Patent Publication Number: US-2007111630-A1

Title: Image display toy with dual scrolling screens

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority to Application No. 60/737,716, filed on Nov. 16, 2005. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a toy display.  
      2. Prior Art  
      There have been marketed various toy displays. Hasbro Toys marketed a toy display under the name DREAM SCREEN with a screen that scrolled over a light source. The product included multiple mini-lenses that created a “twinkling” effect when viewed by a user. There have also been marketed various electronic learning aids that contain touch sensitive LCD panels.  
      Fisher Price has marketed a toy display with a back-lit scrolling screen and a touch sensitive element. V-Tech has marketed a product under the name SMOOTH AND SURPRISE NATURE LIGHT with a back-lit image that could be projected onto a ceiling. There have also been marketed various other types of back-lit scrolling screens.  
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      A toy that includes a first scrolling screen, a second scrolling screen and a light source that illuminates the screens.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is an illustration of a toy display;  
       FIG. 2  is an illustration showing the location of a light source relative to a rolling screen of the toy display;  
       FIG. 3  is an illustration showing the rolling screens of the toy display.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
      Disclosed is a toy display that includes a first rolling screen, a second rolling screen and a light source that illuminates the screens. The first screen may contain viewing images and the second screen may have background images. The moving screens provide varying images that are viewed by a user. The toy display may include a speaker and input buttons to vary the illumination and the sound produced by the toy.  
      Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numbers,  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3  show an embodiment of a toy display  10 . The toy display  10  includes a first rolling screen assembly  12  and a second rolling screen assembly  14  that are coupled to a housing  16 .  
      The second rolling screen assembly  14  moves essentially perpendicular to the first rolling screen assembly  12 . The first rolling screen assembly  12  may include a first screen  18  that moves about a pair of first rollers  20 . One of the first rollers  20  can be coupled to a motor assembly  22 . The second rolling screen assembly  14  may include a second screen  24  that moves about a pair of second rollers  26 . One of the second rollers  26  may also be coupled to the motor assembly  22 . Although one motor assembly  22  is shown and described, it is to be understood that the second rolling screen assembly  14  can be coupled to a second motor.  
      The toy display  10  may include a light source  30  that illuminates the screens  18  and  24 . The light source  30  may include one or more light emitting diodes (“LEDs”).  32  and one or more fluorescent tubes  34 . The LEDs  32  and tubes  34  can be illuminated concurrently or separately.  
      The toy display  10  may include a speaker  36  that is connected to an electronic board  38 . The electronic board  38  may contain electrical circuits that can drive the speaker  36  to emit sound such as music. The electronic board  38  may also control the light source  30  and the motor assembly  22 . The electrical components of the display  10  can be powered by one or more batteries  40 .  
      The display  10  may include a first switch  42  and a second switch  44  that are connected to the electronic board  38 . The switches  42  and  44  can be activated to control the light source  32 , sound, and/or motor assembly  22 . By way of example, the first switch  42  can be used to control the activation/deactivation and speed of the motor assembly  22 . The second switch  44  can be used to vary the intensity of the light source  32  and/or the activation/deactivation of the speaker  36 .  
      The first screen  18  may contain a plurality of viewing images. The second screen  24  may include a plurality of background images. In operation, the motor assembly  22  is activated to move the screens  18  and  24 . Movement of the screens  18  and  24  provides a varying and appealing visual image as the viewing images change relative to the moving background images. The speaker  36  can generate sound. The sound may be synchronized to correspond with the visual image being displayed by the combination of the screens  18  and  24 . The user can vary the intensity of illumination through switch  44  to further change the visual image provided by the screens  18  and  24 . The user may also vary the sound emitted by the speaker  36  and/or the speed of the motor  22 . A timer circuit, not shown, can provide an auto shut-off feature after the termination of a certain time period.  
      While certain exemplary embodiments have been described and shown in the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely illustrative of and not restrictive on the broad invention, and that this invention not be limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, since various other modifications may occur to those ordinarily skilled in the art.