GB2215223A

GB2215223A - Mechanically driven toy figures

Info

Publication number: GB2215223A
Application number: GB8804288A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mon-Cheng Yeh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-12-01
Filing date: 1988-02-24
Publication date: 1989-09-20
Also published as: GB8804288D0; DE8814976U1; FR2638658B3; FR2638658A3

Abstract

The limbs of a toy figure can be manually set to selected basic orientations by means of pairs of toothed members 12-12' 222-222' and (24-24'), the limbs then being movable by a motor drive from these basic orientations. The toothed members of each pair can be moved apart against a spring loading and then relatively rotated to the desired setting. The motor drive acts through eccentric 324 and structure 34/35 to oscillate the arms and a head mountable on frame 35. Further driven eccentrics 332 slides 21 to reciprocate longitudinally of the thighs 2, this together with springs 26 causing oscillation of lower legs 25. <IMAGE>

Description

A structure for a toy to provide a variable motion of the head and the four limbs of the toy This invention relates to a structure for a toy to provide a variable motion of the head and the four limbs of the toy. In order to provide a life-like motion, regular toys are usually fabricated with very complicated driving structure which has some shortcomings as stated below: 1. The motion of the head and the four limbs of the toy is limited, which can not be flexibly set according to demand, i.e. the motion is limited to a fixed position and can not be flexibly arranged by the children.

2. The head and the four limbs of regular toys are easy to be broken by the children during performance due to limited position of motion.

3. The complicated structure is difficult to repair when the toys break down.

The present invention is designed to provide a function for children to variably set a position for each limb so as to let the toy be able to perform a moving action according to the newly prefixed position. The toys fabricated according to the present invention are not easy to break down, and the four limbs of the toys will not be easily broken by the children while in performance. Therefore, the toys of the present invention can provide an extended life.

A structure for a toy to provide a variable motion of the head and the four limbs of the toy, and more particularly, a toy which comprises a controlling structure for the toy to make motions in a way like human being, which is to make use of an eccentric effect of an eccentric wheel driven by a motor to respectively move the connection rods so as to let the head and the four limbs of the toy to move, and by means of another eccentric wheel to drive a sliding block, letting a sliding block move ahead along a sliding way to match with a spring so as to drive the legs of the toy to make a kickking motion, and by means of a ratchet wheel to let the moving position of the toy be flexibly arranged according to demand so that the toy can make a moving motion like the bending of a joint.

Embodiment of the invention is described by way of example, with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front view of a toydoll for the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional perspective view of a structure embodying the present invention; Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view of the preferred embodiment; Fig. 4 illustrates the mechanical structure of a leg in detail; Fig. 5 illustrates the mechanical structure of a let in motion; Fig. 6 is a side view of the connection rod and the rocking plate of the preferred embodiment; and Fig. 7 illustrates the connection rod and the rocking plate in motion.

For easy explanation, hereinafter we only describe the structure of left hand and left leg (the structure of left hand and right hand, and the structure of left leg are the same). As shown in the drawings, the body (3) is set between left hand (1) and left leg (2). A motor (31) is arranged inside the body (3) to drive a pinion (311) so as to turn round the bull gear (321) of the shaft (32). The bull gear (321) and the pinion (322) are firmly attached as an integrated unit which is sliding over the shaft (32) and will not directly drive the gear (323), and which drives the gear (331) of the second shaft (33) by means of the pinion (322), and then let the eccentric cam (324) turn round by means of the pinion (333) to drive the gear (323) so as to move the connection rod (34).The connection rod (34) is to superiorly support a rocking plate (35), which rocking plate (35) comprises inferiorly a locating element (351)(351') for a pin to inser into the support (37) and the locating element (351) to let the rocking plate (35) be flexibly attached to the body (3) to rock up and down by means of the push force of the connection rod (34) driven by the eccentric cam (324) and by means of the pulling force of a spring (38). The connection rod (34) comprises a slot (341) to match with the extension block (11) of the left hand (1) so as to let the left hand (1) be able to make a motion according to the movement of the connection rod (34).Because the left hand (1) comprises two ratchet wheels (12) (12') to gear together at the turning joint, and a spring (not shown in the drawn) is placed inside the said ratchet wheels, the said two ratcher wheels can be pulled apart for position adjustment of the left hand (1) to let the left hand (1) be moveably adjusted to any position preferred. Therefore, the left hand (1) can be turned to set at any position to keep the left hand (1) be able to make a motion at the fixed position.

According to the drawings, the second shaft (33) comprises an eccentric wheel (332) to drive the sliding block (21) of the left leg (2). Said sliding block (21) is to slide along the sliding way (221) in the locating stand (22). The locating stand (22) comprises a ratchet wheel (222) superiorly at a proper position and a locating shaft piercing through another ratcher wheel (222'). A spring (224) slides over the locating shaft (223) and is located by means of a locating plate (225).

By means of the said arrangement, the said two ratchet wheels (222) (222') can be set apart when the locating stand (22) is moved away from its original position, and the said two ratchet wheels (222) (222') can again be geared together by means of the pulling force of the spring (224) when they are moved to the arranged position.

The locating stand (22) comprises inferiorly a locating pin (23) to let the locating stand (22) be firmly attached to the ratchet weel (24) at an eccentric position, and the ratchet wheel (24) is moved to the arranged position based on the locating pin (23). The central shaft (241) of the ratchet wheel (24) is piercing through another ratchet wheel (24'), and a spring (242) and a locating plate (243) are attached to the central shaft (241) to locate the ratchet wheel (24') so that the said two ratchet wheels (24) (24') can rotate around the locating pin (23) and the calf (25), according to demand, can be moved to an arranged position. The mechanical structure of the calf is same as that of the thigh to be moveable. The locating stand (22) comprises a locating pin (226) penetrating through the rectangular slot (227), letting a spring be firmly attached to the locating pin (226) at one end and with the other end of the spring (26) connect with the central shaft (241) so that the spring can pull the calf (25) to move.

When the motor (31) is turned on, the eccentric wheel (332) is driven to rotate to drive the sliding block (21) sliding downward along the sliding way (221); when the sliding block slides to the lowest end, the eccentric wheel (332) is moved backward; by means of the pulling force of the spring (26), the sliding block (21) is driven to rise; as soon as the sliding block reaches the top end, it is then driven to slide downward again; the sliding block (21) keeps moving according to this circulation. If to displace the locating stand (22).

i.e. the thigh of the toy, the eccentric wheel (332) may break away from the sliding block (21). In order to keep the sliding block (21) be in contact with the eccentric wheel (332), the top (221) of the sliding block (21) is in arch shape. Therefore, the sliding block (21) keeps constantly in contact with the eccentric wheel (332) to let the leg of the toy be able to move even if the thigh of the toy is moved to change a position. In order to keep the calf (25) of the toy be able to kick after it is changed to another position, the sliding block (21) has a slope (212) at the bottom to let the ratchet wheels (24) (24') be driven to move on the basis of the locating pin (23), and therefore the calf (25) of the toy can make a kicking motion.

The position variation of the four limbs of the present toy is constructed by means of an eccentric effect through three eccentric cams to drive a sliding block and connection rods to make straight movement, and by means of a spring to drive respective element back to original position so as to set the four limbs of the toy in motion.

This simplified structure is more practicable then the complicated structure applied in regular toys. Due to the arrangement of the ratchet wheels in the present invention, the legs and the hands of the present toy can be turned to a prefixed position to respectively make a front-back and up-down movement.

Claims

1. A structure for a toy to provide a variable motion of the head and the four limbs, mainly composed of: - hands, each hand comprising an extension block penetrating through the slot of a connection rod to drive the hand, wherein one set of ratchet wheels being arranged to let the arm of the hand be adjustable to any angle and be firmly located at the arranged position; - body, which comprising a motor and one set of transmission gears to drive first eccentric wheel and further to drive a connection rod, by means of the connection rod to drive the head of the toy to shake, and said motor also driving second eccentric wheel to round while it driving first eccentric wheel to rotate;; - legs, each leg being composed of a calf and a thigh, said thigh comprising a ratchet wheel and by means of a locating shaft to attach the leg to the body, wherein the locating stand in the said thigh comprising a sliding way to let second eccentric wheel drive a sliding block to slide along the sliding way, and by means of a spring to drive the sliding block be constantly in contact with the eccentric wheel; said calf comprising superiorly a ratchet wheel well attached by means of a locating pin through an eccentric location, and by means of the sliding block to control the kicking motion of the leg.

2. A structure for a toy to provide a variable motion of the head and the four limbs as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the position of the hands can be changed by means of the ratchet wheels, and the hands can be driven to move by means of the sliding block matching with the connection rod.

3. A structure for a toy to provide a variable motion of the head and the four limbs as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the position of the legs can be changed by means of two ratchet wheels.

4. A structure for a toy to provide a variable motion of the head and the four limbs as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the top end of the sliding block being in an arch shape so as to allow the second eccentric wheel be able to control the movement of the sliding block after the change of the position of the legs.

5. A structure for a toy to provide a variable motion of the head and the four limbs as claimed in Claim 1, wherein, the ratchet wheels of the calf comprising a locating pin at an eccentric position to let the ratchet wheel be driven by the sliding block to move.

6. A structure for a toy to provide a variable motion of the head and the four limbs as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the calf being able to make a kicking motion by means of the slop at the bottom of the sliding block to control the ratchet wheel to extend outward and by means of the spring to draw it back.

7. A structure for a toy to provide a variable motion of the head and the four limbs as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the ratchet wheel in the calf being driven by the spring to move the sliding block upward so as to let the top end of the sliding block be closely in contact with the second eccentric wheel like the joint of human body.