Feature-altering toy

• US 7,384,325 B2
• Filed: 08/15/2003
• Issued: 06/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Cheng, Bryan, McGrath, Tara, Kelly, Emily, Marine, Jon C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carter; Monica
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams; J
• Application Number:
  US10/641,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20040127140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 446/268, 446/319, 446/297, 446/298, 446299-305, 446320-321, 446/337, 446/175, 446/475, 446/489, 446/484, 446/97, 446/98, 446/470, 446/471, 446/454
• US Class Current: 446/268
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/00 Toy figures with self-moving parts, with or without movement of the toy as a whole
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/005 with self-moving head or facial features with a choice of features A63H3/365; movable eyes A63H3/40
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/22 Electric drives power supply through track A63H18/12
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/36 Details; Accessories

Abstract

One example of a toy system includes a first body, at least one accessory having an activation feature, at least one mechanism adapted to alter the first body, and a first sensor adapted to sense the activation feature and to activate selectively the at least one mechanism when the activation feature is sensed. The body may include first and second body elements that are moveable relative to each other, a drive element, and a sensor mounted relative to the body and adapted to be activated by a user. The second body element may also have a characteristic that is changeable. A first mechanism may have a plurality of operative states, and a function may be controlled based on the operating state.

Claims

1. A toy system comprising:

a plurality of different ones of at least one accessory having an activation feature; and

a doll body including;

a first body element and a second body element;

at least one first mechanism adapted to simulate growth by translating one of the first body element and the second body element relative to the other of the first and second body elements, thereby elongating a dimension of the doll body;

a first sensor adapted to sense the activation feature and to activate selectively the at least one first mechanism when the activation feature is sensed, the sensor being mounted to the doll body and the doll body having a support adapted to receive the at least one accessory, the first sensor being adapted to detect the different accessories; and

a controller coupled to the mechanism assembly and to the sensor, and adapted to control operation of the mechanism assembly differently when the sensor detects different accessories.

2. The toy system of claim 1, wherein the first mechanism is driven by a motor assembly that is controlled by the sensor.

3. The toy system of claim 2, further comprising a controller responsive to the relative position of the first and second body elements and adapted to control operation of the motor assembly in a manner corresponding to the position of the first body element relative to the second body element.

4. The toy system of claim 1, wherein the at least one accessory forms a second body and includes at least one second mechanism adapted to alter the second body.

5. The toy system of claim 4, wherein the accessory has a second sensor adapted to sense activation of the at least one first mechanism and to activate the at least one second mechanism when the activation of the at least one first mechanism is sensed.

6. The toy system of claim 1, wherein the body has at least one chamber having an outwardly opening aperture and one of the first and second body elements includes an extensible member supported in the chamber and adapted to be urged through the aperture by the at least one first mechanism.

7. A toy comprising:

a body including first and second body elements, at least one of the first and second body elements representing a torso segment, the first and second body elements configured to slide relative to each other to alter a dimension of the body and the second body element having a characteristic that is changeable;

a drive element;

a sensor mounted relative to the body and adapted to be activated by a user;

at least one sound corresponding to a relative position of the first and second body elements and configured to be emitted when the sensor is activated;

a first mechanism activated by the sensor when the sensor is activated and mounted relative to the first body element and the drive element, the first mechanism being adapted to move the drive element relative to the second body element, and to move the second body element relative to the first body element during movement of the drive element;

a second mechanism mounted relative to the second body element, adapted to perform a function on the characteristic of the second body element in response to movement of the drive element; and

an accessory, wherein the sensor is activated by manipulation of the accessory relative to the sensor, wherein the body has a support adapted to support the accessory and the sensor is activated by placement of the accessory in the support.

8. The toy of claim 7, wherein the body has at least one chamber having an outwardly opening aperture and an extensible member supported in the chamber and adapted to move through the aperture.

9. The toy of claim 8, wherein the second mechanism is adapted to urge the extensible member through the aperture.

10. A toy system comprising:

a body having a plurality of body elements, including at least one first body element having an inner chamber and an outwardly extending aperture and a second body element;

an extensible member supported by a spool relative to the first body element;

a body-altering assembly adapted to urge selectively the extensible member through the aperture while rotating a portion of the extensible member, the body-altering assembly including a motor assembly controlled by the sensor and adapted to move the first body element relative to the second body element;

a sensor mounted relative to the body, coupled to the body-altering assembly, and adapted to be activated by a user, the body-altering assembly being activated when the sensor is activated by a user; and

a controller responsive to the relative position of the first and second body elements and adapted to control operation of the motor assembly in a manner corresponding to the position of the first body element relative to the second body element.

11. The toy system of claim 10, further comprising an accessory adapted to be manipulated in a given manner by a user, wherein the sensor is activated when the accessory is manipulated in the given manner.

12. The toy system of claim 11, further comprising a plurality of different ones of the accessories, the sensor being adapted to detect the different accessories, the toy system further comprising a controller coupled to the body-altering assembly and to the sensor, and adapted to control operation of the body-altering assembly differently when the sensor detects different accessories.

13. A toy comprising:

a body including first and second body elements, the first and second body elements being moveable relative to each other and the second body element having a characteristic that is changeable;

a drive element;

a plurality of different accessories;

a sensor mounted relative to the body and adapted to detect the plurality of different accessories;

a first mechanism activated by the sensor when the sensor is activated and mounted relative to the first body element and the drive element, the first mechanism being adapted to move the drive element relative to the second body, and to move the second body element relative to the first body element during movement of the drive element;

a controller coupled to the first mechanism and to the sensor, and adapted to control operation of the first mechanism differently when the sensor detects the different accessories; and

a second mechanism mounted relative to the second body element, adapted to change the characteristic of the second body element in response to movement of the drive element.