Abstract: A system for preventing overinflation of an inner tube is disclosed. In some embodiments, the system may include a wheel; and a tube-bursting region of the wheel, wherein the tube-bursting region is configured to facilitate bursting of an associated inner tube when the associated inner tube is pressurized above a predetermined maximum pressure. A tire system also is disclosed. In some embodiments, the system may include a wheel; and a tube-bursting region of the wheel, wherein the tube-bursting region is configured to facilitate bursting of an associated inner tube when the associated inner tube is pressurized above a predetermined maximum pressure. A children's ride-on vehicle also is disclosed. In some embodiments, the vehicle may include a wheel; and a tube-bursting region of the wheel, wherein the tube-bursting region is configured to facilitate bursting of an associated inner tube when the associated inner tube is pressurized above a predetermined maximum pressure.
Abstract: Toy aircraft may include an airframe, a modular power system, first and second wheel supports, and first and second wheels. The modular power system may be configured for selective use with and selective removal from the airframe. The power system may include a propulsion unit operable to propel the toy aircraft and a power unit, which may include an energy source configured to supply energy to the propulsion unit. The airframe may include a fuselage, a propulsion unit mount, which may be disposed on the airframe and configured to removably retain the propulsion unit, and a power unit mount, which may be disposed on the fuselage and configured to removably retain the power unit. The first and second wheel supports may extend from the power unit mount toward respective first and second wheel mounts to which the first and second wheels may be rotatably mounted.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 31, 2008
Date of Patent:
April 5, 2011
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Nicholas Amireh, Paulo Kang, David Strom, Chi Keung Chui
Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a toy building block system include housing having a building portion with a surface and a building component, the building component being extendable from the housing and movable relative to the surface, the building component and the surface defining a configuration of the building portion, the configuration of the building portion being changeable during play; and a play component engageable with the building component.
Type:
Application
Filed:
September 30, 2009
Publication date:
March 31, 2011
Applicant:
MATTEL, INC.
Inventors:
Beth Ann Hageman, Gerald A. May, Patrick Ritossa
Abstract: An infant gym includes a first support member having opposite ends engageable with a support surface, a hub located between the ends of the first support member, and a second support member having a first end pivotally coupled to a rear portion of the hub and a second end engageable with the support surface. The second end of the second support member is movable toward and away from the ends of the first support member, thereby changing the orientation of the hub relative to the support surface.
Abstract: A storytelling game is disclosed, including game components and rules for playing a game for at least one player. The goal of the storytelling game is to work through a story to a successful ending by choosing amount possible story directions at story branch points. The game may include the use of an electronic card reader and multiple story cards. At least one of the story cards may contain an embedded digital memory. Several chapters in an extended story may be provided by several card sets, which may be obtained independently.
Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a main body assembly supported for movement on wheels and having opposing right and left lateral sides, opposing front and rear ends, and opposing top and bottom sides extending between the lateral sides and the ends. The combined opposing right and left lateral sides and opposing top and bottom sides of the main body assembly define a slot that extends through the toy vehicle. An arm is provided for lifting at least one track segment from a level below the main body assembly up and into the slot while one or more other propulsion elements are provided in or around the slot to engage and move the one track segment from the one end of the vehicle entirely through the main body assembly along the slot and out the opposing end of the vehicle.
Type:
Application
Filed:
December 31, 2009
Publication date:
March 17, 2011
Applicant:
MATTEL, INC.
Inventors:
Barry Zellie MORGAN, Matthew A. LAUDERBACH
Abstract: Improved blow-molded wheels, methods for producing the same, and children's ride-on vehicles including the same are disclosed. The blow-molded wheels may include a blow-molded wheel body that is configured to rotate about an axis and has a tread surface that extends circumferentially around the wheel body and may have a circumferential profile that is defined as the locus of points at which the radial distance from the axis to the tread surface is greatest at each position around the circumference of the tread surface. The radial distance from the axis to the circumferential profile may change from a first radius to a second radius that is larger than the first radius at a plurality of spaced-apart positions along the circumferential profile. The method for producing the blow-molded wheels may include providing a mold with pinch-off rings that have an opening configured to form the circumferential profile.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
August 23, 2006
Date of Patent:
March 15, 2011
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Christopher F. Lucas, John Rhein, Gerald P. Sitarski, Steven R. Drosendahl
Abstract: A vehicle toy combination includes a wireless controlled toy vehicle having a mobile platform configured to move over a surface. A central controller on the platform is configured to control at least one aspect of the toy vehicle. A hand-held manually actuable wireless controller is configured to remotely control user selected movement of the toy vehicle. Multiple vehicles can be controlled simultaneously with multiple wireless, manually operated controllers operating at the same frequency by initially synchronizing the controllers to transmit in non-overlapping windows.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 2, 2008
Date of Patent:
March 15, 2011
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Stephen Nicholas Weiss, LaVonne Erick Strand, Joseph T. Moll, Vikas Kumar Sinha, Justin Discoe, David Vincent Helmlinger, Gregory Nungester, Frank William Winkler, Charles Stewart McCall, Jesse Dorogusker
Abstract: A method for navigating among activity programs in the memory of a portable handheld multifunction electronic system. Simultaneously displaying on contact-sensitive display a plurality of category icons and a subcategory icon associated with a currently selected subcategory, each category icon having a link to one or more activity programs. If a category has been selected, replacing the plurality of displayed category icons with one or more activity program icons, each of the one or more displayed activity program icons corresponding to a separate one of the activity programs belonging to the selected category and to the currently selected subcategory. If another subcategory has been selected, at least changing the link of each separate displayed category icon to a different one or more activity programs, the different one or more activity program being associated the another subcategory and with each category of the category icons being displayed.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 18, 2010
Publication date:
March 10, 2011
Applicant:
MATTEL, INC.
Inventors:
Brian P. MYSLIWY, Donald W. STUCKE, JR., Kathleen E. KREMER, William J. MCCORMICK, Ellen K. DONAHUE
Abstract: A prenatal/postnatal pillow is disclosed. The pillow includes a body with a first end, a medial portion, and a second end. The pillow may possess a generally C-shaped structure defining an interior well operable to curve around a body part of a user. The interior of the pillow body defines a cavity, which may include a series of cells containing a predetermined amount of fill material. The ends of the pillow body may include fasteners that connect to draw the ends of the pillow together, forming a compact support surface. The pillow also includes an internal compartment for storing articles such as blankets, bottles, etc.
Abstract: A toy vehicle collision set. The toy vehicle collision set includes a plurality of launchers that propel collision vehicles through the air. The launchers are aimed to propel the plurality of collision vehicles into a collision zone. The collision vehicles fired from the launchers can collide in the collision zone when fired from the launchers. The toy vehicle collision set further includes a track that directs a target vehicle along a path of travel. The path of travel includes an airborne segment in which the target vehicle jumps across the collision zone. Collision vehicles fired from the launchers can be used to knock the target vehicle off its path of travel.
Abstract: A drawing assembly for children includes a housing having a drawing surface and an illumination assembly pivotally connected to the housing and movable between a storage position within a recess in the housing, and a deployed position. The illumination assembly includes an illumination source that is positionable to provide illumination to the drawing surface when in the deployed position.
Abstract: The present invention is a toy projectile launcher in the form of a role play accessory such as a belt. The belt assembly includes a strap, a launcher housing, and projectiles stored on the belt strap. The belt strap feeds through the launcher housing so that projectiles may be launched from the strap. In one embodiment the launcher is hand-held, and includes a handle which serves both as a means for holding the launcher during operation and as a power switch for the launcher. Projectiles may be discharged singly from the launcher or continuously in a rapid-fire mode.
Type:
Application
Filed:
November 2, 2010
Publication date:
February 24, 2011
Applicant:
MATTEL, INC.
Inventors:
Brandon C. Sopinsky, Binh Luong, Steed Sun, Peter Fan, Henry Miller
Abstract: Vehicle playsets having multiple configurations. The vehicle playsets may include a track segment, a trigger adjacent to the track segment, a moving component adapted to move toward the trigger, and a launch mechanism coupled to the track segment and adapted to launch a toy vehicle along the track segment toward the moving component. Striking the moving component with the toy vehicle will prevent the moving component from reaching the trigger. The playset has at least two configurations including a closed configuration and an open configuration that is suitable for play.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 4, 2007
Date of Patent:
February 22, 2011
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Michael Nuttall, Harold Garner, Stacy O'Connor
Abstract: A reconfigurable support pillow system is disclosed. The system includes a base pillow, a first accessory pillow, and a second accessory pillow. The accessory pillows are removable, with the first accessory pillow being configured to connect to the second accessory pillow to form a nursing pillow that supports an infant. The system may be utilized as a prenatal pillow, comfortably supporting an expectant mother, or may be utilized as a postnatal pillow, supporting a nursing mother and/or her infant.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
January 14, 2009
Date of Patent:
February 15, 2011
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Brian L. Aiken, Mary G. Mastrosimone-Gese
Abstract: Methods of playing drawings games incorporating novel steps and electronic game systems configured for use with a video display and adapted to interactively provide novel methods of playing drawing games.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
June 29, 2006
Date of Patent:
February 15, 2011
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Janice Ritter, Peter Maciver, Gary Collins, Brian Yu
Abstract: A computer peripheral device is provided comprising a housing, a plurality of figures each having a unique physical appearance and a unique structural characteristic, an identifying portion that is configured to identify one of the plurality of figures, at a time, based on the unique structural characteristic of the figure. The computer peripheral device comprises a controller coupled to the identifying portion that generates an identifier associating with the figure identified by the identifying portion. Connection of the computer peripheral device to a computer is made by a standard connection cable, such as a USB cable. Computer software is installed in the computer to store data associating a web site address with an identifier for each of the plurality of figures. A web browser application is activated to retrieve content from a web site having a web site address corresponding to an identifier received from the controller in the computer peripheral device.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 15, 2007
Date of Patent:
February 8, 2011
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Michael P. Sullivan, Anthony R. Favorito, David J. Ciganko
Abstract: Video game systems for executing instructions according to a video game contained on an item of first media including: an item of second media containing data defining an aspect of the video game; and a video game console including a housing, a first media device supported by the housing, a second media device supported by the housing, and a control unit supported by the housing and configured to control the first media device to read the item of first media and to control the second media device to read the item of second media.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
September 11, 2006
Date of Patent:
February 8, 2011
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Jonathan Bradbury, Stephen Lister, Daniel Stelung