GB2137560A

GB2137560A - Musical greetings card

Info

Publication number: GB2137560A
Application number: GB08408065A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Chung
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-03-31
Filing date: 1984-03-29
Publication date: 1984-10-10
Also published as: GB8408065D0

Abstract

A musical greetings card having a fold 10 therein is provided with an electronic tune producing element 3 and a switch 14 on one side of the fold and a sliding electrode 5 of the switch is provided which is connected from the one side of the fold to the other side of the fold so as to breech two contacts 6,7 of the switch when the card is opened beyond a predetermined angle so that the musical element is activated. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Musical greetings card This invention relates to a musical greetings card.

It is known to provide a greetings card, such as a birthday card or a christmas card, with a music producing element and although, in the past, it has been known to provide such a musical greetings card with a clockwork mechanism, such musical greetings cards have been superseded by a card employing an electronic microcircuit arranged to produce a musical tune.

A known musical greetings card employs a switch utilizing the elastic properties of stainless steel as the switching element controlling the activation of the musical element. However, such a known switch has the drawbacks that the stainless steel tends to fatigue after a period of extended use and that the switch may be readily turned on, for example, by shock during transportation, so that the battery power source may be expended before the card reaches its intended destination.

Another known musical greetings card employs a photo-resistor as the controlling switch, but such switches suffer from the disadvantage that they may be erroneously switched on when the card is exposed to a strong light source.

The present invention seeks to provide a musical greetings card having an activating switch in which the foregoing problems are substantially mitigated.

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a musical greetings card comprising a card, a piezoelectric device, an integrated circuit, a strip of actuating stiff paper, a spring leaf and a switch, wherein music will be produced when said card is open and the music will be stopped when said card is closed.

According to a further aspect of this invention there is provided a musical greetings card comprising a folded card, mounted on the card an electronic tune producing means in circuit with a power source and an activation means, said activation means being mounted on one side of the fold and including a pair of spaced electrodes in the circuit of the power source, a slidable electrode arranged to selectively short circuit said pair of spaced electrodes and a connection means extending from the slidable electrode to the opposite side of the fold from said activation means whereby when the card is closed, the power source circuit is open circuited and when the card is opened beyond a predetermined angle, the power source circuit is short circuited to activate the electronic tune producing means.

Preferably the connection means is a strip of suitably stiff paper.

Advantageously, the electronic tune producing means includes an integrated circuit connected to drive a piezoelectric device.

Conveniently, the electonic tune producing means, power source, pair of spaced electrodes and slidable electrode are mounted on the card on one side of the fold.

The invention will now be described, by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the greetings card in accordance with this invention; Figure 2 shows the electrical interconnecting circuit of the musical greetings card; and Figure 3 is a block schematic diagram of the integrated circuit used in the card of the invention.

The greetings card shown in Figure 1 has a card 1 with a vertical fold 10 and mounted on one side of the fold 10 is a loudspeaker piezoelectric device 2 which is connected to be driven by an integrated circuit 3. The integrated circuit 3 is arranged to be activated by a series connected slidable switch 14 arranged in the power supply circuit of a battery power source 8. The slidable switch 14 has a strip of suitably stiff paper 4 upon which is mounted an electrode 5 arranged to bridge a pair of electrodes 6, 7 in the power supply circuit of the integrated circuit 3. The sliding electrode 5 is located under the electrodes 6, 7 and the end 41 of the strip 4 nearer the fold 10 is connected to a portion 51 of similar stiff paper, which portion 51 is connected to the card on the opposite side of the fold 10 to the electrode 5.

Thus, in operation, with the card in the open position shown in full lines, the parts 4, 5 and 51 adopt the positions also shown in solid lines so that the slidable electrode 5 short circuits the electrodes 6,7 to thereby apply power from the battery power source 8 to the integrated circuit 3 and thereby energise the piezoelectric device 2. When the card is closed beyond a predetermined angle, such as that shown in broken lines, then the parts 4, 5,51' adopt the positions shown in broken lines where the slidable electrode 5 has moved in the direction of arrow headed line 20 such that the electrodes 6,7 are open circuited.Thus when the card is opened beyond a predetermined angle, so the electrodes 6,7 are short circuited by the slidable electrode 5 and music from the piezoelectric device 2 is activated.

The circuit diagram shown in Figure 2 has the terminals BD and BD of the integrated circuit 3 connected to opposing terminals of the piezoelectric device 2. The terminals Vdd and Vss of the integrated circuit 3 are connected to the positive and negative terminals respectively of the battery power source 8 and the terminal Vdd is connected to the electrode 7, forming one pole of the switch 14. The electrode 6 is connected to terminal MT of the integrated circuit 3 and the sliding, bridging, electrode 5 is permanently connected to electrode 6 and opens and closes with respect to electrode 7.

Referring now to Figure 3, there is shown a block circuit diagram of the integrated circuit 3, but since the integrated circuit 3 may take any convenient form, the block circuit diagram will not be described in detail, since it is not considered to be of the essence of the invention. However, briefiy, the frequency of the oscillator (OSC) is controlled by connecting a resistor across terminals OSC 1 and OSC 2. When the card is opened beyond a predetermined angle, so the switch 14 provides a signal to terminal MT and a tune will thus be produced. The terminals Vdd and Vss are connected to the positive and negative poles respectively of the power source 8. It is to be commented that because the current consumption of the present invention is extremely small, the terminals Vdd and Vss are permanently connected in circuit with the battery power source.

Terminal STP is used for stopping the tune which is produced. Terminals BD and BD are outputs of low power connected to respective terminals of the piezoelectric device 2. Terminals OUT 1 and OUT 2 are amplified outputs and so may be connected to a loud-speaker.

Thus, it will now be understood that by providing a slidable electric switch, so the problems mentioned in the preamble of the present application with regard to the prior art are substantially overcome.

In summary, the present invention has the following characteristics: 1 ) A musical greetings card, mainly comprising a card, a piezoelectric device, and integrated circuit, a strip of actuating stiff paper and a slide actuated switch, wherein music will be produced when the card is open and the music will be stopped when the card is closed.

2) A musical greetings card wherein one end of the strip of actuating stiff paper is fixed on one side of the card and the other end of the strip of actuating stiff paper is extended to the other side of the card beyond the line along which the card is folded, so that the strip of actuating stiff paper is moved to actuate said switch when the card is opened and to turn oft the switch when the card is closed.

3) A musical greetings card wherein the slidable contact of the switch is mounted on the actuating stiff paper and located under two fixed electrodes of the switch.

4) A musical greetings card wherein the switch is turned on when the card is opened and the switch is turned off when the card is closed.

Claims

1. A musical greetings card comprising a folded card, mounted on the card an electronic tune producing means in circuit with a power source and an activation means, said activation means being mounted on one side of the fold and including a pair of spaced electrodes in the circuit of the power source, a slidable electrode arranged to selectively short circuit said pair of spaced electrodes and a connection means extending from the slidabie electrode to the opposite side of the fold said activation means whereby when the card is closed, the power source circuit is open circuited and when the card is opened beyond a predetermined angie, the power source circuit is short circuited to activate the electronic tune producing means.

2. A musical greetings card as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the connection means is a strip of suitably stiff paper.

3. A musical greetings card as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the electronic tune producing means includes an integrated circuit connected to drive a piezoelectric device.

4. A musical greetings card as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the electronic tune producing means, power source, pair of spaced electrodes and slidable electrode are mounted on the card on one side of the fold.

5. A musical greetings card comprising a card, a piezoelectric device, an integrated circuit, a strip of actuating stiff paper, a spring leaf and a switch, wherein music will be produced when said card is open and the music will be stopped when said card is closed.

6. A musical greetings card as claimed in Claim 5, wherein one end of the strip of actuating stiff paper is fixed on one side of the card and the other end of the strip of actuating stiff paper is extended to the other side of the card beyond the line along which the card is folded, so that the strip of actuating stiff paper is moved to actuate said switch when the card is opened and to turn off the switch when the card is closed.

7. A musical greetings card as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the slidable contact of the switch is mounted on the actuating stiff paper and located under two fixed electrodes of the switch.

8. A musical greetings card as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the switch is turned on when the card is opened and the switch is turned off when the card is closed.

9. A musical greetings card substantially as herein described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.