Toy animal with illuminated belly

• US 5,114,376 A
• Filed: 12/05/1990
• Issued: 05/19/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: OTWP Incorporated
• Original Assignee: OTWP Incorporated
• Inventors: Copley, Michael C., Kwai, Cheung Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Muir, David N.
• Application Number:
  US07/622,617
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 446/369, 446/370, 446/371, 446/372, 446/175, 446/484, 446/485, 446/295
• US Class Current: 446/369
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/006 provided with electrical lighting electrical lighting F21

Abstract

A stuffed toy having an animal-shaped body including an illuminatable belly portion. A cavity in the belly portion houses the accessories, electrical circuitry and power source required to provide the illumination source. A dome-shaped member covers the belly cavity and includes an apex aperature. A touch sensor is retained in the apex aperature and is in electrical contact with the power source within the toy belly portion. A timer circuit automatically turns off the illumination source a predetermined time after it has been activated by touching the touch sensor.

Claims

1. A stuffed toy having a main body configured as an animal, said body having an illuminatable belly portion, comprising in combination:

(a) a generally circular cavity formed in said belly portion,

(b) a generally circular housing conformally fitting securely within said cavity,

(c) an annular member having a reduced peripheral, generally circular base adapted to friction fit within said housing,

(d) a dome-shaped cover member adapted to coextensively cover said cavity in said belly portion, said domed-shaped cover member having an apex aperture,

(e) an illumination means retained in said housing,

(f) a switch means to turn on said illumination means, said switch means being retained in said apex aperture,

(g) a circuit means to be activated by said switch means to automatically turn off said illumination means after a predetermined time, and

(h) a power source in said housing in electrical contact with said illumination means and said circuit means, said power source being operatively connected to illuminate said illumination means.

2. A stuffed toy as in claim 1 further including as said switch means a touch sensor retained in said apex aperature wherein said sensor is in electrical contact with said power source.

3. A stuffed toy as in claim 1 further including a printed circuit board in said housing, said printed circuit board being in electrical contact with said illumination means and said power source.

4. A stuffed toy as in claim 2 further including a printed circuit board in said housing, said printed circuit board being in electrical contact with said illumination means and said power source.

5. A stuffed toy as in claim 1 wherein said dome-shaped cover is formed of a translucent plastic.

6. A stuffed toy as in claim 2 wherein said dome-shaped cover is formed of a translucent plastic.

7. A stuffed toy as in claim 3 wherein said dome-shaped cover is formed of a translucent plastic.

8. A stuffed toy as in claim 4 wherein said dome-shaped cover is formed of a translucent plastic.

9. A stuffed toy having a main body configured as an animal, said body having an illuminatable belly portion, comprising, in combination:

(a) a generally circular cavity formed in said belly portion,

(b) a generally circular housing conformally fitting securely within said cavity, said housing comprising a generally circular base member comprising a generally cup-shaped portion, a base, and a circumferential edge wall upstanding from said base,

(c) an outer annular member having a reduced peripheral, generally circular base adapted to friction fit within said cup-shaped portion in said housing, and a reduced upper annular member concentric with said outer annular member so as to define a circumferential groove therewith,

(d) a dome-shaped cover member having reduced integral circumferential lip adapted to frictionally fit within said groove, said dome-shaped cover member having an apex aperture,

(e) an illumination means retained in said housing, and

(f) a power source in said housing in electrical contact with said illumination means, said power source being operatively connected to illuminate said illumination means.

10. A stuffed toy as in claim 9 further including a touch sensor retained in said apex aperature wherein said sensor is in electrical contact with said power source.

11. A stuffed toy as in claim 9 further including a printed circuit board in said housing, said printed circuit board being in electrical contact with said illumination means and said power source.

12. A stuffed toy as in claim 10 further including a printed circuit board in said housing, said printed circuit board being in electrical contact with said illumination means and said power source.

13. A stuffed toy as in claim 9 wherein dome-shaped cover is formed of a translucent plastic.

14. A stuffed toy as in claim 10 wherein said dome-shaped cover is formed of a translucent plastic.

15. A stuffed toy as in claim 11 wherein said dome-shaped cover is formed of a translucent plastic.

16. A stuffed toy as in claim 12 wherein said dome-shaped cover is formed of a translucent plastic.