Activity toy

• US 6,991,509 B1
• Filed: 05/07/2002
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Inventors: Horton, Gregory R., Carley, Dean N.
• Primary Examiner(s): MILLER, BENA B
• Application Number:
  US10/139,630
• Time in Patent Office: 1,365 Days
• Field of Search: 446/175, 446/227, 446/484, 446/303, 446/297, 446/397, 434/259, 434/334, 434/335, 434/337, 434/340, 434/169, 434/170, 434/171, 434/393, 273/430, 273/448, 273/454, 273/123.A, 273/118.A
• US Class Current: 446/175
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/006 Infant exercisers, e.g. for attachment to a crib
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/22 Optical, colour, or shadow toys puzzles with optical elements A63F9/0613; kaleidoscopes G02B27/08
• 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

An activity toy includes a base with an upper surface that has recessed regions. Elements are positionable in each recessed region. Positioning an element in each recessed region produces a sound. For instance, the sound may be a combination of sounds when more than one element is position in the recesses or a verse of a song that is associated with an element. In addition, the base may be a toy vehicle, with the recesses defining positions in the vehicle. The sound may depend on the position of the elements in the vehicle. The recesses may include a forward recess near the front of the vehicle and a secondary recess located behind the forward recess, and the sound produced may depend on whether an element is placed in the forward or secondary recess.

Claims

1. An activity toy comprising:

a base having a generally horizontal upper surface with hemispherical dimples and a ball tray;

translucent balls positionable in the dimples; and

a sound circuit that comprises;

dimple switches positioned in the dimples and configured to produce a sound one of the balls when is positioned in a dimple and to produce the combination of sounds when more than one ball is positioned in the dimples;

a sound switch mounted on the base and connected to cause the sound circuit to change a sound mode when the sound switch is actuated;

a mode switch on the base and connected to cause the sound circuit to change a status mode between a play mode and a demonstration mode; and

lights that are illuminated in response to placement of the balls in the dimples.

2. The activity toy of claim 1 wherein the dimple switches are configured to produce a sequence of sounds as the balls are positioned in the dimples.

3. The activity toy of claim 2 wherein the sound mode includes music.

4. The activity toy of claim 1 wherein the sound mode includes tones.

5. The activity toy of claim 1 wherein the sound mode includes phrases.

6. An activity toy comprising:

a base having at least a first recess and a second recess;

a translucent ball configured to be placed into the first recess;

an element configured to be placed into the second recess; and

a sound circuit configured to;

play a first sound when the ball is in the first recess;

when the element is placed into the second recess while the ball is in the first recess, play a second sound while the first sound is being played so as to produce a combination of sounds; and

the sound circuit includes a light that is illuminated in response to placement of the ball in the first recess.

7. The activity toy of claim 6 wherein the first recess and the second recess are each in the shape of a hemispherical dimple.

8. The activity toy of claim 7 wherein the sound circuit includes a first dimple switch positioned in the first recess to be actuated by placement of the ball in the first recess.

9. The activity toy of claim 6 wherein the sound circuit includes a sound switch mounted to the base and connected to cause the sound circuit to change a sound mode when the sound switch is actuated.

10. The activity toy of claim 6 wherein the first and second sounds comprise music.

11. An activity toy comprising:

a toy tractor having at least a first recess and a second recess;

a first element having characteristics of a farm animal and configured to be placed in the first or second recess;

a second element having characteristics of a farmer and configured to be placed in the first or second recess; and

a sound circuit configured to;

selectively produce one or more consecutive verses of a song, wherein one of the verses is associated with the farm animal and the verse associated with the farm animal is produced when the first element is in the second recess and is not produced when the first element is not in the second recess;

produce a phrase associated with the farm animal when the first element is in the first recess; and

produce a sound other than the verse associated with the farm animal when the second element is in the first recess and the first element is not in the second recess.

12. The activity toy of claim 11 wherein:

the first element includes an electrical component having a unique electrical characteristic; and

the sound circuit identifies the first element by measuring a dynamic electrical state of the sound circuit, the dynamic electrical state relating to the unique electrical characteristic of the electrical component.

13. The activity toy of claim 12 wherein the dynamic electrical state of the circuit includes a period of time to charge a reactive electrical component above a threshold voltage.

14. The activity toy of claim 13 wherein the reactive electrical component includes a capacitor.

15. The activity toy of claim 14 wherein the electrical component includes a resistor having an electrical resistance.

16. An activity toy comprising:

a toy boat having at least a first recess and a second recess;

a first element having characteristics of a sailor and configured to be placed in the first or second recess;

a second element having characteristics of a boat captain and configured to be placed in the first or second recess; and

a sound circuit configured to;

selectively produce one or more consecutive verses of a song, wherein one of the verses is associated with the sailor and the verse associated with the sailor is produced when the first element is in the second recess and is not produced when the first element is not in the second recess;

produce a phrase associated with the sailor when the first element is in the first recess; and

produce a sound other than the verse associated with the sailor when the second element is in the first recess and the first element is not in the second recess.

17. The activity toy of claim 16 wherein:

the first element includes an electrical component having a unique electrical characteristic; and

the sound circuit identifies the first element by measuring a dynamic electrical state of the sound circuit, the dynamic electrical state relating to the unique electrical characteristic of the electrical component.

18. The activity toy of claim 17 wherein the dynamic electrical state of the circuit includes a period of time to charge a reactive electrical component above a threshold voltage.

19. The activity toy of claim 18 wherein the reactive electrical component includes a capacitor.

20. The activity toy of claim 19 wherein the electrical component includes a resistor having an electrical resistance.

21. An activity toy comprising:

a toy farm tractor having a tractor portion and a trailer portion, the farm tractor including a forward recess near the front of the tractor and at least one secondary recess behind the forward recess, the forward recess being located in the tractor portion of the farm tractor and the at least one secondary recess being located in the trailer portion of the farm tractor;

a first element associated with the secondary recess and configured to be placed into the forward or secondary recess;

a second element associated with the forward recess and configured to be placed into the forward or secondary recess; and

a sound circuit configured to;

produce a first sound when the first element is in the forward recess and a second sound when the first element is in the secondary recess;

produce a third sound when the second element is in the forward recess and the first element is not in the secondary recess; and

produce a fourth sound when the second element is in the forward recess and the first element is in the secondary recess.

22. The activity toy of claim 21 wherein the first element is shaped like a farm animal and the second element is shaped like a farmer.

23. The activity toy of claim 21 wherein:

the first element has characteristics of a person or an animal; and

the sound circuit is configured to selectively produce one or more consecutive verses of a song, wherein one of the verses is associated with the person or animal and the verse associated with the person or animal is produced when the first element is in the secondary recess and is not produced when the first element is not in the secondary recess.

24. An activity toy comprising:

a toy boat, the toy boat including a forward recess near the front of the boat and at least one secondary recess behind the forward recess, the forwarded recess being located at a bow of the boat and the at least one secondary recess being located behind the bow of the boat;

a first element associated with the secondary recess and configured to be placed into the forward or secondary recess;

a second element associated with the forward recess and configured to be placed into the forward or secondary recess; and

a sound circuit configured to;

produce a first sound when the first element is in the forward recess and a second sound when the first element is in the secondary recess;

produce a third sound when the second element is in the forward recess and the first element is not in the secondary recess; and

produce a fourth sound when the second element is in the forward recess and the first element is in the secondary recess.

25. The activity toy of claim 24 wherein the first element is shaped like a sailor and the second element is shaped like a boat captain.

26. The activity toy of claim 24 wherein:

the first element has characteristics of a person or an animal; and

the sound circuit is configured to selectively produce one or more consecutive verses of a song, wherein one of the verses is associated with the person or animal and the verse associated with the person or animal is produced when the first element is in the secondary recess and is not produced when the first element is not in the secondary recess.