Patents Examined by Scott Young
  • Patent number: 7905795
    Abstract: A chisel-type broadhead comprises a threaded ferrule laser welded to multiple blades. The blades are welded from both sides. The blades are welded to each other and to the ferrule. The ferrule and blades are configured to provide maximum impact strength to the broadhead. An optional feature enabling the broadhead ferrule threads to be tightened to the arrowshaft is provided. An improved method of welding the blades to the ferrule is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Acropolis Engineering
    Inventors: Gustavo Nuno, Edward Comber, Randall P Bonner
  • Patent number: 7901266
    Abstract: A toy vehicle collision set. The toy vehicle collision set includes a plurality of launchers that propel collision vehicles through the air. The launchers are aimed to propel the plurality of collision vehicles into a collision zone. The collision vehicles fired from the launchers can collide in the collision zone when fired from the launchers. The toy vehicle collision set further includes a track that directs a target vehicle along a path of travel. The path of travel includes an airborne segment in which the target vehicle jumps across the collision zone. Collision vehicles fired from the launchers can be used to knock the target vehicle off its path of travel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Eric Ostendorff
  • Patent number: 7895779
    Abstract: An apparatus hovering winged objects. The apparatus includes an elongate support and a driver with an output shaft that supports a first end of the support. The driver imparts an oscillating displacement to the first end of the support. A body is mounted at a second end of the support and wings are attached to the support at an offset distance from the body. The body is positioned near the second end to swivel or pivot in response to vibration of the support. The driver vibrates the first end at a frequency that shapes the support as a wave, and the frequency is selected or tuned such that the wings are displaced more than the body such by imparting a harmonic frequency on the support. The output shaft is positioned by the driver in angular positions to move the first end of the support and the body and wings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Disney Enterprises, Inc.
    Inventor: Gary W. Schnuckle
  • Patent number: 7892065
    Abstract: The system comprises a plurality of modular blocks (10, 14) of nonmagnetic material, to be assembled to create compositions imitating, for example, a building, a doll, an animal, a vehicle or any other fancying assembly; a framework for connecting the blocks, comprises a plurality of magnetic frame members (11, 12) removably disposable into corresponding seatings (13, 17) in each modular block (10, 14), or between adjacent blocks of the composition. The modular blocks (11, 12) and the magnetic frame members of framework have shoulder surfaces (18, 19) mutually engageable in the assembled condition of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Inventor: Claudio Vicentelli
  • Patent number: 7883391
    Abstract: A stuffed animal or doll that holds, stows, or warms a feeding bottle of an infant. The stuffed animal or doll includes adjustable straps extending forwardly from arms and legs thereof to adjustably embrace the infant in a face-to-face posture; flexible appendages in the form of rabbit ears having a Velcro fastener to circumscribe, clamp, and hold the feeding bottle in a feeding position relative to the infant when embraced by the adjustable straps; a battery-powered warmer pouch disposed at a posterior region of the animal doll to provide stowage and/or warming of a feeding bottle when not in use by the infant, and a voice-activated record/playback to record and repeatedly playback an audio track recorded by a caretaker of said infant. In addition, a speaker may be embedded inside the stuffed animal to playback a music track for the infant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Inventor: Kwabena Asomani
  • Patent number: 7883392
    Abstract: A toy helicopter, in accordance with the present disclosure, includes a body having a longitudinal length and a main rotor. There is an element movable along the longitudinal length. The element allows a user to selectively adjust the location of the center of gravity of a toy helicopter by moving the element along the longitudinal length, thereby changing the velocity of the helicopter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: Silverlit Toys Manufactory Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander Jozef Magdalena Van de Rostyne, Kwok Leung Wong
  • Patent number: 7874892
    Abstract: A playset includes a launching device and one or more accessory toys. The launching device includes a launch tube and a bellows system operable to generate a flow of air through the launch tube. The accessory toys may include vehicles such as air-launched vehicles and surface-launched vehicles. Each accessory toy may include a port that receives the launch tube. In use, an accessory toy is mounted onto the launch tube and the bellows is compressed, causing the air to propel the vehicle into the air or along a surface. In another embodiment, the launch tube may include and interference assembly that selectively prohibits the mounting of an accessory toy onto the launch tube, or prevents the launching of accessory toys already mounted onto the tube. The launching device may further be incorporated into a carrying case or a transport vehicle toy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Keith Alan Hippely
  • Patent number: 7862400
    Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a plurality of wheels and an electric motor operably coupled to rotate at least one of the wheels. At least the one wheel and preferably each rotated wheel includes a hub and a tire mounted on the hub. The tire has an interior sufficiently hollow to make the wheel buoyant in water and the wheel is sufficiently sealed to prevent water penetration of the interior of the tire with the wheel immersed in water. The tire has a central portion surrounding the hub and a plurality of hollow lobes spaced from one another about the central portion. Each lobe has a pair of opposing outer sides at least one outer side being at least partially inwardly cupped to improve thrust caused by rotation of the wheel in water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Justin Discoe, Joseph T. Moll, Kevin Pasko, Paulo Kang, Steven Verbera
  • Patent number: 7857679
    Abstract: A relay segment for a toy track set is provided, the relay segment having a trigger moveably secured to the relay segment proximate to a first vehicle track segment pivotally mounted to the relay segment for adjustable movement with respect to the relay segment, the trigger being capable of movement between a first position and a second position; and a launching element for launching a vehicle from the relay segment when the trigger is moved from the first position to the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Stacy Lynn O'Connor, Michael W. Nuttall
  • Patent number: 7850506
    Abstract: A balloon weight includes a display clip having first and second clip members biased to be in close proximity to each other at a clip end and separate from each other each other at a squeeze end. The display clip has a base mass. A first weight piece is adapted to be selectively affixed to one of the first and second clip members. This first weight piece has a first supplemental mass. A ribbon has a first end secured to either the first weight piece or display clip and a second end affixed to a lighter-than-air balloon. A second weight piece may also be selectively affixed to the other of the first and second clip members. This permits the creation of composite balloon weights with different masses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Inventors: David C. Nelson, Martin A. Meluch, Valent L. Meluch, Dan Bertschi
  • Patent number: 7846003
    Abstract: An action figure fabrication toy in which a preselected action figure torso is placed in the center of the toy and individual body parts for the action figure are then placed in separate chambers arranged circumferentially about the center on opposite sides. The toy is then activated and one body part from each chamber is selected and automatically attached to the preselected torso, in order to form a composite action figure comprised of the torso and each of the selected body parts from each of the separate chambers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Inventors: Yusuke Takiguchi, Kenichi Morita
  • Patent number: 7815486
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a spring-powered toy vehicle with a front body portion, a separable rear body portion, rotating wheels and a spring propulsion system. When the rear body portion is pulled away from the front body portion and released, the spring will pull the rear body portion back into the front body portion, thereby causing the vehicle to move forward. Parallel vehicle guides prevent the rear movable body portion from pulling away in a non-axial direction, thus guiding the propelled toy vehicle in a straight line. Other aspects provide interchangeable and replaceable springs, and body portions. Additionally, vehicle choices include autos, trucks, motorcycles, planes, and construction equipment. A launcher is included that provides a stable platform for launching the vehicles and additionally imparts, through a peg and notch assembly and a spring-loaded plunger, additional kinetic energy for propulsion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Bernstein, Gabriel Carlson
  • Patent number: 7803033
    Abstract: A pop action toy assembly having an elastomeric body that is defined primarily by a first surface and a second surface. The elastomeric body is selectively positionable between a normal orientation, where the first surface faces outwardly, and an inverted orientation, where the second surface faces outwardly. An activator assembly having an impact disc and a knob extends through the elastomeric body at its apex. The impact disc strikes the ground when the toy assembly pops from an inverted orientation back into its normal orientation. The knob is used to grasp, spin and throw the toy assembly when inverted. A plurality of tabs symmetrically protrude from the base rim of the elastomeric body. If the toy assembly is inverted and strikes the ground, the protruding tabs act to concentrate the force of the impact and cause the toy assembly to pop back into its normal orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Inventor: Steve Walterscheid
  • Patent number: 7798884
    Abstract: A toy construction system includes a block component and a connector component. The connector component has a connector-to-block coupling section for releasable coupling to the block component and a connector-to-connector coupling section for releasable coupling to a substantially similar connecting component. The connector-to-block coupling section defines a connector block contacting surface for contacting the block component. The coupling aperture defines a peripheral edge retaining section made out of a substantially resiliently deformable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Inventor: Nathalie Barcelo
  • Patent number: 7794301
    Abstract: A toy vehicle trackset utilizes a pair of closed track loops each having a lower end and a raised end. The raised ends of the loops are supported by a raised support having a spring-loaded dinosaur launcher within which a flying dinosaur is supported. A target is coupled to the launcher and positioned in alignment with a pair of launch ramps extending from each of the pathways through a center lap counter which is shaped to simulate a volcano. Within the lap counter, a diverter is supported to switch a moving toy vehicle from its normal loop path to the target directed ramp once the toy vehicle has completed a predetermined number of laps upon the loop by one player. A dual loop hand-operated toy vehicle booster is supported at the lower end return path of each of the loops. The child user is able to crank a hand crank to initiate a manual boost of a toy vehicle. Proper timing of the hand crank is essential to impart maximum boost to a toy vehicle and impart rapid vehicle movement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric Ostendorff, Mike Nuttall
  • Patent number: 7785168
    Abstract: A toy with an exterior structure. Constructed to transform from a rollable first shape to a second shape. An interior structure inside the exterior structure is endowed with a magnetic body that moves by way of a magnetic force that acts from the exterior of the toy, an interior locking portion that moves simultaneously with the movement of this magnetic body, and a biasing member that effects a force which moves or turns this interior locking portion in a particular direction. If the magnetic force does not act from the exterior of the toy, the first shape of the exterior structure maintained. In the event that a magnetic force has acted from the exterior of the said toy, the exterior structure transforms from the first shape to the second shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Assignee: Spin Master Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoshi Yamada, Fujio Nobata
  • Patent number: 7785166
    Abstract: A game call for controlling sound quality (volume and pitch) of an internal bellows call. A hand-manipulable external bellows or other device provides air through an aperture to the internal bellows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Inventor: Richard C. Kirby
  • Patent number: 7753754
    Abstract: A submersible device according to an embodiment of the invention includes a container configured to be selectively buoyant in a liquid. The container can have at least one of a variety of different buoyancy systems. For example, the container can include a reservoir where the volume can be adjusted. In another example, the container can include a reservoir in communication with a pump configured to control the intaking and expelling of a liquid. In another embodiment, the container also defines a first partitioned section and a second partitioned section. The first partitioned section is substantially liquid resistant and the second partitioned section defines a hole in communication with an exterior of the container. An actuator is configured to receive an input from a user and is configured to modify an interior volume of the second partitioned section based on the input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: Swimways Corporation
    Inventors: Timothy Lee Curtis, Joseph Hewes Parrish, III, Cleighton Lee Hilbert, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7749044
    Abstract: A manually operated air-driven music box which will generate music at a relatively constant tempo as a user moves the music box back and fourth in opposite directions through the air. The music box has a rotatable drum cylinder to activate tone arms. A first propeller on one end of a drive axle and a second propeller on an opposite end of the drive axle rotate the drive axle as the music box is moved through the air. A gear mechanism for the drive axle rotates the drum cylinder in the same direction as the drive axle is rotated by the propellers. The first propeller is constructed to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and the second propeller is constructed to rotate in a clockwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Inventor: Harald Herglotz
  • Patent number: 7666054
    Abstract: An offset matrix adapter for integrating existing components of K'nex construction toys with existing components of Lego-style brick systems, notwithstanding that the spacing matrices of the systems are incompatible. Adapter bricks or bases are provided, having adapter sockets with the same spacing matrix as the studs of the Lego-style bricks. Special K'nex offset matrix adapters are provided, consisting of a pair of spaced-apart mounting stems for reception in a pair of spaced-apart adapter sockets. An offset rod is rigidly supported at the tops of the mounting stems but is offset laterally from the axes of the mounting stems by a distance which is preferably about one-third of the spacing between adapter sockets. By orienting a pair of matrix adapters with the rods offset alternatively inward or outward, the spacing differences between K'nex and Lego-style systems can be reduced to insignificance, allowing the two systems to be easily integrated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: K'NEX Limited Partnership Group
    Inventors: Joel I. Glickman, Matthias F. W. Doepner