Abstract:
The present disclosure provides toys, and components thereof, for an interactive doll. An interactive doll of the present disclosure may, among other possible actions, close and open its eyes, pucker its lips, smile, blow kisses, change colors, and/or speak in response to a user interacting with the doll. A user may interact with the doll in a number of manners, such as by bringing objects near the doll, applying a liquid to the doll, changing the temperature of the doll, and/or by engaging mechanisms on the doll.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/733,353 entitled “Interactive Doll,” filed Nov. 3, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present disclosure relates generally to toy dolls. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to the structure and operation of an interactive toy doll.  
         [0003]     Toy dolls have been in use for many years, and are well known in the art. Toy dolls have additionally included color-changing features, in some cases using thermochromic material. Some examples include the thermochromic materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,118, issued to Nakasuji et al. on Jun. 7, 1977; U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,560, issued to Kito et al. on Dec. 20, 1983; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,301, issued to Kito et al. on Jan. 19, 1988, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. As such, “thermochromic material” as used herein is intended to refer to any suitable material that changes color in response to temperature variations.  
         [0004]     Toy dolls further have included interactive features, such as lights, sounds and clothes that may be configured. While toy dolls including thermochromic material may allow the user to simulate the application of makeup to various doll features, this experience has been one-sided, as the doll has not interacted or reacted in any way besides changing color. Thus, the development of makeup application dolls capable of interaction with a user beyond mere color change may be beneficial to the art.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present disclosure provides toys, and components thereof, for an interactive doll. An interactive doll of the present disclosure may, among other possible actions, close and open its eyes, pucker its lips, smile, blow kisses, change colors, and/or speak in response to a user interacting with the doll. A user may interact with the doll in a number of manners, such as by bringing objects near the doll, applying a liquid to the doll, changing the temperature of the doll, and/or by engaging mechanisms on the doll.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  shows a pictorial drawing of an interactive doll according to the present disclosure.  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  shows an interactive doll according to the present disclosure interacting with a user-held device.  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of an interactive doll according to the present disclosure interacting with a user-held device.  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  shows a cutout view of the interactive doll along the plane labeled as  4  in  FIG. 3 , including the internal portion used in an exemplary embodiment to interact with the user.  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  shows the same cutout view as  FIG. 4 , with the internal portion shown interacting with the user.  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  shows an example of how the various components of the interactive doll may be configured. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0012]     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the present disclosure relates to toys, and components thereof, for a toy doll  10  for interaction with a user. The interactive doll may include a head  20  and a body  30 , and may include other customary doll features such as arms and legs. The head  20  may include features, including eyes  24  and lips  26 , which may be movable between various configurations. Such configurations may include a nominal or default configuration, where the feature is at rest, as well as at least one active configuration, where the feature presents a different appearance than in the nominal configuration.  
         [0013]     The body  30  may include a body cavity  34  defined by a body surface  32  surrounding the cavity  34 . The body  30  may support the head  20  and may additionally resemble a human torso. Optionally, the body  30  may be painted, molded, formed, or otherwise decorated to resemble a person wearing clothes.  
         [0014]     The interactive doll  10  may include movable features, color changing features, and/or speech features, as will be discussed herein. A user may interact with the doll  10  in a number of manners to activate one or more of the movement, color change, and speech features. As an illustrative but non-limiting example, a user may utilize an actuator  40  which includes a hand-held makeup unit  42 , a trigger  44  and an applicator  80  to interact with one or more movable features of the interactive doll, as discussed in more detail herein. Exemplary interactive features, including eyes  24  and lips  26  are discussed below and illustrated in  FIGS. 1-6 ; other facial features, such as the nose, eyebrows, cheeks, or other features may similarly be made interactive.  
         [0015]     With reference to an exemplary embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , eyes  24  are illustrated in a nominal configuration, in this instance appearing open, in  FIG. 1  and in an active configuration, in this instance appearing closed, in  FIG. 2 . Eyes  24  include eyelid portions  24   a . Eyes  24  may be adapted to remain open or in the nominal configuration until responding to a user action. When the eyes  24  are open or in the nominal configuration, all or part of the eyelid portion  24   a  may be hidden from the user. When the eye  24  is in closed or in the active configuration, all or part of the eyelid portion  24   a  may be exposed to the user.  
         [0016]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , eyes  24  may be operated by an actuator  40  with a trigger  44  and an internal portion  50   a  wherein the trigger  44  may be adapted to communicate with the internal portion  50   a  to move the eye  24  to the active configuration when the trigger  44  is brought within a predetermined distance from the internal portion  50   a . The trigger  44  may emanate any suitable wireless signals, including but not limited to a magnetic field, radio frequency (e.g. RFID), or any other wireless signal.  
         [0017]     The internal portion  50   a  may be disposed in the head cavity  28 , and may take the form of a variety of mechanical systems responsive to the signal emanating from the trigger  44 . For instance, the trigger  44  may take the form of a magnet and act on a magnetically responsive element  52  disposed in the internal portion  50   a  when the user configures the trigger  44  into a position within a predetermined distance of the magnetically responsive element  52 , to move the eyes  24  between the nominal and active configurations. The magnetically responsive element  52  may be disposed in the middle of the eye  24  such that the eye  24  moves to expose an eyelid portion  24   a  when the trigger  44  is moved to a position within a predetermined distance of the eyes  24 . For example, eye  24  and eyelid portion  24   a  may be rotatably mounted together on an axle, with a magnet positioned inside eye  24  to swing the eyelid portion  24   a  closed when attracted to a magnet in trigger  44 .  
         [0018]     Alternatively, the internal portion  50   a  may take the form of a motor operably coupled to a magnetically responsive switch. The trigger  44  could act on the magnetically responsive switch when manipulated by the user to a position within a predetermined distance of the magnetically responsive switch. The switch could in turn actuate the motor, which causes the eyes to move between the nominal and active configurations.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates the doll  10  with the trigger  44  within a predetermined distance of one eye  24  such that both eyes  24  are in the active configuration. While the trigger  44  only engages the magnetically responsive element  52  in a single eye  24 , the eyes  24  may be coupled together or otherwise associated to move both eyes to the active configuration in response to the interactive engagement of a single eye, as shown in  FIG. 2 . Additionally or alternatively, the eyes  24  may be separate or capable of separate interactive responses. For example, the doll  10  may have eyes  24  capable of blinking or closing a single eye in response to the user actions.  
         [0020]      FIGS. 1-5  illustrate another interactive feature of the doll  10 , in the form of lips  26 , within the scope of the present disclosure. Lips  26  are illustrated in a nominal configuration, in this instance appearing smiling, in  FIGS. 1-4 , and in an active configuration, in this instance appearing puckered, in FIGS.  3  (shown in dotted lines) and  5 . Lips  26  may be adapted to remain smiling or in the nominal configuration until responding to a user action.  
         [0021]     The embodiment in these figures is configured with interactive lips  26  that move in response to user actions. As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , there may be an actuator  40  including an internal portion  50   b , such as a sensor and a motor, and a trigger  44 , wherein the trigger  44  may be moved within a predetermined distance of the lips  26  of the doll  10 , as shown by direction arrow A. The trigger  44  may affect a change in the lips  26  to move them from a nominal configuration to an active configuration.  
         [0022]     The lips  26  may be moved between the nominal and active configurations by a number of suitable mechanical systems. These mechanical systems may be adapted to be responsive to a suitable signal, such as a magnetic field, radio frequency (e.g., RFID), or any other wireless signal, emanating from the trigger to cause the interactive movement.  
         [0023]     The internal portion  50   b  of the actuator  40  may be disposed at least partially in the head cavity  28  and may extend to the body cavity  34 . In some aspects of the present disclosure, the internal portion  50   b  may include a cam coupled to the lips within the head cavity  28 , such that the cam moves forward to push the middle of the lips  26  outwardly from the smiling position upon activation of the actuator  40 . The internal portion  50   b  may also include a motor and a switch. One example of a suitable motor includes a solenoid adapted to be switched on by the user action to move the cam forward. In some examples, the switch may be a magnetically responsive element. The switch may activate and deactivate the motor. In some examples, the switch may respond to the trigger  44  in the form of a magnet. Additionally or alternatively, a user interface mechanism  36 , such as a push button, may activate and deactivate the motor.  
         [0024]     An exemplary actuator  40  within the scope of the present disclosure is seen in  FIGS. 3-5 , where  FIGS. 4 and 5  show cut-out views of the interactive doll  10  of  FIG. 3  along the plane labeled as  4  in  FIG. 3 . In this embodiment, the internal portion  50   b  of the actuator  40  includes a motor  54  containing a sensor, such as a magnetically responsive switch  54   a  within the motor, and a cam  56 . The cam  56  is shown in operation with a planar piece  58  having a slot  58   a , the cam  56  being operably coupled to the planar piece  58  via a peg  56   a  disposed on the cam adjacent to the edge of the cam  56  and extending into the slot  58   a.    
         [0025]     The trigger  44 , when configured to a position within a predetermined distance of the magnetically responsive switch  54   a , causes the switch  54   a  to activate the motor  54 . The motor  54  in turn rotates the cam  56  through 180°, as shown by arrow C. As the cam  56  rotates, the peg  56   a  moves the planar piece  58  outwardly as shown by the arrow X. Thus, the rotational motion of the cam  56  is translated into linear motion. This linear motion pushes the planar piece  58  out in the direction X, against the backside of the lips  26 . This motion against the backside of the lips  26  forces the lips  26  out and away from the head  20  in the direction of arrow B, thus making the doll  10  appear to pucker or kiss.  
         [0026]     The actuator  40  may be adapted to move the lips  26  between a smiling position, a puckered position, and/or a kissing position. The puckered position and the kissing position may position the lips  26  in substantially the same configuration or in different configurations. Accordingly, the actuator  40  may be adapted to provide more than one type of motion. Additionally or alternatively, the internal portion  50   b  associated with the lips  26  may be coupled to or cooperatively associated with internal portion  50   a  associated with the eyes  24 . One example of such cooperative association includes a single user action that triggers the interactive response including blowing a kiss and blinking or winking one or both eyes  24 .  
         [0027]     In another aspect of the present disclosure, the interactive movement of the various facial features and the interactive responses of the doll  10  may be adapted to facilitate or to be responsive to the application of “makeup” to the doll  10 . For example, the eyelid portions  24   a  and the lips  26  may include, be painted with, or otherwise have their surfaces affected by a thermochromic material. To this end, the material of the eyelid portions  24   a  or lips  26  may be blended with a thermochromic material.  
         [0028]     When the features of the doll include a thermochromic material, the appearance of the features may change in response to temperature change of a thermal characteristic of the features. The change in appearance may include a change in color, as well as a change from one pattern to another or a change of texture. The colors, quantity, and location of the thermochromic materials may be selected to provide the desired color change affect so that the user is able to simulate the application and removal of makeup to or from the doll&#39;s face by changing the temperature of the feature having thermochromic material. It should be understood that the eyelid portions  24   a  and lips  26  are capable of color change not only across their whole surfaces, but across less than their whole surfaces as well.  
         [0029]     The user may be provided with an applicator  80  which the user can use to apply makeup to the doll. As depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , an applicator  80  is capable of acquiring and retaining a thermal characteristic, and could include a sponge, a piece of ice, a cold pack, or any other similar object. In an embodiment where the applicator  80  is a sponge, the user may dip the applicator  80  in cold water (or warm water) before passing it over the eyelid portions  24   a . As the cold water is applied to the eyelid portions  24   a , the thermochromic material will change color imitating the application of makeup to the eyelid portions  24   a.    
         [0030]     Similarly, the applicator  80  may be used to change the color of the lips  26  to imitate the application of lipstick. While the eyelid portions  24   a  and lips  26  are specifically discussed, other portions of the doll  10  may include thermochromic materials, regardless of whether those portions have other interactive responses, such as movement.  
         [0031]     The colors of the thermochromic material and inks may be selected so that the color of the color-changing facial features matches that of head surface  24  before the thermal characteristic of the facial feature is changed and is different than that of head surface  24  after the thermal characteristic is changed. Any desirable combination of colors may be used for the inks, paint or other coloration systems used to color the head surface and the facial features, such as eyelid portions  24   a  and lips  26 . For example, a thermochromic material applied to the eyelid portions  24   a  may change the eyelid portions  24   a  from a flesh-toned color to a blue color. Similarly, the thermochromic material applied to the lips  26  may change from a natural lip color to a red color.  
         [0032]     Alternatively, the thermochromic material may change between clear or transparent to a desired color responsive to the temperature change, such that the underlying color of the skin shows through until the user changes the temperature to effect the color change. Any suitable thermochromic material may be used as described in the present disclosure, and examples are listed above in the Background section.  
         [0033]     In an exemplary embodiment, at least a portion of the feature is configured with thermochromic material to display a first and a second color. The portion of the feature with the thermochromic material has a thermal characteristic, typically the temperature of the thermochromic material, configurable between a first temperature and a second temperature. When the thermal characteristic is below the first temperature, the portion of the feature displays the first color. When the thermal characteristic is above the second temperature, the portion of the feature displays the second color.  
         [0034]     Additionally, the portion of the feature having the thermochromic material may be substantially concealed when the feature is in the nominal configuration, and the portion of the feature having thermochromic material may be substantially exposed to the user when the feature is in the active configuration. For example, where the feature is an eye  24  and the portion having thermochromic material is the eyelid portion  24   a , all or part of the eyelid portion  24   a  might be hidden from the user when the eye  24  is open, and all or part of the eyelid portion  24   a  might be exposed to the user when the eye  24  is closed, allowing the user to apply makeup.  
         [0035]     As described above, the trigger  44  may be used to interact with the doll  10  to trigger interactive movement of one or more facial features, or to trigger speech, and the applicator  80  may be used to alter the thermal condition of the eyelid portions  24   a  or lips  26 .  FIGS. 1-3  show an exemplary embodiment where the trigger  44  and the applicator  80  are coupled into a hand-held makeup unit  42 . The makeup unit  42  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  includes a grip portion  46  and a contact portion  48  to which the applicator  80  is mounted. The trigger  44  may be disposed in the grip portion  46 , may be disposed partially in the grip portion  46  and partially in the contact portion  48 , or may be disposed entirely within the contact portion  48 . The applicator  80  may be mounted on a contact portion  48  of the makeup unit, and the applicator may comprise a foam tip or a tip of other absorbent material such as sponge capable of acquiring and retaining liquids. In some aspects of the present disclosure, the hand-held makeup unit  42  may be configured in a size suitable for young girls and may include etchings, paintings, raised portions, or other forms of decoration that is pleasing to young girls.  
         [0036]     When the trigger  44  includes an internal magnet as described above, the hand-held makeup unit  42  can include a sealed body such that the user does not have convenient access to the magnet or other components stored within the hand-held makeup unit  42 . When the trigger  44  includes a battery powered system, the hand-held makeup unit  42  may be configured to include a battery compartment and cover, which may be adapted to be selectively opened by the user to replace the batteries.  
         [0037]     As described above, the applicator  80  may be used to apply water or other fluids to the doll  10  to activate or deactivate the thermochromic materials. The uptake and release rates of the applicator  80  as well as its fluid storage capacity may be selected to allow the user to apply the fluid to the doll without the fluid running or spreading to areas the user did not intend. The fluid storage and release capabilities of the applicator  80  may be extended by use of a reservoir in the grip portion  46 .  
         [0038]     The doll  10  may be used with a bowl  82  for holding the water or other fluid to be applied to the doll  10  to activate or deactivate the thermochromic materials. The bowl  82  may be formed in any suitable shape to further enhance the recreational value of the interactive doll as the child simulates the application of makeup.  
         [0039]      FIGS. 1-2  illustrate one configuration of a bowl  82  as a bowl divided into two reservoirs  84  and  86 . The user may put warm water in one reservoir  84  and cold water in the other reservoir  86  to allow the user to selectively apply and remove the makeup without returning to the sink or other source of water. The number of reservoirs formed in the bowl  82  may depend on the configuration of the doll  10  and the number and nature of thermochromic materials applied to the doll.  
         [0040]     In a further aspect of a previously mentioned exemplary embodiment, the bowl  82  has two reservoirs, the first reservoir holding water below the first temperature, and the second reservoir holding water above the second temperature. This configuration allows a user to apply water from the reservoirs to the portions of the features having thermochromic material, causing the portions to change between displaying the first and second colors.  
         [0041]     In another aspect of the disclosure depicted in  FIG. 6 , the doll  10  may include a voice generator  70  including a processor  72  and memory  74 , a speaker  76 , and a power supply  78 , which together may be adapted to produce sound resembling human speech or any other sound. Any speaker size adapted to fit within the interactive doll may be used.  
         [0042]     A preferred embodiment uses a memory device  74  having a memory chip adapted to store at least 12 seconds of sound data, but different types of memory devices and larger or smaller memory chips may be used. The voice generator  70  may be disposed in the head cavity  28 , the body cavity  34 , or both. The voice generator may include features to enable the doll to speak different phrases in response to different user inputs. For example, the voice generator may be adapted to generate a particular phrase after the user applies makeup to the lips  26  and a different phrase after the user applies makeup to the eyes  24 .  
         [0043]     Additionally or alternatively, the voice generator may be adapted to generate a given phrase in response to user activation of a user interface mechanism  36  and a different phrase after the user applies any kind of makeup. Additionally, the power supply  78  may optionally be coupled to the internal portions  50   a  and/or  50   b , depending on whether those portions require power to move the features. Other configurations and adaptations of the speaking device are possible such that the speaking device responds to the user interaction.  
         [0044]     In another aspect of the present disclosure, the doll may include a user interface mechanism  36 , an example of which is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 . The user interface mechanism  36  may be adapted to activate one or more of the interactive features of the doll  10 , such as the eyes  24 , the lips  26 , and/or a voice generator  70 . The interface mechanism  36  may be associated with the body  30  or the head  20 .  
         [0045]     The interface mechanism  36  may include an interface member  38  with which the user can interact to cause a response by one or more interactive features of the doll  10 . The interface mechanism may be in physical, electrical, magnetic or radio communication with the movement mechanisms and/or the speaking devices. As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , the interface member  38  of the interface mechanism  36  may include a depressible button adapted to look like a jewel or other clothing feature.  
         [0046]     Accordingly, while embodiments have been particularly shown and described with reference to the foregoing disclosure, many variations may be made therein. The foregoing embodiments are illustrative, and no single feature or element is essential to all possible combinations that may be used in a particular application. Where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such claims include one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Further, ordinal indicators, such as first, second or third, for identified elements are used to distinguish between the elements, and do not indicate or imply a required or limited number of such elements, and do not indicate a particular position or order of such elements unless otherwise specifically stated.