Patent Publication Number: US-2023150143-A1

Title: Humanoid Hugging Assembly

Description:
(c) STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
    
    
     (b) CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     (d) THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     (e) INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     (g) BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosure relates to hugging device and more particularly pertains to a new hugging device for giving a user a hug. The device includes a humanoid animatronic that includes a plurality of servos integrated into a pair of arms of the humanoid animatronic. The device includes a motion sensor and each of the arms is actuated into a hugging position when the motion sensor senses motion to give the user a hug. The device includes a speaker that emits a variety of affirming phrases when the user receives the hug. 
     (2) DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART INCLUDING INFORMATION DISCLOSED UNDER 37 CFR 1.97 AND 1.98 
     The prior art relates to hugging devices including a robotic mannequin for displaying clothing which has moving arms and legs and a moving head. The prior art discloses a behavior control system for a robotic apparatus for modifying displayed behaviors of the robotic apparatus. The prior art discloses an interactive system to facilitate a sentient being to interact with a robotic companion which involves the robotic companion responding to activity of the sentient being. 
     (h) BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a humanoid animatronic that has a torso, a pair of arms and a pair of hands each is disposed on a respective one of the arms. The arms are positionable in a resting position having the arms extending downwardly along the torso and having a palm of each of the hands facing the torso. Each of the arms is positionable in a hugging position has each of the arms is crossed in front of the torso wherein the pair of arms is configured to embrace the user. A motion sensor is integrated into the humanoid animatronic to sense motion of the user approaching the humanoid animatronic. A motion unit is integrated into the humanoid animatronic and the motion unit actuates each of the arms into the hugging position when a predetermined duration of time has passed when motion sensor senses motion. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       (i) BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is a front phantom view of a humanoid hugging assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  2    is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a pair of arms in an invitation position. 
         FIG.  3    is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure showing a pair of arms in a hugging position. 
         FIG.  4    is a left side phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG.  5    is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     (j) DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS.  1  through  5    thereof, a new hugging device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS.  1  through  5   , the humanoid hugging assembly  10  generally comprises a humanoid animatronic  12  that has a torso  14 , a pair of arms  16  and a pair of hands  18  that is each disposed on a respective one of the arms  16 . The pair of arms  16  are positionable in a resting position having the arms  16  extending downwardly along the torso  14  and having a palm  20  of each of the hands  18  facing the torso  14 . Each of the arms  16  is positionable in an invitation position having each of the arms  16  extending downwardly along the torso  14  and having the palm  20  of each of the hands  18  being directed forwardly with respect to the torso  14 . In this way the pair of arms  16  can visually alert a user  19  to approach the humanoid animatronic  12 . Furthermore, each of the arms  16  is positionable in a hugging position having each of the arms  16  being crossed in front of the torso  14  to embrace the user  19 . The humanoid animatronic  12  may be covered with a skin that simulates the texture and feeling of human skin. 
     A base  22  is disposed on a bottom end  24  of the torso  14  and the base  22  can be positioned on a support surface  26  having the humanoid animatronic  12  being vertically oriented. The base  22  has an upper surface  28  and a lower surface  30 , and the bottom end  24  of the torso  14  is coupled to the upper surface  28 . The lower surface  30  rests on the support surface  26 . A motion sensor  32  is integrated into the humanoid animatronic  12  to sense motion of the user  19  approaching the humanoid animatronic  12 . Additionally, the motion sensor  32  is integrated into a front side of the torso  14 . The motion sensor  32  may comprise an electronic motion sensor  32  or the like which has an operational range of approximately 3.0 feet. 
     A motion unit  34  is integrated into the humanoid animatronic  12  and the motion unit  34  is in mechanical communication with each of the arms  16 . The motion unit  34  is in a normally de-actuated condition having each of the arms  16  being positioned in the resting position. The motion unit  34  is actuated into the invitation position when the motion sensor  32  senses motion. Furthermore, the motion unit  34  is actuated into the hugging position when a predetermined duration of time has passed when motion sensor  32  senses motion. 
     The motion unit  34  comprises a control circuit  36  that is integrated into the humanoid animatronic  12 . The control circuit  36  receives an invitation input, a hug input and a de-actuate input. The control circuit  36  includes an electronic timer  38  and the electronic timer  38  counts down a pre-determined duration of time when the control circuit  36  receives the hug input. Furthermore, the control circuit  36  receives the de-actuate input when the electronic timer  38  finishes counting down the pre-determined duration of time. 
     The motion unit  34  includes a pair of shoulder servos  40  and each of the shoulder servos  40  is disposed in a shoulder  42  of a respective one of the arms  16 . Each of the shoulder servos  40  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  36  and each of the shoulder servos  40  is actuated to urge each of the arms  16  into the hugging position when the control circuit  36  receives the hug input. Additionally, each of the shoulder servos  40  is actuated to urge each of the arms  16  into the resting position when the control circuit  36  receives the de-actuate input. Each of the shoulder servos  40  may comprise an electro-mechanical servo that might commonly be employed in robotics or other similar applications. 
     The motion unit  34  includes a pair of elbow servos  44  that is each disposed in an elbow  46  of a respective one of the arms  16  and each of the elbow servos  44  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  36 . Each of the elbow servos  44  is actuated to urge a forearm  48  of the respective arm  16  into a perpendicular orientation with an upper arm of the respective arm when the control circuit  36  receives the hug input. Furthermore, each of the elbow servos  44  is in a normally de-actuated condition having the forearm  48  being oriented colinear with the upper arm. Each of the elbow servos  44  is de-actuated when the control circuit  36  receives the de-actuate input. Each of the elbow servos  44  may comprise an electro-mechanical servo that might commonly be employed in robotics or other similar applications. 
     The motion unit  34  includes a pair of wrist servos  50  that is each disposed in a wrist  52  of a respective one of the arms  16  and each of the wrist servos  50  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  36 . Each of the wrist servos  50  is actuated to rotate a respective one of the hands  18  such that the palm  20  of each of the hands  18  faces forwardly when the control circuit  36  receives the invitation input. Additionally, each of the wrist servos  50  is actuated to rotate the respective hand  18  such that the palm  20  of the respective hand  18  faces the torso  14  when the control circuit  36  receives the hug input. Each of the wrist servos  50  is de-actuated when the control circuit  36  receives the de-actuate input. Moreover, each of the wrist servos  50  may comprise an electro-mechanical servo that might commonly be employed in robotics or other similar applications. 
     An electronic memory  54  is integrated into the humanoid animatronic  12  and the electronic memory  54  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  36 . The electronic memory  54  stores data comprising a plurality of verbal phrases of affirmation. The verbal phrases of affirmation may include, but not be limited to, “I know you need a hug”, “Come get a hug” and “You are special”. A speaker  56  is integrated into the humanoid animatronic  12  to emit audible sound outwardly therefrom. The speaker  56  is integrated into a chest  58  of the torso  14  such that the speaker  56  is directed toward a head of the user  19  when the user  19  approaches the humanoid animatronic  12 . The speaker  56  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  36  and the speaker  56  is turned on when the control circuit  36  receives the hug input. 
     A power supply  60  is integrated into the humanoid animatronic  12  and the power supply  60  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  36 . The power supply  60  comprises a rechargeable battery  62  that is integrated into the humanoid animatronic  12  and the rechargeable battery  62  is electrically coupled to the control circuit  36 . A charge port  64  is recessed into the humanoid animatronic  12  to receive a charge cord  66 . The charge port  64  is electrically coupled to the rechargeable battery  62  for charging the rechargeable battery  62 . Additionally, the charge port  64  may comprise a usb port or other type of charge port  64 . 
     In use, the humanoid animatronic  12  is positioned on a support surface  26 , such as a dresser or a table or other horizontal support surface  26  that places the humanoid animatronic  12  at an appropriate height to hug the user  19 . The arms  16  are urged into the invitation position when the user  19  approaches the humanoid animatronic  12  to alert the user  19  to approach the humanoid animatronic  12  for a hug. The arms  16  are urged into the hugging position when the arms  16  are in the invitation position for a pre-determined duration of time. In this way the user  19  can receive a warm embrace from the humanoid animatronic  12 . Additionally, the speaker  56  emits one or more of the verbal phrases of affirmation while the user  19  is being embraced. The arms  16  are returned to the resting position after a pre-determined duration of time. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.