Abstract: An electronic learning and entertainment system that includes a plurality of housings that can be coupled to an electronic module. Each housing has a plurality of input devices. The electronic module can be plugged into one of the housings and generate outputs that are unique to the housing. The input devices and corresponding module outputs may be designed for play by a specific age group. Thus each housing can be operated by a user of a certain age. By way of example, one housing may be designed to by operated by an infant, another housing may be designed to be operated by a user in the 2-5 year age group, etc.

Abstract: Vibrating musical devices including a motorized drumstick that can generate and/or distort sound when placed into contact with a surface. For example, the motorized drumstick can generate a “buzz roll” on a drum or other resonating surface. The drumstick includes a rod that is attached to a handle. Located within the handle is a motor that can create an oscillating movement of the rod. The oscillating movement may be induced by an off-center weight that is attached to the motor. The motor and weight may be incorporated into other musical devices.

Abstract: A combination musical instrument comprising first and second instrument portions each having first and second sides and a plurality of input devices actuable by a user on one side thereof. The first and second portions are coupled to each other. In one embodiment of the invention, the first portion resembles a keyboard and the second portion resembles a guitar. When the input devices on the guitar portion are actuated, sound files stored in a microcontroller are transmitted through a speaker, producing sounds that resemble those made by a guitar. When the input devices on the keyboard portion are actuated, different sound files are transmitted by the microcontroller through the speaker, producing sounds that resemble those made a keyboard, organ, drums, xylophone or other instrument. In one embodiment of the invention, the keyboard portion is foldable about an axis, concealing the keyboard portion from view.

Abstract: A toy that activates an indicator while an end user consumes an edible substance. The toy includes a first electrode and a second electrode that are connected to the indicator. An electrical path is created between the first and second electrodes while the end user is consuming the consumable substance to close an electrical circuit with the indicator. The closed circuit activates the indicator.

Abstract: A children's ride-on toy convertible between tricycle and a scooter configurations includes a curved backbone having an upper end segment and a lower end segment defining an upwardly facing step area, rear wheels rotatably mounted to the lower end segment, a front fork including a head post rotatably mounted to the upper end segment and a front wheel rotatably mounted to the fork. The toy also has a rigid frame member with first and second ends and a seat area between those ends, the first end being connected by a two-axis pivot joint to the head post, This allows the frame member to be moved between a first, tricycle, position wherein the frame member extends over the backbone away from the head post such that the seat area faces upwardly away from the backbone and a second, scooter, position wherein the frame member extends up in front of the head post to a location spaced above the backbone thereby exposing the step area.

Abstract: A toy hockey game which includes a stick and a projectile that both have hook and loop material which releasably attach the projectile to the stick, so that the participants can maintain the projectile in contact with the stick while playing a game of hockey.

Abstract: A miniature golf game that utilizes hook and loop material commonly referred to as VELCRO to capture a ball rolled onto a green. The game includes a miniature green that has a simulated hole covered with VELCRO material. The VELCRO material can either be sewn into the green or attached to a disk that is placed onto the hole. The green may also have a sandtrap patch that has VELCRO material. A VELCRO covered ball is rolled onto the green with a golf club. The golf ball becomes attached to the simulated hole or patch when the ball is rolled into the simulated hole or patch areas. There is also disclosed a hook and loop baseball game that includes a miniature field which simulates a baseball diamond. The baseball game has a plurality of VELCRO covered disks located throughout the field. A player throws a VELCRO covered ball at the disks on the field. A disk is removed from the field when the ball strikes the disk. Each removed disk may represent a single, home run, out, etc.

Abstract: There is disclosed a football having an end appendage comprising at least one long, narrow strip of a flexible sheet material, e.g., cloth or flexible plastic, which functions as a tail when the ball is thrown or kicked and which provides directional stability for the football while in flight. When multiple strips are used which are formed of a rigidly flexible sheet such as MYLAR, the appendage also functions as a sound generator. When the football is thrown in a normal manner, the tail extends backwards, providing a slight drag to cause the back tip of the ball to align itself with the front tip, thereby resulting in the straight and accurate flight of the ball. The appendage can be fixedly or removably attached to the football, and for this purpose, can be attached with attachment tabs formed of hook and loop materials, commonly known as VELCRO.

Abstract: There is disclosed a football having an end appendage comprising at least one long, narrow strip of a flexible sheet material, e.g., cloth or flexible plastic, which functions as a tail when the ball is thrown or kicked and which provides directional stability for the football while in flight. When multiple strips are used which are formed of a rigidly flexible sheet such as MYLAR, the appendage also functions as a sound generator. When the football is thrown in a normal manner, the tail extends backwards, providing a slight drag to cause the back tip of the ball to align itself with the front tip, thereby resulting in the straight and accurate flight of the ball. The appendage can be fixedly or removably attached to the football, and for this purpose, can be attached with attachment tabs formed of hook and loop materials, commonly known as VELCRO.

Abstract: An action game whereby the players throw a ball at a plurality of disks so that one of the disks becomes attached to the ball. The ball and disks are covered with hook and loop material, wherein the disks will become attached to the ball when the ball comes into contact with a disk. A variety of games can be played with the game set of the present invention. For example, the disks can all be placed in an area of a playing surface. Each player throws the ball at the disks, trying to get a disk to stick to the ball. The ball is bounced off of the playing surface and caught by the opposing player. If a disk sticks to the ball, the opposing player must keep the disk. When all of the disks have been removed from the playing surface, the player with the least amount of disks wins the game.

Abstract: A ground level water toy that can be connected to a garden hose and releases water when a player pushes down one preselected control member from a number of control members extending from the toy. The toy has a housing with an inlet that can be coupled to the garden hose, an outlet that can splash the players with water, and an inner fluid passage that provides fluid communication between the inlet and the outlet. The flow of water is controlled by a valve within the housing. The toy has a trigger which is coupled to the valve by a shaft assembly. The trigger normally maintains the shaft assembly in a down position, so that the valve is closed. When the trigger is activated, the shaft moves to an up position, which opens the valve and allows water to flow from the housing outlet.The toy has a plurality of control members that extend from the housing and are adapted to be moved between a first position and a second position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a football having an end appendage which is a long, narrow flexible sheet material, e.g., cloth or flexible vinyl, which functions as a tail when the ball is thrown or kicked and which provides directional stability for the football while in flight. When the football is thrown in a normal manner, the tail extends backwards, providing a slight drag to cause the back tip of the ball to align itself with the front tip, thereby resulting in the straight and accurate flight of the ball. The appendage can be fixedly or removably attached to the football, and for this purpose, can be attached with attachment tabs formed of hook and loop materials, commonly known as VELCRO.

Abstract: There is disclosed a game where the players wear vests with Velcro.RTM. surfaced targets and are provided with soft elastic balls surfaced with complimentary Velcro.RTM. fabric. The players throw the balls at each other and attempt to stick the balls to the target areas, which can be assigned numerical scores depending on location and exposure. The players can duck or and try to avoid being hit and the player with the highest score wins the game. The invention also includes an elastic, soft ball formed of foamed elastomer which has a single through passageway along a diameter thereof and is partially covered with a plurality of bands of Velcro.RTM. attachment fabric which extend along great circle arcs on the exterior surface of the ball and pass through the internal passageway of the ball, thereby securely attaching the Velcro.RTM. bands to the ball. This attachment of the bands can be augmented by adhesive bonding between the Velcro.RTM. bands and the exterior surface of the ball.

Abstract: An outdoor game for a plurality of players who on a novel game mat having a flat playing surface which bears a plurality of position-identifying indicia. The mat also has a water distributor and a plurality of water spray orifices which are located at preselected positions on the surface of the game mat and connected to the water distributor whereby application of water under pressure to the water distributor forms a plurality of vertical water sprays about the playing surface. In the game, players call out particular commands to each other which are spontaneous or can be selected from randomly stacked game cards and which require the responding player to touch the location of the particular indicium on the mat, and to remain in contact with all previously identified indicia during the remainder of the play. The objective of the play is to disqualify players by causing an opposing player to become so tangled up as to fall, or to render performance of a command without falling impossible.

Abstract: There is disclosed a ball having a foraminous outer shell with an inner membrane which forms an interior closure within the outer shell and with a timer and a release mechanism operative to open the inner membrane and release its contents after the time on the timer expires. The contents spill through the foraminous outer shell, wetting the player who is handling or catching the ball at the moment of release. The timer is activated and the ball is used in a game in which it is tossed between participants who seek to avoid becoming wet when the timer releases the water from the interior closure of the ball.

Abstract: A toy slot car system which simulates off-track racing. The system includes a track, toy vehicles and remote, hand-held controllers to permit each player to control the performance of a preselected vehicle. The track has coextensive, deep slots which have their sidewalls lined with electrical strip conductors, and the toy vehicles have a posts that are received in the deep slots and that carry electrical wipers at their lowermost ends. The surface of the track is rough and uneven with severe undulations which simulate off road conditions and which cause the toy vehicles to be jostled and thrown upwardly, above the track surface during races. Since the slots are quite deep and the electrical strip connectors are quite wide, the cars can bounce over the track and loose all wheel contact with the surface of the track, without loosing electrical continuity with the track, thus creating a realistic simulation of off-track racing.

Abstract: A pivotal jumping stick with the handlebars and footrest connected together and pivoted at their centers to permit the user to maintain his balance on uneven terrain. While in motion, a pin slides vertically in a slot formed in the impacting rod, counteracting the inherent twisting force of the spring mechanism, and allowing the user to accurately steer the device.