U.S. patent number 3,758,982 [Application Number 05/297,451] was granted by the patent office on 1973-09-18 for activity doll.
Invention is credited to Jerome H. Lemelson, William Nutting.
United States Patent |
3,758,982 |
Lemelson , et al. |
September 18, 1973 |
ACTIVITY DOLL
Abstract
A doll is provided having a hollow body with one or more
pivotally mounted limbs arranged for movement from a normally
retracted position at the side or in front of the body to an
actuated position at a higher location or across the body by
operating a manual actuator such as a depressible member which is
accessible to the rear of the body. In another embodiment, a
mechanism subassembly is constructed for selectively operating an
arm and leg of a doll. The arm or leg of the doll is frictionally
adjustable on its pivot mount permitting selective adjustment of
the path through which movement is effected so as to permit the
simulation of various human activities. In another embodiment, the
limb is bendable on its mount so as to permit the simulation of
still further human activities when the limb is actuated.
Inventors: |
Lemelson; Jerome H. (Metuchen,
NJ), Nutting; William (Rockaway Park, NY) |
Family
ID: |
23146362 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/297,451 |
Filed: |
October 13, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/365 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H
13/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63H
13/00 (20060101); A63h 013/04 () |
Field of
Search: |
;46/151,148,118,119,120 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Shay; F. Barry
Claims
We claim:
1. An articulated figure toy comprising:
a body including a torso with a head simulating the human head
connected thereto,
a simulated arm supported on said torso and pivotable relative
thereto,
actuating means mounted on said toy for causing the swinging
movement of said arm through a substantially predetermined arc
defined by an initiating point in the swing of the arm and a
terminal point, and
adjustable means associated with said arm permitting its attitude
to be manually varied prior to the operation of said actuating
means whereby the path of movement of the end of said arm may be
variably changed such that the initiating and terminal points of
the arm movement may be respectively varied in location so as to
permit the simulation of a number of human activities when the
actuating means is operated.
2. A figure toy in accordance with claim 1 wherein said adjustable
means comprises means for variably adjusting the attitude of the
lower portion of the arm with respect to the upper portion thereof
and maintaining the adjustment thereof during the operation of said
actuating means.
3. A figure toy in accordance with claim 1 wherein said adjustable
means comprises frictional means joining said arm at its pivot and
permitting said initiating point in the swing of the arm to be
varied in location so that the operation thereafter of said
actuating means may cause the arm to initiate and end its pivoting
movement at a variety of different locations to thereby permit the
simulation of different human activities.
4. A figure toy in accordance with claim 2 wherein said adjustable
means comprises a bendable wire located within the doll arm and
wherein the doll arm is made of a flexible material permitting it
to be adjustably bent to different configurations and to
substantially retain said configurations.
5. An articulated figure toy in accordance with claim 1 wherein
said actuating means is operable to cause swinging movement of said
arm through an arc which is substantially horizontal when said
torso is disposed substantially vertical.
6. An articulated figure toy in accordance with claim 1 wherein
said actuating means is operable to cause swinging movement of said
arm through an arc which extends substantially vertical when said
torso is disposed substantially vertical.
7. An animation figure including a body portion, a limb supported
by said body portion for movement relative to said body portion
with a pivot-like motion, an operator mounted on said body portion
and having a first section extending into said body portion and a
second section projecting externally of said body portion and
accessible for operation of said operator from a first to a second
position, an operating mechanism disposed within said body portion
and connected to said limb, said mechanism when actuated pivoting
said limb from a first position to a second position, means for
adjusting said limb relative to said body when at said first
position to vary the attitude of said limb and the path the end of
said limb describes during said movement,
biasing means urging said operator to its first position and said
limb to its first position, said operator first section being in
operative engagement with said mechanism to actuate the latter upon
operation of said operator from its first towards its second
position, said mechanism providing a driving connection between
said limb and said operator as the latter moves from its first
toward its second position whereby energy for moving said operator
toward its second position is transmitted through said mechanism to
operate said limb toward its second position.
8. A figure as set forth in claim 7 in which the driving connection
remains intact for all positions of said limb and said operator
whereby positions of said limb are related to positions of said
operator for all positions of the latter.
9. A figure as set forth in claim 7 in which there is a means for
breaking said driving connection when said operator reaches its
second position whereby said biasing means operates said limb to
its first position while said operator is held in its second
position.
10. A figure as set forth in claim 7 in which said mechanism
includes pivoted meshing first and second gear means, and means
guiding said operator for linear movement.
11. A figure as set forth in claim 10 in which first and second
pivots are provided for the respective first and second gear means,
said first section of said operator operatively engaging said first
gear means, a projection extending radially from said second pivot
and mounting said limb thereon whereby said second pivot
constitutes a center about which said limb moves.
12. A figure as set forth in claim 11 in which there is a crank
secured to said first pivot, said operator having a slot extending
generally perpendicular to the direction of movement of said
operator, a pin extending from said crank into said slot and
positioned parallel to said first pivot, said pin and said slot
providing a connection between said operator and said first gear
means.
13. A figure as set forth in claim 7 in which there is a first
pivot to which said limb is mounted, said mechanism including a
lever, a second pivot mounting said lever at a point intermediate
its ends, the axes of said pivots being perpendicular to each
other, an extension from said limb engaging one end of said lever,
said operator engaging said lever at its other end.
14. A figure as set forth in claim 13 in which said mechanism
includes a fixed formation, said first section engaging said
formation as said operator moves toward its second position whereby
said first section moves sideways away from said lever as said
operator moves toward its second position and upon reaching its
second position is disengaged from said lever.
15. A figure as set forth in claim 7 in which said mechanism
comprises a subassembly including a frame, meshing gears pivotally
mounted to said frame, a crank keyed to a first of said gears and
pivotally connected to said operator, a second of said gears keyed
to said limb whereby said limb pivots as said second gear
pivots.
16. A figure as set forth in claim 15 in which said first gear is
of larger diameter than said second gear to multiply motion
transmitted from said operator to said limb.
17. A figure as set forth in claim 15 in which said subassembly
includes another crank pivotally mounted to said frame, said figure
including another limb keyed to said another crank to pivot
therewith, another operator mounted to said body for reciprocating
motion, said end of said another operator extending externally of
said body and accessible to be manually depressed, the other end of
said another operator being pivotally connected to said another
crank to pivot the latter when said another operator is
depressed.
18. A figure as set forth in claim 7 in which there is a hand
holdable tube connected to said body and extending externally
thereof, said operator extending through said tube to a position
external thereof and external of said body.
Description
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to dolls in general and more particularly to
constructions of manually actuated mechanisms for moving the limbs
of dolls with a reciprocating motion. The prior art has provided a
number of doll constructions having movable limbs. For the most
part, most of these constructions involve the movement of the limb
by direct manual operation or by means of a motor wherein the path
of movement for a particular cycle is always predetermined thereby
permitting the doll operation to simulate a single and particular
activity. Mechanisms which have heretofore involved more complex
operation than the single stroke movement of a limb such as
movement in a plurality of directions, are extremely complex both
in structure and operation.
As will hereinafter be described in detail, the instant invention
provides a rugged, compact, manually actuated mechanism for moving
the limb of a doll to simulate not one but a variety of actions
similar to those made by humans. Such actions as hand waving,
kiss-throwing, pointing, eating, drinking, brushing, object
throwing, kicking, cleaning, ironing and dusting may all be
simulated, using the mechanism of the instant invention by
providing simple means for manually, frictionally pre-adjusting the
limb on its mount so that when it is operated thereafter by the
actuator, the path through which the limb is pivoted and swings may
be varied from one extending from the downward vertical position of
the limb or rearwardly thereof to a variety of locations upwardly
therefrom and ending from a position below the horizontal to one in
which the limb is directed vertically upwardly or to the rear of
the torso of the doll. The limb is caused to pivot across the body,
an angular adjustment is provided to simulate, for example, bending
of the limb at the elbow prior to its pivotal movement by means of
the actuator so that a variety of other human activities may be
simulated thereby.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the instant invention to
provide a novel and compact manually actauted mechanism for moving
limbs of a doll relative to the body thereof.
Another object is to provide improvements in mechanisms for
manually controlling the pivotal movement of a doll arm from a
normally at-rest location in its pivotal movement across part of
the doll body to its maximum degree of throw so as to permit the
simulation of various activities wherein the mechanism is biased to
return the limb to the at-rest location and further, wherein said
at-rest location may be manually adjusted prior to operation of the
doll mechanism so that the doll arm may be adjustably moved through
a variety of paths to simulate a variety of human activities.
Yet another object is to provide an animated doll having a
mechanism for causing a limb such as the arm thereof to pivotally
swing through a particular arc and wherein the arm is either
bendably adjustable along at least part of its length or
frictionally adjustable about its elbow to permit a child to
simulate a variety of different human activities which are
accomplished by swinging movement of the human arm while the lower
arm thereof is in a variety of different attitudes with respect to
the upper arm.
A still further object is to provide a mechanism of this type in
which the depressible member, when depressed, positively drives the
limb in a forward direction and upon reaching the end of its
stroke, the member automatically releases the limb to permit a
biasing means to return the limb to its normal position.
With the above and such other objects in view as may hereafter more
fully appear, the invention consists of the novel constructions,
combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is
to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be
resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as
claimed.
IN THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a rear elevation of a doll constructed in accordance with
the teachings of the instant invention and having the rear body
section removed to reveal the limb operating mechanism inside the
doll body.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the doll of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 and 4 are cross-sections taken through lines 3--3 and 4--4
respectively, of FIG. 1 looking in the directions of the respective
arrows 3--3 and 4--4.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the limb operating mechanism for
the doll of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a perspective illustrating another embodiment of a limb
operating mechanism constructed in accordance with the teachings of
the instant invention.
FIG. 7 is a cross-section taken in a horizontal plane extending
through the mechanism of FIG. 6 when mounted in a doll body.
FIG. 8 is a front elevation of an activity doll with its front body
section removed to reveal another embodiment of a limb operating
mechanism.
FIGS. 9A and 9B are side elevations looking in the direction of
arrows 9--9 of FIG. 8 with the near wall of the body removed to
reveal the operating mechanism. In FIG. 9A the mechanism operable
arm and leg are shown in their normal positions while in FIG. 9B
these limbs are each actuated to raised positions.
FIG. 10 is a perspective of the subassembly comprising the limb
operating mechanism.
Now referring to the Figures and more particularly to FIGS. 1
through 5 showing animation doll 10 including hollow structure
having body 11, legs 12, 13, arms 14, 15 and head 16. Arm 14, legs
12, 13 and body 11 are constructed of relatively rigid injection
molded plastic such as cellulose acetate or rigid vinyl while arm
15 and head 16 are constructed of flexible vinyl. In a manner well
known to the art, arm 14, legs 12, 13, and head 16 are each mounted
to body 11 with a friction fit enabling these body appendages to
remain in adjusted positions.
Arm 15 is provided with an internal longitudinally extending
bendable stiffening wire 17 which permits arm 15 to be bent at the
elbow and to remain in such bent position as illustrated in the
phantom positions of FIG. 2. It is noted that the bent position of
arm 15 in FIG. 3 differs from the positions of arm 15 in FIGS. 1
and 2. The upper end of arm 15 is frictionally fitted to disk 21,
which lies in a vertical plane, so that arm 15 may also be adjusted
angularly about the center of disk 21 as a pivot. Disk 21 is part
of molded plastic member 20 which also includes extension 22, stub
shaft 23 and spur gear segment 24 formed about shaft 23 as a
center. Extension 22 is at right angles to shaft 23 with the
longitudinal axis of extension 22 projecting through the center of
disk 21 at right angles to the plane thereof.
The teeth of gear 24 are in mesh with the teeth of spur gear
segment 26 forming part of another molded plastic member 25. Member
25 also includes stub shaft 27, extension 28 and crank pin 29. Gear
26 is formed about shaft 27 as a center. Shaft 27 and pin 29 are
offset from one another with their respective longitudinal axes
extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of shaft 23. Crank pin
29 extends into slot 31 in the horizontal section 32 of depressible
operator member 30. Member 30 includes manually engageable
extension 33 and guideportion 34 slideably mounted in guide slot 36
of member 35. Coil spring 37 is wound about the portion of shaft 27
just below gear 26 with one end of spring 37 extending into gear
aperture 26a and the other end of spring 37 abutting the inner
surface of the front body portion 11a so as to bias gear 26 in a
counterclockwise direction with respect to FIG. 3.
Extension 33 projects through aperture 38 in rear section 11b of
body 11. Body sections 11a, 11b are bonded together along vertical
seams 41, 42, in a manner well known to the art, and each is
provided with cooperating internal formations 43, 44, which, as
seen in FIG. 1, provide bearing supports for shafts 23 and 27. Body
11 also includes elongated aperture 51 which provides clearance for
the movement of extension 22. Spring 37 biases the operating
elements 20, 25 and 30 to the solid line position of FIG. 3.
By manually engaging and depressing operator extension 33, that is
moving extension 33 toward front body portion 11a, slot 31 moves
forward causing crank pin 29 to rotate clockwise with respect to
FIG. 3 thereby rotating shaft 27 and gear 26 carried thereby in a
clockwise direction. The teeth of gear 26 being in engagement with
the teeth of gear 24 cause gear 24 to move counterclockwise with
respect to FIG. 3 to pivot extension 22 counterclockwise. This
motion of gear 24 moves disk 21 about the generally vertical axis
of shaft 23 from the rear toward the front of body 11, carrying arm
15 bodily through a generally horizontal plane toward the front of
body 11 from the solid line position of FIG. 3 to the phantom
position thereof. When extension 33 is released, spring 37 returns
operating elements 20, 25, 30 and arm 15 to their positions of FIG.
3.
FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate anothe embodiment of the instant invention
wherein a single forward stroke of the manual operator member 51
causes arm 55 to move through a complete front to rear cycle
without the necessity of releasing member 51. More particularly the
upper end of arm 55 is pivotally mounted to fixed pin 56 and is
provided with stiff wire extension 57 projecting into the space
formed at the bifurcated upper end section of lever 58. Lever 58 is
part of operating mechanism 50 which includes mounting member 59
fixedly secured to the interior surface at the front of doll body
52 (FIG. 7). Member 59 includes spaced parallel guide walls 61, 62
on opposite sides of level 58. Pin 63 is force fitted into aligned
apertures of wall 61, 62 and passes through a relatively loose
fitting aperture at a point intermediate the ends of lever 58 to
pivotally mount lever 58. Torsion spring 64 having the mid portion
thereof wound about the portion of pin 63 to the right of wall 62
in FIG. 6 and is retained by block 63a on pin 63. End 64a is held
in fixed position by extending through an aperture in mounting
member 59. The other end 64b of spring 64 extends through aperture
58a of lever 58 with spring 64 being loaded to exert a forwardly
directed force on the upper portion of lever 58.
Mounting member 59 also includes rearwardly extending guide channel
65 within which operating member 51 is slideably mounted. Wire
Spring 66 extending through aperture 65a of channel 65 and aperture
51a of member 51 biases the latter rearward and to the right with
respect to FIG. 6 (to the left with respect to FIG. 7) toward the
lower portion of lever 58. Normally, extension 71 of member 51
projects outside of body 52 through rear aperture 52a being biased
to this position by spring 66. In this normal position for member
51 step 72a thereof is positioned behind rear surface 58b of lever
58.
As member 51 is moved forward, step surface 72a in engagement with
lever surface 58b forces the lower end of lever 58 forward so that
the upper end of lever 58 pivots rearward thereby operating arm 55
in a counterclockwise direction about its pivot 56. During this
forward movement of member 51 inclined surface 72b thereof is in
engagement with guide wall 61. By the time member 51 has just about
reached the limit of its forward movement the cooperation of
inclined surface 72b and wall 61 cams step 72a sideways with
respect to lever 58 to a position where lever 58 is no longer
engaged by member 51. Under these conditions, spring 64 operates
the upper end of lever 68 forward thereby pivoting arm 55 in a
counterclockwise direction about its pivot 56.
Upon release of member 51, spring 66 moves member 51 rearward and
when the latter is just about at its most rearward position, spring
66 is also effective to move step 72a behind lever surface 58b so
that upon the next forward actuation of operator member 51, lever
58 will be operated. It is noted that forward movement of the upper
end of lever 58 is limited by engagement with formation 73 of
mounting member 59.
Activity doll 100 of FIGS. 8 through 10 includes hollow body 101,
head 102, arms 103, 104, and legs 105, 106. Operating mechanism
subassembly 110 mounted within body 101 is connected to arm 104 and
leg 106 for positive operation of these limbs by depressible
operators 114, 116, respectively. The former operator 114 extends
through aperture 113 in the rear of body 101 and the latter
operator 116 extends through aperture 115 in the front of body 101.
Arm operator 114 extends through tube 112 projecting rearwardly
from body 101. Tube 112 is provided for conveniently holding and
"walking" doll 100.
Mechanism subassembly 110 includes frame 121 and C-shaped retainer
122 having out-turned ears 123, 124. Ears 123, 124 extend through
slots in frame 121 and are outwardly bent to mount retainer 122 to
frame 121. Meshing Spur gears 125, 126 disposed in the space
between retainer 122 and frame 121 are keyed to shafts 127, 128,
respectively, with both shafts 127, 128 extending through retainer
122 and frame 121 and being pivotally supported thereon. Arm 104 is
keyed to the outboard end of shaft 127 while leg 106 is keyed at
its upper or shoulder end to the outboard end of sub-shaft 131 also
pivotally mounted frame 121. The outboard end of shaft 128 is keyed
to gear 125 while the inboard end of shaft 128 is keyed to crank
138. Pin 139 extends from crank 138 on the side thereof opposite
gear 125 and is parallel to shaft 128. Wire spring 133 bears
against the inner front surface of body 101 and also bears against
pin 139 thereby biasing crank 138 in a clockwise direction as seen
in FIGS. 9A and 9B.
Operator 114 extends at right angles to pin 139 and is provided
with an aperture which receives pin 139 to provide a driving
connection between operator 114 and pin 139. Thus, as operator 114
is depressed from the position of FIG. 9A to the position of FIG.
9B, crank 138 is pivoted in a counterclockwise direction against
the force of spring 133 causing pivotal movement of the larger gear
125 about its axis 128. Rotation of larger gear 125 in mesh with
smaller gear 126 causes multiplied angular motion of the latter so
that appreciable pivotal movement of arm 104 takes place as gear
125 pivots. When operator 114 is released spring 133 acts on pin
139 to pivot crank 138 clockwise thereby lowering arm 104.
The inboard end of shaft 131 is keyed to crank 141. Pin 142
projects from the side of crank 141 opposite leg 106 and in a
direction parallel to pin 131. Operator 116 is a tubular member
having a cutaway portion at its inboard end and an aperture which
receives pin 142. Thus, when operator 116 is depressed by being
moved toward the rear of doll 100, pin 142 moves to the rear
causing crank 141 to pivot clockwise about pin 131 as a center,
thereby raising leg 106 to the position shown in the solid line in
FIG. 9B. Upon release of operator 116 gravity bias returns leg 106
to its normal lowered position of FIGS. 8 and 9A.
Thus, it is seen that the instant invention provides simple yet
rugged and compact operating mechanisms for operating the limb of a
doll in a manner to simulate natural action. In one embodiment of
this invention the limb pivots forward and rearward in response to
front and rear movements, respectively, of a manually depressible
member while in another embodiment of this invention the limb moves
forward and then rearward by the time the depressible member has
completed a forward stroke. While arm movement has been shown as
being effectuated by a rearward extending operator, by suitable
modifications arm movement may be effectuated by a depressible
forwardly extending actuator.
Although there has been described a preferred embodiment of this
novel invention, many variations and modifications will now be
apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, this invention is
to be limited, not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by
the appending claims.
As above set forth, the doll constructions shown in the drawings
and described in the Specification permit a child playing therewith
to make a variety of adjustments in both the attitude of the doll's
arm or leg prior to actuating the same and the actual path through
which the arm or leg will swing when the actuator is operated. As
set forth, frictional adjustment of the articulated arm or leg on
its pivot may be effected by hand moving the arm or leg beyond its
at-rest position or the maximum throw thereof so as to frictionally
move same to a new location and thereby permit variable adjustment
of the point at which the swing of the limb is initiated as the
actuator is operated and the furthermost point of swing of the limb
derived by complete operation of the actuator. In other words, the
arm 15 of the doll of FIGS. 1 and 2 may be frictionally adjusted on
its pivot so that it normally hangs substantially vertically
downwardly alongside the doll body and will thereafter swing about
an arc, say 90.degree. to a horizontal position to simulate such
actions as picking up an object, rolling a ball, punching, raising
the hand for simulated hand shake, etc. The arm 15 may also be
frictionally adjusted so that it is in a substantially horizontally
position at its starting point when the actuator is unactuated so
that it will swing upwardly from said horizontal position to a
location opposite or immediately in front of the face. This action
may be utilized to simulate such human activities as moving an
object to the face or mouth, combing the hair, eating, etc. If the
arm is adjusted such that its starting is somewhat above the
horiziontal, it may be made to swing upwardly to simulate such
activities, when the actuator is operated, as waving, putting on a
hat, etc.
Bendably adjusting the arm about the elbow and properly adjusting
the path of swing thereof when the actuator 33 is operated, may
also permit the arm to simulate a variety of other human activities
such as throwing a ball, reaching for an object which is above
waist level, dusting or cleaning, etc.
* * * * *