Patents by Inventor Russell G. Rasmussen

Russell G. Rasmussen has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11298625
    Abstract: An action figure gaming assembly includes a controller and an action figure. The controller includes an actuator and a rotating surface. The action figure is attached to and rotates on a rotating surface when the actuator is activated. The action figure performs one of several attack maneuvers (weapon strike, punch, kick, lean and slap, and telescoping first) and one of several death configurations (torso split, disintegration, scissor split, and a forward or backward collapse). During game play, the action figure gaming assembly duels against other action figure gaming assemblies. Activation of the actuator causes the action figure to rotate with the rotation surface of the controller and to strike an opponent. Activation of the trigger portion by an opponent causes the action figure to transition to the death mode. In the death mode, part of a first body portion separates from part of a second body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: Shoot the Moon Products, II, LLC
    Inventors: Johan Vreugdenhil, Russell G. Rasmussen, Richard Corlett
  • Publication number: 20220016537
    Abstract: An action figure gaming assembly includes a controller and an action figure. The controller includes an actuator and a rotating surface. The action figure is attached to and rotates on a rotating surface when the actuator is activated. The action figure performs one of several attack maneuvers (weapon strike, punch, kick, lean and slap, and telescoping first) and one of several death configurations (torso split, disintegration, scissor split, and a forward or backward collapse). During game play, the action figure gaming assembly duels against other action figure gaming assemblies. Activation of the actuator causes the action figure to rotate with the rotation surface of the controller and to strike an opponent. Activation of the trigger portion by an opponent causes the action figure to transition to the death mode. In the death mode, part of a first body portion separates from part of a second body portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Publication date: January 20, 2022
    Inventors: Johan Vreugdenhil, Russell G. Rasmussen, Richard Corlett
  • Patent number: 7815485
    Abstract: Pose and play dolls that will stand on a platform by magnetic attraction and dance with lifelike animation, but which may be removed from the stand for ordinary play. The dolls include animation powered from the platform through the legs of the doll. A motor in the doll animates the doll body, arms and head, with proportional feedback allowing control by a controller in coordination with music being played. The doll head may rotate or gyrate, and the arms swing as a unit or with the lower arms bending as the arms swing. In one form of platform simply rotates through controlled angles, again in coordination with the music being played. In another form of doll, the hips are configured to swing back and forth, and another form of platform controls the hip movement, again in coordination with the music being played. Various other features and capabilities are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: Shoot the Moon Products II, LLC
    Inventors: Sunil William Moothedath, Russell G. Rasmussen, Paul S. Rago, David B. Small
  • Patent number: 7766718
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a spinning or rotatable flexible disk toy is disclosed. The spinning or rotatable flexible disk toy includes a hand-held housing, an electric motor, a switch, and a flexible disk. The electric motor is mounted in the hand-held housing and has a rotatable shaft. The switch is mounted in the hand-held housing and electrically coupled to the electric motor to selectively provide power to the electric motor. The flexible disk is coupled to the rotatable shaft of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Shoot the Moon Products II, LLC
    Inventors: Paul S. Rago, Russell G. Rasmussen, Virginia M. Bala, William J. Hudson
  • Publication number: 20090215358
    Abstract: Pose and play dolls that will stand on a platform by magnetic attraction and dance with lifelike animation, but which may be removed from the stand for ordinary play. The dolls include animation powered from the platform through the legs of the doll. A motor in the doll animates the doll body, arms and head, with proportional feedback allowing control by a controller in coordination with music being played. The doll head may rotate or gyrate, and the arms swing as a unit or with the lower arms bending as the arms swing. In one form of platform simply rotates through controlled angles, again in coordination with the music being played. In another form of doll, the hips are configured to swing back and forth, and another form of platform controls the hip movement, again in coordination with the music being played. Various other features and capabilities are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: SHOOT THE MOON PRODUCTS II, LLC
    Inventors: Sunil William Moothedath, Russell G. Rasmussen, Paul S. Rago, David B. Small
  • Publication number: 20070281581
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a spinning or rotatable flexible disk toy is disclosed. The spinning or rotatable flexible disk toy includes a hand-held housing, an electric motor, a switch, and a flexible disk. The electric motor is mounted in the hand-held housing and has a rotatable shaft. The switch is mounted in the hand-held housing and electrically coupled to the electric motor to selectively provide power to the electric motor. The flexible disk is coupled to the rotatable shaft of the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2006
    Publication date: December 6, 2007
    Inventors: Paul S. Rago, Russell G. Rasmussen, Virginia M. Bala, William J. Hudson
  • Patent number: 7216642
    Abstract: A glider toy has pivoting wings that may be locked in a retracted position prior to launch. Upon launching of the glider, the wings may be unlocked. During flight, the wings extend forward for an entertaining glide at the urging of one or more elastic members. A launcher includes an orientation-sensitive safety feature that limits the angles at which projectiles may be launched therefrom. The safety feature permits projectiles to be launched from the launcher only within approximately a generally upward, non-vertical angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: Uncle Milton Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Eric S. Poesch, Michael J. O'Connor, Joel A. Shrock, Russell G. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 7077359
    Abstract: A glider toy has pivoting wings that may be locked in a retracted position prior to launch. Upon launching of the glider, the wings may be unlocked. During flight, the wings extend forward for an entertaining glide at the urging of one or more elastic members. A launcher includes an orientation-sensitive safety feature that limits the angles at which projectiles may be launched therefrom. The safety feature permits projectiles to be launched from the launcher only within approximately a generally upward, non-vertical angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Uncle Milton Industries
    Inventors: Eric S. Poesch, Michael J. O'Connor, Joel A. Shrock, Russell G. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 6468128
    Abstract: In one embodiment a collapsible toy car is provided with a front top portion, a rear top portion, and two side portions is provided. The front top portion is pivotally attached to the rear top portion via a hinge. The two side portions are pivotally attached to the front and rear top portion via a front and rear pivot assembly, respectively. When assembled the front, rear and two side portions form an upright, operational position. When a force, however, is applied downwardly on the collapsible toy, the front, rear and two side portions collapse forming a substantially planar, collapsed configuration. A latch may be provided in order to retain the collapsible toy car in its collapsed configuration. Similarly, the latch may be released in various ways to permit the collapsible toy car to return to its operation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Inventors: Virginia M. Bala, Russell G. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 5971833
    Abstract: A playset toy provides multiple play environments selected by inverting the toy. The toy includes a playset body and parts attached to the body. The parts are constructed to alter their position relative to the body upon inversion such that inversion conceals one play environment and reveals another play environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 26, 1999
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell G. Rasmussen, Virginia M. Bala
  • Patent number: 4969851
    Abstract: A toy vehicle with opposed faces on the chassis has a pivotally movable piece carried by the chassis with the piece being biased by a bowed overcenter spring away from a playing surface on which the toy vehicle is supported on its wheels. The portion of the movable biased piece oriented away from the playing surface projects beyond the upper periphery of the wheels. When the toy vehicle flip over, impact upon the projecting portion of the movable biased piece overcomes the bias and pivots the piece so that an opposed portion projects out the other face of the chassis to present a differently styled vehicle. Trackway segments are also provided to effect and end over end flip over of the vehicle and a side or rollover flip of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 13, 1990
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates Liquidating Trust
    Inventor: Russell G. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 4740187
    Abstract: A toy robot having a handle, one or more small vehicle-receiving recesses provided in its head and/or on its torso and limbs and blade-like supporting posts for vehicle track members. Certain of the robot's vehicle-receiving recesses may have associated therewith vehicle-propelling means and/or track member mounting posts whereby to permit the provision of exit ramps therefrom. The robot serves not only as an independent toy and as a small vehicle carrier, but also permits cooperative play action between the robot and the small vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Russell G. Rasmussen, Harry Disko
  • Patent number: 4717367
    Abstract: A toy vehicle having a front to back dimension includes a body with a forward end and a rearward end. The body carries an extendable tail section adjacent the rearward end for extension from a retracted position adjacent the rearward end to an extended position for increasing the front to back dimension of the vehicle. When the vehicle encounters a change in the angle of the playing surface or a force is otherwise exerted on the distal portion of the extendable section, a motor driven gear engages a rack and drives the extendable section away from the body of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1988
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Leonard J. Stubenfoll, Russell G. Rasmussen, Howard J. Morrison
  • Patent number: 4710873
    Abstract: Video game apparatus and method includes an arrangement for acquiring and storing data representing an image of the face of a game player or other entity and for selectively incorporating the image of the entity throughout the play of the game at predetermined locations on the video game display and in coordination with the video game graphics. In accordance with the play of the various games controlled by the video game apparatus, the stored image of one or more persons is utilized as the head of a video graphics generated body, as a portion of other generated graphics representations, as a functional game object representation, or as a controllable playing object. The video game apparatus also provides for the display of the game player image in a scoring display format wherein the images of a predetermined number of previous game players attaining the highest scores are displayed at the beginning or end of a play of the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1984
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Jeffrey D. Breslow, Howard J. Morrison, Steven P. Hanson, Russell G. Rasmussen
  • Patent number: 4710146
    Abstract: Projectile propelling attachments are provided for toy figures that have an arm connected at the shoulder end for pivotal movement relative to the torso through approximately ninety degrees. The attachments include an apparatus releasably mountable on the figure in engagement with the arm. A front end bore receives a projectile from which a tether extends out the back end of the apparatus through a smaller diameter bore. In the larger diameter bore there is a coil compression spring. At the free end of the tether a retainer prevents the tether passing back through the apparatus. In one form, the back end of the tether is attached to a reel carried on the back of the figure. Pulling on the tether pivots the arm to the firing position and then compresses the spring. When the tether is released, the spring propels the projectile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 1, 1987
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Russell G. Rasmussen, Leonard J. Stubenfoll, Harry Disko
  • Patent number: 4696654
    Abstract: An attachment for a toy figure includes a simulated automatic firing weapon and a flexible belt with spaced apart simulated ammunition. The belt is movable through a backpack attachable to the figure by manual rotation of an exposed portion of a gear wheel carried by the backpack with the gear wheel teeth engaging the simulated ammunition. Sounds simulating firing of the weapon are produced by a ratchet, coaxial with the gear wheel, engaging a reed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 1986
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1987
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Bennie R. Welch, Russell G. Rasmussen, Harry Disko
  • Patent number: 4595379
    Abstract: A toy doll with arms and legs mounted for pivotal movement relative to the torso in response to rotational movement of a bottle nipple in the doll's mouth. One gear on a rotatable feed tube within the hollow head of the doll engages vertically oriented racks that then engage spur gears to rotate the arms. A bevel gear also carried by the tube engages a bevel gear on a depending drive shaft that has a crown gear driving a bevel gear for each of the legs. Both the arms and the legs are mounted on spools that freely rotate with respect to the torso. Frictional engagement of the limbs with respect to the spool permit the spool to pivotally drive the arms while also allowing selective, independent angular orientation of each of the limbs with respect to its respective spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 17, 1986
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Russell G. Rasmussen, Steven P. Hanson, Jeffrey D. Breslow
  • Patent number: 4585426
    Abstract: A motor driven toy mobile playset has three articulated deck sections. Each section has a wheel and axle assembly powered by a battery motor driving a single drive shaft that extends through all of the sections transverse to the wheel axles. When supported upon a level playing surface the sections form a chassis having a generally planar deck. Various bores and slots are defined on the sections for removably mounting accessories. Some of the accessories are mountable within bores in the ends of the wheel axles. One accessory is driven by a power take-off. A crane boom is mountable in a number of positions including one which provides a manually operable winch with a hook and cable. The front section has a lighted bridge structure with a spotlight and an upper head lamp bar both utilizing a single light bulb connected to the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 29, 1986
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Russell G. Rasmussen, Eugene Jaworski, Howard J. Morrison
  • Patent number: 4568300
    Abstract: A toy slot car racing set is provided with linked, lead and follower car teams. The link is resilient and has a width substantially greater than the thickness, to provide some resistance to lateral flexing. Tight fits between a pin and aperture connection of each end of a link to a respective vehicle generally maintains the connected end of the link in a fixed angular relationship to the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Russell G. Rasmussen, Harry Disko
  • Patent number: 4544156
    Abstract: Toy pool table components permit conversion of a card table or other similar piece of furniture having a substantially planar horizontal surface into a toy pool table. Each of a number of ball receiving pockets has a clamping mechanism for mounting the pocket on the edge of the top of the piece of furniture. An upper "U" shaped bracket receives balls from the playing surface through the opening of the "U". Two spaced apart ratchet bars depend downwardly from each side of the bracket. Arms supporting a lower brace slide up and down along the ratcheted bars and each arm has a pawl that engages the ratchet teeth to adjust the pocket clamp to accommodate a wide range of table top thicknesses. A hollow cup for retaining the balls is removably seated within the bight section of the bracket. Elastic bands extending between adjacent pockets bias the pockets into engagement with the card table and provide a resilient cushion for soft rubber or foam balls between the pockets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1985
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventors: Russell G. Rasmussen, Alice A. Peinsipp, Jeffrey D. Breslow