Abstract:
A plush toy animal figure defines a shape corresponding to a fanciful four-legged animal having a pair of elongated ears and a large head and nose. A movement mechanism supported within the plush animal figure includes a battery-powered motor drive and gear apparatus which is operatively coupled to a pair of elongated rigid ear paddles within each of the figures ears. A third paddle is supported within the head and nose of the figure and is operatively coupled to the gear drive. A pair of cams are moved by the drive mechanism and are used to actuate a pair of reversing switches. The reversing switches produce a reversal of drive motor direction each time they are actuated. The cams are positioned such that they alternate the actuation of their respective reversing switches. As a result, the motor is reversed when the ears and nose of the figure reach their upper and lower points of pivotal movement.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to animated toy figures and particularly to those utilizing a plurality of movement mechanisms within a common internal housing. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Through the years, a wide variety of toy figures and dolls have been created for entertainment. Such toy figures and dolls have assumed shapes replicating humans, human infants, animals as well as fanciful characters. In their efforts to increase the amusement and play value of such toy figures and dolls, practitioner&#39;s in the art have created a variety of toy figures and dolls having movable features and are articulated bodies and limbs. In addition, such articulated and movable figures have been, in some instances, provided with motion energy sources such as wind-up motors or battery-driven electrical motors. A result has been to provide a variety of movable toy figures and dolls. 
     Another improvement in the continuing efforts of practitioner&#39;s in the toy arts to provide increased amusement and play value has been found in the creation of toy figures and dolls which respond to external stimulus. Practitioner&#39;s have, in such efforts, provided toy figures and dolls which respond to external stimulous such as sounds, touch or contact with external articles such as another doll or toy figure. Numerous examples of such movable and articulated toy figures and dolls responsive to stimulous are found in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,141,464 issued to Stern et al. sets forth a TOUCH RESPONSIVE ANIMATED TOY FIGURE having a four-legged plush animal supporting a movable head and an internal drive mechanism for providing angular movement of the head. An extendable tongue is supported within the head and extends and retracts as the head undergoes pivoting movement. A touch sensor is positioned at the animals upper back to trigger an operational interval each time child user touches the back of the toy figure. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,951 issued to Saigo et al. sets forth a movable toy animal having a toy figure resembling a bunny or the like supporting a motor driven internal movement mechanism. The movement mechanism is operatively coupled to a pair of movable ears and a movable nose. When operated, the ears and nose undergo a predetermined movement cycle. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,087 issued to Terzian et al. sets forth a SOFT STUFFED TOY WITH MANUALLY DRIVEN HEAD, EARS AND/OR TONGUE carried in a flexible sling with the head of the figure exposed. The head includes animatable ears driven by rotation of the head relative to the body. In addition, the protuding movable tongue is driven by an actuator which also provides rotation of the head relative to the body. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,324,225 issued to Satoh et al. sets forth an INTERACTIVE TOY FIGURE WITH SOUND-ACTIVATED AND PRESSURE-ACTIVATED SWITCHES having a toy animal figure which resembles a kitten and which includes a multiply jointed rearwardly extending tail. A pullstring mechanism is operative within the tail under the drive of an internal battery-powered motor to cause wagging of the tail. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 2,137,371 issued to Marsh and U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,390 issued to Carroll set early examples of dolls and toy figures having movable appendages. 
     In a related art, a plurality of dolls have been provided which include speech or sound capabilities. These prior art devices are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,038 issued to Arad et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,923,428 issued to Curran; U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,602 issued to Rose; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,336 issued to Lebensfeld et al. 
     While the foregoing described prior art devices have to some extent improved the art and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless and continuing need in the art for evermore improved, interesting and amusing animal figures having movable components. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved plush animal figure. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved plush animal figure having moving ears and nose utilizing a compact and efficient movement mechanism. 
     In accordance with the present invention there is provided a plush toy comprising: a plush animal body having a head, a pair of ears, a nose, a torso and a plurality of legs; a pair of elongated ear paddles within the ears, each of the ear paddle having an interior ear paddle end; an elongated nose paddle extending through the head and into the nose, the nose paddle defining a nose paddle interior end; a pair of ear paddle supports coupled to the interior ear paddle ends pivotably supporting the pair of ears for movement between raised and lowered ear positions; a nose paddle support coupled to the nose paddle interior end pivotably supporting the nose paddle between a raised position and a lowered position; a housing supported within the torso supporting the pair of ear paddle supports and the nose paddle support; a battery supply and reversible motor supported within the housing and a gear drive operatively coupling the reversible motor to the nose paddle support and the pair of ear paddle supports moving the ear paddles and the nose paddle between the respective raised and lowered ear positions and the raised and lowered nose position; a pair of reversing switches supported within the housing operative in response to movement of the pair of ear supports to reverse the motor at the raised and lowered ear positions; and a switch within the plush animal body actuated in response pressure to energize the motor. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements and in which: 
     FIG. 1 sets forth a front perspective view of a plush toy animal figure constructed in accordance with the present invention showing the movement mechanism in phantom line depiction; 
     FIG. 2 sets forth a section view of the movement mechanism of the present invention plush animal figure; 
     FIG. 3 sets forth a partial section view of the movement mechanism of the present invention plush animal figure taken along section lines  3 — 3  in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 sets forth a front perspective view of a plush animal figure constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally referenced by numeral  10 . Animal FIG. 10 is formed as a plush figure having a soft padded plush body  11  defining a torso  14 , a head  12  supporting a nose  13 , a plurality of supporting legs  15 ,  16 ,  17  and  18  and a pair of ears  20  and  21 . A pressure responsive switch  34  is supported within leg  15  and is operatively coupled to a connecting wire set  33 . 
     In accordance with the present invention, a movement mechanism  30  is supported within plush body  11  and includes a housing  31  supporting a plurality of conventional batteries  32 . Movement mechanism  30  further includes a nose paddle  35  operatively coupled to the drive apparatus within movement mechanism  30  set forth below in FIGS. 2 and 3. Suffice it to note here, that nose paddle  35  is movable in the directions indicated by arrows  40  and  41 . In further accordance with the present invention, movement mechanism  30  supports a pair of ear paddles  36  and  37  which are also operatively coupled to the drive mechanism with movement mechanism  30  set forth below in FIGS. 2 and 3. Suffice it to note here, that ear paddle  36  is movable in the directions indicated by arrows  42  and  43  while ear paddle  37  is movable in the directions indicated by arrows  44  and  45 . 
     In operation, and by means set forth below in FIGS. 2 and 3 in greater detail, animal FIG. 10 responds to actuation of pressure switch  34  when the user squeezes leg  15  to energize the motor drive within movement mechanism  30  provided by a reversible motor  60  (seen in FIG. 2) supported with housing  31 . By means also set forth below in greater detail, the movements of nose paddle  35  and ear paddles  36  and  37  is synchronized such that upward movement of nose paddle  35  in the direction indicated by arrow  40  is accompanied by simultaneous upward movement of ear paddles  36  and  37  in the directions indicated by arrows  42  and  44  respectively. conversely, downward movement of nose paddle  35  in the direction indicated by arrow  41  is accompanied by a corresponding downward movement of ear paddles  36  and  37  in the directions indicated by arrows  43  and  45 . 
     Thus, as the user squeezes leg  15  energizing pressure switch  34 , nose  13  of plush body  11  is moved up and down in the directions indicated by arrows  40  and  41  while ears  20  and  21  of plush body  11  are simultaneously moved upwardly in the directions indicated by arrows  42  and  44  and downwardly in the directions indicated by arrows  43  and  45 . This movement continues for a predetermined time after which movement terminates and awaits the next actuation of pressure switch  34 . 
     As is seen in FIG. 2, movement mechanism  30  supports a sound and control circuit  50 . Accordingly, the activation of drive motor  60  (also seen in FIG. 2) to move nose  13  and ears  21  and  22  is accompanied by an audible message or series of messages produced by sound and control circuit  50  (seen in FIG.  2 ). Thus, as animal FIG. 10 is activated, the user is provided with an amusing and interesting animation and sound play pattern. 
     FIG. 2 sets forth a section view of movement mechanism  30  in which housing  31  is sectioned to facilitate the illustration of the internal drive apparatus of mechanism  30 . Accordingly, a reversible motor  60  includes an output pully  61  having an endless belt  63  coupled thereto. Movement mechanism  30  further includes a pully  62  also coupled to belt  63 . Pully  62  supports a gear  64  which in turn in coupled to a gear  65 . Gear  65  further supports a gear  66  which in turn is coupled to a gear  67 . Gear  67  supports a gear  68  which is coupled to a gear  69 . A shaft  59  is rotatably supported within housing  31  and is joined to gear  69 . Gears  65  and  66  are rotatably supported upon shaft  59  but are freely rotatable thereon and are not joined to shaft  59 . Shaft  59  is further joined to a gear  70 . As a result, the rotation of gear  68  causes the combination of gear  69 , shaft  59  and gear  70  to rotate as a single rotational single member. The rotation of gear  70  further rotates gear  71 . Gear  71  supports a clutch member  72 . A cooperating clutch member  73  engages clutch member  72  and is joined to a gear  75 . A spring  74  provides a spring force against gear  71  urging clutch member  72  into engagement with clutch member  73 . The function of clutch members  72  and  73  and spring  74  is a protective function in which undo stresses opposed upon the drive mechanism such as would be encountered should the child user hold one or more of paddles  35 ,  36  and  37  while motor  60  is energized, damage to drive apparatus is avoided as clutch members  72  and  73  disengage. 
     The rotation of gear  75  produces a corresponding rotational movement of sector gear  76 . It will be noted that sector gear  76  is not a complete gear but is merely a sector gear. This use of a sector gear is enabled by the reversing mechanism set forth below in FIG.  3 . Suffice it to note here, that motor  60  is repeatedly reversed causing gear  75  to repeatedly reverse its direction of its rotation within the span of gear teeth on sector gear  76 . 
     Sector gear  76  is joined to a shaft  77  which is rotatably supported within housing  31 . Shaft  77  is coupled to a further pair of gears  80  and  90  on each end thereof. Thus, pivotal movement of sector gear  76  produces a corresponding rotation of gears  80  and  90 . A shaft  82  is rotatably supported by housing  31  in the directions indicated by arrows  87 . Shaft  82  supports a gear  81  engaging gear  80 . Gear  81  is integrally formed with ear paddle  37  such that rotation of gear  81  produces a corresponding pivotal movement of ear paddle  37 . 
     Correspondingly, a shaft  92  is rotatably supported within housing  31  in the directions indicated by arrows  97 . Gear  91  is integrally formed with ear paddle  36  such that movement of gear  91  produces corresponding pivotal movement of ear paddle  36 . Thus, as gear  91  is rotated in response to rotation of gear  90 , ear paddle  36  is pivoted about shaft  92  in the manner indicated by arrows  97 . 
     A nose paddle  35  is joined to sector gear  76  such that partial rotation in a reversible manner of sector gear  76  about shaft  77  produces a corresponding pivotal movement of nose paddle  35 . The pivotal movement of nose paddle  35  is shown by directional arrows  40  and  41  in FIG.  3 . 
     A pair of reversing switches  83  and  93  are positioned beneath gears  80  and  90  respectively in the manner set forth below in FIG.  3 . Suffice it to note here, that switches  83  and  93  are operatively coupled to reversible motor  60  via sound and control circuit  50  by a plurality of coupling wires  84  and  94  respectively. The connection of wires  84  and  94  to sound and control circuit  50  is omitted to avoid unduly cluttering the drawing figure. A sound and control circuit  50  is fabricated upon a printed circuit board in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques and includes a sound integrated circuit device  51  and a plurality of supporting components  52 . A reversing switch  53  also fabricated in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques responds to switches  83  and  93  to reverse the direction of reversible motor  60 . Sound and control circuit further includes a motor drive integrated circuit  54 . While not seen in FIG. 2, it will be noted with return temporarily to FIG. 1, that movement mechanism  30  includes a plurality of conventional batteries  32  within housing  31  to provide operative power for sound and control circuit  50  and reversible motor  60 . 
     Sound integrated circuit  51  is fabricated in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques and utilizes an internal memory having stored audio data and a microprocessor having a stored instruction set to provide sound signal output. This sound signal output is applied to speaker  55  supported within housing  31 . It will be recongnized by those skilled in the art, that virtually any standard speech or sound circuit may be utilized in place of circuit  51 . The essential characteristic of circuit  51  is the provision of appropriate signals to speaker  55  for audiblizing a predetermined speech message or sound combination each time sound circuit  51  is energized by switch  15  (seen in FIG.  1 ). For example, a combination of a microprocessor, read-only memory, speech synthesizer and audio output amplifier suitable for the functioning of circuit  51  is formed as a single integrated circuit chip device manufactured by Texas Instruments, Inc. under the device name TMS50C44. However, it will be understood that a variety of standard integrated circuit devices may be utilized for circuit  51 . 
     Motor drive circuit  54  operates to provide appropriate voltages to reversible motor  60  through reversing switch  53 . The sole function of reversing switch  53  is to toggle the pularity of voltage applied to reversible motor  60 . This toggling action is carried forward in response to switches  83  and  93 . Switches  83  and  93  are operated in the manner set forth below in FIG.  3 . However, suffice it to note here that gears  80  and  90  support respective cams which in turn manipulates switches  83  and  93  as gears  80  and  90  are rotated 
     FIG. 3 sets forth a partial section view of movement mechanism  30  taken along section lines  3 — 3  in FIG.  2 . As described above, a sector gear  76  is rotatably supported by a shaft  77 . A gear  90  is joined to shaft  77  and rotatable therewith. Gear  90  supports a cam  95 . A switch  93  is supported beneath gear  90  and is aligned with cam  95 . Switch  93  is coupled to sound and control circuit  50  (seen in FIG. 2) by a plurality of connecting wires  94 . Sector gear  76  further supports a flange  38  which in turn supports a forwardly and downwardly extending nose paddle  35 . 
     As is better seen in FIG. 2, shaft  77  further supports a gear  80  on the opposite side of sector gear  76 . As is also better seen in FIG. 2, a switch  83  is positioned beneath gear  80 . A cam  85  is supported upon gear  80  and is oppositely oriented with respect to cam  95  supported upon gear  90 . As is mentioned above, the combination of sector gear  76  and gears  80  and  90  rotate as a single unit upon shaft  77 . Accordingly, as sector gear  76  is rotated by gear  75  (seen in FIG.  2 ), a corresponding rotation takes place by gears  80  and  90  (gear  80  seen in FIG.  2 ). 
     The cooperative function of gears  80  and  90  and cams  85  and  95  respectively is the operation of reversing switch  83  and  93 . Thus, as sector gear  76  is rotated for example in the direction indicated by  96 , nose paddle  35  is rotated upwardly in the direction indicated by arrow  40 . As this rotation of gears  80  and  90  (gear  80  seen in FIG. 2) continues cam  95  is moved against switch  93 . Once cam  95  actuates switch  93 , the rotation of motor  60  (seen in FIG. 2) is reversed by the toggle action of reversing switch  53  (also seen in FIG.  2 ). Thereafter, gears  80  and  90  are rotated in the direction indicated by arrow  86  which in turn lowers nose paddle  35  downwardly in the direction indicated by arrow  41 . As gears  80  and  90  (gear  80  seen in FIG. 2) rotate in the direction indicated by arrow  86 , cam  95  moves away from switch  93 . Simultaneously however, cam  85  of gear  80  moves toward switch  83 . As cam  85  moves against switch  83 , switch  83  is actuated producing a further reversing of motor  60  through the action of reversing switch  53  (seen in FIG.  2 ). As a result, the direction of motor rotation and thereby rotation of sector gear  76  is again reversed moving gears  80  and  90  once again the direction indicated by arrow  96  and again raising nose paddle  35 . 
     This reversing action continues as cams  95  and  85  alternate in actuating their respective reversing switches  83  and  93 . As a further result, the movement of nose paddle  35  and ear paddles  36  and  37  is correspondingly reversed producing the asolitory movement set forth and described above in FIG.  1 . 
     While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.