Smoke generator for passive toy

• US 4,741,717 A
• Filed: 01/22/1986
• Issued: 05/03/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tobin Wolf
• Original Assignee: Tobin Wolf
• Inventors: Wolf, Tobin
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MUIR, DAVID N
• Application Number:
  US06/820,807
• Time in Patent Office: 832 Days
• Field of Search: 446/24, 446/25, 446/485, 40/407, 272/8 R, 272/8 F, 272/15
• US Class Current: 446/24
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/48 Mounting of parts within dolls, e.g. automatic eyes or parts for animation self-moving A63H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/28 Soap-bubble toys; Smoke toys blowing smoke rings A24F13/30

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a smoke generator for a toy, primarily passive toys, which the blower for blowing smoke out of the smoke generating chamber operates intermittently and mechanically, simultaneously with the generation of the smoke, so that the operation of the battery used for smoke generation is also intermittent, thereby prolonging battery life. Also disclosed is a smoke generator wherein a metal film or carbon resistor is utilized to heat an oil containing wick to produce the smoke.

Claims

1. A smoke generator, which comprises:

(a) a compartment having a gas ingress and a gas egress,

(b) smoke generating means comprising an electrical resistance means and smoke generating material means in close contact with said electrical resistance means disposed in said compartment, and an electrical energy source means

(c) control means controlling operation of blowing air into said ingress to cause smoke existing in said compartment to exit said compartment through said egress, said control means then actuating said smoke generating means, wherein said control means comprises a normally open switch electrically connected to said electrical energy source and said electrical resistance means, a movable member for closing said switch in response to predetermined movement of said movable member to cause said smoke generating means to generate smoke, said movable member being in the shape of a piston, said smoke generator further including a piston housing containing said movable member and a passage communicating between said piston housing and said compartment ingress to drive air from said piston housing, when said movable member is moved to close said switch, through said passage, to said ingress, to force smoke existing in said compartment out of said egress.

2. A smoke generator as set forth in claim 1 wherein said smoke generating means is a heating element having a wick containing a fluid therein communicating therewith, said heating element being energized by said control means closing said switch.

3. A smoke generator as set forth in claim 1, further including a spring bias to normally bias said movable means to maintain said switch open.

4. A smoke generator as set forth in claim 2, further including a spring bias to normally bias said movable means to maintain said switch open.