Domino Effect Patents (Class 446/2)
  • Patent number: 11295630
    Abstract: A language learning assembly includes a body having at least one first recess and at least one second recess arranged parallel to the at least one first recess. A plurality of blocks are color-coded by syntax category or “parts of speech” and have a plurality of words displayed on each block. The blocks are sized to fit side-by-side within one of the at least one first recess and the at least one second recess to form grammatically correct sentences. Each block can have a different word on at least two faces thereof. Some of the blocks can be configured to display words in a fixed fashion. Some of the blocks can have electronic displays configured to display words electronically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: Lilyza LLC
    Inventor: Binh Ly
  • Patent number: 8568186
    Abstract: In summary, the present invention provides a novelty electricity free domino that overcomes the overtone problem of the prior art and a domino system that is capable of controlling the interval of the sound generated by the sound emitting dominos may be extended so as to control the tempo thereof. Accordingly, the present creation not only solves the long last problem of long lasting overtone exists in the prior art but also has the advantages of simple and low manufacturing cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: National Taiwan University of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Pei-Chen Sung, Sheng-Feng Su
  • Patent number: 8403721
    Abstract: A linking toy segment for pivotal securement to another linking toy segment is disclosed herein, the linking toy segment having: a base structure; an actuatable device secured to the base structure, the actuatable device being capable of movement from a first position to a second position; a first coupling member secured to the base structure and extending away from the base structure in a first direction, the first coupling member being configured to be pivotally received on top of another coupling member; a second coupling member secured to the base structure and extending away from the base structure in a second direction, the first direction being different from the second direction, the second coupling member being configured to be pivotally secured underneath another coupling member; a trigger moveably secured to the base structure proximate to either the first coupling member or the second coupling member, the trigger being pivotally mounted to the base for movement between a first position and a secon
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2013
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott H. Derman
  • Publication number: 20100173557
    Abstract: A toppled domino resettable track is a beautiful luxury to have when those not prone to patience are engaged in setting up domino sequences for toppling. Resettable tracks are also useful for less than capable individuals, e.g. children; when they want to create topple sequences, as the tracks keep the dominos fixed to the track in their configurations. With the push of a button or puff of breath, the entire toppled sequence stands to life, ready for another run.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2009
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Inventor: Michael Kristian Saucedo
  • Patent number: 5725409
    Abstract: A game element, a game and a method for playing a game employing a plurality of game elements. The game element comprising a body that is disposed in contact with a playing surface and in an upright position relative to the surface. Incorporated in the body is a sound emission assembly which emits a sound component directly from the body when the body moves from the upright position in a predetermined displacement. The game comprising a plurality of game elements having respective sound components and being disposed uprightly to form an array so that, when toppled in cascade, they emit the respective sound components sequentially along the array to generate one or more sound sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Inventor: Scott R. Brunton
  • Patent number: 5533919
    Abstract: A toppling toy having a housing on which a plurality of toppling members are sequentially arranged, having a reset mechanism which resets the toppling members simultaneously. The housing has a top wall, a bottom wall, and a continuous side wall, defining a cavity between the walls. Each toppling unit is a toppling member and a ballast member fixedly attached to and suspended from the toppling member by a flexible member attached to the toppling member. The reset mechanism is characterized by a disc-shaped push-button protruding through an opening in the top wall. The push-button is permanently affixed to a flange housed within the cavity. The flange is supported and biased by a resilient member, such as a foam annulus, resting on the bottom wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Inventor: Laverne R. Peterson
  • Patent number: 5405281
    Abstract: A toppling tone-producing toy apparatus for producing a plurality of tones comprising a plurality of tiles, each tile having a front face, a back face, and a peripheral edge; a plurality of striker bars, each striker bar coupled to the back face of a tile; a note mechanism coupled to each tile for producing a tone when struck by a striker bar on another tile; a support mechanism for holding the tiles thereon; and a plurality of hinges, each hinge coupling the peripheral edge of each tile to the support mechanism for allowing pivotal movement of the tile, the coupling of the tiles with the support mechanism creating a generally aligned configuration where the front faces of the tiles are directionally aligned and each tile is offset from adjacent tiles by a distance less than its height such that when a tile is toppled towards an adjacent tile, its striker bar contacts the note mechanism of the adjacent tile, whereby toppling the adjacent tile, producing a tone, and creating a toppling effect that ripples thro
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Inventor: Ralph Sandor
  • Patent number: 5349129
    Abstract: The electronic device uses domino-shaped sound elements in combination with a support track to generate audible sounds or musical notes. The sound elements are placed in indentations on a support track in a selected sequence corresponding to the sequence of musical notes in a song to be played. Each of the sound elements corresponds to a single sound or musical note. When the sound elements are toppled in a domino-type manner, the notes are played in the selected sequence. Each of the sound elements has one or more magnetic elements in its bottom surface. The movement of the magnetic element away from associated Hall Effect sensors in the support track during toppling of the sound elements is used to trigger a decoding circuit. The decoding circuit determines the note pattern and generates the associated sound through an output speaker. A timbre sound element may also be used to select the timbre or other tonal characteristics of the output sounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 20, 1994
    Assignee: John M. Wisniewski
    Inventors: John M. Wisniewski, William W. Shier
  • Patent number: 5122087
    Abstract: A toppling toy game is provided which consists of an elongated flexible cord member and a plurality of plate members. A mechanism is for pivotally mounting each of the plate members to the elongated flexible cord member, so as to move about an axis of rotation between an upright position and an inclined position separating from the elongated flexible cord member. The plate members are so spaced apart from one another at horizontal intervals less then the heights of the plate members when in their upright positons, so that when the leading plate member is toppled backward it will successively and sequentially effect backward toppling of the following plate members, thereby producing the domino effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 16, 1992
    Inventors: Mario Coccoli, George Spector
  • Patent number: 5083960
    Abstract: A children's toy employing the domino effect in which the cascadable elements are hinged to linkable sections of track in such a manner that upon completion of the forward cascade a further cascade ripples through the same cascadable elements in the reverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 28, 1992
    Inventor: Kent E. Erickson
  • Patent number: 4998902
    Abstract: An improved toppling toy is characterized by a resetting capability that comprises a plurality of finger tip operated actuators, each of which is associated with and coupled to an associated one of the pivotally mounted tiles for joint pivotal movement therewith; and each actuator contains an outer actuator surface exposed on the upper surface of the track to a players finger, such outer surface having a frictional characteristic, whereby dragging movement of the players finger along a finger dragging lane on the track and across and transverse the actuator when the tile is in the down position causes pivoting of the actuator and thereby uprights the associated tile. Suitably the actuator and tile are formed in a unitary one piece structure of molded plastic material. A novel track contains rods to serve as a pivot for the tiles and is also formed of a unitary one piece assembly of molded plastic material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1991
    Assignee: Universal Product Innovations, Inc.
    Inventors: Harold E. Garner, Merrill M. Miller, Brian E. Kavanagh, Gorden W. Spring
  • Patent number: 4946342
    Abstract: A device for positioning a plurality of generally elongate objects such as dominos on a flat surface in upstanding orientation and in evenly spaced relationship with each other includes an elongate structure for storing a plurality of dominos in face to face relationship with the dominos standing upright on the flat surface on which they will be positioned in spaced relationship as the device moves intermittently across the surface. A domino discharge mechanism is mounted in the storage means to discharge a domino therefrom each time the discharge mechanism is actuated. The device also includes a drive means for moving it across a flat surface in intermittent manner, and an actuating mechanism operable to actuate the discharge mechanism during intervals when the device is stationary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 7, 1990
    Inventor: Arnold Fassman
  • Patent number: 4880235
    Abstract: A simulated animal race track apparatus including a track and having a first and second plurality of animal-shaped members spaced apart in two lines and which are tippable from an upright position to a tipped position using a domino affect and simulating the motion of a horse galloping and the clatter of the horses' hooves as the horses strike each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1989
    Inventor: William H. Groenewold
  • Patent number: 4783918
    Abstract: A system for the vertical display of information provided on a plurality of cards or similar display members includes an extended heads on each display member. The extended heads are supported on each side by a pair of parallel slideways. Each slideway includes a plurality of vertical supports spaced therealong and paired with a support on the other slideway. Thus, a respective pair of supports serves to support an extended head of a display member and a series of display members so supported is created. A cascading mechanism is also provided for sequentially moving each display member in a cascade to a lower pair of supports when a new display member is introduced into the pair of slideways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1988
    Inventor: Rene Valery
  • Patent number: 4740185
    Abstract: A toppling toy unit and construction set enables a plurality of toy units to be assembled into a variety of structures of different configurations. Each toppling toy unit includes end-connectable track-like base sections of different shapes and configurations each with a plurality of dominoes that are pivoted to move from an up position to a down position with each held by a stop that projects up from the base section. When connected end to end when a rear-most domino is toppled the rows of dominoes topple. The base sections are straight, angled, Y-shaped, curved and stair-steps. The base section and stop are a molded plastic unitary construction. A keeper is adapted to be positioned forwardly of the front domino to stop the toppling progression at the forward domino. A pair of posts extended up from the base section are provided for each domino. Each post has an aligned opening for receiving the aligned pivot pins projecting from opposite sides of each domino.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Inventor: Philip R. Inglee
  • Patent number: 4632664
    Abstract: A toppling game apparatus having a plurality of connectable toppling units is disclosed. The toppling units each contain a toppling member attached to a base member in a manner permitting pivotal rotation of the toppling member. The axis of pivotal rotation is spaced laterally from the toppling member. Each toppling member also has a system to control the weight distribution of the toppling member. The system consists of a weight member fixed at a desired position within the toppling member, or a movable weight member slidably adjustable along the toppling member. By controlling weight distribution, in combination with the laterally spaced pivotal rotation system, the toppling rate of the toppling member can be increased, decreased or stopped when desired. The toppling units are connectable to each other to form the game apparatus. In operation, each of the toppling members is placed in a vertical position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1985
    Date of Patent: December 30, 1986
    Inventor: Eugene P. Manning