Abstract: An infrared-sensitive switching apparatus for use with typical household electic appliances, and an adaptor for supporting the switching apparatus. In one application, the apparatus is used with a lamp, and the adaptor includes a first housing member configured as a female socket for receiving and making electrical contact with a conventional light bulb base, a second housing member configured as a male lamp base which can screw into and make electrical contact with a conventional lamp socket, and a sensor assembly. The sensor assembly includes a photodiode, a power supply, an infrared amplifier, and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit). The sensor assembly electrically couples the first and second housing members. The ASIC includes a rectifying circuit, a filter circuit, a switching circuit, and a current-limiting circuit between the filter circuit and the switching circuit. The switching circuit generates a regulated pulsed, high frequency, current at predetermined intervals.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for generating light designs using a plurality of light emitting diodes on the outer, flat surface of a motor-driven rotor which is rotatably mounted on a base. The diodes are coupled through sliding contacts on the shaft of the rotor to control circuitry carried by the base. The circuitry includes a switching network having a signal input fed by one or more oscillators. The switching network includes comparators for the diodes to compare the voltage of the input signals from the oscillators with a characteristic voltage for each diode, respectively. The diodes are turned on when the input signal voltages have predetermined values with respect to the characteristic voltages, so that diodes can be operated in a sequence and at frequencies to provide distinctive, repeatable designs as the diodes rotate with the rotor. Resistive and capacitive components can be used to change the waveform of the input signals to the switching network.

Abstract: A toy having electronic circuitry for generating different sounds simulating sounds resulting from certain activities such as cooking or running water. The toy is in the form of a toy stove provided with a housing having a simulated water delivery tap, a sink below the tap, and a simulated burner section for supporting one or more toy utensils in locations simulating the heating of the utensils. The electronic circuit is carried by the housing beneath the burner section and includes a white noise generator, an amplifier, and a speaker for providing audible sounds corresponding to the output signals of the white noise generator. A sound effects oscillator is coupled with the white noise generator for changing the sounds produced by the white noise generator as a function of the type of utensil on the burner section.

Abstract: Apparatus for playing a game with a moveable player piece, such as a marble or steel ball, and a game board having a start position and a finish position for the player piece. A maze is mounted on the game board for rotation along the upper surface thereof, the maze including walls which present obstacles for the player piece yet the walls have openings therethrough to permit the player piece to pass through the maze as the player piece is maneuvered toward a finish position on the game board as the game board itself is manually manipulated by tilting it up and down and from side to side. The maze is coupled by a shaft to a mechanical or an electric drive motor mounted below the game board surface and the speed of the motor can be changed to vary the speed of rotation of the maze. The game board has two adjacent recesses for receiving the player piece, one defining the winning location and the other defining a losing location.

Abstract: A wand adapted to be held in the hand and provided with a rod-like body provided with a handle having a base at one end and a visual indicator at the opposite end. The base defines a handle for grasping the wand and the base is hollow to house an electronic circuit and a battery for operating the circuit. The circuit is a multivibrator whose output signal oscillates at a given frequency, such as 120 Hz. The visual indicator is coupled with the circuit and is caused to flash at the operating frequency of the circuit when the circuit operates. The base has a pair of spaced terminals thereon which are bridged by the palm of the hand when the base is grasped, and the palm therefore provides a resistance forming part of the circuit to cause the frequency of flashing of the visual indicator to change depending upon the extent to which hand pressure is applied to the base. For increased frequency, greater hand pressure is applied to decrease the resistance accordingly.

Abstract: A toy vehicle having a set of motor-driven drive wheels for moving it forwardly and a motor-driven steerable wheel assembly for effecting changes in the direction of movement of the vehicle. The vehicle has a radio receiver coupled to the drive motor of the steerable wheel assembly for energizing the drive-motor when signals are received by the receiver from a transmitter remote from the vehicle itself. In one embodiment, the steerable wheel assembly includes a single wheel rotatable about a vertical axis in one direction through an angle of 360.degree.. In another embodiment, the steerable wheel assembly includes a pair of spaced wheels interconnected by a linkage shiftable back and forth in response to the rotation of a coupling member which rotates in one direction in a 360.degree. arc. The transmitter has input means including a microphone and a Schmitt trigger unit or a one-shot multivibrator. The drive motor for the steerable wheel assembly can include a stepping motor.

Abstract: A light display made from a plurality of optical fibers. The fibers are secured to a tube and extend outwardly therefrom, the tube being mounted for reciprocation about an axis extending through the tube and longitudinally of the fibers. In one embodiment, the tube has an arm extending laterally therefrom and a rod coupled to the outer periphery of a rotatable member causes the arm to move back and forth along a curved path to reciprocate the tube and thereby the fibers as the member rotates in one direction. In a second embodiment of the light display, the tube is carried by one of a pair of relatively shiftable members each having a coil thereon so that a voltage applied to the coil of the other member will induce a voltage in the coil of the one member to thereby cause reciprocation of the one member relative to the other member about an axis through the members due to the alternating current "hum" responsive to the inductive coupling between the coils.

Abstract: An accelerator for mounting to a vehicle. The accelerometer includes a pendulum in a housing and an indicating needle rigidly attached to the pendulum. The needle sweeps across a meter face at one end of the housing and the meter face may be calibrated in terms of the forward acceleration of the vehicle. The pendulum has a weight constructed of magnetic material and a small permanent magnet in a fixed position in the housing normally attracts the pendulum from its bottom dead-center position. This results in a large angular arc through which the pendulum can swing when the pendulum is accelerated with the vehicle, leading to greater overall sensitivity of the accelerometer.

Abstract: A light display which rotates in response to command signals in the form of sounds, light beams or the like. The display includes a tube having flexible rod-like members coupled thereto and extending outwardly therefrom with the outer ends of the members being provided with essentially point sources of light which, when the tube rotates, trace out generally continuous lines due to the relativey high speed of rotation of the tube. The tube rotates under the influence of an electric motor which receives command signals for causing rotation of the drive shaft thereof. The drive shaft is either connected directly or by gear-down structure to the tube. One embodiment of the invention utilizes the rod-like members which are flexible glass fibers and a light source is disposed to the outer ends thereof. In another embodiment, the members are tubes having light emitters such as light diodes at their outer ends.

Abstract: A toy vehicle operated by a motor and having improved control means permitting numerous changes in movement of the toy vehicle along a medium, such as a surface when the toy vehicle has wheels. As to a wheeled vehicle defining one embodiment disclosed herein, the control operates to permit the toy vehicle to change direction, to continue to move forwardly or to stop in response to an external command, such as the sound of the human voice, a light from a light source or other type of signal. The vehicle has steering wheel means coupled to a drive means which is rotatably through a 360.degree. arc in response to a command. The amount of rotation is determined by the duration of the command. Thus, a large number of changes can be made within the 360.degree. arc capability of the drive means. Several embodiments of the control means are disclosed.