Having Changeable Facial Feature Patents (Class 446/337)
  • Patent number: 6183338
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention is a plaything that includes: (a) a body; (b) a head attached to the body having a recessed area within the head; and (c) a band at least partially surrounding the recessed area. In a further embodiment, the plaything further comprises an appliance that fits in the recessed area. In a still further embodiment, the appliance is detachably affixed to the recessed area. In a yet still further embodiment, the appliance comprises an image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2001
    Inventor: Lorretta M. Mallette
  • Patent number: 6146722
    Abstract: A figure of an animated creature for retaining and visually displaying a picture. The figure has a body with a front side upon which means for retaining and visually displaying the picture are disposed. The means for retaining and visually displaying has a transparent outer cover for displaying the picture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Inventor: Thryn Slawin
  • Patent number: 6135847
    Abstract: A puppet (10) or other character representation includes an inner tube (11), an outer tube (12) and an extra tube (13) located within the inner tube (11). The upper ends of the inner and outer tubes (11 and 12) are connected by a sleeve (23) of simulation hair. A moulding (16) is secured to the outer tube (12) and has the appropriate facial characteristics including an opening (19) corresponding to the mouth of the character. The extra tube (13) has an upper edge which is connected to the part of the moulding (16) which provides the lower jaw of the character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Inventor: Andrew Stephen Coates
  • Patent number: 6123598
    Abstract: A hand held doll includes a pivotally supported nose and upper jaw upon a head which is supported by a torso. A mechanism within the torso utilizes a pullstring drive to rotate a drum. The drum defines an angled slot which receives one end of a pivotable lever. A link couples a pivotable lever to an arm which pivotally supports the nose and upper jaw of the doll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Robynn M. Cook
  • Patent number: 6074266
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a candy holding device for holding a piece of candy and causing the piece of candy to be rotated. The candy holding device includes a housing, a drive system disposed within the housing, a rotatable member adapted to support a piece of candy so that rotation of the rotatable member by the drive system causes the piece of candy to rotate, a flexible member composed of an elastically deformable material, and an actuator coupled to the flexible member to cause a portion of the flexible member to move as the rotatable member rotates. The flexible member may be provided in the form of a face having a mouth area, and the actuator may be provided in the form of a connecting rod having a first end shaped in the form of a pair of lips and a second end operatively coupled to the rotatable member. The lips may be coupled to the mouth area so that the lips, the mouth area, and/or the cheeks of the face move in and out in synchronism with rotation of the candy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Oddzon, Inc.
    Inventor: Marc Zak
  • Patent number: 6068536
    Abstract: A character (2) capable of forming facial expressions is provided. The character includes a hollow head (4) with a face defining a mouth (6) thereon. The mouth has a length and includes a first end portion (6A) and a second end portion (6B). The character further includes, externally or within the hollow head, a mechanism (7) for causing various facial expressions. The mechanism includes a main frame plate (8), a mouth assembly (10) fixedly mounted on the main frame plate, and a drive assembly (12) also mounted on the main frame plate. The mouth assembly includes an upper lip chain (14) which is formed from a plurality of links (16) and has a first end (14a) and a second end (14b). The drive assembly is adapted to move at least one of the first and second ends of the upper lip chain and, hence, at least one of the corresponding end portions of the mouth, to cause various facial expressions, such as a smile, frown, or mumbling mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Merriment Inc.
    Inventors: Douglas J. Madland, Nathan Wayne Foster
  • Patent number: 5966853
    Abstract: The invention relates to a movable Christmas tree moving mechanism, particularly to one comprising a foundation, a connecting rod set, a U-shaped support, a cover plate, a mouth movement and an eye movement, whereby the coordination of an overlapped round cam on the foundation, and a short rod, low rod and a high rod in the connecting rod set, along with the configuration of a moving block of a U-shaped support, a mouth movement and an eye movement enables the movement of the jaw, eyes and head on a toy face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1999
    Inventor: Chun I Yeh
  • Patent number: 5902169
    Abstract: A toy has a changing facial expression and includes a hollow toy body with a torso section and a head section on the torso section. The head section has a front side formed with a face opening. The torso section is provided with a pair of forwardly extending arms that are mounted pivotally on two sides thereof. The arms have distal ends that hold a shielding member therebetween, and are pivotable on the torso section between a lowered position, where the shielding member uncovers the face opening, and a raised position, where the shielding member extends across the face opening to cover the face opening. A face member is disposed rotatably in the head section of the toy body and is formed with at least two face sections. The face member can be rotated to move a previous one of the face sections from alignment with the face opening and register another one of the face sections with the face opening when the arms are in the raised position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Dah Yang Toy Industrial Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Kazumi Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 5833513
    Abstract: Crawling and movement simulating doll that makes waking up and falling asleep gestures, comprising a mechanism located inside a body make of resilient material which incorporates a doll's head and is provided with mechanisms acting on the eyes and mouth, the internal mechanism generating a plurality of movement and sound stages as a result of the direct action of a battery-powered motor on the mechanism, thereby causing a rhythmic action of said mechanism for moving the head and arms and for providing the crawling action, acting according to specified stages through internal contactors in cooperation with the parts comprised in the mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Onilco Innovacion S.A.
    Inventor: Jaime Ferri Llorens
  • Patent number: 5823847
    Abstract: A moving mouth mechanism for an animated character, the mechanism being mounted within the head of the animated character, such as a doll. A head member of the character has an electrical motor mounted in the head upper portion, and has an elongated flexible element or string attached at one end to a rotatable shaft extension of the motor. The other end of the string is attached to a pivotable lever which is spring actuated. The lever outer end is attached to a pivotable lower lip of the mouth in the head, so that whenever the motor is activated with an electrical signal such as from an audio and control system for the activated character, the pivotable lower lip is movable upward and downward so as to simulate normal realistic speech for the animated character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Pragmatic Designs, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Gellman
  • Patent number: 5800242
    Abstract: The present invention relates to improvements in articles useful as desk ornaments or toys which are in the form of caricatures having faces and arms made of elastomeric materials and reinforced with wire in a manner such that the article can be manipulated to selectively achieve a wide variety of moods or expressions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: Prema Toy Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Arthur C. Clokey
  • Patent number: 5584741
    Abstract: A Halloween toy comprises an image member received within a frame. A mechanism is provided for moving the member into and out of the frame so as to achieve a scary effect. The image member may represent a face and movement of the member may be accompanied by light and sound effects. The image member may be covered by a sheet of material such that it is not readily visible when received within the frame but becomes visible when it it projects out of the frame. The mechanism for moving the image member is designed so as to occupy only a minimum of space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Seven Seas Plastic Fty Ltd.
    Inventor: Chik-Ting Cheung
  • Patent number: 5503583
    Abstract: A toy painted with paint containing thermochromic material which changes color as the temperature of the toy varies. Selected portions of the toy may be painted with the thermochromic material to provide a variety of patterns, designs, numbers, letters or other indicia which change color in response to temperature variations. In addition, different portions of the toy may be painted with different paints containing different colored thermochromic materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1996
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Hippely, Larry R. Wood, Jill E. Barad, Prodromos Papavasiliou
  • Patent number: 5405266
    Abstract: A psychotherapeutic doll comprising a substantially featureless soft body and head, and with disproportionately long arms and legs, is disclosed. The patient is provided with a plurality of face elements, each attachable to the head of the doll by way of an elastic band, so that the patient can express emotional states at a selected age in his life. Multiple face elements may be simultaneously attached to the head portion to convey and portray one emotional state hidden by another. The doll preferably includes a backpack with a transparent pocket, to allow the patient to indicate the age currently being projected onto the doll; multiple pockets can allow for multiple ages to be indicated, thus providing the patient with the ability to convey an emotional history.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Barbara L. Frank
    Inventors: Barbara L. Frank, Richard N. Neiman
  • Patent number: 5403224
    Abstract: A doll having a pocket secured to the face portion of the doll for displaying a photograph. The doll includes a doll body and a doll head with a pocket which may include a releasable sealing closure such that the photograph may be sealed within the pocket. Releasable fabric fasteners may be utilized to secure the pocket to the face portion, whereby the pocket may be selectively removed to facilitate both a reversing of the pocket and a washing of the doll or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 4, 1995
    Inventor: Edwin W. Gintling
  • Patent number: 5391106
    Abstract: An animated toy figure comprising an articulate jaw and a spring actuated tongue member, wherein the articulate jaw defines a mouth movable between an open position for rigidly extending the tongue member away from the mouth and a closed position for storing the tongue member which recoils automatically into the mouth upon actuation, the spring actuated tongue member further including fabric fasteners for attaching small objects to be caught in the tongue member as it recoils into the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Inventor: Albert W. Lidert, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5304087
    Abstract: A soft stuffed puppy is carried in a flexible sling with the head of the puppy exposed. The head has animatable ears driven by rotation of the head relative to the body. In addition, a protruding moveable tongue is driven by an actuator which also serves to effect the rotation of the head relative to the body. Actuation of the animatable ears and tongue may be readily accomplished while the puppy is carried in the sling by a child.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Breslow, Morrison, Terzian & Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Rouben T. Terzian, Shari L. Smith
  • Patent number: 5235824
    Abstract: A brooch including a support fixed in a housing, two flaps pivotally coupled to the support, a rod fixed in the housing, a board fixed on the rod, two rotary members pivotally coupled to the board, and a shaft rotatably engaged on the rod and having two cams engaged with the flaps and the rotary members so as to rotate the flaps and the rotary members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Inventor: Chung S. Huang
  • Patent number: 5181877
    Abstract: An apparatus for simulating a licking motion comprises a tongue disposed within a housing. The tongue is pivotally connected along one end to a main gear wheel and partially extends through an aperture formed in the housing. A motor and gear mechanism engage and rotate the main gear wheel in response to a control assembly. As the main gear wheel rotates, the tongue moves within the aperture at varying angles to simulate a licking motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: Those Characters From Cleveland
    Inventor: Jerzy Perkitny
  • Patent number: 5046985
    Abstract: A doll is provided having a permanently imprinted doll face on a flap overlying a blank face plate. When the flap is in a down position, the doll is played-with in a conventional manner. When the flap is raised, the plate is revealed and the child can draw face designs on the plate. A first set of facial features and related decorative items such as hair arrangements, bonnets, bows and the like are displayed when the flap overlies the plate. A corresponding second set of the above become revealed when the flap is lifted. The flap includes straps which releasably secure the flap when positioned over the face plate or, over the doll head back side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1991
    Inventor: Roscoe Cearfoss
  • Patent number: 4921459
    Abstract: A multicharacter doll has four simulated figures. Each figure includes a torso that extends radially from a central body portion to a head disposed at a free end. A garment covers the central body portion and drapes over three of the four simulated figures so that a single figure remains undraped and the other figures are hidden from view. Each figure has an appearance representative of a person from a culture different from a culture of a person represented by any of the other simulated figures, and each figure has a passport book attached to it, which passport book includes indicia giving information on the country and culture represented by the simulated figure to which the passbook is attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 1988
    Date of Patent: May 1, 1990
    Inventors: Bertha B. Cook, Betty J. Smith
  • Patent number: 4828526
    Abstract: A toy figurine and a fluid actuated animated module for ready detachment and attachment to the toy figurine. The toy figurine includes a means for generating and transmitting pressurized fluid which is utilized to activate an animated feature contained within the module. The figurine also includes a socket assembly to facilitate the detachment and attachment of the module and provide a fluid seal between the figurine and the module. The socket assembly includes a movable member having a front end surface which is substantially flush with the outer covering of the figurine when the module is detached. The movable member is capable of assuming a depressed position so as to permit the attachment of the module to the socket assembly and facilitate the flow of pressurized fluid from the figurine to the module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1989
    Assignee: Those Characters From Cleveland
    Inventors: Thomas P. Schneider, Randy J. Randleman
  • Patent number: 4820234
    Abstract: A novelty doll is comprised of a plurality of independent and exchangeable facial segments which are built upon a post to create a doll face, each facial segment including a plurality of expressions selectively and separately placed into view whereby a variety of humorous moods and expressions are depicted by the novelty doll.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Inventor: Asad F. Isaf
  • Patent number: 4698927
    Abstract: A badge having a design of a face in which members corresponding to eyebrows, eyes and a mouth are movably mounted on the front side of a body of the badge to indicate facial expressions such as, for example, a smile or a frown. Engaging members for allowing relative movement in the directions of the members corresponding to the eyebrows, the eyes and the mouth project from the back surface side of the body of the badge, and an operating plate having slots engaged with the engaging members is movably mounted on the body, thereby controlling the movements of the eyebrow, the eye and the mouth members according to the shape of the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1986
    Date of Patent: October 13, 1987
    Inventor: Takashima Yoshiro
  • Patent number: 4683669
    Abstract: An animated mannequin head for simulating human facial expressions. A rigid substrate in the form of a head is partially covered with elongated, pressurized fluid filled tubes. The tubes, termed tube motor elements, are either covered by or are embedded in a deformable layer/stratum, the outer surface of which is textured and tinted to simulate facial skin, the layer/stratum positioned on the head to simulate a face. Upon variation of the fluid pressure within various groups of the tube motor elements, various facial expressions may be simulated. In a first embodiment, helical coil springs are used instead of pressurized tubes, passage of direct current through the coils causing them to contract, the coils being embedded in a deformable layer/stratum. In a second embodiment, a grid of parallel wires is embedded in the simulated skin, passage of direct current through selected segments of selected pairs of wires causes them to move together, at right angles to their length, thus distorting the skin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1987
    Inventor: Thomas J. Greer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 4669997
    Abstract: Pneumatic action toy creatures each have a body with a hollow resilient compressible portion. An opening in the compressible portion receives an elongated piston with a cross section substantially conforming to the opening to provide for pneumatic reciprocation of the piston. At least one set of opposed members is mounted for pivotal movement with respect to each other in a direction, and about an axis, generally transverse to the elongated dimension of the piston. Either by an enlargement on one end of the piston, or through interaction with the opposed members, the throw of the piston is limited to retain the one end within the compressible portion. Reciprocation of the piston upon compression and release of the resilient body portion actuates pivotal movement of the opposed members through mechanical engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 2, 1987
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Ralph J. Kulesza, Harry Disko, Dennis R. Gibbons
  • Patent number: 4662856
    Abstract: An animated toy which comprises a rigid hollow base over the open top of which there is a flexible sheet of plush fabric material. Rotatably mounted in the base there is a wheel, the bottom of which extends beneath the bottom surface of the base. A cam interconnects the wheel with the underside of the plush fabric covering such that movement of the toy over a surface effects expansion and contraction of the plush fabric cover. On the exterior surface of the plush fabric cover there are animal characteristics, such as nose and eyes, so that the impression created by the expansion and contraction of the cover is one of a living, breathing animal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1987
    Inventors: William F. Getgey, Rudolph D. Vap
  • Patent number: 4540379
    Abstract: A toy has a body having first and second body members which are pivotally joined together so as to allow articulation of the toy body. A motor is located in the body with a set of driving wheels located on the first body member. The toy articulates between a first and a second configuration with the driving wheels contacting a support surface in the first configuration so as to drive the toy across the support surface and being lifted upwardly from the support surface in the second configuration so as to no longer drive the toy across the support surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 10, 1985
    Assignee: Tomy Kogyo Company, Incorporated
    Inventor: Tamotsu Tachibana