Amusement device

• US 7,040,951 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2004
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daniel J. Beckman, James R. Hornsby, Marcellus R. Benson, William H. Bronson Jr
• Original Assignee: Daniel J. Beckman, James R. Hornsby, Marcellus R. Benson, William H. Bronson Jr
• Inventors: Beckman, Daniel J., Benson, Marcellus R., Hornsby, James R., Bronson, William H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wellington, A. L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ABDELWAHED, ALI F
• Application Number:
  US10/751,351
• Publication Number:
  US 20040198169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 446/454, 446/132, 446/137, 446/139
• US Class Current: 446/454
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/20 with pairs of legs, e.g. horses
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/48 Mounting of parts within dolls, e.g. automatic eyes or parts for animation self-moving A63H13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 30/04 using wireless transmission

Abstract

An amusement device is disclosed having an animal body portion and a remote control portion. The animal body portion may be a lizard having horns and a tail. A user may use the remote control to cause the animal to move. The animal body has at least one motor operably connected to the animal'"'"'s head, legs, and tail. The motor causes the animal to walk forward, walk backward, or dance in place at the selection of the user, and causes the tail to move and the mouth of the animal'"'"'s head to move. An extendable tongue protrudes from the mouth. The tongue may have a magnetic tip for connecting with a magnetic or metallic object. The device may also contain a speaker that plays music and/or words as selected by the user through the remote control. In one embodiment, the lizard dances while playing music.

Claims

1. An electro-mechanical amusement device comprising:

an animal portion comprising;

a body portion;

a head connected to the body portion;

a tail connected to the body portion;

legs connected to the body portion;

a receiver for receiving a signal; and

a motor for causing the animal portion to move based upon the signal;

a remote control that interfaces with the animal portion comprising;

a button for selecting a feature; and

a transmitter connected to the button for transmitting the signal to the receiver and the animal portion further comprising a tongue operably coupled to the motor, the tongue comprising a plurality of elongated members connected as a lattice that extends and retracts.

2. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the tail and the head move relative to the body portion as the legs move.

3. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the motor causes the animal portion to walk forward or backward.

4. The amusement device of claim 1, the animal portion further comprising a speaker that plays a sound.

5. The amusement device of claim 4, the animal portion further comprising a memory that stores the sound that is played by the speaker.

6. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the animal portion further comprises a head motor connected to the head, which head motor causes the head to move.

7. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein the tongue has a magnetic end portion.

8. The amusement device of claim 7, further comprising an object that magnetically connects to the magnetic end portion of the tongue.

9. A remote-controlled animal amusement device comprising:

a body;

a head connected to the body, the head comprising;

a lower jaw that defines a mouth;

a tongue connected to the head inside the mouth, the tongue comprising;

a plurality of elongated lattice members pivotally connected to each other;

a stationary connector connected to one of the plurality of members;

a slidable connector connected to another of the plurality of members, wherein the slidable connector moves relative to the stationary connector causing the tongue to extend as the slidable connector moves away from the stationary connector and causing the tongue to retract as the slidable connector moves toward the stationary connector.

10. The amusement device of claim 9, further comprising a motor connected to the slidable connector, which motor causes the slidable connector to move.

11. The amusement device of claim 10, further comprising a remote control comprising:

a feature selection button;

an electronics portion connected to the button that creates a signal based on an input from the button; and

a transmitter connected to the electronics portion that transmits a signal to a receiver connected to the motor, which signal causes the tongue to extend or retract.

12. The amusement device of claim 9, further comprising a fly object that removably attaches to the tongue.

13. The amusement device of claim 9, further comprising a magnetic object that removably attaches to the tongue.

14. An interactive remote-controlled amusement device comprising:

an animal portion that receives a signal, the animal portion comprising;

a body portion having a non-magnetic outer shell;

a motor connected to the body portion; and

a magnetic portion inside the outer shell; and

a magnetic object that magnetically attaches to the outer shell through a field created by the magnetic portion.

wherein the magnetic portion is movable within the outer shell and is configured to be capable of moving the magnetic object while the maqnetic object remains in contact with the outer shell.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the magnetic portion is coupled to moving parts, wherein the moving parts are legs connected to the body portion.

16. The device of claim 14, further comprising a remote control that sends a signal to the animal portion.