Patent Publication Number: US-9842575-B1

Title: Music box

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Fields of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a music box, and more particularly, to a music box with small size and the music can be changed. 
     2. Descriptions of Related Art 
     The conventional music boxes comprise two types, one of which is called cylinder music boxes, and the other one is called disc music boxes. Generally, the music boxes include a coil, a comb member and a cylinder. The comb member includes multiple keys, and the cylinder includes multiple protrusions which move and lift the free ends of the keys, so that when the protrusions pass over the keys, the keys vibrate to generate a specific sound depending on the length of the keys. 
     Nevertheless, the music boxes can only play a single piece of song. In order to play different ranges, scales and tones, the size of the music boxes and the electro-magnetic device in the music boxes have to be big enough. The big music boxes are not convenient for carry. If the users want to change the music that the music box plays, both of the comb member and the cylinder have to be replaced. This is difficult for general users to replace new comb member and cylinder. 
     The present invention intends to provide a music box that is compact in size and the music that the music box plays can he easily changed. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a music box and comprises a box having an electric power unit and a circuit board received therein. A driving member is located on the top surface of the box. An operation unit is located on the top surface of the box and connected to the driving member. A first support and a second support are respectively located on the top surface of the box. The operation unit is connected to the first support that is located adjacent to the driving member. 
     Multiple activation units are located between the first and second supports, and are connected to the operation unit. Each activation unit has a magnetic plate, a match plate, an activation plate and a spring. A shaft extends through the multiple activation units, and the two ends of the shaft are connected to the first and second supports. The spring is located between the between the match plate and the activation plate of each activation unit. The sequence of the magnetic plate, the match plate, the activation plate and the spring on the shaft of each activation unit is that the magnetic plate is located close to the driving member and the activation plate is located remote from the driving member. A coil is electrically connected with the circuit board and located between the magnetic plate and the match plate of each activation unit. The match plate of each activation unit has multiple protrusions extending from one side thereof that faces the activation plate which has multiple holes which are located corresponding to the protrusions. The circuit board controls the coil to generate electric power to magnetically attract the activation plate to match the match plate so as to engage the protrusions with the holes. The driving member drives the operation unit to spin the shaft which rotates the match plate and the activation plate that is matched with the match plate. 
     A comb member is located on the top surface of the box and has multiple keys extending therefrom. The keys are located corresponding to the activation plates of the activation units. Each activation plate has multiple lingers extending from the outer periphery thereof. The fingers push the keys to generate sound. 
     Preferably, the box includes a bottom part and a top part, and the bottom part includes a am defined therein. The electric power unit and the circuit board are received in the room. The top part is mounted to the bottom part to seal the room. The top part includes multiple slots. Each magnetic plate includes a connection portion which is positioned in the slot corresponding thereto. 
     Preferably, the first support that is located adjacent to the driving member includes two first side plates and a first bottom plate which is connected between the two first side plates. The first bottom plate is fixed to the top part by screws. A space is formed between the two first side plates of the first support. The second support includes a second bottom plate fixed to the top part by screws, and a second side plate which is connected the first bottom plate to form an L-shaped arrangement. 
     Preferably, the operation unit includes a first threaded rod, a second threaded rod and a wheel gear. The first threaded rod is connected to an output axle of the driving member and located in the space. The second threaded rod is connected between the one of the two first side plates and the second side plate. The second threaded rod includes a disk gear formed thereto which is engaged with the first threaded rod. The second threaded rod includes an operation gear on one end thereof which protrudes beyond one of the two first side plates. The operation gear is located corresponding to the activation units. The wheel gear is mounted to the shaft and engaged with the operation gear. 
     Preferably, the shaft includes a polygonal section and two pivotal sections between which the polygonal section is located. Each match plate has an aperture which is shaped to be matched with the polygonal section. 
     Preferably, the comb member includes 18, 20, 30, 40 or 70 keys. 
     Preferably, the magnetic plate of each activation unit includes a groove defined in one side thereof which faces the match plate corresponding thereto. The coil is located in the groove. 
     Preferably, the circuit board includes a control unit, a receiving unit and a record access unit. The control unit controls at least one coil to generate electric power so as to form magnetic field with the magnetic plates. The receiving unit receives music from a mobile device by wireless way. The record access unit stores and transfer the music into multiple music codes. 
     Preferably, the circuit board and the mobile device are connected to each other by way of Bluetooth, cloud or infer-red. 
     The music box of the present invention is a compact music box wherein the magnetic plates, the match plates and the activation plates occupy less space. 
     The shaft is accurately rotated by the engagement between gears so as to precisely activate the keys of the comb member. 
     The music that played by the music box can be changed by changing the comb member. 
     The present invention will become more apparent ftom the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a preferred embodiment in accordance with the present invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view to show the music box of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the music box of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the operation unit of the music box of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the activation units, the comb member and the shaft of the music box of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the magnetic plates, the match plates, the activation plates and the springs of the music box of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view, taken along line VI-VI of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  shows that the driving member drives the operation unit of the music box of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view, taken along line VIII-VIII of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 9  shows that the match plate is magnetically attracted by the magnetic plate; 
         FIG. 10  shows the arrangement of the circuit board of the music box of the present invention, and 
         FIG. 11  shows the mobile device is connected to the circuit board by wireless way. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 9 , the music box of the present invention comprises a box  1  which includes a bottom part  11  and a top part  12 . The bottom part  11  includes a room  111  defined therein. An electric power unit  2  and a circuit board  3  are received in the room  111 . The top part  12  is mounted to the bottom part  11  to seal the room  111 . The electric power unit  2  uses general batteries or rechargeable batteries. The inside of the room  111  are equipped with conduct plates which are designed to be in contact with the batteries. The electric power can also be provided by different devices such as USB, wired charging unit, or wireless charging unit. A driving member  4  is located on the top surface of the box  1 . An operation unit  5  is located on the top surface of the box  1  and connected to the driving member  4 . A first support  6  and a second support  60  are respectively located on the top surface of the box  1 . The operation unit  5  is connected to the first support  6  that is located adjacent to the driving member  4 . 
     Multiple activation units  7  are located between the first and second supports  6 , and are connected to the operation unit  5 . The first support  6  that is located adjacent to the driving member  4  includes two first side plates  62  and a first bottom plate  61  which is connected between the two first side plates  62 . The first bottom plate  61  is fixed to the top part  12  by screws. A space  63  is formed between the two first side plates  62  of the first support  6 . The operation unit  5  can be protected within the space  63 . The second support  6  includes a second bottom plate  610  fixed to the top part by screws, and a second side plate  62  which is connected the first bottom plate  610  to form an L-shaped arrangement. 
     The operation unit  5  includes a first threaded rod  51 , a second threaded rod  52  and a wheel gear  53 . The first threaded rod  51  is connected to an output axle  41  of the driving member  4  and located in the space  63 . The second threaded rod  52  is connected between the one of the two first side plates  62  and the second side plate  620 . The second threaded rod  52  includes a disk gear  521  formed thereto which is engaged with the first threaded rod  51 . The second threaded rod  52  further includes an operation gear  522  on one end thereof which protrudes beyond one of the two first side plates  62 . The operation gear  522  is located corresponding to the activation units  7 . The operational directions of the first and second threaded rods  51 ,  52  are different. The threads of the first threaded rod  51  is axially formed on the first threaded rod  51 , and the threads of the second threaded rod  52  is perpendicular to the threads of the first threaded rod  51 . As shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6-9 , when the first threaded rod  51  rotates clockwise, the disk gear  521  of the second threaded rod  52  rotates toward the driving member  4 . 
     Each activation unit  7  has a magnetic plate  71 , a match plate  72 , an activation plate  73  and a spring  74 . A shaft  8  extends through the multiple activation units  7 , and the two ends of the shaft  8  are connected to the first and second supports  6 . The shaft  8  includes a polygonal section  81  and two pivotal sections  82  between which the polygonal section  81  is located. The wheel gear  53  is mounted to the shaft  8  and engaged with the operation gear  522  of the second threaded rod  52 . Each match plate  72  has an aperture  723  which is shaped to be matched with the polygonal section  81  so that the match plate  72  cannot rotated relative to the shaft  8 . The spring  74  is located between the between the match plate  72  and the activation plate  73  of each activation unit  7 . Therefore, when the music box is not in use, the spring separates the match plate  72  and the activation plate  73 . The sequence of the magnetic plate  71 , the match plate  72 , the activation plate  73  and the spring  74  on the shaft  8  of each activation unit  7  is that the magnetic plate  71  is located close to the driving member  4  and the activation plate  73  is located remote from the driving member  4 . A coil  9  is electrically connected with the circuit board  3  and located between the magnetic plate  71  and the match plate  72  of each activation unit  7 . The magnetic plate  71  of each activation unit  7  includes a groove  712  defined in one side thereof which faces the match plate  72  corresponding thereto. The coil  9  is located in the groove  712  and only two wires extend beyond the groove  712  to he connected with the circuit board  3 . By this way, the coil  9  is not interfered to affect the match plate  72  and the activation plate  73 , and not to affect the movement of the activation plate  73 . The match plate  72  of each activation unit  7  has multiple protrusions  721  extending from one side thereof that faces the activation plate  73  which has multiple holes  731  which are located corresponding to the protrusions  721 . The spring  74  of each activation unit  7  is biased between the match plate  72  the activation plate  73 . The circuit board  3  controls the coil  9  to generate electric power to magnetically attract the activation plate  73  to match the match plate  72  so as to engage the protrusions  721  with the holes  731 . The driving member  4  drives the operation unit  5  to spin the shaft  8  which rotates the match plate  72  and the activation plate  73  that is matched with the match plate  72 . The top part  12  includes multiple slots  121 , and each magnetic plate  71  includes a connection portion  711  which is positioned in the slot  121  corresponding thereto. 
     A comb member  10  is located on the top surface of the box  1  and has multiple keys  101  extending therefrom. The keys  101  are located corresponding to the activation plates  73  of the activation units  7 . Each activation plate  73  has multiple fingers  732  extending from the outer periphery thereof. The fingers  732  are designed to push the keys  101  to generate sound. The comb member  10  includes 18, 20, 30, 40 or 70 keys  101 . The comb member  10  is located on the top surface of the box  1  such that the users can easily replace the comb member  10 . 
     The circuit board  3  controls the coil  9  to generate electric power to magnetically attract the activation plate  73  to match the match plate  72  so as to engage the protrusions  721  with the holes  731 . The operation of the operation unit  5  drives the shaft  8  to spin which rotates the match plate  72 , and the activation plate  73  is then co-rotated with the match plate  72 . The fingers  732  of the activation plate  73  pushes the keys  101  of the comb member  10  to generate music. The magnetic plates  71  and the activation plates  73  are made by magnetic metal so that they are matched to each other due to the magnetic field. The users may replace the comb member  10  to allow the music box to play desired music. 
     The circuit board  3  includes a control unit  31 , a receiving unit  32  and a record access unit  33 . The control unit  31  controls at least one coil  9  to generate electric power so as to form magnetic field with the magnetic plates  71 , The receiving unit  32  receives music from a mobile device  20  by wireless way. The record access unit  33  stores and transfer the music into multiple music codes. The circuit board  3  and the mobile device  20  are connected to each other by way of Bluetooth, cloud or infer-red. The users use the mobile device  20  to transmit the music codes to the circuit board  3  which controls the movement of the activation units  7  to play desired music of different ranges, scales and tones. 
     The music box of the present invention is a compact music box wherein the magnetic plates  71 , the match plates  72  and the activation plates  73  are thin plates which occupy less space. The number of the activation units  7  can be adjusted by the needs of the users. The comb member  10  can be made according to different needs so as to play different types of music. The connection between the mobile device  20  and the circuit board  3  allows the users to play even more music. 
     While we have shown and described the embodiment in accordance with the present invention, it should he clear to those skilled in the art that further embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.