BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Toys may emit various sounds to entertain the user. Lights have been provided about toys and the lights may flash or otherwise alter the emission of light to entertain the user.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An illuminated toy is disclosed herein. The illuminated toy includes a body, and a sound module which is disposed about the body. The sound module is adapted to generate sound. A light source is disposed about the body to emit light therefrom. The light source is in cooperation with the sound module such that the emission of light from the light source is coordinated generally with the sound generated by the sound module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1A illustrates by perspective view an exemplary implementation of the toy vehicle;
FIG. 1B illustrates by rear elevation view an exemplary implementation of the toy vehicle;
FIG. 2 illustrates by bottom view the undercarriage of an exemplary implementation of the toy vehicle;
FIG. 3A illustrates by rear perspective view portions of an exemplary implementation of the toy vehicle;
FIG. 3B illustrates by front perspective view portions of an exemplary implementation of the toy vehicle;
FIG. 4 illustrates by block diagram an exemplary implementation of the electronics and related components of the toy vehicle;
FIG. 5A illustrates by block diagram an exemplary implementation of a light source; and
FIG. 5B illustrates by block diagram another exemplary implementation of a light source.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A toy that produces light and sound with the lighting coordinated with the sound is disclosed herein. While flashing lights in other toy products may flash or otherwise alter the emission of light while sound is emitted, this flashing or other alteration of light emission is generally independent of any sound. The present invention coordinates the emission of light from the light source with the emission of sound in order to increase the play value of the toy.
In various aspects, the toy has a body, and it may have one or more wheels rotatably secured to the body such that the body may rest upon the one or more wheels and may be conveyed about by the one or more wheels. The toy includes a sound module adapted to generate sound. A light source is located about the body. The light source cooperates with the sound module to emit light in coordination with the sound generated by the sound module. For example, the light source may be switched on and off in coordination with musical beat, other points of emphasis, voice portions, or other features of the sound.
The Figures referenced herein generally illustrate various exemplary implementations of a toy vehicle. These illustrated implementations are not meant to limit the scope of coverage, but, instead, to assist in understanding the context of the language used in this specification and in the claims. Accordingly, variations of the toy that differ from these illustrated implementations may be encompassed by the appended claims, which alone define the invention. For example, the light and sound coordination of the present invention is not limited to the toy vehicle disclosed, and may be provided in a toy boat, a toy space craft, or a toy that is not a vehicle such as a doll, a stuffed animal or other toy.
FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of an exemplary implementation of a toy 100 generally in the form of a car resting upon a support surface 500 such as a floor or table top. While this figure illustrates a car, in other implementations a toy vehicle could also be a truck, a motorbike, a tank, an airplane, or the like. The body 101 of toy vehicle 100 may be made of molded plastic, metal or other materials commonly used for making toys and toy parts. The body 101 may be integrally formed or may be formed from plurality of parts secured together in various ways. As illustrated, the body 101 includes a shell 140 and an undercarriage 144. The shell 140 generally forms the upper portion of the body 101 and the undercarriage is 144 is secured to the shell to form a lower portion of the body. When secured to one another or when integrally formed together, the shell 140 and the undercarriage 144 define a cavity 246, as illustrated, within which mechanical and electronic portions of the toy vehicle 100 may be housed.
As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the toy vehicle 100 includes wheels 205.1, 205.2, 205.3, 205.4 with wheels 205.1, 205.4 rotatably secured to the undercarriage 144 by axle 214, and wheels 205.2, 205.3 rotatably secured to the undercarriage 144 by axle 216, respectively (FIG. 2). Wheels 205.1, 205.2, 205.3, 205.4 may be formed, for example, of plastic, rubber, or combinations thereof. Other implementations of the toy vehicle 100 may include either fewer or more wheels 205. In some implementations, the one or more wheels 205 may be engaged with a track or suchlike to form a tracked toy vehicle 100. Wheels 205 may be engaged at other locations about the body or otherwise engaged with the body in various implementations.
The toy vehicle, as illustrated, may rest upon wheels 205.1, 205.2, 205.3, 205.4, and may be conveyed about by rolling upon wheels 205.1, 205.2, 205.3, 205.4. Wheels 205.1, 205.4 may rotate freely about axle 214 and wheels 205.2, 205.3 may rotate freely about axle 216 to allow the toy vehicle 100 to roll freely upon wheels 205.1, 205.2, 205.3, 205.4 so that the user may propel the toy vehicle 100 about, for example, by hand. In other implementations, wheels 205.1, 205.4 may be engaged with axle 214 and/or wheels 205.2, 205.3 maybe engaged with axle 216. In turn, axle 214 and/or axle 216 may be mechanically linked to a motor (not shown) that serves as a source of locomotion for the toy vehicle 100.
As illustrated in FIG. 1A, toy vehicle 100 may be endowed with a humanistic feature 174 such as eyes 102 or a mouth 104. In this implementation, the eyes 102 are positioned about windshield 178 and are moveable, as indicated by the arrow in the Figure. The eyes 102 may exhibit other motions than that indicated in other implementations. In some implementations, the eyes 102 may be static, and may be painted on a static surface, affixed as a decal, and so forth. When moveable, the eyes 102 may be mechanically linked to at least one of wheels 205.1, 205.2, 205.3, 205.4 such that the eyes 102 move when the vehicle rolls about upon wheels 205.1, 205.2, 205.3, 205.4. In other implementations, the eyes 102, when moveable, may be mechanically linked with the motor (not shown) such that the eyes 102 are moved by the motor.
The mouth 104, as illustrated, is formed as a mouth cavity within a frontal portion of the body 101. In other implementations, the mouth may be formed as a painted mouth, a decal, or suchlike and may be located variously about the body 101. The mouth 104 may be moveable or may be static. When moveable, the mouth 104 may be mechanically linked with the wheels 205 such that the mouth 104 moves while the vehicle rolls about upon wheels 205, or the mouth 104 may be mechanically linked with motor (not shown) such that the mouth 104 is moved by the motor.
A sound module 440 (FIG. 4) is included in the toy vehicle 100 to generate sound audible by the user. The sound generated by the sound module 440 may form a sound pattern and the sound pattern may include a musical tune, voice, and/or combinations thereof either simultaneously and/or sequentially.
As illustrated in FIG. 1A, the body 101 includes spoiler 140. The spoiler 140, as illustrated, includes spoiler end portion 142 and a spoiler end portion 144. Spoiler end portion 142 defines a spoiler perimeter 164 formed of translucent material such as a translucent plastic. Light source 150 in the form of spoiler light source 160 is positioned within spoiler 140 generally proximate the spoiler end portion 142. The spoiler light source 160, as illustrated, emits light that is transmitted through light tunnels 162 to the spoiler perimeter 164 to illuminate the spoiler perimeter 164. In other implementations, various passageways, fiber optics, prisms, reflectors, translucent portions, and so forth could be provided about the spoiler light source 160 to transmit light from the spoiler light source 160 and/or be illuminated thereby. In other implementations, the spoiler light source 160 could be otherwise positioned about the spoiler 140 to illuminate other portions of the spoiler 140.
The spoiler light source 160 may be coordinated with the sound module 440 such that the emission of light from the spoiler light source 160 is coordinated with the sound generated by the sound module 440. For example, the spoiler light source 160 may alternate between an on state and an off state generally in time with sound in the form of music generated by the sound module 440. In other implementations, for example, the spoiler light source 160 may include one or more lights (not shown) and the light(s) switched between an on state and an off state simultaneously, sequentially, dimmed, or otherwise coordinated with sound generated by the sound module 440.
Spoiler end portion 144, as illustrated includes a translucent spoiler perimeter 167 and light tunnels 166 to transmit light from a light source 150 formed as a spoiler light source (not shown) to the spoiler perimeter 167 to illuminate the spoiler perimeter 167.
The implementation illustrated in FIG. 1A includes light source 150 in the form of mouth light source 176 located proximate the humanistic feature 174 formed as mouth 104 to illuminate mouth 104. The mouth light source 176 may be coordinated with the sound module 440 such that the emission of light from the mouth light source 176 is coordinated with the sound generated by the sound module 440. For example, the mouth light source 176 may alternate between an on state and an off state generally in correspondence with sound in the form of human speech generated by the sound module 440 and otherwise remain in the off state.
The implementation illustrated in FIG. 1A includes light source 150 in the form of headlight light sources 188 located proximate the headlights 108 to illuminate the headlights 108. The headlight light sources 188 may be coordinated with the sound module 440 such that the emission of light from the headlight light sources 188 is coordinated with the sound generated by the sound module 440. For example, headlight light sources 188 may alternate between an on state and an off state generally in correspondence with sound in the form of human speech generated by the sound module 440 and otherwise remain in the off state. This implementation includes two headlights 108 and two corresponding headlight light sources 188, as illustrated. Other implementations may include more or fewer headlight(s) 108, may include more or fewer headlight light source(s) 188, and the headlight(s) 108, if any, may be variously located about the body 101.
Now turning to FIG. 1B, vehicle 100 may include one or more user interfaces 400 that may allow the user to activate the toy vehicle including the light source(s) 150 and the sound module 400. The one or more user interfaces 400 may communicate with the light source(s) 150 and may communicate with the sound module 440 to allow the user to alter the operation of the light source(s) 150 and/or the sound module 440. As an example, the user interface 400 may be in communication with the sound module 440 and adapted to alter the sound generated by the sound module 400 between at least a first sound pattern and a second sound pattern. The first sound pattern, for example, could be a combination of voice and music, and the second sound pattern could be a combination of sound and music that differs from the first sound pattern.
As another example, the user interface 400 may be in communication with the light source 150 and adapted to alter the emission of light from the light source between at least a first illumination pattern and a second illumination pattern. The light source 150, for example, may be alternated between an off state and an on state in coordination with the sound generated by the sound module 440 in such a manner as to form a first illumination pattern. The user through the user interface 400 may alter the coordination of the light source 150 with the sound generated by the sound module 440 to thereby form a second illumination pattern as a sequence of on states and off states that differs from the first illumination pattern.
As illustrated in FIG. 1B, the toy vehicle 100 includes user interface 400 in the form of a dial 130. In other implementations, the user interface may be formed as a switch, button, dial, lever, slide, knob, and so forth. The dial 130, as illustrated, is positionable by the user between at least a first dial position 132 and a second dial position 134 (shown in phantom) to select combinations of sound pattern and illumination pattern. For example, when the dial 130 is placed in the first dial position 132, a first sound pattern and corresponding first illumination pattern is selected, and, when the dial 130 is placed in the second dial position 134, a second sound pattern and corresponding second illumination pattern is selected. As another example, the sound pattern may remain essentially constant and the illumination pattern alternated between the first illumination pattern and the second illumination pattern as the dial 130 is positioned between the first dial position 132 and the second dial position 134. In yet another example, the illumination pattern may remain essentially constant and the sound pattern alternated between the first sound pattern and the second sound pattern as the dial 130 is positioned between the first dial position 132 and the second dial position 134.
The toy vehicle 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, includes user interface 400 in the form of a pushable button 122. When the user pushes the button 122 in this implementation, the sound module 440 generates sound and the light source(s) 150 emit light in a manner generally coordinated with the sound generated by the sound module. The sound module 440 may generate sound for a sound duration and the light source(s) may emit light for a light period, and the time duration of the sound period may be generally equivalent to the time duration of the light period. The sound pattern of the sound generated by the sound module 440 and/or the illumination pattern of the light emitted from the light source(s) 150 may be as selected by the position of the dial 130 when the button 122 is pushed.
In various implementations, at least one wheel 205 is in communication with the sound module 440 and in communication with the light source 150 such that rotation of this wheel 205 initiates the generation of sound by the sound module 440 in coordination with the emission of light from the light source 150. Sustained rotation of the wheel 205 that is in communication with the sound module 440 and with the light source 150 may cause generally sustained generation of sound by the sound module 440 in coordination with generally sustained emission of light from the light source 150. That is, the sound period and the light period may be generally coincident with the time period during which the wheel 205 that is in communication with the sound module 440 and with the light source 150 is rotated.
FIG. 2 provides a bottom view of the undercarriage 200. The undercarriage 144 may include light sources 150 generally formed as undercarriage lights 201, 202, 203, 204. The undercarriage lights 201, 202, 203, 204 may be directed outward from undercarriage outer surface 145 of the undercarriage 144 to form an illumination area 310 (FIGS. 3A and 3B) that, for example, generally encompasses the region between the undercarriage outer surface 145 and the support surface 500 (FIG. 1A). The undercarriage lights 201, 202, 203, 204 may be coordinated with the sound module 440 such that the emission of light from the undercarriage lights 201, 202, 203, 204 is coordinated with the sound generated by the sound module 440. The undercarriage lights 201, 202, 203, 204 may be coordinated with one another and with other light sources 150 located about the body 101 such as the spoiler light source(s) 160, mouth light source(s) 176, and headlight light source(s) 188.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, toy vehicle 100 includes a switch 210, which may be interposed between a power source (not shown) such as, for example, standard alkaline batteries, and a control circuit 410 (FIG. 4) to regulate the flow of power from the power source to the control circuit 410, light source 150 and sound module 440 as well as other portions of the toy vehicle 100. In some implementations, the switch 210 may be positionable between two switch positions—a switch on position and a switch off position. When the switch 210 is placed in the switch off position, the power source is disconnected from the control circuit 410, light source 150 and sound module 440 as well as other portions of the toy vehicle 100. When the switch 210 is placed in the switch on position, the power source is connected to the control circuit 410, light source 150 and sound module 440 as well as other portions of the toy vehicle 100. In other implementation, the switch may also be positionable at a third position—a try me position. When the switch 210 is placed in the try me position, the sound module 440 generates sound and the light source 150 emits light generally in coordination to the sound to provide a demonstration of the toy vehicle. Accordingly, the toy vehicle 100 may be placed in packaging (not shown) formed such that the switch 210 is accessible to allow, for example, a prospective customer to place the switch 210 in the try me position in order to receive a demonstration of the toy vehicle 100.
FIGS. 3A and 3B) illustrate the illumination area 310 of vehicle wheels 320 and 322 as illuminated by undercarriage lights 201, 202, 203, 204 (FIG. 2). As illustrated, the illumination area 310 may include areas around the wheels 205 such as wheels 205.3, 205.4 in the illustration. The illumination area 310 may also include an area near the front bumper 331 and an area near the rear bumper 333 of the toy vehicle 100 may be illuminated as well.
FIG. 4 is an exemplary block diagram of the electronics and related components of toy vehicle 100. In various implementations, at least a portion of these components may be placed within the cavity 246 of the toy vehicle 100. As set forth above, the toy vehicle 100 may include a user interface 400 to allow the user to alter the operation of the toy vehicle 100. As illustrated, user input 420 is communicated to the control circuit 410 from the user interface 400. Based on the user input 420, control circuit 410 may then access software stored in the memory unit 430, which may be one or more chips or suchlike. The control circuit may include, in various implementations, memory, a clock, microprocessor, and suchlike as would be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art upon study of this disclosure. Utilizing the software stored in memory unit 430, the control circuit 410 may provide sound module instructions 450 to the sound module 440 and light source instructions 470 to light source module 460. The sound module 440 generates sound as instructed by the sound module instructions 450 through speaker 442 in this implementation. Light source module 460 communicates with one or more light sources 150 to alter the operation thereof based on the light source instructions 470 in this implementation. The light source module 460 may include one or more transistors (not shown) configured as switches with one transistor in cooperation with each of the one or more light sources 150 so that the light source module may switch each of the one or more light sources 150 on and off with the corresponding transistor.
As an example, sound and light coordination may be achieved when the control circuit 410 uses enabling software with preprogrammed light source instructions 470 that contain information as to when each of lights 201-204 (FIG. 2) should be turned on and off in synchrony with music in each set of the saved sound module instructions 450. As each set of sound module instructions 450 is played using the sound module 440, lights 201-204 will turn on and off by the light source module 460 in accordance with the corresponding light source instructions 470. Each different set of sound module instructions 450 may have a different corresponding set of light source instructions 470 such that different sound patterns corresponding to different sound module instructions 450 may have a different lighting pattern, and each lighting pattern may be unique to each sound pattern. Light sources 150 located on other portions of toy vehicle 100 may also be selectively illuminated in this manner.
In an alternative implementation, control circuit 410 receives synchronization information 447 from music module 440. The synchronization information 447 may be, for example, the beat or specific emphasis in a musical song. The control circuit 410 uses the synchronization information 447 to generate the light source instructions 470 needed to coordinate the light source(s) 150 with the sound generated by the sound module 440.
A light 490 may be, for example, an incandescent bulb or a light emitting diode. The light source 150 may include one or more lights. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 5A, the light source 150 includes a single light emitting diode 481. The color of the light emitting diode 481 may match, coordinate with, or contrast with the color of the vehicle 100 and/or the color of other lights 490 located about the toy vehicle 100, and differing colors may be used in different areas of the toy vehicle to provide a variety of colors about the toy vehicle 100. The light source 150 illustrated in FIG. 5B includes three light emitting diodes 483, 485, 487. The light emitting diodes 483, 485, 487 may be generally of the same color or of differing colors in various implementations. Each of light emitting diodes 483, 485, 487 may be switched on/off concurrently with one another in some implementations, while, in other implementations light emitting diodes 483, 485, 487 may be switched on/off independent of one another so that, for example diodes 483, 487 are on while diode 485 is off.
The foregoing detailed description discloses and describes various exemplary implementations. Upon study of the specification, one of ordinary skill in the art may readily recognize from the detailed description and from the accompanying figures and claims that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions as defined in the following claims.
Patent Application
20090075557
