Patents Assigned to Mattel
  • Patent number: 5312284
    Abstract: A toy computer includes a keyboard housing and a monitor housing pivotally secured by a hinge coupler. A depressible keyboard unit is pivotally supported by the keyboard housing and is coupled to a movable slider within the interior of the keyboard housing. A return spring is coupled to the slider and is operative to pivot the slider such that a ratchet engaging tooth is raised to its engagement position in the absence of a keyboard unit stroke. An endless belt display utilizes a cylindrical lens element array together with a segmented image formed on the endless belt to provide apparent motion of the image as the endless belt is moved. A ratchet coupling system is coupled between the slider and the movable belt to provide incremental belt motions in response to each keyboard stroke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: David E. Grober, Raymond J. Gross
  • Patent number: 5310189
    Abstract: A toy golf playset includes a golf club having an elongated shaft supporting a soft foam handle at one end thereof and a soft foam clubhead at the remaining end. The golf club is formed shorter and thicker than conventional golf clubs. The golf club head defines a pair of equally angled ball hitting surfaces or facets to facilitate use of the golf club by both right-handed and left-handed children. An omnidirectional golf tee defines a quartet of symmetrically positioned generally cylindrical elements each of which joins the remaining elements a common center of intersection and each of which defines a concave ball recess facilitating the positioning of a soft resilient foam ball upon the vertically extending one of the elements when the tee is placed upon a play surface. The golf tee is preferably formed of a resilient soft foam material or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Jorge Soto
  • Patent number: 5310421
    Abstract: A play material is formed using a self cross-linking sodium alginate combined with germaben II-E and butylparaben preservatives. A sodium chloride salt provides further preservative action which increases the firmness of the alginate gel material. The play material exhibits improved preservative action and avoidance of eye and skin irritation problems on the part of the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Wallace H. Shapero, Susan A. Reyes
  • Patent number: 5310379
    Abstract: A multiple configuration toy vehicle includes an elongated chassis supported by a plurality of wheels. A rear support is pivotally secured to the rear of the chassis. A creature includes a center body, a rear body and head. The head and rear body are pivotally secured to the center body. The rear body is removably securable to the rear support and includes foldable wings which open as the rear body pivots with respect to the center body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 10, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith A. Hippely, Philip O. Riehlman
  • Patent number: 5306192
    Abstract: A simulated toy hamburger maker includes a mixer grinder, a simulated cooking station, a condiment dispenser apparatus and a hamburger bun storage and dispenser. A mixture of edible food materials such as ground cereal and peanut butter together with edible colorant materials such as chocolate powder is combined and mixed within the grinder mixer station to form a simulated hamburger mixture. The simulated cooking station includes a hamburger press which conforms a quantity of the hamburger mixture into a realistic hamburger patty. The simulated hamburger patty is then placed upon simulated hamburger buns such as conventional vanilla wafer cookies or the like and positioned within a condiment dispensing station. Condiment dispensers are provided which receive a quantity of colored edible material such as cake frosting or the like to extrude upon the simulated hamburger patties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Martin J. Caveza, Caleb S. Chung, John N. Handy, Jim I. Tucker
  • Patent number: 5305927
    Abstract: A hand-pumped toy beverage dispenser includes a dual cavity beverage reservoir supported by a support member and having a pair of dispensing valve assemblies coupled to the respective beverage reservoirs. The beverage dispenser further includes a pair of manually operated liquid pumps which the child user actuates by rapid manipulation of a pair of depressible pump actuators to circulate the beverage liquid through the pump mechanism for mixing and visual effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Martin J. Caveza
  • Patent number: 5304089
    Abstract: A toy sewing machine includes an upper housing and a lower housing coupled by a hinge coupler. A hand crank and drive are coupled to a foot movably supported within the upper housing. A spring coupler within the drive limits the force coupled between the hand crank and the movable foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 19, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Armen V. Danielian
  • Patent number: 5300920
    Abstract: A basketball game includes a generally planar backboard supporting a circular hoop having a basketball net extending downwardly therefrom. A center housing is supported beneath the hoop and secured to the backboard. A pair of score indicators having digital score indicating displays are supported on either side of the backboard. A pair of slap actuated depressible slap-pads are secured to and supported by the indicator housings. A flexible score sensor is secured to the center housing and extends into the net passage. The score sensor includes a flexible joint having a flex gauge or strain gauge operative therewith to provide an electrical signal each time the ball is successfully shot by a player and passes through the hoop and basketball net. In the preferred play pattern, the player having successfully scored a basket is able to increment the player's indicated score by slapping the appropriate one of the slap-pads following the successful shot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Rick Caselli, Pat Tura, Michael Cookson, Ake Larsson
  • Patent number: 5299968
    Abstract: A primary and secondary toy figure pair include a large primary figure having a plurality of hair fiber segments secured to the head thereof to provide a simulated head of hair. A secondary figure substantially smaller than the primary figure is removably securable to a necklace or other attachment supported upon the primary figure. A plurality of hair locks include attachment tabs which facilitate removable attachment of the hair locks between the head of the primary figure and the secondary figure. A ring support is also securable to the secondary figure and the primary figure to support a secondary figure and provide a ring-like structure which may be worn on the child user's finger as a decorative ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Linda K. Bennett
  • Patent number: 5297982
    Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a toy vehicle body, a plurality of drive wheels coupled to the body, a motor having an output shaft, a gear drive coupled to the output shaft and a transmission having a changeable gear ratio coupling the gear drive to at least one of the wheels responsive to the load imposed upon the transmission and changing the gear ratio in response thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Miva A. Filoseta
  • Patent number: 5297980
    Abstract: A suctioning and pumping toy for malleable play materials includes a hollow cylinder having a closed end supporting a nozzle. A piston rod is received within the hollow cylinder and supports a resilient piston. A transversely extending cylindrical barrel housing is supported upon the cylindrical member and defines an interior cavity for receiving a plurality of play articles. A plurality of interrelated toy figures and play articles are variously configured to be utilized in combination with the suctioning and pumping toy together with a malleable play material having viscosity properties which permit the play material to be suctioned into and pumped from the cylindrical bore of the pumping and suctioning toy as the piston rod is moved by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Mark J. Barthold
  • Patent number: 5292275
    Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a supporting chassis having a plurality of rolling wheels secured thereto. The chassis supports an audio circuit, a battery and an audio transducer together with a pair of switch contacts configured to provide a growling sound when the switch contacts touch. The chassis further supports an articulated body having a cab portion and rear portion resembling a standard truck joined in a pivotal attachment. A shaft and cam mechanism is coupled to a movable arm in a cooperative arrangement in which pivotal motion of the movable arm closes the switch contacts activating the audio circuit and raising the cab and rear portion of the truck body to bear sets of hidden teeth at the front of the toy vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary R. Swisher, Kevin W. Gray, Thomas M. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5292134
    Abstract: A ball catching and launching toy includes an elongated cylinder having a cylindrical bore defined therein. A catch scoop defining a generally concave catching surface is coupled to one end of the cylinder by a tapered funnel guide portion. The remaining of the cylinder receives a slidable handle having a piston rod and piston secured thereto. The piston rod and piston are movable within the cylinder bore to either produce a partial vacuum with the cylinder bore or increased pressure. Once a ball has been successfully captured by the user, the toy is raised to a generally vertical orientation and the handle is withdrawn from the cylinder producing a partial vacuum which urges the ball into a ball receptacle. The ball may then be launched or fired from the toy by rapidly forcing the handle inwardly producing pressurized air within the cylinder bore and ball receptacle which expels the captive ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 8, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: David Schlundt, Gregory Cannone, John N. Handy
  • Patent number: 5280828
    Abstract: A speed governor is enclosed within a generally cylindrical housing which defines an interior cylindrical surface. A rotor is rotatably supported within the enclosure of the housing and is coupled to a power coupling belt by a pulley formed in the rotor shaft. A pair of weighted arms are pivotally secured to the rotor forming a pair of centrifugal counterweights. A coil spring is commonly coupled between the counterweights to provide a drawing force urging the counterweights to a collapsed inward position. Each counterweight supports a friction pad on its outer surface facing the cylindrical surface of the governor housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 25, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Reynoso, T. Scott Engle, Gabriel Marason, Jr., Frederic A. Schwager
  • Patent number: 5277302
    Abstract: A combination paint palette and storage device includes a generally planar palette base having a thumb aperture and hand grip defined therein. The palette base further defines a plurality of paint mixing recesses and supports a rotating wheel color mix display chart. A plurality of paint applicators are received and supported within a corresponding plurality of applicator caps. The applicator caps are secured to the palette base in a ball and socket attachment using a corresponding plurality of simulated paint deposits which are color coated to the applicator paint color. A storage bracket is supported upon the undersurface of the planar palette base and accommodates and stores a plurality of paint media sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Jon S. Seisa
  • Patent number: 5277645
    Abstract: A doll includes a plurality of attachment pads distributed over the doll surface each having one portion of a conventional fabric attachment structure such as a hook and loop attachment means. A plurality of ornaments such as simulated jewels include undersurfaces bearing cooperating attachment pads intended to grasp the attachment pads upon the doll surface. A wand is configured to receive and support a plurality of jewel ornaments each having individual attachment pads. A dispensing mechanism is supported within the wand and is operative in response to an actuating button to provide sequential dispensing of the jeweled ornaments in a one at a time fashion to simulate a magical touch upon the selected surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: William J. Kelley, Janet L. Unalp
  • Patent number: 5277644
    Abstract: A doll includes a torso having a bodice portion assembled thereto and defining an interior cavity. A battery powered source and lamp are supported within the torso in an operative coupling arrangement. A plurality of fiber optic elements are optically coupled to the lamp source through a movable color filter having a plurality of differently colored filtered segments. The remaining ends of the fiber optic elements extend outwardly and upwardly from the junction between the doll bodice piece and the torso in a neckline array. A movable belt ornament is operatively coupled to the filter to provide selection of the filter segment aligned with and interposed between the lamp and the interior ends of the fiber optic elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian G. Osborne, Wesley E. Thomas, Linda K. Bennett
  • Patent number: 5273478
    Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a generally rectangular hollow supporting chassis and a replica vehicle body pivotally secured to the chassis at the front portion. A return spring resiliently biases the rear portion of the truck body in a generally horizontal position. A battery power unit and electric motor are supported within the vehicle chassis and coupled to the vehicle wheels by a gear coupling mechanism. The gear coupling mechanism is engageable and disengageable by a shift lever extending upwardly from within the vehicle chassis to beyond the vehicle body. A sound unit includes a sound drum and a flexible reed supported closely thereto. A plurality of extending tabs within the drive gear system are operative upon motor rotation to flex and release the spring reed against the drum head sound unit to produce engine sounds. A heavy flywheel is coupled to the motor drive system and produces gradual slowdown when the motor is disengaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1991
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1993
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Toshio Yamasaki
  • Patent number: 5267888
    Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a body supported by a plurality of wheels. At least one wheel of the toy vehicle is comprised of a pair of half portions coupled to a pivotal hinge at a common outer edge. One of the half portions is coupled to the vehicle body while the remaining half portion is coupled solely to the pivoting hinge. The wheel portions of the articulated wheel remain closed when the toy vehicle is rolled across a playing surface and separate to form a mouth-like opening when the vehicle or a portion thereof is raised from the play surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Hippely, Michael T. McKittrick, Larry R. Wood
  • Patent number: 5267886
    Abstract: A plush toy is configured to replicate a dog and includes a battery-powered squeeze-operated light within one of the dog's front feet. The light is operated by raising the light supporting foot and squeezing the foot to energize the battery-powered light. A control circuit within the toy body controls a plurality of flashing lights and a sound output speaker to produce a series of predetermined sounds together with flashing lights when the control circuit is triggered. A pair of light responsive motion sensors are supported within the toy body and respond to changes of seam in close proximity to the front portion of the toy to trigger the operation of the control circuit and the production of sound and flashing lights. A manual trigger switch is also provided to initiate sound and light flashing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Josephine D. Wood, Peter A. Lam