Gyroscopic figurine

• US 5,957,745 A
• Filed: 01/26/1998
• Issued: 09/28/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Johnson Researach and Development Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Johnson Researach and Development Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Lonnie G., Applewhite, John T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FOSSUM, LAURA J
• Application Number:
  US09/012,980
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 446/3, 446/233-236, 446/256, 446/259, 446/264
• US Class Current: 446/234
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/14 Mechanically-moved walking figures balanced by gyrostatic effects

Abstract

A gyroscopic figurine (10) is disclosed having a body (11) and a gyroscope (12) mounted within the body. The gyroscope (12) has a rotatable wheel (15) coupled with the shaft (23) of an electric motor (16). The shaft is oriented at an angle to the axis of rotation (21) of the gyroscope wheel to cause a slight unbalancing or wobbling effect as the wheel rotates. The body has a torso (26), a head (28), pivoting arms (29), a fixed leg (30), and a moveable leg (33). The relative positioning of the arms, legs and torso cause the figurine to become unbalanced and thus move while the gyroscope operates. The unbalancing of the gyroscopic wheel causes the figurine to vibrate and thus enhance the skating effect of the figurine upon an underlying surface.

Claims

1. A figurine comprising a body portion and a gyroscope mounted within said body portion, said gyroscope having a rotatable wheel having an axis of rotation and an axle mounted to said rotatable wheel having a longitudinal axis of rotation, said wheel axis of rotation being oriented at an angle to said axle axis of rotation, whereby the angled orientation of the axle axis with respect to the wheel axis causes the gyroscope to vibrate during rotation which in turn causes the figurine to slide relative to a surface supporting the figurine.

2. The figurine of claim 1 wherein said axle is offset from the geometric center of said wheel.

3. The figurine of claim 2 wherein said body portion has at least one pivotal arm extending from said torso.

4. The figurine of claim 1 wherein said axle is offset from the center of gravity of said wheel.

5. The figurine of claim 1 wherein said body portion has a torso, a fixed leg extending from said torso positioned substantially along said axle, and a repositionable leg movably coupled to said torso, said repositionable leg being mounted for relative movement along said torso for varying the distance between said axle and said repositionable leg.

6. The figurine of claim 1 wherein said body portion has a torso with a first portion and a second portion coupled to said first portion for relative movement of said second portion relative to said axle.

7. The figurine of claim 6 wherein said second portion is coupled to said first portion along a dividing plane oriented at an oblique angle to said axle.

8. The figurine of claim 1 wherein said body portion has at least one pivotal arm.

9. The figurine of claim 1 further comprising an electric motor coupled to said gyroscope rotatable wheel.

10. A figurine comprising a body portion and a gyroscope mounted to said body portion, said gyroscope having a rotatable wheel having an axis of rotation and an axle mounted to said rotatable wheel having a longitudinal axis of rotation, said wheel axis of rotation being oriented at an angle to said axis of rotation, said body portion having a torso, a fixed leg extending from said torso positioned substantially along said axle, and a repositionable leg movably coupled to said torso, said repositionable leg being mounted for relative movement along said torso for varying the distance between said axle and said repositionable leg.

11. The figurine of claim 10 wherein said torso has a first portion and a second portion coupled to said first portion for relative movement of said second portion relative to said axle.

12. The figurine of claim 11 wherein said second portion is coupled to said first portion along a dividing plane oriented at an oblique angle to said axle.

13. The figurine of claim 10 wherein said body portion has at least one pivotal arm.

14. The figurine of claim 13 wherein said torso with a first portion and a second portion coupled to said first portion for relative movement of said second portion relative to said axle.

15. The figurine of claim 14 wherein said second portion is coupled to said first portion along a dividing plane oriented at an oblique angle to said axle.

16. The figurine of claim 10 further comprising an electric motor coupled to said gyroscope rotatable wheel.

17. The figurine of claim 10 wherein said axle is positioned with its longitudinal axis oriented at an oblique angle to said axis of rotation.

18. The figurine of claim 10 wherein said axle is offset from the geometric center of said wheel.

19. The figurine of claim 10 wherein said axle is offset from the center of gravity of said wheel.

20. A figurine comprising a body portion and a gyroscope mounted to said body portion, said gyroscope having a rotatable wheel having an axis of rotation and an axle coupled to said rotatable wheel having a longitudinal axis of rotation, said wheel axis of rotation being oriented at an angle to said axle axis of rotation, said body portion having a torso with a first portion and a second portion coupled to said first portion and having a longitudinal axis, said second portion being moveable for different positions of said torso axis relative to said to said axle axis.

21. The figurine of claim 20 wherein said second portion is coupled to said first portion along a dividing plane oriented at an oblique angle to said axle.

22. The figurine of claim 20 wherein said body portion has a fixed leg extending from said torso and having an underlying surface contact point positioned substantially along said axle, and a repositionable leg movably coupled to said torso, said repositionable leg being mounted for relative movement along said torso for varying the distance between said axle and said repositionable leg.

23. The figurine of claim 20 wherein said body portion further comprises at least one pivotal arm.

24. The figurine of claim 20 further comprising an electric motor coupled to said gyroscope rotatable wheel.

25. The figurine of claim 20 wherein said axle is offset from the geometric center of said wheel.

26. The figurine of claim 20 wherein said axle is offset from the center of gravity of said wheel.