GB2158363A

GB2158363A - Swimming toy dolls

Info

Publication number: GB2158363A
Application number: GB08509574A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Fuentes Helios Berenguer
Original assignee: Berenguer Hermanos SA
Current assignee: Berenguer Hermanos SA
Priority date: 1984-04-17
Filing date: 1985-04-15
Publication date: 1985-11-13
Also published as: PT80298A; PT80298B; GB8509574D0; IT8520353A0; GB2158363B; DE3513408A1; IT1184453B; FR2562806A1

Abstract

A swimming doll includes an electric motor unit for rotating the dolls arms through shafts 6. A transistor switch in the motor circuit is closed when the doll is immersed, water then bridging two terminals of a probe, Fig. 6 (not shown). The direction of motor rotation is controlled by a rotary current-reversing switch which itself responds to the orientation of the doll, the arms thus rotating in one direction for front crawl and the reverse direction of back crawl. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Water immersible toy dolls This invention relates to toy dolls that have a build-in battery carrier element that feeds a motion mechanism that is activated under specific circumstances and stops automatically when said circumstances do not occur. The invention applied to a toy doll of this type permits the mechanism of said toy doll to be activated when the toy is immersed in water, with its operation terminating when the toy is removed from the water.

The improvement relating to the motion mechanism has been designed so that it is capable of producing continuous rotation of the arms (naturally rigid) by articulations of the shoulders and in alternate action, thereby imitating the motions of a swimmer, and an inverter device has been provided that permits the toy doll to "swim" in water, both face down and on its back.The effect thus obtained is entirely new, since the act of swimming with overhead strokes starts and stops automatically, without having to depend on any manually operated switch, and which is carried out merely by immersing the toy doll in, or taking it out of, the water, due to the fact that it is said water that, acting as conductor, closes the electric circuit that feeds the motion mechanism provided with a polarity inverter that acts by gravity, and which is controlled by an electronic circuit that acts as switch.

The improvements herein described are applied to a toy doll whose body and head form a completely waterproof, hollow unit in which the inflow of water is prevented, whereby some of the essential details are designed to obtain said water-tightness. A toy doll is already on the market in which the union of the head with the body is carried out with the aid of a cylindrical gorget, to which both are attached by means of fitted peripheral rims and backed lipped areas, both secured with an adequate and permanent adhesive, whereas the electronic circuit printed plate is located in the resulting hollow, by means of an adequate upper cylinder expansion, with an external marginal edge to which is solidly attached the support for the feed batteries of the motor, conveniently protected.One of the improvements of the present invention is designed to obtain the water-tightness of the articulations of the arms on the body, at the same time that it permits their rotating motion to perform the action of swimming.

According to the present invention there is provided a toy doll, of the type whose hollow head and body form a water-tight unit that contains a motion mechanism for moving the arms and which has a built-in battery carrier that is closed by an accessible cover, after disassembly of the head, and which is the energy source of an electric circuit that drives said motion mechanism and which is controiled by an electronic circuit that acts as switch, in which the upper part of the body and coinciding with the imaginary axis that passes through the rotating articulations of the shoulders, a shaft is provided which extends from opposite sides of a casing that houses the motion mechanism which consists of an electric motor that drives a speed reducer gear train, the output shaft of which has at its extreme ends means designed to move the arms of the toy doll in their rotating motion, the shaft passing through and resting on a water-tight bearing arrangement.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of an example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a toy doll swimming in the face down position; Figure 2 shows the same toy doll swimming on its back position; Figure 3 is a vertical section through the head and body unit of the toy doll, internally water-tight, with inclusion of the elements that permit its functioning in water, according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a detail view of the drive mechanism that provides alternate motion to the arms of the toy doll; Figure 5 is a partial section of the upper part of the toy doll, showing the assembly of the motion mechanism; Figure 6 is a diagram of the electric circuit with inclusion of the electronic system, which it controls, acting as an automatic switch;; Figure 7 illustrates an upper plan view of the improved inverter; Figure 8 illustrates the inverter depicted in the preceding Figure, in which the commutator has performed a 90 rotation, positionally changing the bars; and Figure 9 illustrates the inverter depicted in Figs. 7 and 8, provided with its coupling means to the unit of the mechanism.

Referring initially to Figs. 1 and 2, the floatability of the toy doll is ensured by an air chamber formed by the water-tight unit consisting of the head 1 and body 2, and the adoption of the correct positions in the water in order to be able to swim face down or on its back is ensured by an adequate distribution of the ballast means in the interior of the legs. Said Figures illustrate that the rotation direction of the arms 10 in one swimming position is contrary to the rotation direction of the arms 10 in the other swimming position.

As will be described hereinafter, this change in the direction of rotation of the arms is obtained automatically by changing the position of the toy doll and by placing it either face down or on its back.

Referring to Fig. 3, there is shown the water-tight unit formed by the head 1 and the body 2 connected together by means of a member 3, as well as a battery carrier 4, a cover 5 which is accessible by disassembling the head, thereby closing hermetically. In the upper part of the body 2 and coinciding with the imaginary axis of rotation that passes through the rotating articulations of the shoulders, is a shaft 6 which extends from both sides of a casing that houses the motion mechanism. This mechanism consists of an electric micro-motor 8 which drives a speed reducer gear train 9, the outlet shaft of which is said shaft 6 which has end sections 6a designed to drive an arm 10 in its rotating motion after having passed through, and bearing on, a leakproof bearing arrangement.

This leakproof bearing arrangement (Fig. 5) consists of a circular casing 11 that goes into the very material of the body 2 and the mouth of which is tapered by an annular rim 1 a which permits the tight passage up to the bottom of said casing 11 of a bush 12 of plastics material, according to Fig. 4, the base of which allows passage of the end of the shaft 6, which enters through an orifice in the bottom of the casing 11 and strings up a doughnut-shaped ring 1 3 that is partially sited in a central housing of a washer 14 which, upon being carried downwardly to the bottom of said bush 12, compresses the ring 13 and accentuates the pressure of the clamping thereof on the extreme part of the cylindrical area of the shaft 6, thereby constituting a leakproof bearing of the same.The washer 14 is pushed up to said position by a central projections 1 spa of the base of a trunnion bracket 15, which enters partially into the bush 12 and is centrally engaged by the end 6a of the shaft 6 which, in this manner, unites it in its rotating motions. The assembly is secured by a pressure-fit locking ring 1 6 which is coupled to the end of the shaft 6, and which is then housed in a recess in said trunnion bracket 15, which has externally a cylindrical area located between two circular flanges 1 sub and 1 sic, of which the central flange 1 sub has a larger diameter than the end flange t5c, the cylindrical area acting as a trunnion onto which is tightly mounted the lipped edge 1 Oa of the orifice of the arm 10, with a heavy pressure which avoids slippages, since said arm 10 has a accompany in its rotating motions the unit formed by the trunnion bracket 1 5 and the shaft 6. The unions between the pieces that must remain joined therebetween, both in rotation and in static position, may be secured by means of a suitable adhesive, provided that its application does not cause obstruction of the movements.

Referring again to Fig. 3, shown therein is the printed circuit plate of an electronic circuit 1 7 which is located beneath the battery carrier 4, thereby performing the control of the electric circuit illustrated in Fig. 6, and which starts at the terminals 4a of said battery carrier 4. A polarity inverter 18 which operates by gravity, due to the cunterweight and, lastly, feeds the micro-motor 8 of the motion mechanism, is situated under the casing of said motor 8.

The electronic circuit 17, in its function as an automatic switch, is formed by two, highsensitivity transistors t1 and t2, which amplify the current fed to these from two metallic terminals of a probe 1 9 situated in the crotch of the toy doll when, upon its immersion, the water acts as conductor which closes the circuit between both terminals.Upon exciting said transistors t1 and t2, they furnish negative current to a transistor t3 which acts as a switch, allowing passage of the positive pole current, thereby closing the electric circuit and actuating the micro-motor 8, which generates the motion of the arms 1 0. This inclusion of the electronic circuit makes the presence of the hitherto indispensable general operating switch unnecessary, and which can be eliminated due to the fact that the motion mechanism can function only when the toy doll is immersed in water to perform its swimming action.

According to Figs. 7 and 8, the inverter is provided with a frame or circular casing 20 which has its exterior connecting terminals built into the exterior electric circuit, and which are joined in the interior of the inverter to the torsion springs or contact brushes 21 and 21 a which, due to their elastic characteristics, exert pressure on the carrier rotor 24 of the strips or bars 23 which form the bridge between the aforesaid springs 21 and 21 a in their function as brushes.

In Fig. 7, the upper terminal 22 constitutes the positive sign (+) current input, and with its spring or brush 21 contacts the bar 23 of the commutator 24 which bridges the terminal spring of the left quadrant 21a andre- leases the positive sign current through its terminal 22a.

In the same Figure, the lower terminal 22 constitutes the negative sign (-) current input, and its spring or brush 21 contacts conjunctively with its opposite the bar 23 likewise opposite the former, which bridges the terminal spring of the right quadrant and releases current exteriorly with a negative sign by means of the terminal 22a.

As illustrated in Fig. 8, the commutator 24 has effected a 90 rotation change, as a consequence thereof, the position of the bars 23, thereby maintaining the positive sign current input through the upper terminal 22 and the negative one through the lower terminal 22, but the connection or interior bridging causes the output polarity to change and brings about the union of the upper terminal 22 with the terminal of the right quadrant 22a, and the lower terminal 22 with the terminal of the left quadrant 22a.

The current polarity inverter carries its duty if its commutator is subjected to a full rotation and at a certain number of revolutions, since it will change the polarity of the commutator twice per revolution.

If a direct current is applied to the input terminals as these rotate, an alternating current output will be produced with a frequency equal to twice the number of revolutions per second.

Referring to Fig. 9, shown therein is the same inverter 20 with its exterior terminals 22 and 22a. The commutator shaft 24 is joined to the end of a lever 25 of a counterweight 26, capable of turning the rotor 24 by the gravitational effect between its stops 28.

It also has a built-in base or foot 27, capable of suspending the body 20 of the inverter to the principal object in which it is to be housed.

The size, form and material are variable, particularly those relating to each one of the elements which integrate the improvement unit, and it will be understood that certain modifications can be effected without departing from the principles of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A toy doll, of type whose hollow head and body form a water-tight unit that contains a motion mechanism for moving the arms and which has a built-in battery carrier that is closed by an accessible cover, after disassembly of the head, and which is the energy source of an electric circuit that drives said motion mechanism and which is controlled by an electronic circuit that acts as switch, in which the upper part of the body and coinciding with the imaginary axis that passes through the rotating articulations of the shoulders, a shaft is provided which extends from opposite sides of a casing that houses the motion mechanism which consists of an electric motor that drives a speed reducer gear train, the output shaft of which has at its extreme ends means designed to move the arms of the toy doll in their rotating motion, the shaft passing through and resting on a water-tight bearing arrangement.

2. A toy doll as claimed in claim 1, in which each water-tight bearing arrangement is constituted by a circular casing that extends into the material of the body and has a mouth of which is provided with an annular rim which permits the adjusted passage downwardly to the bottom of said casing of a plastics material brushing, the base of which allows passage of the shaft end of the motion mechanism, which passes through an orifice at the bottom of said casing and squeezes in a doughnut-shaped ring which is partially comprised in a central housing of a washer which, upon being urged up to the bottom of said bushing, compresses the ring and accentuates the clamping pressure of the same on the end part of the cylindrical area of the shaft, thereby constituting a water-tight bearing, said washer being pushed up to that position by a central projection of the trunnion bracket, which goes partially into the bushing and which is centrally passed through by the striated end of the shaft which, thus, unifies it in its rotating motions, assembly which is secured by a pressure-fit locking ring which is couled to the striated end of the shaft and is thereby housed in an emptying of the aforesaid trunnion bracket.

3. A toy doll as claimed in claim 2, in which the trunnion bracket is provided externally with a cylindrical area defined between two circular flanges, of which the inner flange has a larger diameter than the end flange, the cylindrical area serving as a trunnion on which is tightly mounted the lipped edge of the orifice of an arm of the toy doll, with a pressure which avoids slippage, -so that said arm follows the rotating motion of the trunnion bracket and shaft.

4. A toy doll as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which a printed circuit plate of the electronic circuit which actuates as switch is located beneath the battery carrier and performs the control of the electric circuit which starts at the outlet terminals of said battery carrier, connecting with a polarity inverter which functions by gravity by means of a counterweight and, lastly, feeds the motor of the motion mechanism, said electronic circuit acting as an automatic switch formed by two highly-sensitive transistors which amplify passage of the current supplied to them from two metallic terminals of the probe situated in the crotch of the toy doll when, upon its immersion, the water acts as conductor which closes the circuit, transistors which upon being excited furnish negative current to a third transistor, which acts as switch, allowing passage of the positive pole current and closing the electric circuit which feeds the micromotor, which generates the movement of the arms when the toy doll is immersed.

5. A toy doll as claimed in claim 4, in which the polarity inverter is constituted by a frame or circular casing, the connecting end terminals of which are built into the exterior electric circuit, which are connected in the interior of the inverter to the torsion springs or contact brushes which, due to their elastic characteristics, exert pressure on the carrier rotor of the strips or bars which form the bridge between the aforesaid springs, acting as brushes.

6. A toy doll as claimed in claim 5, in which the upper terminal constitutes the positive sign current input, contacting with its spring or brush with the bar of the commutator which bridges the terminal spring of the left quadrant, releasing current through its corresponding terminal.

7. A toy doll as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6, in which the lower terminal constitutes the negative sign current input and its spring or brush contacts conjunctively with its opposite with the bar which bridges the terminal spring of the right quadrant, releasing exteriorly the negative sign current through its corresponding terminal.

8. A toy doll as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7, in which the polarity change is produced when the commutator effects a 90 rotation, thereby changing the position of the bars, input of the positive sign current being maintained through the upper terminal and input of the negative sign current through the lower terminal, the output polarity varying due to the connection or interior bridging, to which are connected the upper terminal with the terminal of the right quadrant and the lower terminal with the terminal of the left quadrant.

9. A toy doll as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 8, in which the inverter amplifies its duty if the commutator is subjected to a full turn and to a certain number of revolutions, since the polarity of the commutator will be inverted twice per revolution.

10. A toy doll as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 9, in which the commutator is connected to the end of a lever having a counterweight, capable of making the rotor turn by gravitational effect and is also provided with a carrier base or foot for suspending the unit from the point where it is to be coupled.

11. A toy doll substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.