Luminous toy

• US 6,524,161 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2000
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sega Toys Co., Ltd (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.), Shine
• Original Assignee: Sega Toys Co., Ltd (SEGA Sammy Holdings Inc.), Shine
• Inventors: Asami, Yukihiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/657,490
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 310/319, 310/328, 446/23, 446/140, 446/279, 446/438, 446/448, 446/451, 446/464, 446/465, 446/485
• US Class Current: 446/485
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/006 provided with electrical lighting electrical lighting F21
• CPC Class Codes: H02N 2/183 using impacting bodies high voltage generators in spark lighters F23Q

Abstract

A luminous toy capable of emitting light at any time anywhere without having to worry about a power shortage and failing to turn off a switch and capable of preventing environmental pollution. The luminous toy includes a toy body provided with a piezoelectric element which induces a voltage when it is strained, a rectifying circuit for rectifying the voltage generated from the piezoelectric element, a capacitor for smoothing the voltage rectified by the rectifying circuit and a luminous element connected in parallel to the capacitor. The luminous toy also includes a strain generating mechanism for generating strain for straining the piezoelectric element.

Claims

1. A luminous toy comprising:

a toy body provided with a piezoelectric element which induces a voltage when it is strained, a rectifying circuit for rectifying the voltage generated from said piezoelectric element, a capacitor for smoothing the voltage rectified by said rectifying circuit and a luminous element connected in parallel to said capacitor; and

a strain generating means for generating strain for straining said piezoelectric element wherein said generating means is arranged in the toy body and includes a movable engageable element adjacent to the piezoelectric element, said engageable element being moved to engage with the piezoelectric element to thereby strain the piezoelectric element.

2. A luminous toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said strain generating means is selected from a beating mechanism for beating said piezoelectric element and a flip mechanism for flipping said piezoelectric element.

3. A luminous toy as defined in claim 2, wherein said toy body is constituted by a traveling body including turning wheels;

and

said beating mechanism or flip mechanism is operated in association with said turning wheels.

4. A luminous toy as defined in claim 2, wherein said beating mechanism or flip mechanism repeatedly strains said piezoelectric element.

5. Luminous toy as defined in claim 4, wherein said toy body is constituted by a traveling body including turning wheels;

and

said beating mechanism or flip mechanism is operated in association with said turning wheels.

6. A luminous toy as defined in claim 1, wherein said toy body is constituted by a traveling body including turning wheels;

and

said beating mechanism or flip mechanism is operated in association with said turning wheels.

7. A luminous toy comprising:

a toy body provided with a piezoelectric element which induces a voltage when it is strained, a rectifying circuit for rectifying the voltage generated from said piezoelectric element, a capacitor for smoothing the voltage rectified by said rectifying circuit and a luminous element connected in parallel to said capacitor; and

a strain generating means for generating strain for straining said piezoelectric element;

wherein said toy body is constituted by a traveling body including turning wheels; and

said beating mechanism or flip mechanism is operated in association with said turning wheels.

8. Luminous toy as defined in claim 7, wherein said strain generating means is selected from a beating mechanism for beating said piezoelectric element and a flip mechanism for flipping said piezoelectric element.

9. Luminous toy as defined in claim 8, wherein said beating mechanism or flip mechanism repeatedly strains said piezoelectric element.