Patents Assigned to Mattel
  • Weapon firing toy figure responsive to wrist controller
    Patent number: 6824442
    Abstract: A toy figure includes a lower torso and supporting legs together with a supplemental angled support. An upper torso and weapons backpack joined thereto is pivotally supported upon the lower torso and is pivoted in response to activation of a bi-directional motor and gear drive mechanism. The backpack supports a plurality of projectile launchers and simulated machine gun units which are pivotally moveable between a stored or closed configuration and a forwardly directed launch or firing configuration. A second motor operated within the upper torso rotates a plurality of cam which in turn engage various latch mechanisms for release of the spring-driven projectile launchers to fully deploy the weapons in their firing positions and to initiate projectile launch. A pair of infrared sensors within the weapons backpack respond to commands received from a remote controller worn on the user's wrist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Andrews, Alton Takeyasu, Eric Ostendorff
  • Rocker device
    Patent number: 6811217
    Abstract: A support frame for a infant or child support device is disclosed. The frame includes oval shaped side members that provide a wide, safe base and a smooth rocking action to the rocker. The kickstand may be used to convert the support frame from a rocking configuration into a stable, non-rocking configuration. The support frame may also include a seat that can be removed from the support frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Kane, Robert David Piwko, Jr., John F. Rhein
  • Infant support pillow and method of assembling the same
    Patent number: 6810545
    Abstract: A pillow that has a body including a medial region and two cantilever arms is disclosed. Each of the cantilever arms extends from the medial region and includes a free end. The cantilever arms and the medial region are spaced apart to define an interior region. The interior region and the pillow body are substantially U-shaped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Sandra M. Darling, Denise A. Rowell
  • Board game
    Patent number: 6808172
    Abstract: The present invention provides rules and apparatus for playing a board game. The game includes a decoder for each of the plurality of players, a set of coded game cards having a plurality of possible probability influencing indicia printed thereon. The decoders are configured to select at least one of the probability influencing indicia from the game card. Further, the game includes a value generator configured to generate a value based on the selected probability influencing indicia. The generated value determines a winner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Bedford, Brian Yu
  • Toy driving simulator
    Patent number: 6805604
    Abstract: A toy driving mechanism includes a housing, a display element coupled to the housing, and a controller mounted on the housing and coupled to the display element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: James G. Brumagin, Peter M. Harris, John T. Smokowski
  • Toy vehicle
    Publication number: 20040198165
    Abstract: A toy vehicle has a chassis, at least a first drive wheel rotatably attached to the chassis and at least a first link having a first end pivotally coupled with the chassis. At least a first non-powered wheel is operably coupled with the second opposing end of the first link. The first link has two operative positions: a first, fully-retracted operating configuration in which the first link is wrapped at least partially around the chassis crossing the drive wheel axis of rotation and a second, extended operating configuration in which the first link is pivoted away and extended from the chassis. A second link can be pivotally coupled between and with the chassis and first link. Forces acting on the toy vehicle resulting from driving the first drive wheel can cause each link to pivot with respect to the chassis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2003
    Publication date: October 7, 2004
    Applicant: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason C. Lee, Justin Discoe, Nathan Bloch
  • Flexible dolls and posable action figures
    Patent number: 6800016
    Abstract: An improved posable figure having extended life and resistance to failure, and being repeatedly posable in a realistic fashion. The posable figure has an inner skeleton including one or more primary members constructed of a bendable material such as metal wire, and an outer molded body covering constructed of a flexible substance such as an elastomer material. The inner skeleton also may include one or more secondary members molded over portions of the primary members, to limit flexion of the primary members and/or to connect the primary members to form an articulated structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark S. Wittenberg, Ahmad A. Asbaghi
  • Talking book and interactive talking toy figure
    Publication number: 20040191741
    Abstract: A talking book is combined with a talking, animated toy figure. Each includes a sound synthesizer, a digital memory including at least some speech data to be used by the synthesizer to produce speech and a processor to control the operations of the synthesizer. Each includes a speaker coupled with the synthesizer to actually produce speech and other sounds. The book includes two outer covers and two inner pages, each with some printing. Depressible switches are provided on the inner covers to cue the processor to generate sounds appropriate to the print near the depressed cover switch. Switches in a hinge pin received in hinge rings provided each cover and page to join the covers and pages together are depressed by cam surfaces inside the ring of the front cover and each page and signal, the processor the configuration of the book.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2004
    Publication date: September 30, 2004
    Applicant: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Albert J. Ferrigno, Laurie Guiliano Duke
  • Game with commonly moved enemy
    Patent number: 6796561
    Abstract: A game wherein players move their game pieces around a pathway collecting tokens from a plurality of stores while trying to avoid sharing a space with a commonly controlled chaser piece is described. Moreover, the game may be portable. In some cases, the game apparatus may be carried in a plastic case that resembles a hard-backed book. The game components may be based on an individual chapter from a published children's book or novel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan Bedford
  • High molecular weight styrenic block copolymer hot melt adhesive for toy articles
    Patent number: 6797766
    Abstract: This invention relates to high bonding hot melt adhesive compositions comprising a high molecular weight polystyrene-ethylene/butylene-polystyrene (SEBS) block copolymer as the basic ingredient and articles constructed therefrom. This polymer is useful in a variety of hot melt adhesive applications for consumer product articles subject to hostile use environments such as toys and other play things.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Abimael Cordova
  • Flexible wall booster wheel for toy vehicle trackset
    Patent number: 6793554
    Abstract: A toy vehicle booster for accelerating a toy vehicle upon a trackway includes a pair of rotating flexible resilient booster wheels positioned on each side of the trackway. In an alternative embodiment, a booster wheel is positioned above the trackway so as to engage the horizontal surfaces such as the roof of the toy vehicles. The booster wheels are formed of a concave resilient structure having a plurality of apertures positioned within the booster wheel to provide a desired flexibility in certain portions of the booster wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Roger Newbold
  • Compact motion mechanism for an animated doll
    Patent number: 6793553
    Abstract: A tiny articulation eye and mouth (facial-expression structures) opening and closing structure installable in the hollow interior of a doll head, and utilizing a single, upright-axis motor, and a rotary, co-axial, stepped-diameter drive drum which is rotated by the motor. Circumferential drive tracks formed on the outside of the drum drive followers and actuation which directly impart opening and closing motions in the doll head's eyes and mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: William Willett
  • Posable plush toy figure
    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
  • Master and slave toy vehicle pair
    Patent number: 6780077
    Abstract: A toy vehicle combination includes a master toy vehicle and a slave toy vehicle. The master toy vehicle includes a transmitter configured to broadcast an IR tracking signal. The slave toy vehicle includes at least first and second directional IR receivers configured to receive the tracking signal from different directions around the slave toy vehicle and is configured to follow or evade the master toy vehicle, which is conventionally remotely controlled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Chris T. Baumgartner, Joseph T. Moll, Truman J. Gilbert, Stephen N. Weiss, Nathan Bloch, David V. Helmlinger, Gregory Nungester
  • Toy assembly and a method of using the same
    Patent number: 6780078
    Abstract: A toy assembly that includes a remotely controlled vehicle is disclosed. In one embodiment, the toy assembly includes a remote control that can be used to control a toy vehicle. In one embodiment, the remote control includes a chip with pre-recorded content stored thereon. In one embodiment, the remote control can be coupled to an audio amplifier that can generate audible outputs. In another embodiment, the remote control can be used in a hand-held configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Hageman, Robert W. Jourdian
  • Toy vehicle ramp
    Patent number: 6776685
    Abstract: A toy vehicle ramp has a resiliently flexible sheet panel and a pair of stiffer support members. Each support member has a plurality of support points formed thereon arranged to define a channel in which a lateral edge portion of the sheet panel is slidingly received for height adjustment of the panel in the supports and thus of the ramp. One or more elastic members extend between the support members and beneath the sheet panel to hold the ramp together. The flexible sheet panel collapses and the band(s) stretch when a load heavier than an ordinary remote control toy vehicle is applied so that a child cannot jump from or ride over the ramp and so that the ramp can collapse without damage to its components for reassembly and reuse.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Dean C. Reisher, Gerhart P. Huy, Aritty J. Newton
  • Animated doll
    Patent number: 6776681
    Abstract: An animated doll having an enlarged head and enlarged feet relative to its body, and including a combination of independent, interactive features. The interactive features include a head position assembly, which controls rotation of the head, and an eye assembly mechanism, which drives and controls the opening and closing of eyelids on the doll. The doll may also include a communication port to receive removable external components, which are associated with a pre-recorded response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: William Willett
  • Mailer Package
    Publication number: 20040149601
    Abstract: A mailer package formed from a single sheet of foldable stock material includes a compartment formed by first and second parallel panels joined together by first and second parallel sides. The sides extend along opposing edges of the panels. The compartment has opposing first and second open ends, with a number of tabs sufficient to cover and close each open end. A cover extends from an edge between one of the sides and panels. The cover has a closure flap with a tearable pull tab and is foldable between a closed position overlying a panel or side adjacent to the edge from which it extends, and an open position folded away from the compartment. The cover is releasably secured in the closed position by attachment of the closure flap to another panel or side. The secured cover is moveable to the open position with release of the pull tab.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: James Patrick Carty, Christina Marie Peterson, Richard Weintraub, Jeffrey S. Osnato, Linda Ann Carr
  • Toy packaging
    Patent number: D494465
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Sean P. Kyne, Aaron R. Meneses
  • Cap for a block
    Patent number: D497399
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2004
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerry May, Robert W. Salmon, Carol D. Snyder