Sound producing ball

• US 4,662,260 A
• Filed: 04/26/1985
• Issued: 05/05/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rumsey, Daniel
• Original Assignee: Rumsey, Daniel
• Inventors: Rumsey, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rose, Stuart W.
• Application Number:
  US06/727,836
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 273/58 G, 273/58 E, 446/409, 200/326, 200/DIG 18, 200/61.52, 84/470, 84/1.01, 84/DIG. 2, 84/DIG. 7
• US Class Current: 84/653
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 5/00 Musical or noise- producing devices for additional toy effects other than acoustical musical tops A63H1/28; sound-producing dolls A63H3/28; musical toy vehicles A63H17/268; acoustical vehicle-signalling devices A63H17/32; whistling toy locomotive arrangements A63H19/14; music, sound or noise production in general G10
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/26 for automatically producing a series of tones
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/401 3D sensing, i.e. three-dimensional (x, y, z) position or movement sensing. movement pattern or gesture sensing G10H2220/201; geolocation sensing G10H2220/355, 3D sensing with accelerometer G10H2220/395
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/02 Preference networks
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/07 Electric key switch structure

Abstract

A sound producing device producing different notes when rotated. Three orthagonally mounted gravity switches produce signals corresponding to their orientation to a reference. A multiplexer or programmable counter coupled to the switches selects one output line for each combination of states of the switches. Each output is passed through different values of resistance so that unique frequencies result. The output of the multiplexer is coupled through an oscillator to a speaker and a tone corresponding to the frequency of the output selected is produced. Multivibrators are coupled to the switches and to the oscillator to shut off the production of sound when the device has been left at rest for a certain time period.

Claims

1. A sound producing device comprising:

supporting shell means including at least two (2) removably connected sections;

speaker means within said shell means;

a power source mounted within said shell means;

a plurality of gravity switches electrically coupled to said power source, the state of any one of said switches being dependent upon the orientation of that said switch to a reference, each of said switches mounted to said shell means at a different orientation than any other of said switches;

decoding means coupled to said switches for determining the state of each of said switches, said decoding means producing a unique signal for each combination of states of said switches, each of said signals having a unique frequency, said decoding means coupled to said speaker means, each of said signals producing an audible tone in said speaker of a frequency corresponding to the frequency of said signal;

control means including time delay means for determining whether a tone will be produced;

said control means coupled to said switches and said decoding means, said control means producing a first signal when the state of said switches remains constant for a first amount of time, said device producing a a tone only in response to said first signal;

whereby different sounds are produced when the orientation of said shell to said reference is altered.

2. The device as defined by claim 1 wherein said supporting shell means comprises a hollow sphere having a first and second section, said first and second section removably connected.

3. The device as defined by claim 1 wherein said decoding means comprises:

a multiplexer coupled to an oscillator;

said multiplexer coupled to said switches, said multiplexer having as output one signal for each combination of said states of said switches;

said oscillator having as output a signal of a certain frequency, one of said frequencies for each of said outputs of said multiplexer.

4. The device as defined by claim 1 wherein said plurality of switches comprises three (3) switches disposed orthogonally to each other.

5. The device as defined by claim 1 wherein said switches are comprised of conducting liquid filled gravity switches.

6. The device as defined by claim 1 wherein said control means turns off said decoding means when said shell means does not change position for a second amount of time.

7. The device as defined by claim 6 wherein said control means comprises a comparator coupled to said switches and to a multivibrator, said multivibrator coupled to said decoding means.

8. A circuit mounted in a hollow sphere for producing different tones when said sphere is rotated comprising;

a plurality of gravity switches having a first and second state each of said switches disposed at different orientation to a reference than any other of said switches;

a multiplexer, each input of said multiplexer coupled to one of said switches, said multiplexer having a plurality of outputs, one of said outputs selected for each combination of states of said switches, each of said outputs coupled to a resistor of predetermined resistance for establishing a unique frequence for each of said outputs;

an oscillator coupled to said outputs, said oscillator producing a first signal of a frequency corresponding to the frequency of said output selected by said multiplexer, said oscillator coupled to a speaker for producing audible tones corresponding to the frequency of said first signal;

time delay means for determining whether the state of said switches has remained constant for a first duration;

a comparator coupled to said switches, said comparator producing a second signal when the state of said switches remains constant for said first duration, said second signal having a leading and falling edge;

a first multivibrator coupled to said comparator, said first multivibrator producing a third signal at said leading edge of said second signal, said first multivibrator coupled to said oscillator so that said third signal enables said oscillator to Produce said first signal;

a second multivibrator coupled to said comparator, said second multivibrator producing a fourth signal at said falling edge of said signal, said second multivibrator coupled to said oscillator so that said fourth signal prevents said oscillator from producing said first signal;

whereby said speaker produces a tone only when the state of said switches has been constant for said first duration and said speaker will be silent when said switches remain in said constant state.

9. The circuit as defined by claim 8 wherein said switches are comprised of three conducting liquid filled switches disposed orthogonally to each other.

10. A circuit for producing tones of varying frequency when the orientation of said circuit to a reference is altered comprising:

a servopotentiometer having a weighted shaft pivotally mounted therein, said servopotentiometer producing a magnitude of resistance corresponding to the position of said shaft in said servopotentiometer;

an oscillator coupled to said servopotentiometer for producing an output signal, said output signal having a frequency dependent upon the resistance os said servopotentiometer, said output signal coupled to a speaker for producing an audible tone corresponding to the frequency of said output signal;

a plurality of first gates, each of said gates having first and second inputs coupled to ground through a gravity switch, each of said first inputs shunts to a voltage source through a capacitor and resistor in parallel, the output of said plurality of first gates being low when said switches remain in one state for a first duration;

time delay means comprising a capacitor and resistor for determining whether the state of said switches has remained constant for a time interval;

a second gate having third and fourth inputs, said third input coupled to the outputs of said plurality of first gates and shunted to ground through said time delay means, said fourth input coupled to said voltage source, said second gate having a high output when said plurality of first gates have a low output;

said output of said second gate coupled to said oscillator so that said oscillator is reset when said output from said second gate is high;

a third gate having a fifth and sixth input, said fifth input coupled to said output of said second gate, said sixth input coupled to ground, the output of said third gate coupled to said oscillator, the output of said third gate being high when said output of said second gate is high, said output of said third gate coupled to said oscillator for enabling said oscillator;

whereby if said circuit is stationary for said first duration, said circuit will not produce sound.

11. A device for producing tones of varying frequency when the orientation of said device to a reference is altered comprising:

a plurality of switches having a first and second state, the state of any one of said switches being dependent upon the orientation of a particular one of said switches to a reference, each of said switches mounted to said device at a different orientation than any other of said switches;

a first flip flop coupled to said switches, said first flip flop having first and second outputs, said first output coupled to one terminal of each of said switches and said second output coupled to the other terminal of each of said switches, the states of said first and second outputs periodically reversing, thereby reversing the polarity of said switches;

decoding means coupled to each of said switches for producing a unique number for each combination of states of said switches;

frequency generating means coupled to said decoding means for producing a unique frequency for each unique number of said decoding means;

speaker means coupled to said frequency generating means for producing an output having a frequency corresponding to said unique frequency of said output of said frequency generating means;

control means coupled to said switches and to said frequency generating means, said cntrol means turning off said frequency generating means when said device does not change orientation for a certain period of time, said control means comprising a comparator coupled to each of said switches and to a multivibrator, said multivibrator coupled to said frequency generating means;

a plurlaity of second flip flops coupled to each of said switches and to said comparator for providing a first signal to said comparator and a second signal to said comparator, wherein said second signal is equal to said first signal but delayed by a fixed amount of time;

time delay means comprising said second flip flops for determining whether the state of said switches has remained constant for said certain period of time and detecting the absence of orientation change

whereby the frequency of a tone produced by said speaker means depends on the orientation of said device.

12. A device as described by claim 11 wherein said decoding means consists of a plurality of combinations of gate means, each of said combinations having an output, said outputs of said combinations defining said unique number.

13. A device as described by claim 11 wherein said frequency generating means consists of a down counter having a clock input of a certain frequency, said down counter dividing said clock input by said unique number to produce said output of said unique frequency.

14. A sound producing device comprising:

supporting shell means including at least two (2) removably connected sections;

speaker means mounted within said shell means;

a power source mounted within said shell means;

a plurality of gravity switches electrically coupled to said power source, the state of any one of said switches being dependent upon the orientation of that said switch to a reference, each of said switches mounted to said shell means at a different orientation than any other of said switches;

decoding means coupled to said switches for determining the state of each of said switches, said decoding means producing a unique signal for each combination of states of said switches, each of said signals having a unique frequency, corresponding to a tone of a musical scale, said decoding means coupled to said speaker means, each of said signals producing an audible tone in said speaker of a frequency corresponding to a tone of a musical scale;

control means coupled to said switches and said decoding means, said control means including time delay means for determining a first amount of time that the state of said switches remains constant producing a first signal when the state of said switches remains constant for said first amount of time, said device producing a tone only in response to said first signal;

whereby various tones of a musical scale are produced when the orientation of said shell to said reference is altered.

15. The device as defined by claim 14 wherein said supporting shell means comprises a hollow sphere having a first and second section, said first and second section removably connected.

16. The device as defined by claim 14 wherein said decoding means comprises:

a multiplexer coupled to an oscillator;

said multiplexer coupled to said switches, said multiplexer having as output one signal for each combination of said states of said switches;

said oscillaotr having as output a signal of a certain frequency, one of said frequencies for each of said outputs of said multiplexer, each of said frequencies corresponding to a tone of a musical scale.

17. The device as defined by claim 14 wherein said plurality of switches comprises three (3) switches disposed orthogonally to each other.

18. The device as defined by claim 14 wherein said switches are comprised of conducting liquid filled gravity switches.

19. The device as defined by claim 14 wherein said said control means turns off said decoding means when said shell means does not change position for a second amount of time.

20. The device as defined by claim 19 wherein said control means comprises a comparator coupled to said switches and to a multivibrator, said multivibrator coupled to said decoding means.