Crawl toy

• US 20040192159A1
• Filed: 09/18/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Little Tikes Company The
• Original Assignee: Little Tikes Company The
• Inventors: Armstrong, Daniel R., Temple, Kenneth
• Application Number:
  US10/666,436
• Publication Number:
  US 20040192159A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

A toy (10) convertible between a crawl mode and a remote-control mode. The toy (10) comprises a mobile body (12) and controller (14). Inputs (36, 38, 40) are housed in the controller (14) and are attached to the mobile body (12) while the toy (10) is in the crawl mode. These inputs provide a response (e.g., movement, audio stimulation) upon activation (e.g., manual touching) while the toy (10) is in the crawl mode. The controller (14) controls the mobile body (12) from a remote location while the toy (10) is in the remote-control mode.

Claims

1. A toy convertible between a crawl mode and a remote-control mode, said toy comprising:

a mobile body;

an input which is attached to the mobile body while the toy is in the crawl mode and which provides a response upon activation while the toy is in the crawl mode; and

a controller which controls the mobile body from a remote location while the toy is in the remote-control mode.

2. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the input is provided on the controller, and wherein the controller is attached to the mobile body while the toy is in the crawl mode.

3. A toy as set forth in claim 2, wherein the response comprises movement of the mobile body.

4. A toy as set forth in claim 2, wherein the response comprises generation of an audible output.

5. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the activation comprises manual touching of the input.

6. A toy as set forth in claim 1, comprising a plurality of inputs.

7. A toy as set forth in claim 6, wherein at least two of the plurality of inputs provides a different response while the toy is in the remote-control mode.

8. A toy as set forth in claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of inputs provides the same response while the toy is in the crawl mode.

9. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the toy is converted to the crawl mode when the mobile body and the controller are in a certain positional relationship, and wherein the toy is converted to the remote-control mode when the mobile body and the controller are displaced from this positional relationship.

10. A toy as set forth in claim 9, wherein the mobile body and the controller include mating members which, when mated, place the toy in the crawl mode and, when un-mated, place the toy in the remote-control mode.

11. A toy as set forth in claim 10, wherein mating members comprise a recess and a tab for receipt into the recess.

12. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein the mobile body comprises a base, an antenna attached to the top of the base, and movement-providing members attached to the bottom of the base.

13. A toy as set forth in claim 12, wherein the movement-providing members comprise rollers rotatably attached to the bottom of the base.

14. A toy as set forth in claim 12, wherein the controller comprises a ring-shaped member with a central opening through which the antenna can be inserted.

15. A toy as set forth in claim 14, wherein the input(s) comprise a plurality of buttons positioned on the radially outer surface of the ring-shaped member.

16. A method of playing with the toy set forth in claim 1, said method comprising the steps of:

placing the toy in the crawl mode, crawling towards the mobile body, and activating the input; and

placing the toy in the remote-control mode and using the controller to control the mobile body from a remote location.

17. A toy providing different outputs in response to different positional relationships of a child, said toy comprising:

a body;

a proximity sensor which senses when a child is in a first zone Z1 relative to the body and when a child is in a second zone Z2 relative to the body;

response-providing components which provide a first response output in response to the child entering the first zone Z1 and a second different response output in response to the child entering the second zone Z2.

18. A toy as set forth in claim 17, wherein the body comprises a base and movement-providing members attached to the base.

19. A toy as set forth in claim 18, wherein the movement-providing members comprise rollers rotatably attached to the bottom of the base.

20. A toy as set forth in claim 17, wherein the body comprises an antenna attached to the top of the base and wherein the proximity sensor is positioned within the antenna.

21. A toy as set forth in claim 17, wherein at least one of the response outputs is audio.

22. A toy as set forth in claim 21, wherein both of the response outputs is audio.

23. A toy as set forth in claim 17, wherein the response outputs are audio, visual, movement, or combinations thereof.

24. A toy as set forth in claim 17 wherein the first zone Z1 has a range which is greater than three inches and less than six inches away from the body and wherein the second zone Z2 is positioned between the body and the first zone Z1.