Sound producing device

• US 5,611,721 A
• Filed: 12/18/1995
• Issued: 03/18/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bang Zoom Design Limited, HASBRO, INC.-RI CORPORATION
• Original Assignee: Michael G. Hoeting, Sean Mullaney
• Inventors: Hoeting, Michael G., Mullaney, Sean
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carlson, Jeffrey D.
• Application Number:
  US08/573,674
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 84/402, 446/397, 446/409, 446/418, 446/419, 446/236, 446/265, D30/160, D21/65, 273/58 F, 273/58 R, 273/58 BA, 273/58 E, 273/DIG. 20, 273/109, 273/113-115, 119/702, 119/707
• US Class Current: 446/419
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0633 without electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• 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 sound producing ball includes concentric inner and outer ball elements and a plurality of sound producing particles in an open area therebetween. The sound producing particles are dimensioned to travel in the open area when the ball is rotated, and the inner ball element has a plurality of projections thereon for redirecting the sound producing particles as they travel in the open area. The sounds produced by the sound particles as they strike the inner and outer ball elements are generally similar to the sound of rain striking a building roof.

Claims

1. A sound producing device comprising an outer shell having a continuous inner surface;

an inner member contained within said outer shell, said inner member having a continuous outer surface thereon which is of substantially the same configuration as said outer shell but of slightly smaller dimensions than said outer shell, the outer surface of said inner member being in closely inwardly spaced relation to the inner surface of said outer shell so that the inner surface of said outer shell and the outer surface of said inner member cooperate to define an enclosed open area therebetween;

a plurality of discrete relatively hard sound particles in said open area, said sound particles being dimensioned to loosely travel in said open area when said device is moved; and

a plurality of projections on at least one of said inner member and said outer shell extending into said open area for redirecting said sound particles as they travel in said open area;

said projections being closely spaced in an array extending around substantially the entire outer surface of said inner member.

2. In the device of claim 1, at least one of said inner member and said outer shell being made of a relatively hard plastic material, said sound particles also being made of a relatively hard plastic material, whereby said sound particles and said at least one ball element cooperate to produce sounds which resemble the sound of rain striking a building surface as said device is moved.

3. In the device of claim 1, said projections being formed on the outer surface of said inner member.

4. In the device of claim 3, said projections terminating in spaced relation to said outer shell.

5. In the device of claim 1, said outer shell being made of a transparent plastic material.