Toy employing governor to control rate of movement of movable member

• US 4,402,158 A
• Filed: 02/02/1981
• Issued: 09/06/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tomy Kogyo Co., Inc.
• Original Assignee: Tomy Incorporated (TOMY Company Limited)
• Inventors: Seki, Yoshizo, Watanabe, Saburo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, F. Barry
• Application Number:
  US06/230,852
• Time in Patent Office: 946 Days
• Field of Search: 46/44, 46/119, 46/120, 46/129, 46/135 R, 46/145, 92/34, 92/40
• US Class Current: 446/198
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/10 Figure toys with single- or multiple-axle undercarriages, by which the figures perform a realistic running motion when the toy is moving over the floor
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/20 with parts moved due to movements of other parts, e.g. limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 7/06 with feet formed by rotary members

Abstract

A toy has a housing in which is movably mounted a primary movable member. The primary movable member moves from a first position to a second position. The toy includes a first mechanism for moving the primary movable member from the first position to the second position and a second mechanism which moves the primary movable member from the second position to the first position, while concurrently governing the rate of the movement from the second position to the first position. Associated with the primary movable member are one or more secondary movable members. The secondary movable members are capable of moving between two positions in response to movement of the primary movable member between its first and second position. When more than one secondary movable member is included, as the primary movable member moves from the second position to the first position, the secondary movable members are sequentially moved.

Claims

1. A toy which comprises:

a housing;

a primary moving means mounted on said housing and movable between a first position and a second position;

a first means operatively associated with said primary moving means and capable of moving said primary movable means from said first position to said second position;

a second means and a rectilinearly movable governing means both operatively associated with said primary movable means, said second means capable of moving said primary movable means from said second position to said first position and concurrently said governing means governing the rate of movement of said primary movable means from said second position to said first position, said second means structurally distinct from said first means, said governing means structurallly distinct from said second means;

at least one secondary movable means mounted on said housing in operative association with said primary movable means and said first means, said secondary movable means movable from an initial position to a subsequent position in association with movement of said primary movable means from its first position to its second position and from said subsequent position to said initial position in response to movement of said primary moving means from its second position to its first position.

2. The toy of claim 1 wherein:

said second means includes a biasing means capable of moving said primary movable means from said second position to said first position.

3. The toy of claim 2 including:

at least two secondary movable means mounted on said housing, each of said secondary movable means operatively associated with said primary movable means and said first means, each of said secondary movable means movable from an initial position to a subsequent position in association with movement of said primary movable means from its first position to its second position, each of said secondary movable means independently and sequentially moving from said subsequent position to said initial position in response to movement of said primary movable means from its second position to its first position.

4. The toy of claim 3 wherein:

said governing means includes a bellows means having an imperforate expandable bellows body, said bellows body including attaching means located on opposite ends of said bellows body, said attaching means on one end of said bellows body attaching said bellows body to said housing and said attaching means on the other end of said bellows body attaching said bellows body in operative association with said primary movable means, said bellows means including an opening, said opening connecting the interior of said bellows body to the ambient environment within said housing, said opening having a surface positioned around the total periphery of said opening, said surface including a large multiplicity of irregular convolutions, a flexible diaphragm positioned in direct association with said surface and partially sealable against the convolutions on said surface so as to allow passage of fluid into said bellows body by passing said fluid between said surface and said diaphragm at a controlled rate depending upon the size and placement of said convolutions on said surface.

5. The toy of claim 4 wherein:

said first means further comprises actuator means movably mounted on said housing, at least a portion of said actuator means exposed outside of said housing in a position such that at least said portion is capable of being engaged by the operator of said toy and motion imparted to said actuator means by the operator of the toy, said actuator means capable of engaging said primary movable means and causing said primary movable means to move from said first position to said second position in response to motion imparted to said actuator means by the operator of said toy.

6. The toy of claim 5 wherein:

at least one of said secondary movable means comprises a movably extendable member movably mounted on said housing, said extendable member moving on said housing with respect to the outside of said housing between an extended position corresponding to said initial position and a retracted position corresponding to said subsequent position.

7. The toy of claim 6 wherein:

said primary movable means is linearly movable within said housing.

8. The toy of claim 7 wherein:

said primary movable means further comprises at least one slidable member movable within said housing;

said actuator means further comprises an actuator button, a portion of which is exposed outside of said housing, said actuator button capable of abutting against said slidable member to linearly move said member within said housing;

said biasing means further comprises a spring means operatively associated with said slidable member and capable of sliding said slidable member from said second position to said first position.

9. A device for governing the rate of movement of two members which are movable with respect to one another which comprises:

a body having a first portion, a second portion and an interior, said first portion of said body connecting to and moving in conjunction with one of said movable members and said second portion of said body connecting to and moving in conjunction with the other of said two movable members, said first and said second portion of said body movable with respect to each other between at least a first position and a second position in response to movement of said two members with respect to one another, said interior of said body having a first volume when said first and said second portions of said body are in their first position and a second volume when said first and said second portions of said body are in their second position;

said body including an opening into the interior of said body, said opening being capable of conducting a fluid in to and out of the interior of said body, fluid moving into said body in response to a change in the volume of the interior of said first body from said first volume to said second volume;

a roughened surface associated with said body and surrounding the periphery of said opening;

a diaphragm located in association with said roughened surface and capable of partially sealing against said roughened surface and when said diaphragm is partially sealed against said roughened surface said partial seal between said diaphragm and said roughened surface governing the rate of fluid movement into the interior of said body, said rate of movement into said interior of said body governing the rate of change of the volume of said interior of said body from said first volume to said second volume which in turn governs the rate of movement of said first portion and said second portion of said body and said members attached thereto;

said body being a bellows;

said diaphragm being a flexible diaphragm and including holding means movably locating said flexible diaphragm in association with said surface.

10. A device for governing the rate of movement of two members which are movable with respect to one another which comprises:

a hollow body having a first portion, a second portion and a permanently enclosed interior extending between said first and said second portions, said first portion of said body connecting to and moving in conjunction with one of said movable members and said second portion of said body connecting to and moving in conjunction with the other of said two movable members, said first and said second portions of said body movable with respect to each other between at least a first position and a second position in response to movement of said two members with respect to one another, said interior of said body having a first volume when said first and said second portions of said body are in their first position and a second volume when said first and said second portions of said body are in their second position;

said body including an opening into the interior of said body, said opening being capable of conducting a fluid in to and out of the interior of said body, fluid moving into said body in response to a change in the volume of the interior of said body from said first volume to said second volume and out of said body in response to a change in the interior of said body from said second volume to said first volume;

a roughened surface associated with said body and surrounding the periphery of said opening;

a diaphragm located in association with said roughened surface and capable of partially sealing against said roughened surface and when said diaphragm is partially sealed against said roughened surface said partial seal between said diaphragm and said roughened surface governing the rate of fluid movement into said interior of said body, said rate of fluid movement into said interior of said body governing the rate of change of the volume of said interior of said body from said first volume to said second volume which in turn governs the rate of movement of said first portion and said second portion of said body and said members attached thereto.