US3029552A - Animated doll - Google Patents

Description

April 17, 1962 A. M. KATZ 3,029,552

ANIMATED DOLL Filed June 23, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l F|G.2. FIG. I.

F I G 5 INVENTOR IBY ATTKRNEYS a A. M. KATZ ANIMATED DOLL April 17, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 2.3,v 1961 5 m Cl FIG. '7.

FIG. 8.

iNVENTOR M [472 United States Patent York Filed June 23, 1961, Ser. No. 12%,144 9 Claims. (Cl. 46-426) The present invention relates generally to dolls, and in particular to an animated doll which is adapted to simulate a newborn baby or relatively young infant.

A wide variety of mechanisms have been employed and/or suggested for imparting animation to the head, body, and limbs of a doll. Such mechanisms are usually relatively complicated, require the provision of specially constructed components for the doll, and produce a periodically repetitive sequence of movements which after a short period of use become relatively well known tothe child, thereby detracting from the play value of the doll. There exists the need for a doll which simulates the movement of an infant or newborn baby, embodies rela tively simple mechanisms for attaining animation, enables the employment of essentially conventional components and/or techniques for the manufacture of the doll, and produces a random motion which is virtually non-repetitive and thereby has the capacity for maintaining the interest of the child over prolonged periods of play. Preferably, the doll should be soft, yieldable, and cuddly and should be of exceptionally rugged construc tion to withstand anticipated abuse, yet be functional for its intended purposes.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved doll overcoming one or more of the aforesaid shortcomings and exhibiting one or more of the aforesaid advantages. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the present invention to provide an animated doll which will have a non-repetitive movement, including relative motion of the head, torso, and limbs thereof to impart life-like characteristics to the doll and to hold a childs attention over prolonged periods of play.

in accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating objects and features of the present invention there is provided an animated doll which comprises a dolls body having limbs hingedly connected thereto, a head movably mounted on the doll body for a complex motion having components of rotation and fiexion, and actuating means within the doll'body for imparting the complex motion to the head to animate the doll body and the hingedly connected limbs. The actuating means in cludes a motor, which may be either spring or battery operated, having a drive shaft which terminates in an angularly offset shaft extension projecting into the head of the doll. The shaft extension serves as the generatrix of a conical surface about which a central axis of the head moves in response to rotation of the drive shaft. Provision is made for coupling the shaft extension to the head along the central axis such that the motion of the doll head in rotation and flexion will cause movement of the doll body and of the hingedly connected limbs, both in relation to each other and to a supporting surface, thereby imparting a continually varying animation to the doll.

As a feature of the invention, the animation of the doll is enhanced by the provision of a further shaft which extends substantially at right angles to the drive shaft and projects from the back of the doll body. A disc-like member, which may serve for winding if a spring-type drive is employed, is operatively connected to the further shaft and at least partially serves as a rotatable pedestal support for the doll body. The rotation of the pedestal support coacts with the complex motion of the head to contribute to the animation of the doll.

Patented Apr. 1 7, 1962.

ICC

Advantageously, the doll body may be fabricated from a body-forming skin having a yieldable stuffing at least partially filling the same such that the body will have a soft and cuddly feeling to the child. Further, the limbs preferably include molded semi-rigid extremities which are connected to the doll body proper by stuffed extensions of the body such that the limbs are loosely and hingedly jointed and readily respond to the complex motion of the head which may be enhanced by the rotation of the pedestal support in contact with the supporting surfaces underlying the doll.

The above brief description, as well as further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment in accordance with the present invention, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and sectioned, of an animated doll embodying features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in the neck region of the doll;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the internal actuating and noise-making devices incorporated into the doll;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view looking down on the disc-like member of the actuating device when in contact with an underlying support, showing in dotted lines successive positions of the disc-like member serving as a pedestal support and contributing to the animation of the doll;

FIG. 5 is a perspective View of the doll shown lying on its back and in a typical, but nonetheless illustrative, position;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 5, showing the relative position of the doll body, head and extremities or limbs at a somewhat later time;

FIG. 7'is a perspective view showing the doll on its stomach, which is typical but which is nonetheless illustrative of a further attitude in which the doll can be placed by the child; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective View similar to FIG. 7, but showing the doll at a time somewhat later in its movement when disposed on its stomach.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, there is shown a doll, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, which demonstrates features of the present invention and includes a doll body 12, a head 14 movably mounted on the doll body for a relatively complex movement including components of rotation and flexion, and limbs including a pair of arms 16 which are of substantial identical construction and are hingedly connected to the body 12, and a pair of legs 18 which are likewise of identical construction and hingedly connected to the doll body 12.

In this preferred, but nonetheless illustrative embodiment, the doll body 12 includes a body-forming skin in the shape and contour of a body which is formed by the stitching together of a number of panels (i.e. the front panel 20 and the rear panel 22) which may be of any appropriate material. Preferably, an easily-stitched, readily-washed synthetic fabric of a flesh color is employed to fabricate the body-forming skin which terminates at its upper end in a neck opening 24. The marginal portion of the body 12 which bounds the neck opening 24 is folded back upon itself, as indicated at 12a in FIG. 2, and is stitched in its folded back condition to form a tiereceiving guideway about the neck opening 24 which receives a tie member 26 in the form of a wire or the like.

Extending inwardly from the neck opening 24 is a cavity-forming insert 28 which is likewise constructed of an appropriate easily-stitched-fabric and terminates at its upper end in a neck opening 30 which is coextensive with the neck opening 24 in the body 12. The marginal portion 28a of the cavity-forming insert is folded back upon itself to form a second tie-receiving guideway which receives a second tie member 32 in the form of a flexible wire. As seen best in FIG. 1, the assembly of the cavityforming insert 28 within the body 12 provides an internal cavity 34 within the doll body which is adapted to receive actuating mechanisms, as will subsequently be described. The remainder of the body-forming skin of the doll body 12 is filled with a yieldable stufling, generally designated by the reference numeral 36, which may be of any appropriate material, such as shredded foam polyethylene or other similar high bulk, low weight multi-cellular plastic materials.

The doll head 14 is provided with a depending neck 14a terminating in an enlarged inwardly directed neck flange 14b which is of substantially semi-circular cross section (see FIG. 2). The neck flange 14b is formed on its outer periphery with an annular tie-receiving groove 14c which is adapted to receive the respective tie members 26, 32 of the body-forming skin and of the cavity-forming insert 28. Internally of the neck 14a of the doll head 14 there is provided a neck insert 38 which may be fabricated of any rigid material, such as wood or plastic. The neck insert 38 is formed with a peripheral seat 49 which is of a section complementary to the inwardly directed curved neck flange 14b. The diameter and wall thickness of the neck 14a and of the inwardly directed neck flange 14b is such as to enable the neck to yield and receive the neck insert 33 in a preliminary sub-asscmbly. Similarly, the final assembly of the head 14 onto the doll body 12 involves a relatively simple operation since after the insertion of the actuating mechanisms into the cavity 34 and engagement with the dolls head 14, the marginal portions of the body-forming skin 22 and of the cavity forming insert 28 may be inserted into the peripheral groove 14c. Thereupon, the tie members 26, 32 may be drawn tight and finally such tie members may be tied down to provide respective securement annuli within the peripheral groove 14c of the neck flange 14b. The resulting assembly mounts the head 14 on the body 12 for rotation, lateral fiexion and upward and downward extension in a manner calculated to simulate the function of the neck joint of a human.

The arms 16 of the doll each include a molded semi-rigid extremity 160 which may be fabricated of any appropriate plastic molded into the desired shape and contour of the lower portion of an arm having a hand. The molded extremity 16a of each of the arms is hingedly and loosely connected to the body 12 by stuffed extensions 16b of the doll body 12 which are fabricated by stitching and stuffing, as previously described. Ioinder of the stuffed extensions 16b serving as the upper portion of the arms 16 to the doll body 12 is achieved at relatively thinwalled sections, with or without the provision of a stitch line therealong, such as to provide a hinged or pivotal connection between the respective arms 16 and the body 12. In a similar fashion, the legs 18 each include a molded semi-rigid extremity 18a serving as the lower portion thereof and a stuffed extension 18b of the doll body 12 serving as the upper or inner portion thereof. It will be appreciated that the provision of the molded semi-rigid extremities 16a, 18a for the arms and legs and the flexible or hinged mountings on the doll body enables the extremities to respond to relatively small movements of the doll body and/or head 14. The movement of the extremities, which will vary in a random fashion depending upon the position of the extremities, the nature of the support, and the attitude of the doll body impart an exceptionally life-like action to the doll.

An actuating mechanism, generally designated by the reference numeral 42, is mounted within the cavity 34 in the doll body 22. The actuating mechanism 42 includes 4. a housing 44 which receives a motor (not shown) which may either be spring wound or battery operated. The motor includes a drive shaft 46 which terminates in angularly offset shaft extension 48 which projects into the head 14. Specifically, the neck insert 38 is provided centrally thereof with a coupling sleeve 50 which is of an internal diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the shaft extension 48 for rotatably receiving the latter. The coupling sleeve 50 is rigidly and non-rotatably mounted on the neck insert 38 by any appropriate fastening means, such as the spaced collars 52, 54. Upon progressive reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, it will be appreciated that the shaft extension 48 rotating in the nonrotatable coupling sleeve 50 serves as the generatrix of a conical surface about which a central axis of the head 14 moves in response to rotation of the drive shaft 46. Typical successive positions for the angular offset shaft extension 48 in response to rotation of the drive shaft 46 are shown by the broken lines in FIG. 3.

Projecting from the motor housing 44 at right angles to the drive shaft 46 and through the back of the doll body 12 is a further shaft 55 which has secured thereto a disc-like member 56. The disc-like member 56 at least partially serves as a rotatable pedestal support for the doll body 12, as will subsequently be described, and coacts with the shaft extension 43 operatively connected to the dclls head 14 to impart animation to the doll 10. Since in this illustrative embodiment the motor of the actuating mechanism 42 is a conventional spring wound motor, the further shaft 55 serves as a winding knob. The unwinding of the spring motor imparts rotation to the winding member 56 which, when in contact with the contiguous and underlying supporting surfaces, has a tendency to move the doll body 12 relative to such supporting surfaces. If the actuating mechanism 42 incorporates a battery-operated motor there is no necessity for a winding arrangement per se and in such event, the further or auxiliary shaft 55 is coupled in any appropriate fashion to the motor to receive the necessary drive for enhancing the animation produced by the movement of the head 14 relative to the body 12.

In some instances it may be desirable to make provision in the doll 10 for creating a sound or noise simulating that of an infant. To this end, an appropriate noise making device 58 (see FIG. 3) incorporating an activating bulb 60 and air-responsive noise maker 62 may be incorporated into the doll body, as shown by the dot-dash lines in FIG. 5.

In order to facilitate a more thorough understanding of the present invention, reference will now be made to FIGS. 4 to 8 inclusive for a description of the action of the doll:

First referring to FIG. 4, it will be appreciated that when the disc-like member 56 rotates in the direction of the arrow and is moved into an attitude in relation to the underlying support (see for example FIGS. 5 and 6) to make peripheral contact therewith, the disc-like member 56 will tend to walk or displace the doll body 12 laterally in relation to the supporting surface. The direction of such displacement will be dependent upon the direction of rotation of the disc-like member 56 in relation to the support and the location of the peripheral contact between the disc-like member and the support. For example, when the disc-like member 56 rotates in the clockwise direction (when looking down upon the doll in FIGS. 4 to 6 inclusive), there will be a tendency for the doll body 12 to be displaced toward the right in FIG. 4 and in the direction of the viewer in FIGS. 5 and 6. Concurrently, the head 14 has a complex motion imparted thereto as the shaft extension 48 orbits about conical path of movement (see FIG. 3). This motion is imparted to the head 14 via the coupling sleeve 50 causing the same to rotate and raise and lower (see the full and dotted line position in the head in FIG. 1). The concurrent movement of the head 14 relative to the body 12 and the turning of the pedestal-like support 56 in contact with the underlying supporting surface for the doll will cause the doll body to assume difierent positions, and depending upon the initial attitude of the limbs thereof, will cause motion to be imparted to such limbs. For example, if the arms and legs of the doll 10 are placed substantially in a position shown in FIG. 5 and the actuating mechanisms 42 for the doll placed in operation, there will be a tendency of the doll body 12 to move in the direction of the viewer and at right angles to the drawing. This coupled with the raising of the upper portion of the dolls body will cause the adjacent arm and the adjacent leg to move from the raised position into a somewhat more stretched out attitude. Of course it will be appreciated that there is a continuing and varying movement of the extremities of the doll as the head and body assume diiferent positions in relation to each other and to the underlying support.

When the doll is placed upon its back a shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, there is initially no contact between the pedestal-like support 56 and the underlying supporting surfaces. However, there continues to be a relative movement of the head 14 in relation to the body 12 which, depending upon the initial position of the limbs and the balance and center of gravity of the doll, will cause the doll to assume successively different positions. Assuming that the doll is somewhat in a crouched lying position with the legs tucked under as shown in FIG. 7, and the upper portion of the dolls body or torso is raised, there Will be a tendency for the legs to somewhat straighten out and the arms to somewhat extend thereby causing the doll to assume a position more or less like that illustrated in FIG. 8.

It is possible to initially place the doll in a position on its stomach where there is a tendency for the doll to turn over onto its back as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. Thereupon, the pedestal-like support 56 will come into operation to enhance and compound the animation imparted to the doll by the complex motion of the head 14 in relation to the body 12.

It is to be emphasized that the positions shown in FIGS. 5 and 8 are merely illustrative of the many and varied positions which can be obtained for an animated doll constructed in accordance with the present invention. Basically, the doll is of relatively simple and rugged construction and is capable of withstanding prolonged periods of use, yet remain in operational condition. It will be appreciated that the head and extremities of the doll may be sculptured to simulate a relatively young infant or newborn baby, which coupled with the general feel of the soft and yieldable body and the animation imparted to the doll, will give the doll exceptionally life-like properties.

A latitude of modification, change and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances some features of the invention will be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention herein.

What I claim is:

1. An animated doll comprising a doll body, limbs hingedly connected to said doll body, a head movably mounted on said doll body for a complex motion having components of rotation and fiexion, and actuating means within said doll body for imparting said complex motion to said head, said actuating means including a motor having a drive shaft terminating in an angularly offset shaft extension projecting into said head, said shaft extension serving as the generatrix of a conical surface about which a central axis of said head moves in response to rotation of said drive shaft, means for coupling said shaft extension to said head along said central axis, a further shaft extending substantially at right angles to said drive shaft and projecting from the back 6 of said doll body,'and a disc like member operatively connected to said further shaft and at least partially serving as a rotatable pedestal support for said doll body, the rotation of said pedestal support coacting with said complex motion of said head to animate said doll.

2. An animated doll according to claim 1 wherein said doll body includes a body-forming skin and a yieldable stufiing at least partially filling said body-forming skin.

3. An animated doll according to claim 2 wherein said limbs include molded semi-rigid extremities and said doll includes stuffed extensions serving as inner portions of said limbs.

4. An animated doll comprising a doll body, a head movably mounted on said doll body for a complex motion having components of rotation and fiexion, and actuating means within said doll body for imparting said complex motion to said head, said actuating means including a motor having a drive shaft terminating in an angularly offset shaft extension projecting into said head, said shaft extension serving as the generatrix of a conical surface about which a central axis of said head moves in response to rotation of said drive shaft, means for coupling said shaft extension to said head along said central axis, a further shaft extending substantially at right angles to said drive shaft and projecting from the back of said doll body, and 'a disc-like member operatively connected to said further shaft and at least partially serving as a rotatable pedestal support for said doll body, the rotation of said pedestal support coacting with said complex motion of said head to animate said doll.

5. An animated doll comprising a doll body, limbs hingedly connected to said doll body, a head movably mounted on said doll body for a complex motion having components of rotation and fiexion, and-actuating means within said doll body for imparting said complex motion to said head, said actuating means including a spring motor having a drive shaft terminating in an angularly offset shaft extension projecting into said head, said shaft extension serving as the generatrix of a conical surface about which a central axis of said head moves in response to rotation of said drive shaft, means for coupling said shaft extension to said head along said central axis, a wind shaft extending substantially at right angles to said drive shaft and projecting from the back of said doll body, and a disc-like member operatively connected to said wind shaft and at least partially serving as a rotatable pedestal support for said doll body, the rotation of said pedestal support coacting with said complex motion of said head to animate said doll.

6. An animated doll comprising a stuffed doll body, limbs having semi-rigid extremities hingedly connected to said doll body, a head having a neck and movably mounted on said doll body for a complex motion having components of rotation and flexion, and actuating means within said doll body for imparting said complex motion to said head, said actuating means including a motor having a drive shaft terminating in an angularly offset shaft extension projecting into said head, coupling means for connecting said shaft extension to said head including an insert secured within said neck and a coupling sleeve projecting from said insert within said head and along a prescribed axis, said shaft extension being received within said coupling sleeve and serving as the generatrix of a conical surface about which said axis of said head moves in response to rotation of said drive shaft.

7. An animated doll comprising a doll body including a body-forming skin in the shape and contour of said body and having a neck opening therein, means extending inwardly from said neck opening and defining an internal cavity in said doll body, yieldable stufiing in the remainder of said body-forming skin for filling out said body, limbs hingedly connected to said doll body and each including a molded semi-rigid extremity, a head for said doll including a neck formed with an external tie-receiving groove thereabout, tie means mounted about said neck opening and engaging said neck for movably mounting said head on said body for a complex motion having components of rotation and flexion, and actuating means including a motor within said doll body for imparting said complex motion to said head to animate said doll body and said limbs.

8. An animated doll comprising a doll body including a body-forming skin in the shape and contour of said body and having a neck opening therein, means extending inwardly from said neck opening and defining an internal cavity in said doll body, yieldable stufling in the remainder of said body-forming skin for filling out said body, limbs hingedly connected to said doll body and each including a molded semi-rigid extremity, a head for said doll including a neck formed with an external tie-receiving groove thereabout, tie means mounted about said neck opening and engaging said neck for movably mounting said head on said body for a complex motion having components of rotation and flexion, and actuating means within said doll body for imparting said complex motion to said head, said actuating means including a motor within said internal cavity having a drive shaft terminating in an angularly offset shaft extension projecting into said head, coupling means for connecting said shaft extension to said head including an insert secured within said neck and a coupling sleeve projecting from said insert within said head and along a prescribed axis, said shaft extension being received within said coupling sleeve and serving as the generatrix of a conical surface about which said axis of said head moves in response to rotation of said drive shaft.

9. An animated doll comprising a doll body including a body-forming skin in the shape and contour of said body and having a neck opening therein, means extending inwardly from said neck opening and defining an internal cavity in said doll body, yieldable stufiing in the remainder of said body-forming skin for filling out said body, limbs hingedly connected to said doll body and each including a molded semi-rigid extremity, a head for said doll including a neck formed with an external tie-receiving groove thereabout, tie means mounted about said neck opening and engaging said neck for movably mounting said head on said body for a complex motion having components of rotation and flexion, and actuating means within said doll body for imparting said complex motion to said head, said actuating means including a spring motor within said internal cavity having a drive shaft terminating in an angularly offset shaft extension projecting into said head, coupling means for connecting said shaft extension to said head including an insert secured within said neck and a coupling sleeve projecting from said insert within said head and along a prescribed axis, said shaft extension being received within said coupling sleeve and serving as the generatrix of a conical surface about which said axis of said head moves in response to rotation of said drive shaft, a wind shaft for said motor projecting from the back of said doll body, and a winding member external to said doll body at the back thereof and on said wind shaft for winding said spring motor, the unwinding of said spring motor imparting rotation to said winding member which is adapted to contact contiguous supporting surfaces for moving said doll relative to said surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 863,270 Fiedeler Aug. 13, 1907 1,674,943 Berger June 26, 1928 2,137,371 March Nov. 22, 1938 2,217,102 Cohen Oct. 8, 1940 2,519,499 OSullivan Aug. 22, 1950 2,555,800 Levine June 5, 1951 2,620,594 Parisi Dec. 9, 1952 2,723,490 Ruiz Nov. 15, 1955 2,733,547 Cohn Feb. 7, 1956 2,736,135 Gardel et al. Feb. 28, 1956 2,754,621 Cohn July 17, 1956 2,954,639 Walss Oct. 4, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 642,713 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1950

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