Abstract: A resilient elastic toy figure body supports a quartet of downwardly extending legs and a pair of heads outwardly facing from each end of the toy figure body. The stretchy elastic material body defines an interior cavity within which a particulate filler is captivated. Each head is securely attached to its respective end of the toy figure body. A relatively inelastic limiter cord is secured to each head and passes through the particulate filler of the toy figure body. As the stretchable body is elongated during play activity, the limiter cord reaches its full extension and further elongation which might damage the toy figure is prevented.

Abstract: A toy figure torso supports at least one pivotal arm together with a spring-loaded mechanism urging the arm toward pivotal motion in a forward direction. A spring is coupled to the arm and provides the urging force. A trigger and latch mechanism is supported within the torso of the toy figure and is operable by a push button supported at the torso rear. The mechanism includes a cooperating lock arm and a cam which engage to inhibit return motion when the toy figure arm is raised to the cocked position. Energy is stored in the spring which is released by activation of the push button allowing rapid forwardly pivoting motion of the arm.

Abstract: A spiral ramp for toy vehicles includes a vertical center pole supported by a base having a receiving socket for the lower end of the pole and a plurality of radially extending feet. A plurality of support clamps are arranged at different positions along the center pole and receive the upper ends of a corresponding plurality of downwardly angled support arms. A plurality of curved track segments are serially joined to form a spiral ramp which is supported by the attachment of the lower ends of the support arms to selected ones of the curved track segments. The height and character of the spiral ramp thus formed is adjustable by moving the plurality of support clamps upon the center pole and adjusting the angle defined by the support arms extending therefrom.

Abstract: A substantially solid light conductive toy vehicle body is fabricated to include a light cavity in which a light emitting diode is supported. A vehicle drive mechanism is operatively coupled to a pair of charging terminals and a power storage capacitor. The light emitting diode is energized when the power supply capacitor is charged to permeate light into the solid light transmissive body of the toy vehicle. The outer surface of the toy vehicle body is light transmissive and is coated, for the most part, by an opaque coating. A plurality of light transmissive openings are formed in the opaque coating to allow selectively determined points of light to permeate light from the vehicle body.

Abstract: The invention includes a pivot that is preferably attached to a child's seat and used to adjust the position of a canopy. The canopy pivot can be adjusted by pulling on the canopy frame to move the canopy to a desired position. No separate locking mechanisms are required for locking and unlocking the canopy at a plurality of different positions. The canopy pivot includes a flange member extending from the child's seat. The flange can have indents or nubs therein which mate with indents or nubs located on the canopy pivot member. The resiliency of the flange member at a specific location between the indents or nubs and the contact point of a retainer structure provides the necessary locking force for keeping the canopy pivot locked and for allowing it to unlock when a person pulls the canopy frame to pivot the canopy about the canopy pivot.

Abstract: A four-legged walking toy includes a body supported by four pivotally secured legs and a drive mechanism operative upon the legs which includes a pair of mirror image drive units each having three elliptical gears therein. The center elliptical gears of each drive unit are coupled in a one hundred eighty degree phase relationship to offset the operation of left legs from right legs correspondingly. A plurality of frictional members are positioned on the underside of the animal hooves to provide frictional engagement as the walking toy is pushed across a suitable surface. The rearward movement of each forwardly extended leg couples rotational power through the elliptical gear mechanisms to the remaining legs to provide a realistic motion profile.

Abstract: A creativity center includes a base portion that is connected by a hinge to a board that has opposed drawing/design surfaces on which artistic designs and markings can be made. The board can rotate with respect to the base via the hinge and can be slid with respect to the hinge such that the board can be repeatedly flipped over and slid between two opposed "use" positions with respect to the base. Thus, an opposed drawing/design surface configured in a "use" position is presented to a user each time the board is flipped over. An eraser can be located on either the base or on the hinge to automatically remove designs or markings located on the board when the board is slid through the hinge. In addition, the base can include a storage compartment for storing art supplies.

Abstract: A child's ride-on toy has a rear mounted parent assist handle and is convertible to a child's rocker toy by rotating the handle about a rear axle to a position beneath the ride-on toy to serve as rocker rails. The handle can also be removed. The combination rocker and tricycle may thus be used either as a child's riding vehicle (with or without a parent-assist handle) or as a stationary rocker toy. As a child's tricycle, the handle is locked in an upright position extending rearwardly from the rear axle of the tricycle and positioned at a height convenient for a parent to control the motion of the tricycle. When the parent assist handle is no longer required it can be removed. To convert to a child's rocker the handle is rotated about the rear axle and positioned beneath the tricycle so that the handle portions support the tricycle.

Abstract: A ride simulator for use with a children's ride-on vehicle. The simulator includes a base, and a mechanism for removably securing to at least one of the wheels of an independently operable children's ride-on vehicle. The mechanism includes a fastener that selectively engages a mount on the wheel to support the wheel and at least a portion of the vehicle above the base. Driven rotation of the wheel to which the fastener is engaged causes reciprocating horizontal and vertical motion of the vehicle with respect to the base, thereby simulating ground-traveling movement of the vehicle.

Abstract: A housing supports a plurality of user depressible buttons including a question and answer button, a repeat or skip button and optionally a category select button. The housing further supports a multisegment liquid crystal display arranged in a linear arrangement. Within the housing, a microprocessor based circuit utilizes an associated memory and supporting apparatus such as display drivers to respond to the user pressing of buttons on the face of the housing to perform a series of question and answer operation. When the user presses the question and answer button, the microprocessor circuit assembles the next question from a stored list of questions and scrolls the question across the liquid crystal display. Thereafter, the circuit waits a predetermined interval for either the next pressing of the question answer button or expiration of a timed interval.

Abstract: A process and system to fabricate jewelry or curios. A conventional drawing program is used to create, manipulate or input an image. The image is reversed or flipped to make a mirror view of the image. This mirror view of the desired image is then printed on heat shrinkable material base material which has been specially coated. The sheet of base material with the mirror image is then shrunk utilizing heat. A this point the image can be viewed by looking through the non printed side of base material. Viewing the image through the base material (which is possible because the image is reversed) has been found to create a much sharper image. The printed side of the resulting curio is coated with a transparent material in order to add water fastness and durability. Finally the printed side of the curio is coated with an opaque white coating. It has been found that applying this opaque coating dramatically increases the quality of the image when the curio is placed on a dark background material.

Abstract: A toy figure includes a body, a pair of wings, a pair of legs, a tail, and a head converted to generally resemble a bird or other flying creature. The legs and wings are pivotally mounted to the body using a mechanism by which the pivotal movement of the legs in response to the user squeezing and releasing them repeatedly produces a corresponding wing-flapping action. A spring urges the wings to a raised position and urges the legs to a spread position. The head is pivotally supported by the body and a cam follower and cam arrangement couples the head to the wing movement apparatus such that the head moves side-to-side simultaneous with the wing-flapping movement.

Abstract: A doll includes a doll body having a torso rotatably supported upon the legs and lower body of the doll. The torso supports a pair of arms which in turn support a pair of bubble attachment. Each bubble attachment is snap-fit attached to the doll's arms and includes a conventional bubble ring. A pullstring mechanism is operative within the doll body and torso to provide rotation of the torso and arms of the doll back and forth in response to pullstring draw and release. A quantity of bubble-producing liquid is loaded upon the bubble attachments afterwhich the pullstring operation twirls the doll torso and arm to produce a number of bubbles.

Abstract: A doll head supports a pair of retracting mechanisms which provide a rotating spool upon which a quantity of hair forming a hair bundle is wound. The retracting mechanisms are operated in response to the child user squeezing the extending portion of the mechanisms at the base of the hair bundles in a simulated hair-cutting action. Each squeeze of the simulated scissors triggers an incremental spring-driven retraction of the hair bundle thereby shortening the hair bundle and simulating hair-cutting. A releasable latch mechanism operative within the retracting mechanisms allows the hair bundles to be drawn outwardly to their maximum length to repeat the hair-cutting cycle.

Abstract: A doll includes a torso supporting a pivotally attached arm and a string winding spool. A slide is moveably supported within the torso and is coupled to a button extending outwardly from the rear of the doll torso. A pivotable arm is secured to the torso and is operated through a predetermined pivot angle in response to the vertical movement of the button. A spring urges the button to its upper most position. A string passes through an aperture formed in a dolls arm and is wound partially upon the interior string winding mechanism. The outer end of the string supports a simulated yoyo object. As the button is pressed downwardly against the return spring by the user the arm pivots upwardly and the string winds upon the winding spool raising the yoyo. As the button is released the return spring raises the button allowing the arm to pivot downwardly and unwinding a quantity of the supporting string from the spool causing the simulated yoyo to descend.