Elastic sound-making toy with rotatable appendages

• US 20050003733A1
• Filed: 04/26/2004
• Published: 01/06/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Strom, Lisa, Ritter, Janice, Takeyasu, Alton
• Application Number:
  US10/832,887
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003733A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/298
• 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 3/04 with deformable framework
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/20 with parts moved due to movements of other parts, e.g. limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/28 Arrangements of sound-producing means in dolls; Means in dolls for producing sounds
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/40 movable

Abstract

Motion responsive toys having deformable body segments. The toy includes a first body segment constructed from elastically deformable materials and a second body segment operatively coupled to the first body segment. In some embodiments, movable appendages are mounted to the body segments, with one appendage adapted to drive the motion of the other.

Claims

1. A deformable toy comprising:

a first body segment constructed from an elastically deformable material; and

a second body segment operatively coupled to the first body segment, wherein a movable first appendage is mounted to one of the first and second body segments and a movable second appendage is mounted to the other of the first and second body segments, the first appendage adapted to be placed in a user-defined position and drive movement of the second appendage when the user-defined position of the first appendage is altered, wherein movement of the second appendage alternately conceals and reveals a portion of the first body segment or the second body segment.

2. The toy of claim 1, wherein the first appendage and second appendage are adapted to counter-rotate with respect to one another.

3. The toy of claim 1, further including a movable third appendage mounted to the first body segment, wherein movement of the third appendage is driven by deformation of the first body segment.

4. The toy of claim 1, wherein the first appendage represents an arm and is mounted to the first body segment, and the second appendage represents an item of clothing and is mounted to the second body segment.

5. The toy of claim 1, wherein the first body segment represents a sea sponge.

6. The toy of claim 1, further including a speech assembly adapted to emit sound upon activation of a sensor, wherein the sensor is adapted to sense deformation of the first body segment.

7. A toy figure that is transformable between first and second configurations, the toy figure comprising:

a body segment made of a resiliently deformable material;

a plurality of appendages coupled to the body segment and adapted to move from a first configuration to a second configuration by extending away from the body segment in response to deformation of the body segment, wherein at least a portion of the appendage remains extended from the body segment after the body segment has returned to its undeformed state;

a sensor adapted to sense deformation of the body segment; and

a sound generator operatively coupled to the sensor and thereby adapted to emit sound upon deformation of the body segment.

8. The toy figure of claim 7, wherein the appendage configured to extend away from the body segment represents eyes.

9. The toy figure of claim 7, wherein the plurality of appendages includes a first appendage adapted to be placed in a user-defined position and drive movement of a second appendage when the user-defined position of the first appendage is altered.

10. The toy of claim 9, wherein movement of the second appendage alternately conceals and reveals a portion of the body segment.

11. The toy of claim 9, wherein the first appendage represents an arm and the second appendage represents an item of clothing.

12. The toy of claim 9, wherein the first appendage and the second appendage counter-rotate with respect to one another.

13. A deformable toy comprising:

an elastically deformable upper body;

a rigid lower body; and

a clothing region mounted to the lower body, wherein the clothing region is adapted to move relative to the lower body and thereby alternately conceal and reveal a portion of the lower body.

14. The toy of claim 13, further including at least one arm operatively coupled to the clothing region and adapted to be placed in a user-defined position.

15. The toy of claim 14, wherein the at least one arm drives movement of the clothing region.

16. The toy of claim 15, wherein the at least one arm and the clothing region counter-rotate with respect to one another.

17. The toy of claim 13, further including at least one eye mounted within the upper body and adapted to extend from the upper body upon deformation of the upper body.

18. The toy of claim 13, further including a tongue mounted within the upper body and adapted to extend from the upper body upon deformation of the upper body.

19. The toy of claim 13, further including a speech assembly adapted to periodically emit sound.

20. The toy of claim 13, further including a speech assembly adapted to emit sound upon movement of at least one of the clothing region, the at least one arm, the at least one eye, and the tongue.