Educational toy with actuators and correlated audible and visual output

• US 20050048459A1
• Filed: 08/29/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Keller, John, Hayes, Christopher J., Sonner, Robert J., Gubitosi, Domenic T., Nissen, Erica
• Application Number:
  US10/651,240
• Publication Number:
  US 20050048459A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/342
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/062 Combinations of audio and printed presentations, e.g. magnetically striped cards, talking books, magnetic tapes with printed texts thereon

Abstract

The invention includes a body defining a viewing aperture. An opaque substrate bearing a first image and a second image is disposed within the body and is movable between a first position in which the first image is disposed within the viewing aperture and a second position in which the second image is disposed within the viewing aperture. An output generator is coupled to the body and is configured to generate a first output associated with the first image when the substrate is disposed in the first position and a second output associated with the second image when the substrate is disposed in the second position.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a body defining a viewing aperture;

an opaque substrate bearing a first image and a second image, said opaque substrate disposed within said body and movable between a first position in which said first image is disposed within said viewing aperture and a second position in which said second image is disposed within said viewing aperture; and

an output generator coupled to said body, said output generator configured to generate a first output associated with said first image when said substrate is disposed in the first position and a second output associated with said second image when said substrate is disposed in the second position.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said substrate further bears a third image and is further movable to a third position in which said third image is disposed within said viewing aperture; and

said output generator is further configured to generate a third output associated with said third image when said substrate is disposed in the third position.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an actuator coupled to said body, said actuator being coupled to said substrate and configured to move said substrate between the first, second and third positions.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, said substrate being a flexible sheet, said apparatus further comprising:

a supply spool coupled to said body, a portion of said substrate being wound about said supply spool.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a take-up spool, a portion of said substrate being wound about said take-up spool, such that when said substrate is in the first position, at least a portion of said second image is disposed on said supply spool, and when said substrate is in the second position, at least a portion of said first image is disposed on said take-up spool.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, said substrate being a flexible sheet formed as a continuous loop, the apparatus further comprising:

a first roller; and

a second roller, said substrate being disposed on said first roller and said second roller such that movement of at least one of said first roller and said second roller causes movement of said substrate.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an input device coupled to the output generator, said input device being configured to cause said output generator to output a third output associated with said first image, different from said first output, when said substrate is in said first position.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said input device is a first input device, the apparatus further comprising:

a second input device coupled to the output generator, said second input device configured to cause said output generator to output a fourth output associated with said first image, different from said first output and said third output, when said substrate is in said first position.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said output generator is configured to generate said first output in association with movement of said substrate to said first position.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an input device configured to cause said output generator to produce said first output.

11. A method, comprising:

disposing a first image in a viewable position, said first image being disposed on an opaque substrate;

producing a first sensory output associated with said first image;

disposing the first image in a non-viewable position;

disposing a second image in a viewable position, said second image being disposed on the opaque substrate; and

producing a second sensory output associated with the second image.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

disposing the second image in a non-viewable position;

disposing a third image in a viewable position, said third image being disposed on the opaque substrate; and

producing a third sensory output associated with the third image.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein dispensing the first image in a viewable position includes disposing the first image in a viewable position using an actuator.

14. The method of claim 11, the substrate being a flexible substrate, the method further comprising:

dispensing an image-bearing portion of the substrate from a supply spool, the image-bearing portion bearing at least the first image.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein producing the first sensory output is associated with movement if the substrate to the viewable position.

16. An apparatus, comprising:

a body;

a first opaque substrate bearing a first image and coupled to said body for movement between a viewable position in which said first image is viewable and a hidden position in which said first image is not viewable;

a second opaque substrate bearing a second image and coupled to said body for movement between a viewable position in which said second image is viewable and a hidden position in which said second image is not viewable; and

an output generator coupled to said body and configured to generate a first output associated with said first image when said first substrate is disposed in said viewable position and a second output associated with said second image when said second substrate is disposed in said viewable position.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein said first and second substrate are adjacent to one another.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first and second substrate form a continuous substrate.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising:

a first roller; and

a second roller, said continuous substrate being a continuous loop disposed on said first and second rollers, such that movement of said rollers causes movement of said continuous substrate.

20. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein said output generator configured to generate the first output in association with movement of said first substrate to said viewable position.

21. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising an input device configured to cause said output generator to generate the first output.

22. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising:

an actuator coupled to said body, said actuator being coupled to said substrate and configured to move said substrate between the first, second and third positions.

23. The apparatus of claim 16, said substrate being a flexible sheet, the apparatus further comprising:

a supply spool coupled to said body at least a portion of said substrate being wound about said supply spool.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, further comprising:

a take-up spool, at least a portion of said substrate being wound about said take-up spool, such that when said substrate is in the first position, at least a portion of said second image is disposed on said supply spool, and when said substrate is in the second position, at least a portion of said first image is disposed on said take-up spool.