US3298130A

US3298130A - Animated speaking figure toy

Info

Publication number: US3298130A
Application number: US505782A
Authority: US
Inventors: John W Ryan
Original assignee: Mattel Inc
Current assignee: Mattel Inc
Priority date: 1963-02-08
Filing date: 1965-11-01
Publication date: 1967-01-17
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-17

Description

Jam. TL WW .1. w. RYAN ANIMATED SPEAKING FIGURE TOY 4 Sheets-5heet Original. Filed Feb. 8, 1963 INVENTOR. Jaa/v W. ,QM/V

J. W. RYAN ANMATED SPEAKING FIGURE TOY Jan, l?, W6?

4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Feb. 8, 1963 INVENTOR, J//V W @VA/V ZW? MW/7 TT/Q/VEY Jan.. w, ww J. W. RYAN www@ ANIMATED SPEAKING FIGURE TOY Original Filed Feb. 8, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jan, 17, 1967 J. W RYAN ANIMATED SPEAKING FIGURE TOY Original Filed Feb.` 8, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

d i ma INVENTOR.

United States 3,298,130 ANIMATED SPEAKING FIGURE 'IUY .lohn W. Ryan, Bel-Air, Calif., assigner to Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif., a corporation of California Original application Feb. 8, 1963, Ser. No. 257,123, now

Patent No. 3,230,665, dated Ian. 25, 1966. Divided and this application Nov. 1, 1965, Ser. No. 505,782

5 Claims. (Cl. 46-118) This application is a divisional application which was divided from copending application Serial No. 257,123, tiled February 8, 1963, and which issued as Patent No. 3,230,665.

This invention relates to fan improved toy which is an animated speaking iigure toy such as a doll or other figure which might be a plush toy, for example.

The toy of the invention which in a preferred form is embodied in a doll has a manually actuatable phonograph or voice unit in it and the doll has animated or movable lips and eyes. The phonograph or voice unit may be of the type disclosed in Patent No. 3,017,187 of lohn W. Ryan. The phonograph device, as stated, is manually operated and preferably has a random characteristic in that in response to actuating manipulations it can produce a variety of distinctive sounds or sentences or the like at random so that what the doll says in effect is unexpected or unanticipated.

The lips and eyes of the doll or other figure are movable having improved animated characteristics. A particular feature of the invention is that the phonograph or voice unit has combined with it a novel power takeoff whereby the lips and eyes are moved in synchronism with or in relation to the operation of the phonograph and the sounds emanating therefrom so that the doll simulates lifelike characteristics, both from the standpoint of sounds and also from the standpoint of the movements or animation of the lips and eyes. The power take-H is constructed to provide particular coordination between the movements of the lips and eyes and the phonograph operation.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved figure toy capable of simulating speaking or making sounds which are coordinated with movable or animated lips and eyes. i

Another object is to provide a toy as in the foregoing, including a phonograph device and a combined power take-oli whereby the phonograph device drives the movable or animated lips and eyes.

Another object is to provide improved and more lifelike animated or movable lips and eyes in a figure toy.

Further objects and additional advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a view of a doll having the invention embodied therein;

FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of a doll embodying a preferred form of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 3A is a graph showing the relationship between phonograph movement and lip movement of the doll;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional View taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a detail view of a part of the take-off;

p FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 with the part in a different position;

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURES 6 and 7 with the part in another position;

power 3,298,130 Patented Jan. 17, 1967 FIGURE 9 is an exploded view of the movable eye assemblies;

FIGURE 10 is a rear view of one of the eye sockets;

FIGURE l1 is a sectional view of one of the eye sockets;

FIGURE 12 is a sectional view of one of the eyeball members; and

FIGURE 13 is a view of the actuating mechanism for the movable lips.

The major components of the assembly will be described in order and then the overall operation will be summarized. Y

PHONOGRAPH AND POWER TAKE-OFF The phonograph device is shown in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 and the power take-olf device is shown in these iigures and in FIGURES 5, 6, 7 and 8.

Numeral 10 in FIGURE 1 designates a toy doll ligure which may have a body made of plastic or other suitable material and may have articulated legs and arms and a head, as shown. In this form of the invention, the phonograph device is embodied in the torso of the doll with the speaker cone 11 in a position as shown in the figures. The flange 13 of the speaker cone engages against an annular rib 16 extending inwardly from the body of the doll and this part of the doll is perforated as shown at 17 to allow the sound to come out.

Preferably the body of the doll is formed in halves or sections as designated at 19 and 20. The sections form a circular neck part 22 having a liange 23. The head 25 may be made of a suitable material, preferably having a iiexible flanged neck opening, as shown at 27, which can be fitted over the liange 23 on the neck part 22 of the body, as shown.

The parts of the phonograph device generally are supported from posts or bosses extending inwardly from the part or half 20 of the body and are held in position by an overlying frame structure. The phonograph has a turntable 30 which has peripheral flanges as shown at 31 and 32 and is peripherally toothed. Passing around the turntable is a toothed belt 34 which drives a toothed pulley 35 by means of which a governor, as designated at 37, is driven as will be described. The turntable has an extending stem 40 received in an opening in a post 41 extending from the doll part 20. The stem 40 extends inwardly and mounted on it is a spool 43 for drawstring 44. The stem 40 has an extending end part 46 journaled in a part 47 of a frame 49 on which some of the parts are mounted and which holds certain parts in position, as will be described. Between the spool 43 and the turntable 30 is a clock type spring 51 which is wound or energized when the drawstring 44 is pulled by pulling the ring 52. The spool 43 is provided with a one way clutch, not shown, so that when the drawstring 44 is pulled the spring is wound or energized Without the turntable being driven and when the drawstring is released, the spring can drive or rotate the turntable. i

The turntable carries a record 54 which may preferably be a record of the type disclosed in prior patent No. 3,017,187 having interleaved spiral grooves each having a distinctive group of words or sounds recorded thereon.- The end of the spring 51 is held between

posts

55, 56 and 57 extending from the part 20 of the body, as shown in FIGURE 3.

The frame 49 has a domed part 56 and an extending circular boss 57 within which is mounted the centrifugal governor 37. This governor may preferably be of a type shown in Patent No. 3,017,187. The governor has a rotor 59 which carries the toothed wheel 35 and which has an extending stem 61 which extends into an opening in a post 62 which extends from the part 120 of the doll.

The rotor has an extending stem 63 at the other end which is journaled in an opening in la Aboss 64 extending from one side of the domed part 56 of the frame 49. The governor is of the ily ball type having arcuate weighted members, one of which is designated at 65 having extending arms 66 and 67 journaled on a pin or stem 69 having on it a torsion spring 71. The weights or ily ball members have friction surfaces, as shown at 73, which frictionally engage against the interior of the circular boss 57 to regulate the speed of rotation, the outward movement being against the force of the torsion springs, as designated a-t 71.

The frame 49 has an extending part 74 from which a pin extends into an opening in a post 76 extending from the part 20 of the doll or figure. FIGURE 3 which is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1 shows the conguration of the frame member 49. The frame 49 has extended pontions 80 and 81 around the circular skirt 57 and an extending portion 82 and

diagonal ribs

83 and 84. Numeral 86 designates a portion of the frame of channel shaped cross section which extends upwardly with an inwardly extended portion, as designated at 90. The frame has the tone arm mounted on it and it provides an eyelet for guiding the drawstring 44 in passing to the spool 43. The tone arm is designated at 92, it having a cross section including side ribs 93 and 94 and an intermediate diagonal web 95. At the end of the tone arm 92 is a bushing 98 which is journaled on a pivot pin or stem 100 having a head 101. The pin 100 is mounted as stated in a part 86 of the frame 49 one of the side ribs of the frame part 86 being interrupted to provide for movement of the tone arm. The tone arm carries the needle 103 which overlies `the record surface. The end of the tone arm is shaped as shown at 105 in the gures having a transverse eyelet 106 through which the drawstring 44 passes, the drawstring having frictional engagement with the eyelet. The tone arm 92 also has a transverse rib 107 which provided for sliding engagement between the tone arm and the connection or coupling to the speaker cone 11. The drawstring 44 also passes through an eyelet 110 provided in a side rib of the part 90 of the frame 49. The drawstring also passes through an eyelet 111 in an actuating member 112 for the movable eyes of the doll, which will be described in detail presently. The actuating member 112 has a cutout, as shown at 113 in FIGURE 2, providing a hinge. The end part of the member 112 is attached to a boss 114 on the half or part 20 by a rivet 115.

The coupling to the speaker cone includes a sleeve element 116 telescoped into a cylindrical member 117 attached to the lower par-t of the speakerrcone. A silicone grease or similar material may be provided between these elements for the purpose of providing for sliding movement while still being capable of transmitting sonic frequencies as disclosed in the patent of lohn W. Ryan, No. 3,095,201. Within the sleeve 116 is a coil spring 119, the upper end of which engages the end of a group of radially extending gussets 121 which extend to the coupling. The ends of the gussets 121 engage a rib 124 extending diametrically across the circular annular rib formation 16, previously described. In operation, as will be described, a pull lon the drawstring is able to lift the end of the tone arm so as to lift the needle off the record. When this happens the sleeve 116 is able to move relative to the cylinder 117 so that stress is not applied to the speaker cone so that it will not be caused to take a permanent set if left in storage with tension on the drawstring and the tone arm lifted. The coupling is nevertheless capable of transmitting the sonic vibrations.

FIGURE 4 shows the

armholes

126 and 127 in the doll body to which the arms can be attached in a manner known in the art.

The turntable of the phonograph device embodies a power take-off from which coordinated power is taken off for actuating the movable lips, the movable eyes being actuated by the drawstring, as will be described in detail presently. FIGURE 5 shows the underside of the turntable 30. It has in it a groove or slot ofthe shape as shown. The slot is not circular, but is shaped so that it provides a pathway having varying distances from the center established by the stem or arbor 40 about which the turntable rotates. Numeral 131 designates a roller carried by a slide plate 133 so that as the turntable rotates, the roller 131 and slide plate 133 are caused to move back and forth, as illustrated by the different positions of the slide plate 133 in FIGURES 6, 7 and 8. The slide plate is rectangular having a central or intermediate opening 135 to accommodate the post 41 which receives the stem or arbor of the turntable. The movement of the slide plate 133 is guided by

guide members

137 and 138 extending from the part 20 of fthe doll, these members having square guide shoulders at their upper edges. The slide plate 133 has side or

corner ribs

140, 141, 142 and 143 which engage the shoulders at the end edges of the

guide members

137 and 138 to provide for guided sliding movement of the slide plate 133. FIGURE 5 shows the relative positions of the parts, numeral 146 in this figure designating an idler roller which keeps the toothed belt 34 in engagement with the toothed wheel 35 which drives the governor.

Extending from the slide plate 133 is a slotted tubular holder 150 for a ball 151 on the end of a flexible actuating wire or lament 152 by which the lips are moved. This wire or lilament extends through a tube 153 to the lip actuating mechanism which will be described presently. The tube 153 has a flange on the end of it which is received in a slot 154 at the end of a mounting member extending from the part 20 of the doll as designated at 155. During operation of the phonograph, coordinated movement is taken oi by the power take-ol through the lament 152 to impart coordinated movements to the movable lips as will be described in detail presently. The eyes and lips themselves will be described and then the manner in which they are coordinated with the phonograph will be described.

EYE MOVEMENT One of the eyes is designated generally at in FIG- URE 2 and FIGURES 9 to l2 show the structure of the eye assembly in detail. Each eye comprises an eye socket, as shown at 161, an eyeball as designated at 162 and a weight member as designated at 163. AThe eye sockets are cylindrical, as shown, being dome shaped at the front with slots or openings as shown at y166. At the sides of the eye sockets on the inside are dimples 168 to receive trunnions as designated at 170 on the eyeball elements with a snap t. The eyeballs are dome shaped at the front having irises as shown at 171 and eyelashes, as shown at 172. These members are cylindrical at the rear, being cut away at the upper part as shown at 175. The sockets 161 have guide ribs 177 and 178 on the inside to receive in sliding engagement the trunnions 170 on the eyeball members. The extending part of the eyeball members has a slot as shown at 180. The weights as shown at 163 have extending webs, as shown at 182 and 183 with

transverse members

184 and 185 at the ends of these webs. The weights are mounted in the eyeball members so that if the eyeballs are tilted in one direction the weights will tilt them in the opposite direction. The weight as shown at 163 is fitted into the eyeball member 162 by sliding the web 183 into the slot 180 with the transverse member 185 on the other side of the part 175 of the eyeball member. The two eye assemblies are identical and, therefore, both need not be described in detail.

The actuating member 112 for the eyes is made of suitable material such as a plastic material, and has a Weakened part or strip forming a hinge between the member and an end part 191. This part is engageable with the transverse member 193 of a yoke 194 having extend` ing

legs

195 and 196, which are turned outwardly at their ends, as shown at 197 and 198. The end parts, as shown at 197 and 198, are attached to the weights as designated at 163. The end 197 extends through a hole in web 182 and then is crimped over, as shown in FIGURE 10. Both eyeball members are actuated in a similar manner.

FIGURE 2 illustrates the actuation of the eyes of the doll. The ring 52 is pulled to Wind the spring motor and then it is released while it operates. When the drawstring 44 is pulled, the frictional engagement with the eyelet 111 moves the actuating member 112 into the dotted line position, as shown in FIGURE 2. The hinge part 191 engages the transverse member 193 of the yoke 194 and rotates it into the dotted line position as shown in FIGURE 2. As the member 112 moves the hinge part 191 passes under the transverse member 193 so as to release it and the eyeballs then return to their originalposition under the influence of the counterweights. In other words, the eyes perform the blinking act of closing and opening when the drawstring is pulled. When it is released they again perform a blinking act as the member 112 moves in the opposite direction with the hinge part 191 again moving past the transverse member 193.

Next will be described the movable lips and their actuation from the power take-off.

LIP MOVEMENT As described, the head of the doll 25 is made of a flexible material. The lips are designated at 210 and 211 and are attached to the head by weakened .portions forming ihinges, as shown at 213 and 214 to allow simulated natural movements of the lips. There is a cavity simulating the mouth between the lips and a septum or membrane 216 on the inside of which is a bowed metal plate 220 shown in greater detail in FIGURE 13. Mounted on the end of the tube 153 is a bracket 222 having a slotted foot 223 which engages the end of the tube 153. At the upper end of the bracket 222 is a yoke 224 having extending lugs 225 and 226 having holes in which are journaled the ends of a member 228 forming a pivot for extending lever member 230 to which it is connected by a neck 231. The lever 230 extends through a slot in the plate 220, its end part having a configuration as shown at 234, having pointed lateral extensions as shown at 235 and 236. The end part of the lever 230 is embedded in the upper lip 210 in order to move it.

The end of the wire or filament 152 extends through an opening in a lever 240 and is flattened to hold it in place. The lever 240 extends through a slot in the plate 220 and has an end part 241 having a configuration as shown in FIGURE 13 with

lateral extending points

243 and 244 at the end of it which are embedded in the lower lip 211 for moving it. When the wire 152 moves axially, it moves the lever 240, as illustrated in FIGURE 2 so as to move the lower lip to simulate speaking.l This movemen can iiex the flexible material of the membrane or septum 216 sufiiciently to also impart movement to the upper lip 210 by movement of lever 230 about its pivot. The effect is to closely simulate human lip movement.

In operation of the phonograph, due to the irregular shape of the slot 130 in the turntable, the slide plate 133 and wire 152 are moved in accordance with the diagram of FIGURE 3A which shows lip displacement in inches relative to angular position of the turntable. Preferably the slot 130 is shaped so that in a revolution of the turntable the mouth opens twice, once to full opening and a second time to about two-thirds of a full opening. These movements are coordinated with the sound on the record by way of the shape of the slot 130 so that the animated lip movements simulate the words or music that are being reproduced by the phonograph.

Attention is called to the construction of FIGURE 2 wherein a cylindrical inward extension is provided as designated at 346 which is spaced from the dome 56 over the governor. This construction allows deformation of the body or torso of the doll in an inward direction, which is limited by engagement of the part 346 with the dome 56. This provides a deformation tolerance without breakage.

From the foregoing it will be observed that the phonograph is operated by the pull ring 52 and drawstring 44 and that the lip and eye movements, as described, are coordinated with the sound being reproduced.

From the foregoing description of the construction and operation of the present embodiment, those skilled in the art will apperciate that the invention provides a most unusual and fascinating toy in that the doll or other figure in effect has a personalityl of its own from the standpoint of the sounds that are produced and more particularly from the standpoint of the coordination of the lip and eye movements with the sounds. The result is achieved in a novel and effective way since the drawstring movements are utilized to actuate the eyes and the power take-off from the phonograph actuates the lips.

The foregoing disclosure is representative of preferred forms of the invention and is to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense, the invention to be accorded the full scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is: i

1. A toy figure, comprising:

a body;

a hollow head mounted on said body and defined by a resilient wall face portion actuable for changing expression, said face portion including a nose, a chin, and a mouth between said nose and chin positioned in a normal facial arrangement and having upper and lower lips relatively movable between a relatively closed mouth position and a relatively open mouth position;

actuating means mounted within said head and selectively operable for cyclically moving said lips between said positions, said actuating means including a first part connected to said upper lip and a second part connected to said lower lip, said actuating means moving said lips between said relatively closed and said relatively open positions when actuated;

drive means mounted in said body for actuating said actuating means; and

flexible motion transmitting means connecting at least one of said parts to said drive means, said motion transmitting means extending from said head to a position within said body and being flexible whereby to effectively move said lip-s even upon relative movement between said head and body, said motion transmitting means comprising an elongated fiexible tube secured at one end to only one of said parts, and an elongated flexible wire-like element extending slidably through said tube and being secured at one end to only the other of said parts.

2. A toy figure as defined in claim 1 including a phonograph device mounted in said body, said phonograph device having a turntable and means thereon for actuating said drive means whereby operation of said phonograph device is coordinated with said lip movements.

3. A toy figure as defined in claim 1 wherein said drive means includes a slide member guided for generally linear movement in said body, the other end of said wirelike element being secured to said slide member, the other end of said tube being fixed relative to said body.

4. A figure toy, comprising:

-a body;

a hollow head fixed to said body and defined by a resilient wall face portion actuable for changing expression, said face portion. including a nose, a chin, and a mouth between said nose and chin positioned in normal facial arrangement and operable between relatively closed mouth position and a relatively open mouth position;

actuating means connected to said mouth and operable for operating said face portion between said positions;

a phonograph device mounted in said toy, said phonograph device including a turntable rotatable to play a record provided thereon for producing sounds characteristic of said toy, said turntable being provided with a cam groove having a predetermined shape;

a cam follower mounted in said groove;

connecting means connecting said cam follower to said actuating means for operating said face portions between said positions on a predetermined cycle defined by said cam groove during each revolution of said turntable; said toy including movable eye members mounted in said head to tilt about a pivot, means for operating said phonograph device, nger means extending from each of said movable eye members, and an actuating lever movable into engagement with said nger means and being in engagement with said operating means to be actuated thereby upon movement thereof, whereby to engage and move said finger means to cause movement of said eye members.

5. A ligure toy, comprising:

a body;

a hollow head fixed to said body and defined by a resilient wall face portion actuable for changing expression, said face portion including a nose, a chin, and a mouth between said nose and chin positioned in normal facial arrangement and operable between relatively closed mouth position and a relatively open mouth position;

a phonograph device mounted in said toy, said phonograph device including a turntable rotatable to play a record provided thereon for producing sounds chanacteristic of -said toy, said turntable being provided with a cam groove having a predetermined shape;

a cam follower mounted in said groove; and

connecting means connecting said cam follower to said actuating means for operating said face portions between said positions on a predetermined cycle dened by said cam groove during each revolution of said turntable;

said toy including movable eye members mounted in said head to tilt about .a pivot, means comprising a movable drawstring for operating said phonograph device, finger means extending from each of said movable eye members, 'and an actuating lever movtable into engagement with said nger means and being in slidable riCtional engagement with said drawstring to be actuated thereby upon movement of said drawstring, whereby to engage and move said nger means to cause movement of said eye members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 11/1920 France. 12/ 1953 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

L. J. BOVASSO, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. A TOY FIGURE, COMPRISING: A BODY; A HOLLOW HEAD MOUNTED ON SAID BODY AND DEFINED BY A RESILIENT WALL FACE PORTION ACTUABLE FOR CHANGING EXPRESSION, SAID FACE PORTION INCLUDING A NOSE, A CHIN, AND A MOUTH BETWEEN SAID NOSE AND CHIN POSITIONED IN A NORMAL FACIAL ARRANGEMENT AND HAVING UPPER AND LOWER LIPS RELATIVELY MOVABLE BETWEEN A RELATIVELY CLOSED MOUTH POSITION AND A RELATIVELY OPEN MOUTH POSITION; ACTUATING MEANS MOUNTED WITHIN SAID HEAD AND SELECTIVELY OPERABLE FOR CYCLICALLY MOVING SAID LIPS BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS, SAID ACTUATING MEANS INCLUDING A FIRST PART CONNECTED TO SAID UPPER LIP AND A SECOND PART CONNECTED TO SAID LOWER LIP, SAID ACTUATING MEANS MOVING SAID LIPS BETWEEN SAID RELATIVELY CLOSED AND SAID RELATIVELY OPEN POSITIONS WHEN ACTUATED;