Mechanical sound mechanism

• US 4,282,676 A
• Filed: 09/28/1979
• Issued: 08/11/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tyco Industries, Inc. (Mattel Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation (Escalade Incorporated)
• Inventors: Davis, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US06/079,842
• Time in Patent Office: 683 Days
• Field of Search: 46/118, 46/117, 46/175 AR, 46/232, 46/111, 46/112, 46/99, 46/98, 274/1 A, 274/9 R, 274/26, 274/16
• US Class Current: 446/302
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds

Abstract

A toy doll includes a sound reproducing device having a rotatable grooved record and a transmission for rotating the record in a predetermined direction upon oscillation of the doll'"'"'s arm. A tone arm bearing a needle is supported in the doll'"'"'s body for engagement with the record and has one end thereof engaged against a sound reproducing diaphragm. The diaphragm is mounted for movement towards and away from the record in response to selective positioning of the doll'"'"'s arm and is operatively engaged with the tone arm to draw the tone arm away from the record when the diaphragm moves away from the record, while permitting the tone arm to move along the surface of the record as the needle tracks in the grooves thereof. A spring arrangement normally holds the tone arm engaged with the record, and applies a biasing force biasing the record towards the start position. When the doll'"'"'s arm is moved to the appropriate position, the diaphragm and tone arm are moved away from the record and the spring arrangement returns the tone arm to its start position.

Claims

1. A toy doll comprising a body including at least one arm pivotally mounted on said body and a sound reproducing device mounted in said body including a rotatable grooved phonograph record, transmission means operatively connected between said record and said arm for rotating said record in a predetermined direction upon oscillation of said arm;

a diaphragm support movably mounted in said body for movement between a first position adjacent said record and a second position spaced from said record, a diaphragm mounted on said diaphragm support above said record, a tone arm having a first end portion engaged with said diaphragm and a needle mounted therein for operative engagement with said record;

means for mounting said tone arm for swinging movement in a plane generally parallel to the record to allow the needle to track in the grooved record and for movement towards and away from the record with said diaphragm support, said tone arm being located generally between the record and the diaphragm;

means carried by said diaphragm support and engaged with said tone arm for moving the tone arm between said first and second positions with said diaphragm support and defining a start position for the tone arm in a predetermined location relative to the record while permitting said swinging movement of the tone arm;

spring means for normally biasing said diaphragm support into said first position adjacent the record whereby the needle engages the record to reproduce sound upon rotation thereof and for normally biasing said tone arm towards said start position;

said transmission means including means for selectively moving said diaphragm from said first position to said second position upon movement of said arm to a predetermined position relative to said body whereby the needle is disengaged from the record and returned to its start position;

said spring means comprising a first spring for biasing the diaphragm support to its first position and a second spring for biasing the tone arm to said start position and against the record; and

said means carried by the diaphragm support comprising a frame element having an elongated slot formed therein positioned above the record and extending along the plane of swinging movement of the tone arm, a portion of said tone arm being engaged in said slot.

3. A sound reproducing device as defined in either of claims 2 or 1 wherein said frame element is secured to said diaphragm and engages the end of the tone arm adjacent the needle for transmitting vibrations from the needle and tone arm to the diaphragm.

2. A toy doll comprising a body including at least one arm pivotally mounted on said body and a sound reproducing device mounted in said body including a rotatable grooved phonograph record, transmission means operatively connected between said record and said arm for rotating said record in a predetermined direction upon oscillation of said arm;

a diaphragm support movably mounted in said body for movement between a first position adjacent said record and a second position spaced from said record, a diaphragm mounted on said diaphragm support above said record, a tone arm having a first end portion engaged with said diaphragm and a needle mounted therein for operative engagement with said record;

means for mounting said tone arm for swinging movement in a plane generally parallel to the record to allow the needle to track in the grooved record and for movement towards and away from the record with said diaphragm support, said tone arm being located generally between the record and the diaphragm;

means carried by said diaphragm support and engaged with said tone arm for moving the tone arm between said first and second positions with said diaphragm support defining a start position for the tone arm in a predetermined location relative to the record while permitting said swinging movement of the tone arm;

spring means for normally biasing said diaphragm support into said first position adjacent the record whereby the needle engages the record to reproduce sound upon rotation thereof and for normally biasing said tone arm towards said start position;

said transmission means including means for selectively moving said diaphragm support from said first position to said second position upon movement of said arm to a predetermined position relative to said body whereby the needle is disengaged from the record and returned to its start position;

said means carried by the diaphragm support brackets comprising a frame element having an elongated slot formed therein positioned above the record and extending along the plane of swinging movement of the tone arm, a portion of said tone arm being engaged in said slot.

4. A sound reproducing device for use in a toy doll comprising, a support frame, a grooved phonograph record rotatably mounted on said support frame;

a diaphragm support pivotally mounted on said support frame for pivotal movement between first and second positions relative to said record in a plane generally perpendicular thereto, a diaphragm mounted on said diaphragm support above the record, a tone arm including a needle at one end thereof, and means for mounting said tone arm for swinging movement in a plane generally parallel to the record with the needle overlying and engaged therewith and for pivotal movement towards and away from the record with said diaphragm support, said tone arm being located generally between the record and the diaphragm;

means carried by said diaphragm support and engaged with said tone arm for moving the tone arm between said first and second positions with said diaphragm support and defining a start position for the tone arm in a predetermined location relative to the record while permitting said swinging movment;

spring means for normally biasing said diaphragm support into said first position adjacent the record wherein the needle engages the record to reproduce sound upon rotation thereof and for normally biasing said tone arm towards said start position; and

means for moving said diaphragm support from said first position to said second position, wherein the needle is disengaged from the record, whereby the spring means returns the tone arm to its starting position;

said spring means comprising a first spring for biasing the diaphragm support to its first position and a second spring for biasing the tone arm to said start position and against the record; and

said means carried by the diaphragm support comprising a frame element having an elongated slot formed therein positioned above the record and extending along the plane of swinging movement of the tone arm, a portion of said tone arm being engaged in said slot.

6. A sound reproducing device as defined in either of claims 5 or 4 wherein said frame element is secured to said diaphragm and engages the end of the tone arm adjacent the needle for transmitting vibrations from the needle and tone arm to the diaphragm.

5. A sound reproducing device for use in a toy doll comprising, a support frame, a grooved phonograph record rotatably mounted on said support frame;

a diaphragm support pivotally mounted on said support frame for pivotal movement between first and second positions relative to said record in a plane generally perpendicular thereto, a diaphragm mounted on said diaphragm support above the record, a tone arm including a needle at one end thereof, and means for mounting said tone arm for swinging movement in a plane generally parallel to the record with the needle overlying and engaged therewith and for pivotal movements towards and away from the record with said diaphragm support, said tone arm being located generally between the record and the diaphragm;

means carried by said diaphragm support and engaged with said tone arm for moving the tone arm between said first and second positions with said diaphragm support and defining a start position for the tone arm in a predetermined location relative to the record while permitting said swinging movement;

spring means for normally biasing said diaphragm support into said first position adjacent the record wherein the needle engages the record to reproduce sound upon rotation thereof and for normally biasing said tone arm towards said start position; and

means for moving said diaphragm support from said first position to said second position, wherein the needle is disengaged from the record, whereby the spring means returns the tone arm to its start position;

said means carried by the diaphragm support comprising a frame element having an elongated slot formed therein positioned above the record and extending along the plane of swinging movement of the tone arm, a portion of said tone arm being engaged in said slot.

7. A sound reproducing device for use in a toy doll comprising, a support frame, a grooved phonograph record rotatably mounted on said support frame;

a diaphragm support pivotally mounted on said support frame for pivotal movement between first and second positions relative to said record in a plane generally perpendicular thereto, a diaphragm mounted on said diaphragm support above the record, a separate tone arm including a needle at one end thereof, and means for mounting said tone arm for swinging movement relative to said diaphragm support in a plane generally parallel to the record with the needle overlying and engaged therewith and for pivotal movement towards and away from the record with said diaphragm support, said tone arm being located generally between the record and the diaphragm;

means carried by said diaphragm support and engaged with said tone arm for moving the tone arm between first and second positions with said diaphragm support and defining a start position for the tone arm in a predetermined location relative to the record while permitting said swinging movement of the tone arm relative to the diaphragm support and the record;

spring means for normally biasing said diaphragm support into said first position adjacent the record wherein the needle engages the record to reproduce sound upon rotation thereof and for normally biasing said tone arm towards said start position; and

means for moving said diaphragm support from said first position to said second position, wherein the needle is disengaged from the record, whereby the spring means returns the tone arm to its start position;

said spring means comprising a first spring for biasing the diaphragm support to its first position and a second spring for biasing the tone arm to said start position and against the record;

said tone arm having an aperture formed in one end thereof and said means for mounting the tone arm comprising a post on said frame received in said aperture;

said first spring means being positioned between said frame and said tone arm to hold the tone arm on said post.