Simulated toy flash camera

• US 4,789,371 A
• Filed: 09/29/1987
• Issued: 12/06/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fisher Price Incorporated (Mattel Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company (PepsiCo Incorporated)
• Inventors: Snell-Kelly, Janet E., Boggs, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US07/101,989
• Time in Patent Office: 434 Days
• Field of Search: 446/219, 446/408, 446/485, 446/491, 350/97, 350/98, D16/6, D21/73, D21/110, D21/145, 272/8 M, 272/8 P, 272/8.5
• US Class Current: 446/219
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/30 Imitations of miscellaneous apparatus not otherwise provided for, e.g. telephones, weighing-machines, cash-registers savings boxes A45C1/12; toy ticket punches G07B9/02

Abstract

A toy simulated flash camera is disclosed for simulating the flash exposure of a real camera. The toy camera has a flash housing containing a light reflecting member which is visible through a front opening in the front wall of the flash housing. The toy flash camera further has a top opening in the top wall of the flash housing. A flash shutter mechanism is provided for the top opening which is movable between a normal shutter closed position for preventing the passage of ambient light through the top opening into engagement with an outer surface of the light reflecting member, and a shutter open position allowing the passage of ambient light through the top opening. A flash shutter actuating mechanism is provided for momentarily moving the flash shutter mechanism to its shutter open position causing the ambient light momentarily reflected from the outer surface of the light reflecting member through the front opening to simulate a real flash lamp exposure.

Claims

1. A toy simulated flash camera comprising:

a camera body having a flash housing with a front wall and a top wall;

a light reflecting member in the flash housing having an outer light reflecting surface;

a front opening in the front wall through which the light reflecting surface of the light reflecting member is visible;

a top opening in the top wall;

a shutter mechanism in the flash housing movable between a normal shutter closed position for preventing the passage of ambient light through the top opening into engagement with the outer surface of the light reflecting member, and a shutter open position for allowing the passage of ambient light through the top opening into engagement with the outer surface of the light reflecting member where it is reflected outwardly through the front opening in the form of a flash; and

shutter actuating means for momentarily moving the shutter mechanism from its normal shutter closed position to its shutter open position causing the momentary ambient light reflected from the outer surface of the light reflecting member through the front opening to simulate a flash lamp exposure.

2. A toy simulated flash camera according to claim 1 wherein at least one of the top and front openings is covered with a layer of translucent colored material.

3. A toy simulated flash camera according to claim 2 wherein the layer of material has an orange-like color.

4. A toy simulated flash camera according to claim 3 wherein the layer of material comprises a lens for focusing the light on the outer surface of the reflecting member, and the outer surface of the reflecting member is concave.

5. A toy simulated flash camera according to claim 4 wherein the shutter mechanism comprises a shutter member of substantially inverted L-shaped cross section.

6. A toy simulated flash camera according to claim 5 wherein the shutter member in its normal shutter closed position comprises a first plate member interposed between the top opening and the lens, and a second plate member integral with and transverse to the first plate member, the second plate being mounted for pivotal movement for moving the shutter member between its normal shutter closed and shutter open positions.

7. A toy simulated flash camera according to claim 6 wherein the second plate member has a free end portion, and a spring arm on the free end portion for biasing the shutter member into its normal shutter closed position.

8. A toy simulated flash camera according to claim 7 wherein the second plate member has a hook on the free end portion, and the shutter actuating means comprises a third plate member having a claw at one end thereof, the third plate member being reciprocally movable from a normal position in which the claw faces the hook, for engaging the hook and pivotally moving the shutter member to its normally open position upon movement of the third plate member in one direction from its normal position to a simulated flash picture-taking position.

9. A toy simulated flash camera according to claim 8 wherein the claw is flexible and has a ramp surface allowing the claw to flex around the hook upon return movement of the third plate member in the opposite direction to its normal position.

10. A toy simulated flash camera according to claim 9 wherein the third plate member has a simulated manually operated picture-taking button extending outwardly from the camera for movement of the third plate member from its normal position to its flash picture-taking position, and spring means are coupled to the third plate member for returning it to its normal position upon release of the button.