Action figure and accessories

• US 7,588,478 B2
• Filed: 03/22/2005
• Issued: 09/15/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Michael Lashinsky
• Original Assignee: Michael Lashinsky
• Inventors: Lashinsky, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cegielnik; Urszula M
• Application Number:
  US11/086,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20060217030A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,638 Days
• Field of Search: 446 91- 95, 446/175, 446/485, 446/484, 446/473, 446/406, 446/405
• US Class Current: 446/484
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/006 provided with electrical lighting electrical lighting F21
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/46 Connections for limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/48 Mounting of parts within dolls, e.g. automatic eyes or parts for animation self-moving A63H13/00

Abstract

An articulated action figure, in conjunction with a battery pack, is adapted for providing power to electrical accessories that may be removably attached to the figure. The battery pack, fashioned as an appropriately scaled accessory, provides for removable, electrically conductive attachment to a cooperating receiving area of the action figure. The action figure conducts current internally from the battery pack receiving area to conductive surfaces disposed on specific areas of the figure, such as extremities, fashioned for removable retention of accessories. Advantageously, the present invention provides a means of conducting current through the figure at its points of articulation without requiring flexing of conductors. Suitably fashioned electrical accessories, such as simulated laser guns, removably retained by the figure at the aforesaid specific areas, may be provided electrical power through cooperating points in electrical contact with the conductive surfaces of the figure. Embodiments provide for control or modulation of the current supplied from the battery pack through the figure to accessories.

Claims

1. An action figure for providing current to an electrical accessory with electrical contact points, comprising:

a hollow torso;

a hollow pivoting limb abutting the torso;

a first conductor pair comprised of a first and a second conductor within the torso;

a second conductor pair comprised of a first and a second conductor within the hollow pivoting limb;

a pair of conductive areas on the surface of the limb for contact with the electrical contact points of the accessory, the conductive areas in electrical communication with the second conductor pair; and

a pivoting contact apparatus pivotingly coupling the limb to the torso and electrically coupling the first conductor pair to the second conductor pair, the pivoting contact apparatus comprising;

a first disc-brush apparatus, comprising a disc in electrical communication with the first conductor of the first conductor pair, the disc rotatably in mechanical and electrical contact with a brush in electrical communication with the first conductor of the second conductor pair;

a second disc-brush apparatus, comprising a disc in electrical communication with the second conductor of the first conductor pair, the disc rotatably in mechanical and electrical contact with a brush in electrical communication with the second conductor of the second conductor pair; and

a dielectric separating the first disc-brush apparatus from the second disc-brush apparatus.