Having Article Completely Supported By Rotating Tether, Arm, Or Suspending Structure Patents (Class 472/7)
  • Patent number: 11951411
    Abstract: An animation module is configured for use on a marble run module of a plurality of physically interconnectable marble run modules. The module includes a connector, an actuator, switch contacts, and a motor. The connector connects to a connector tube of a first marble run module of the plurality of physically interconnectable marble run modules. The actuator has a button and a shaft, and is configured to dispose at least a portion of the button below a bottom of the connector. The shaft extends upward from the button. The switch contacts are mounted at least indirectly on the connector and have a closed state and an open state. The motor is operably coupled to the switch contacts to rotate responsive to the switch contacts transitioning between the open state and the closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Pike Brands LLC
    Inventors: Jeffrey Forgrave, Chris Suen
  • Patent number: 11577175
    Abstract: An improved toy vehicle playset contains a base, a tower, a launcher, and a housing structure. The tower may be equipped with a track disposed around the tower. An interactive object may be moveably coupled to the tower and equipped with a mechanism that is repositionable between an engaged position, where the mechanism is engaged with the track of the tower, and a disengaged position, where the mechanism is disengaged from the track of the tower. When in the mechanism is in the engaged position, the interactive object may descend the tower along the track. When the mechanism is in the disengaged position, the interactive object may descend linearly or fall along the tower without following the track. The launcher may be configured to launch toy vehicles at the interactive object to actuate the mechanism to be repositioned from the engaged position to the disengaged position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Paul Schmid
  • Patent number: 10857477
    Abstract: An illustrated view of an exemplary souvenir for displaying high-lights or historical information to others is presented. The souvenir is useful for providing a fun, exciting and cheery presence to a room or house by recalling and reminiscing about a wonderful experience. Also, the souvenir is useful providing and sharing the world, an abbreviated history of great cities such as Atlanta, New York City, New Orleans, Chicago, etc. The souvenir is the shape of a Ferris wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Inventor: Dallas Campbell
  • Patent number: 7938730
    Abstract: The Rotating Device (1) comprises a rotating shaft (1000) being bearing interrelated to a nipple/coupling frame. The rotating shaft (1000) supports swing arms right and left from which are suspended swing seats. The nipple/coupling frame extends into and is supported by a generally concrete foundation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Inventors: Raymond B. Richardson, Shane A. Bales
  • Patent number: 7373902
    Abstract: A device for amusing a cat or other pet is provided that has a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion, a motor disposed in the housing, a belt attached to the housing via an upper shaft and a lower shaft, a string having a first end attached to the belt and a second end extending freely from the belt, and means for activating the motor. In operation the motor rotates the belt causing the string to repeatedly fling outwardly from being hidden within the frame and amuse the cat. Methods for amusing a pet are also disclosed that comprise the steps of automating a string, whereby a free end of the string appears and disappears from view. These methods are preferably accomplished by attaching one end of the string to a rotating belt within a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Inventor: Michele Levan
  • Patent number: 5941196
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for amusement of pet animals, which includes a base member, a stand mounted on the base member, a first arm mounted on the stand, a drive member mounted on the first arm, a second arm mounted on the first arm and engageable with the drive member so as to be movable by the drive member, a rotatable member connected to an end portion of the second arm and an object which is suspended from the rotatable member and which is swingable by the rotatable member upon movement of the second arm by the drive member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1999
    Inventor: Rich Domanski
  • Patent number: 5632107
    Abstract: An undulating display includes a rigid track, a pair of linking members secured to the track, a first pivot member having first pivot axis and a second pivot axis, and a second pivot member pivotally supported on the second pivot axis of the first pivot member. The pair of linking members is secured to the second pivot member. The display also includes an drive mechanism for pivoting simultaneously the second pivot member about the second pivot axis and the first pivot member about the first pivot axis thereby to produce undulating motion of the track.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Mr. Christmas, Inc.
    Inventors: Huang Meng-Suen, Arthur Liu, Charles Savard
  • Patent number: 5505463
    Abstract: A game toy provides amusement that cannot be obtained with games simulating actual contests, so that players can compete over the number of pieces held by avoiding loss of pieces. The game toy has piece retention means 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d for keeping the player's pieces in predetermined positions, a moving object 3 for moving the pieces from the positions when it collides with the pieces, collision prevention means 4a, 4b, 4c and 4d being operated by the player to prevent collision between the pieces and the moving object when the moving object approaches the pieces, a support means 5 for supporting the moving object 3 so that it can freely spin vertically, and a drive means for rotating the support means 5 around the vertical axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 9, 1996
    Assignee: Sente Creations Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomiyuki Hirose, Asayoshi Asami
  • Patent number: 5400534
    Abstract: A decoration includes a hollow base assembly, a bulb, a sound generating unit, a motor, a mounting ring fixed on the base assembly, several superposed intermediate rotary rings disposed between the mounting ring and the base, and an upper rotary ring disposed on and above the mounting ring. Any adjacent two of the upper rotary ring, the mounting ring, the intermediate rotary rings and the base have a bearing mechanism which includes several circumferentially spaced-apart ball positioning units, and several balls respectively positioned within the ball positioning units. The balls are confined in the ball positioning units so as to facilitate relative rotation between any adjacent two of the upper rotary ring, the mounting ring, the intermediate rotary rings and the base. When the motor is powered, the upper rotary ring and the intermediate rotary rings rotate relative to the base assembly and the mounting ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 28, 1995
    Inventor: Wen-Pin Lin
  • Patent number: 5203743
    Abstract: An ornamental carousel assembly is disclosed which simulates the movements of a full-size carousel by supporting various carousel figures that both reciprocate vertically and revolve around a central vertical support column along with a canopy. The rotating and reciprocating ornaments are supported on a central support assembly by a bearing arrangement which minimizes the friction developed during movement of the ornamental elements so as to permit a miniature wind-up music box mechanism to drive the carousel. The drive assembly from the miniature wind-up music box mechanism includes a gear drive assembly for transferring drive from an output shaft of the miniature wind-up music box mechanism to rotate and reciprocate the various ornamental figures and a spring which is used to impart the necessary rotary drive force to the canopy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Giftec, Ltd.
    Inventors: Jack Hou, I-Pin Feng
  • Patent number: 5103770
    Abstract: An improved pet exercising device comprising a toy suspended from a motorized arm having an electronic control capable of actuating the device at predetermined or random intervals and for varying the speed and direction of movement of the toy to provide movements which are more attractive to pets and which are not apparently repetitive and, hence, are more challenging and interesting to the pet, especially to cats.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1992
    Inventor: Weslie D. Berkovich