Musical hula hoop

• US 6,497,603 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Inc., M Design
• Original Assignee: Hasbro Inc., M Design
• Inventors: McDonald, Gerald A., Magers, Ronald, Risso, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jacob K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Francis, Faye
• Application Number:
  US09/859,056
• Time in Patent Office: 587 Days
• Field of Search: 446/236, 446/242, 446/265, 446/266, 446/297, 446/484, 446/485
• US Class Current: 446/242
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 19/00 Hoop exercising apparatus A63B21/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0625 Emitting sound, noise or music

Abstract

A musical hoop toy may be provided with a hoop structure, a sensing mechanism coupled to the hoop structure and being disposed on an interior side of the hoop structure such that, when the hoop structure is spun around a person'"'"'s waist, the sensing mechanism will be periodically activated by a portion of the person'"'"'s waist, an audio speaker coupled to the hoop structure, and a controller operatively coupled to the sensing mechanism and the audio speaker. The controller may include a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory. The computer program may have a computer program portion that causes a music sequence to be generated and a computer program portion that causes an audio sound effect to be generated in response to each activation of the sensing mechanism.

Claims

1. A musical hoop toy, comprising:

a first hoop section comprising a hollow tube;

a second hoop section comprising a hollow tube;

a first hoop connector that is capable of joining said second hoop section to said first hoop section;

a third hoop section comprising a hollow tube;

a second hoop connector that is capable of joining said third hoop section to said second hoop section;

a fourth hoop section comprising a hollow tube; and

a third hoop connector that is capable of joining said fourth hoop section to said third hoop section,

said hoop sections forming at least part of a circular hoop structure having a diameter in the range of about 25 inches to about 40 inches when said hoop sections are joined by said connectors;

a housing coupled to one of said hoop sections;

a battery disposed in said housing;

a counterweight disposed in one of said hoop sections other than said hoop section to which said housing is coupled;

a music button;

a contact button disposed such that, when said hoop sections are connected together and when said hoop toy is spun around a person'"'"'s waist, said contact button will be periodically activated by contact with a portion of the person'"'"'s waist;

an audio speaker; and

a controller operatively coupled to said music button, said contact button and said audio speaker, said controller comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in said memory, said computer program comprising;

a computer program portion that causes a music sequence to be started in response to said music button being pressed, said music sequence having a possible duration of at least about three seconds;

a computer program portion that causes said time period to be restarted each time said contact button is activated;

a computer program portion that causes said music sequence to be terminated if said contact button is not activated before said time period elapses; and

a computer program portion that causes an audio sound effect to be generated in response to each activation of said contact button.

2. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said hoop connectors are not integrally formed with said hoop sections.

3. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes a second music sequence to be generated in response to said music button being pressed a second time.

4. A musical hoop toy, comprising:

a plurality of hoop sections;

a plurality of hoop connectors that are capable of joining said hoop sections together to form a circular hoop structure;

a housing coupled to one of said hoop sections;

a contact button disposed such that, when said hoop sections are connected together and when said hoop toy is spun around a person'"'"'s waist, said contact button will be periodically activated by a portion of the person'"'"'s waist;

an audio speaker; and

a controller operatively coupled to said contact button and said audio speaker, said controller comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in said memory, said computer program comprising;

a computer program portion that causes a music sequence to be started; and

a computer program portion that causes said music sequence to be terminated if said contact button is not activated before a given time period elapses.

5. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 4 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes said time period to be restarted each time said contact button is activated.

6. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 4 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes a second music sequence to be generated in response to a music button being pressed.

7. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 4 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes an audio sound effect to be generated in response to each activation of said contact button.

8. A musical hoop toy, comprising:

a hoop structure having a diameter in the range of between about 25 inches and about 40 inches;

a sensing mechanism coupled disposed on an interior side of said hoop toy such that, when said hoop toy is spun around a person'"'"'s waist, said sensing mechanism will be periodically activated by a portion of the person'"'"'s waist;

an audio speaker; and

a controller operatively coupled to said sensing mechanism and said audio speaker, said controller comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in said memory, said computer program comprising;

a computer program portion that causes a music sequence to be started; and

a computer program portion that causes said music sequence to be terminated if said sensing mechanism is not activated before a given time period elapses.

9. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 8 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes said time period to be restarted each time said sensing mechanism is activated.

10. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 8 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes a second music sequence to be generated in response to a music button being pressed.

11. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 8 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes an audio sound effect to be generated in response to each activation of said sensing mechanism.

12. A musical hoop toy, comprising:

a plurality of hoop sections;

a plurality of hoop connectors that are capable of joining said hoop sections together to form a hoop structure;

a sensing mechanism disposed on an interior side of said hoop toy such that, when said hoop toy is spun around a person'"'"'s waist, said sensing mechanism will be periodically activated by a portion of the person'"'"'s waist;

an audio speaker; and

a controller operatively coupled to said sensing mechanism and said audio speaker, said controller comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in said memory, said computer program comprising;

a computer program portion that causes a music sequence to be started; and

a computer program portion that causes said music sequence to be terminated if said sensing mechanism is not activated before a given time period elapses.

13. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 12 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes said time period to be restarted each time said sensing mechanism is activated.

14. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 12 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes a second music sequence to be generated in response to a music button being pressed.

15. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 12 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes an audio sound effect to be generated in response to each activation of said sensing mechanism.

16. A musical hoop toy, comprising:

a hoop structure having a diameter in the range of between about 25 inches and about 40 inches;

a sensing mechanism disposed such that, when said hoop toy is spun around a person'"'"'s waist, said sensing mechanism will be periodically activated by a portion of the person'"'"'s waist;

an audio speaker; and

a controller operatively coupled to said sensing mechanism and said audio speaker, said controller comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in said memory, said computer program comprising;

a computer program portion that causes a music sequence to be generated; and

a computer program portion that causes an audio sound effect to be generated in response to each activation of said sensing mechanism.

17. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 16 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes a second music sequence to be generated in response to a music button being pressed.

18. A musical hoop toy, comprising:

a plurality of hoop sections;

a plurality of hoop connectors that are capable of joining said hoop sections together to form a hoop structure;

a sensing mechanism disposed such that, when said hoop sections are joined together and when said hoop toy is spun around a person'"'"'s waist, said sensing mechanism will be periodically activated by a portion of the person'"'"'s waist;

an audio speaker; and

a controller operatively coupled to said sensing mechanism and said audio speaker, said controller comprising a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in said memory, said computer program comprising;

a computer program portion that causes a music sequence to be generated; and

a computer program portion that causes an audio sound effect to be generated in response to each activation of said sensing mechanism.

19. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 18 wherein said hoop connectors are not integrally formed with said hoop sections.

20. A musical hoop toy as defined in claim 18 wherein said computer program comprises a computer program portion that causes a second music sequence to be generated in response to a music button being pressed.