Expression mechanism for a toy, such as a doll, having fixed or movable eyes

• US 20050287913A1
• Filed: 06/01/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fredric Ellman, Julius Ellman, Lawrence Mass, Steven Ellman
• Original Assignee: Fredric Ellman, Julius Ellman, Lawrence Mass, Steven Ellman
• Inventors: Mass, Lawrence, Ellman, Julius, Ellman, Steven, Ellman, Fredric
• Granted Patent: US 7,322,874 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/384
• 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 3/365 allowing a choice of facial features, e.g. to change the facial expression change of expression through animation A63H3/48, self-moving A63H13/005; movable eyes A63H3/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/40 movable
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/48 Mounting of parts within dolls, e.g. automatic eyes or parts for animation self-moving A63H13/00

Abstract

An expression mechanism for a toy having a lower lip, a cheek and an eye, includes a support frame, a lip lever pivotally connected to the support frame for engaging the lower lip of a toy, a cheek lever pivotally connected to the support frame for engaging a cheek of the toy, an eye linkage for opening or closing the eye of the toy, and a motor for actuating one of the lip and cheek levers to cause the toy to simulate a facial expression. The lip and cheek levers are interconnected in a manner that when the cheek lever pivots in one direction, the lip lever pivots in a generally opposite direction. The expression mechanism causes the toy to assume various facial expressions, including, but not limited to, smile, frown, and neutral.

Claims

1. An expression mechanism for a toy having a lower lip, a cheek and an eye, comprising:

a) a first member for engaging the lower lip of a toy;

b) a second member in pivotable engagement with said first member for engaging a cheek of the toy;

c) a third member for opening or closing the eye of the toy; and

d) a motor for actuating one of said first and second members to cause the toy to simulate a facial expression.

2. The expression mechanism of claim 1, wherein:

a) said first member comprises a lip lever including first and second end portions; and

b) said second member comprises a cheek lever including first and second end portions.

3. The expression mechanism of claim 2, further comprising:

a) a cam assembly operable by said motor;

b) said cam assembly including an output arm; and

c) said output arm being in operable engagement with said cheek lever.

4. The expression mechanism of claim 3, wherein:

a) one of said first and second end portions of said cheek lever includes a cam for engaging said output arm.

5. The expression mechanism of claim 4, wherein:

a) one of said first and second end portions of said lip lever is pivotally connected to the other of said first and second end portions of said cheek lever.

6. The expression mechanism of claim 4, wherein:

a) said cheek lever is generally U-shaped with a first opening;

b) said lip lever is generally U-shaped with a second opening, and;

c) said cheek and lip levers are connected in a manner that the first and second openings face each other.

7. The expression mechanism of claim 6, wherein:

a) the first opening is wider than the second opening such that said lip lever is positioned inwardly of said cheek lever.

8. The expression mechanism of claim 4, wherein:

a) said cam comprises a generally arcuate slot.

9. The expression mechanism of claim 3, wherein:

a) said motor actuates said one of first and second members, and said third member.

10. The expression mechanism of claim 9, wherein:

a) said third member comprises an eye linkage;

b) said cam assembly comprises a cam; and

c) said eye linkage comprises an eye arm for engaging said cam.

11. The expression mechanism of claim 10, wherein:

a) said cam comprises a cam surface; and

b) said eye arm is in sliding engagement with said cam surface.

12. The expression mechanism of claim 10, wherein:

a) said cam includes first and second sections extending in first and second planes, respectively.

13. The expression mechanism of claim 12, wherein:

a) said first and second planes extend generally at a right angle to each other.

14. The expression mechanism of claim 11, wherein:

a) said eye linkage comprises first and second end portions;

b) one of said first and second end portions of said eye linkage includes said eye arm; and

c) the other of said first and second end portions of said eye linkage is in operable engagement with the eye.

15. The expression mechanism of claim 14, wherein:

a) said cam surface comprises a peak region and a valley region corresponding to the opening and closing positions of the eye, respectively.

16. The expression mechanism of claim 15, wherein:

a) said cam surface comprises a region corresponding to a blinking position of the eye.

17. The expression mechanism of claim 10, wherein:

a) said motor operates said output arm and said cam generally simultaneously to cause the toy to simulate at least one facial expression selected from the group consisting of smile, frown, sleeping, neutral, and a combination thereof.

18. The expression mechanism of claim 17, wherein:

a) the eye is generally closed in the frown position.

19. The expression mechanism of claim 17, wherein:

a) said motor comprises a servo motor.

20. A toy comprising the expression mechanism of claim 1.

21. An expression mechanism for a toy having a lower lip, a cheek and an eye, comprising:

a) a support frame;

b) a lip lever pivotally connected to said support frame for engaging the lower lip of a toy;

c) a cheek lever pivotally connected to said support frame for engaging a cheek of the toy;

d) an eye linkage for opening or closing the eye of the toy;

e) a motor for actuating one of said lip and cheek levers to cause the toy to simulate a facial expression; and

f) said lip and cheek levers being interconnected in a manner that when said cheek lever pivots in one direction said lip lever pivots in a generally opposite directions.

22. The expression mechanism of claim 21, wherein:

a) said lip lever includes first and second end portions; and

b) said cheek lever includes first and second end portions.

23. The expression mechanism of claim 22, further comprising:

a) a cam assembly operable by said motor;

b) said cam assembly including an output arm; and

c) said output arm being in operable engagement with said cheek lever.

24. The expression mechanism of claim 23, wherein:

a) one of said first and second end portions of said cheek lever includes a cam for engaging said output arm.

25. The expression mechanism of claim 24, wherein:

a) one of said first and second end portions of said lip lever is pivotally connected to the other of said first and second end portions of said cheek lever.

26. The expression mechanism of claim 24, wherein:

a) said cheek lever is generally U-shaped with a first opening;

b) said lip lever is generally U-shaped with a second opening, and;

c) said cheek and lip levers are connected in a manner that the first and second openings face each other.

27. The expression mechanism of claim 26, wherein:

a) the first opening is wider than the second opening such that said lip lever is positioned inwardly of said cheek lever.

28. The expression mechanism of claim 24, wherein:

a) said cam comprises a generally arcuate slot.

29. The expression mechanism of claim 23, wherein:

a) said motor actuates said one of said lip and cheek levers, and said eye linkage.

30. The expression mechanism of claim 29, wherein:

a) said cam assembly comprises a cam; and

b) said eye linkage comprises an eye arm for engaging said cam.

31. The expression mechanism of claim 30, wherein:

a) said cam comprises a cam surface; and

b) said eye arm is in sliding engagement with said surface.

32. The expression mechanism of claim 30, wherein:

a) said cam includes first and second sections extending in first and second planes, respectively.

33. The expression mechanism of claim 32, wherein:

a) said first and second planes extend generally at a right angle to each other.

34. The expression mechanism of claim 31, wherein:

a) said eye linkage comprises first and second end portions;

b) one of said first and second end portions of said eye linkage includes said eye arm; and

c) the other of said first and second end portions of said eye linkage is in operable engagement with the eye.

35. The expression mechanism of claim 34, wherein:

a) said cam surface comprises a peak region and a valley region corresponding to the opening and closing positions of the eye, respectively.

36. The expression mechanism of claim 35, wherein:

a) said cam surface comprises a region corresponding to a blinking position of the eye.

37. The expression mechanism of claim 30, wherein:

a) said motor operates said output arm and said cam generally simultaneously to cause the toy to simulate at least one facial expression selected from the group consisting of smile, frown, sleeping, neutral, and a combination thereof.

38. The expression mechanism of claim 37, wherein:

a) the eye is generally closed in the frown position.

39. The expression mechanism of claim 37, wherein:

a) said motor comprises a servo motor.

40. A toy comprising the expression mechanism of claim 21.

41. An expression mechanism for a toy having a lower lip and a cheek, comprising:

a) a lip lever for engaging the lower lip of a toy;

b) a cheek lever for engaging a cheek of the toy;

c) a motor for actuating one of said lip and cheek levers to cause the toy to simulate a facial expression; and

d) said lip and cheek levers being interconnected in a manner to move in generally opposite directions.

42. The expression mechanism of claim 41, further comprising:

a) a support frame;

b) said lip lever being pivotally connected to said frame; and

c) said cheek lever being pivotally connected to said frame.

43. The expression mechanism of claim 42, wherein:

a) said lip and cheek levers are interconnected in a manner to pivot in generally opposite directions.

44. A toy comprising the expression mechanism of claim 41.

45. A toy for simulating a facial expression including upper and lower lips, left and right cheeks and eyes, comprising:

a) a support inside the toy;

b) a lip lever pivotally connected to support and including front and rear end portions;

c) said front end portion of said lip lever being in operable engagement with the lower lip of the toy;

d) a cheek lever pivotally connected to said support and including front and rear end portions;

e) said cheek lever being in operable engagement with the left and right cheeks of the toy;

f) said rear end portion of said lip lever being in pivotable engagement with said front end portion of said cheek lever;

g) an eye linkage for opening or closing of the eyes;

h) a motor for actuating one of said lip and cheek levers; and

i) said lip and cheek levers being interconnected in a manner that when said front end of said cheek lever moves upwardly, said front end of said lip lever moves downwardly.

46. The toy of claim 45, wherein:

a) said cheek lever moves the left and right cheeks upwardly when said front end thereof moves upwardly.

47. The toy of claim 46, wherein:

a) said lip lever moves the lower lip downwardly when said front end thereof moves downwardly.

48. The toy of claim 47, wherein:

a) the toy simulates a smile expression when said front end of said cheek lever moves upwardly.

49. The toy of claim 45, wherein:

a) said cheek lever moves the left and right cheeks downwardly when said front end thereof moves downwardly.

50. The toy of claim 49, wherein:

a) said lip lever moves the lower lip upwardly when said front end thereof moves upwardly.

51. The toy of claim 50, wherein:

a) the toy simulates a frown expression when said front end of said cheek lever moves downwardly.

52. The toy of claim 51, wherein:

a) the eyes are generally closed in the frown expression.

53. A method of causing a toy having a lower lip, a cheek and an eye, to simulate a facial expression, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an expression mechanism, comprising;

i) a first member for engaging the lower lip of a toy;

ii) a second member in pivotable engagement with the first member for engaging a cheek of the toy;

iii) a third member for opening or closing the eye of the toy; and

iv) a motor for actuating one of the first and second members to cause the toy to simulate a facial expression;

b) actuating one of the first and second members to move the cheek and the lower lip to cause the toy to simulate a facial expression.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein:

the toy in step b) simulates at least one facial expression selected from the group consisting of smile, frown, sleeping, neutral, and a combination thereof.

55. An interactive play method, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a toy comprising an expression mechanism;

b) actuating the toy to an on position wherein the toy assumes a coo or baby-talk mode;

c) providing a first tactile stimulus to cause the toy to simulate at least one expression selected from the group consisting of smile, laugh, giggle, frown, and a combination thereof;

d) placing the toy in a lying position to cause the toy to assume a yawn mode;

e) providing a second tactile stimulus to cause the toy to assume a sleep mode; and

f) lifting the toy upright to cause the toy to assume a wake-up mode.

56. The play method of claim 55, wherein:

the toy in step f) assumes a crying or frown mode.

57. The play method of claim 56, further comprising the step of:

g) providing a third tactile stimulus to switch the toy from the crying or frown mode to the coo or baby-talk mode.

58. The play method of claim 57, wherein:

one of the first, second, and third tactile stimuli comprises rubbing or tickling the chest or belly of the toy.

59. The play method of claim 55, wherein:

the toy blinks its eyes at predetermined intervals in the coo or baby-talk mode.

60. The play method of claim 55, further comprising the step of:

g) engaging a nipple with the toy'"'"'s mouth in steps b), c), d) or f) to cause the toy to simulate a sucking expression.

61. The play method of claim 60, wherein:

the toy simulates a burping expression upon removal of the nipple and switches back to the coo or baby-talk mode.

62. The play method of claim 55, wherein:

the toy simulates a breathing expression in the sleep mode.

63. The play method of claim 55, wherein:

the toy in step f) assumes the coo or baby-talk mode.

64. An interactive play method, comprising the steps of:

a) providing a toy comprising an expression mechanism;

b) actuating the toy to an on position wherein the toy assumes a coo or baby-talk mode; and

c) providing a first external stimulus to cause the toy to simulate at least one expression selected from the group consisting of smile, laugh, giggle, frown, and a combination thereof.

65. The play method of claim 64, wherein:

the first external stimulus comprises a magnetic or audio stimulus.

66. The play method of claim 64, further comprising the steps of:

d) placing the toy in a lying position to cause the toy to assume a yawn mode; and

e) providing a second external stimulus to cause the toy to assume a sleep mode.

67. The play method of claim 66, wherein:

one of the first and second stimuli comprises an audio stimulus.

68. The play method of claim 66, further comprising the step of:

f) providing a third external stimulus to cause the toy to assume a wake-up mode.

69. The play method of claim 68, wherein:

the toy in step f) assumes a cranky or frown mode.

70. The play method of claim 69, further comprising the step of:

g) lifting the toy upright to cause the toy to assume a crying mode.

71. The play method of claim 70, comprising the step of:

h) providing a fourth external stimulus to cause the toy to switch to the coo or baby-talk mode.

72. The play method of claim 71, wherein:

one of the first, second, third and fourth stimuli comprises an audible stimulus.

73. The play method of claim 72, wherein:

the fourth stimulus comprises a tactile stimulus.

74. The play method of claim 70, wherein:

the toy switches to the coo or baby-talk mode after a predetermined time has elapsed.

75. The play method of claim 68, wherein:

the toy in step f) assumes the coo or baby-talk mode.