Driving mechanism for an animated toy

• US 4,869,703 A
• Filed: 01/04/1988
• Issued: 09/26/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ong S.T. Raymond
• Original Assignee: Ong S.T. Raymond
• Inventors: Ong S.T., Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rimell, Sam
• Application Number:
  US07/140,692
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 272/1 R, 272/52, 272/52.5, 272/48, 446/301, 446/330, 446/337, 446/338, 446/352, 446/353, 446/354, 446/298, 446/300, 40/456, 40/470, 40/411, 40/416, 40/417, 40/419, 40/420
• US Class Current: 446/353
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/48 Mounting of parts within dolls, e.g. automatic eyes or parts for animation self-moving A63H13/00

Abstract

A driving mechanism for an animated toy includes a head having a movable mouth, a plurality of shafts having first ends and second ends connected to the limb and the head of the toy, a driving body securing thereon the shafts and a motor, an oscillating piece rotatably attached to the driving body and having a top hole engaging therin one of the first ends, a plurality of side holes each of which is capable of engaging therein another first end and a bottom hole, and a driving piece driven by the motor and having a protrusion which is eccentrical to the shaft of the motor and engages in the bottom hole such that when the motor is energized, the protrusion will oscillate the oscillating piece and in turn oscillate the shafts which in turn oscillate the limb and the head.

Claims

1. A driving mechanism for an animated toy comprising:

a head and a limb;

a plurality of rotatable shafts having first ends and second ends adapted to be respectively connected to the said limb and said head of said toy;

a driving body having holes rotatably securing said shafts therein and being adapted to a secure a motor therein;

an oscillating piece pivoted to said driving body said oscillating piece having a top hole engaging one of said first ends of said shafts, a plurality of side holes each of which is capable of engaging another said first end of said shafts, and a bottom hole; and

a driving piece driven by a shaft of said motor and having a protrusion which is eccentric to said shaft of said motor and which engages in said bottom hole such that when said motor is energized, said protrusion will oscillate said oscillating piece causing said shafts to rotate within said driving body thereby causing said limb and said head to oscillate.

2. A driving mechanism for an animated toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein said head includes:

a housing;

a oscillating sleeve fixed to said housing, attached thereto the shaft having said one first end and having an upper opening and a lower radial groove;

a positioning sleeve fixed to said driving body, received in said oscillating sleeve, and having a top rim having a first surface and a second indented surface, and a groove having an upper wall having a first surface and a second indented surface which is positioned beneath and corresponds to said second indented surface of said top rim;

a screw screwing through said lower radial groove into said positioning sleeve so that said oscillating sleeve can oscillating with respect to said positioning sleeve; and

two mouth pieces pivotally mounted on said upper opening and having first ends respectively engaging said top rim and said upper wall such that when said sleeves are set in relative oscillation, the second opposite ends of said two mouth pieces will be periodically drawn closer and farther apart when said first ends thereof respectively engage said first surfaces and said second indented surfaces.

3. A driving mechanism for an animated toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein said driving body is produced by mould injection in one piece.

4. A driving mechanism for an animated toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least two of said plurality of shafts have a second end connect to said limb, one of said shafts having a first end engaging one of said pluality of side holes, and another of said shafts having a first end engaging one of a plurality of positioning holes for providing a stationary limb.

5. A driving mechanism for an animated toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein said driving body has a relatively narrow intermediate portion and a relatively broad lower portion for installing therein said motor.

6. A driving mechanism for an animated toy as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connecting piece connected to the bottom of said driving body and having a bottom hole for connecting the animated toy to an external object-

7. A driving mechanism for an animated toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said driving body further includes two elastic hooks and two retaining blocks positioned beneath respectively said two hooks for securing leg chaps thereto.

8. A driving mechanism for an animated toy as claimed in claim 7, further comprising two leg shafts for providing support to the animated toy, each of which has an annularly grooved top and passing through one of said retaining blocks and hooked by one of said hooks.

9. A driving mechanism for an animated toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of side holes are arranged so that each side hole has a different distance to the shaft of the motor.