Patents Assigned to Hasbro, Inc.
  • Patent number: 9194646
    Abstract: A toy launch apparatus for projectiles having a soft exterior and an open bottom with a bordering strong inner wall. The projectile's open bottom is positioned atop a slot, with respect to a launch deck and a carriage in a housing assembly. A cocking assembly includes a pivotal launch arm and a launch spring connected to the carriage movable with an engaged slide, a slide link and carriage lock, which are cocked when a user pulls the slide rearward. At a first rearward position of the slide the carrier is restrained in a cocked configuration. On the way to a second rearward position of the slide, the slide, slide link and carriage lock disengage from the carriage, launch arm and launch spring. When the carriage and launch arm are triggered, the launch spring releases and the launch arm impacts the inner wall of the projectile for discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert James Victor, Brian Jablonski
  • Patent number: 9134091
    Abstract: A toy launch apparatus for discharging soft foam darts, the launch apparatus having a cylinder, a piston, a launch spring and a dart tube. An air chamber with variable volume is formed between the cylinder and the piston and is divided into two or more sections, a first section where there is little or no resistance to relative movement between the cylinder and the piston so that there is a momentum gain, and a second section where there is rapid compression and increasing pressure to cause a loaded dart to be discharged. A third section may be a transition section between the first and second sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Busse, David Nugent, Robert James Victor
  • Patent number: 9097484
    Abstract: A toy launch apparatus for discharging circular projectiles of predetermined diameter and height. The apparatus includes multiple safety features to prevent inappropriate objects inserted into the apparatus from enabling the apparatus to operate. A side latch is mounted that locks a shuttle to a housing assembly unless a properly sized projectile is inserted that rotates a side latch bar rotatably mounted to the shuttle out of engagement with an abutment surface in the housing assembly. A top latch is mounted that locks the shuttle to the housing assembly unless the inserted projectile also rotates a top latch bar mounted to the shuttle out of engagement with another abutment surface in the housing assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A Poirier
  • Patent number: 9097476
    Abstract: A toy launcher apparatus with a rotatable clip connector mounted to a lower portion of a housing. The housing also includes an upper portion, a barrel portion and a grip portion. Pivotally mounted to the upper portion of the housing is a handle and mounted to the grip portion is a trigger and a switch. Attached to the clip connector may be eight projectile clips and the clip connector is rotatable 45° every time the handle is pivoted forward. Mounted within the housing are a battery compartment, and a wheel and motor assembly. Batteries in the battery compartment may power the wheel and motor assembly after the switch is activated by a user. Pulling the trigger causes a projectile, such as a foam dart, to be pushed from a clip aligned with the barrel portion toward spinning wheels of the wheel and motor assembly, and the wheels cause discharge the dart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Aaron Mead, Brian C. Jablonski, John Michael Falkowski, II
  • Patent number: 9097477
    Abstract: A toy launcher apparatus with a rotatable clip connector mounted to a lower portion of a housing. The housing also includes an upper portion, a barrel portion and a grip portion. Pivotally mounted to the upper portion of the housing is a handle and mounted to the grip portion is a trigger and a switch. Attached to the clip connector may be eight projectile clips and the clip connector is rotatable 45° every time the handle is pivoted forward. Mounted within the housing are a battery compartment, and a wheel and motor assembly. Batteries in the battery compartment may power the wheel and motor assembly after the switch is activated by a user. Pulling the trigger causes a projectile, such as a foam dart, to be pushed from a clip aligned with the barrel portion toward spinning wheels of the wheel and motor assembly, and the wheels cause discharge the dart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Aaron Mead, Brian C Jablonski, John Michael Falkowski, II
  • Patent number: 9067147
    Abstract: A toy construct assembly system is designed for use with standardized toy construction building elements having standardized multiple male and female coupling elements. The system includes several small toy constructs, each having building elements and additional build parts that assemble to create the small toy construct in at least two distinct builds and then dissemble into its constituent parts. Each build of the small toy construct includes a small figure assembled from the building elements to which a plurality of the additional build parts are detachably coupled to create an assembled small toy construct. In addition, a combiner assembly set includes combiner assemblies that detachably couple with building elements of the small toy construct to create a large toy construct. The large toy construct is assembled from the plurality of small toy constructs and the combiner assembly set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard Woodhouse
  • Patent number: 9039011
    Abstract: A game apparatus and a method using trays as the game board with vertical support columns, two sets of playing pieces and two launching devices. The one or more vertical support columns attach to the one or more trays to support the trays horizontally above a support surface. On the surface of each of the trays is a matrix and each element of the matrix has a recessed compartment orthogonal to the surface of the tray. Each recessed compartment is sized to hold a multiplicity of both types of playing pieces in a stacked manner. The recessed compartments may also be created so that the order and the number of the playing pieces in each recessed compartment are observable for additional variety in game play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventor: Craig Steven Van Ness
  • Patent number: 9017059
    Abstract: A combined mixing element and extruding plunger disposed on a rod with at least two distinct sections incorporated into a toy extruder for simply yet uniquely mixing and extruding a formable material through rotation of the same rod. The rod is disposed at the container having first and second ends and including at least first and second rod sections disposed there between. The second rod section is threaded and the toy further includes a plunger disposed at the first end of the rod at least partially within a hollow container including an aperture through a surface of the plunger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas Arthur Schultheis
  • Patent number: 9004052
    Abstract: A toy pump action rifle for launching discs having an outer housing, a stock, a grip, a trigger, a handle for cocking the rifle and a revolving drum for storing multiple discs. Within the housing is a mechanism for removing discs, one at a time, from the drum where the discs are arranged in a first position, rotating each disc 90° to a second position, and transporting each disc to a discharge chamber. The mechanism includes a transfer arm to remove each disc from the drum, a disc pocket for receiving the removed disc, the pocket being rotatable to reorient the disc, and disc pocket also being slidable to carry the disc to the discharge chamber. Activation of the trigger releases a cocked launch arm that snaps forward and strikes the disc to cause discharge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark Alan Poirier
  • Patent number: 8997727
    Abstract: A projectile shooter toy has a body with a sidewall forming a space for holding a projectile in a loaded state and a pathway leading away from the space and along which the projectile moves in a forward direction. An actuator is arranged to engage the projectile to move the projectile forward along the pathway. At least two pinching members are spaced forwardly along the pathway from the actuator. The pinching members are separate from, and movable relative to, the actuator and the sidewall, and are configured to exert a force on the projectile as the projectile passes between the at least two pinching members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Roger Hamel, David Baird
  • Patent number: 8992282
    Abstract: A toy which simply yet uniquely varies the height and curvature of a flexible ramp uniquely supported on a pivoting ramp frame. The toy includes a frame for resting on a horizontal surface, spaced apart horizontally and extending upwardly from the frame defining an open area therebetween above the frame, and first and second pivoting assemblies at the frame engaging first and second arm members for adjustably pivoting the arm members between varying angles with respect to the frame. A bendable ramp is adjustably supported at the frame, secured to the arm members and sitting in the open area defined by the arm members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Nash Desent, John Boyce
  • Patent number: 8986064
    Abstract: Modular tracks for model vehicles are disclosed. In some embodiments, a track of the present disclosure includes a plurality of track sections, each track section including at least one upper and lower surface and at least one end. In some embodiments, a first track section of the plurality of track sections includes a female connector and a male connector located in a first track section end region and a second track section of the plurality of track sections includes a male connector and a female connector located in a second track end region. In some embodiments, the female connector of the first track section correspondingly interconnects with the male connector of the second track section and the female connector of the second track section correspondingly interconnects with the male connector of the first track section to interconnect the first track section and the second track section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Lee Spielberger, Eric Listenberger
  • Patent number: 8967130
    Abstract: A toy launcher apparatus for discharging circular projectiles, the apparatus having a housing, lower and upper panels mounted to the housing, supports mounted to the housing, a cocking slide and a slide spring connected to the supports, a projectile receptacle connected to the cocking slide, release levers mounted to the housing, a guide wall mounted to the lower panel, a positioning wheel also mounted to the lower panel, and a trigger mounted to the housing. The lower panel includes a slot positioned parallel to the guide wall but off center relative to a center point of a load projectile. Beneath the lower panel is a rotatable launch arm connected to a torsion spring and a catch structure. The upper and lower panels are parallel to one another and spaced to receive a projectile. The projectile is loaded into the projectile receptacle when the receptacle is exposed during the time the launch arm and torsion spring are cocked by a user pulling rearward on the cocking slide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert James Victor, Brian Jablonski
  • Patent number: 8951128
    Abstract: A device combining a gun and target for facilitating a game of tag using infrared light communications and augmented reality with one or more players is provided. The device includes infrared transmitters and infrared receivers to facilitate omni-directional two-way communication between two or more devices and a shaped housing facilitating handling of the device by a user. The housing includes a grip portion with a finger-operable trigger and a barrel portion. A mobile electronic device is used as an accessory to provide single player and multiplayer augmented reality game play and a user-interface including a display and a touch screen for programming the device and controlling various game and device functions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Farley, David Small
  • Patent number: 8920209
    Abstract: A toy apparatus having a lower base, an upper base and a doll cover for the upper base where the lower base and the upper base attach and detach with an easy twisting motion. The lower base encloses a flywheel on a shaft, and a passageway for a rack and includes a cover with an outside screw thread. The upper base is either empty or encloses three switches, a sound generator, a light source, a controller printed circuit board, and a battery chamber and includes a cover with an inside screw thread that mates with the screw thread of the lower base. The toy apparatus has two primary play modes, a first mode where the lower base, the upper base and the cover are connected and a user uses the rack to spin the flywheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Meredith Brooks, Dean Carley, Sean Carmine Isabella
  • Publication number: 20140370777
    Abstract: A toy construction set includes a plurality of interconnecting toy construction pieces, the pieces being connectable to build a toy that reversibly transforms between a first toy form and a second toy form, the first toy form defining a longitudinal axis in a first plane and the second toy form defining a longitudinal axis in a second plane that has a surface normal that is different from a surface normal of the first plane; and a bidirectional transformation module. The bidirectional transformation module includes a body defining a first connector and a second connector, the first connector coupled to a first piece included in the plurality of interconnecting toy construction pieces, and the second connector coupled to a second piece included in the plurality of interconnecting toy construction pieces; and a flexible portion between the first and second connectors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicants: TOMY COMPANY, LTD, HASBRO, INC.
    Inventors: Hagop Minassian, Leonard Joseph Panzica, JR., William J. Rawley, Joshua Lamb, Yuga Onishi
  • Patent number: 8911275
    Abstract: A toy construction system includes a plurality of interconnectable building elements; a control system that generates an electromagnetic signal; a vibration speaker including a moveable permanent magnet; and a support building element mechanically linked to the permanent magnet of the vibration speaker. The vibration speaker includes a coil that is moveable relative to the permanent magnet. One or more of the coil and the permanent magnet vibrate in a manner that is based on the electromagnetic signal. The vibration speaker also includes a sound producer that is mechanically linked to the coil to vibrate with the coil as the coil vibrates. The coil vibrates relative to the permanent magnet to produce an audible sound, and the permanent magnet vibrates to cause the support building element to vibrate and animate interconnectable building elements linked to the support building element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard J. Maddocks, Paul N. Paulson, Kevin Ka Fat Wong, Richard Kwok-wah Leung, Winston Kim Wa Lee
  • Patent number: 8893699
    Abstract: A toy assembly includes a projectile that includes a linear portion and an engagement portion. The toy assembly also includes a base that includes a pivot point and defines an opening that receives the linear portion of the projectile, and the base retains the projectile in a frictional engagement. The assembly also includes an actuator that includes a trigger portion. The actuator is coupled to the base at the pivot point. Applying force to the trigger portion of the actuator in a first direction causes movement of the engagement portion of the projectile in a second direction, distinct from the first direction, and releases the projectile from the frictional engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2014
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: David Maxwell Bird, Robert C. Maschin
  • Patent number: 8882488
    Abstract: A combined a toy which simply yet uniquely stamps and cuts off formed articles in a fun and interesting way utilizing cooperating rollers which employ a stamp and at least one angular projection defining a cutting edge on at least one roller. Two or more cooperating rollers are at a frame with each roller including a peripheral surface, one or more concentric ribs on the peripheral surface of each roller which cooperate to spiral around the length of each roller defining a molding surface which spirals around the peripheral surface of each roller, and a stamp on the molding surface of at least one roller. The driving mechanism rotates a gear mechanism which in turn rotates the two or more rollers that cooperate to stamp and cut off articles formed on the molding surface of the rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas Arthur Schultheis, Ashley Aust
  • Publication number: 20140326228
    Abstract: A toy launch apparatus for discharging circular projectiles of predetermined diameter and height. The apparatus includes multiple safety features to prevent inappropriate objects inserted into the apparatus from enabling the apparatus to operate. A side latch is mounted that locks a shuttle to a housing assembly unless a properly sized projectile is inserted that rotates a side latch bar rotatably mounted to the shuttle out of engagement with an abutment surface in the housing assembly. A top latch is mounted that locks the shuttle to the housing assembly unless the inserted projectile also rotates a top latch bar mounted to the shuttle out of engagement with another abutment surface in the housing assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Publication date: November 6, 2014
    Applicant: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark A. Poirier