Swingable toy

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6796871
  • Patent Number
    6,796,871
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, October 9, 2003
    20 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 28, 2004
    19 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Banks; Derris H.
    • Francis; Faye
Abstract
A toy includes a driving mechanism mounted on a rope located at an overhead position, and a doll having a top mounted on the driving mechanism. The driving mechanism includes a power box, a suspension member, and a gear set. Thus, the swingable toy can float and drift on the rope reciprocally, thereby achieving the amusement effect.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to a toy, and more particularly to a swingable toy that can float and drift on a rope reciprocally, thereby achieving the amusement effect.




2. Description of the Related Art




A conventional toy has a fixed structure and is not mobile, so that the conventional toy can only provide a monotonous and tedious amusement to the children without a functional variation, and cannot be adapted to have any other utility effect so that such a conventional toy cannot fit the practical requirement in the modern world to attract the children attention, thereby greatly limiting the versatility of the conventional toy.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a swingable toy that can float and drift on a rope reciprocally, thereby achieving the amusement effect.




In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a toy, comprising a driving mechanism mounted on a rope located at an overhead position, and including a power box, a suspension member, and a gear set, wherein:




the power box includes a housing, a transverse rod rotatably mounted in the housing, a drive gear secured on and rotated by the transverse rod, a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, a first stepped gear secured on the shaft and meshing with the drive gear, an engaging gear secured on a side of the first stepped gear to rotate therewith, an upright shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, a first crown gear secured on a lower end of the upright shaft and meshing with the engaging gear of the first stepped gear, and a second crown gear secured on an upper end of the upright shaft;




the suspension member is rotatably mounted on the power box; and




the gear set is mounted in the suspension member and includes a first driven gear meshing with the second crown gear, a second driven gear meshing with the first driven gear, a second stepped gear meshing with the second driven gear, an actuating gear secured on a side of the second stepped gear to rotate therewith and engaged on the rope, a third driven gear meshing with the second stepped gear, a scrolling wheel secured on a side of the third driven gear and having a peripheral wall urged on the rope, so that the rope is clamped between the actuating gear of the second stepped gear and the scrolling wheel of the third driven gear.




Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful reading of the detailed description with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a plan view of a toy in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a partially perspective view of the toy in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 3

is an exploded perspective view of the toy as shown in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 4

is a front plan broken view of the toy as shown in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 5

is a side plan cross-sectional view of the toy as shown in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 6

is a schematic plan operational view of the toy as shown in

FIG. 2

;





FIG. 7

is a schematic plan operational view of the toy as shown in

FIG. 6

;





FIG. 8

is a plan view of a toy in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and





FIG. 9

is a schematic plan operational view of the toy as shown in FIG.


8


.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




Referring to the drawings and initially to

FIGS. 1-5

, a toy in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a driving mechanism mounted on a rope


11


which is fixed at an overhead position, and a doll


1


having a top mounted on the driving mechanism.




The driving mechanism includes a power box


2


, a suspension member


3


, and a gear set


4


.




The power box


2


includes a housing


26


, a transverse rod


204


rotatably mounted in the housing


26


, a drive gear


206


secured on and rotated by the transverse rod


204


, a shaft


211


rotatably mounted in the housing


26


, a first stepped gear


21


secured on the shaft


211


and meshing with the drive gear


206


, an engaging gear


210


secured on a side of the first stepped gear


21


to rotate therewith, an upright shaft


23


rotatably mounted in the housing


26


, a first crown gear


234


secured on a lower end of the upright shaft


23


and meshing with the engaging gear


210


of the first stepped gear


21


, and a second crown gear


233


secured on an upper end of the upright shaft


23


.




The suspension member


3


is rotatably mounted on the power box


2


. The suspension member


3


has two sides each formed with a through hole


37


for passage of the rope


11


.




The gear set


4


is mounted in the suspension member


3


and includes a first driven gear


41


meshing with the second crown gear


233


, a second driven gear


44


meshing with the first driven gear


41


, a second stepped gear


45


meshing with the second driven gear


44


, an actuating gear


451


secured on a side of the second stepped gear


45


to rotate therewith and engaged on the rope


11


, a third driven gear


46


meshing with the second stepped gear


45


, a scrolling wheel


461


secured on a side of the third driven gear


46


and having a peripheral wall urged on the rope


11


, so that the rope


11


is clamped between the actuating gear


451


of the second stepped gear


45


and the scrolling wheel


461


of the third driven gear


46


. The peripheral wall of the scrolling wheel


461


of the third driven gear


46


is formed with an annular groove


4610


for receiving the rope


11


.




The housing


26


of the power box


2


includes two casings


260


combined with each other. The power box


2


further includes a motor


20


mounted in the housing


26


and having a shaft


200


protruding outward from the housing


26


, a first belt wheel


201


secured on the shaft


200


of the motor


20


, a second belt wheel


203


secured on a first end of the transverse rod


204


for rotating the transverse rod


204


, and a belt


202


mounted on the first belt wheel


201


and the second belt wheel


203


, so that the second belt wheel


203


is rotated with the first belt wheel


201


.




The power box


2


further includes a support column


205


secured in the housing


26


, and the transverse rod


204


has a second end mounted on the support column


205


. The power box


2


further includes a protective cover


207


mounted on the housing


26


to encompass the first belt wheel


201


and the second belt wheel


203


. The power box


2


further includes a gear


213


secured on and rotated by the shaft


211


and meshing with the first crown gear


234


, and a spacer


212


mounted on the shaft


211


and located between the drive gear


206


and the gear


213


.




The power box


2


further includes a first bearing


232


mounted on the lower end of the upright shaft


23


, and the housing


26


of the power box


2


has a top having a lower side formed with a support stud


22


having an upper end formed with a through hole


221


for mounting the upright shaft


23


, a mediate portion formed with a cavity


222


for mounting the first bearing


232


, and a lower end formed with a recess


223


for mounting the first crown gear


234


.




In addition, the top of the housing


26


of the power box


2


has an upper side formed with a semi-circular first neck


24


and a semi-circular second neck


25


combined with each other. The first neck


24


of the power box


2


has an inner wall formed with a rectangular locking cavity


241


, and the second neck


25


of the power box


2


has a thickness smaller than that of the first neck


24


and has an inner wall having a top formed with a flange


251


.




The power box


2


further includes a second bearing


231


mounted on the upper end of the upright shaft


23


, and the suspension member


3


has a bottom having an upper side formed with a support stud


31


having a lower end formed with a through hole


311


for mounting the upright shaft


23


, a mediate portion formed with a cavity


312


for mounting the second bearing


231


, and an upper end formed with a recess


313


for mounting the second crown gear


233


.




The suspension member


3


has an inside provided with a first axle


33


on which the first driven gear


41


is secured, a second axle


34


on which the second driven gear


44


is secured, a third axle


35


on which the second stepped gear


45


and the actuating gear


451


are secured, and a fourth axle


36


on which the third driven gear


46


and the scrolling wheel


461


are secured. The inside of the suspension member


3


is provided with a support rack


32


for supporting the first axle


33


, the second axle


34


, the third axle


35


and the fourth axle


36


. In addition, the suspension member


3


has an outer wall having a lower end formed with a rectangular lug


38


locked in the locking cavity


241


of the first neck


24


of the power box


2


.




The gear set


4


further includes a gear


42


secured on the first axle


33


and meshing with the second crown gear


233


, and a spacer


43


mounted on the first axle


33


and located between the first driven gear


41


and the gear


42


.




In operation, referring to

FIGS. 1-7

, when the motor


20


is started, the shaft


200


of the motor


20


is rotated to rotate the first belt wheel


201


which drives the belt


202


to rotate the second belt wheel


203


which rotates the transverse rod


204


which rotates the drive gear


206


which rotates the first stepped gear


21


which rotates the engaging gear


210


and the gear


213


to rotate the first crown gear


234


which rotates the upright shaft


23


which rotates the second crown gear


233


which rotates the first driven gear


41


(and the gear


42


) which rotates the second driven gear


44


which rotates the second stepped gear


45


which rotates the actuating gear


451


and the third driven gear


46


, so that the actuating gear


451


of the second stepped gear


45


and the scrolling wheel


461


of the third driven gear


46


are clamped on the rope


11


and are rotated relative each other to drive the suspension member


3


to move forward on the rope


11


. Thus, the doll


1


is floated and drifted on the rope


11


as shown in

FIG. 6

, thereby achieving the amusement effect.




When the doll


1


is moved to the end of the rope


11


, movement of the suspension member


3


is stopped as shown in FIG.


6


. At this time, the lug


38


of the suspension member


3


is locked in the locking cavity


241


of the first neck


24


of the power box


2


. Thus, the successively operating motor


20


applies a torque to the power box


2


, so that the power box


2


is rotated relative to the suspension member 3 through 180 degrees, and the doll


1


is turned around through 180 degrees and faces backward as shown in

FIG. 7

so as to move backward successively. Thus, the doll


1


is moved on the rope


11


reciprocally, thereby achieving the amusement effect.




Referring to

FIGS. 8 and 9

, the toy further comprises a parachute


5


mounted on the power box


2


, thereby enhancing the amusement effect of the toy.




Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment(s) as mentioned above, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. It is, therefore, contemplated that the appended claim or claims will cover such modifications and variations that fall within the true scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A toy, comprising a driving mechanism mounted on a rope located at an overhead position, and including a power box, a suspension member, and a gear set, wherein:the power box includes a housing, a transverse rod rotatably mounted in the housing, a drive gear secured on and rotated by the transverse rod, a shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, a first stepped gear secured on the shaft and meshing with the drive gear, an engaging gear secured on a side of the first stepped gear to rotate therewith, an upright shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, a first crown gear secured on a lower end of the upright shaft and meshing with the engaging gear of the first stepped gear, and a second crown gear secured on an upper end of the upright shaft; the suspension member is rotatably mounted on the power box; and the gear set is mounted in the suspension member and includes a first driven gear meshing with the second crown gear, a second driven gear meshing with the first driven gear, a second stepped gear meshing with the second driven gear, an actuating gear secured on a side of the second stepped gear to rotate therewith and engaged on the rope, a third driven gear meshing with the second stepped gear, a scrolling wheel secured on a side of the third driven gear and having a peripheral wall urged on the rope, so that the rope is clamped between the actuating gear of the second stepped gear and the scrolling wheel of the third driven gear.
  • 2. The toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing of the power box includes two casings combined with each other.
  • 3. The toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein the power box further includes a motor mounted in the housing and having a shaft protruding outward from the housing, a first belt wheel secured on the shaft of the motor, a second belt wheel secured on a first end of the transverse rod for rotating the transverse rod, and a belt mounted on the first belt wheel and the second belt wheel, so that the second belt wheel is rotated with the first belt wheel.
  • 4. The toy in accordance with claim 3, wherein the power box further includes a protective cover mounted on the housing to encompass the first belt wheel and the second belt wheel.
  • 5. The toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein the power box further includes a support column secured in the housing, and the transverse rod has a second end mounted on the support column.
  • 6. The toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein the power box further includes a gear secured on and rotated by the shaft and meshing with the first crown gear.
  • 7. The toy in accordance with claim 6, wherein the power box further includes a spacer mounted on the shaft and located between the drive gear and the gear.
  • 8. The toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein the power box further includes a first bearing mounted on the lower end of the upright shaft, and the housing of the power box has a top having a lower side formed with a support stud having an upper end formed with a through hole for mounting the upright shaft, a mediate portion formed with a cavity for mounting the first bearing, and a lower end formed with a recess for mounting the first crown gear.
  • 9. The toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein the housing of the power box has a top having an upper side formed with a semi-circular first neck and a semi-circular second neck combined with each other.
  • 10. The toy in accordance with claim 9, wherein the first neck of the power box has an inner wall formed with a rectangular locking cavity, and the suspension member has an outer wall having a lower end formed with a rectangular lug locked in the locking cavity of the first neck of the power box.
  • 11. The toy in accordance with claim 9, wherein the second neck of the power box has a thickness smaller than that of the first neck and has an inner wall having a top formed with a flange.
  • 12. The toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein the power box further includes a second bearing mounted on the upper end of the upright shaft, and the suspension member has a bottom having an upper side formed with a support stud having a lower end formed with a through hole for mounting the upright shaft, a mediate portion formed with a cavity for mounting the second bearing, and an upper end formed with a recess for mounting the second crown gear.
  • 13. The toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein the suspension member has an inside provided with a first axle on which the first driven gear is secured, a second axle on which the second driven gear is secured, a third axle on which the second stepped gear and the actuating gear are secured, and a fourth axle on which the third driven gear and the scrolling wheel are secured.
  • 14. The toy in accordance with claim 13, wherein the inside of the suspension member is provided with a support rack for supporting the first axle, the second axle, the third axle and the fourth axle.
  • 15. The toy in accordance with claim 13, wherein the gear set further includes a gear secured on the first axle and meshing with the second crown gear.
  • 16. The toy in accordance with claim 15, wherein the gear set further includes a spacer mounted on the first axle and located between the first driven gear and the gear.
  • 17. The toy in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a doll having a top mounted on the driving mechanism.
  • 18. The toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein the suspension member has two sides each formed with a through hole for passage of the rope.
  • 19. The toy in accordance with claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall of the scrolling wheel of the third driven gear is formed with an annular groove for receiving the rope.
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6652349 Wichter Nov 2003 B1