Patent Publication Number: US-5833513-A

Title: Crawling and movement simulating doll that makes waking up and falling asleep gestures

Description:
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     This specification relates to an invention patent application concerning a crawling and movement simulating doll that makes waking up and falling asleep gestures, the obvious object thereof being to provide a doll internally fitted with a battery-operated mobile part drive mechanism also fitted with a sound emitter accompanying the doll&#39;s movements and gestures in the course of pre-established emission-lacking stages. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is applicable to the doll manufacturing industry. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The applicant acknowledges the existence at present of a plurality of dolls capable of performing various activities based on mechanisms incorporated inside the doll, said mechanisms being driven by battery-activated motors or hand winding. 
     Various other dolls are known to be internally fitted with sound, phrase and song emitting mechanisms, all of them being provided with battery driven playing records. 
     For mobility of the dolls, various mechanical assemblies are located in specific areas and are interconnected in order to provide harmonious action and the required effect based on emission-lacking established stages. 
     However, the applicant is not aware of the existence of a doll capable of crawling and simultaneously simulating other movements, among them the possibility of harmoniously making face gestures deriving from internally located mechanism and which generates, in a compact manner, the various movement possibilities on different parts of the doll assembly. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The crawling and movement simulating doll that makes waking up and falling asleep gestures proposed by the invention constitutes in itself an evident novelty within this field of application, the doll being provided with a compact mechanism that provides movement to all the mobile areas of the body based on the use of a single motor which drives the various internal springs, connecting rods and wheels. 
     More specifically, the crawling and movement simulating doll that makes waking up and falling asleep gestures of the invention is made up of a doll body, manufactured of any suitable material and normally comprising a semi-flexible plastic head incorporating movable eyes and an adequate hair covering, which head is coupled onto the upper area of the mechanism assembly and is retained therein, the mechanism being located in the internal area of a body manufactured from spongy material which is subsequently covered by a garment, generally pajamas or an overall, which covers the whole body, including the legs and arms, and which is attached by conventional means to the upper area of the central mechanism composed of the compact assembly and forms a kind of bag inside of which is installed, apart from the mechanism which activates the various mobile parts of the doll, the sound mechanism and the battery container. 
     In its resting position, the doll presents an attitude of laying on its arms, with its head tilted to one side. 
     In order to provide motion to the doll, the user strikes the doll with a slight spank on the backside area, thereby activating the movement mechanism driving the doll from its resting position, namely laying face down in a sleeping attitude with its head partially resting on its arms and tilted sideways, with closed mouth and eyes, upon acting on a trigger switch which opens the battery-fed circuit which initiates the cycle and emits a yawning sound through an electronic voice, said mechanism also being capable of emitting punctual and harmonic laughter, breathing and joyous sounds. 
     It must be noted that the breathing sound is maintained continuously until the user closes the general switch feeding the sound mechanism and cuts the power supply to the emitter, which consequently remains silent regardless of the fact that it is capable of continuously emitting a breathing sound while the rest of the mechanism is inactive. 
     Once the trigger switch is activated, the motor driving the motion circuit generates a gradual movement of the eyes and mouth and activates the yawning voice, subsequently starting a gradual raising of the body by the movement of the arms on which the head is resting, simultaneously rotating the head and raising the trunk. 
     As previously stated, the legs and backside totally lack movement and remain static at all times until the head is facing forwards, at which time, and based on the commands of the internal mechanism, a translation movement commences which originates from the arms and produces a dragging motion of the body, followed by head movement until the doll is back in its initial position, with a new movement of the head and arms, and moves down towards the resting position, the head laying on the arms and the doll becoming silent, although a sound emission simulating breathing is maintained at all times. 
     The mechanism assembly comprises two lateral extensions wherein are located the arm attachment elements. 
     Several fully defined zones are provided inside the internal mechanism, the upper side of which is configured in a practically cylindrical shape from which derives the mouth gesture driving mechanism emerging laterally and activated from the inside in an opening movement or vertical raising and lowering motion followed by opposite movements simulating the opening of the mouth in a yawning attitude, while from the upper part emerges a centrally hollow element which rotates when so commanded to produce movement of the connecting rod attached to the eyes, generating a raising an lowering motion which results in the opening and closing of the eyes, all these movements being performed in a rhythmic manner. 
     The central area or cylindrical core contains, in the upper part thereof, a cover inside of which appears the end of an eccentric wheel driven by a pinion which on being moved in one direction or the other generates the facial gestures of the doll. 
     In the upper area of the above mechanism cover, contactors are provided which form a circular area separated by isolated areas and over said contactors runs the part providing eye motion, with the corresponding acting contacts. 
     In the internal zone of said three contact areas, a circular base sheet is fitted which works in harmonic cooperation with the external contacts to generate the above movement. 
     In the internal area of the upper core are installed the various mechanisms providing movement to the mouth and eyes, which naturally cooperate with the above mentioned mechanisms which are directly responsible for physically acting on the parts attached to the lips and eyes. 
     As a fundamental working part in the mechanism, aside from the wheels and pinions, a part having a circular shape is provided which is fitted with two curved extensions whereby, on moving over the supporting part when the spring is motionless and in a resting position, the spring is activated and acts on the doll to maintain its breathing sound, subsequently being connected, while the doll remains motionless although the mouth and eyes are moving, to a third stage in which the doll starts to rise in response to the action of the spring, which also moves the head. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order to complete this description and to help in providing a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, attached to this specification and forming an integral part thereof is a set of drawings wherein the following is represented in an illustrative and non-limiting character: 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a crawling and movement simulating doll that makes the waking up and falling asleep gestures object of the present invention, the doll being in a resting position. 
     FIG. 2 shows a view of the object shown in FIG. 1, in a movement initiating position. 
     FIG. 3 shows a front elevation view of the crawling doll movement assembly as it works directly on the doll&#39;s eyes, mouth and arms. 
     FIG. 4 shows an external side view of the upper area of the mechanism shown in FIG. 3, revealing details of the doll&#39;s lips and eyes driving mechanism. 
     FIG. 5 shows a plan, partially sectioned front view of the upper area of the object shown in FIG. 4, wherein the part acting directly on the eye moving shank has been removed. 
     FIG. 6 shows a view along A--A of the object shown in FIG. 4. 
     FIG. 7 shows a view of the motion mechanism&#39;s central block, specifically wherein the mouth and eye motion mechanism is incorporated. 
     FIG. 8 is a plan, resting position view of the spring which generates activity in the doll as a result of lack of emission. 
     FIG. 9 shows the spring shown in FIG. 8 at such time as the spring connects the mouth and eye motion mechanism, although the arms remain at rest. 
     FIG. 10 again shows the spring shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 at such time as the doll starts to rise and move its head. 
     FIG. 11 shows a plan view along the upper zone of the lower body of the motion assembly. 
     FIG. 12 shows a sectioned side elevation view of the object shown in FIG. 11 at such time as the doll starts to rise and ends the crawling cycle. 
     FIG. 13 is a view similar to the view shown in FIG. 12, in a resting position. 
     FIG. 14 shows a view along the lower zone of the object shown in FIGS. 11, 12 and 13 at such tim as the doll is resting. 
     FIG. 15 shows the mechanism acting in cooperation with the arm to help in the movement thereof, formed by a connecting rod and a spring. 
     FIG. 16 shows a plan view of the arm support and joint shaft, each arm having an arm attachment mechanism incorporated. 
    
    
     PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION 
     As shown in FIG. 1, the crawling and movement simulating doll that makes waking up and falling asleep gestures (3) is formed as a doll comprising a head (2), arms (3) and body (4) from which the lower extremities (no reference numbers provided) extend. 
     In FIG. 1, the doll is shown in an initial position wherein the head (2) is lightly resting on the arms (3), the eyes and mouth being closed. 
     However, on proceeding to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the doll (1)--after a strike or spank on the buttock by the user, which activates a switch initiates a movement that gradually reaches the position shown in FIG. 2 wherein the head (2) is raised, the eyes and mouth are open, the arms (3) are leaning down and the body is in a position in which, as the arms (3) move, the doll is dragged along. 
     FIG. 3 shows how the head (2) of the doll (1) is positioned over a single block body comprising several zones, and specifically in the upper portion of the general housing, an element (5) can be seen which, viewed from the front, is provided with a central recess (5&#39;) the movement of which causes the tilting of the eyes (13) as a result of it acting directly on the end (13&#39;) of the eyes (13) and which, on entering recess (5&#39;), causes the opening of the eyes (13) and when positioned in the upper zone of the part (5) ends causes the closure of the eyes. 
     Inside the body of the housing, direct action mechanisms are fitted which act on the parts which form an assembly (14) embedded, at the ends thereof, in the upper and lower parts of the mouth this assembly by its backward motion or raising/lowering in a vertically rising and lowering movement of said ends timely causing gesturing the opening or closing of the mouth&#39;s facial area. 
     The overall mechanisms are fed by cables (6) connected to batteries, as is a sounding mechanism designed to emit various sound stages depending on the doll&#39;s position in the course of its movement. 
     The central zone is provided with a circular area forming a cylinder fitted with flanges (9) in the lower end thereof onto which a bag or pouch covering the doll&#39;s body, which constitutes the dolls&#39;s garment, is attached. 
     The lower zone (8) is incorporates arm motion mechanisms. The arms are fitted at the ends (10), onto which they are attached. 
     The lower part of zone (8) is provided with a sliding connecting rod which through its movement simultaneously generates arm driving stages for raising or lowering the arms, consequently acting as an element that via the connecting rod (12) enables motion in a rising or lowering direction of said arms (3), changing the rotation direction and consequently acting on the basis of the orders provided by said sliding connecting rod (12). 
     FIG. 4 reveals how the central part of mobile element (5), located in the upper portion of area (7), is fitted with a recess (5&#39;) into which penetrates the shank (13&#39;) attached to the eyes (13), thereby allowing the eyes to open and close depending on the raising or lowering motion over said area (5&#39;) or the ends (5). 
     The fact acting mechanism which produces the movement of the mouth and lips (14) is activated from inside the body (7); for this purpose, under part (5) is a truncated cone area (19), the inner part of which has an eccentric wheel (20) which, on moving, acts directly on the sliding part, causing mechanism (14) to move. 
     FIG. 5 shows how the upper portion of the truncated cone area (19) is fitted with a disk-shaped element (22), as shown in said FIG. 5, which is provided with three spaced apart contactors (18) and one central contactor (17), onto which contactors are connected the terminals (23) and (24) which thus produce a rhythmical motion of the parts. 
     FIG. 7 shows the movement of the mouth and eyes, a spring loaded clutch assembly (24) being provided that is fitted with two curved and vertically positioned extensions (25) and (26) which act as a clutch on the parts (27) and (28), thus providing different actions to the doll, as can be seen graphically in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. 
     FIG. 8 shows that the contactor element (27), fitted with an extension, acts directly on projection (25), whereas part (28) acts on projection (26), enabling the spring to be motionless and at rest, although the doll is breathing. 
     In FIG. 9, part (27) has been released from the action of projection (25) of clutch assembly (24) and thus projection (26) moves simultaneously with projection (25), thereby partially releasing part (28) and consequently making the doll to be connected and devoid of movement, although the mouth and eyes are moving. 
     FIG. 10 again shows part (27) in its released condition, wherein the mouth and eyes continue to move as a result of their being released from the emerging area (26) of clutch assembly (24) and also in view that part (28) is also free from the action of projection (25) and projection (26), whereby the doll, in addition to breathing and moving its eyes and mouth, starts to gradually rise, while moving its head. 
     FIG. 11 shows the upper zone of area (8) of the general housing, revealing the existence of two parts (29) and (29&#39;) which are moved by a quadrangular shaped part attached to a lower gear located in cell (30), the orders from this part enabling the arms to become disengaged and thus to start their rotational movement. 
     As the arms become disengaged, FIG. 12 shows that as a result of the movement which drives gear (31) over assembly (32), driving power is transmitted and the doll consequently starts moving its arms (3); it should be borne in mind that the whole assembly is powered by motor (33), this FIG. 12 also showing the start of the arm motion to lift the doll and the end of the crawling cycle. 
     FIG. 14 shows the assembly body (8) viewed from the lower area, in a resting position, this figure also showing how connecting rod (34) is thus positioned to make the doll motionless. 
     This part (34) moves along guides (35) formed as a projection having a quadrangular shape, and as a result of its movement acts directly--through its projection (34+)--on the wheels that provide motion to the arm mechanism. 
     FIG. 15 shows how arm (3) is implemented by a movable lever (35) which cooperates with spring (36) to act directly on arm (3) for maintaining an adjusted position. 
     Finally, FIG. 16 shows shaft (37), the ends of which include arm attachment elements (10), the arms being adhered to element (10), this element (10) assembly being fitted onto each end of shaft (37) and being supported by an implementing spring pawl and other conventional elements which act as required in order that said parts (10) are properly attached to shaft (37), which is to be immobilized through the mechanism as a result of its acting directly on pinion (38). 
     This description need not be more extensive for any expert on the subject to understand the scope of the invention and the advantages deriving therefrom. 
     The materials, form, shape and disposition of the elements are liable to variation provided no alteration on the essential nature of the invention is involved. 
     The terms in which this specification is described should at all times be addressed in their broad, non-limiting sense.