Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to an apparatus for generating a sound effect. The apparatus may include a hollow body, which may define at least partially a cavity. The body is open at a first end and closed by a membrane at the second end. The apparatus may further include a spring attached to the membrane on the second end of the body, a motor removably or fixedly mounted on the body, and an eccentric weight removably or fixedly attached to the motor and configured to rotate with the motor when the motor is activated.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure are directed to a temperature-responsive illumination apparatus for a 3-D printer. The illumination apparatus includes a temperature sensor that measures the temperature of an extrusion nozzle of the 3-D printer and generates a first parameter indicative of the measured temperature. The illumination apparatus further includes a controller circuitry that selects a color representing the measured temperature from a plurality of colors and transmits at least one control parameter based on the selected color. Each of the plurality of colors represents a fixed range of temperatures. The illumination apparatus also includes an illumination source configured to emit light of the selected color indicative of the measured temperature based on the at least one control parameter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a toy doll for the amusement of a subject, that includes a torso, body, ahead and limbs, designed, sized and dimensioned for enabling the doll to be worn on the body of the subject in a position thereon sufficient for engaging in a “piggy back” and/or “horsey” style play. The child may engage the instant doll in such “piggy back” and/or “horse” style play, while in sitting, crawling and upright (or standing) play. The toy doll includes an electronic sound emanating module portions of which can be activated by releasably connecting one limb of the doll to another limb of the doll about the body of the subject. The doll includes a motion sensor including an averaging circuit for enabling substantially continuous sound such as galloping, while the doll is in motion. Optionally, the doll includes a tilt sensor for emanating a “neighing” sound when the longitudinal axis of the doll is tilted relative to the vertical axis.

Abstract: An electronic sound and music making device includes a memory that stores a plurality of sound segments, such as musical notes, animal noises, etc., a keypad having a series of keys, each of each indicates and is associated with a different one of the stored sound segments, and a set of visual indications, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), that indicate when different ones of the sound segments are being played. The device repeats a programmable sequence of, for example, four of the stored sound segments to form a song while, simultaneously turning on different ones of the LEDs to indicate the different sound segments being played. The keypad enables a user to specify the identity and the order of the sound segments to be played and allows a user to substitute any of the sound segments stored in the memory with the sound segments being played so as to produce a new or different song.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for assisting a child to read a book having at least one visual indicia displayed adjacent one or more of the plurality of printed objects. Each of the at least one visual indicia is uniquely associated with the adjacent one of the plurality of printed objects. The device includes a user input device separate from the book having at least one touch-sensitive switch and at least one visual indicia displayed thereon for receiving a user command indicative of a user's selection of a visual indicia and for outputting a signal corresponding to the selected visual indicia. The device further includes a storage device for storing data representing speech associated with the printed objects adjacent the visual indicia. A controller receives the signal outputted from the user input device and selectively retrieves the data corresponding to the selected visual indicia. A sound generator then converts the retrieved data into speech.

Abstract: An amusement device for a helical coil spring toy that generates a response such as sound or light whenever the wave of the helical coil spring changes direction. The amusement device includes two end caps affixed to the two free ends of the coil spring. One of the two end caps is an active end cap which houses the mechanism for generating the response. When the helical coil spring is compressed at the active end cap end a trigger switch activates an integrated circuit thereby producing the desired response. When the wave of compressed coils travels to the passive end cap a second response is produced by a time delay circuit so that user selective alternating responses are produced each time the wave of coils travels from one end cap to the other.

Abstract: An electronic game apparatus includes a wearable unit having a wearable housing configured for releasable attachment with a bodily part of a player. An inertia sensor affixed to the wearable housing detects oscillations imparted to the wearable housing and produces an output signal corresponding to each oscillatory movement. A counter, affixed to the wearable housing, counts each oscillatory movement imparted to the wearable housing.

Abstract: An animated character having a face unit provided in a support structure upper body portion so as to resemble a singing tree. The face unit includes a face member and mechanism which consists of two pivotable eye elements and a lower lip element each separately driven by an electric motor through a gear and linkage system. A control circuit unit and a speaker are provided in the support structure, so that the eyes and mouth elements of the face unit are moved by the face mechanism in synchronism with singing and/or speaking sounds produced by the control circuit system and speaker mounted in the support structure.

Abstract: A moving mouth mechanism for an animated character, the mechanism being mounted within the head of the animated character, such as a doll. A head member of the character has an electrical motor mounted in the head upper portion, and has an elongated flexible element or string attached at one end to a rotatable shaft extension of the motor. The other end of the string is attached to a pivotable lever which is spring actuated. The lever outer end is attached to a pivotable lower lip of the mouth in the head, so that whenever the motor is activated with an electrical signal such as from an audio and control system for the activated character, the pivotable lower lip is movable upward and downward so as to simulate normal realistic speech for the animated character.

Abstract: A toy doll or bear that laughs or sings a nursery song when bounced or dandled is disclosed. A particular area on the rump of the doll is pressure sensitive and produces the given sound when a pressure level is detected in that particular area that is within a range of pressure levels produced when the doll's rump contacts the child's knee in a gentle bounce. In an alternative embodiment, electrically conductive sensors are provided on the rump area of the doll to detect when the doll's rump is wet. Tapping one of the bear's knees selects a respective song and controls the sound generator's mode of operation.

Abstract: A device and method for producing sound which simulates the sound of an engine, whereby sound segments are digitally stored in memory and accessed by a microcontroller which is responsive to a user accessible switch. When the switch is activated and the device is producing an acceleration or deceleration sound, the device will "match" the acceleration or deceleration sound with a closely matched deceleration or acceleration sound, respectively, so that a realistic engine sound is produced.