Abstract:
A movable frog toy includes a body, a mouth, a movable tongue, and front and rear legs. A sound generator is provided for simulating audible sounds of a real frog. A drive motor and transmission provide power and movement to the parts of the frog to simulate the realistic movements of a frog. The drive motor may be an electric motor. A plurality of gear groups coupled thereto are selectively driven to impart the realistic motion to the respective parts of the frog.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a toy featuring animal characters, and more particularly to, a movable frog toy which can execute the same motions as real frogs. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In general, most toys featuring animal characters are puppies and cats which can perform various motions and make sounds such as walking, wagging tails, crying, or the like. The conventional toys have satisfactorily given some amusement and pleasure to children. 
     However, as the conventional toys have been extant for a long time without particular variety, children are fed up with the toys. Therefore, a new toy which features new animal characters is needed. 
     Accordingly, some of attempts have been made in the prior art to design a movable or audible toy featuring a frog character as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,040,319, 4,802,880 and 4,441,099, However, these frog toys can imitate only the jumping motion of the frog, but cannot perform detailed motions, for example, motion to extend a lingua for catching food, or motion to vibrate the uvula when crying. These frog toys didn&#39;t give any feeling of familiarity or wonderfulness to the children. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing, it is accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a movable frog toy which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide a movable frog toy which performs various and individual motions of the frog, i.e., the same motions as a living, real frog such as motion to extend the lingua for catching food, or motion to vibrate the uvula when crying, thereby providing familiarity and curiosity to children. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a movable frog toy which is differentiated from the conventional frog toys and has excellent commodity competitiveness. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described with additional specificity and detail through use of the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the frog toy of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b  are side elevation views illustrating components of the toy of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the construction of the frog toy of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the construction of a gear group of the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway view illustrating preferred primary components of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of FIG. 5; 
     FIGS. 7 a ,  7   b , and  7   c  are views illustrating an operative state of operating parts of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 8 a  and  8   b  are views illustrating an operative state of an uvula of the present invention; and, 
     FIGS. 9 a  and  9   b  are views illustrating an operative state of a lingua of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of outward appearance of the frog toy of the present invention. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 to  6 , the reference numeral  1  indicates a body of the frog-shaped toy according to the present invention. In the body  1 , a battery box  2  and a gear box  3  are mounted. A plurality of transmission gear groups  6  are operatively connected to a driving gear  5  of a motor  4  in the gear box  3  such that front legs  7  and rear legs  8  are movable. The frog-shaped toy comprises an operation portion having the battery box  2  and the gear box  3  to operate the legs and sound production portion for producing sound with movement of a uvula  9  and lingua  10 . An operation gear  11  is operatively connected to the transmission gear group  6 . The operation gear  11  is geared to a clutch gear  12  which is elastically supported at an end portion thereof by a spring  13 . The clutch gear  12  is operatively connected to an electric drive gear  15  of a crank shaft  14  and one gear of gears of operation gear group  16 . The front legs  7  are eccentrically connected to the crank shaft  14  to which the electric drive gear  15  is mounted. The rear legs  8  are connected with the front legs  7  by a lever  17  such that the rear legs  8  are moved with the movement of the front legs  7 . It is well know in the prior art that the operation gear  11  operatively connected to the transmission gear groups  6  which are operatively connected to the motor  4  are geared to the electric gear  15  of the crank shaft  14 , and the front legs  7  and the rear legs  8  are moved at the same time. 
     A primary feature of the present invention is that the clutch gear  12  is selectively geared to one gear of the gears of the operation gear group  16  so as to simultaneously move the front legs  7  and the rear legs  8  and to repeatedly tremble the uvula  9  and extend the lingua  10  and retract it into the mouth of the frog. The construction of the present invention is described in detail as follows. 
     The operation gear  11  which is operatively connected to the transmission gear group  6  of the motor  4  is geared with the clutch gear  12  which is elastically supported by the spring  13  at the end thereof. The clutch gear  12  connected with the spring  13  has an integral rod  18  at the other end thereof. The integral rod  18  of the clutch gear  12  is contacted to a clutch operating cam  19  mounted at an end portion of the operation gear  11 . 
     The clutch gear  12  is moved in three steps by the clutch operating cam  19  contacting with the integral rod  18  of the end of the clutch gear  12  such that the clutch gear  12  is operatively connected to the gears for moving the front legs  7  and the rear legs  8  and for producing sound. 
     When the integral rod  18  of the clutch gear  12  is projected over the clutch operating cam  19  in a free state, the clutch gear  12  is geared to an uvula gear  20  for operating the uvula  9  as shown in FIG. 7 b . When the integral rod  18  is pushed toward the spring  13  by a predetermined distance, the clutch gear  12  is geared to the electric drive gear  15  for operating the front legs  7  and the rear legs  8  as shown in FIG. 7 a . When the integral rod  18  is pushed more to the gear box  3  so as to entirely compress the spring  13 , the clutch gear  12  is geared to a lingua extension gear  22  and a lingua retracting gear  23  as shown in FIG. 7 c . By virtue of the above, an uvula operating portion  24  a motion portion  25 , and a lingua operating portion  26  are formed. 
     In the operation gear group  16 , a sound producing gear  21  and the uvula gear  20  are connected on one side of a first rotary shaft  27 . The lingua extension gear  22  and the lingua retracting gear  23  are connected on the other side of a second rotary shaft  28 . Therefore, the gears  20  and  21  and the gears  22  and  23  rotate separately. 
     The lingua extension gear  22  has a toothed shape only in half of the lingua extension gear  22 . Therefore, the clutch gear  12  connected to the lingua extension gear  22  is rotated in a 180 degree increment on the rotary shaft and is idly rotated in the other 180 degree. In case of lingua extension, a lower jaw  29  falls down and the lingua  10  is drawn out from a take up roller  31  and stuck out of the mouth for a while. The lingua retracting gear  23  also has a toothed shape only in half of the lingua retracting gear  23  at a opposite side of the toothed portion of the lingua extension gear  22 . Therefore, when the clutch gear  12  is moved to the electric gear  15  by the clutch operating cam  19 , the lower jaw  29  is moved in its original condition and the lingua  10  which is stuck out of the mouth during the rotation of the non-toothed portion of the lingua extension gear  22  is retracted into the mouth by the reverse rotation of the take up roller  31  due to the geared connection of the lingua retracting gear  23  and the clutch gear  12 . 
     After retraction of the lingua  10 , when the clutch gear  12  is geared to the electric drive gear  15  to rotate the electric drive gear  15 , the lingua retracting gear  23  is continuously operated. Therefore, the lingua retracting gear  23  which has the toothed shape only on half of its periphery prevents the transmission of power and allows only the front legs  7  and the rear legs  8  to move. 
     A vibration member  32  is connected to the sound producing gear  21  of a sound case  33 . When the sound producing gear  21  is rotated, the vibration member  32  connected to the sound producing gear  21  is vibrated. The vibration is transferred to the sound case  33  to produce the sound. The previously described sound producing gear  21 , vibration member  32 , and the sound case  33  are well known in the prior art. 
     The sound producing gear  21  and the uvula gear  20  are connected on the same rotary shaft  27 , and a eccentric cam  34  is also connected on the first rotary shaft  27 . A uvula crank  35  is connected to the eccentric cam  34  at an end of the uvula crank  35 . The uvula crank  35  is idly connected on the crank shaft  14  on which the front legs  7  are mounted. When the uvula gear  20  is geared to the clutch gear  12  and rotated, the other end of the uvula crank  35  eccentrically connected to the eccentric cam  34  allows an uvula lever  36  of the uvula  9  mounted on the lower jaw  29  by a pin  37  to be moved. 
     The lower jaw  29  is mounted on the body  1  by a pin  39  to move angularly and the uvula  9  is mounted under the lower jaw  29  by a pin  37  to move angularly and formed integrally with the lower jaw  29 . The uvula  9  is moved vertically around the pin  37  by the uvula lever  36  angularly moving vertically with the angular movement of the uvula crank  35 . The uvula  9  has a spring  38  so that the uvula  9  is pulled upwardly from the underside of the lower jaw  29 . 
     A eccentric cam  40  is connected on the other side of the first rotary shaft  27  on which the sound producing gear  21  and the uvula gear  20  is mounted. An end of an operation arm  41  is eccentrically connected to the eccentric cam  40 . The other end of the operation arm  41  is connected on the pin  39  of the lower jaw  29 . When the uvula gear  20  is geared to the clutch gear  12  and rotated, the operation arm  41  is moved straightly by the rotation of the eccentric cam  40  which is connected on the first rotary shaft  27  and the lower jaw  29  is downwardly moved around the pin  39  such that the lower jaw  29  can be moved downwardly. 
     In the state that the lower jaw  29  is angularly moved about the pin  39 , the take up roller  31  for taking up a tongue member  10  having elasticity is connected by an idle pin  42 . A gear  43  which is formed integrally with the take up roller  31  is geared to a gear  44  which is formed integrally with the lower jaw  29 . 
     One end of the lingua  10  is fixed at the take up roller  31  and the other end of the lingua  10  is situated on the lower jaw  29 . When the take up roller  31  is rotated, the tongue member  10  is stuck out of the mouth and raised upwardly by its elasticity. When the take up roller is reversely rotated, the tongue member  10  is put into the mouth in the same manner as for a real frog. 
     The reference numeral  30  indicates a tension member allowing the lingua  10  extended from the take up roller  31  to be pulled toward the take up roller  31  and be raised upwardly. 
     According to the present invention having simple construction and power transmission by the previously described apparatus, the movement of the front legs  7  and the rear legs  8 , the sound production performed with the movement of the uvula  9 , and the extension and retraction of the uvula  10  with the lower jaw  29  open are repeatedly performed, thereby the movable frog toy can perform the same motions as the real frog. The present invention functions as follows. 
     When turning on a switch, the operation gear  11  which moves with the transmission gear group  14  operatively connected to the motor  4  is operated, and the clutch gear  12  geared with the operation gear  11  is rotated. 
     As shown in FIG. 7 a , when the integral rod  18  of the clutch gear  12  is contacted to the motion portion  25  of the clutch operating cam  19  and the clutch gear  12  is geared to the electric drive gear  15 , the front legs  7  of the crank shaft  14  on which the electric drive gear  15  is connected are moved and the rear legs  8  connected with the front legs  7  by the lever  17  are also simultaneously moved, so that the frog toy can execute the same jumping motion as the real frog. 
     While moving the front legs  7  and the rear legs  8 , when the clutch gear  12  and the clutch operating cam  19  are rotated and the integral rod  18  of the clutch gear  12  is located on the uvula operating portion  24  of the clutch operating cam  19 , the integral rod  18  is moved outwardly by the elasticity of the spring  13  and the clutch gear  12  is geared to the uvula gear  20 . 
     When the clutch gear  12  is geared to the uvula gear  20 , the sound producing gear  21  is operatively connected to the uvula gear  20  on the first rotary shaft  27  so as to produce the frog sound through the sound case  33  connected to the sound producing gear  21  by the vibration member  32 . 
     The uvula crank  35  which is eccentrically connected to the eccentric cam  34  of the first rotary shaft  27  by the rotation of the first rotary shaft  27  and which is idly connected to the crank shaft  14  is angularly moved by the rotation of the eccentric cam  34 . The uvula lever  36  contacting to the other end of the uvula crank  35  is angularly moved so as to move upwardly and downwardly the uvula  9  connected to the lower jaw  29  by the pin  27 . 
     At this time, the sound producing gear  21  is also rotated, and the sound production is performed simultaneously with the movement of the uvula.  9 . The uvula  9  is operated according to the uvula lever  36  contacted with the uvula crank  35  and repeatedly lifted by the restorative force of the spring  38 , thereby the movable frog toy can move the uvula  9  while producing the sound. 
     While moving the uvula  9 , when the integral rod  18  is located on the lingua operating portion  26  of the clutch operating cam  19 , the spring  13  is entirely compressed and the integral rod  18  is geared to the lingua extension gear  22 . At this time, the eccentric cam  40  of the rotary  28  connected to the lingua extension gear  22  is rotated and the operation arm  41  is moved linearly. According to the above, the lower jaw  29  connected to the operation arm  41  is downwardly moved around the pin  39 . 
     When the lower jaw  29  is downwardly moved, the gear  43  of the take up roller  31  contacted to an operation gear  44  of the lower jaw  29  is rotated and the take up roller  31  is also rotated, thereby the lingua  10  having the end portion fixed on the take up roller  31  is extended from the mouth while lifted upwardly. 
     In the state that the lingua  10  is extended, when the clutch operating cam  19  is rotated with the rotation of the clutch gear  12  and the integral rod  18  of the clutch gear  12  is located on the motion portion  25  of the clutch operating cam  19 , the clutch gear  12  is geared to the electric gear  15  to perform the jumping motion of the front legs  7  and the rear legs  8  of the frog, and is simultaneously geared to the lingua retracting gear  23  such that the operation arm  41  connected on the eccentric cam  34  of the second rotary shaft  28  is again moved straightly to perform the up and down movement of the lower jaw  29 . The take up roller  31  is reversely rotated such that the lingua extended out of the mouth is winded on the take up roller  31  so as to put it into the mouth. 
     The clutch gear  12  repeatedly performs the previously described motions, thereby the movable frog toy can perform the same motions as the real frog. 
     Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that these and various other modifications and changes may be made to the present invention without strictly following the exemplary application illustrated and described herein and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention, which is set forth in the following claims.