Motion responsive musical toy

• US 5,221,225 A
• Filed: 08/17/1992
• Issued: 06/22/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Lebo, Harry, Newbold, Roger, Bogar, Brett M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US07/930,578
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 446/297, 446/325, 446/326, 446/397, 446/396, 446/484, 446/485, 446/303
• US Class Current: 446/297
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/00 Other toys
• 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

Abstract

A motion responsive musical toy includes a generally spherical housing having a transparent hemispherical portion within which a center column supports a conventional musical tone producing circuit together with an output speaker. A motion sensing switch is operatively coupled to the tone producing circuit. A plurality of translucent floor segments are supported within the transparent housing interior and resiliently support a plurality of toy figures. A plurality of externally accessible push buttons are supported upon the periphery of the spherical housing near its center and are actuatable by inward pressure thereon. A plurality of conventional electric lamps are supported beneath the translucent floor segments to provide selective illuminations thereof. The musical toy responds to toy motion sensed by motion switch as well as the operation of the push buttons to provide oscillation of the toy figures together with a pattern of flashing lights and musical tones for the child user'"'"'s amusement.

Claims

1. A motion-responsive musical toy comprising:

a housing defining a lower surface, a transparent upper surface and an interior cavity;

a plurality of colored floor segments supported within said interior cavity each formed of a different color light transmissive material;

a plurality of toy figures;

resilient support means for resiliently supporting said toy figures upon said floor segments so as to view through said transparent upper surface;

illumination means for illuminating said floor segments supported beneath said floor segments;

a plurality of push operable switches supported upon said lower surface;

motion sensing means; and

musical tone producing means,

said motion sensing means activating said illumination means and said musical tone producing means in response to motion or change of orientation of said housing and said toy figures undergoing oscillatory motion.

2. A motion-responsive musical toy as set forth in claim 1 wherein said housing further includes a generally cylindrical center housing within said transparent upper surface and having an interior cavity supporting said musical tone producing means.

3. A motion-responsive musical toy as set forth in claim 2 wherein said resilient support means include upwardly extending spring members coupled to said floor segments.

4. A motion-responsive musical toy as set forth in claim 3 wherein said upper and lower surfaces are generally hemispherical and are combined to form a generally spherical housing.

5. A motion-responsive musical toy as set forth in claim 4 wherein said motion switch includes:

a switch housing having an interior cavity formed therein and defining a concave lower surface;

a plurality of electrical contacts spaced apart and extending into said interior cavity each spaced from the lowermost portion of said concave lower surface; and

a ball formed of an electrically conductive material having a diameter greater than the spacing between adjacent ones of said contacts.

6. A motion-responsive musical toy as set forth in claim 5 wherein said pluralities of said floor segments, said toy figures and said push operable switches are each three.