Electromotive toy processor with voice synchronisation

A toy typically in the form of a stuffed animal or character includes an electric motor adapted to animate parts of the toy, a sound transducer for reproducing sound signals, and a voice processor and amplifier connected to the sound transducer, an output of the voice processor and amplifier activating the electric motor to effect animation in synchronisation with sound signals reproduced by the sound transducer.

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Description

The present invention relates to an electromotive toy processor with voice synchronisation and an audio device for a toy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The voice of the electromotive toy is originated from voice sources such as a microphone, VCD, CD, DVD, radio, or computer and cooperates with an electromotor core and acoustic enclosures of various stuffed toys and toys made from all kinds of soft finishes. The actions of the stuffed toys are synchronized with the voice, their visualisation is vivid, and the voice sources reproduced by them are rich. These toys could be used by children, or be viewed and admired by adults.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

The functions of popular electromotive toys with voice-production are mainly implemented by inbuilt ICs. As their functions are restricted by the inbuilt ICs, such electromotive toys generally have only limited pitch or a lyrical range, and their actions are also repetitive. Accordingly, the voice or action pattern of such electromotive toys is monotonous and of short duration, generally only tens of seconds. Furthermore, the quality of the voice is poor and is not suitable for a voice synchronisation play and synchronisation action for extended duration.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages and/or more generally to provide an improved electromotive toy processor with voice synchronisation which cannot only be connected with inbuilt IC voice, but also be connected with various and rich voice sources such as computer, DVD, VCD, radio, portable microphone, MP3; the functions and operations of which are not restricted by time; which acts in synchronisation with the rhythm of the voice from the voice source or swing in synchronisation with the loudness of the voice; and which has a good voice quality.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a toy comprising an electric motor adapted to animate parts of the toy, a sound transducer for reproducing sound signals, a voice processor and amplifier connected to the sound transducer, an output of which activates the electric motor to affect said movement in synchronisation with sound signals reproduced by the sound transducer.

Preferably, the voice processor detects audio frequency and amplitude and is responsive thereto such that its output controls the electric motor to operate at speed that varies depending on the detected frequency and amplitude.

Preferably, the toy further comprises an impedance matching network, a pulse voltage multiplier circuit, and a band-pass filter.

More preferably, the impedance matching network is connected with a voice source selected from the group consisting of: computer, VCD player, CD player, DVD player, radio, portable microphone, MP3 player.

It is preferred that the voice power amplifier comprises an integrated circuit on a printed circuit board.

More preferably, the band-pass filter is provided on a printed circuit board.

It is preferred that the voice processor is provided on a printed circuit board.

More preferably, a pulse voltage multiplier circuit is provided on a printed circuit board.

In a preferred embodiment, the toy further comprises an electromotor driver circuit provided on a printed circuit board.

More preferably, the toy is in the form of an animal or character and further comprises a machine core rotating mechanism that is controlled by the electromotor driver circuit, and parts of the animal or character selected from the group consisting of jaw, arms, legs and eyelids are attached externally to the machine core rotating mechanism.

More further preferably, the toy further comprises a shift gear driven by the electromotor via a link motion strap wheel, the shift gear driving a gear train connected to a link rod and a swing handle is engaged by the gear train, a lower lip member is engaged and operated by the link rod, and wherein the link rod and the upper lip member are integrated into one.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a printed circuit board with circuit components thereon of an operating circuit for an embodiment of an electromotive toy processor with voice synchronisation in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram of the operating circuit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows waveform graphs of the operating circuit of FIG. 2, where (1) is a band-pass graph of a band-pass filter, (2) is a voice frequency graph, (3) is a waveform graph of the processor, and (4) is a waveform graph of a pulse voltage multiplier circuit and driving electromotor core mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of part of a machine core rotating mechanism for fitting the electromotive toy processor with voice synchronisation;

FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the electromotive toy processor with voice synchronisation;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing more of the machine core rotating mechanism of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 consists of three perspective views illustrating different conditions during operation of the machine core rotating mechanism of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram of a toy with synthetic feathers and hair incorporating the electromotive toy processor with voice synchronisation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, there is shown an electromotive toy processor with voice synchronization embodying the invention, which is typically comprised of an impedance matching network, an MIC amplifier, a voice power amplifier circuit, a band-pass filter, a pulse voltage multiplier circuit, an automatic shutting-down circuit, and a machine core rotating mechanism, characterised by further comprising a voice processor circuit and a electromotor driver circuit.

The impedance matching network is comprised of resistors R1, R2 and a capacitor C3 (connectable to various voice sources due to their combination). The voice power amplifier circuit is comprised of an IC block IC1 and a capacitor C4, a stereo plug wire X1, a speaker BL1, a resistor R2 and other peripheral elements (since the power amplifier circuit is adopted and the resistor R2 is used as a feedback, the voice quality is good). The band-pass filter is comprised of capacitor C5, C17 and a resistor R21 (the filter could select a voice frequency of 200 Hz-400 Hz, allowing the rotation of the machine core to be increased in such an range of voice frequency, allowing some of background noise at a range of voice frequencies smaller than 200 Hz or that more than 400 Hz to be restrained, and allowing the electromotor machine to have no action if there is no voice).

The voice processor circuit is comprised of a transistor V1 and resistors R4, R5 and a capacitor C6 (the circuit could select out a useful sharp pulse to push the electromotor, ensuring the synchronisation between the voice and the action of the electromotor). The pulse voltage multiplier circuit is comprised of diodes D1, D2 and capacitors C6, C7, in that the sharp pulse would have a certain power after being voltage-multiplied and the time constant comprised by the capacitor C7 and the input impedance of the transistor V2 would make the actions of the electromotor and the voice to operate in synchronisation.

The electromotor driver circuit is comprised of transistors V2, V3, a resistor R6 and capacitors C9, C10. The automatic shutting-down circuit is comprised of transistors V5, V6, V7, V8, V9 and V10, a diode D4, resistors R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17, R18, R20, and capacitors C14, C15, C16 (As for such a combination, the whole circuit would shut down automatically and the static current would be small when no signal is input to the plug X1 of the voice source).

The resistor R1 of the impedance matching circuit is provided on a printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with one terminal of the plug X1 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C3 is provided on a printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with one terminal of the resistor R1 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the 4th pin of the block IC1 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The resistor R2 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the capacitor C3 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the 5th pin of the block IC1 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C12 of the MIC amplifier is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with an MIC socket via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V4 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The resistor R8 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the ground of the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the capacitor C12 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The resistor R9 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the capacitor C12 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the electrode E of the transistor V4 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C8 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V4 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V4 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C3 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V4 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with resistor R3 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The resistor R3 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the capacitor C11 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the 4th pin of the block IC1 via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The IC block IC1 of the voice power amplifier circuit is provided on the printed circuit board. The 4th pin of the IC block IC1 is connected with one terminal of C3 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The 3rd pin of the IC block IC1 is connected with the 2nd pin of the IC block IC1 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and connected with one terminal of the capacitor C4 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the capacitor C4 is connected with the ground line of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board. The 5th or 8th pins of the IC block IC1 are respectively connected with the two terminals of the speaker BL1 via two wires on the printed circuit board. The 1st and 7th pins of the IC block IC1 are respectively connected with the ground line of the printed circuit board via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The capacitor C5 of the filter-pass filter is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the 5th pin of the IC block IC1 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with one terminal of the resistor R21 via a wire on the printed circuit board, the other terminal of the resistor R21 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V1 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C17 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the resistor R21 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the ground line of the printed board via a wire on the printed circuit board.

The resistor R4 of the voice processor circuit is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V1 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The resistor R5 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V1 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The transistor V1 is provided on the printed circuit board, the base electrode of which is connected with one terminal of the resistor R21 via a wire on the printed circuit board, the emitter electrode of which is connected with the ground line of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the collector electrode of which is connected with one terminal of the resistor R5 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C6 is provided on the printed circuit board, the positive terminal of which is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V1 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the negative terminal of the diode D1 via a wire on the printed circuit board.

The capacitor C6 of the pulse voltage multiplier circuit is provided on the printed circuit board, the negative terminal of which is respectively connected with the negative terminal of the diode D1 and the positive terminal of the diode D2 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The diodes D1, D2 are respectively provided on the printed circuit board, the positive terminal of the diode D1 is connected with the ground line terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board, the negative terminal of the diode D2 is connected with the positive terminal of the capacitor C7 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C7 is provided on the printed circuit board, the negative terminal of which is connected with the ground line terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board.

The transistor V2 of the electromotor driver circuit is provided on the printed circuit board, the base electrode of which is connected with the negative terminal of the diode D2 via the wire on the printed circuit board, the emitter electrode of which is connected with the ground line terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the collector electrode of which is connected with one terminal of the resistor R6 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The transistor V3 is provided on the printed circuit board, the base electrode of which is connected with the resistor R6 via a wire on the printed circuit board, the emitter electrode of which is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the collector electrode of which is connected with one terminal of the electromotor M1 via a wire on the printed circuit board.

The electromotor M1 is provided on the electromotor core part, one terminal of which is connected on the collector electrode pad of the transistor V3 via a wire, and the other terminal of which is connected with the ground line terminal pad of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire. The resistor R6 and the transistor V3 compose a current restriction circuit, one terminal of the resistor R6 is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V2 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V3 via a wire on the printed circuit board.

The automatic shutting-down circuit is comprised of transistors V5, V6, V7, V8, V9 and V10, a diode D4, resistors R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17, R18, R20, and capacitors C14, C15, C16 (printed on the printed circuit board). One terminal of the capacitor C14 is connected with the plug X1 of the voice source via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of the capacitor C14 is connected with one terminal of R11 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the capacitor R11 is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V8 and one terminal of R12 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R12 is connected with one terminal of C15, R13 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the capacitor C15 is connected with the base electrode of V8 and one terminal of R20 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor 20 is connected with ground via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The collector electrode of the transistor V8 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V5 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The collector electrode of the transistor V5 is connected with one terminal of R13 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the emitter electrode of the transistor V5 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V9 and one terminal of the resistor R18 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R18 is connected with ground via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The emitter electrode of the transistor V9 is connected with ground via the wire on the printed circuit board. The collector electrode of the transistor V9 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V10 and one terminal of the resistor R17 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R17 is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The collector electrode of the transistor V10 is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply via the wire on the printed circuit board. The emitter electrode of the transistor V10 is connected with the positive terminal of the diode D4 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The negative terminal of the diode D4 is connected with one terminal of R14 and the positive terminal of the capacitor C16 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The negative terminal of the capacitor C16 is connected with ground via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R14 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V6 via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The emitter electrode of the transistor V6 is connected with ground via the wire on the printed circuit board. The collector electrode of the transistor V6 is connected with one terminal of R16 and one terminal of R15 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R15 is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R16 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V7 via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The emitter electrode of the transistor V7 is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply via the wire on the printed circuit board. The collector electrode of the transistor V7 is connected with the 1st pin of the IC block IC1 via the wire on the printed circuit board.

As shown in FIG. 4, the machine core rotating mechanism is comprised of an electromotor M1 (41), a link motion strap wheel (42), a shift gear (43), a gear (44), a gear (45), a link rod (46), a swing handle (47), an upper lip member (48), a lower lip member (49) and peripheral fittings. The positive terminal of the electromotor M1(41) is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V3 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The negative terminal of the electromotor M1(41) is connected with the ground via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The operating principals are as follows: the electromotor (41) drives the shift gear (43) by the link motion strap wheel (42); the shift gear (43) drives the gear (44) by a gear engagement; the gear (44) drives the gear (45) by engagement; and then the link rod (46) and the swing handle (47) are engaged by the cam of the gear (45); the lower lip member (49) engages and operates by the link rod (46); the link rod (46) and the upper lip member (48) are integrated into one. As compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: (1) it has rich voice sources. The processor of the present invention can not only be connected with the inbuilt voice, but also be connected with voice sources such as computer, VCD, radiogram, portable microphone and MP3. (2) Its functions and operations are not restricted by the time; (3) it can act in synchronisation with the voice beats from the voice sources; (4) it has a good voice quality.

The electromotive toy processor with voice synchronisation is comprised of an impedance matching network, an MIC amplifier, a voice power amplifier circuit, a band-pass filter, and a pulse voltage multiplier circuit. The processor further comprises a voice processor circuit, an electromotor driver circuit an automatic shutting-down control circuit, and a machine core rotating mechanism. The impedance matching network is comprised of resistors R1, R2 and a capacitor C3. The MIC amplifier is comprised of V4, R9, C12, R8, R7, C8, C11 and R3. The voice power amplifier circuit is comprised of an IC block IC1 and a capacitor C4, a stereo plug wire X1, a speaker BL1, a resistor R2 and other peripheral elements. The band-pass filter is comprised of capacitor C5, C17 and a resistor R21. The voice processor circuit is comprised of a transistor V1 and resistors R4 and R5. The pulse voltage multiplier circuit is comprised of diodes D1, D2 and capacitors C6, C7. The electromotor driver circuit is comprised of transistors V2, V3, a resistor R6 and capacitors C9, C10. The automatic shutting-down circuit is comprised of transistors V5, V6, V7, V8, V9 and V10, a diode D4, resistors R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17, R18, R20, and capacitors C14, C15, C16. The machine core rotating mechanism as shown in FIG. 4 is comprised of an electromotor M1 (41), a link motion strap wheel (42), a shift gear (43), a gear (44), a gear (45), a link rod (46), a swing handle (47), an upper lip member (48), a lower lip member (49) and peripheral fittings.

The resistor R1 of the impedance matching circuit is provided on a printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with one terminal of the plug X1 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C3 is provided on a printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with one terminal of the resistor R1 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the 4th pin of the block IC1 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The resistor R2 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the capacitor C3 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the 5th pin of the block IC1 via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The capacitor C12 of the MIC amplifier is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with an MIC socket via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V4 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The resistor R8 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the ground of the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the capacitor C12 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The resistor R9 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the capacitor C12 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the electrode E of the transistor V4 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C8 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V4 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V4 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C3 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V4 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the resistor R3 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The resistor R3 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the capacitor C11 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the 4th pin of the block IC1 via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The IC block IC1 of the voice power amplifier circuit is provided on the printed circuit board, the 4th pin of the IC block IC1 is connected with one terminal of C3 via a wire on the printed circuit board, the 3rd pin of the IC block IC1 is connected with the 2nd pin of the IC block IC1 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and connected with one terminal of the capacitor C4 via a wire on the printed circuit board, the other terminal of the capacitor C4 is connected with the ground line of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board. The 5th or 8th pins of the IC block IC1 are respectively with the two terminals of the speaker BL1 via two wires on the printed circuit board. The 1st and 7th pins of the IC block IC1 are respectively connected with the ground line of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board.

The capacitor C5 of the filter-pass filter is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the 5th pin of the IC block IC1 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with one terminal of the resistor R21 via a wire on the printed circuit board, the other terminal of the resistor R21 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V1 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C17 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the resistor R21 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the ground line of the printed board via a wire on the printed circuit board.

The resistor R4 of the voice processor circuit is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V7 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V1 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The resistor R5 is provided on the printed circuit board, one terminal of which is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V7 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V1 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The transistor V1 is provided on the printed circuit board, the base electrode of which is connected with one terminal of the resistor R21 via a wire on the printed circuit board, the emitter electrode of which is connected with the ground line of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the collector electrode of which is connected with one terminal of the resistor R5 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C6 is provided on the printed circuit board, the positive terminal of which is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V1 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal of which is connected with the negative terminal of the diode D1 via a wire on the printed circuit board.

The capacitor C6 of the pulse voltage multiplier circuit is provided on the printed circuit board, the negative terminal of which is respectively connected with the negative terminal of the diode D1 and the positive terminal of the diode D2 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The diodes D1, D2 are respectively provided on the printed circuit board, the positive terminal of the diode D1 is connected with the ground line terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board, the negative terminal of the diode D2 is connected with the positive terminal of the capacitor C7 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The capacitor C7 is provided on the printed circuit board, the negative terminal of which is connected with the ground line terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board.

The transistor V2 of the electromotor driver circuit is provided on the printed circuit board, the base electrode of which is connected with the negative terminal of the diode D2 via a wire on the printed circuit board, the emitter electrode of which is connected with the ground line terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the collector electrode of which is connected with one terminal of the resistor R6 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The transistor V3 is provided on the printed circuit board, the base electrode of which is connected with the resistor R6 via a wire on the printed circuit board, the emitter electrode of which is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the collector electrode of which is connected with one terminal of the electromotor M1 via a wire on the printed circuit board.

The electromotor M1 is provided on the electromotor core part, one terminal of which is connected on the collector electrode pad of the transistor V3 via a wire, and the other terminal of which is connected with the ground line terminal pad of the power supply of the printed circuit board via a wire. The resistor R6 and the transistor V3 compose a current restriction circuit, one terminal of the resistor R6 is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V2 via a wire on the printed circuit board, and the other terminal is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V3 via a wire on the printed circuit board. The power supplying filtering circuit is comprised of a capacitor C1, C2. The capacitor C1, C2 is provided on the printed circuit board, the positive terminal of the capacitor C1 is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply, and its negative terminal is connected with the negative terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board. One terminal of the capacitor C2 is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board, and its other terminal is connected with the negative terminal of the power supply of the printed circuit board.

The electromotor pulse current elimination circuit is comprised of capacitors C9, C10, the capacitors C9, C10 connected in parallel are connected with two terminals of the electromotor M1, and the positive terminal of the capacitor C9 is connected with the wire connected to the collector electrode of the transistor V3. The automatic shutting-down circuit is comprised of transistors V5, V6, V7, V8, V9 and V10, a diode D4, resistors R11, R12, R13, R14, R15, R16, R17, R18, R20, and capacitors C14, C15, C16 (printed on the printed circuit board). One terminal of the capacitor C14 is connected with the plug X1 of the voice source via the wire on the printed circuit board, the other terminal of the capacitor C14 is connected with one terminal of R11 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the capacitor R11 is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V8 and one terminal of R12 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R12 is connected with one terminal of C15, R13 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the capacitor C15 is connected with the base electrode of V8 and one terminal of R20 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor 20 is connected with ground via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The collector electrode of the transistor V8 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V5 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The collector electrode of the transistor V5 is connected with one terminal of R13 via the wire on the printed circuit board, and the emitter electrode of the transistor V5 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V9 and one terminal of the resistor R18 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R18 is connected with ground via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The emitter electrode of the transistor V9 is connected with ground via the wire on the printed circuit board. The collector electrode of the transistor V9 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V10 and one terminal of the resistor R17 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R17 is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The collector electrode of the transistor V10 is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply via the wire on the printed circuit board. The emitter electrode of the transistor V10 is connected with the positive terminal of the diode D4 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The negative terminal of the diode D4 is connected with one terminal of R14 and the positive terminal of the capacitor C16 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The negative terminal of the capacitor C16 is connected with ground via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R14 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V6 via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The emitter electrode of the transistor V6 is connected with ground via the wire on the printed circuit board. The collector electrode of the transistor V6 is connected with one terminal of R16 and one terminal of R15 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R15 is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply via the wire on the printed circuit board. The other terminal of the resistor R16 is connected with the base electrode of the transistor V7 via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The emitter electrode of the transistor V7 is connected with the positive terminal of the power supply via the wire on the printed circuit board. The collector electrode of the transistor V7 is connected with the 1st pin of the IC block IC1 via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The machine core rotating mechanism as shown in FIG. 4 is comprised of an electromotor M1 (41), a link motion strap wheel (42), a shift gear (43), a gear (44), a gear (45), a link rod (46), a swing handle (47), an upper lip member (48), a lower lip member (49) and peripheral fittings. The positive terminal of the electromotor M1 (1) is connected with the collector electrode of the transistor V3 via the wire on the printed circuit board. The negative terminal of the electromotor M1(1) is connected with the ground via the wire on the printed circuit board.

The operating principals are as follows: the electromotor (41) drives the shift gear (43) by the link motion strap wheel (42); the shift gear (43) drives the gear (44) by a gear engagement; the gear (44) drives the gear (45) by engagement; and then the link rod (46) and the swing handle (47) are engaged by the cam of the gear (45); the lower lip member (49) engages and operates by the link rod (46); the link rod (46) and the upper lip member (48) are integrated into one. The model number of the IC block IC1 is CM8662 or KA8602, the model number of the transistor V2 is M28C, and the model number of the transistor V3 is H8550.

The operational principles of the electromotive toy processor with voice synchronisation according to the present invention are as follows. It is divided into an audio circuit, a voice electromotive synchronisation circuit and automatic shutting-down circuit to be explained as below respectively.

(1) As for the audio circuit, the voice from the voice source is passed to the 4th pin of the voice power amplifying IC block IC1 via the stereo plug X1 through the impedance matching network (capacitor C3, resistors R1, R2), wherein the voice is power amplified, one path of the voice is negatively feedback to the 4th pin through the resistor R2, allowing the quality of the voice played to be improved, and the other path of the voice directly drives the speaker BL1 to utter audio voice via two terminals of the IC1, i.e. the 8th and 5th pins. The voice from the portable microphone is passed through the amplifier comprised of the MIC socket, V4 and peripheral elements, wherein it is amplifier to be passed to the 4th pin of the IC block IC1, allowing the IC block to drive the speaker BL1 to utter the voice so as to accompany a singer.

(2) As for the voice electromotive synchronisation circuit, a voice is output from the 5th pin of the IC block IC1 and passed through the band-pass filter (capacitor C5, capacitor C17 and resistor R21) to select an audio signal ranging from 200 Hz to 4 KHz. The audio signal is passed through the resistors R4, R5, capacitor C17 and transistor V1 to perform processes on the amplitude and intervals of the signal, so as to select a valid signal to be converted to pulse, and the pulse signal is then passed through capacitors C6, C7, diodes D1, D2 to perform a voltage multiplication to allow it have certain driving power. The transistor V2, V3 and resistor R6 form a combined tube for power driving, in that the resistor R6 acts as a role for current restriction protection.

The rotation of the electromotor drives the shift gear (43) by the link motion strap wheel (2), the shift gear (43) drives the gear (44) by a gear engagement, the gear (44) drives the gear (45) by engagement, and then the link rod (46) and the swing handle (47) are engaged by the cam of the gear (45), the lower lip member (49) engages and operates by the link rod (46), and the link rod (46) and the upper lip member (48) are integrated into one. Therefore, it forms an up-down action between the upper lip and the lower lip. Since it forms an up-down action by the link rod (6), the lower lip would swing up and down by the link rod (6). The action of the mouth of the pet toy configured like this would act in synchronisation with the amplitude of the voice from the voice source. The swing of the pet would be performed by the swing handle.

(3) As for the automatic shutting-down circuit, when a signal is input to the plug of the voice source, the signal is passed through the capacitor C14 and the resistor R11 to be amplified by the transistor V5. During the negative half period of the signal, due to the feedback of V8, V5 is turn off, V9 is turn off, V10 is turned on in saturation, allowing the capacitor C16 to be charged with a voltage, and V6 and V7 to be turned on in saturation, so as to make the audio circuit and the voice electromotive synchronisation circuit to be powered on and operate normally. When no voice source signal is input to the plug of the voice source, due to the bias of the resistor R12 of the base electrode of the transistor V5, V5 is turned on in saturation, V9 is turned on in saturation, and V10 is turned off. The voltage on the capacitor C16 is discharged via R14, V6 would be turned off and V7 would be turned off after an approximate 30 s or so, and the audio circuit and the voice electromotive synchronisation circuit would be shut down automatically.

The respective names of various constituent components in FIG. 6 of the present embodiment are as follows:

(61) electromotive toy processor with voice synchronisation;

(62) stereo plug wire X1;

(63) electromotor M1;

(64) capacitor C9;

(65) capacitor C10;

(66) speaker BL1; and

(67) electromotor core part.

FIG. 8 depicts the plush exterior of a soft toy 80 into which the components of the FIG. 6 are encased.

The electromotive toy can be further developed and improved by adopting a combination of the above circuits.

The present invention has a simple line configuration, its manufacturing structure is compact, it is easy to be modulated and fitted and could be used in cooperation with various voice sources, and it could be conveniently produced in batch, popularised and spread.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various modification of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A toy comprising an electric motor animating parts of the toy, a sound transducer for reproducing sound signals, a voice processor and amplifier connected to the sound transducer, an output of the voice processor and amplifier activating the electric motor to effect animation in synchronisation with sound signals reproduced by the sound transducer.

2. The toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voice processor detects and is responsive to audio frequency and amplitude so that the output controls the electric motor to operate at speeds that vary depending on the frequency and amplitude detected.

3. The toy as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an impedance matching network, a pulse voltage multiplier circuit, and a band-pass filter.

4. The toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein the impedance matching network is connected with a voice source selected from the group consisting of a computer, a VCD player, a CD player, a DVD player, a radio, a portable microphone, and an MP3 player.

5. The toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the amplifier comprises an integrated circuit on a printed circuit board.

6. The toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein the band-pass filter is provided on a printed circuit board.

7. The toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the voice processor is provided on a printed circuit board.

8. The toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pulse voltage multiplier circuit is provided on a printed circuit board.

9. The toy as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an electromotor driver circuit provided on a printed circuit board.

10. The toy as claimed in claim 9, being in the form of an animal or character, further comprising a machine core rotating mechanism that is controlled by the electromotor driver circuit, and parts of the animal or character selected from the group consisting of jaws, arms, legs, and eyelids are attached externally to the machine core rotating mechanism.

11. The toy as claimed in claim 10, further comprising a shift gear driven by the electromotor via a link motion strap wheel, the shift gear driving a gear train connected to a link rod, and a swing handle engaged by the gear train, wherein a lower lip member of the animal or character is engaged and operated by the link rod, and the link rod and an upper lip member of the animal or character are integrated.

Patent History
Publication number: 20060094326
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 4, 2005
Publication Date: May 4, 2006
Applicant: Kiu Hung Industries Ltd. (Shatin)
Inventor: Guo Chen (Shatin)
Application Number: 11/049,701
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: 446/175.000
International Classification: A63H 30/00 (20060101);