Squeezable tongue-wagging toy and its squeeze mechanism

A squeezable tongue-wagging toy figure with a squeeze mechanism which includes a squeaker provided within a space defined by four hinged panels in elliptical cylinder shape, and a toothed rack meshed with a gear chain that is coupled with a bar with a toy tongue. When the panels are squeezed, the rack drives the gear chain in one direction and in turn pivot the bar towards one side and the squeaker produces a sound, and when the panels are released, the rack drives the gear chain in an opposite direction and in turn pivot the bar towards an opposite side and the squeaker produces another sound.

FIELD OF THE TECHNOLOGY

The present application relates to a squeezable tongue-wagging toy and its squeeze mechanism.

BACKGROUND

In modern society, parents pay special attention to their children. It is indispensable for parents to choose toys for their children when they grow. With time changing and new technology being developed, new elements have been added in toys. Toys are no longer limited to motionless toys. Sounds and actions have been added, and interaction with players is possible. Existing toys with sound and interaction functions usually are very complicated and expensive. Electric motors are used to drive gears in gear boxes in order to drive the toys into action. Furthermore, speakers are required to produce sounds. As such, these toys require batteries which may be swallowed accidentally by children. Thus, these existing toys are large in size, heavy and high in manufacturing cost.

There is a need to produce a squeezable toy with squeeze and sound mechanisms which are simple in structure, light in weight, low in manufacturing cost, and does not require any motor, speaker or batteries.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect, there is provided a squeezable tongue-wagging toy including a toy figure and a squeeze mechanism mounted inside a soft body of the toy figure. The squeeze mechanism may include a front left panel and a front right panel hingedly connected by a front hinge, and a rear left panel and a rear right panel hingedly connected by a rear hinge opposite to the front hinge, the front left panel and the rear left panel being hingedly connected by a left hinge, and the front right panel and the rear right panel being hingedly connected by a right hinge opposite to the left hinge

The squeeze mechanism may further include a gear chain mounted within a gearbox provided at one end of the first hinge, a toothed rack having one end fixed at the rear hinge and an opposite end slidable within the gearbox and meshed with the gear chain, and a pivotable bar. The pivotable bar may include an inner section coupled with the gear chain, an outer section extending outwardly from the front hinge and having a toy tongue formed at an outer end of the outer section, and a pivot mechanism provided between the inner and outer sections and defining a pivot axis about which the pivotable bar pivots. Squeezing the front and rear hinges inwards towards each other pushes the toothed rack forwards to drive the gear chain to turn in one direction and in turn pivot the outer section of the pivotable bar about the pivot axis towards one side, and releasing the front and rear hinges pulls the toothed rack backwards to drive the gear chain to turn in an opposite direction and in turn pivot the outer section of the pivotable bar about the pivot axis towards an opposite side, thereby simulating a tongue-wagging action.

In one embodiment, the gear chain may include a first compound gear having a first smaller gear and a first larger gear, a second compound gear having a second smaller gear and a second larger gear, and a third gear. The first smaller gear meshes with the toothed rack, the first larger gear meshes with the second smaller gear, and the second larger gear meshes with the third gear.

In one embodiment, the third gear may be formed on one surface of a disc, and an off-center shaft may be formed on an opposite surface of the disc. The off-center shaft is snugly received in a slot formed on the inner section of the pivotable bar.

In one embodiment, the pivot mechanism may include a pivot-pin hole formed on the pivotable bar between the inner and outer sections, and sleeved around a pivot shaft formed in the gearbox.

In one embodiment, the squeezable tongue-wagging toy may further include a sound-producing squeaker mounted within a space defined by the four panels. Squeezing the front and rear hinges inwards towards each other presses the squeaker and produces a first squeaking sound, and releasing the front and rear hinges releases the squeaker and produces a second squeaking sound. The squeaker may be an accordion squeaker.

In one embodiment, the toy tongue may be formed separately and attached to the outer end of the outer section of the pivotable bar. Alternatively, the toy tongue may be integrally formed at the outer end of the outer section of the pivotable bar.

According to another aspect, there is provided a squeeze mechanism for a squeezable tongue-wagging toy figure. The squeeze mechanism is mountable inside a soft body of the toy figure and may include a front left panel and a front right panel hingedly connected by a front hinge, and a rear left panel and a rear right panel hingedly connected by a rear hinge opposite to the front hinge, the front left panel and the rear left panel being hingedly connected by a left hinge, and the front right panel and the rear right panel being hingedly connected by a right hinge opposite to the left hinge

The squeeze mechanism may further include a gear chain mounted within a gearbox provided at one end of the first hinge, a toothed rack having one end fixed at the rear hinge and an opposite end slidable within the gearbox and meshed with the gear chain, and a pivotable bar. The pivotable bar may include an inner section coupled with the gear chain, an outer section extending outwardly from the front hinge and having a toy tongue formed at an outer end of the outer section, and a pivot mechanism provided between the inner and outer sections and defining a pivot axis about which the pivotable bar pivots. Squeezing the front and rear hinges inwards towards each other pushes the toothed rack forwards to drive the gear chain to turn in one direction and in turn pivot the outer section of the pivotable bar about the pivot axis towards one side, and releasing the front and rear hinges pulls the toothed rack backwards to drive the gear chain to turn in an opposite direction and in turn pivot the outer section of the pivotable bar about the pivot axis towards an opposite side, thereby simulating a tongue-wagging action.

In one embodiment, the gear chain may include a first compound gear having a first smaller gear and a first larger gear, a second compound gear having a second smaller gear and a second larger gear, and a third gear. The first smaller gear meshes with the toothed rack, the first larger gear meshes with the second smaller gear, and the second larger gear meshes with the third gear.

In one embodiment, the third gear may be formed on one surface of a disc, and an off-center shaft may be formed on an opposite surface of the disc. The off-center shaft is snugly received in a slot formed on the inner section of the pivotable bar.

In one embodiment, the pivot mechanism may include a pivot-pin hole formed on the pivotable bar between the inner and outer sections, and sleeved around a pivot shaft formed in the gearbox.

In one embodiment, the squeezable tongue-wagging toy may further include a sound-producing squeaker mounted within a space defined by the four panels. Squeezing the front and rear hinges inwards towards each other presses the squeaker and produces a first squeaking sound, and releasing the front and rear hinges releases the squeaker and produces a second squeaking sound. The squeaker may be an accordion squeaker having two opposite sides and a middle accordion portion.

In one embodiment, the squeaker is provided with two opposite slide couplers formed on the two opposite sides, and slidably coupled with the panels at the front and rear hinges respectively.

In one embodiment, the toy tongue may be formed separately and attached to the outer end of the outer section of the pivotable bar. Alternatively, the toy tongue may be integrally formed at the outer end of the outer section of the pivotable bar.

In one embodiment, the four hinged panels have a shape of an elliptic cylinder in a rest position with the front and rear hinges disposed at two ends of a major axis of the elliptic cylinder respectively.

In one embodiment, the gearbox may include an outer detachable gearbox housing and an inner fixed gearbox housing.

In one embodiment, the four panels are made of plastic, and the squeaker is made of flexible plastic.

Although the squeezable tongue-wagging toy is shown and described with respect to certain embodiments, it is obvious that equivalents and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification. The squeezable tongue-wagging toy in the present application includes all such equivalents and modifications, and is limited only by the scope of the claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to a preferred embodiment of the squeezable tongue-wagging toy, examples of which are also provided in the following description. Exemplary embodiments of the squeezable tongue-wagging toy are described in detail, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that some features that are not particularly important to an understanding of the squeezable tongue-wagging toy may not be shown for the sake of clarity.

Furthermore, it should be understood that the squeezable tongue-wagging toy is not limited to the precise embodiments described below and that various changes and modifications thereof may be effected by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the protection. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of this disclosure and appended claims.

In addition, improvements and modifications which may become apparent to persons of ordinary skill in the art after reading this disclosure, the drawings, and the appended claims are deemed within the spirit and scope of the protection.

It should be noted that throughout the specification and claims herein, when one element is said to be “coupled” or “connected” to another, this does not necessarily mean that one element is fastened, secured, or otherwise attached to another element. Instead, the term “coupled” or “connected” means that one element is either connected directly or indirectly to another element or is in mechanical or electrical communication with another element.

FIGS. 1-4show different views of a squeeze mechanism20of a squeezable tongue-wagging toy according to an embodiment disclosed in the present application.FIG. 5is a photographic representation of a squeezable tongue-wagging toyfigure 10having a toy tongue14that can wag from side to side. The squeeze mechanism20can be mounted inside a soft body12of the toyfigure 10.

It is understood that the toyfigure 10can be any toy figure, whether of animals, anthropomorphized animals or humanoids, with a tongue sticking out from a face at the front of the toy figure. In the illustrated embodiment, the toyfigure 10is a toy dog. As used herein, the term “front” refers to the orientation of the toy figure where its tongue is sticking out from a face at a front side of the toy figure.

The squeeze mechanism20may include a front left panel22and a front right panel24hingedly connected by a front hinge32, and a rear left panel26and a rear right panel28hingedly connected by a rear hinge34opposite to the front hinge32. The front left panel22and the rear left panel26can be hingedly connected by a left hinge36, and the front right panel24and the rear right panel28can be hingedly connected by a right hinge38opposite to the left hinge36.

The four hinged panels22,24,26,28may have a shape of an oval or elliptic cylinder in a rest position with the front and rear hinges32,34disposed at two ends of a major axis of the elliptic cylinder.

The four panels22,24,26,28and the four hinges32,34,36,38may be made of plastic or any other suitable material. The hinges32,34,36,38may be integrally formed on the panels22,24,26,28. Each hinge32,34,36,38may include a pin (not shown) inserted through aligned pin holes formed on opposite-facing edges of two adjacent panels. It is understood that the hinges32,34,36,38can be any suitable hinges that can hingedly connect a number of panels together.

The squeeze mechanism20may include a gear chain50, which may be mounted within a gearbox52. The gearbox52may include an outer detachable gearbox housing52aand an inner fixed gearbox housing52b. The inner fixed gearbox housing52bcan be fixed at one end of the front hinge32.

The gear chain50may include a first compound gear having a first smaller gear80and a first larger gear82, a second compound gear having a second smaller gear86and a second larger gear88, and a third gear92. The first smaller gear80may mesh with the toothed rack54, the first larger gear82may mesh with the second smaller gear86, and the second larger gear88may in turn mesh with the third gear92.

It is understood that the number and size of the gears of the gear chain50may vary depending on the size of the toyfigure 10, the desired angle of the tongue-wagging motion, etc.

The squeeze mechanism20may further include a toothed rack54which may have one end fixed at the rear hinge34and an opposite end slidable within the gearbox52and meshed with the gear chain50.

In addition, there is provided a pivotable bar70which may have an inner section72coupled with the gear chain50, and an outer section74extending outwardly from the front hinge32and having the toy tongue14formed at an outer end of the outer section74of the pivotable bar70. The pivotable bar70may also include a pivot mechanism76provided between the inner and outer sections72,74and defining a pivot axis X about which the pivotable bar70pivots.

The pivot mechanism76may include a pivot-pin hole78formed on the pivotable bar70between the inner and outer sections72,74, and sleeved around a pivot shaft79formed in the gearbox52. Alternatively, the pivot shaft may be formed on the pivotable bar70between the inner and outer sections72,74, and the pivot-pin hole may be formed in the gearbox52.

The toy tongue14of the toyfigure 10may be formed separately and then attached to the outer end of the outer section74of the pivotable bar70. Alternatively, the toy tongue14may be integrally formed with the pivotable bar70.

The third gear92may be formed on one surface of a disc96. An off-center shaft98may be formed on an opposite surface of the disc96. The off-center shaft98may be snugly received in a bore or slot100formed on the inner section72of the pivotable bar70.

Although it has been shown and description that the pivotable bar70is coupled with the gear chain50through an off-center shaft98, it is understood that the pivotable bar70can be coupled with the gear chain50in other possible ways. For example, the inner section72of the pivotable bar70can be formed with teeth that mesh with the third gear92.

The squeeze mechanism20may further include a sound-producing squeaker60which may be mounted within a space defined by the four panels22,24,26,28. A portion of the squeaker60may extend beyond the space defined by the four panels22,24,26,28.

The squeaker60may be made of flexible plastic and can be produced by a blow molding process. The squeaker60can be squeezed and return to its original shape when the squeezing force is released. The squeaker60may be provided with an air passage or orifice (not shown) which allow air to flow out of the squeaker when squeezed and flow into the squeaker when released. The air passage or orifice may be provided with a vibrating metal reed that can produce a sound when air flows therethrough.

In the illustrated embodiment, the squeaker60is an accordion squeaker in the shape of an oval or elliptic cylinder. The accordion squeaker60may have two opposite sides60a,60band a middle accordion portion60c.

The squeaker60may be provided with two opposite slide couplers61,62which may be formed on the two opposite sides60a,60bof the squeaker60respectively. The two opposite slide couplers61,62may be slidably coupled with the panels at the front and rear hinges32,34respectively such that the squeaker60can be held securely within the space defined by the four panels22,24,26,28.

Although it has been shown and described that the sound-producing squeaker60is an accordion squeaker, it is understood that the sound-producing squeaker can be any other kind of squeaker. For example, the sound-producing squeaker can be a balloon-shaped bladder or squeaker with a sound-producing feature.

Although it has been shown that the squeaker60may be sized and shaped to fit within the space defined by the four panels22,24,26,28, it is understood that the squeaker60does not need to have an exact shape and size as the space within the four panels22,24,26,28. The squeaker60also does not need to be in accordion shape. The squeaker60can be in any other shape. As long as the squeaker60can be placed inside the space defined by the four panels22,24,26,28, the squeaker can make a sound when squeezed or released. Moreover, it is understood that the squeaker60can still make a sound even only a part of the squeaker is fitted into the space within the four panels22,24,26,28.

When a player squeezes the squeezable tongue-wagging toyfigure 10at the front and rear portions thereof, the front and rear hinges32,34are squeezed inwards towards each other. When the front and rear hinges32,34are squeezed towards each other, the accordion portion60cof the squeaker60collapses and produces a squeaking sound. Simultaneously, the squeezing force pushes the toothed rack54forwards to drive the gear chain50to turn in one direction (clockwise/anticlockwise). As the gear chain50turns, it in turn pivots the outer section74of the pivotable bar70about the pivot axis X towards one side (left/right).

When the player releases the squeezing force on the front and rear portions of the squeezable tongue-wagging toyfigure 10, the collapsed accordion portion60cof the squeaker60expands, and produces another squeaking sound. Simultaneously, the front and rear hinges32,34, are pushed outwards away from each other by the expanding of the accordion portion60cof the squeaker60. As the front and rear hinges32,34move outwards, the toothed rack54is pulled backwards to drive the gear chain50to turn in an opposite direction (clockwise/anticlockwise) and in turn pivot the outer section74of the pivotable bar70about the pivot axis X towards an opposite side (left/right), thereby simulating a tongue-wagging action, as shown by the arrows inFIGS. 4 and 5.

FIGS. 6-10show different view of the squeeze mechanism20of the squeezable tongue-wagging toy. Although it has been shown that the toothed rack54, gear chain50and pivotable bar70are provided at a bottom end of the squeeze mechanism50such that the toy tongue14is located near a bottom side of the toyfigure 10, it is understood that the toothed rack54, gear chain50and pivotable bar70can be provided at a top end of the squeeze mechanism50such that the toy tongue14is located near a top side of the toyfigure 10, as shown inFIGS. 6-10.

While the squeezable tongue-wagging toy has been shown and described with particular references to a number of preferred embodiments thereof, it should be noted that various other changes or modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.