Artifical eye structure and toy having same

• US 8,007,340 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2009
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd. (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.), Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sip, Kim-Yeung
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): KLAYMAN, AMIR ARIE
• Application Number:
  US12/491,249
• Publication Number:
  US 20100291832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 446/392, 446/236, 446/337, 446339-351, 446389-391, 446/393, 446395-396, 434/271
• US Class Current: 446/392
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/38 Dolls' eyes

Abstract

An artificial eye structure rotates an artificial upper eyelid via the attraction between a number of electromagnetic elements disposed in a line and a magnet. The rotation angle of the artificial upper eyelid can be controlled by selectively magnetizing the electromagnetic elements.

Claims

1. An artificial eye structure, comprising:

an artificial eyeball being a hollow semi-sphere in shape and comprising a circular edge, a first outer surface, a pupil pattern formed on the first outer surface, and a pair of shaft sleeves correspondingly formed at the edge, the shaft sleeves being aligned with each other;

a shaft rotatablely connected to the shaft sleeves;

an artificial upper eyelid connected to the shaft and configured to rotate with the shaft;

a gear sleeved on the shaft;

a transmission rod comprising a teethed rack section meshed with the gear;

a drive device comprising a plurality of electromagnetic elements disposed along a line, and a magnet fixed on the transmission rod; and

a controller electrically connected to the electromagnetic elements for selectively magnetizing the electromagnetic elements, the magnetized electromagnetic element attracting the magnet and driving the transmission rod to move along the line of the electromagnetic elements and driving the shaft to rotate via the gear, the artificial upper eyelid rotating with the shaft to cover and uncover the pupil pattern.

2. The artificial eye structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the shaft sleeves defines a pivot hole therethrough, the pivot holes are aligned with each other and defined a pivot axis therethrough;

the artificial eyeball further comprises a first inner surface and a sliding support, the sliding support extends from the first inner surface beneath one of the shaft sleeves and comprises a holding surface parallel to the pivot axis;

the transmission rod comprises an upper surface, a bottom surface opposite to the upper surface, an end surface perpendicularly connecting to one end of the upper surface and a corresponding end of the bottom surface, the rack section is formed on the upper surface, and the transmission rod is slidablely disposed on the sliding support with the bottom surface contacting with the holding surface.

3. The artificial eye structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the drive device comprises a container, the container comprises a rectangular tube and an end wall sealing one end of the rectangular tube, the rectangular tube comprises an inner bottom surface parallel to the bottom surface of the transmission rod, the end wall comprises a second inner surface perpendicular to the inner bottom surface;

the electromagnetic elements are disposed on the inner bottom surface substantially along the length of the rectangular tube from the second inner surface to the end of the rectangular tube away from the end wall;

the artificial eye structure further comprises a spring connecting the end surface with the second inner surface.

4. The artificial eye structure as claimed in claim 2, wherein the artificial upper eyelid comprises a pair of circular edges, and a pair of connecting portions extending from the intersection of the circular edges and defining a through hole at the centre thereof;

the shaft comprises two opposite connecting ends, the shaft is rotatablely connected to the shaft sleeves via the connecting ends correspondingly passing through the pivot holes, and the artificial upper eyelid is connected to the shaft via the through holes fixing to the connecting ends correspondingly.

5. The artificial eye structure as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a lower eyelid and a support portion, the lower eyelid comprises a second outer surface, a pair of long circular edges, and a pair of short circular edges formed at the intersection of the long circular edges, the artificial lower eyelid is integrally formed on the first outer surface with the short circular edges correspondingly aligned with the shaft sleeves and one of the long circular edges aligned with the circular edge, and the support portion is extended from the second outer surface for fixing the artificial eye structure onto a device utilizing the artificial eye structure.

6. A toy comprising:

an artificial eye structure comprising;

an artificial eyeball being a hollow semi-sphere in shape and comprising a circular edge, a first outer surface, a pupil pattern formed on the first outer surface, and a pair of shaft sleeves correspondingly formed at the edge, the shaft sleeves being aligned with each other;

an artificial upper eyelid rotatablely connected to the artificial eyeball;

a transmission device comprising;

a shaft rotatably connected to the shaft sleeves;

a gear sleeved on the shaft; and

a transmission rod comprising a teethed rack section meshed with the gear;

a drive device comprising a plurality of electromagnetic elements disposed along a line, and a magnet fixed on the transmission rod; and

a controller electrically connected to the electromagnetic elements to selectively magnetize the electromagnetic elements according to the remaining power of a battery used by the toy, the electromagnetic element once magnetized attracting the magnet and driving the transmission rod to move towards the electromagnetic elements and driving the shaft to rotate via the gear, the artificial upper eyelid rotating with the shaft to cover and uncover the pupil pattern.

7. The toy as claimed in claim 6, wherein the controller comprises:

a detection unit configured for detecting the remaining power of the battery;

a memory unit configured for storing a table comprising a collection of magnetizing instructions and a collection of ranges of remaining power of the battery, where each magnetizing instruction is associated with a corresponding range of remaining power of the battery;

an instruction unit configured for determining which range the detected remaining power of the battery falls in and reading the corresponding magnetizing instruction; and

a drive unit configured for executing the read magnetizing instruction to magnetize a corresponding electromagnetic element.

8. The toy as claimed in claim 6, wherein each of the shaft sleeves defines a pivot hole therethrough, the pivot holes are aligned with each other and defined a pivot axis therethrough;

the artificial eyeball further comprises a first inner surface and a sliding support, the sliding support extends from the first inner surface beneath one of the shaft sleeves and comprises a holding surface parallel to the pivot axis;

the transmission rod comprises an upper surface, a bottom surface opposite to the upper surface, an end surface perpendicularly connecting to one end of the upper surface and a corresponding end of the bottom surface, the rack section is formed on the upper surface, and the transmission rod is slidablely disposed on the sliding support with the bottom surface contacting with the holding surface.

9. The toy as claimed in claim 8, wherein the drive device comprises a container, the container comprises a rectangular tube and an end wall sealing one end of the rectangular tube, the rectangular tube comprises an inner bottom surface parallel to the bottom surface of the transmission rod, the end wall comprises a second inner surface perpendicular to the inner bottom surface;

the electromagnetic elements are disposed on the inner bottom surface substantially along the length of the rectangular tube from the second inner surface to the end of the rectangular tube away from the end wall; and

the artificial eye structure further comprises a spring connecting the end surface with the second inner surface.

10. The toy as claimed in claim 8, wherein the artificial upper eyelid comprises a pair of circular edges, and a pair of connecting portions extending from the intersection of the circular edges and defining a through hole at the centre thereof;

the shaft comprises two opposite connecting ends, the shaft is rotatablely connected to the shaft sleeves via the connecting ends correspondingly passing through the pivot holes; and

the artificial upper eyelid is connected to the shaft via the through holes fixing to the connecting ends correspondingly.

11. The toy as claimed in claim 6, further comprising a lower eyelid and a support portion, the lower eyelid comprising a second outer surface, a pair of long circular edges, and a pair of short circular edges formed at the intersection of the long circular edges, the artificial lower eyelid being integrally formed on the first outer surface with the short circular edges corresponding aligned with the shaft sleeves and one of the long circular edges aligned with the circular edge, the support portion being extended from the second outer surface for fixing the artificial eye structure onto a device utilizing the artificial eye structure.