Abstract: A toy vehicle is configured for itinerant maneuvers and is programmed by manually drawing a path on an exposed surface of a mechanical touch screen assembly on the vehicle. A microprocessor, coupled with the touch screen assembly, reads the manually drawn path and controls movement of the vehicle to follow the manually drawn path. In one embodiment, the drawn path is erased to enter a new path by pivoting the first sheet of the assembly away from the second sheet and, in another embodiment, by separating the first and second sheets by sliding a horizontal plate between the sheets. A sensor on the vehicle detects the presence of a stylus in a holder. The microprocessor responds to the presence to initiate the itinerant movement and/or activate a visual indicator or an audio generator or both in the toy vehicle.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 8, 2002
Date of Patent:
October 14, 2003
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Daniel B. Klitsner, Brian P. Clemens, Philip H. Neal, Stephen N. Weiss, Yeung Chung Wong, Jesse Dorogusker, Charles S. McCall
Abstract: The present invention provides support assembly having a resilient support frame having a ground engaging portion and an upper portion. The upper portion is moveable with respect to the ground engaging portion. A suspension assembly is coupled to the upper portion of the support frame such that motion of the upper portion imparts motion to the suspension assembly. In another aspect of the invention, the invention includes a seat supported on a resilient support frame having a ground engaging portion and an upper portion moveable with respect to the ground engaging portion. A mobile is coupled to the upper portion such that motion of the upper portion imparts a corresponding motion to the mobile.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 5, 2001
Date of Patent:
October 7, 2003
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Ronald M. Asbach, Curt Jonathan Mahlstedt
Abstract: A toy doll with articulated moveable wrist/hand structure. A motor in the doll operates to pull on a cable which is drivingly linked to the wrist/hand structure through rotors and links that cooperate, along with regions in the wrist/hand structure to effect complex/compound rotational, translational, and revolutional motions in the wrist/hand structure. The rotors, links and regions mentioned form a pair of interactive pantograph-like arrangements that enhance the produced motions by introducing mechanical advantage.
Abstract: An animated children's toy including a gear system for providing intermittent and reciprocal motion. The gear system includes a drive gear and a driven gear. The gear system is adapted to have a non-rotating configuration and an engaged configuration. In the non-rotating configuration the driven gear is prevented from rotating, and a corresponding portion of the animated children's toy is not moving. In the engaged configuration the driven gear rotates and a corresponding portion of the animated children's toy moves.
Abstract: An adjustable vehicle seat may include an adjustable head support, body support, harness, or any combination thereof. A latching mechanism couples an upper portion of the vehicle seat to a seatback. The latching mechanism provides a mechanical coupling between the upper portion and a seat body. The mechanical coupling permits vertical adjustment of the upper portion, which may be configured to provide an adjustable headrest for the vehicle seat. The upper portion may further include side bolsters and harness guides associated with a attached seat harness and/or an auxiliary seat harness. In this embodiment, the latching mechanism permits simultaneous adjustment of the harness, headrest and side bolsters for accommodating a seat occupant. In the preferred embodiment, the vehicle seat is configured as a child's car seat which may be used as either a forward facing car seat with attached harness or a belt positioning booster seat.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 5, 2001
Date of Patent:
September 23, 2003
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Ronald M. Asbach, David M. Bapst, John F. Rhein
Abstract: An interactive, animated, robotic doll including a body, a processor, terminals linked to the processor, and a removable attachment. The terminals are connected to metal snaps on the body and the removable attachment includes complimentary snaps that secure the garment to the doll body. An electric circuit is completed when the attachment is secured by the snaps to the doll.
Abstract: A toy for promoting gross motor development includes a base and a support communicating with the base. The toy also includes an activity area disposed on the support above the base. The activity area is attractive to an infant and encourages the infant to reach up to the activity area by pulling up from a seated position to a standing position using handles or grips disposed on the support or the activity area. The toy also includes sensory output generators configured to encourage the infant to pull up using the handles or grips to reach the activity area. The toy further includes a track coupled to the support and positioned between the top activity area and the base. The track is configured for guiding an object between the top and the base. The top activity area, track, and gripping regions interact to provide an enjoyable and stimulating toy for the child while at the same time promoting the child's gross motor development.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
May 16, 2001
Date of Patent:
September 16, 2003
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Domenic T. Gubitosi, Jerry A. May, Kenneth G. Parker
Abstract: A connector for securing two portions of a frame is disclosed. The connector is well suited for providing a low cost and reliable connection between first and second portions of a body support structure. In the preferred embodiment, the connector is used to secure the ground-engaging leg portions of a child's bouncer seat.
Abstract: The present invention is a trim adjustment mechanism to balance a toy vehicle. One vehicle has a platform supporting two wheels in line along a central longitudinal vertical plane through the platform. The trim adjustment mechanism has a weight holder slideably supported by the platform to move transversely to the central vertical plane. A weight member is engaged with the weight holder for slideable movement with the weight holder. An adjustment lever has a first end operably coupled with the weight holder. The adjustment lever is pivotable about the first end such that rotation of the adjustment lever causes sliding side-to-side movement of the weight member, whereby a user can effectuate side-to-side movement of the weight member within the vehicle with the adjustment lever in order to balance the vehicle and enhance the stability of the vehicle.
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.
Abstract: A method of playing a computer game and the game itself, using a computer and a plurality of collectible trading cards that each has a unique code that is hidden under a removable coating. The game may be played by removing the coating from one of the trading cards and inputting the unique code on that card into a computer program or web site. The unique code may be linked with an associated computer output such as a web page within the web site. Inputting of the unique code renders the unique code inoperable for subsequent use by the computer program.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
July 14, 2000
Date of Patent:
September 2, 2003
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Cynthia Woll, Lisa Strom, Alan Cusolito
Abstract: An ultrasound transducer is coupled to a transmitter having a source of ultrasound signal. A receiving ultrasound transducer is coupled to a preamplifier and mixer. The mixer is further coupled to a demodulator and filter which in turn is coupled to an amplifier and a comparator. The comparator output is coupled to a controller which performs edge detection of the comparator output signal. The transmitter produces ultrasound energy which is reflected from an object to the receiving transducer. The shift in frequency between the transmitted ultrasound energy and the reflected ultrasound energy is used to determine the speed of the object by employing doppler effect. Frequency detection is enhanced by mixing the transmitted and reflected ultrasound signals to provide a beat frequency signal.
Abstract: A game apparatus includes a figure having a head supporting a rotating plate and a torso supported upon a base. The torso defines a token dispensing passage in communication with the head and further supports a pivotably moveable arm. The arm is pivotable between a raised position and a lowered position against a return spring which urges it toward its raised position. A gear mechanism is operable in response to downward movement of the arm against the return spring to rotate the plate within the figures head and agitate a plurality of disc-like tokens received within the head chamber. A single token is discharged through the torso and outwardly through the door formed in the figures torso to complete token dispensing. The arm is released and the cycle repeated by each player to dispense game tokens.
Abstract: An activity center is disclosed that includes a first section and a second section. In one embodiment, a removable connection between the first section and the second section enables detection of infant activity by an actuator in the first section to produce sensible output in the second section. In another embodiment, a connection between a first section that includes a support frame capable of supporting an infant enables detection of infant activity by an actuator in one of the sections to produce sensible output in the other section.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
October 2, 2001
Date of Patent:
July 15, 2003
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
David M. Bapst, John Francis Rhein, Jennifer A. Schroth
Abstract: A radio-controlled toy vehicle is provided with four non-steerable wheels, two on each lateral side of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the wheels on each lateral side are drivingly coupled with a separate, reversible motor. The vehicle is steered by controlling the operation and direction of each motor. In another embodiment, the wheels on each lateral side are drivingly coupled with a single reversible motor. The vehicle is steered through one-way clutches which allow the wheels on one lateral side to operate in either a forward or a reverse direction while the wheels on an opposite lateral side always rotate in the same direction. In both embodiments, a pivoting beam is centrally located on one lateral side, with the wheels on that side being rotatably attached to the beam. The pivoting beam provides for infinite ranges of suspension positions. In operation, the vehicle proceeds until it encounters an obstacle.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
February 6, 2001
Date of Patent:
July 8, 2003
Assignee:
Mattel, Inc.
Inventors:
Jason Lee, Mark Sullivan, Jonathan A. Jaffe
Abstract: The present invention provides a cyanoacrylate adhesive composition having high shear bond strength, peeling bond strength, tensile strength and impact bond strength and superior wear characteristics particularly in toy applications where hostile play environments demand hot-cold cycle resistance. The cyanoacrylate adhesive composition contains (a) up to 20% by weight of a cyanoacrylate monomer, (b) a styrene-based elastomeric block copolymer, and (c) a specifc solvent which is selected to effect the solution of both components. The invention is also directed to a method of applying the instant adhesives to substrate surfaces.