Leverage mechanism actuating device for use in initiating motion of a toy

A leverage mechanism actuating device includes a drive member with an output shaft to drive rotatably a rotary body around an axis. A force transmission member is moved relative to the rotary body between first and second positions by a centrifugal force generated by a rotary driving force applied by the output shaft on the rotary body. Movement of the force transmission member enables the force transmission member to convert the rotary driving force into a translational lifting force in a direction parallel to the axis. A leverage mechanism includes a fulcrum, and first and second locations. The first location is associated operably with the force transmission member. The second location is adapted to be connected to a toy. Thus, the first location is actuated by the translational lifting force of the force transmission member to result in a power output at the second location for initiating motion of the toy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a leverage mechanism actuating device for use in 
initiating motion of a toy, more particularly to a leverage mechanism 
actuating device with a centrifuging mechanism which can convert a 
rotational force into a translational lifting force for actuating a 
leverage mechanism to initiate motion of a toy. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
A conventional actuating device for initiating motion of a toy usually has 
a large number of components, such as gears and electrical control 
circuits, thereby resulting in higher manufacturing and maintenance costs. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The object of the present invention is to provide a leverage mechanism 
actuating device with a centrifuging mechanism which has a simple 
construction that is easy to fabricate at a relatively low manufacturing 
cost. 
According to this invention, a leverage mechanism actuating device includes 
a drive member with an output shaft. A centrifuging mechanism includes a 
rotary body which is driven rotatably by the drive member around an axis 
of the output shaft, and a force transmission member which is moved 
relative to the rotary body between a first position and a second position 
radially spaced from the first position by a centrifugal force generated 
by a rotary driving force applied by the output shaft on the rotary body. 
Movement of the force transmission member from the first position to the 
second position enables the force transmission member to convert the 
rotary driving force into a translational lifting force in a direction 
parallel to the axis. A leverage mechanism includes a fulcrum, and first 
and second locations. The first location is associated operably with the 
force transmission member. The second location is adapted to be connected 
to a toy. Thus, the first location is actuated by the translational 
lifting force of the force transmission member to result in a power output 
at the second location for initiating motion of the toy.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the first preferred embodiment of a leverage 
mechanism actuating device according to the present invention is shown to 
comprise a drive member, a centrifuging mechanism, a transmitting plate 
15, and a leverage mechanism. 
The drive member has a base seat 11, and a motor 12 with an output shaft 
121 which extends upwardly through the base seat 11 and which defines an 
axis. 
The centrifuging mechanism includes a rotary body 13 which is disposed 
above the base seat 11 and which is driven by the output shaft 121 to 
rotate around the axis. The rotary body 13 has an arcuate sloping track 
face 132 with a lower end to define a first position and an upper end 
opposite to and extending upwardly from the lower end to define a second 
position. A ball member 14 serves as a force transmission member, and is 
disposed rollingly on the sloping track face 132. As such, the ball member 
14 can be moved from the first position (i.e. the lower end) to the second 
position (i.e. the upper end) by a centrifugal force which is generated 
when the rotary body 13 is driven rotatably by the output shaft. 
The transmitting plate 15 includes a circular plate 151 which is disposed 
above the rotary body 13 to be moved upwardly by the lifting movement of 
the ball member 14 in a direction parallel to the axis, an actuating 
member 152 which extends upwardly from the center of the circular plate 
151, and a stop member 153 which is sleeved on the actuating member 152 on 
the circular plate 151. 
The leverage mechanism includes a base plate 16 with at least two support 
stems 161 which are secured on the base seat 11, a center hole 162 for 
passage of the actuating member 152, and a guiding sleeve 163 which is 
mounted at the center hole 162 for guiding the movement of the actuating 
member 152. An engaging seat 23 is secured on the base plate 16. The 
leverage mechanism further includes a leverage member 21, such as a lid, 
which has an engaging block 22 to be pivoted in the engaging seat 23 by a 
pin 24 so as to form a fulcrum. A central protrusion 25 (see FIG. 2) is 
formed on a bottom surface of the leverage member 21 and is aligned with 
the guiding sleeve 163 in the direction parallel to the axis of the output 
shaft 121. The central protrusion 25 serves as a first location of the 
leverage member 21 and is associated operably with the actuating member 
152. The leverage member 21 further has a second location adapted to be 
connected to a toy (not shown). Moreover, the distance between a bottom 
surface of the base plate 16 and the stop member 153 is shorter than a 
diameter of the ball member 14, thereby preventing removal of the ball 
member 14 from the sloping track face 132 during use. 
With reference to FIG. 3, the motor 12 can be controlled by a circuit 10, 
such as a voice-responsive sensor circuit, to rotate the rotary body 13 
via the output shaft 121, thereby generating a centrifugal force to move 
the ball member 14 from the first position toward the second position. The 
transmitting plate 15 is lifted by the ball member 14 in the direction 
parallel to the axis of the output shaft 121 with the assistance of the 
guiding sleeve 163. The actuating member 152 is moved upward to abut 
against the protrusion 25 of the leverage member 21 so as to swing the 
leverage member 21 upwardly relative to the fulcrum, thereby resulting in 
a power output at the second location of the leverage member 21 for 
initiating motion of the toy. When the motor 12 ceases to be activated by 
the sensor circuit, the rotary body 13 will stop rotating, and the 
transmitting plate 15 and the leverage member 21 will return back to their 
original positions, as shown in FIG. 2. 
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the second preferred embodiment of the leverage 
mechanism actuating device of this invention is shown to comprising a 
drive member, a centrifuging mechanism, and a leverage mechanism. The 
drive member has a base seat 31, and a motor 32 with an output shaft 321 
passing through the base seat 31. At least two support stems 361 are 
disposed on and extend upwardly from the base seat 31 to connect securely 
with a resisting member 36 of the leverage mechanism. The centrifuging 
mechanism includes a rotary body 33 which is disposed above the base seat 
31 and which has two arcuate sloping track faces 332. Each sloping track 
face 332 has a lower end adjacent to the center of the rotary body 33 and 
an upper end. Two ball members 34 are disposed rollingly on the sloping 
track faces 332, respectively, such that the ball members 34 are moved by 
virtue of centrifugal force to the upper ends. 
The leverage mechanism is disposed above the rotary body 33, and has a 
transmitting plate 351, an actuating member 352 which extends upwardly 
from the transmitting plate 351 at the center of the plate 351 along a 
direction parallel to the axis of the output shaft 321, a stop member 353 
which is sleeved on the actuating member 352, and two engaging seats 42 
which are disposed on the transmitting plate 351 at two opposite sides of 
the actuating member 352. The resisting member 36 is disposed above the 
transmitting plate 351, and has a center hole 362 for passage of the 
actuating member 352, a guiding sleeve 363 which is disposed at the center 
hole 362, and two resisting portions 364 which are disposed at two 
opposite sides of the center hole 362. The leverage mechanism further has 
two leverage members 41. Each leverage member 41 has an axial shaft 412 
which extends transverse to the direction of the axis to divide the 
leverage member 41 into first and second locations 411,413, and which 
engages the respective one of the engaging seats 42 to form a fulcrum. 
With reference to FIG. 6, the motor 32 can be started by a sensor circuit 
30 to rotate the rotary body 33 and generate a centrifugal force to move 
the ball members 34 from the lower ends of the sloping track faces 332 
toward the upper ends, respectively. The transmitting plate 351 is lifted 
by the ball member 34 in the direction parallel to the axis of the output 
shaft 321 with the guidance of the guiding sleeve 362 so that the first 
locations 411 are moved upward to abut against the resisting portions 364 
of the resisting member 36 so as to swing upwardly the second locations 
413 around the fulcrum, thereby resulting in a power output at the second 
locations 413 for initiating motion of the toy. When the motor 32 ceases 
to be activated by the sensor circuit, the rotary body 33 will stop 
rotating, and the ball members 34 will move back to the lower ends. As 
such, the transmitting plate 35 will return back to its original position, 
and the first locations 411 of the leverage member 41 will be released 
from abutting against the resisting member 36. 
As illustrated, the actuating device according to this invention applies a 
centrifugal force generated by the rotary body 13,33 to the ball member 
14,34 so as to convert the same into a translational lifting force that is 
imparted to the leverage mechanism, thereby actuating the leverage 
mechanism so as to result in a power output at the leverage mechanism for 
initiating motion of a toy. 
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is 
considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood 
that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is 
intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and 
scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.