Musical rainbow toy

• US 5,668,333 A
• Filed: 06/05/1996
• Issued: 09/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Inventors: Horton, Gregory R., Winslow, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIEH, SHIH YUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/658,360
• Time in Patent Office: 468 Days
• Field of Search: 84/470 R, 84/600, 84/601, 84/602, 84/477 R, 84/95.2, 84/94.2, 446/175, 446/297
• US Class Current: 84/470.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0553 using optical or light-responsive means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/26 for automatically producing a series of tones
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/411 Light beams

Abstract

A musical toy is provided with a base member, a second member connected to the base member so as to form a substantially unobstructed space between the second member and the base member, a plurality of photoemitters for generating a plurality of radiation beams between the base member and the second member, a plurality of photodetectors for receiving the radiation beams, audio generation means for generating a plurality of musical sounds, and means for causing the audio generation means to generate one of the musical sounds in response to an interruption of one of the radiation beams.

Claims

1. A musical rainbow toy, comprising:

a base member;

a semi-circular rainbow member connected to said base member so as to form a substantially unobstructed semi-circular space between said rainbow member and said base member;

means for generating a plurality of radiation beams between said base member and said semi-circular rainbow member;

a plurality of photodetectors, each of said photodetectors positioned to receive a respective one of said radiation beams;

a plurality of visible light-emitting members, each of said visible light-emitting members being associated with a respective one of said radiation beams;

a plurality of musical instrument designators, each of said musical instrument designators being associated with a different one of said radiation beams and designating a respective one of a plurality of different types of musical instruments;

audio generation means for generating a plurality of sets of musical sounds, each of said musical sounds within said sets being associated with a respective one of said radiation beams and each of said sets of musical sounds being associated with a respective one of said different types of musical instruments designated by said musical instrument designators;

means for causing said audio generation means to generate musical sounds of one of said sets of musical sounds in response to an interruption of said radiation beam associated with said musical instrument designator which designates said type of musical instrument associated with said one set of musical sounds;

means for causing said audio generation means to generate one of said musical sounds in response to an interruption of said radiation beam associated with said one musical note; and

means for causing one of said visible light-emitting members to be illuminated in response to an interruption of said radiation beam associated with said one visible light-emitting member.

2. A musical toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said audio generation means comprises means for generating a plurality of different musical songs, said musical toy additionally comprising:

a plurality of musical song designators, each of said musical song designators being associated with a different one of said radiation beams and designating a respective one of said musical songs; and

means for causing said audio generation means to generate one of said musical songs in response to an interruption of said radiation beam associated with said musical song designator that designates said one musical song.

3. A musical toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for generating said radiation beams comprises a plurality of photoemitters disposed on said semi-circular rainbow member and wherein each of said photoemitters generates a radiation beam in a downward direction towards said base member.

4. A musical toy, comprising:

a base member;

a second member connected to said base member so as to form a substantially unobstructed space between said second member and said base member;

means for generating a plurality of radiation beams between said base member and said second member;

a plurality of photodetectors, each of said photodetectors positioned to receive a respective one of said radiation beams;

a plurality of musical instrument designators, each of said musical instrument designators being associated with a different one of said radiation beams and designating a respective one of a plurality of different types of musical instruments;

audio generation means for generating a plurality of sets of musical sounds, each of said musical sounds within said sets being associated with a respective one of said radiation beams and each of said sets of musical sounds being associated with a respective one of said different types of musical instruments designated by said musical instrument designators;

means for causing said audio generation means to generate musical sounds of one of said sets of musical sounds in response to an interruption of said radiation beam associated with said musical instrument designator which designates said type of musical instrument associated with said one set of musical sounds; and

means for causing said audio generation means to generate one of said musical sounds in response to an interruption of said radiation beam associated with said one musical note.

5. A musical toy as defined in claim 4 additionally comprising:

a plurality of visible light-emitting members, each of said visible light-emitting members being associated with a respective one of said radiation beams; and

means for causing one of said visible light-emitting members to be illuminated in response to an interruption of said radiation beam associated with said one visible light-emitting member.

6. A musical toy as defined in claim 4 wherein said audio generation means comprises means for generating a plurality of different musical songs, said musical toy additionally comprising:

a plurality of musical song designators, each of said musical song designators being associated with a different one of said radiation beams and designating a respective one of said musical songs; and

means for causing said audio generation means to generate one of said musical songs in response to an interruption of said radiation beam associated with said musical song designator that designates said one musical song.

7. A musical toy as defined in claim 4 wherein said second member comprises:

a semi-circular shaped member having a plurality of different colored semi-circular stripes disposed thereon; and

a plurality of star-shaped elements disposed on said semi-circular shaped member, each of said star-shaped elements being positioned adjacent one of said radiation beams.

8. A musical toy as defined in claim 4 wherein said base member is disposed in a generally horizontal plane and wherein said second member comprises a semi-circular shaped rainbow member disposed in a generally vertical plane.

9. A musical toy as defined in claim 4 wherein said musical instrument designators are disposed on said base member.

10. A musical toy as defined in claim 4 wherein each of said musical instrument designators comprises a visual image of one of said musical instruments.

11. A musical toy, comprising:

a base member;

a second member connected to said base member so as to form a substantially unobstructed space between said second member and said base member;

means for generating a plurality of radiation beams between said base member and said second member;

a plurality of photodetectors, each of said photodetectors positioned to receive a respective one of said radiation beams;

a plurality of musical song designators, each of said musical song designators being associated with a different one of said radiation beams and designating a respective one of a plurality of different musical songs;

audio generation means for generating said musical songs; and

means for causing said audio generation means to generate one of said musical songs in response to an interruption of said radiation beam associated with said musical song designator that designates said one musical song.

12. A musical toy as defined in claim 11 wherein said base member is disposed in a generally horizontal plane and wherein said second member comprises a semi-circular shaped rainbow member disposed in a generally vertical plane.

13. A musical toy as defined in claim 11 wherein said musical song designators are disposed on said base member.

14. A musical toy as defined in claim 11 wherein each of said song designators comprises a visual image representing one of said musical songs.

15. A musical toy, comprising:

a base member;

a second member connected to said base member so as to form a substantially unobstructed space between said second member and said base member;

means for generating a plurality of radiation beams between said base member and said second member;

a plurality of photodetectors, each of said photodetectors positioned to receive a respective one of said radiation beams;

audio generation means for generating a plurality of musical sounds, each of said musical sounds being associated with a respective one of said radiation beams; and

means for causing said audio generation means to generate one of said musical sounds in response to an interruption of said radiation beam associated with said one musical note.

16. A musical toy as defined in claim 15 wherein said audio generation means is operable in a first mode in which said audio generation means generates one of a plurality of musical songs and a second mode in which said audio generation means generates musical sounds in response to interruption of said radiation beams, said musical toy additionally comprising a switch for selecting said first mode of operation or said second mode of operation.

17. A musical toy as defined in claim 15 wherein said base member is disposed in a generally horizontal plane and wherein said second member comprises a semi-circular shaped rainbow member disposed in a generally vertical plane.