Interactive coloring toy

• US 20030162474A1
• Filed: 12/31/2002
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tek Nek Toys International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Tek Nek Toys International Incorporated
• Inventors: Mucaro, Damian, Horchler, Jack
• Application Number:
  US10/334,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20030162474A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: B43M 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 11/00 Teaching hand-writing, shorthand, drawing, or painting
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 17/003 electrically operated apparatus or devices

Abstract

An interactive toy. The toy includes a housing, a pin supported by the housing and a first coloring sheet having a portion alignable with the pin to facilitate conduction of a signal. A second coloring sheet has a portion alignable with the pin to prevent conduction of the signal. The toy also includes a sensor operable to determine if the signal is conducted and a switch having an actuated condition. A controller is operable to output a first output signal when the signal is conducted and the switch is in the actuated condition, and a second output signal when the signal is not conducted and the switch is in the actuated condition. The first coloring sheet is erasable and reusable. The housing includes a marker stand, an eraser holder and a drawer for storing markers and cover sheets.

Claims

1. An interactive toy comprising:

a housing;

a pin supported by the housing;

a first sheet having a portion alignable with the pin to facilitate conduction of a signal;

a second sheet having a portion alignable with the pin to prevent conduction of the signal;

a sensor operable to determine if the signal is conducted;

a switch having an actuated condition; and

a controller operable to output a first output signal when the signal is conducted and the switch is in the actuated condition and a second output signal when the signal is not conducted and the switch is in the actuated condition.

2. The toy of claim 1, wherein the first sheet is a first coloring sheet.

3. The toy of claim 2, further comprising a coloring surface at least partially surrounded by the housing, the first coloring sheet and the second sheet being selectively supported on the coloring surface.

4. The toy of claim 3, wherein the switch is located beneath the coloring surface.

5. The toy of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a registration aid operable to selectively position and align the portion of one of the first sheet and the second sheet with the pin.

6. The toy of claim 1, further comprising a movable member having a conductor and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein, when the movable member is in the closed position, the conductor is electrically connectable with the pin to conduct the signal.

7. The toy of claim 6, further comprising a coloring surface at least partially surrounded by the housing, the first sheet and the second sheet being selectively supported on the coloring surface, and wherein the movable member includes a coloring housing that surrounds the coloring surface.

8. The toy of claim 1, further comprising a second pin selectively electrically connectable to the first-mentioned pin such that, when the second pin is electrically connected to the first-mentioned pin, the sensor detects the signal and, when the second pin is not electrically connected to the first-mentioned pin, the sensor does not detect the signal.

9. The toy of claim 8, wherein, when the signal is detected, the controller outputs the first output signal upon actuation of the switch and, when the signal is not detected, the controller outputs the second output signal upon actuation of the switch.

10. The toy of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of second pins, each of the plurality of second pins being selectively electrically connectable with the first-mentioned pin, at least one of the plurality of second pins electrically connected to the first-mentioned pin conducting a first magnitude pin signal, remaining ones of the plurality of second pins not electrically connected to the first-mentioned pin conducting a second magnitude pin signal.

11. The toy of claim 10, wherein the pin signals define an array, wherein the magnitude of the pin signals define an array condition, and wherein the controller outputs one of a plurality of output signals based on the array condition.

12. The toy of claim 1, wherein each sheet includes an indicator positioned to show the location of the switch.

13. The toy of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of switches, each of the plurality of switches being operable to initiate output of a plurality of output signals by the controller.

14. The toy of claim 1, wherein the portion of the first sheet includes a perforation through which the pin at least partially protrudes.

15. The toy of claim 1, wherein the portion of the second sheet is not perforated.

16. The toy of claim 2, further comprising a storage drawer, the storage drawer being slidably attached to the hosing for storing the first coloring sheet.

17. The toy of claim 2, further comprising a marker stand that is mounted on the housing for holding markers, which can be used color the first coloring sheet.

18. The toy of claim 2, further comprising an eraser holder that is mounted on the frame.

19. An interactive coloring toy comprising:

a housing;

a first pin electrically connected to a fixed voltage;

a second pin;

a sensor electrically connected to the second pin and operable to detect one of the presence and the absence of the fixed voltage;

a first coloring sheet having a portion alignable with the first pin and the second pin to facilitate electrical connection of the first pin to the second pin;

a second coloring sheet having a portion alignable with the first pin and the second pin to insulate the first pin from the second pin;

a switch having an actuated condition; and

a controller operable to output a first output signal when the sensor detects the presence of the fixed voltage and the switch is in the actuated condition and a second output signal when the sensor detects the absence of the fixed voltage and the switch is in the actuated condition.

20. The toy of claim 19, wherein the housing defines a registration aid operable to position and align the portion of one of the first coloring sheet and the second coloring sheet with the first pin and the second pin.

21. The toy of claim 19, further comprising a movable member having a conductor and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein, when the movable member is in the closed position, the conductor is electrically connectable with the first pin and the second pin.

22. The toy of claim 19, wherein, when the second pin is connected to the fixed voltage, the controller outputs the first output signal upon actuation of the switch and, when the second pin is not connected to the fixed voltage, the controller outputs the second output signal upon actuation of the switch.

23. The toy of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of second pins, each of the plurality of second pins being selectively electrically connectable with the first pin, at least one of the plurality of second pins electrically connected to the first pin conducting a first magnitude pin signal, remaining ones of the plurality of second pins not electrically connected to the first pin conducting a second magnitude pin signal.

24. The toy of claim 23, wherein the pin signals define an array, wherein the magnitude of the pin signals define an array condition, and wherein the controller outputs one of a plurality of output signals based on the array condition.

25. The toy of claim 19, further comprising a coloring surface at least partially surrounded by the housing, and wherein the switch is located beneath the coloring surface.

26. The toy of claim 19, wherein each coloring sheet includes an indicator positioned to show the location of the switch.

27. The toy of claim 19, further comprising a plurality of switches, each of the plurality of switches being operable to initiate output of a plurality of output signals by the controller.

28. The toy of claim 19, wherein the portion of the first coloring sheet includes a first perforation through which the first pin at least partially protrudes and a second perforation through which the second pin at least partially protrudes.

29. The toy of claim 28, wherein the portion of the second coloring sheet does not includes at least one of the first perforation and the second perforation.

35. The toy of claim 27, further comprising a plurality of second pins, each of the plurality of second pins being selectively electrically connectable with the first-mentioned pin, at least one of the plurality of second pins electrically connected to the first-mentioned pin conducting a first magnitude pin signal, remaining ones of the plurality of second pins not electrically connected to the first-mentioned pin conducting a second magnitude pin signal.

30. An interactive coloring toy comprising:

a housing;

a pin;

a conductor;

a first coloring sheet defining a perforation alignable with the pin to allow the pin to contact the conductor;

a second coloring sheet having a portion alignable with the pin to prevent the pin from contacting the conductor;

a sensor operable to determine if the pin is in contact with the conductor;

a switch having an actuated condition; and

a controller operable to output a first output signal when the sensor determines the pin is in contact with the conductor and the switch is in the actuated condition and a second output signal when the sensor determines the pin is not in contact with the conductor and the switch is in the actuated condition.

31. The toy of claim 30, wherein the housing defines a registration aid operable to selectively position and align the portion of one of the first coloring sheet and the second coloring sheet with the pin.

32. The toy of claim 30, further comprising a movable member movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein, when the movable member is in the closed position, the conductor is electrically connectable with the pin.

33. The toy of claim 30, further comprising a second pin selectively electrically connectable to the first-mentioned pin such that, when the second pin is electrically connected to the first-mentioned pin, the sensor detects a signal having a first magnitude and, when the second pin is not electrically connected to the first-mentioned pin, the sensor detects a signal having a second magnitude.

34. The toy of claim 33, wherein, when the signal has a first magnitude, the controller outputs the first output signal upon actuation of the switch and, when the signal has a second magnitude, the controller outputs the second signal upon actuation of the switch.

36. The toy of claim 32, wherein the pin signals define an array, wherein the magnitude of the pin signals define an array condition, and wherein the controller outputs one of a plurality of output signals based on the array condition.

37. The toy of claim 30, further comprising a coloring surface at least partially surrounded by the housing, and wherein the switch is located beneath the coloring surface.

38. The toy of claim 30, wherein each coloring sheet includes an indicator positioned to show the location of the switch.

39. The toy of claim 30, further comprising a plurality of switches, each of the plurality of switches being operable to initiate output of a plurality of output signals by the controller.

40. A method of selecting an output signal based on a selection of a sheet, the method comprising the acts of:

positioning a sheet on a housing such that a portion of the sheet aligns with a pin;

determining if the pin is connected to a constant voltage;

actuating a switch to an actuated position;

outputting a first output signal when the pin is connected to the constant voltage and the switch is in the actuated condition and a second output signal when the pin is not connected to the constant voltage and the switch is in the actuated condition.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the sheet is a coloring sheet, and wherein the method further comprises the act of coloring on the coloring sheet.

42. The method of claim 40, further comprising the act of aligning the sheet with a registration aid to position the sheet on the housing.

43. The method of claim 40, further comprising the act of aligning a perforation defined by the portion of the sheet with the pin such that the pin protrudes through the perforation and is connected to the constant voltage.

44. The method of claim 40, further comprising, before the determining act, the act of connecting the pin to the constant voltage, and wherein the outputting act includes the act of outputting the first output signal when the switch is actuated.

45. The method of claim 40, further comprising the act of moving a movable member supporting a conductor to a position in which the conductor is electrically connectable with the pin.