US20030181127A1

US20030181127A1 - Motion toy

Info

Publication number: US20030181127A1
Application number: US10/103,289
Authority: US
Inventors: Li-Wen Chi
Original assignee: Chain Fong Toys Co Ltd
Current assignee: CHAIN FONG TOYA Co Ltd; Chain Fong Toys Co Ltd
Priority date: 2002-03-22
Filing date: 2002-03-22
Publication date: 2003-09-25

Abstract

A motion toy is constructed to include a base, a body supported on the base, a swivel head coupled to the body at a top side, the head having a beak pivoted thereto, a power drive mounted inside the body and adapted to rotate the swivel head alternatively forwards and backwards and to turn the beak alternatively up and down, and sensor means installed in the base and controlled to drive the power drive.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a motion toy and, more particularly, to such a motion toy, which rotates the head alternatively forwards and backwards and turns the beak alternatively up and down when one passed by.

2. Description of the Related Art

A variety of toys are commercially available. In order to attract children's attention, motion toys are developed instead of stationary toys. Regular motion toys are commonly designed to move the head and the limbs when switched on. These motion toys are less attractive because they cannot be automatically triggered to move.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide a motion toy, which automatically rotates the head alternatively forwards and backwards and turns the beak alternatively up and down when one passed by. It is another object of the present invention to provide a motion toy, which produces sound when triggered to move the head and the beak. According to one aspect of the present invention, the motion toy comprises a base, a body supported on the base, a swivel head coupled to the body at a top side, the head having a beak pivoted thereto, a power drive mounted inside the body and adapted to rotate the swivel head alternatively forwards and backwards and to turn the beak alternatively up and down, and sensor means installed in the base and controlled to drive the power drive. According to another aspect of the present invention, speaker means is installed in the body and controlled by the sensor means to produce sound upon operation of the power drive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of a motion toy according to the present invention. [0006]
FIG. 2 is a perspective elevational view of the motion toy according to the present invention. [0007]
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the power drive for the motion toy according to the present invention. [0008]
FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a part of the power drive for the motion toy according to the present invention. [0009]
FIG. 3B is another perspective view of the power drive for the motion toy according to the present invention. [0010]
FIG. 4 is a perspective assembly view of the power drive and the head for the motion toy according to the present invention. [0011]
FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the power drive for the motion toy according to the present invention. [0012]
FIG. 6 is a perspective elevational view of the present invention showing the head of the motion toy turned to the left. [0013]
FIG. 6A is a top plain view of the power drive, showing the output gear moved to one end of the internal gear according to the present invention. [0014]
FIG. 7 is a perspective elevational view of the present invention showing the head of the motion toy turned to the right. [0015]
FIG. 7A is a top plain view of the power drive, showing the output gear moved to the other end of the internal gear according to the present invention. [0016]
FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of a part of the present invention showing the action of the beak (I). [0017]
FIG. 8A is a sectional side view of a part of the present invention showing the action of the beak (II). [0018]
FIG. 8B is a sectional side view of a part of the present invention showing the action of the beak (III).[0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, [0020] 3, 3A, 3B, and 4, a motion toy in accordance with the present invention is shown comprised of a body 1, a head 2, a base 3, and a power drive 4.
The [0021] body 1 comprises a hollow shell 11 formed of two symmetrical halves abutted against each other, and a speaker 12 mounted inside the hollow shell 11. The hollow shell 11 has a top coupling groove 111.
The [0022] head 2 comprises a hollow shell 21 formed of two symmetric halves abutted against each other, the hollow shell 21 having a bottom coupling groove 211 and a plurality of inside locating rods 212, a beak 22 pivoted to one inside locating rod 212 and extended out of the hollow shell 21, a stop plate 221 perpendicularly downwardly extended from the inner end of the beak 22, a hook 222 perpendicularly backwardly extended from the back side of the stop plate 221, and a spring 5 connected between the hook 222 and one inside locating rod 212.
The [0023] base 3 comprises two sensors 31 bilaterally disposed at the front side.
The [0024] power drive 4 comprises a transmission mechanism 41, a holder 42, a rotary cap 43, and a motor 44. The motor 44 is mounted in the bottom side of the casing 410 of the transmission mechanism 41, having a drive wheel 441 fixedly mounted on the output shaft thereof. The transmission mechanism 41 comprises a driven gear wheel 411, a transmission belt 6 coupled to the drive wheel 441 and the driven gear wheel 411, a first transmission gear 412 meshed with the driven gear wheel 411, a second transmission gear 413 meshed with the first transmission gear 412, a third transmission gear 414 meshed with the second transmission gear 413, an output gear 415 fixedly mounted on the gear shaft 7 of the second transmission gear 413, and an output wheel 416 fixedly mounted on the gear shaft 7 of the third transmission gear 414. The output wheel 416 has an eccentric rod 4161. The holder 42 is fixedly fastened to the topside of the casing 410 of the transmission mechanism 41 by fastening elements, for example, screws 8, comprising through holes 421;423, and a plurality of upright guide rods 422. The rotary cap 43 is revolvably supported on the holder 42, comprising a center through hole 432 and two opposite arched slots 431 respectively coupled to the upright guide rods 422 of the holder 42, an internal gear 433, a plurality of upright rods 434, and a locating plate 45 coupled to the upright rods 434. The locating plate 45 has a slot 451. The aforesaid output gear 415 is inserted through the through hole 421 of the holder 42 and meshed with the internal gear 433. The aforesaid output wheel 416 is inserted through the through hole 423 of the holder 42 and the through hole 432 of the rotary cap 43 with the eccentric rod 4161 coupled to the slot 451 of the locating plate 45. Therefore, rotating the output wheel 416 causes the rotary cap 43 to be alternatively rotated forwards and backwards and the locating plate 45 to be reciprocated back and fro.
During assembly process, the [0025] holder 2 is coupled to the top coupling groove 111 of the hollow shell 11 of the body 1, and then the bottom coupling groove 211 of the hollow shell 21 of the head 2 is coupled to the rotary cap 43, keeping the locating plate 45 stopped against the back side of the stop plate 221, and then the body 1 is fixedly mounted on the topside of the base 3, keeping the motor 44 electrically connected to the sensors 31.
Referring to FIGS. 5, 6, [0026] 6A, 7, 7A, 8, 8A, and 8B, the sensors 31 respectively control the motor 44 to rotate forwards or backwards. When started the motor 44, the drive wheel 441 is turned to rotate the driven gear wheel 411 through the transmission belt 6, thereby causing the transmission gears 412;413;414 to be rotated. During rotary motion of the transmission gears 412;413;414, the output gear 415 is synchronously rotated with the second transmission gear 413 to further rotate the rotary cap 43 and the head 2, and the output wheel 416 is synchronously rotated with the third transmission gear 414, causing the eccentric rod 4161 to reciprocate the locating plate 45 back and fro. During forward movement of the locating plate 45, the locating plate 45 pushes the stop plate 221, thereby causing the beak 22 to be turned upwards to stretch the spring 5. During backward movement of the locating plate 45, the spring 5 pulls the hook 222 downwards to return the beak 22 to its former position. Further, the beak 22 can be made having a fixed lower mandible fixedly fastened to the head 2 and an upper mandible pivoted to the head 2, so that the upper mandible is alternatively turned up and down relative to the lower mandible upon reciprocating motion of the locating plate 45.
When the user passed by to trigger the [0027] sensors 31 in one direction, the sensors 31 drive the motor 44 to rotate clockwise, thereby causing the head 2 to be turned in the same direction, and at the same time the speaker 12 is driven by the sensors 31 to produce sound. On the contrary, when the user passed by to trigger the sensors 31 in the reversed direction, the sensors 31 drive the motor 44 to rotate counter-clockwise, thereby causing the head 2 to be turned in the reversed direction, and at the same time the speaker 12 is driven to produce sound.
Furthermore, the [0028] base 3 can be directly formed integral with the body 1.
A prototype of motion toy has been constructed with the features of the annexed drawings of FIGS. [0029] 1-8. The motion toy functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.
Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. [0030]

Claims

What the invention claimed is:

1. A motion toy comprising

a base;

a hollow body supported on said base, said body comprised of two symmetrical half shells abutted against each other;

a hollow swivel head formed of two symmetrical half shells and coupled to said hollow body at a top side, said swivel head comprising a plurality of inside locating rods, and a beak pivoted to one of said inside locating rods;

a power drive mounted inside said body and adapted to rotate said swivel head, said power drive comprising a casing, a holder fixedly mounted on said casing a rotary cap fastened to said swivel head and supported on said holder, a motor installed in a bottom side of said casing, and a transmission mechanism coupled between said motor and said rotary cap and adapted to rotate said rotary cap and said swivel head forwards and backwards and to turn said beak alternatively up and down; and

sensor means installed in said base and controlled to drive said motor of said power drive.

2. The motion toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transmission mechanism comprises a drive wheel drive wheel fixedly mounted on an output shaft of said motor, a driven gear wheel, a transmission belt coupled to said drive wheel and said driven gear wheel, and a series of transmission gears including a first transmission gear meshed with said driven gear wheel, a second transmission gear meshed with said first transmission gear, and a third transmission gear meshed with said second transmission gear.

3. The motion toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein said transmission mechanism further comprises an output gear fixedly mounted on a gear shaft of said second transmission gear.

4. The motion toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein said transmission mechanism further comprises an output wheel fixedly mounted on a gear shaft of said third transmission gear, said output wheel comprising an eccentric rod upwardly extended from a top side thereof.

5. The motion toy as claimed in claim 4, wherein said holder comprises a plurality of through holes and a plurality of upright guide rods; said rotary cap comprises a center through hole and two opposite arched slots respectively coupled to the upright guide rods of said holder, an internal gear, a plurality of upright rods, and a locating plate coupled to said upright rods and adapted to move said beak, said locating plate having a slot.

6. The motion toy as claimed in claim 5, wherein said output gear of said transmission mechanism is inserted through one through hole of said holder and meshed with the internal gear of said rotary cap.

7. The motion toy as claimed in claim 5, wherein said output wheel is inserted through one through hole of said holder and the through hole of said rotary cap, keeping said eccentric rod coupled to the slot of said locating plate.

8. The motion toy as claimed in claim 7, wherein said swivel head further comprises a stop plate perpendicularly downwardly extended from an inner end of said beak and adapted to be driven by said locating plate to turn said beak upon rotary motion of said output wheel, a hook perpendicularly backwardly extended from a back side of said stop plate, and a spring connected between said hook and one of said inside locating rods.

9. The motion toy as claimed in 1, wherein said beak has a front end extending out of the half shells of said swivel head.

10. The motion toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base is formed integral with said hollow body.