Toy doll having sound generator with optical sensor and pressure switches

• US 5,281,180 A
• Filed: 01/08/1992
• Issued: 01/25/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wing F. Lam, Yu F. Lam
• Original Assignee: Wing F. Lam, Yu F. Lam
• Inventors: Lam, Wing F., Lam, Yu F.
• Primary Examiner(s): DeMille, Danton D.
• Application Number:
  US07/818,106
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 446/175, 446/303, 446/297, 446/298, 446/299, 446/302, 446/295, 446/296
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds

Abstract

A battery-powered doll which cries or laughs, depending upon how it has been stimulated. There is an optical sensor fixed in the mouth of the doll and connected to an integrated circuit located in the torso of the doll. When there is insufficient light striking the sensor, the doll cries through a speaker in the doll'"'"'s torso. When the doll is subsequently brought into the light to sufficiently expose the sensor, the doll laughs for a short, but variable length of time. There is a first pressure actuated switch positioned in the doll'"'"'s torso such that it may be actuated by a tickling type of pressure applied to the side of the torso. The doll laughs when this switch is actuated. There is a second pressure actuated switch in the doll'"'"'s torso which may be activated by pressing the stomach area of the doll. The doll cries in response to actuation of this second switch. The crying of the doll may be interrupted by triggering of the laughing sound, but the crying sound may be triggered only when the doll is not laughing.

Claims

1. A toy doll comprising:

sound generating means for generation of first and second sounds;

an optical sensor, electronically connected to the sound generating means, for triggering the generation of the first sound in response to the absence of light striking the sensor and the generation of the second sound in response to light striking the sensor, the first sound comprising at least two first sound sections and the second sound comprising at least two second sound sections; and

a first pressure sensitive trigger, electronically connected to the sound generating means, for triggering the generation of the second sound in response to depression of the trigger; and

wherein

triggering the generation of the second sound during generation of the first sound overrides the generation of the first sound; and

the point where the generation of the second sound is triggered determines the number of the second sound sections then sounded.

2. The toy doll of claim 1 wherein each of the first sound sections resembles a crying noise.

3. The toy doll of claim 2 wherein each of the second sound sections resembles a laughing noise.

4. The toy doll of claim 3 further comprising a second pressure sensitive trigger, electronically connected to the sound generating means, for triggering the generation of the first sound in response to depression of the second trigger.

5. The toy doll of claim 4 wherein the second number is no greater than the first number.

6. The toy doll of claim 5 wherein the first number is greater than the second number.

7. The toy doll of claim 1 wherein the generation of the first sound in response to the absence of light striking the optical sensor is continued until overridden by triggering of the generation of the second sound.

8. The toy doll of claim 4, further comprising a pack located in the doll torso, wherein the first and second pressure sensitive triggers are located on the exterior of the pack.

9. The toy doll of claim 8 wherein the second trigger is positioned to be actuated by pressure applied to a frontal torso area.

10. The toy doll of claim 9 wherein the first trigger is positioned to be actuated by pressure applied to a side of the torso.

11. The toy doll of claim 1 wherein the doll has a mouth and the optical sensor is fixed therewithin.

12. The toy doll of claim 6 wherein there are four first sound sections.

13. The toy doll of claim 12 wherein there are three second sound sections.

14. A toy doll comprising:

sound generating means for generation of first and second sounds;

an optical sensor, electronically connected to the sound generating means, for triggering the generation of the first sound in response to the absence of light striking the sensor and the generation of the second sound in response to light striking the sensor, the first sound comprising a first sound section repeated in a sequence of a fixed first number of times and the second sound comprising a second sound section sounded up to a fixed second number of times;

a first pressure sensitive trigger, electronically connected to the sound generating means, for triggering the generation of the first sound in response to depression of the trigger; and

a second pressure sensitive trigger, electronically connected to the sound generating means, for triggering the generation of the second sound in response to depression of the second trigger; and

wherein

triggering the generation of the second sound during generation of the first sound overrides the generation of the first sound and which in the sequence of first sound sections during which generation of the second sound is triggered determines the number of times the second sound section is then sounded.