Feature-altering toy

• US 20040127140A1
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Published: 07/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Cheng, Bryan, Kelly, Emily, Marine, Jon C., McGrath, Tara
• Granted Patent: US 7,384,325 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/268
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/00 Toy figures with self-moving parts, with or without movement of the toy as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/005 with self-moving head or facial features with a choice of features A63H3/365; movable eyes A63H3/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/22 Electric drives power supply through track A63H18/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/36 Details; Accessories

Abstract

One example of a toy system includes a first body, at least one accessory having an activation feature, at least one mechanism adapted to alter the first body, and a first sensor adapted to sense the activation feature and to activate selectively the at least one mechanism when the activation feature is sensed. The body may include first and second body elements that are moveable relative to each other, a drive element, and a sensor mounted relative to the body and adapted to be activated by a user. The second body element may also have a characteristic that is changeable. A first mechanism may have a plurality of operative states, and a function may be controlled based on the operating state.

Claims

1. A toy system comprising:

a first body;

at least one accessory having an activation feature;

at least one first mechanism adapted to alter the first body; and

a first sensor adapted to sense the activation feature and to activate selectively the at least one first mechanism when the activation feature is sensed.

2. The toy system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is mounted relative to the body and the body has a support adapted to support the accessory with the activation feature sensed by the sensor.

3. The toy system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of different ones of the at least one accessory, the first sensor being adapted to detect the different accessories, the toy system further comprising a controller coupled to the mechanism assembly and to the sensor, and adapted to control operation of the mechanism assembly differently when the sensor detects different accessories.

4. The toy system of claim 1, wherein the first body further comprises a first body element and a second body element, and the first mechanism is driven by a motor assembly and adapted to move the first body element relative to the second body element, wherein the motor assembly is controlled by the sensor.

5. The toy system of claim 4, further comprising a controller responsive to the relative position of the first and second body elements and adapted to control operation of the motor assembly in a manner corresponding to the position of the first body element relative to the second body element.

6. The toy system of claim 1, wherein the at least one accessory forms a second body and includes at least one second mechanism adapted to alter the second body.

7. The toy system of claim 6, wherein the accessory has a second sensor adapted to sense activation of the at least one first mechanism and to activate the at least one second mechanism when the activation of the at least one first mechanism is sensed.

8. The toy system of claim 1, wherein the body has at least one chamber having an outwardly opening aperture and an extensible member supported in the chamber and adapted to be urged through the aperture by the at least one first mechanism.

9. A toy comprising:

a body including first and second body elements, the first and second body elements being movable relative to each other and the second body element having a characteristic that is changeable;

a drive element;

a sensor mounted relative to the body and adapted to be activated by a user;

a first mechanism activated by the sensor when the sensor is activated and mounted relative to the first body element and the drive element, the first mechanism being adapted to move the drive element relative to the second body element, and to move the second body element relative to the first body element during movement of the drive element; and

a second mechanism mounted relative to the second body element, adapted to perform a function on the characteristic of the second body element in response to movement of the drive element.

10. The toy of claim 9, further comprising an accessory wherein the sensor is activated by manipulation of the accessory relative to the sensor.

11. The toy of claim 10, wherein the body has a support adapted to support the accessory and the sensor is activated by placement of the accessory in the support.

12. The toy of claim 9, wherein the body has at least one chamber having an outwardly opening aperture and an extensible member supported in the chamber and adapted to move through the aperture.

13. The toy of claim 12, wherein the second mechanism is adapted to urge the extensible member through the aperture.

14. A toy comprising:

a body having a first body element and a second body element;

a first mechanism mounted relative to the body and having a plurality of operative states; and

a second mechanism configured to perform a first function corresponding to the state of the first mechanism.

15. The toy of claim 14, wherein at least one of the operative states moves the first body element to a first position relative to the second body element.

16. The toy of claim 14, wherein the first mechanism is adapted to move the first body element to a second position, and the second mechanism is configured to perform a second function when the first body element is moved to the second position.

17. The toy of claim 16, further comprising a controller adapted to select a sound file from a plurality of sound files in response to the first body element position.

18. The toy of claim 14, further comprising a sensor mounted relative to the body and adapted to be activated by a user to control the first mechanism.

19. The toy of claim 18, further comprising an accessory, wherein the sensor is activated by manipulation of the accessory relative to the sensor.

20. The toy of claim 14, further comprising a motor assembly adapted to drive the first mechanism and a controller configured to control operation of the motor assembly based on the position of the first body element relative to the second body element.

21. The toy of claim 14, wherein the body has an aperture and houses an extensible member supported in the body that is urged through the aperture by the second mechanism.

22. A toy system comprising:

a body having a plurality of body elements, wherein at least one first body element has an inner chamber and an outwardly extending aperture;

an extensible member supported relative to the first body element; and

a body-altering assembly adapted to urge selectively the extensible member through the aperture while rotating the extensible member.

23. The toy system of claim 22, further comprising a sensor mounted relative to the body, coupled to the body-altering assembly, and adapted to be activated by a user, the body-altering assembly being activated when the sensor is activated by a user.

24. The toy system of claim 23, wherein the body-altering assembly includes a motor assembly adapted to move the first body element relative to a second body element, wherein the motor assembly is controlled by the sensor.

25. The toy system of claim 24, further comprising a controller responsive to the relative position of the first and second body elements and adapted to control operation of the motor assembly in a manner corresponding to the position of the first body element relative to the second body element.

26. The toy system of claim 23, further comprising an accessory adapted to be manipulated in a given manner by a user, wherein the sensor is activated when the accessory is manipulated in the given manner.

27. The toy system of claim 26, further comprising a plurality of different ones of the accessories, the sensor being adapted to detect the different accessories, the toy system further comprising a controller coupled to the body-altering assembly and to the sensor, and adapted to control operation of the body-altering assembly differently when the sensor detects different accessories.

28. A toy comprising:

a body including first and second body elements, the first and second body elements being moveable relative to each other and the second body element having a characteristic that is changeable;

a drive element;

a plurality of different accessories;

a sensor mounted relative to the body and adapted to detect the plurality of different accessories;

a first mechanism activated by the sensor when the sensor is activated and mounted relative to the first body element and the drive element, the first mechanism being adapted to move the drive element relative to the second body, and to move the second body element relative to the first body element during movement of the drive element;

a controller coupled to the first mechanism and to the sensor, and adapted to control operation of the first mechanism differently when the sensor detects the different accessories; and

a second mechanism mounted relative to the second body element, adapted to change the characteristic of the second body element in response to movement of the drive element.

29. A toy comprising:

a body including at least a first body element having a characteristic that is changeable, the body further having a chamber with an outwardly opening aperture;

an extensible member supported relative to the first body element; and

a first mechanism mounted relative to the first body element and adapted to perform a function upon the characteristic by urging the extensible member through the aperture.

30. The toy of claim 29, further comprising a second mechanism mounted relative to a second body element and adapted to move a drive element relative to the second body element, wherein the drive element drives the first mechanism.

31. The toy of claim 30, wherein the second body element is adapted to rotate the drive element.

32. The toy of claim 31, wherein the first mechanism rotates in tandem with the drive element such that the extensible member alternately winds and unwinds, wherein unwinding urges the extensible member through the aperture during rotation of the first member.