Patent Publication Number: US-4925425-A

Title: Mouth structure and a sound generating member for a doll

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Pet doll is a toy deeply loved by the children and young people. Fine and delicate pet doll is more than attractive to the children. In order to attract consumers to buy the toys, every manufacturer is making every endeavor to improve the formative design and to make use of any possible means to provide life-like sound and action. 
     The present invention is related to a design to let the mouth and the sound generating means of a toy be coupled together for synchronous action such that a sound is concomitantly provided to match with the closing or opening of the mouth. According to the present invention, the assembly of the whole structure is efficiently achieved without using any screws or other fastening means. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is to provide a mouth structure and a sound generating member for a toy and, more particularly to a toy which can automatically return to original reset position immediately after providing a sound, wherein a lower pressure plate comprised of lower jaw portion and abdomen portion is connected with an upper pressure plate comprised of neck portion and back portion and is further connected to a head figure housing of the toy by means of the hook flange of said neck portion to retain in the notch of said head figure housing; said upper pressure plate and lower pressure plate being arranged to define a space for setting therein of a sound generating sac to let said sound generating sac provide a sound and to let the toy open its mouth at the time said upper and lower pressure plates are pressed inward; and to let said sound generating sac suck air to force said upper and lower pressure plates return to original position and to let the toy close its mouth at the time the outer force is released from said upper and lower pressure plates. 
     In general, the present invention is to provide a sound generating toy having numerous features each of which tends to make the structure more practical and active. 
     For fuller understanding of the present invention, the embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings as hereunder. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates the outer appearance of a sound generation toy constructed according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a fragmentary structural view drawing of the said preferred embodiment. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective structural view of the said preferred embodiment. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional structural view drawing of the said preferred embodiment. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates the moving action to assemble the structure of the said preferred embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to the fragmentary view drawing of FIG. 2, a sound generating toy includes a head figure housing (1) constructed according to preferred animal, having a circular protruding portion (15) comprising a hollow hole (14) arranged therebelow to define a mouth-like structure. There is provided a lower pressure plate (3) having a protruding protion (32) defined as for the lower jaw of the doll, being disposed below said head figure housing (1) to let the protruding lower jaw (32) protrude beyond the hollow hole (14) of said head figure housing (1). 
     The said head figure housing (1) comprises a connector ring (12) at the bottom having a curved notch (11) made thereon at both sides abjacent to said mouth (14). A hole (13) is made on the top of each notch (11) for connection of said head figure housing (1) with an upper pressure plate (2) by means of the hook (23) of said upper pressure plate (2) to retain the hole (13) of said head figure housing (1). 
     The said upper pressure plate (2) is the main frame of the present embodiment, comprised of a ring-shaped front base (27) and a circular rear clamping plate (28), wherein said ring-shaped front base (927) and said circular rear clamping plate (28) are integrally connected to define a curvature therebetween. Said ring-shaped front base (27) includes a circular protrusion (25) having one pair of symmetric scoop channels (24) thereon arranged along the axial direction of said upperr pressure plate (28), and tow longitudinal notches (26) respectively arranged at both sides in vertical to the axial direction for allocation thereon of the revolving axle (33) of said lower pressure plate (3) to let said lower pressure plate (3) be turnably attached to said upper pressure plate (2). When to connect said upper and lower pressure plates (2) and (3) to build up the assembly, the lower jaw (32) of said lower pressure plate (3) is inserted into the ring-shaped front base (27) of said upper pressure plate (2) letting the bilateral axles (33) be pushed upward along the symmetric scoop channels (24) to further be turned to set in the bilateral notches (26), so as to let said lower pressure plate (3) be turnably attached to said upper pressure plate (2). 
     Said upper pressure (2) further includes tow curved plates (22) bilaterally disposed at the outer side of the circular protrusion (25) to protrude upward. Both said curved plates (22) are specifically arranged to match with the respective notchs (11) of said head figure housing (1), comprising a hook-shaped flange (23) on the top. After said upper and lower pressure plates (2) and (3) are connected together, the curved plates (22) of said upper pressure plate (2) are respectively attached to the bilatertal notches (11) of said head figure housing (1), the hook-shape flange (23) of the tow curved plate (22) is retained in the respective hole (13), and the inner wall (111) of each notch (11) is set in the respective gap (251) defined by the curved plate (22) and the circular protrusion (25) such that said upper pressure plate (2), lower pressure plate (3) and head figure housing (1) are firmly connected together. 
     The said lower plate (3) is constructed according to double-curve design such that the backwardly elongated clamping elemant (36) is provided to match with the backwardly elongated clamping element (28) of said upper pressure plate (2) to form a clamping device for clamping a sound generating sac (4). Referring to FIG. 3, a sound generating sac (4) is set between tow clamping elements (36) and (28). When outer pressure is applied to press both clamping elements (36) and (28) inward, the inner air of said sound generating sac (4) is forced to blow out through a sound genereting hole (41) to vibrate a sound genereting capsule to provied sound. At the same time, the lower jaw plate (32) of said lower pressure plate (3) is forced to rock downward on the basis of the axle (33), just like an animal to open its mouth. Because said soud generating sac (4) is made of rubber material which provides high elasticity, the sound generating sac (4) will suck up outer air to return to original inflated configuration immediately after outer force is released from the clamping elements (36) and (38), and the clamping elements (36) and (38) will concomitantly be forced to return to ready position for next operation. When the slamping elements (36) and (38) are pushed back to original position, the mouth is closed simultaneously. While the sound generating sac (4) is sucking sac (4) through the sound generating hole (41) and to vibrate the sound generating capsule to provide a sound again. 
     Further, according to the present invention, the said clamping elements (36) and (28) are respectively arranged to provide a square hole for insertion thereinto of the respective strut (42) made on both sides of the said sound generating sac (4) such that the said sound generating sac (4) is firmly retained by the said clamping elements (36) and (28) after it is set therein.