Patent Publication Number: US-8113907-B2

Title: Simulated eye for toy

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to toys and, more particularly, to a simulated eye for a toy. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     As the development of the electronic technology, more and more robot toys imitate human&#39;s actions, such as, walking, jumping, and so on. The eyes play a huge role in a lot of facial expressions. The eyes of some robot toys simulate human eyes by imitating various shapes of the human eyes. However, some of these imitations are restricted to the eyelids opening and closing, and accordingly, other simulation effect of the eyes of the robot toys are needed to make the robot looks more lifelike. Therefore, what is needed is a simulated eye capable of simulating human eyes&#39; actions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments of the simulated eye. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a simulated eye in accordance with one embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a exploded view of the simulated eye of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is also a exploded view similar to  FIG. 2 , but viewed from another aspect. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a simulated eye  10  is rotatable in different directions, in the embodiment, the simulated eye  10  can be rotated at least in a first direction A and a second direction B. The first direction A is perpendicular to the second direction B. The first direction A may be an up-down direction and the second direction B may be a left-right direction. 
     The simulated eye  10  includes a spherical eyeball  100 , a partially-spherical housing  200  for receiving the eyeball  100 , and a holding member  300 . The eyeball  100  is rotatably mounted in the holding member  300 . The holding member  300  holds the eyeball  100 , and is pivotally mounted to an inner surface of the housing  200 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an iris  102  is disposed on the eyeball  100 . two recesses  104  are defined in opposite sides of the eyeball  100  correspondingly. The two recesses  104  are aligned in a straight line (not shown) extending through a center of the eyeball  100 . In other embodiment, the two recesses  104  may be through holes. A first magnetic member  106  is mounted on the eyeball  100  opposite to the iris  102 . The magnetic member described herein and below may be a magnet and/or metal attractable by a magnet. 
     The holding member  300  includes four curved arms  302 . The four curved arms  302  distributed in cruciform symmetry are extended in the same direction and have substantially the same curvature corresponding the eyeball  100 . The four arms  302  are fixed together to receive the eyeball  100 . Two columned first protrusions  304  protrude from inner sidewalls of opposite arms  302  correspondingly. Two columned second protrusions  306  protrude from outer sidewalls of the other opposite arms  302  respectively. The first protrusions  304  may be substantially coplanar with the second protrusions  306 . A magnet  308  is mounted at the intersection of the curved arms  302 , and at least one first electromagnet  310  is mounted on the inner sidewall of each arm  302  having the protrusion  306 . The first electromagnet  310  may be selectively activated to attract the first magnetic member  106 , such that the eyeball  100  is driven directly by the first electromagnet  310  to rotate relative to the holding member  300 . 
     Two round holes  202  are defined in the semispherical housing  200 . The two round holes  202  are on opposite sides of the semispherical housing  200  and aligned along a circular line adjacent the circular edge of the  200 . A second magnetic member  204  is mounted at the bottom end of the housing  200 . Two second electromagnets  206  are mounted on an inner surface of the housing  200 . The two electromagnets  206  are disposed on opposite sides of the housing  200 , and the two electromagnets  206  lie along a line around the housing  200  orthogonal to that of the round holes  202 . The second electromagnets  206  may be activated to attract the magnet  308 , such that the eyeball  100  is driven indirectly to rotate relative to the housing  200  through the holding member  300 . Furthermore, the first electromagnets  310  and the second electromagnets  206  are electrically connected to a power source (not shown) for supplying power thereto. 
     In assembly, the two first protrusions  304  are engaged with the two recesses  104 , therefore, the eyeball  100  is partially received in the holding member  300  and is pivotally coupled to two arms  302  correspondingly via the two first protrusions  304 . The two second protrusions  306  extend though the two round holes  202  correspondingly. Therefore, the holding member  300  holding the eyeball  100  is mounted on the inner surface of the housing  200 , and can rotate around the axis extending through the two round holes  202 . 
     When both the first electromagnet  310  and the second electromagnet  206  are deactivated, the simulated eye  10  is in a first state. In the first state, the first magnetic member  106  is attracted by the magnet  308 , and the magnet  308  is attracted by the second magnetic member  204 . As a result, the iris  102 , the first magnetic member  106 , the magnet  308 , and the second magnetic member  204  are aligned in a straight line, and the iris  102  is substantially in the middle of the simulated eye  10 . 
     When the first electromagnets  310  are activated in an alternating manner at a predetermined time interval, for example, 0.05 seconds, the simulated eye  10  is in a second state. In the second state, the first magnetic member  106  is attracted by one of the first electromagnets  310 . As a result, the eyeball  100  is driven to rotate in the first direction A repeatedly. As a result, the iris  102  is rotated in the first direction A repeatedly. Furthermore, the rotatable angle range of the iris  102  is determined by the position of the first electromagnet  310  in the arms  302 . The first electromagnets  310  are set in a predetermined positions so that the eyeball  100  can rotate within a predetermined angle of rotation along the first direction A. 
     When the second electromagnets  206  are activated in an alternating manner at a predetermined time interval, for example, 0.05 seconds, the simulated eye  10  is in a third state. In the third state, the magnet  308  is attracted by one of the second electromagnet  206  in turn. As a result, the holding member  300  holding the eyeball  100  is driven to rotate in the second direction B repeatedly. As a result, the iris  102  is rotated in the second direction B repeatedly. Furthermore, the rotatable angle range of the holding member  300  is determined by the position of the second electromagnets  206  mounted on the inner surface of the housing  200 , accordingly, the second electromagnets  206  are set in a desired position so that the eyeball  100  can rotate within a predetermined angle of rotation along the second direction B. 
     Furthermore, the eyeball  100  can be rotated in different directions by controlling both the first electromagnet  310  and the second electromagnet  206 , and can be among in the first state, the second state, and the third state. As a result, a function of the simulated eye  100  is achieved to simulate human eyes&#39; rotations. 
     Certain terminology is used herein for the convenience of the reader only and is not to be taken as a limitation on the scope of the disclosure. For example, words such as “up”, “down”, “left”, “right”, and the like merely describe the configuration shown in the Figures. The element or elements of any embodiment of the present disclosure may be oriented in any direction, and the terminology, therefore, should be understood as encompassing such variations unless otherwise specified. 
     Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.