Doll used to teach children to use the emergency 911 telephone numbers

• US 5,474,484 A
• Filed: 09/08/1994
• Issued: 12/12/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Julie A. Lemelle
• Original Assignee: Julie A. Lemelle
• Inventors: Lemelle, Julie A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MUIR, DAVID N
• Application Number:
  US08/302,237
• Time in Patent Office: 460 Days
• Field of Search: 446/141, 446/142, 446/143, 446/297, 446/299, 446/300, 446/301, 446/302, 446/397, 446/404, 446/408, 434/319, 434/365, 434/226, 434/227, 434/185, D21/180, D14/143
• US Class Current: 446/142
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/003 specially adapted for a particular function not connected with dolls as electric lighting devices A63H3/006
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/00 Teaching not covered by other main groups of this subclass teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 5/04 with audible presentation of the material to be studied sound recording or reproducing G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/00 Simulators for teaching or training purposes for the use of weapons F41; computing aspects G06; protocols for games, networked simulations or virtual reality H04L67/131

Abstract

To educate children how to use the emergency 911 telephone number, a talking doll displays the twelve keys of a conventional telephone instrument. Within the chest of the doll or mounted externally is a tape player having a pre-recorded tape of the words likely to be used by an emergency dispatcher at a "911 number". These include reassuring instructions, inquiries as to the name and address of the child and the nature of the emergency. Hence the user pushes the sequence of buttons "9", "1" and "1". This activates playing the recorded tape. At the end of the tape message, the tape automatically rewinds. A telephone instrument may be suspended on the doll in such manner that a switch is closed when the instrument is lifted from the hook before depressing the "9", "1", "1" buttons.

Claims

1. In combination, a doll having an exterior, a casing mounted on and recessed into a chest cavity of said doll and exposed to an observer, a tape player and cassette therefor mounted in said casing, a handset in electronic communication with said tape player said cassette having a pre-recorded message simulating likely questions asked by a "911" operator of a child in an emergency, said casing having a cover hinged to said casing a plurality of keys arranged in three columns and four rows on said cover totaling twelve keys simulating the pattern of touch-tone telephone keys, said keys being exposed to the exterior of said doll, said keys comprising a first key and a second key associated with the display of indicia of the numerals "9" and "1", respectively, beneath said cover on said casing a first switch located in said casing below the "9" indicium and a second switch in said casing below the "1" indicium, said cover being formed with a first hole in the location over said first key and a second hole in the location over the second key, and an electrical circuit in said casing to energize said tape player only upon depressing in sequence the first key, the second key and then the second key again, said tape player playing back said pre-recorded message when said circuit is energized.

2. The combination of claim 1 which further comprises the handset formed with first and second protruding ends, said casing being formed with first and second depressions to receive said first and second ends, and a normally closed switch in said electrical circuit associated with one said depression to be opened when a protruding end is located in said one said depression and to be closed when said last mentioned end is removed from said one said depressions, said normally closed switch energizing said electrical circuit, said cover over said casing being formed with first and second holes overlying said first and second depressions for passage of said first and second protruding ends through said cover and into said first and second depressions, respectively.