Abstract:
A luminous toy capable of emitting light at any time anywhere without having to worry about a power shortage and failing to turn off a switch and capable of preventing environmental pollution. The luminous toy includes a toy body provided with a piezoelectric element which induces a voltage when it is strained, a rectifying circuit for rectifying the voltage generated from the piezoelectric element, a capacitor for smoothing the voltage rectified by the rectifying circuit and a luminous element connected in parallel to the capacitor. The luminous toy also includes a strain generating mechanism for generating strain for straining the piezoelectric element.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a luminous toy, and more particularly to a luminous toy which is adapted to actuate a strain generating means, to thereby strain or distort a piezoelectric element provided in a toy body, leading to luminescence of a luminous element. 
     A variety of luminous toys each including a luminous element have been conventionally proposed and put to practical use. The conventional luminous toys each typically include a battery which acts as a power source for feeding electric power to the toy. 
     Unfortunately, use of a battery as a power source possibly causes a failure in normal operation due to exhaustion of the battery when the toy is repeatedly operated. Also, it is supposed that when the toy is left alone for a long period of time, the battery is unserviceable due to natural discharge thereof. Thus, it is required to always secure a spare battery. Further, even when a secondary battery is used as the power source, it has to be discarded ultimately, leading to an environmental problem such as environmental pollution. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing disadvantage of the prior art. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a luminous toy which is capable of carrying out luminescence anywhere at any time without having to worry about a power shortage of a battery and failing to turn off a switch and the like. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a luminous toy which does not cause any environmental problem such as environmental pollution. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a luminous toy is provided. The luminous toy includes a toy body provided with a piezoelectric element which induces a voltage when it is strained, a rectifying circuit for rectifying the voltage generated from the piezoelectric element, a capacitor for smoothing the voltage rectified by the rectifying circuit and a luminous element connected in parallel to the capacitor. The luminous toy also includes a strain generating means for generating strain for straining the piezoelectric element. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the strain generating means is selected from a beating mechanism for beating the piezoelectric element and a flip mechanism for flipping the piezoelectric element. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the beating mechanism or flip mechanism may be constructed so as to repeatedly strain the piezoelectric element. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the toy body may be constituted by a target toy and the strain generating means may be constituted by a shooting unit for shooting a projectile at the target toy body. 
     Alternatively, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the toy body may be constituted by a card body including a substrate and the strain generating means may be constituted by the substrate of the card body, wherein the substrate may have the piezoelectric element fixed thereon. 
     Also, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the toy body may be constituted by a spherical body and the strain generating means may be constituted by a weight member, wherein the weight member may be fixed to the piezoelectric element. 
     Further, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the toy body may be constituted by a traveling body including turning wheels and the beating mechanism or flip mechanism may be operated in association with the turning wheels. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings; wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the luminous toy shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIGS. 3A and 3B each are a perspective view showing a beating mechanism incorporated in the luminous toy of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a modification of a beating mechanism; 
     FIG. 5A is a perspective view showing another modification of a beating mechanism; 
     FIG. 5B is a sectional view of the beating mechanism shown in FIG. 5A; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention, which is practiced in the form of a target toy; 
     FIG. 7A is a perspective view showing a further embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention, which is in the form of a card toy; 
     FIG. 7B is an exploded perspective view of the luminous toy shown in FIG. 7A; 
     FIG. 8A is a perspective view showing still another embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention, in which a toy body is constituted by a spherical body; 
     FIGS. 8B and 8C are an exploded perspective view and a perspective view showing a weight member serving as a strain generating means incorporated in the luminous toy of FIG. 8A, respectively; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a modification of the luminous toy of FIG. 8A; 
     FIG. 10A is a perspective view showing yet another embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 10B is a perspective view showing a flip mechanism incorporated in the luminous toy shown in FIG. 10A; 
     FIG. 11A is a perspective view showing a still further embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention, in which a toy body is constituted by a traveling body; and 
     FIG. 11B is a perspective view showing a beating mechanism incorporated in the luminous toy of FIG.  11 A. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Now, a luminous toy according to the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring first to FIGS. 1 to  3 B, an embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention is illustrated. A luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment includes a toy body  1  formed in imitation of a robotic humanoid. The toy body  1  is provided therein with luminous elements  2 , a piezoelectric element  3  for generating electric power or a voltage required for luminescence of the luminous element  2 , a rectifying circuit  4  for rectifying the voltage generated from the piezoelectric element  3 , a smoothing capacitor for smoothing the voltage rectified by the rectifying circuit  4 , and a strain generating means A for generating strain for straining the piezoelectric element. The rectifying circuit  4  is preferably constructed so as to carry out full wave rectification. 
     The luminous elements  2  may each be constituted by a light emitting diode (LED). The LED  2  is embedded in each of eyes of the robotic humanoid, to thereby permit an observer or a user to be impressed as if each of the eyes gleams when it is excited. 
     The piezoelectric element  3  is comprised of a piezoelectric ceramic material coated on one or both of surfaces of a metal plate serving as an electrode. The metal plate is mounted on the toy body by a suitable fixing means. Each of the thin layers of the piezoelectric ceramic material has a lead attached to an external surface thereof. The metal plate is formed so as to exhibit resiliency or elasticity, to thereby be deformed when stress is applied thereto, resulting in the piezoelectric element being strained. When the metal plate is released from the stress, it is restored to its original state. Thus, the piezoelectric element  3  is strained during both deformation of the metal plate and restoration thereof, to thereby induce a voltage thereacross. For example, the metal plate is formed to have a rectangular shape of 21 mm in length and 17 mm in width and 0.1 mm in thickness, in which both surfaces of the metal plate are coated with the piezoelectric ceramic material to form a circular-shaped thin layer of a 14 mm diameter and a 0.05 mm thickness, respectively. Alternatively, the piezoelectric element  3  may be constituted of a piezoelectric ceramic member and a metal plate fixed on each of both surfaces of the piezoelectric ceramic member so as to act as an electrode. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the strain generating means A is constituted by a beating mechanism B constructed as shown in FIG.  3 A. More particularly, the beating mechanism B constituting the strain generating means A includes a rack gear  11  arranged so as to be vertically movable and constantly urged in an upward direction by a spring  10 , a gear  12  engaged with the rack gear  11 , and a rotation lever  15  mounted on a revolving shaft  14  which is rotatably supported on a trunk of the toy body  1  and on which a pinion gear  13  engaged with the gear  12  is mounted. The rotation lever  15  is arranged on the revolving shaft  14  so as to extend in a direction perpendicular to the shaft  14 . The rotation lever  15  is provided at both distal ends thereof with beating sections  19 . The rack gear  11  is provided on a rear surface thereof with an operation rod  16  so as to project outwardly therefrom. The operation shaft  16 , as shown in FIG. 3B, has a distal end outwardly projecting through an opening  18  formed at a back of the trunk  17  in a manner to vertically extend, resulting in the rack gear  11  being vertically moved from an outside of the trunk  17 . Thus, actuation of the operation rod  16  in the vertical direction permits the rotation lever  15  to be rotated together with the revolving shaft  14 , so that the beating sections  19  formed at both ends of the rotation lever  15  may alternately successively beat the piezoelectric element  3 . 
     In the luminous toy constructed as described above, vertical movement of the operation rod  16  leads to vertical movement of the rack gear  11 , resulting in the rotation lever  15  being rotated with the revolving shaft  14  through the gear  12 . Such rotation of the lever  15  permits the beating sections  19  to alternately repeatedly beat a surface of the piezoelectric element  3 . Thus, an AC voltage is induced across the piezoelectric element  3  every time the beating sections  19  beat the surface of the piezoelectric element  3 . The AC voltage thus induced is converted into a DC voltage through the rectifying circuit  4  and capacitor  5 , to thereby permit luminescence of the LEDs  2 . The rotation lever  15  continues to rotate while the rack gear  11  is moved in the vertical direction, so that one-time operation of the operation rod  16  permits the LEDs  2  to repeatedly emit light many times. 
     Alternatively, the beating mechanism may be configured in such a manner as shown in FIG.  4 . More particularly, a beating mechanism shown in FIG. 4 includes a slider  25  arranged so as to vertically slide and a seesaw member  26  arranged so as to pivotally move back and forth. The slider  25  is formed on a front surface thereof with a plurality of projections  27  so as to be spaced from each other at predetermined intervals in a longitudinal direction thereof. The seesaw member  26  is formed on one end thereof with a projection  28  adapted to be engaged with the projections  27  of the slider  25  and on the other end thereof with a beating projection  29  adapted to beat the piezoelectric element  3 . The seesaw member  26  is urged by a spring  30  so as to permit the beating projection  29  to beat the piezoelectric element  3 . The slider  25  is provided on a rear surface thereof with an operation rod  31  in a manner to outwardly project therefrom. Thus, when the operation rod  31  is upwardly forcibly moved, the projections  27  of the slider  25  are engaged with the projection  28  of the seesaw member  26  in order, to thereby pivotally move the seesaw member  26  about a support shaft  32  in a clockwise direction. When the projection  28  of the seesaw member  26  is released from engagement with the projections  27  of the slider  25 , the spring  30  urges the seesaw member  26  so as to permit the seesaw member  26  to be forcibly pivotally moved in a counterclockwise direction, resulting in the beating section  29  beating the piezoelectric element  3 . In FIG. 4, reference numeral  33  designates a spring for forcibly downwardly moving the upwardly moved slider  25  to the original position. 
     Further, the beating mechanism A may be constructed as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B. More particularly, a beating mechanism shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B includes a shaft  37  arranged in a support  34  so as to be movable back and forth. The shaft  37  is provided at a front end thereof with a beating section  35  and at a rear end thereof with a grip  36 . The beating mechanism also includes a spring  38  for biasing the beating section  35  so as to permit it to beat the piezoelectric element  3 . When the grip  36  is manually pulled against the spring  38  and then released from a hand, the beating section  35  biased by the spring  38  is permitted to vigorously beat a central portion of the piezoelectric element  3 , so that the piezoelectric element  3  may be strained. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, another embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention is illustrated. A luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment includes a toy body constituted by a target toy member  40  and a strain generating means A constituted by a shooting unit  41  formed in imitation of a pistol. The target toy member  40  has a piezoelectric element  3  embedded in a central portion thereof. Thus, when a projectile or bullet  42  shot from the shooting unit  41  hits the target right in the center, the piezoelectric element  3  is strained to generate a voltage, resulting in the LEDs  2  emitting light. 
     Thus, the luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment permits target play to be carried out at any time anywhere without requiring any specific electric power source such as a battery whenever the play is desired. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 7A and 7B, a further embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention is illustrated. A luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment includes a toy body constituted by a card  45 . The card  45  includes a substrate  47  acting as a strain generating means A, a frame  48  having an opening  48   a  formed at a central portion thereof and stuck on the substrate  47 , and a sheet  49  having a pattern  49   a  such as a character or the like displayed on a front surface thereof and stuck on the frame  48  so as to cover an upper surface thereof. The substrate  47  has a piezoelectric element  3  and a printed board  46  stuck thereon. The printed board  46  has LEDs  2 , a rectifying circuit and a capacitor arranged thereon. When the luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment thus constructed is slapped down on the ground or the like as in a menko (a card used in a Japanese children&#39;s game), the substrate  47  is strained, to thereby strain the piezoelectric element  3 . This results in a voltage being induced across the piezoelectric element  3 , leading to luminescence of the LEDs  2 . In this instance, location of the LEDs  2  at positions corresponding to eyes of a character displayed on the sheet  49  permits the eyes of the character to emit light the moment the card is slapped down on the ground. Thus, it will be noted that the illustrated embodiment realizes a thin card which is capable of emitting light while eliminating a necessity of arranging any specific power source such as a battery. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 8A to  8 C, still another embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention is illustrated. A luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment includes a toy body constituted by a spherical body  50 . The spherical body  50  is made of a translucent or transparent resin material and formed to have a hollow configuration. The spherical body  50  is provided therein with an LED  2 , a piezoelectric element, a rectifying circuit, a capacitor and a strain generating means A. The strain generating means A, as shown in FIGS. 8B and 8C, is constituted by a weight member  53  fixed on a central portion of the piezoelectric element  3 . In the illustrated embodiment, two such spherical bodies  50  are connected together through a single string  52 . Thus, the luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment is operated in such a manner that the string  52  is taken at a central portion thereof between fingers of a user or player to hit the spherical bodies  50  on each other. Hitting between the spherical bodies  50  permits acceleration and inertia of each of the weight members  53  to be generated in all directions, leading to straining of the piezoelectric element  3 . This results in the piezoelectric element  3  inducing a voltage thereacross, leading to luminescence of the LED  2 . 
     Thus, the luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment permits a user or player to enjoy not only collisional motion of the spherical bodies  50  and generation of impact sound due to the collision but luminescence of the LEDs  2  carried out during the collision. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the spherical body may be made of a transparent or translucent resin material, so that the luminous toy may constitute a ball  55  which is operated or played in a manner to be thrown against a wall or the ground, as shown in FIG.  9 . In this instance, the ball  55  may be provided therein with a strain generating means constituted by a weight member as in the spherical body  50  described above. In the ball  55  thus constructed, impact due to collision of the ball  55  with a wall or the ground permits the weight member to strain the piezoelectric element, resulting in the piezoelectric element inducing a voltage thereacross, leading to luminescence of the LED. 
     Such construction of the ball  55  permits the ball  55  to instantaneously emit light when it is struck against a wall or the ground, so that a user may enjoy ball play which is never provided by the prior art. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 10A and 10B, a still further embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention is illustrated. A luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment includes a toy body constituted by a traveling body  60  rotatably mounted thereon with a pair of turning wheels  61 . Thus, the traveling body  60  is configured in the form of a two-wheeled vehicle. The luminous toy also includes a flip mechanism C actuated in association with rotation of the turning wheels  61  to flip a piezoelectric element  3 . 
     The traveling body  60  is constructed so as to advance when a user or player walks while gripping a handle  62 . The traveling body  60  is formed on an upper surface thereof with a FIG. 63 indicating an animal or the like and a translucent dome-like display section  64 . The display section  64  is provided therein with a plurality of LEDs  2 . The above-described piezoelectric element  3  and flip mechanism C acting as a strain generating means are arranged in the traveling body  60 . The flip mechanism C is constituted by a cross-shaped vane wheel  69  rotated through gears  66 ,  67  and  68  in association with rotation of an axle  65  on which the turning wheels  61  are mounted. The vane wheel  69  includes four vanes each having a distal end  69   a , so that rotation of the vane wheel  69  permits the distal ends  69   a  to flip an end  3   a  of the piezoelectric element  3  in order. 
     Thus, in the luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment including the traveling body  60 , traveling of the traveling body  60  permits the vane wheel  69  to flip the piezoelectric element  3 , to thereby strain the piezoelectric element  3 , so that the display section  64  may be flickered every time the distal ends  69   a  of the vane wheel  69  each flip the piezoelectric element  3 . This permits a user to play with the luminous toy without paying attention to exhaustion of a power source, replacement thereof and the like which are encountered in the prior art. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 11A and 11B, a yet further embodiment of a luminous toy according to the present invention is illustrated. A luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment includes a toy body constituted by a traveling body  70  provided thereon with drive wheels  73 . The traveling body  70  includes a spiral spring unit  71  constructed in a manner conventionally known in the art. Thus, the spiral spring unit  71  includes a spiral spring which is wound up when the traveling body  70  is moved back. The traveling body  70  is configured in the form of a squad car or an ambulance car and provided on an upper portion thereof with a display section  72  formed in imitation of a red light. The display section  72  is provided therein with a plurality of LEDs  2 . The drive wheels  73  are rotated by unwinding force of the wound-up spring, so that the traveling body  70  may be advanced and a beating mechanism B may be actuated. The beating mechanism B includes gears  76  and  77  operatively associated with a gear  75  mounted on a drive shaft  74  on which the drive wheels  73  are mounted, a revolving shaft  78  and a weight member  80  mounted on the revolving shaft  78  through a spring  79 . Thus, turning of the revolving shaft  78  permits the weight member  80  to beat a central portion of a piezoelectric element  3 . 
     The luminous toy of the illustrated embodiment eliminates a necessity of providing a space for receiving a battery for a power source and a lid member required for replacing the battery. 
     Also, the luminous body permits the toy body or traveling body  70  to travel by unwinding force of the wound-up spiral spring and the weight member  80  mounted through the spring  79  on the revolving shaft  78  rotated in association with the drive wheels  73  to beat the piezoelectric element  3 , leading to luminescence of the LEDs  2 . Thus, the illustrated embodiment realizes a luminous toy which not only travels but exhibits an added value of permitting luminescence of the display section. 
     As can be seen from the foregoing, the luminous toy of the present invention is so constructed that the strain generating means strains the piezoelectric element to induce an AC voltage across the piezoelectric element, which is then converted into a DC voltage by means of the rectifying circuit and capacitor. The thus-converted DC voltage leads to luminescence of the luminous element. Such construction of the present invention leads to realization of a luminous toy which does not require a battery acting as a power source, to thereby prevent environmental pollution. 
     In the present invention, the strain generating means may be selected from the beating mechanism for beating the piezoelectric element and the flip mechanism for flipping the piezoelectric element. Actuation of the beating mechanism or flip mechanism leads to straining of the piezoelectric element, to thereby permit it to generate a voltage, resulting in the luminous element emitting light. 
     In the present invention, the beating mechanism or flip mechanism may be constructed so as to repeatedly strain the piezoelectric element. This permits the voltage to be repeatedly induced across the piezoelectric element, resulting in the luminous element being repeatedly flickered. 
     Also, in the present invention, the toy body may be constituted by the target toy and the strain generating means may be constituted by the shooting unit for shooting the projectile at the target toy. Thus, a user or player may enjoy the target toy, because hitting of the projectile on the target toy leads to luminescence of the luminous element. 
     Further, the present invention may be so constructed that the toy body is constituted by the card body including the substrate and the strain generating means is constituted by the substrate of the card body, wherein the substrate has the piezoelectric element fixed thereon. Straining of the card body permits the display on the card to emit light, so that a user may enjoy unique card play which is never provided by the prior art. 
     In the present invention, the toy body may be constituted by the spherical body and the strain generating means may be constituted by the weight member, wherein the weight member may be fixed to the piezoelectric element. Such construction permits a user to enjoy ball play which is never obtained by the prior art. Also, the luminous element and the circuit for exciting the luminous element received in the spherical body are out of sight, therefore, the luminous toy exhibits curious attraction. 
     Moreover, the present invention may be so constructed that the toy body is constituted by the traveling body including the turning wheels and the beating mechanism or flip mechanism is operated in association with the turning wheels. Thus, mere traveling of the traveling body permits luminescence of the luminous element, so that the luminous toy may exhibit an added value of permitting luminescence of the display section while traveling. 
     While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described with a certain degree of particularity with reference to the drawings, obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.