Action toys employing actuators and including control elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9345978-B1
Application number	US-201414549918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 21, 2014
Priority date	Nov 25, 2013
Publication date	May 24, 2016
Grant date	May 24, 2016

Abstract

A toy figure assembly including a footing assembly in combination with a dual action actuator employing first and second working surfaces accessible through underside openings of the footing assembly for driving action movements of the toy figure by both a user's fingers and a piston driven controller secured to the footing. Further alternative embodiments with various alternative mechanism appendage couplings with the torso assembly through the footing gears, bracket or channel elements facilitate driven for movements in relation to the torso assembly moved relative to the footing assembly. Battling action game play may be expanded with the controller to battle virtual robots, allowing users to play various interactive computer based games.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A toy figure assembly, comprising:
a footing assembly having an actuator access opening;
a torso assembly in mechanical communication with the footing assembly allowing movement of the torso assembly in relation to the footing assembly;
an arcuate rack gear having at least a semi-circular periphery comprising gear teeth arranged from a first end to a second end of the semi-circular periphery of the arcuate rack gear;
a linkage extending between the torso assembly at the first end of the semi-circular periphery of the arcuate rack gear and a distal end of the linkage extending into the footing assembly;
a torso pinion gear within the torso assembly in mechanical communication with the arcuate rack gear for driving the movement of the torso assembly in relation to the footing assembly;
an actuator within the footing assembly coupled through the distal end of the linkage, the actuator having a working surface accessible from the actuator access opening for actuating the gear assembly and driving movement of the torso assembly in relation to the footing assembly.

2. The toy according to claim 1 , further comprising a second linkage extending from the second end of the semi-circular periphery of the arcuate rack with a distal end of the second linkage extending into the footing assembly, and a second actuator coupled to the arcuate rack through a distal end of the second linkage, the second actuator positioned within the footing assembly and further including a working surface accessible from the actuator access opening, the second actuator cooperating with the first actuator to activate the arcuate rack and pinion gears driving movement of the torso assembly in relation to the footing assembly.

3. The toy according to claim 2 , wherein the actuator access opening of the footing assembly further comprises an elevational outer opening and the working surface is accessible from the elevational outer opening.

4. The toy according to claim 2 , further comprising a second working surface at the actuator and the actuator access opening further comprises an underside opening with the second working surface accessible from the underside opening.

5. The toy according to claim 1 , further comprising an arm appendage and a shoulder pin in the torso assembly for coupling the arm appendage to freely move about the shoulder pin swinging the arm appendage out away from the torso assembly when the torso assembly moves in relation to the footing assembly.

6. The toy according to claim 5 , further comprising a rack gear positioned within the torso assembly having an abutment surface for engaging the arm appendage and driving the arm appendage to swing to an elevated position from the torso assembly when the torso assembly is moved in relation to the footing assembly.

7. The toy according to claim 6 , wherein the rack gear comprises a row of gear teeth, and further comprising a footing pinion gear linked with the footing assembly and positioned within the torso assembly having gear teeth that mesh with the gear teeth of the rack for driving the rack gear back and forth laterally across the torso assembly contacting the arm appendage with the abutment surface of the rack.

8. The toy according to claim 1 , further comprising an arm appendage and a pinion gear mechanism in the torso assembly in mechanical engagement with the arm appendage, and further comprising a footing pinion gear linked with the footing assembly and positioned within the torso assembly having gear teeth that mesh with the pinion gear mechanism for driving movement of the arm appendage when the torso assembly moves in relation to the footing assembly.

9. A toy figure assembly, comprising:
footing assembly having an elevational outer opening and an underside opening;
a torso assembly in mechanical communication with the footing assembly allowing movement of the torso assembly in relation to the footing assembly;
a first axle;
an arcuate rack gear mounted on the first axle and having at least a semi-circular periphery comprising gear teeth arranged from a first end to a second end of the semi-circular periphery of the arcuate rack gear;
a second axle;
a torso pinion gear mounted on the second axle disposed within and connected to the torso assembly, the torso pinion gear is driven by the arcuate rack gear;
a linkage extending between the torso assembly coupled to a first end of the semi-circular periphery of the arcuate rack gear and a distal end of the linkage extending into the footing assembly;
an actuator within the footing assembly and coupled to the distal end of the linkage, the actuator including a first working surface accessible from the elevational outer opening of the footing assembly and a second working surface accessible from the underside opening of the footing assembly for actuating the gear assembly and driving movement of the torso assembly in relation to the footing assembly.

10. The toy according to claim 9 , further comprising a second linkage extending from the second end of the semi-circular periphery of the arcuate rack with a distal end of the second linkage extending into the footing assembly and a second actuator coupled to the arcuate rack through a distal end of the second linkage, the second actuator positioned within the footing assembly and further including a first working surface accessible from the elevational outer opening and a second working surface accessible from the underside opening, the second actuator cooperating with the first actuator to activate the arcuate rack and pinion gears driving movement of the torso assembly in relation to the footing assembly.

11. The toy according to claim 10 , further comprising an arm appendage and a shoulder pin in the torso assembly for coupling the arm appendage to freely move about the shoulder pin swinging the arm appendage out away from the torso assembly when the torso assembly moves in relation to the footing assembly.

12. The toy according to claim 10 , further comprising a rack gear positioned within the torso assembly having an abutment surface for engaging the arm appendage and driving the arm appendage to swing to an elevated position from the torso assembly when the torso assembly is moved in relation to the footing assembly.

13. A toy figure assembly, comprising:
a footing assembly having an elevational outer opening;
a torso assembly in mechanical communication with the footing assembly allowing movement of the torso assembly in relation to the footing assembly;
an arcuate rack gear mounted on an axle with arcuate rack gear having at least a semi-circular periphery comprising gear teeth arranged from a first end to a second end of the semi-circular periphery of the arcuate rack gear;
a torso gear disposed within the torso assembly, the torso gear being driven by the arcuate rack gear;
an actuator within the footing assembly accessible from the elevational outer opening of the footing assembly configured to actuate the torso gear through the arcuate rack gear for movement of torso assembly relative to the footing assembly;
an arm having at least one appendage thereto extending from a shoulder portion;
a shoulder pin at the torso assembly for coupling the arm at the shoulder portion to move about the shoulder pin relative to the torso assembly and the footing assembly; and
a link through the torso assembly coupling to the at least one appendage.

14. The toy according to claim 13 , further comprising a second actuator positioned within the footing assembly and further including a working surface accessible from the elevational outer opening, the second actuator cooperat

Assignees

• Hasbro Inc

Inventors

• Victor Robert James
• Baker James August
• Brown Matthew Devin
• Rucker James Austin
• Bryant William J

Classifications

• A63H3/48

  Mounting of parts within dolls, e.g. automatic eyes {or parts for animation (self-moving A63H13/00)} · CPC title

• A63H3/46

  Connections for limbs · CPC title

• A63H3/14

  into which the fingers of the hand can be inserted, e.g. hand-puppets · CPC title

• A63H13/02 Primary

  imitating natural actions, e.g. catching a mouse by a cat, the kicking of an animal · CPC title

• A63H3/50

  Frames, stands, or wheels for dolls or toy animals · CPC title