US3495351A - Figure toy having apparatus for moving eyes in simulated reading motion - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 17, 1970 D. L. BEAR ETAL 3,495,351 FIGURE TOY HAVING APPARATUS FOR MOVING EYES IN SIMULATED READING MOTION Filed Feb. 12, 1968 .4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Mtwraex Arr/o J. it [our Mnvxw/ W yam Filed Feb. 12, 1968 Feb. 17, 1970 D. 1.. BEAR ETAL 3,495,351

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United States Paten 3 495,351 FIGURE TOY HAVING APPARATUS FOR MOVING EYES IN SIMULATED READING MOTION David L. Bear, Compton, and James F. Munday, South Gate, Calif., assignors to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne,

Calif., a corporation of California Filed Feb. 12, 1968, Ser. No. 704,724 Int. Cl. A63h 13/02 US. Cl. 46-118 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The figure toy has movable eyes, which eyes are constrained to move in a generally horizontal plane. The eye drive includes a crank linkage which moves the eyes quickly in one direction and slowly in the other to simulate eye reading motion. Furthermore, the figure toy has a sound-producing device capable of producing sound from two sets of sound tracks. Which of the sound tracks is selected is dependent upon the position of a figure toy appendage in relationship to the movable eyes.

Arms of the figure can support a simulated book and move it from a non-reading to a reading position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention will be set forth in two parts:

Field of the invention The present invention pertains generally to the field of eye moving means in figure toys and more particularly to such means which includes means for moving the eyes slowly in one direction and quickly in the opposite direction to simulate reading eye movements.

Description of the prior art Fisher Patent No. 2,136,006 and Weiss Patent No. 2,604,730 are examples of prior art patents directed to figures which have movable eyes. The Fisher patent discloses a structure wherein the eyes of the model move in a slow rolling motion, with fairly even speed of eye motion. The Weiss patent is primarily directed to a structure which causes winking of the eyes, but also discloses a structure wherein the eyes move back and forth laterally through a portion of the operative cycle. In this patent, most of the time the eyes are stationary. Both of these patents have the disadvantage that the resulting eye sweeping pattern does not realistically simulate a true pattern of eye motion during reading. Another disadvantage of both of these structures is that they are unnecessarily complicated in that they use shaped cams to obtain eye motion. The cam in the Weiss patent particularly results in periods when the eyes are not sweeping and periods in which the eyelids are not moving to thus require an unnecessarily large and complex cam. The cam in the Fisher patent is disadvantageous because it requires very careful design or the eyes move along an uncomforta-ble-appearing and undesirable path.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION ice selects between the modes of operation of the soundproducing device so that the sound-producing device produces sounds corresponding to reading when the appendage is moved to a predetermined position or positions.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a talking doll which has movable eyes and a movable arm, the eyes being driven to move through their simulated reading patterns, and the movable arm carrying a simulated book and the arm being connected to the sound-producing device so that non-reading sounds are produced when the arm holds the hook away from the line of sight of the eyes, and produces reading sounds when the arm holds the book in line of sight of the eyes.

According to the present invention, the figure toy has movable eyes with eye-moving means therefor. The eyemoving means includes moving the eyes at a first rate in one direction and at a second, slower rate in the opposite direction so that the eyes move through simulated reading patterns. Additionally, the figure toy is provided with movable appendage means and a sound-producing device, the appendage means being attached to the sound-producing device so that, when the appendage means are moved to a first position, the sound-producing device produces a first character of sound and when the appendage means are moved to a second position, the soundproducing device produces a second character of sound.

The features of the present invention which are helieved to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of the figure toy of this invention showing its movable appended arms in a lowered position;

FIGURE 2 is another isometric view of the figure toy of this invention showing the appended arms in a raised position with a simulated book carried thereby in the line of sight of the movable eyes;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical section through the figure toy taken generally along line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a section taken generally along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, together with a schematic electrical circuit of the electrical interconnections in the figure toy;

FIGURE 5 is a section taken generally along line 55 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a partial section taken generally along line 66 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a partial section taken generally along line 77 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged section, similar to the section of FIGURE 3, showing the eye drive structure; and

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged section taken generally along line 99 of FIGURE 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The figure toy of this invention is generally indicated at 10 in FIGURES l, 2., and 3. The figure toy 10 is illustrated as being a doll, and particularly a doll corresponding to such age of a child as would be learning to read. However, the illustration of a doll as incorporating the invention is merely an illustrative example of a figure toy and is not considered to be limiting. The doll of the exemplary figure toy 10 is provided with head 12, torso 14 and appendages in the forms of arms 16 and 18. Furthermore, the figure toy is provided with legs, all of the structure being generally configured to represent a doll of the above-indicated age.

As best seen in FIGURE 9, eyeball means 20 and 22 are mounted within substantially hemispherical transparent bubbles 24 and 26, which in turn are respectively mounted in eye sockets 28 and 30 within head 12 of the figure toy. The eyeball means 20, 22 are floating within the plastic bubbles and are retained therein by means of annular surfaces 32 and 34 which engage around the back of the eyeball means 20, 22, respectively, to limit rearward motion of the eyeball means.

Cross link 36 is a unitary structure with pins 38 and 40 which respectively engage on the back of eyeball means 20 and 22. Thin sections 42 and 44 between the cross link and the pins act as hinges to permit relative bending movement of the link with respect to the eyeball means. To accomplish this, cross link 36 with its integrally formed pins 38 and 40 are preferably formed of a flexible synthetic polymer composition material, such as polypropylene. Guide bar 46 is positioned under link 36, and a similar guide bar can be positioned over cross link 36 for the purpose of constraining cross link 36 to movement along its length which causes rotation of eyeball means 20 and 22 upon their own vertical axis. Alternatively, if desired, the eyeball means could be pivoted upon vertical pivot pins affixed to the eyeball means and journaled in the eye socket structure.

Referring principally to FIGURE 8, worm shaft 48 is journaled in bearings 50 and 52 secured within head 12 of the figure toy. Worm shaft 48 carries driven pulley 54 which is driven by belt 56. Worm shaft 48 also carries worm 58 which is in gear tooth engagement with worm wheel or gear 60. Gear 60 is pivoted upon pivot pin 62 which is also secured inside of the head 12. Gear 60 in turn engages gear 64 which is mounted upon pivot pin 66. Gear 64 carries crank pin 68 extending forward from the face thereof. Yoke 70 is pivoted in doll head structure 12 upon pivot 72, which is parallel to pivot pin 66. Yoke 70 has slot 74 therein, which slot engages upon crank pin 68. Connector pin 76 extends forward from the yoke 70, adjacent pivot 72 and engages in a vertical slot in cross link 36.

As pulley 54 is rotated, gear 64 rotates at a reduced speed in the clockwise direction, as is seen in FIGURE 8. This causes angular oscillating motion of link 76} about its pivot pin 72, with yoke 70 moving more slowly angularly while crank pin 68 is in the top three-quarters of its stroke, as the yoke 70 moves in the clockwise direction. In this portion of the stroke, crank pin 68 is farther away from pivot pin 72, so that the clockwise rotary motion of yoke 70 is fairly slow. However, during the bottom quarter of the stroke of crank pin 68, it is close to pivot pin 72 so that the return of yoke 70 the counter clockwise direction is relatively fast. This causes simulated reading motion of the moving eyes, for the eyes sweep slowly in the reading direction and rapidly return in the opposite direction.

Referring principally to FIGURES 3, 4, 5, and 6, soundproducing device 77 of the type disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 699,653, filed J an. 22, 1968, and hereby incorporated herein by reference, is mounted within torso 14 of the figure toy and includes a motor 78. Motor 78 includes an output shaft 79 having an end 79a which carries an output pulley 88 around which belt 56 is engaged so that whenever motor 78 is rotating, the eye motion is operative. Another end 83 of the output shaft 79 of motor 78 carries friction drive wheel 84 which is in frictional driving engagement with drive wheel 86. Spring wire 88 frictionally engages against the side of shaft 90 to apply some friction thereto to prevent excessive coasting of the shaft when motor 78 is de-energized. Shaft 90 carries capstan 92 thereon, which engages a record '94 and urges it against a press roll 96. Record 94 is in the form of an endless band which is looped upon itself so that an appreciable length can be stored within the housing 82 of sound-producing device 77.

Record 94 has a plurality of separate, parallel tracks 95 therein throughout a substantial portion of its length. Between the ends and beginnings of each of the separate tracks 95, there are joined together by means of a lead out groove and a lead in groove of the type shown in said co-pending application, which respectively join the ends and beginnings of all the tracks. A random selecting mechanism 97 determines which of the tracks is to be played. Referring to FIGURE 5, a stylus 98 is mounted upon pivoted stylus arm 100. The point of stylus 98 engages in a selected sound track 95, which is a groove which contains physical representations of the desired audible sounds. The back of stylus arm 100 engages against button 102 secured in the back of speaker cone 104 so that the speaker cone vibrates in accordance with the physical representations of the audible sound in the grooves and produces the audible sound by speaker vibration. Stylus arm 100 is swingable about its pivot, but remains in engagement with button 102 throughout its normal stroke.

Record 94 runs over a backing plate 106 and operator 108 is positioned on the other side of backing plate 106 to carry its finger 110 against the record. Operator 108 with its finger 110 is resiliently urged to the downward, dotted line position by means of a spring 112. When a hole or aperture 113 in the record approaches, finger 110 engages in the hole to swing the operator 108 to the upper, solid line position. At the same time, the leadout track on the record causes the stylus to move to the leftmost position shown in FIGURE 3. As the operator 108 moves to this upper position, its pawl 114 en ages ratchet wheel 126 to rotate the ratchet wheel. The amount of rotation is randomly determined by the fact that the ratchet wheel is spun both during the upward movement of the operator from the dotted to full line position, as well as during the return motion from the full line to the dotted line position. Ratchet wheel 116 carries a face cam 117 thereon which is contacted by a stop finger mounted on stylus arm 100. The face cam 117 and stop finger are not in constant engagement, but they serve to limit the movement of stylus arm 100 to the right, from the position shown in FIGURE 3. If no positive stop were provided, the stylus 98 (en gaging in the lead in groove shown in said co-pending application) would be carried to the right most track 95a upon the record 94.

The record contains two sets of sayings, one set 95b being toward the left side of the record, and the other set 950 being toward the right side of the record. Selection between these sets is obtained by the axial position of ratchet wheel 116. Ratchet wheel 116 mounted upon a shaft 118 which is slidably mounted axially of itself in the housing 82 of sound-producing device 77. Yoke 120 on the right end of shaft 118, see FIGURE 3, is engaged by finger 122 of a bell crank 123 pivoted on the housing 82. Bell crank 123 includes a finger 124- which is a cam follower positioned by a cam 126 on arm 18. Thus, when arm 18 is in the raised, full line position shown in FIG- URE 7, shaft 118 is thrust to the left to the full line position shown in FIGURE 3. However, when arm 18 is lowered to the dotted line position of FIGURE 7, the cam follower moves shaft 118 to the dotted line position shown in FIGURE 3. Thus, this motion controls the axial position of ratchet wheei 116 and also the face cam 117 secured thereto so that one of the sets 95b, 95c of tracks 95 is selected. Any track within the selected set is con trolled by the rotary position of ratchet wheel 116.

As is seen in FIGURES 1 and 2, a simulated book 125 is held in the hands formed upon the arms 16 and 18 of the figure toy. When the arms are raised to their FIG- URE 2 position so that the book is before the eyes of the figure toy, set 95c of tracks 95 is selected wherein the sound produced by the sound-producing device 77 represents sounds corresponding to those that would be pro duced by a person reading book 125. However, when the arms are in their lowered FIGURE 1 position so that the book is away from the line of sight of the eyes. a sound track from set 95b is selected and non-reading sounds are produced.

Referring to FIGURE 4, motor 78 is shown as being connected by line 127 to serially connected batteries 128 and 130. The batteries are in turn connected back to motor 78 through momentary contact switch 132. Switch 132 can be conveniently located for operation by the child playing with the figure toy, and thus it is preferably located in an accessible position, for example at the back of the neck of the figure toy. Parallel to momentary contact switch 132 is switch 134 which is connected to operator 108 for actuation by spring 112 and by means of the record 94. When finger 110 engages in hole 113 in the record 94, switch 134 opens. When the hole is not present, the switch remains closed because spring 112 holds operator 108 down. Thus, closure of momentary contact switch 132 starts the motor, and the motor advances the tape so that the hole in the tape is moved away from the finger 110. Thus, the record continues to run for a full cycle until the hole returns to finger 110 and thereupon the motor is shut off. Conveniently the switch is controlled by the position of operator 108, so that when it is in its lowered dotted line position, the switch is closed and when it is in its raised full line position, the switch is open.

While the particular eye-moving device and the innerrelationship between the eye-moving device and the soundproducing device herein described and shown in detail are fully capable of attaining the objects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated, it is to be understood that they are merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiments of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a figure toy having movable eyes pivotally movable about generally parallel vertical eye axes, the combination, comprising: eye moving means for simultaneously swinging said eyes about said eye axes, said eye moving means including oscillatory means connected to said eyes, and rotary means drivingly connected to said oscillatory means for moving said oscillatory means at a first rate in one direction and at a second, slower rate in the reverse direction, whereby said eyes will be moved through simulated reading patterns.

2. The figure toy of claim 1. wherein said rotary means comprises a crank pin rotatable about a crank axis at a substantially constant rate, said oscillatory means comprising a yoke pivoted adjacent said crank axis, said crank pin engaging said yoke, said movable eyes being connected to be by motion of said yoke, so that rotation of said crank about said crank axis moves said yoke at a first rate in one direction and at a second, slower rate in the reverse direction.

3. The figure toy of claim 2 wherein a link connects said movable eyes, and said yoke is connected to said link so that motion of said yoke moves said eyes.

4. The figure toy of claim 3 wherein said eyes are movably mounted within eye sockets in said figure toy so that motion of said connecting link causes rotation of said eyes upon vertical axes in said eye sockets.

5. The figure toy of claim 1 wherein said figure toy has movable appendage means thereon, and a sound-producing device therein, a simulated book in said appendage means, said appendage means being movable to a first position for holding said simulated book in a non-reading position away from said eyes and to a second position wherein said simulated book is in front of said eyes, said appendage means, when in said first and second positions, causing said sound-producing means to reproduce first and second types of sounds, respectively.

6. The figure toy of claim 5 including a motor, drive connection means connected between said motor and said eye moving means and drive connection means between said motor and said sound-producing device so that said eye moving means is motivated when said sound-producing device is motivated.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,017,187 1/1962 Ryan 46-118 3,162,980 12/1964 Hellman 46232 3,287,848 ll/1966 Katz et al. 46135 3,364,618 1/1968 Ryan et al. 46-418 F. BARRY SHAY, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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