Abstract:
A combination doll and toy puppy include interacting magnetic elements therein which mimic a face-licking action by the puppy. The doll includes a partially hollow head within which one or more magnets are movably supported behind the cheek portions of the doll&#39;s face. A battery-powered electric motor driven gear drive mechanism is operative within the doll&#39;s head to move the one or more magnets behind the doll&#39;s cheeks. The puppy includes a flexible extending tongue having a magnetic element supported in the end portion thereof. When the puppy is brought sufficiently close to the doll&#39;s face, the magnet in the puppy&#39;s tongue is attracted to the moving magnet within the doll&#39;s cheek area to mimic the face-licking action.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of and priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/731,769 entitled DOLL AND FACE-LICKING PUPPY COMBINATION filed Oct. 31, 2005 in the name of Kelly Matheny and James Molina, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to toy dolls and toy puppies and particularly to interactive features operative therebetween.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Dolls and toy plush figures such as puppies or the like are well known in the art and have been provided in a virtually endless variety. In attempting to provide evermore interesting and amusing doll and toy figure products, practitioners in the art have endeavored to provide various features and operative mechanisms therein. Thus, dolls have for example been provided having moving mouths, moving eyes, sound production and other features. Similarly, plush figures such as dogs or the like have been provided with operative mechanisms for moving their tongues, moving their eyes or making sound. In addition, practitioners in the toy arts have endeavored to provide interactive capability or cooperative action between dolls and toy figures.  
         [0004]     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,181,877 issued to Perkitny sets forth an APPARATUS FOR SIMULATING A LICKING MOTION having a tongue disposed within an animal-shaped housing. The tongue is pivotally connected at one end to a main gear wheel and extends partially through an aperture in the housing. A motor and gear mechanism engage and rotate the main gear in response to a control assembly. As the main gear rotates, the tongue moves within the aperture at varying angles to simulate licking motion.  
         [0005]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,695,673 issued to Stadbauer sets forth a MECHANICAL ANIMAL REPRODUCTION configured to resemble a dog having a head. A tongue extends through an opening in the dog head which is coupled to a drive apparatus for moving the tongue toward or away from the head to simulate “lapping” motion.  
         [0006]     In a related art area in which magnetic elements are used in cooperation with toy figures and toy animal figures, U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,786 issued to Greenblatt sets forth a MAGNETICALLY CONTROLLED ANIMATED TOY in which an animal body such as a toy dog incorporates a magnetic control to enhance the toy. As a result, the dog is able to participate in toy activities rather than remaining passive.  
         [0007]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,401,485 issued to Goodrum, Jr. sets forth a MAGNETICALLY ACTIVE TOY DOG having a pair of articulated forelegs hinged to the dog body and a separate piece simulating a bone having a magnet therein. A second magnet in the dog&#39;s nose interacts with the magnet in the bone causing the dog to sit up and beg in response to the action to the bone as the bone is moved relative to the dog.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,937 issued to Cappello, et al. sets forth a MAGNETICALLY COUPLED TOY APPARATUS having two toy components such as a doll and a nursing bottle. The nursing bottle contains a motor-driven rotating magnet in the nipple portion thereof. A second permanent magnet is mounted in a flexible region around the mouth of the doll. When the nipple containing the rotating magnet is place in proximity with the mouth of the doll, relative motion between the magnets imparts movement to the mouth and lip regions of the doll.  
         [0009]     U.S. Pat. No. 3,411,237 issued to Crosman and U.S. Pat. No. 3,531,893 issued to Samo set forth early examples of magnetically interacting doll features.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,887,121 issued to Whitehead; U.S. Pat. No. 6,824,441 issued to Wiggs, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,619 also issued to Wiggs, et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,062,938 issued to Meng-suen set forth toy apparatus in which a toy article is moved across a surface under the influence of a moving magnet beneath the surface and a cooperating magnetic element within the toy article.  
         [0011]     Published U.S. Patent Application Ser. No. 2002/0115376 filed in the name of Brian Whitehead sets forth a TOY WITH MOVEMENT MEANS in which a doll is movable upon a play base and is articulated and moved both in response to cooperating magnets within the doll and proximate the base.  
         [0012]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,087 issued to Terzian, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,585,556 issued Smimov; U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,017 issued to Coomansingh; U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,797 issued to Tsang, et al.; U.S. Pat. No 6,007,404 issued to Trevino; U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,716 issued to Mowrer, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,263 issued to DeCesare, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,190,492 issued to Berenguer; U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,820 issued to Nakayama; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,376,038 issued to Arad, et al. set forth toy apparatus generally related to the subject matter of the present invention.  
         [0013]     While the foregoing described toy devices have to some extent improved the toy art and in some instances enjoyed commercial success, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for evermore improved, amusing and entertaining toy device combinations.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved toy product. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved toy product which replicates interaction between a child-like doll and an animal-like toy figure. It is a still more particular object of the present invention to provide an improved toy combination which provides a human-like doll and a puppy-like toy figure in which the puppy-like toy figure appears to lick the face of the doll. In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a face-licking puppy in combination with a doll having a head and a body. The head is formed of a hollow plastic material and defines typical facial features of a human doll. The toy further includes a plush figure which resembles a typical puppy or small dog. Thus, the plush dog figure includes a body and a head formed of a plush material. The head defines typical puppy features such as eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Additionally, an elongated flexible tongue extends from the puppies mouth and supports a magnetically responsive element at the end portion thereof. A mechanism supported within the doll&#39;s head moves a pair of magnets behind the interior of the cheek portions of the dolls face. As the magnets move in response to the movement mechanism, the puppy is brought into proximity with one side of the doll such that the magnetically responsive element within the dogs tongue is attracted to the moving magnet in the proximate cheek of the doll. The movement of the magnet and the attraction between the magnetic element in the dogs tongue and the magnet cause the dogs tongue to move up and down upon the outer surface of the doll cheek simulating a licking action by the dog.  
         [0015]     In another aspect, the present invention provides a combination doll and animal figure comprising: a doll having a head defining an interior, a face and cheek areas; a first magnetic element within the head; moving means supported within the head moving and supporting the first magnetic element proximate one of the cheek areas; an animal figure having an elongated flexible tongue; and a second magnetic element supported within the flexible tongue, the first and second magnetic elements being magnetically attractive to each other, the flexible tongue being held against the one cheek area and moved thereon by magnetic attraction between the first and second magnetic elements as the first magnetic element moves. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]     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:  
         [0017]      FIG. 1  sets forth a front perspective view of a doll and face-licking puppy combination constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  sets forth an operative drawing of the magnet moving mechanism operative within the doll&#39;s head;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  sets forth a front view of the cam operative within the movement mechanism of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  sets forth a front view of the gear rack operative within the mechanism shown in  FIG. 2 ; and  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  sets forth a partial section view of the tongue end of the face-licking puppy used in the present invention. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0022]     By way of overview, the present invention doll and face-licking puppy combination provides a doll which is fabricated in accordance with general fabrication techniques and thus includes a body supporting a head. The head is formed of a rodocast hollow plastic structure and defines conventional facial features typical of dolls. A magnet drive mechanism is battery-powered and is supported within the interior of the doll&#39;s head. The magnetic drive mechanism supports a pair of moving magnets within each of the cheek portions of the doll&#39;s head proximate the interior cheek surfaces thereof. The combination also includes a plush dog figure preferably formed to resemble a puppy or small dog. The puppy includes a head and typical dog features including a mouth from which a flexible ribbon-like tongue extends. The tongue supports a magnetic element, either a magnet or a ferro magnetic metal material or other magnetically interactive material, at its end portion. When the puppy is brought into proximity with the doll&#39;s head and the magnet drive mechanism is activated, the moving magnets within the doll&#39;s cheek attract and move the end portion of the doll&#39;s tongue causing the doll tongue to appear to lick the cheek of the doll.  
         [0023]     More specifically,  FIG. 1  sets forth a doll constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally referenced by numeral  10  together with a plush puppy figure generally referenced by numeral  30 . Doll  10  includes a head  11  which is preferably fabricated in a rotocast process or other process which forms a generally hollow plastic head. Head  11  defines typical doll facial features. In accordance with the present invention, a magnet drive mechanism  20  shown in greater detail in  FIGS. 2, 3  and  4  is supported within head  11  by conventional fabrication means (not shown). Doll head  11  defines a left cheek portion  12  and a right cheek portion  13 . In further accordance with the present invention, magnet drive mechanism  20  supports a pair of moving magnets  21  and  22  within the interior surfaces of cheeks  13  and  12  respectively.  
         [0024]     Puppy  30  is formed in accordance with conventional fabrication techniques to provide a soft plush figure having a mouth  31 . In accordance with the present invention, puppy  30  also includes an elongated generally ribbon-like flexible tongue. In further accordance with the present invention and as is shown in  FIG. 5 , tongue  32  supports a magnetically responsive element  33  at the end portion thereof. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that any combination of magnetically attractive materials may be used for magnets  21  and  22  and element  33  of tongue  32 . Thus, for example in the preferred fabrication of the present invention, magnets  21  and  22  are permanent magnets while magnetic element  33  within tongue  32  may be either a cooperating magnet or a piece of ferro magnetic metal such as steel or the like. Alternatively, however, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that virtually any cooperating combination of magnets and/or metal elements may be used for elements  21 ,  22  and  33  without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The important aspect with respect to the present invention is the cooperating attraction between magnetic elements one or more of which are moving within doll head  11  and one of which is supported within tongue  32 .  
         [0025]     In operation, the activation of magnet drive  20  in the manner described below causes magnets  21  and  22  to move within cheeks  13  and  12 . Correspondingly, as puppy  30  is moved to the position shown in  FIG. 1 , magnet  22  attracts magnetic element  33  drawing the end portion of tongue  32  against cheek  12 . As magnet  22  moves within cheek  12 , magnetic element  33  is moved upon the outer surface of cheek  12  causing puppy  30  to appear to lick cheek  12 .  
         [0026]     While not shown in  FIG. 1 , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the positioning of puppy  30  proximate the right side of head  11  of doll  10  such that magnetic element  33  is brought against right cheek  13  produces a similar interaction between element  33  and magnet  21  and thereby causes puppy  30  to appear to lick right cheek  13 . The resulting play effect is extremely realistic and vary accurately simulates the licking action typical of a puppy playing with a child.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  sets forth an operational diagram of the mechanism operative within magnet drive  20 . While not shown in  FIG. 2 , it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the diagram shown in  FIG. 2  is in essence “schematic” in that the conventional support apparatus within head  11  which facilitates the support and movement of the operative elements of the mechanism have been omitted for clarity. More specifically, magnet drive  20  includes a motor  40  which will be understood to be coupled to a source of battery power “not shown” and which includes an output gear  41  rotated by the action of motor  40 . A plurality of speed reduction gears  42 ,  43 ,  44 ,  45 ,  46  and  47  are coupled in series combination to provide torque gain and speed reduction for the output rotational power of motor  40 . Gear  47  is joined to a rotating cam  48  by a shaft  51  (better seen in  FIG. 3 ). Thus, cam  48  rotates by direct coupling to gear  47 . Cam  48  further includes an offset or eccentric post  50 .  
         [0028]     Mechanism  20  further includes a slideably supported dual gear rack  52 . Gear rack  52  is better seen in  FIG. 4  and thus includes a plurality of gear teeth  53  on one side thereof and a second plurality of gear teeth  54  on the remaining side thereof. As is also better seen in  FIG. 4 , gear rack  52  defines a transverse slot  55 . Post  50  of cam  48  is received within slot  55 . A gear  56  supported by a baring  57  engages gear teeth  54 . A shaft  58  is supported by baring  57  and is joined to a magnet holder  60 . One or more magnets  22  are supported within magnet holder  60 . As described above in  FIG. 1 , moveable magnet  22  is supported proximate to the interior surface of left cheek  12  of doll  10 .  
         [0029]     Magnet  21  (seen in  FIG. 1 ) is supported on the opposite side of gear rack  52  and thus is not visible due to the side view of  FIG. 2 . It will be understood however that magnet  21  is supported by an identical combination of a gear engaging teeth  53  of gear rack  52  as well as a supporting baring and shaft together with a magnet holder all of which are substantially identical to gear  56 , baring  57 , shaft  58  and magnet holder  60 .  
         [0030]     In operation, energizing motor  40  rotates output gear  41  which is rotationally coupled by gears  42  through  45  to gear  46 . Gear  47  is joined to gear  46  and integrally formed therewith. The rotation of gear  47  is coupled by shaft  51  to cam  48 . As cam  48  rotates, post  50  is moved within slot  55  (seen in  FIG. 4 ) causing an isolating movement of gear rack  52  in the vertical direction indicated by arrows  65 . The vertical oscillation of gear rack  55  in turn causes an oscillatory rotational movement of gear  56 . The motion of gear  56  is coupled to magnet  22  by shaft  58  and holder  60 . Once again, while not shown in  FIG. 2 , it will be understood that the operative mechanism supporting magnet  21  which is identical to gear  56 , baring  57 , shaft  58  and holder  60  produces a simultaneous oscillatory rotational movement of magnet  21 . This rotational movement in turn produces the above-described oscillatory movements of magnets  21  and  22  within doll head  11  (seen in  FIG. 1 ).  
         [0031]      FIG. 3  sets forth a front view of cam  48 . As described above, cam  48  supports an offset or eccentric post  50  and is coupled to gear  47  (seen in  FIG. 2 ) by a shaft  51 .  
         [0032]      FIG. 4  sets forth a front view of dual gear rack  52 . Gear rack  52  defines a plurality of gear teeth  53  in a linier gear rack on one side and a mirror image set of gear teeth  54  on the opposite side. Gear rack  52  further defines a transversely extending slot  55 . It will be recalled that slot  55  receives post  50  of cam  48  (seen in  FIG. 3 ).  
         [0033]      FIG. 5  sets forth a partial section view of flexible tongue  32 . As mentioned above, flexible tongue  32  supports a magnetic element  33 . Flexible tongue  32  is preferably formed of a fabric material or the like and preferably completely encloses magnetic element  33 . Magnetic element  33  may be either a ferro magnetic element such as a small disk or the like or, alternatively, element  33  may be fabricated of a permanently magnetic material. Tongue  32  must be sufficiently flexible to facilitate the movement set forth and described above in  FIG. 1  to mimic the face-licking action of puppy  30 .  
         [0034]     What has been shown is a novel doll and face-licking puppy figure in combination. The combination shown provides a realistic face-licking operation between the puppy figure and the doll due to the interaction of magnetic elements within the doll and the puppies tongue. The resulting animation is extremely realistic and is accomplished in an extremely efficient and cost effective manner.  
         [0035]     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.