Abstract:
A companion doll for use in either a patrol car to give the illusion of the presence of an additional officer or for home companion use has a human-like appearance and has several components that articulate including a head that turns, upper and lower arms that raise and lower, and hands that open and close. Motion of these components can be random or can be in response to received external stimuli wherein the doll uses motion and light sensors to detect this stimuli. A closed loop heated water pumping system within the doll warms exterior surface of the doll to give the doll further human-like qualities.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a life-sized companion doll that gives the impression that more humans are in a vehicle that is actually the case or that can otherwise provide companionship. 
     2. Background of the Prior Art 
     Policing is a tough job requiring police officers to deal with some of the toughest elements of society. Murderers, rapists, drug dealers, and thieves are on the resumes of some of the elements that an officer must deal with on a daily basis. Not only must officers deal with the aftermath of the damage caused by criminals, investigate the crimes, and catch the perpetrators, the police must be ever vigilant for their own safety from the criminal element. A portion of the criminal population is not only determined to commit crimes, but also to specifically cause harm to the police. Some criminals are bent on hurting a particular cop for specific actions of the cop while others seek to hurt any police officer with whom they come in contact either for revenge or out of shear sociopathic instinct. 
     One situation where an officer may be particularly vulnerable is when the officer parks his or her patrol car, often at night, in order to catch up on paperwork, have a meal, sit and observe the area, or simply to take a well deserved break. Such situations are ideal for a bad guy to try and inflict harm on an officer. The officer is alone, stopped, and possibly with his or her guard down somewhat. If the bad guy strikes suddenly, he may gain the upper hand before the officer has time to react. Even if the officer can get to the radio, backup may be several minutes away, enough time for the bad actor to do the harm and escape. 
     To combat this problem, many police jurisdictions partner up their patrol officers. A single bad guy does not want to attack two officers. Even if the criminal is able to gain the upper hand on one officer, the other will call in for help and also take care of the bad guy, possibly upon less than pleasant terms. While there is safety in numbers, many jurisdictions simply lack the manpower and/or the resources to double up their patrol officers and must send out each cop alone and rely on backup for safety. However, to help protect their officers from ambush, some jurisdictions have resorted to placing a mannequin or other similar human form into the passenger seat of the patrol car in order to give the appearance of two officers being present in the vehicle. If a criminal thinks that two officers are present, the criminal will move on. The problem with this method is that the mannequin is entirely static and if a person observes the mannequin for some length of time, as a criminal might in planning an ambush, the mannequin will be discovered for what it is—non-human. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need in the art for a device that helps protect a single patrol officer from someone out to intentionally harm an officer by giving the illusion that more than one officer populates a patrol car. Such a device must be human-like in appearance even if observed for some length of time. Ideally such a device can also provide companionship to an officer or even a non-officer at times other than at work and at locations other than a patrol car, such as a bedroom. The device should be of relatively simple design and construction and be relatively easy to use and maintain. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The articulating companion doll of the present invention addresses the aforementioned needs in the art by providing a human-like doll that gives the illusion that more than one officer populates a patrol car in order to help protect a single patrol officer from someone out to intentionally harm an officer via ambush. The articulating companion doll is human-like in appearance even if observed for some length of time. The articulating companion doll also offers companionship to a user in and out of work and in and out of a car, such as in a bedroom. The present invention is of relatively simple design and construction and is relatively easy to use and maintain. 
     The articulating companion doll of the present invention is comprised of a base member onto which a base bar is attached. A standard extends upwardly from the base bar while a cross bar is attached to the top of the standard. A first bar is rotatably attached to a medial point of the cross bar while a first shell, in the representation of a human head, is attached to and covers the first bar. A second bar is rotatably attached to an end of the cross bar while a third bar is rotatably attached to the second bar. A reservoir is attached to the base member and has a pump fluid flow connected thereto. A second shell, in the representation of at least a portion of a human body, covers the base bar, the standard, the cross bar, the second bar, the third bar, the reservoir, and the pump such that the second shell attaches to the first shell and to the base member and such that the cross bar is received within a representation of shoulders of the human body of the second shell, the second bar is received within a representation of an upper arm of the human body of the second shell and the third bar is received within a representation of a lower arm of the human body of the second shell. A tube is fluid flow connected with the pump and with the reservoir and passes through the second shell. The head, the upper arm and the lower arm are each able to articulate. The pump draws fluid from the reservoir and pumps the fluid through the tube and thereafter the fluid returns to the reservoir. A first motion sensor is disposed within a representation of an eye of the head of the first shell such that the head articulates in response to a motion stimuli received by the first motion sensor. A second motion sensor is disposed within the head of the first shell proximate a representation of an ear such that the head also articulates in response to a motion stimuli received by the second motion sensor. A light sensor is also disposed within the head of the first shell proximate the representation of the ear such that the head also articulates in response to a light stimuli received by the light sensor. A voice box may be disposed within the first shell such that the voice box produces a sound whenever the head articulates. A first sub-frame is attached to the third bar while a second sub-frame is rotatably attached to the first sub-frame and is capable of articulating with respect to the first sub-frame. A heater element is disposed within the reservoir in order to heat the fluid held within the reservoir. A sight glass is disposed within the reservoir and protrudes through the second shell. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the articulating companion doll of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the articulating companion doll of  FIG. 1 , partially cut away, illustrating the internal workings. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the articulating companion doll of  FIG. 1  illustrating the internal framework and articulation components. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the articulating companion doll of  FIG. 1  secured within a vehicle seat. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the articulating companion doll of the present invention illustrating the internal workings. 
     
    
    
     Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, it is seen that the articulating companion doll of the present invention, generally denoted by reference numeral  10 , is comprised of an articulating internal framework  12 . As seen, the framework  12  has a base frame bar  14 , a torso standard  16 , and an upper shoulder cross bar  18 . An upper arm bar  20  is pivotally attached to the right side of the shoulder cross bar  18 , while a lower arm bar  22  is pivotally attached to the upper arm bar  20 . A hand sub-frame  24  is attached to the opposing end of lower arm bar  22  while a finger sub-frame  26  is pivotally attached to the hand sub-frame  24 . A neck bar  28  extends upwardly from the shoulder cross bar  18  and is attached thereto via a drive gear housing  30  that has a driven gear  32  thereon, the drive gear housing  30  allowing the neck bar  28  to rotate with respect to the shoulder cross bar  18 . A shell  34  in the representation of a human head sits atop the neck bar  28 . As seen, an arm rotation first motor  36  is attached to the shoulder cross bar  18  and has a first drive gear  38  that the first motor  36  rotates, this gear  38  meshing with gearing  40  located on the end of the upper arm bar  20  such that rotation of the first gear  38  in response to operation of the first motor  36 , causes the upper arm bar  20  to rotate with respect to the shoulder cross bar  18 . A first solenoid actuator  42  connects the upper arm bar  20  with the lower arm bar  22  such that articulation of the first solenoid actuator  42  causes the lower arm bar  22  to pivot with respect to the upper arm bar  20 . A second solenoid actuator  44  connects the lower arm bar  22  with the finger sub-frame  26  such that articulation of the second solenoid actuator  44  causes the finger sub-frame  26  to pivot with respect to the hand sub-frame  24 . If desired, the internal framework  12  may provide for a left arm framing subsystem, however, in countries wherein the driver of a vehicle sits on the left hand side of the vehicle, only the right side of the articulating companion doll  10  needs to articulate (in countries wherein the driver of the vehicle sits on the right hand side of the vehicle, the left side of the articulating companion doll  10  needs to articulate). A neck rotation second motor  46  has a second drive gear  48  thereon that this second motor  46  rotates, which second gear  48  meshes with the driven gear  32  of the drive gear housing  30  such that rotation of the second gear  48 , in response to operation of the second motor  46 , causes the neck bar  28  to rotate with respect to the shoulder cross bar  18 . 
     A controller  50  is attached to an appropriate point on the framework  12  and is electrically connected to the first motor  36 , the second motor  46 , the first solenoid actuator  42 , and the second solenoid actuator  44  in order to control these various components. 
     Located within the head  34  and positioned within one or both eyes  52  thereof, is one or more first motion sensors  54 . Another motion sensor  56  is located within the head  34  proximate the right ear  58  thereof, as is a light sensor  60 . An optional voice box  62  may be located within the head  34  proximate the mouth  64  thereof. The first motion sensors  54 , the second motion sensor  56 , the light sensor  60  and the voice box  62  are all electrically connected to the controller  50  in order to control these various components. 
     The base frame bar  14  is attached to a base member  66 . Covering the framework  12  and its various components is a shell  68  in the representation of a human body, namely the upper portion and possibly a section of the thighs  70 , although the entire body may be represented, the shell  68  attaching to the base member  66  and the first shell  34 . The human body representation, which includes the shell  68  and the head  34 , may be male or, as illustrated, female, may have long hair  72  or short hair  74 , may be flat-chested or full-chested and may have any appropriate clothing such as the police officer&#39;s uniform  76  illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The outer surface of the of the human body shell  68  and head  34  is made from any appropriate material, such as rubber, silicone, etc., that approximates actual human skin and is appropriately colored so as to visually resemble human skin. 
     Located on the base member  66  is a fluid reservoir  78  that has a fill tube  80  that passes through the shell  68  and is accessible exterior of the shell  68 . A cap  82  is removably attached to the fill tube  80 . A sight glass  84  is located on the reservoir  78  and protrudes through the shell  68  so that the sight glass  84  is visible exterior of the shell  68 . A heater element  86  is disposed within the reservoir  78 . A pump  88  is fluid flow connected with the reservoir  78 . One or more tubes  90  extend out from the pump  88  and terminate in the reservoir  78  so that the reservoir  78 , the pump  88  and the tubes  90  form a closed fluid loop. If more than tube  90  is used, appropriate T-branches  92  are used for branching thereof. The tubes  90  are disposed within the shell  68  and are located proximate its outer surface. The pump  88  and the heater element  86  are electrically connected to the controller  50  in order to control these elements. A power and/or function switch  94  is located on the shell  68  and is electrically connected to the controller  50 . A 12 volt plug  96  is provided and is electrically connected to the controller  50  for electrically powering the device  10 . The articulated companion doll  10  can be powered by additional or alternate means, such as batteries, solar collectors, etc., (none illustrated). 
     In order to use the articulated companion doll  10  of the present invention, the reservoir  78  is filled with water. Appropriate clothing is placed upon the doll  10  and the doll  10  is placed into the passenger seat S of a vehicle such as a patrol car. The vehicle&#39;s seat belt B is used to strap the doll in appropriately. The doll  10  rests on its base  66  and has sufficient thigh  70  length so that the lap portion of the seat belt B appropriately buckles the doll  10  in place. The 12 volt plug  96  is plugged into a 12 volt accessory outlet (not illustrated) of the vehicle in order to provide electrical power to the articulated companion doll  10 . The doll  10 , by having a human like appearance, makes people think that the patrol car is populated by two officers not just one. In order to further give human-like appearance, the various articulatable components of the device  10 , move either on a scheduled basis or based on specific external stimuli. For example, the doll  10  can be set to move one or more movable components every few seconds such as turning the head  34  every so often or moving the upper arm bar  20  or the lower arm bar  22 . The movements can be randomly selected so that the head  34  may turn followed by a lower arm bar  22  raise, followed by another head  34  turn, etc. In addition, or alternately, the various articulating components can move based on the receipt of external stimuli. For example, if one of the first motion sensors  54  senses motion, a component can articulate, for example, the upper arm bar  20  raises. If the second motion sensor  56  senses motion or the light sensor  60  senses light, the head  34  can turn in the direction of the received stimuli. In this way, if someone is outside of the vehicle and the doll  10  senses this presence, the doll  10  “comes alive” and responds to the stimuli further giving the impression that the passenger is an actual police office. If the optional voice box  62  is used, the doll  10  can also speak in response to received stimuli or just randomly in order to keep the driver company. The sound produced by the voice box  62  can be prerecorded at the factory or can be recordable via an appropriate microphone (not illustrated), for example, a wife may record some message for her police officer husband and the doll  10  plays these recorded messages. To further help keep the officer company, the water within the reservoir  78  is heated via the heater element  86  and pumped through the tubes  90  via the pump  88  in order to keep the exterior “skin” of the doll  10  warm and more humanlike. The controller controls operation of all of the various components of the device  10 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 5 , the articulating companion doll  110  may be full sized for either use in the patrol car, for home use, or other appropriate use. This doll  110 , which is substantially similar to the doll of  FIGS. 1-4  has legs  198  and may have only a subset of the components of the doll  10  of  FIGS. 1-4  such as the illustrated neck bar  128 , drive gear housing  130 , second motor  148 , controller  150 , first sensor  152 , second sensor  154 , light sensor  160 , voice box  162 , body shell  168 , reservoir  178 , filler tube  180  with cap  182 , heater element  186 , pump  188 , tubes  190 , sight glass  184 , on/off switch  194 , head shell  134  that rotates, etc., that all operate in substantially similar fashion to the corresponding components of the doll  10  of  FIGS. 1-4 . 
     While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.