Patent Application
20250135369
The embodiments presented relate to an interactive hand-held toy apparatus, and in particular, to an integrated toy apparatus which enables the operator to activate a variety of colored lighting schemes and pre-programmed sounds within a portable hand-held wand.
Handheld toys have made up one of the largest segments in the toy industry for centuries. Handheld toys, which began as purely rigid, single-piece objects, have evolved over the years to incorporate movement, electronics, lighting, and mechanical mechanisms to increase the stimuli produced when the toy is used. Wand-style toys have likewise undergone an evolution from merely being rigid, ornamental figures atop a stick, to toys incorporating handles, triggers, and interactive play.
It is a common theme for toys to be modeled after real-life objects, such as aircrafts, which are scaled down and simplified into handheld devices for mobility and ease of play. As the capability of toy manufacturers to emulate the real-life counterparts has increased, the functions and features of the scaled-down models become more akin to those found in the real-life object. The ability of toys to emulate functions and stimuli associated with the real-life objects they represent is essential for capturing the imagination of the user and creating a more immersive play experiences for users of all ages; immersive play increases the enjoyment and overall experience for the user.
Toys have further been able to captivate users by making the devices more interactive. Handheld toys are able to incorporate physical inputs from a user to produce reactive effects and stimuli. By incorporating both emulative stimuli and the interactive features into a single device, the resulting toy is capable of feeding into a user's imagination to create a themed environment and respond to the whims created within the user's imagination.
A handheld toy is typically personal to the user, but it can further become social and permit the user to play with others by incorporating interactive features that are experienced by both the primary user and by persons in the nearby vicinity. These social-interactive features may be found in the form outputs, such as audio, light, visual motion, and tactile interactions like projectiles. Conversely, social-interactive features may also take the form of inputs by incorporating sensors to detect incoming signals, motion, light, audio, etc. Tactile effects in a toy are some of the most effective at creating an interactive experience due to the physical, and thereby more real feeling, nature of the effects. Consequently, several toys have incorporated projectiles and moving parts as their primary stimuli.
Systems and methods which disclose interactive handheld toys have been known in the art, including U.S. Pat. No. 7,445,550 to Barney et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,265,984 to Molinaroli. Further, interactive toys which incorporate the ability to discharge projectiles have existed in the art, such as U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2006/0011186 to Jones et al., and U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2009/0071455 to Sopinsky et al.
Embodiments described herein provide an interactive, hand-held, wand-styled toy fighter aircraft apparatus which includes a plurality of colored light emitting diodes contained within a hermetically sealed translucent body and toy fighter aircraft assembly. The apparatus includes a microcontroller, multi-axis sensor, spring-activated projectile launcher, and fighter aircraft assembly which enable a variety of stored pre-programmed sound effects to be played through a waterproof speaker, illuminate a strand of light emitting diodes, and release a dummy projectile from the fuselage of the fighter aircraft assembly using both a plurality of push-button switches and trigger located on the handle. The multi-axis sensor which is connected to the microcontroller and is configured to sense when the apparatus is tilted in a given direction. The multi-axis sensor transmits an electrical signal to the microcontroller to illuminate the strand of colored light emitting diodes (LED) or play a stored sound effect in response to the apparatus being tilted in a pre-determined direction.
The embodiments further provides a toy aircraft assembly releasably attached to the elongated and translucent body of the wand apparatus at a coupling which contains a strand of light emitting diodes contained within the hermetically sealed and translucent body about the perimeter. The microcontroller, memory module, and speaker are electrically connected the battery (i.e., power) supply, push-button switch, spring loaded release mechanism, and on/off switch located within the handle portion of the apparatus. The microcontroller further includes a timer which is pre-programmed to control the duration of the light scheme and sound effects. The apparatus is further configured to allow the microcontroller to be electrically or mechanically connected to a spring-loaded or pneumatic apparatus on the aircraft assembly which allows a projectile to be released or forcibly ejected from the aircraft assembly.
The embodiments enable the operator to depress a push-button on the outside surface of the handle portion a pre-selected number of times to energize the strand of light emitting diodes, waterproof speaker, pre-programmed sounds within the memory module, and spring-activated projectile launcher. Further, the apparatus is designed to be twirled into the air to simulate the toy aircraft assembly taking flight through the air and engaging in various aerial moves.
Other aspects, advantages, and novel features of the embodiments will become apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings.
A more complete understanding of the embodiments, and the attendant advantages and features thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
The specific details of the single embodiment or variety of embodiments described herein are set forth in this application. Any specific details of the embodiments are used for demonstration purposes only, and no unnecessary limitation or inferences are to be understood therefrom. Furthermore, as used herein, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,” “top” and “bottom,” and the like, may be used solely to distinguish one entity or element from another entity or element without necessarily requiring or implying any physical or logical relationship, or order between such entities or elements.
The embodiments provide an interactive hand-held wand-styled toy fighter aircraft apparatus having a toy fighter aircraft assembly releasably attached to a hermetically sealed elongated body. The interactive apparatus further includes a plurality of colored light emitting diodes contained within the hermetically sealed elongated body which connects the aircraft assembly at the first end and handle portion at the opposite second end. The user may control the color schemes, sound selection, and the spring-loaded or pneumatic ejection apparatus by depressing the push-button actuator a number of times until the desired setting is achieved. One example of operation would be to energize the apparatus by placing the switch in the “on” position, depressing the push-button actuator at least once and having both a colored light scheme and pre-programmed sound play for a pre-determined period of time upon ejecting a desired projectile from the fighter aircraft apparatus.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the views. There is shown in
The elongated body 20 is linearly designed having a length 30 extending from the first end of the handle 22 to the second end of the elongated body 32. The linearly shaped elongated body 20 is further designed to allow the illuminable strand of light emitting diodes 28 which are coiled about the trigger rod 29 located at the axis of the elongated body 34.
The strand of light emitting diodes 28 includes a plurality of colored diodes 38 electrically connected to a timer 40 within a microcontroller 42 (further illustrated in
The fighter aircraft assembly 18 has a toy fighter aircraft shaped configuration and is releasably attached to the first end of the elongated body 32 using a coupling 26 which connects the elongated body 20 to the aircraft assembly 18 creating a hermetic seal to prevent moisture intrusion into the control electronics. The hollow coupling 26 further allows the strand of illuminable light emitting diodes 28 to be continuously coiled about the trigger rod 29 which extends to the aircraft assembly 18. The fighter aircraft assembly 18 is further configured to contain at least one ejection chair apparatus 42 by either spring loaded or pneumatic means, and at least one spring-activated projectile launcher 50 at a fuselage 24 or wings 52 of the aircraft assembly.
The handle portion 12 located at the second end of the elongated body 32 and opposite the aircraft assembly 18 further includes a plurality push button switches 14 and push-button power actuator 45 which are both electrically connected to the at least one battery supply 48 and microcontroller 42.
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The multi-axis sensor 44 is designed to sense any movement of the apparatus 10 and respond by initiating a pre-determined light scheme or playing one of the stored pre-programmed sound effects. For example, if the child were to tilt the apparatus 10 forward from a vertical to horizontal position, the multi-axis sensor 44 would sense both the force and movement within the single load cell sensor and the sound of missile launching may be heard. In another example, if the apparatus were tipped “up-side-down” the multi-axis sensor 44 would sense the change in movement and immediately display flashing red lights to indicate the aircraft is in danger of crashing.
The body 20 further secures the elongated trigger rod which mechanically connects the interior portion of the trigger components 54 with the spring-activated projectile launcher 50. While playing with the toy, the user may be able to squeeze the trigger 16 and release bombs and missiles over a fictional target. Once dispersed, the dummy projectile 17 can be re-loaded into spring-activated projectile launcher 50.
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It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present embodiment is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that all of the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the following claims.
