Patents Examined by Bena B. Miller
  • Patent number: 6790119
    Abstract: A toy turtle is provided with a head, a tail, front right and left flippers, and rear right and left flippers extending from a body. A battery driven gear motor within the body causes linkage in the body to drive the front flippers back and forth, propelling the turtle through the water. The rear flippers are selectively positionable by the user to act in combination either as a rudder, controlling the direction in which the turtle swims when the flippers are positioned asymmetrically, or to control the turtle's swimming speed by increasing or reducing drag when the flippers are positioned symmetrically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Inventor: Francis See Chong Chia
  • Patent number: 6783424
    Abstract: A toy figure body formed as a four legged animal includes an outer skin and interior padding to assume an animal-like form. Within the front legs and feet of the animal body a front leg armature passed upwardly from the animal's feet through the front legs and across the lower portion of the body. A rear leg armature separate from the front leg armature extends upwardly from the animals feet through the rear legs and passes therebetween through the animal's body. A tail armature extends from with padded animal body outwardly to support a posable tail. In an alternate embodiment, the three separate armatures are covered with a fabric sleeve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, INC
    Inventor: Ok Soo Choi
  • Patent number: 6776682
    Abstract: An acrobatic doll and accessory combination with an acrobatic doll body, an engaging member coupled to the doll body, a doll accessory, and an engaging member coupled to the doll accessory wherein the engaging member coupled to the doll body and the engaging member coupled to the doll accessory can engage one another in a mating relationship. The acrobatic doll can have a torso, a head, first and second arms hingedly coupled to the torso, and first and second legs hingedly coupled to the torso. The doll accessory can take many forms including a tumble baton, a tumble garment, a tumble bar arrangement, a dancing stand, a balance wand, a vertical stand, a rocker unit, a swing arrangement, a propeller driven arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Inventors: Robert W. Engel, Robert Stephen Lee, Steve G. Fouke, John Rey Hollis, William John Kelley
  • Patent number: 6769949
    Abstract: An ornithopter with an airframe structure that is lightweight, simple and stable and can generate sufficient lift and thrust. The ornithopter comprises a body, a main wing attached to an upper portion of a front section of the body, and a tail wing attached to a rear section of the body. The ornithopter further comprises a power source and a power transmission mechanism installed within a housing of the body. The main wing includes a wing frame composed of a plurality of frame rods and a skin attached to the wing frame for forming an outline of the main wing. The wing frame of the main wing is supported by a support means exposed to the outside at the upper portion of the front section of the body. The power transmission mechanism includes a gear train for adjusting the rotational motion of the power source at a proper speed and transferring it to the main wing, and connecting rods for converting the rotational motion into a swing motion of the main wing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2004
    Assignee: Neuros Co., LTD
    Inventors: Seung-Woo Kim, Ii-Hyung Jang, Myung-Hwan Kim, Jong-Seon Kim
  • Patent number: 6767272
    Abstract: A model car having a mechanism, including an electric motor, for raising and lowering the chassis in respect of the ground engaging wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2004
    Assignee: Craft House Corporation
    Inventor: Paul S. Santarsiero
  • Patent number: 6764375
    Abstract: A rotabable decorative-article structure including a rotating device connected with and supported by a base device is disclosed. The rotating device includes a fixed seat, a motor, a guiding cylinder and a rotating seat. The fixed seat includes a through opening and an annular slot with a guiding surface. The motor with a shaft is mounted on the fixed seat. The guiding cylinder is located inside the annular slot and includes a guiding wall to form a guiding track with respect to the guiding surface. The rotating seat is rotatably furnished in the annular slot, and includes a ring gear driven by the shaft of the motor and at least one guiding pillar with a guiding wheel sliding within the guiding track. The rotating seat is individually rotated, and the optical fibers and/or the wires separately go through the opening of the fixed seat. Therefore, the fiber decorations can be further used to decorate the rotatable decorative article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Inventor: Lieh-Liang Hsu
  • Patent number: 6764370
    Abstract: A bubble wand with an ornamental figure and an ornamental bubble loop. The ornamental figure and ornamental loop are provided in the form of beads, shapes, letters, a small figurine of an animal, plant, person, cartoon character, action figure, or other attractive representation. The ornamental figure and loop are attached to the wand or are provided with a means for releasably or slidably attaching the ornamental figure to the wand or to a suction tube used in many soap dispensers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Inventor: Mary Kay Bitton
  • Patent number: 6761609
    Abstract: A toy building set comprising a plurality of toy building elements (1, 3) provided with complementary coupling means. At least one of the toy building elements (3) is/are provided with at least one groove (4) provided in an outwardly facing face of the toy building element (3), said groove (4) being able to receive and frictionally secure the edge of a toy building sheet element (5, 5a). The toy building sheet element (5, 5a) is planar with an even thickness that slightly exceeds the narrowest width of the groove (4) in the second toy building element (3), and it is made of a self-supporting, soft, elastically deformable, and form-stable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Interlego AG
    Inventor: Dorthe Kjærulff Andersen
  • Patent number: 6761612
    Abstract: A digital sports pop-up apparatus in which the apparatus is representative of a predetermined sport. The apparatus comprises a stand member with a substantially hollow member engageable with an upper portion of the stand member, the substantially hollow member being in a predetermined shape indicative of a particular sport. There is an opening disposed adjacent a top of the hollow member to enable access into an interior thereof. A pop-up figure is disposed within the interior of the hollow member. A hinged lid is rotatingly engageable with the hollow member adjacent the opening for closing the opening. A latch is disposed in one of the hollow member and the hinged lid for securing the hinged lid in a closed position. There is a means engageable with the latch means for releasing the lid and a biasing means for causing the pop-up figure to be raised out of the hollow member when the hinged lid is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Out Of The Box
    Inventors: Brad A. Pencil, James A. Leopardo
  • Patent number: 6758716
    Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a dancing figure that includes a body defined by a torso, a head, and a pair of arms, and a pair of legs pivotally attached to the torso at a hip region. Each leg includes at least an upper leg section pivotally attached to a lower leg section at a knee region. Also included therewith is a pair of oversized feet adapted to provide support such that the figure is free-standing. The pair of oversized feet is separately and pivotally attached to one of the lower leg sections at an ankle region. Each foot houses a foot mechanism for independently pivoting the lower leg sections forwards and backwards at said ankle region, wherein the pivoting at said ankle regions causes pivoting motion at the knee regions and hip region to simulate animated movement in the figure. In addition thereto the foot mechanism may independently twist the foot to the left and right.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Rehco, L.L.C.
    Inventors: Steven Rehkemper, Michael Kass, Jackson Wilson
  • Patent number: 6758715
    Abstract: A balloon device includes a plurality of aesthetically discrete balloon members, wherein at least a first one of the aesthetically discrete inflatable members defines a first aesthetic moiety, at least a second balloon member defines a second aesthetic moiety; and a connecting member connecting member that connects the balloon members has an appearance that maintains an aesthetic separation between the first and second aesthetic moieties. The connecting member may be transparent, translucent, or have a color that matches the color of a background where the balloon device is intended to be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Inventor: Emily M. Banks
  • Patent number: 6752682
    Abstract: A cylindrical toy rocket that measures at least 8-inches long and 2½ inches in diameter. The rocket has a weighted rubber nose cone that is mounted on an inner slide tube that fits inside the rocket's main body tube in contact with a compression spring. At least three guide fins are attached to the outside bottom of the rocket's main body tube. The rocket is launched by means of an attached tether and gripping handle. In use, the handle is gripped in the hand of the player and swung in a vertical circular motion starting in an upward direction. The rocket is then released such that it is catapulted upward into the sky along an initial flight path. When the rocket reaches its apex and starts a descent, the heavier nose cone will assume a downward position. Upon impact with the ground, the nose cone and inner sliding tube are forced into the main tube body of the rocket, thereby compressing and storing potential energy in the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Inventor: Conrad M. Ferrell
  • Patent number: 6752683
    Abstract: An animated figure is provided with a body and at least one jointed appendage that is pivotably coupled thereto. Motive force is provided to a shaft having a cam which is coupled to a follower formed within the appendage to pivot the appendage with respect to the body. A control rod extends between the cam and the joint of the appendage to enable the joint to bend as the appendage is pivoted. Additional joints and control rods may be provided depending on the appendage movement desired. Likewise, multiple appendages, including a neck and head, may be provided and coupled to one another to impart a natural movement to the figure, such as walking or running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Inventor: Thomas P. Godfrey
  • Patent number: 6746297
    Abstract: A toy building construction set includes a plurality of building units, each building unit including an integral panel, an elongate column, and a connection member. The panel has a first and a second connection structure. One of four sides of the elongate column is a generally U-shaped channel. The column channel receives and is engaged with the second connection structure. The other three sides of the elongate column each have female connection structures so as to provide a female connection side to the building unit. The connection member is engaged with the first connection structure. At least part of the connection member projects outwardly from the panel so as to provide a male connection side to the building unit The male connection side is configured to removably engage with the female connection side of a second building unit of the plurality of building units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Frederick B. Robjent, Robert M. Goszewski, David M. DuBois
  • Patent number: 6739933
    Abstract: A wearable drink holder apparatus. In accordance with one embodiment, the wearable drink holder apparatus includes an animal-shaped body member having an interior compartment for securely encasing a drink container therewithin. Elongated support straps shaped as grasping animal limbs are utilized to attach the animal-shaped body member to a wearer's body. A protuberance member formed in the shaped of an animal face extends from the top of and approximately centrally aligned with the body member. The protuberance member includes an interior cavity through which a drinking conduit extends from the drink container to the exterior of the protuberance member toward the wearer's face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Inventor: Elaine Taylor
  • Patent number: 6739934
    Abstract: A flying disc sporting toy having a rim of varying radial width which enables it to fly long distances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Inventor: Alan J. Adler
  • Patent number: 6739935
    Abstract: The invention relates to a toy article which is, among other things, suitable as a collector's item and/or for use in games which toy article comprises a handle and a coupling piece for effecting a connection with a second toy article, which coupling piece is attached to said handle via a connecting element, which gives way when a predetermined force or torque is exerted thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Breakey B.V.
    Inventors: Ronald Van Teunenbroek, Robertus Maria Sluijs
  • Patent number: 6733357
    Abstract: A spring novelty item which has a head and appendages attached to a body by means of a spring connecting means so as to add dynamic and aesthetic beauty to any garden, kitchen or other setting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Exhart Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Margaret Weiser
  • Patent number: 6733361
    Abstract: A wireless toy playset. The playset includes a small size vehicle that moves about a track. Movement of the vehicle is controlled by a wireless transmitter. At the discretion of a parent or end user the transmitter can either be structurally coupled to the track or physically separated from the track. By way of example, the transmitter may be docked into a docking station of the track. Structurally coupling the wireless transmitter to the track reduces the likelihood of separation, and possibly misplacement, of the transmitter from the playset. For example, when the playset is operated by a small child it may be desirable to structurally couple the wireless transmitter to the track to prevent the child from removing and losing the transmitter. When the child is older the transmitter may be removed from the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Inventor: Elliot Rudell
  • Patent number: 6729934
    Abstract: An interactive character system that includes one or more toy characters and an environment, such as a theme park. Each toy character has one or more one or more electronic signal receivers, and an electronic system. The electronic system is structured to produce oral communication and has a programmable memory structured to store software. The software is structured to interact with the electronic signals and to cause the electronic system to produce the oral communication. The environment has one or more environmental electronic signal transmitters disposed therein. The toy character, one or more one or more electronic signal receivers interact with the one or more environmental electronic signal transmitters to cause the toy character electronic system to produce the oral communication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert W. Driscoll, Edward Wood, Peter Kristoffy