children. The ability to have moving parts in said environments is also well known although typically the parts are required to be moved by the child and the article is then moved in relation to the parts by the child. The ability to move the parts does add to the childs enjoyment of the toy but does not provide a satisfactory realism to the toy as the child is required to manipulate the movable parts.
In an effort to overcome this problem it is known to have toys with mechanically movable parts however these parts are typically sprung or otherwise actuated and are required to be activated by the child pushing or moving a switch on the toy. Again therefore the parts are only movable by intervention of the child and again the realism of the toy is diluted.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the current invention is to provide a toy with an article which can be moved around the environment depicted on the toy without the need for physical contact with the article and to provide the toy with movable objects which move upon actuation by control means for the article thereby creating the effect that the objects are moving independently and/or the article is causing the objects to move and not the child.
The invention in a first aspect comprises a toy, said toy having an article which is movable along a play base, said article movement actuated and controlled by control means and the play base includes mounted thereon at least one movable object and wherein the object is movable when the article is moved into proximity to the same by contact of the control means with actuating means connected to the said object.
In one embodiment the control means and actuating means are provided on the underside of the play base and hidden from view external of the toy such that the actuating contact with the actuating means takes place out of sight.
Typically, in one embodiment, the control means includes a housing in which is provided a magnet which in conjunction with at least one magnet in the article creates a magnetic filed which causes the article to move as the housing is moved. This arrangement is described in detail in the applicant's co-pending application. As the housing moves so it and the actuating means are arranged to contact prior to the article on the upper side of the play base reaching the object to which the actuating means are connected to move.
It is possible that in other embodiments of control means no housing or magnet is provided but in whichever embodiment the control means are provided with a contact means which contacts with the actuating means prior to the article reaching the object to which the actuating means are connected.
In one embodiment when the control means and actuating means are in contact, continued movement of the control means relative to the actuating means can be used to cause continued movement of the object and thereby create a desired movement effect of the object connected to the actuating means.
By providing contact of the control means with the actuating means on the underside of the play base prior to the article reaching the movable object on the upper side of the play base so the visual appearance of the toy in use is that the object has either moved of its own accord or, if the proximity of the article to the object at the instant of movement is relatively close, the appearance can be created that the article has in fact caused the object to move. When one considers that the article can be a scale model of a child or adult the effect of the model moving an object is considerable and greatly increases the realism of the toy to the child playing with same.
The actuating means can typically be of any suitable mechanical arrangement and can include lever arms, gearing arrangements to increase or decrease the effect of the contact and/or relative movement of the actuating means and control means on the movement of the object and resilient biasing members to cause the objects to move back to a particular position when contact between the control means and the actuating means ceases. It should therefore be appreciated that any suitable mechanical arrangement can be provided to suit the characteristic of movement of the particular object to which the actuating means are connected.
In a further embodiment the control means and/or actuating means may include electrical contact means such that when contact is made between the same an electrical effect is created, perhaps visually on the object and/or audibly. In this arrangement the toy will also include a power cell or can be connected to an external electricity supply.
In whichever embodiment it is preferred that the toy include a plurality of movable objects mounted on the play base and said objects can be movable in any direction determined by the actuating means therefore.


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