Abstract:
The toy of the subject invention is an action figure or plush character toy that climbs or moves on walls and other vertical surfaces by means of suction adhesion. The toy could also crawl across the floor. The toy has suction cups on its arms and legs that allow it to adhere to the wall by selective sequential application and release of a vacuum. A swiveling motion at the waist of the toy provides the means for locomotion. Arms and legs lift off the wall and make contact in a way that advances across the wall.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/754,872, filed Dec.  29 ,  2005 . 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The subject invention pertains to wall climbing toys, and more specifically to wall climbing toys employing suction cups under which a vacuum is sequentially applied and released.  
         [0003]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,152 to Aoki et al. discloses a wall climbing amusement device having centrally-hinged limbs, each of said limbs having suction cups thereon which are alternatively actuated by a vacuum pump and turned by a motor to allow the device to traverse a vertical surface.  
         [0004]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,551,525 to Pack et al. discloses a centrally hinged wall climbing robot with suction cups on each of its limbs, the actuation of which are timed along with the movement of each limb to affect an “inch-worm” like movement up a vertical surface.  
         [0005]     U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2002/0119726 to Wilk discloses a toy using a vacuum pump, valves, and motors in coordination with limbs having suctions cups on the bottoms thereof to allow the robot to walk on walls and ceilings.  
         [0006]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,346 to Yberle discloses a four-sided wall climbing robot with suction cups at the end of limbs which are moved in unison with the actuation of gripping suction cups and the movement of the non-gripping suction cups.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,077,510 to Collie discloses a four-sided wall climbing robot which utilizes a vacuum pump to remove air from a suction cup via actuation of a valve timed for movement of the robot along a vertical surface.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,429,009 to Wolfe et al. discloses a robot which has suction cups on various limbs that are actuated by valve-controlled ejectors and motors timed to move the limbs of the robot in sequence to afford movement.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,345,658 to Danel et al. discloses a vehicle able to walk on vertical surfaces using vacuum-actuated suction cups on limbs which are moved in sequence along with the activation and deactivation of the vacuum.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,500 to Anderson discloses a wall climbing toy using suction cups on the ends of limbs and a motor to move the limbs to move the toy up the wall.  
         [0011]     U.S. Pat. No. 4,333,259 to Pin-Huang discloses an amusement device having suction cups on limbs which are sequentially moved by a motor to allow the device to climb a wall.  
         [0012]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,036,572 to Sze discloses legs for a toy having a motor that operates to open a valve in a suction cup on the bottom of each leg to release a vacuum in the suction cup before movement of the leg.  
         [0013]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,306,199 to Locricchio discloses a manually actuated toy having legs with suction cups on the bottoms thereof which are deactivated upon the opening of a valve in the suction cup the leg is lifted in a waling movement.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     The toy of the subject invention is an action figure or plush character toy that climbs or moves on walls and other vertical surfaces by means of suction adhesion. The toy could also crawl across the floor. The toy has suction cups on its arms and legs that allow it to adhere to the wall by selective sequential application and release of a vacuum. A swiveling motion at the waist of the toy provides the means for locomotion. Arms and legs lift off the wall and make contact in a way that advances across the wall. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a top view of the toy of the subject invention;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  is a side view of the toy of the subject invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the toy of the subject invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of the locomotion and wall adhesion components of the toy of the subject invention;  
         [0019]      FIG. 5  is a detailed view of the vacuum release valve of the toy of the subject invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a second embodiment of the subject invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 7  is an exploded view of the vacuum release valve of the second embodiment of the subject invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 8  is an exposed side view of the vacuum release valve holding a vacuum of the second embodiment of the subject invention; and  
         [0023]      FIG. 9  is an exposed side view of the vacuum release valve during vacuum release of the second embodiment of the subject invention.  
     
    
       [0024]     These and other subjects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of a best mode embodiment thereof, as illustrated in the accompanying Drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0025]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the toy of the subject invention includes: two vacuum bellows pumps  102  and  103  powered by a bellows gear motor  104 ; two air tube systems  106  and  108 ; four ribbed suction cups  110 ; two spring-loaded release valves  112  and  114 ; one articulated chassis/frame  116  and  117 ; and one drive crankshaft  118  powered by a drive gear motor  120 .  
         [0000]     A. Vacuum Bellows  
         [0026]     This toy  100  of the subject invention adheres to walls through the use of two independent vacuum systems. Two vacuum bellows pumps  102  being moved in and out with a reciprocating bellows crankshaft  122  or camshaft create the vacuum. A single electric bellows gear motor  104  powers both vacuum bellows. There are vacuum release valves  112  and  114  in each bellows assembly that causes the airflow to move in one direction through the network of tubing, pulling air in through the suction cups  114  to create a vacuum.  
         [0000]     B. Air Tube Systems  
         [0027]     The suction cups  110  on right arm and left leg are fed by one vacuum pump bellows  102 . Another vacuum bellows pump  103  feeds the suction cups on left arm and right leg. There is preferably a single air line from each vacuum bellows pump  102  or  103  that splits into two, one tube attaching to each of the two suction cups  114  fed by that vacuum bellows pump  102  or  103 .  
         [0000]     C. Spring Loaded Vacuum Release Valves  
         [0028]     The spring loaded vacuum release valves  112  and  114  are located in each of the two arm suction cups  110 . When one arm and its opposite leg pull away from the wall, the air seal is broken as the force of the arm being pulled opens the associated release valve  112  or  114 , detaching those suction cups  110  from the wall.  
         [0000]     D. Ribbed Suction Cups  
         [0029]     The suction cups  110  associated with each arm and leg preferably have multiple concentric ribs  124  on the inner surface in order to create a few separate independent seals. They also serve as traction treads.  
         [0000]     E. Articulated Chassis/Frame  
         [0030]     The chassis of the toy  100  has all components mounted on it, and the overall shape represents a human, animal, or vehicular figure with its limbs outstretched. There is articulation at the waist that allows it to swivel in order to facilitate pivoting movement of the upper frame  116  of the chassis relative to the lower frame  117  of the chassis.  
         [0000]     F. Drive Crankshaft  
         [0031]     The drive crankshaft  118  of the toy  100  is powered by an independent drive gear motor  120 . Two opposing cranks on each end of the drive crank shaft  118  are mounted in the lower frame  117 . The two opposing cranks are trapped in two fixed points in the upper frame  116 , which causes the toy  100  to gyrate or pivot at the center waist portion.  
         [0032]     The sequence of events of the operation of the subject invention is as follows:  
         [0033]     A switch  126  on the toy  100  activates the two battery  128  operated motors  104  and  120  at once. The toy  100  starts swiveling at the waist and the vacuum bellow pumps  102  and  103  are activated, pulling air through the suction cups  110 . The toy  100  is then placed against a smooth wall.  
         [0034]     Assume that the right arm and left leg of the toy are making contact with the wall at a given point. The left arm and right leg will swivel as the upper frame  116  and lower frame  117  portions pivot with respect to each other, and make contact with, and are held firmly to, the wall due to the vacuum created under the left arm and right leg suction cups  110 . Also at this time, the right arm and left leg, already attached to the wall, will pull away from the wall. More specifically, the vacuum release valve  114  associated with the right suction cup  110  will be opened by the force of the drive gear motor  120  lifting the right arm suction cup from the wall, which results in release of the vacuum under both the right arm suction cup  110  and the left leg suction cup  110  as they share the same air tube vacuum system  108 .  
         [0035]     Next, the right arm and left leg advance as the upper frame  116  and lower frame  1117  portions pivot in the opposite directions of their prior motion described above. Contemporaneously with the above described movement of the right arm and left leg portions and subsequent reattachment thereof, the left arm and right leg suction cups  110  are pulled off of the wall (just after the right arm and left leg suction cups reattach to the wall) as the vacuum release valve  112  associated with the left arm is opened by the force of the drive gear motor  120  lifting the left arm suction cup  110  from the wall which results in release of the vacuum under both the left arm suction cup and right suction cup  110  as they share the same vacuum air tube system  106 .  
         [0036]     Referring specifically to  FIG. 5 , spring loaded release valve  112  located on the left arm portion of toy  100  and spring loaded release valve  114  located on the right arm portion of toy  100  are next described. Each of the valves  112  and  114  are attached to frame  130  and are in air communication with a ribbed suction cup  110 . Vacuum connection  132  provides vacuum to ribbed suction cup  110  through valves  112  and  114 . Compression spring  134  biases airway block  136  having o-ring seal  138  toward plunger  140  such that o-ring seal  138  and plunger  140  initially form an air seal. The movement of toy  100  that lifts the arm portion associated with valve  112  or  114  will cause airway block  136  to move against the bias of compression spring  134  and toward ribbed suction cup  110  thus breaking the air seal between o-ring seal  138  on airway block  136  and plunger  140  which results in air/vacuum release by release valve  112  or release valve  114 .  
         [0037]     Next referring to  FIGS. 7, 8 , and  9  in which a second embodiment of the subject invention is shown, the first embodiment thereof is incorporated by reference and elements and element numbers therein referred to in discussion of the second embodiment of the subject invention are specifically so incorporated in the second embodiment.  FIG. 6  shows a top view of the second embodiment. Instead of vacuum bellows pumps  102  and  103  of the first embodiment, traditional vacuum motors  142  and  144  well known in the art are employed. Additionally, instead of spring loaded release valve  112  located on the left arm portion of toy  100  and spring loaded release valve  114  located on the right arm portion of toy  100 , as shown in the first embodiment, the second embodiment employs first membrane valve  146  in vacuum communication with air tube system  108  and second membrane valve  148  in vacuum communication with air tube system  106 . Instead of being located on the left arm portion and right arm portion of toy  100 , first membrane valve  146  and second membrane valve  148  are located within lower articulated frame  117  of the toy  100 .  
         [0038]     The operation of the second embodiment of the subject invention is next described. An infrared remote control well known in the art can be employed to facilitate the below operation. Power to vacuum motors  142  and  144  and to drive gear motor  120  is separately applied. Toy  100  is then placed on a wall, ceiling or floor. Vacuum motors  142  and  144  are then deactivated while drive gear motor  120  remains activated to move toy  100 . While toy  100  is moving, this motion along with intermittent wall contact provides a pumping action through air tube system  100  and air tube system  108  sufficient to maintain a vacuum that will adhere toy  100  to a wall or ceiling without use of vacuum motors  142  and  144 .  
         [0039]     Next referring to  FIGS. 7, 8 , and  9  first membrane valve  146  and second membrane valve  148  of the second embodiment are described in detail. Each of first membrane valve  146  and second membrane valve  148  has a tubular base  150  with air passageways  152  that connect with air tube system  106  or air tube system  108 . Membrane  154  is located in tubular base  150  and is secured therein by cap  156 .  
         [0040]     Next referring to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the functioning of first membrane valve  146  and second membrane valve  148  is described. Membrane  154  of first membrane valve  146  and second membrane valve  148  are comprised of a flexible yet resilient organic polymer and are dome shaped by deformable with sufficient resilience to return to their initial dome shape as shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 . Each membrane  154  has slits  156 , preferably x-shaped, in the top thereof. Slits  156  are air/vacuum tight when membrane  154  is in the vacuum retaining configuration of  FIG. 8  wherein membrane  154  is dome shaped. Slits  156  are not air/vacuum tight, but instead opens to release the vacuum, when membrane  154  Is in the deformed non-dome shape of  FIG. 9 . The deformation of membrane  154  and opening of slits  156  to release the vacuum through air passageways  152  or  FIG. 9  is initiated by the force of the ribbed suction cup  110  being pulled away as an arm or leg portion of toy  100  lifts from a wall or ceiling.