Abstract:
An interactive hatching egg provides a learning experience for children. The egg is formed of upper and lower sections joined along a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the egg. The lower section carries a power supply, a controller having an input coupled to a touch sensor and outputs coupled to a motive drive, an illumination source and a sound generator. The controller is programmed to initiate a cycle upon detecting when the egg is touched, with the cycle including sound and light patterns. The cycle concludes with the motive drive actuating a latch which releases a hatch lid contoured in the upper shell to expose a baby animal. Upon detecting the egg being touched during a cycle, the controller alters the sound and/or light patterns.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates generally to toys which provide learning experiences and more particularly to a toy which simulates the hatching of an egg.  
           [0003]    2. Antecedents of the Invention  
           [0004]    Hatching egg toys have been proposed heretofore as, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,895 issued to CHO and U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,915 issued to LIAW. U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,895 disclosed an egg shell with sections joined together by a liquid soluble medium such that when the egg was immersed in liquid, the shell sections separated and a toy figure was revealed. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,881,915 also disclosed a liquid activated hatching egg wherein water, which entered the egg, caused a compressed foam animal carried within the egg to expand, breaking through weakened fault lines of the egg.  
           [0005]    These toys merely provided amusement; significantly lacking was a meaningful learning experience.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    An interactive hatching egg is formed of a shell comprising a pair of shell sections which are joined along a plane extending transversely through the egg.  
           [0007]    Depending from the upper shell section into the lower shell section is a generally planar circular chassis with a peripheral side wall. A bracket extending downwardly from the bottom of the chassis carries a power supply and a keyway for receiving an axial retention post. Mounted to the chassis and within an enclosure defined by the chassis side wall and a cover plate, is a circuit board having a controller, e.g. a microprocessor. Illumination devices, a sound generator and a motive drive, which is coupled to a drive train for engaging a spring latch, are also carried within the enclosure. The spring latch releases a hatch lid formed in the upper shell section for simulating a hatching egg experience and exposing a baby animal which is positioned in the upper shell section, seated upon the chassis cover.  
           [0008]    A pair of contact surfaces are provided on the lower shell section in communication with the controller for sensing when the egg is touched. The controller is programmed to initiate a hatching cycle upon sensing that the egg has been touched, with the hatching cycle being of a predetermined duration and terminating with the hatch lid being released. During the cycle, the illumination devices and a sound generator are actuated in one or more patterns with the patterns varying in response to the egg being touched.  
           [0009]    From the foregoing compendium, it should be appreciated that it is an aspect of the present invention to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which is not subject to the disadvantages of the antecedents of the invention aforementioned.  
           [0010]    A feature of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which instills in children caring instincts.  
           [0011]    Another aspect of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which is well-suited for preschool age children.  
           [0012]    A consideration of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which is simple to use.  
           [0013]    Another consideration of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which fosters nurturing instincts.  
           [0014]    A further feature of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which is well-suited for unsupervised child play.  
           [0015]    Yet another aspect of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which promotes development of tactile and auditory senses in children.  
           [0016]    A further consideration of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which fosters association of tactile and visual senses in children.  
           [0017]    A still further consideration of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described capable of maintaining a child&#39;s attention.  
           [0018]    To provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which is suitable for economical low cost mass production fabrication is a still further consideration of the present invention.  
           [0019]    Another feature of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described with internal components being inaccessible to young children.  
           [0020]    A still further feature of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which is responsive to being touched by a child.  
           [0021]    An additional feature of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which is durable and well-suited for preschool as well as school age play environments.  
           [0022]    Yet another consideration of the present invention is to provide an interactive hatching egg of the general character described which is well suited for usage by people of all ages.  
           [0023]    Other aspects, features and considerations in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.  
           [0024]    With these ends in view, the invention finds embodiment in the various combinations of elements, arrangements of parts and series of steps by which the said aspects, features and considerations are attained, all with reference to the accompanying drawings, and the scope of which will be more particularly pointed out and indicated in the appended claims.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0025]    In the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible exemplary embodiments of the invention,  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention and showing an upper and a lower section with the upper section having a hatch lid which is operable to expose a baby animal and with the lower section including a pair of sensors for detecting when the egg has been touched;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the interactive hatching egg and showing the hatch lid in its open position and a chassis, which fits within the lower section;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the chassis and showing a bracket for carrying a power supply, a keyway for receiving an axial retention post and a depression formed on the top face of the chassis for receiving a motive drive;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the chassis, with portions deleted for clarity and showing a circuit board mounted to the chassis with a controller on the board;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the chassis, with portions deleted for clarity and illustrating a gear train driven by the motive drive for releasing a spring latch; and  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 6 is a simplified block diagram of the controller operating system showing input and output devices.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0032]    Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral  10  denotes generally an interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, the egg includes an upper shell section  12  and a lower shell section  14  joined along a plane which is transverse to a longitudinal axis  16  of the egg. The shell sections  12 ,  14  are preferably molded of a suitable thermoplastic and in accordance with the invention, at least a portion of the upper section  12  is somewhat translucent.  
         [0033]    Carried within the lower section  14  is a circular, generally planar chassis having a peripheral side wall  20 . A cover plate  22  is positioned over the upper edge of the side wall  20  to provide an enclosure.  
         [0034]    Extending from the bottom of the chassis  18 , as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, is a power supply bracket  24  which carries, for example, a pair of batteries  26 . Projecting downwardly from the bracket  24  is a transverse web  28  having a central keyway opening  30  for receiving a retention post  32  which extends upwardly from an axial aperture at the bottom of the lower section  14 . The post  32  is engaged in the keyway  30  to retain the chassis within the lower section  14  and fix the upper section  12  to the lower section  14 .  
         [0035]    Mounted on the chassis  18  is a controller  34  carried on a circuit board  36 . In accordance with the invention, the controller  34  is operatively connected to one or more touch sensors  38  having engagement services contoured to mate with the lower section  14 . The touch sensors are received within sockets  40  formed in the lower section and which extend in a generally axial direction. The upper portion of each sensor  38  is received in a cylindrical sleeve  42  and a radial branch  44  of each sensor  38  engages a cutout notch  46  of each sleeve  42 , to lock the sensors  38  in position. The sensors  38  are formed of or coated with a conductive material and the upper end of each sensor  38  extends to and is registered with a chassis aperture  48 . A contact plate  50  extends from the board  36  to each of the sensors  38 , with contact being completed through the apertures  48 .  
         [0036]    A sensor circuit  52 , mounted to the board  36 , is coupled to plates  50  and generates a signal upon detecting contact between child&#39;s hands and the touch sensors  38 . Any of a number of known sensor circuits may be employed including capacitive, current flow, etc. Additionally, the touch sensors may comprise one or more pressure sensitive switches.  
         [0037]    Also coupled to the controller  34  are a plurality of output devices including an illumination device or devices  54 , which may comprise a light emitting diode or diodes, an electroilluminescent wire or panel or any other known illumination output device. It should be noted that apertures  56  for the illumination devices  54  are provided in the cover plate  22 , such that illumination will be viewable through the translucent portion of the upper section  12 .  
         [0038]    Also coupled to the controller  34  is a sound generator output device  58  which may comprise, for example, a piezoelectric device mounted to the underside of the cover plate  22  and coupled to the controller  34  by suitable electrical leads (not shown). A further output device coupled to the controller  34  is a motive drive  60 , illustrated in an exemplary manner as an electric motor. It should be appreciated that any various electromechanical drives may be utilized, such as, a linear motor or solenoid. The electric motor is carried in a depression  61  of the chassis  18 .  
         [0039]    Referring now to FIG. 5, a typical drive train  62  is illustrated for instances wherein the motive drive  60  comprises an electric motor. The drive train  62  includes a worm gear  64  coupled to a motor shaft, with the worm gear  64  driving a spur gear  66 . A pinion  68 , concentrically mounted to the spur gear  66 , drives a further spur gear  70 . A post  72 , extending axially from the spur gear  70 , engages a cam  74  on a latch plate  76 . The latch plate  76  is pivotally mounted to an axial post  78 , extending from the chassis  18 .  
         [0040]    Engagement between the post  72  and the cam  74  causes the latch plate  76  to rotate in a counter clockwise direction about the post  78 , against the bias of an integral leaf spring  80 , causing a latch  82  to move inward in a substantially radial direction.  
         [0041]    The latch  82  thus disengages from a mating latch  84  which is fixed to a translucent hatch lid  86  formed in the upper section  12 . When the latches  82 ,  84  are disengaged, the hatch lid  86  swings from its closed position, shown in FIG. 1, to its open position, shown in FIG. 2, about a spring biased hinge  88  to expose a toy baby animal  90 , seated on the cover plate  22 .  
         [0042]    In manufacture of the interactive hatching egg  10  in accordance with the invention, after the chassis components have been assembled, the lid is positioned such that the apertures  56  are registered with the illumination devices  54  and the latch  82  projects through a rectangular opening  92 . With the components thus registered, a pair of screws  94  are extended through registered openings in the chassis  18  and the cover  22 ; the screws  94  are anchored in sockets  96 , formed in the upper section  12 . The chassis is thus fixed to the upper section  12  and extends downwardly therefrom.  
         [0043]    Thereafter, the upper and lower sections are registered such that the touch sensors  38  are registered with the chassis openings  48 . The upper and lower sections are then urged together and locked in position by rotation of the retention post  32  in the keyway  30 .  
         [0044]    Pursuant to the invention, the controller  34  is programmed to initiate a hatching cycle upon receiving a first signal from the sensor circuit  52 , indicating that the egg  10  has been touched by a child. The hatching cycle may extend for any predetermined duration, e.g. from one hour or less to twenty four or forty eight hours.  
         [0045]    At the end of the hatching cycle, the motive drive  60  is actuated to disengage the latches  82 , 84  such that the hatch lid  86  swings open, exposing the toy baby animal  90  which then may be removed from the egg.  
         [0046]    During the hatching cycle, the controller program actuates the illumination devices  54  in various patterns and also actuates the sound generator  58  to produce various sounds. The actuation of the illumination devices  54  and sound generator  58  may be continuous or intermittent. The types of sounds and duration thereof is predetermined pursuant to the controller program.  
         [0047]    Upon receiving a signal from the sensor circuit  52  that the egg has been touched during a hatching cycle, which would occur if a child handled the egg in a nurturing or caring manner, the controller  36  is programmed to vary the intensity and/or pattern of its actuation of the illumination devices and/or sound generator so that the child receives a responsive feedback.  
         [0048]    The controller  34  may also be programmed to vary the hatching cycle, e.g. shorten the cycle duration in response to a signal or signals indicating that the egg has been touched during a cycle.  
         [0049]    An alternate program for a hatching cycle is for the controller to actuate the illumination devices and/or sound generator only if the egg is touched during a hatching cycle or to provide intermittent actuation, e.g. at commencement and/or end of the cycle if the egg is not touched as well as actuation when touched.  
         [0050]    Thus it will be seen that there is provided an interactive hatching egg which achieves the various aspects, features and considerations of the present invention and which is well suited to meet the conditions of practical usage.  
         [0051]    It should be understood that the invention should not be construed as limited in utility. For example, the invention will find usage in adult markets, as for example, as a novelty device, interactive desk ornament or gift dispenser.  
         [0052]    Since various possible embodiments might be made of the present invention and since various changes might be made in the exemplary embodiments shown herein without departing from the spirit of the invention, it should be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings should be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.