Patents Examined by Urszula M. Cegielnik
  • Mobile skateboard-shaped toy with a flywheel
    Patent number: 8562386
    Abstract: A mobile skateboard-shaped toy which is propelled by a displaceable flywheel is described. The skateboard-shaped toy comprises a skateboard deck with the flywheel positioned within the skateboard deck. The flywheel is positioned such that the flywheel protrudes beyond a top portion and a bottom portion of the skateboard deck. The flywheel is rotatable within the skateboard deck to change a rotational direction of the flywheel with respect to a major axis of the skateboard deck. Additionally, the flywheel can be repositioned at different ride heights within the skateboard deck. In one aspect, the flywheel is removable from the skateboard deck to allow the flywheel to be easily repositioned within the skateboard deck or replaced with another flywheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
    Inventors: Gabriel Carlson, Dominic Laurienzo, Dion Fields, Michael Bernstein
  • Track set with a tiltable surface for use with a toy vehicle
    Patent number: 8550870
    Abstract: Described is a track set with a tiltable surface for use with a toy vehicle. The track set includes a handle that allows a user to tilt the surface while resting the track set on a base and tilting the surface at a pivot point. Further, the surface includes a first side and a second side. The track set is formed to allow a user to switch the position of the pivot point and base and thereby selectively use either the first side or second side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
    Inventors: Dominic Laurienzo, Michael Bernstein, Gabriel Carlson, Dion Fields
  • Novelty band for storing and displaying toy figures
    Patent number: 8540544
    Abstract: A novelty assembly that is used to retain and display toy figures. The assembly utilizes a band having a first surface and a second surface. The band can be formed as a bracelet, necklace, headband, belt, shoe strap, handle strap, or the like. A plurality of nub projections extend from the first surface of the band. A plurality of toy figures are provided. Each of the toy figures has a bottom opening. The bottom opening of each toy figure is pressed onto one of the nub projections that extend from the band. The bottom opening of the toy figures receive and engage the nub projection with a friction fit. This interconnects the toy figures with the band. The result is a novelty band or strap where the toy figures appear to be the ornamentation of the novelty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Inventor: Dax Logue
  • Modular box turkey call
    Patent number: 8535112
    Abstract: A game call having a box piece and a striker piece that contacts and vibrates an exposed edge of at least one box wall to produce sound. The box includes a bottom wall and a plurality of side and end walls that circumscribe an open-sided sound chamber. An appendage or striker pivot post projects from the box and supports a resilient assembly to bias the striker to the pivot post. The striker includes a slotted keyway having an aperture, a channel way and an adjoining recess that supports the pivotal movement of the striker. Striker pieces constructed to various shapes and from a variety of materials and having one or more keyways or deformable retainer assemblies are shown that can be interchanged with the box piece to produce a variety of different sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Inventor: Michael Dukart
  • Model helicopter with improved reduction gear mechanism
    Patent number: 8523627
    Abstract: A model helicopter includes a drive mechanism comprising a battery powered motor comprising a toothed motor shaft; a main rotor comprising a main shaft aligned with the motor shaft and including a main gear; and a reduction gear assembly comprising a lower section including four first gears arranged around the motor shaft, and four second gears smaller than the first gears, each second gear fixed to top of the first gear; an upper section including four third gears and four fourth gears each being smaller than the third gear and fixed to top of the third gear, the fourth gears being meshed with the main gear; and four shafts each axially passing through the fourth gear, the third gear, the second gear, and the first gear so that a revolution of the motor shaft rotates the main shaft via the first gears, the fourth gears, and the main gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Inventor: Shu-Mei Tseng
  • Valve and retainer assembly for latex balloons
    Patent number: 8512091
    Abstract: A valve and retainer assembly particularly useful for latex balloons includes a valve body and a band valve. The valve body has a radial shoulder where the neck and mouth of a latex balloon may be received to affix the balloon to the valve body. A hollow stem communicates with the radial shoulder, and a one-way valve allows gas to be introduced through the stem into the balloon affixed to the retainer portion. A valve and retainer for filling first and second balloons further includes a slide disk having a seal sleeve that intimately fits over the stem portion, such that the sealing slide disk selectively slides along the stem portion so that the seal sleeve can selectively cover the at least one second balloon fill aperture; and a flexible band covering the at least one fill aperture of the fill portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: Premium Balloon Accessories, Inc.
    Inventors: David C. Nelson, Martin A. Meluch
  • Voice activated bubble blower
    Patent number: 8496509
    Abstract: There is disclosed a bubble generating apparatus including a body portion, a bubble ring, a blower and a sound sensor. The bubble generating apparatus is designed to generate bubbles in response to sounds detected by the sound sensor. When sound is detected by the sensor, the blower is activated thereby directing air through the bubble ring in response to those sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: What Kids Want, Inc.
    Inventor: Bradley S. Faecher
  • Confetti party horn
    Patent number: 8469768
    Abstract: A horn having a substantially hollow body with a first end, a medial portion, and a second end. The medial portion has an exhaust assembly having an opening. The body first end is structured to be engaged by the mouth of a user and defines an initial flowpath with a direction extending into the body. A confetti chamber is disposed in the hollow body. The confetti chamber is in fluid communication with the body first end and the exhaust opening. There is confetti disposed in the confetti chamber. An exhaust flowpath extends from the confetti chamber through said exhaust opening. The exhaust flowpath is not substantially aligned with said initial flowpath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: The Beistle Company
    Inventor: Scott Smith
  • Toy attachment systems and methods
    Patent number: 8460053
    Abstract: Systems and methods enable attaching toys or other items to child care equipment such as a play gyms, swings, bouncers, changing pads, and the like. Attachment is accomplished by passing a compressible portion of the item to be attached through an opening in the child care equipment. The opening may be provided by a hole in the equipment, or by a hole in a clip engaged with a rod embedded in or attached to the equipment. The clip may slide along the rod to adjust the position of the item. In one application, rods embedded in a play gym provide a structural support for a canopy of the play gym, and also may receive clips for attaching toys or other items to the play gym.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: The Boppy Company, LLC
    Inventors: Paul Fair, Kristin A. Tidwell, Catherine P. McNeil, Clarice Bonzer
  • Puppet
    Patent number: 8444451
    Abstract: A hand operated puppet includes a pair of characters that are interconnected such that when the first character is in a display orientation the other character is in a storage orientation inside the first character. The head of one character is shaped and dimensioned to compressibly store the head of the other character. The head of each character includes an elastic, resilient foam insert shaped and dimensioned to conform to the contour of the face of the character.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Inventor: Wen Zhang
  • Track set
    Patent number: 8430712
    Abstract: A track set is provided. The track say may include at least two selectively positionable track arms each with a toy vehicle launcher, each track arm further defining a vehicle pathway, where each track arm may be positioned in at least an extended play configuration and a folded storage configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Stacy O'Connor, Michael Nuttall
  • Infant play gym
    Patent number: 8430711
    Abstract: An infant play gym including a mat, a first arched structure extending over the mat, a second arched structure extending over the mat, and a motion module. The motion module includes a housing couplable to both the first arched structure and the second arched structure, a power source, and a motor positioned within the housing and powered by the power source, the motor operable to cause the first and second arched structures to move with respect to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Learning Curve Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Paul Chininis, Melvin Ray Kennedy, Jose Longoria
  • Infant simulator
    Patent number: 8414346
    Abstract: An infant simulator capable of emulating the care requirements of an infant and recording the quality ot care and responsiveness of a person caring for the infant simulator and/or signaling the person caring for the infant simulator when care is required. The infant simulator is capable of sensing the unacceptable environmental conditions of exposure to direct sunlight and exposure to temperature extremes and to which the infant simulator is subjected. The infant simulator is also programmed with the ancillary features of multiple behavior modes based upon the historic level of care experienced by the infant, and/or the health of the infant, and perceptibly different demand and distress signals for each type of environmental event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Realityworks, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard N. Jurmain, Mary M. Jurmain, Charles F. Johnson, Adrian Pelkus
  • Method of integrating optical fibers into fabrics and plush toys
    Patent number: 8414351
    Abstract: A method for incorporating optical fibers into sheet materials, such as fabrics, creates a structure which can be incorporated into items such as plush toys. Optical fibers are made to pass through the sheet material in a desired arrangements. Ends of the optical fibers are enlarged such that they will not readily pass back through the fabric. The ends are then covered with material that permits light to pass therethrough. The resulting structure can be readily incorporated into an item, such as a plush toy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Hallmark Cards, Incorporated
    Inventors: Jennifer R. Garbos, Nancy Lynn Short
  • Toy launcher and dual powered toy
    Patent number: 8388405
    Abstract: A toy launcher and dual powered toy vehicle apparatus where the toy launcher includes a base part to be held stationary during operation and a slidable part mounted to the base part, the slidable part being movable between first and second positions. Captured between the base and slidable parts is a spring. The expanding spring causes the toy vehicle to be propelled away from the launcher. At the same time, the rapid movement of the rack energizes the flywheel motor so that after the spring discharges the toy vehicle and a flywheel of the flywheel motor engages a supporting surface, the toy vehicle is moving in response to both the spring and the flywheel motor, two different power sources. The single action of pulling the rack appears to the user to cause compression and release of the spring, and the flywheel motor to be energized, essentially simultaneously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Nash Desent, John Boyce
  • Toy track set and relay segments
    Patent number: 8382553
    Abstract: A relay for a toy is disclosed herein, the relay having: a first actuator configured to launch a first object into air; a second actuator; a release mechanism moveably secured to the second actuator for movement between a first position and a second position wherein movement of the release mechanism from either the first position towards the second position or the second position towards the first position by the first object causes the second actuator to propel a second object away from the second actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Stacy Lynn O'Connor
  • Toys with view ports
    Patent number: 8376806
    Abstract: A toy including a housing and at least one view port disposed within the housing and adapted to permit a user to view objects through the at least one view port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: Steed Sun, Ruben Martinez, Peter Fan
  • Military cooker
    Patent number: 8359972
    Abstract: A cooker for use by troops on deployment comprises a container 10 for cooking fat sitting upon a heating chamber 12. The heating chamber 12 has a back wall 14 formed with an aperture 16 to receive a burner and a front wall 18 formed with an exhaust port 20 communicating with a chimney 22. The heating chamber has side walls extending between its front and back walls 18 and 14. The container has a hinged lid 28 which folds to present a rack 30 for food frying baskets (not shown). The cooker is configured and arranged so that flame from the burner does not contact the container 10 and heat is diffused over the container 10, whereby cooking fat therein is not locally overheated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Hawkmoor Limited
    Inventors: Michael Frank Palmer, Sean Paul Duffy
  • Toy with audio and visual feedback
    Patent number: 8348712
    Abstract: A toy vehicle is disclosed. It has a main vehicle body portion and a display device rotatably mounted to the main body portion, the display device being configured to create a plurality of images via a persistence of vision effect. A mechanism is also present for rotating said display device. An actuator is included and is attached to a sensor for determining when the actuator is depressed. A microcontroller is in operable communication with the sensor and the display device; the microcontroller changing the appearance of at least one of the plurality of images when the sensor determines the actuator has been depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Gabriel De La Torre
  • Deer call
    Patent number: 8342902
    Abstract: A deer call includes a cylindrical mouthpiece in which a reed assembly is mounted for oscillatory movement creating a sound replicating that of a deer and a sound attenuating tube secured to the mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is composed of a rigid tubular member and an elastic skin secured about the tubular member. The rigid tubular member includes a central cut-out section exposing the elastic skin to an interior of the mouthpiece thereby defining the elastic skin resonance control surface, wherein the elastic skin in the area of the elastic skin resonance control surface includes a sound control aperture allowing the user to control air pressure within the mouthpiece and thereby control amplitude of sound generated by the deer call.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Inventor: John Christopher Brown