Patent Application
20240286053
A plush toy, often referred to as a stuffed toy, is a soft, padded toy made from cloth and filled with materials such as cotton, wool, or synthetic fibers. These toys come in various shapes and sizes, often resembling animals, cartoon characters, or other whimsical creatures. Their soft and cuddly exterior makes them particularly appealing to hold and snuggle with. Plush toys can provide children with a sense of comfort and security. They also serve as a stimulus for imaginative play, becoming a familiar and comforting presence in a child's life. They can act as a constant companion through various stages of childhood, providing a sense of continuity and stability.
However, conventional plush toys do not offer interactivity. While they can be cuddled, dressed, or incorporated into imaginative play, they are static and lack interactive features like sounds, lights, and movement. As such, plush toys, while tactile, generally lack the visual and auditory stimuli that are important for developing specific sensory skills in children.
Embodiments described herein solve the above-described problem by integrating a fan blade LED assembly into a plush toy. In accordance with some embodiments, a toy includes a plush body, a fan blade LED assembly embedded in the plush body, and an encasing shell configured to encase the fan blade LED assembly. The fan blade LED assembly includes one or more fan blades, and an array of LED lights on each of the one or more fan blades, a motor coupled to the one or more fan blades to cause the one or more fan blades to rotate. The fan blade LED assembly also includes a controller configured to control the motor and the array of programmable LED lights to cause the array of the programmable LED lights to switch on or off in specific sequences while the one or more fan blades are rotating, creating one or more images. In some embodiments, the one or more images are configured to form one or more animations.
The encasing shell is configured to encase the fan blade LED assembly. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the encasing shell includes a translucent material, through which the one or more images are projected. In some embodiments, the translucent material includes at least one of the following materials: frosted glass, frosted plastic, and/or frosted crystal. In some embodiments, the encasing shell is in one of the following shapes: a spherical shape, a semi-spherical shape, a dome-like shape, an elliptical shape, a semi-elliptical shape, or an elliptical dome-like shape.
In some embodiments, the toy further includes an intercommunication module embedded in the plush body. The intercommunication module is configured to communicate with an external device. The fan blade LED assembly is configured to display one or more images based on communication with the external device.
In some embodiments, the toy is a first toy, and the external device is a second toy. The first toy and the second toy are configured to communicate with each other. Controllers of the first toy and the second toy are configured to synchronize to cause fan blade LED assemblies of the first toy and the second toy to display correlated images based on communication between the first toy and the second toy.
In some embodiments, the toy is a first toy, and the first toy is configured to form an ad hoc network with a plurality of second toys. The ad hoc network facilitates communication among the first toy and the plurality of second toys, causing the first toy and the plurality of second toys to synchronize and display one or more correlated images based on the communication.
In some embodiments, the intercommunication module is configured to determine whether a second toy is nearby or within a predetermined distance, and responsive to determining that the second toy is nearby or within the predetermined distance, the controller causes the fan blade LED assembly to display one or more predetermined animations.
In some embodiments, the intercommunication module includes at least one of: a Wi-Fi module configured to communicate with external devices via a wireless internet network, a Bluetooth module configured to communicate with external devices over a short-range wireless network, a near field communication (NFC) module configured to communicate with external devices over a close-range wireless network, or a cellular radio module configured to communicate with external devices over a cellular network.
Conventional plush toys generally do not offer interactivity. While they can be cuddled, dressed, or incorporated into imaginative play, they are static and lack interactive features like sounds, lights, and movement. As such, plush toys, while tactile, generally lack the visual and auditory stimuli that are important for developing specific sensory skills in children.
Embodiments described herein solve the above-described problem by integrating a fan blade LED assembly into a plush toy.
The fan blade LED assembly 110 is embedded in the plush body. The fan blade LED assembly 110 includes one or more fan blades 112, an array of LED lights 114 on each of the one or more fan blades 112, and a motor coupled to the one or more fan blades 112 to cause the one or more fan blades 112 to rotate. The fan blade LED assembly 110 also includes a controller configured to control the motor and the array of programmable LED lights 114 to cause the array of the programmable LED lights 114 to switch on or off in specific sequences while the one or more fan blades 112 are rotating, creating one or more images. In some embodiments, the one or more images are configured to form one or more animations. When the fan blades 112 rotate, the LED lights 114 on the fan blades 112 light up according to a programmed sequence. Because the fan blade 112 rotates rapidly, the users (or human eyes) cannot see the individual fan blade 112 moving. Instead, users see a continuous image. This is a phenomenon where an afterimage remains on a retina of a user for a brief time after the image source has been removed from view. By rapidly blinking the LED lights 114 on and off as the fan blade 112 rotates, the fan blade LED assembly 110 creates an illusion of a full, continuous image floating in the air. In some embodiments, the fast rotation of the fan blades 112 and programming of the LED lights 114 can create visuals that appear three-dimensional from certain perspectives. This effect, combined with the absence of a visible screen or surface, creates an illusion of a hologram or a holographic animation.
In some embodiments, the toy 100 may also include a speaker configured to make sound accompanying the images or animations. In some embodiments, the toy 100 may also include robotic components configured to move automatically. The movement may also accompany images, animations, and/or sound.
In some embodiments, the fan blade 200 is a straight blade, extending straight out from a hub. In some embodiments, the fan blade 200 is a curved blade that curves either forward or backward to reduce noise. In some embodiments, the fan blade 200 is a sickle-shaped blade having a curve that resembles a sickle. In some embodiments, the fan blade 200 is an airfoil-shaped blade. In some embodiments, the fan blade 200 is a swept blade that is swept back or forward in relation to a direction of rotation. In some embodiments, the fan blade 200 is a broad paddle blade that is wide and flat. In some embodiments, the fan blade 200 is a narrow blade. Depending on the shape of the fan blade 200, there may be more or fewer programmable LED lights embedded thereon. For example, for a broad paddle blade, there may be a matrix of programmable LED lights 210 embedded thereon. For a narrow blade, there may be a line of programmable LED lights 210 embedded thereon, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the fan blade LED assembly 300 further includes an intercommunication module. The intercommunication module is configured to communicate with an external device, such as a mobile device or another smart toy. The fan blade LED assembly 300 is configured to display one or more images based on communication with the external device.
In some embodiments, the intercommunication module includes at least one of: a Wi-Fi module configured to communicate with external devices via a wireless internet network, a Bluetooth module configured to communicate with external devices over a short-range wireless network, a near field communication (NFC) module configured to communicate with external devices over a close-range wireless network, or a cellular radio module configured to communicate with external devices over a cellular network.
In some embodiments, the intercommunication module of a first toy 100A is configured to determine whether a second toy 100B is nearby or within a predetermined distance, and responsive to determining that the second toy 100B is nearby or within the predetermined distance, the controller of the first toy 100A causes its fan blade LED assembly to display one or more predetermined animations. Similarly, the controller of the second toy 100B does the same. Responsive to determining that the first toy 100A is nearby or within the predetermined distance, the controller of the second toy 100B causes its fan blade LED assembly to display one or more predetermined animations.
For example, a user of a toy may be able to associate a name with the toy. The intercommunication module of the toy may be configured to transmit the name associated with the toy to a nearby toy. When a first toy associated with a first name is near a second toy with a second name, the first toy may generate an image, greeting the second toy by the second name, and the second toy may generate an image, greeting the first toy by the first name. As another example, when the first toy and the second toy detect each other's presents, they may display a hand-waving animation or smiley face to each other.
In some embodiments, more than two toys are configured to communicate with each other simultaneously.
The foregoing description of the embodiments has been presented for the purpose of illustration; many modifications and variations are possible while remaining within the principles and teachings of the above description.
The language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and it may not have been selected to narrow the inventive subject matter. It is therefore intended that the scope of the patent rights be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by any claims that issue on an application based hereon.
As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having,” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive “or” and not to an exclusive “or.” For example, a condition “A or B” is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present). Similarly, a condition “A, B, or C” is satisfied by any combination of A, B, and C being true (or present). As a non-limiting example, the condition “A, B, or C” is satisfied when A and B are true (or present) and C is false (or not present). Similarly, as another non-limiting example, the condition “A, B, or C” is satisfied when A is true (or present) and B and C are false (or not present).
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/448,775, titled “Intercommunicative Holographic Blade Assembly In A Plush Like Toy,” filed Feb. 28, 2023, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63448775 | Feb 2023 | US |
