Combs Patents (Class 84/94.1)
  • Patent number: 10600396
    Abstract: The invention is a music box device comprising: a vibration plate(20) having vibration pins(22); striking wheels(30) slippably friction-coupled to a first shaft(31) and having striking protrusions(32)for striking the vibration pins(22) formed on a circumferential part with concave portions(33) interposed therebetween; a driving wheel(40) fixedly coupled to a second shaft(41) and having driving protrusions(42); a driving motor(4); a stopper array part(50) having stoppers(52) disposed adjacent to the striking wheels(30) and a plurality of solenoids(54) for reciprocatingly driving each of the stoppers(52); and a microcomputer(10); wherein the solenoids(54) of the stopper array part(50)are flatly wound so as to have a long hole(56) therein, and comprise coils(55) arranged so that the flat side surfaces are adjacent to each other and a movable core(57) which has a flat plate shape that is inserted into the long hole(56) in each of the coils(55) and has an upper end in which the stoppers(52) are attached thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Inventor: Gyu Lak Han
  • Patent number: 9733620
    Abstract: A striking mechanism is for a watch or music box that includes a vibration plate with optimized actuation energy. The striking mechanism includes a plurality of cantilevered strips. These strips are each made of a material of Young's modulus E and of density ? satisfying the inequality: E ? 3 < 0.25 ? ? m ? / ? s . All of the strips (2) each satisfy the relation: ? f , b , 20 ? ? ? ? W ? ( L ) = ( 8 ? U b ) 1 2 ? ( 3.515 4 ? ? ? ? f ) 3 2 ? [ E ( 3 ? ? ) 3 ? ] 1 4 ? L - 3 2 , where b is the width, L the length, ? the travel, f the frequency and U the actuation energy of the strip, U being greater than or equal to 20 microwatts, and the strips (2) are arranged to vibrate between 800 Hz and 4000 Hz.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: Montres Breguet SA
    Inventors: Polychronis Nakis Karapatis, Younes Kadmiri, Davide Sarchi
  • Patent number: 9012749
    Abstract: A music box includes a plurality of star wheels, a plurality of vibration valves, a plurality of anchoring members, a plurality of electromagnets, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to control one or more of the plurality of the electromagnets to be a first state by supplying a first electricity and control each of the plurality of electromagnets to be a second state by supplying a second electricity. Each of the plurality of anchoring members is configured to engage with one of the plurality of protruding parts in the second state. The one or more of the plurality of anchoring members is configured to rotate about a second axis extending parallel to a first axis in the first state, and the one or more of the plurality of anchoring members is positioned remote from the electromagnet with a gap therebetween in the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8962955
    Abstract: A music box includes a plurality of star wheels, a plurality of sun wheels, a drive unit, a plurality of anchoring members, a plurality of vibration valves, a rotating disk, a detection unit, and a control unit. Each of the plurality of anchoring members is configured to engage one of a plurality of protruding parts of the plurality of star wheels. The rotating disk is configured to rotate according to a rotation of an axis. The rotating disk is formed with a plurality of slits arrayed in a circumferential direction of the rotating disk. The detection unit is configured to detect a passage of one or more of the plurality of slits. The control unit is configured to control one or more of the plurality of anchoring members to disengage one of the plurality of protruding parts, based on a detection result of the detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akihiro Ikeda
  • Patent number: 8389832
    Abstract: The hanging musical attachment device is an attachment to an inflatable balloon that adds ornamental features allowing the balloon to hang as an ornament creating additional appeal to generic balloon and adding the accompaniment of a musical playing device. This attachment can be used with balloons without the need for helium, because the attachment is the means of support for the balloon. The interchangeable balloons allow for the musical device to be replaced without the need to replace the entire device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Inventor: Will Niskanen
  • Publication number: 20120207001
    Abstract: Timepiece wheel governor (1) for regulating the pivoting speed (?) of a wheel set (3), about a pivot axis (D1), including a pivoting inertia-block (4). It includes a means (7) of returning said block (4) towards said axis (D1), and, when said wheel set (3) pivots at a lower speed than a reference speed (?c), said block (4) remains confined within a first volume of revolution (VI), and, when said wheel set (3) pivots at a higher speed than said reference speed (?c), said block (4) is engaged, in one peripheral portion (30) thereof, in a second volume (VE) contiguous with and external to said first one (VI), said peripheral portion (30) cooperating in said second volume (VE) with a regulating means arranged to brake said wheel set (3) and return the pivoting speed (?) thereof to said reference speed (?c), and to dissipate the surplus energy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: Montres Breguet S.A.
    Inventors: Jan PITTET, Jean-Jacques Born, Thierry Conus, Eric Goeller, Patrick Ragot, Sylvain Marechal, Davide Sarchi, Jerome Favre
  • Publication number: 20120192697
    Abstract: The pin-barrel (1) is provided for a musical box in the form of a wristwatch. The pin-barrel is formed of a set of parallel pairs of strips (3, 3?), which are connected at one end thereof to a heel (2). Each pair of strips forms a tuning fork, wherein one of the strips (3?) of the pair can be set in vibration by at least one pin of a musical module wherein the vibration propagates to the other strip (3) of the pair by a longitudinal wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: MONTRES BREGUET SA
    Inventor: Jérôme FAVRE
  • Publication number: 20120174725
    Abstract: A comb-shaped unit used in a music box includes a plurality of metallic strips and an integrally formed striker unit. Melodious music may be generated by the relative motion and hence the friction between the small protrusions and the comb-shaped unit as the cylindrical drum rotates. The strips are spaced apart. Each of some of the strips has a striker provided on its end portion. These strikers are in different sizes. The steel strips of the comb-shaped unit have a greater thickness and hence there is no need for the lead members of the strikers and the additional processes in the prior art. Therefore, the low-frequency effect may be reached and the relevant environmental protection regulations of European Union and the US may be met.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Inventor: LUNG-HSI HUANG
  • Publication number: 20110041669
    Abstract: An automated ornament includes a power source coupled to a drive shaft that provides rotatory power about a drive axis. The drive shaft is coupled to a first drive gear, which engages a second idler gear such that rotation of the first gear in one direction causes the second gear to rotate in the opposite direction. A third driven gear engages the second gear such that rotation of the second gear in one direction causes the third gear to rotate in the opposite direction. The gear ratio of the first gear to the third gear is at least two to one. When the automated ornament is supported by support means, the power source causes an ornamental housing to rotate about the support means via the first, second, and third gears. The power source also can cause a sound module to produce musical notes via a subsidiary gear train.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2009
    Publication date: February 24, 2011
    Applicant: Mr. Christmas Incorporated
    Inventors: Terry Hermanson, Huang Meng-Suen
  • Patent number: 7749044
    Abstract: A manually operated air-driven music box which will generate music at a relatively constant tempo as a user moves the music box back and fourth in opposite directions through the air. The music box has a rotatable drum cylinder to activate tone arms. A first propeller on one end of a drive axle and a second propeller on an opposite end of the drive axle rotate the drive axle as the music box is moved through the air. A gear mechanism for the drive axle rotates the drum cylinder in the same direction as the drive axle is rotated by the propellers. The first propeller is constructed to rotate in a counterclockwise direction and the second propeller is constructed to rotate in a clockwise direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Inventor: Harald Herglotz
  • Patent number: 7641023
    Abstract: The invention concerns a sound generator mechanism including a control member (10) and a mechanism (14) for locking/unlocking the control member (10), the control member (10) being able to move between a first position in which the control member is held by the locking/unlocking member (14) and in which it holds the vibrating member (12) away from the rest position thereof, and a second position wherein the control member is released by the locking/unlocking mechanism (14) and wherein it simultaneously releases the vibrating member (12), which starts to vibrate and to produce a sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Glashütter Uhrenbetrieb GmbH
    Inventor: Hans-George Hintze
  • Patent number: 7590030
    Abstract: It is intended to provide a governor that is small, does not produce wear particles or noise, is low cost, is not affected by differences in attitude, is not affected by magnetism, and has outstanding durability. The governor has a rotor that rotates using energy supplied from an energy storage means through a power transfer means, a wing having wing surfaces perpendicular to the rotational axis of the rotor, and disposed movably to an outside circumference side radially to the rotor by means of centrifugal force produced by rotor rotation, a zigzag spring disposed between the rotor and wing for pulling the wing to the inside circumference side radially to the rotor, and an opposing member disposed to the outside circumference of the rotor and having an opposing surface located opposite and separated a predetermined gap from the wing surface when the wing moves to the outside circumference side radially to the rotor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi Moteki, Osamu Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7544870
    Abstract: A music box movement having a mechanism to impede or cause rotation of star wheels, wherein spaced points on the star wheels pluck the tines of the musical comb to perform a desired series of musical tones. In its preferred embodiment, the mechanism comprises activating arms with rods having tips thereon, wherein the tips contact the surface of the star wheel and only permit rotation of the star wheel when the tips are withdrawn via activation of a computer-controlled solenoid. Alternatively, again via a computer-controlled solenoid, the mechanism actively causes movement of the star wheel by pushing against, or pulling via hooks, the star wheel points to cause rotation. In lieu of a solenoid, computer-controlled electromagnetically-engaged plates in communication with the activating arms are selectively utilized to adhere to a rotating drum, thereby moving the activating mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Inventor: Richard H. White
  • Patent number: 7492274
    Abstract: A motion producing motion-based notification/alert device to be used in and for attachment to mobile electronic equipment or devices, where the motion producing motion-based notification/alert device, upon receipt of an electronic signal from the mobile electronic equipment or device, reacts to set the mobile electronic equipment or device into various elevations and motions. The motion producing motion-based notification/alert device is designed to receive electronic signals from the mobile electronic equipment or device, whereby producing various motions resulting in the owner or user of the mobile electronic equipment or device being notified/alerted that the mobile electronic equipment or device has received an incoming signal or a desired event of the mobile electronic equipment or device has taken place. The motion producing motion-based notification/alert device includes a housing containing a power spring/electric motor which can be used in or attached to the mobile electronic equipment or device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Inventor: Morgan Kennedy Osborne
  • Patent number: 7321090
    Abstract: An automatic musical instrument includes a tine, a rotor, an actuatable arm, and a rotatable cam. The tine emits an audible sound when vibrated. The rotor has plural picks extending radially outwardly therefrom, and the actuatable arm is disposed to displace the rotor when the actuator arm is pivoted between a normal position and an actuated position. The rotatable cam has at least one protrusion extending outwardly from a surface thereof, and is disposed to contact a pick on the rotor when the rotor is displaced by the actuatable arm. The contact of the rotating cam with the pick of the rotor further displaces the rotor, causing a pick on the rotor to vibrate the tine, emitting the audible sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2008
    Assignee: Mr. Christmas Incorporated
    Inventor: Huang Meng-Suen
  • Patent number: 7250565
    Abstract: An automated musical instrument includes at least one tine, circuitry, a switch, and a trigger. The tine produces a first audible sound when vibrated. The circuitry produces a second audible sound when activated. The switch is connected to the circuitry and is operable when actuated to activate the circuitry. The trigger is selectably operable substantially simultaneously (a) to vibrate the tine to produce the first audible sound and (b) to actuate the switch in turn to activate the circuitry to produce the second audible sound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Mr. Christmas Inc.
    Inventors: Terry Hermanson, Huang Meng-Suen
  • Patent number: 6960711
    Abstract: An inventive structure of the reduction device of the spring driving musical movement comprises a musical movement base, a gear fixed base, a step spur gear, a bilateral gear and a friction unit; wherein the gear fixed base, formed from project plastic material, installs with a locating hole, two parallel concave grooves and a right-side bilateral gear installing groove thereon; and rivets with the musical movement base in a fixed position by the locating hole. After said step spur gear separately parallelizes in said parallel concave groove, said right-side bilateral gear installing groove and a left-side bilateral gear installing groove on the musical movement base were separately installed with a bilateral gear. And said friction unit locates on the musical movement base to make a worm thereon mutually and vertically engages with a left-side gear of the bilateral gear, to become a spring driving musical movement reduction device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Kyooh Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lung-Hsi Huang
  • Patent number: 6960710
    Abstract: An electronic engine for generating acoustic musical notes for simulating a music box. The engine includes a memory for storing data, and an electronic controller connected to the memory for producing a control signal in accordance with said data. A plurality of tone generating members, such as tines from a comb are provided, with each tine generating a corresponding musical note when the tine is placed in motion. One or more actuators in communication with the controller generate a temporary magnetic field in response to the control signal for resonantly adding energy to the tines without requiring physical contact between the tines and the actuators to produce the corresponding musical notes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: M.H. Segan Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Marc Howard Segan, Gary Strauss, Leo Fernekes
  • Patent number: 6936757
    Abstract: There is provided a performance apparatus that is capable of reducing mechanical noise by a simple construction. Rotary picks are disposed in the vicinity of and in association with respective ends of a plurality of reeds, and four driving nails are formed integrally with outer peripheries of the rotary picks. A hook part is attached to the top of a plunger, and they make reciprocating motions together. The rotary pick is rotated by a driving force applied to the driving nail thereof from an engaging part formed by a lower end of the corresponding hook part. When the driving nail located symmetrically to the driving nail having received the driving force plucks the corresponding reed, the reed is sounded. The hook part is almost completely covered with a cushioning member formed of an elastic material such as rubber to absorb an impact that may occur when the driving nail of the rotary pick comes into contact with the hook part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2005
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Kaneko
  • Patent number: 6933431
    Abstract: Each of a plurality of TG (tone generation) units includes a plurality of TG elements corresponding to a plurality of tone pitches. A plurality of resonant boxes are provided in corresponding relation to the TG units, and each box is formed of a material having a characteristic different from the materials forming the other boxes. One or more of the TG elements to be driven for tone generation are determined on the basis of tone pitch designating information and tone color setting information, and the determined TG elements are driven to vibrate. Because the resonant boxes are formed of different materials, tones can be generated with peculiar tone colors in accordance with the materials of the resonant boxes corresponding to the vibrated TG elements. In an alternative, the TG elements in each of the TG units may be formed of a material of a characteristic different from materials forming the TG elements of the other TG units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Shigeru Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 6858789
    Abstract: A music box includes daisy reed wheels, the reeds of which are respectively associated with player's fingers, and the player's fingers are selectively energized for plucking the reeds for generating tones; the reeds of the daisy reed wheels form reed groups respectively assigned to tones, and a controller selects reeds from the reed groups in such a manner that any one of the reeds of each group is not plucked with the player's finger, whereby the controller prevents the vibrating reeds from the plucking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Muramatsu, Tatsuya Makino
  • Publication number: 20040231486
    Abstract: An electronic engine for generating acoustic musical notes for simulating a music box. The engine includes a memory for storing data, and an electronic controller connected to the memory for producing a control signal in accordance with said data. A plurality of tone generating members, such as tines from a comb are provided, with each tine generating a corresponding musical note when the tine is placed in motion. One or more actuators in communication with the controller generate a temporary magnetic field in response to the control signal for resonantly adding energy to the tines without requiring physical contact between the tines and the actuators to produce the corresponding musical notes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2004
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Applicant: M.H. Segan Limited Partnership
    Inventors: Marc Howard Segan, Gary Strauss, Leo Fernekes
  • Patent number: 6762352
    Abstract: This invention provides a music/light synchronous control mechanism, comprising an overhead platform on a music bell, wherein said overhead platform has the first gear set driven by the shaft of said music bell, the second gear set driven by the spur gear in a music tumbler, a control mechanism, and a light contact switch mechanism. With the mechanic structure, this invention can control music and light to start/end them synchronously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Inventor: Jack Liu
  • Publication number: 20040123718
    Abstract: There is provided a performance apparatus that is capable of reducing mechanical noise by a simple construction. Rotary picks are disposed in the vicinity of and in association with respective ends of a plurality of reeds, and four driving nails are formed integrally with outer peripheries of the rotary picks. A hook part is attached to the top of a plunger, and they make reciprocating motions together. The rotary pick is rotated by a driving force applied to the driving nail thereof from an engaging part formed by a lower end of the corresponding hook part. When the driving nail located symmetrically to the driving nail having received the driving force plucks the corresponding reed, the reed is sounded. The hook part is almost completely covered with a cushioning member formed of an elastic material such as rubber to absorb an impact that may occur when the driving nail of the rotary pick comes into contact with the hook part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Inventors: Shigeru Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20040094012
    Abstract: This invention provides a music/light synchronous control mechanism, comprising an overhead platform on a music bell, wherein said overhead platform has the first gear set driven by the shaft of said music bell, the second gear set driven by the spur gear in a music tumbler, a control mechanism, and a light contact switch mechanism. With the mechanic structure, this invention can control music and light to start/end them synchronously.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventor: Jack Liu
  • Patent number: 6723911
    Abstract: There is provided a performance apparatus which is capable of performing fine variable control of musical tone parameters so as to obtain a variety of sounding characteristics. A plurality of reeds are fixedly mounted on a center block and each excited to vibrate by a corresponding actuator. A plurality of, e.g. three, resonant plates of different sounding volume are arranged in layers and each provided with a short yoke. A plurality of, e.g. three, vibration transmission mechanisms are fixed on a lower surface of the center block in association the respective resonant plates, and each comprised of a clutch coil wound around a clutch yoke.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Muramatsu, Yasutoshi Kaneko
  • Publication number: 20040065184
    Abstract: There is provided a music box of great volume and excellent sound quality. A box is formed of a sounding board for transferring a sound produced by a movement of a music box, three columns for supporting the sounding board, a bottom plate, side plates, and supplementary wood pieces. Spacers are disposed between a base frame of the movement and the sounding board and leg portions are disposed at a lower face of the bottom plate and are integrally fixed to the columns by screw bodies. Spaces formed by the spacers and the leg portions function effectively for transmitting the sound.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventors: Akihiko Isaka, Makoto Nagai
  • Patent number: 6700042
    Abstract: A kind of improved structure of spring driving musical movement, which includes a set of musical base, a set of speed reducer and an upper cover principally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Kyooh Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Lung-Hsi Huang
  • Publication number: 20040031370
    Abstract: An acoustic device having a sound volume control is provided. The device includes a sound generating body and a resonator having a mount member to which the sound generating body is mounted. According to the invention, a sound control member is provided to control the transmission of sound from the sound generating body to the resonator to control the sound volume. In one aspect, the sound control member is capable of adjusting a contact pressure between the sound generating body and the mount member to vary the sound volume more precisely.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Noboru Ueno, Akihiko Isaka, Katsuhiko Yoshimura, Katsuki Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20030150316
    Abstract: A music box includes a daisy reed wheel having reeds radially projecting from a hub for generating tones and solenoid-operated player's fingers arranged around the daisy reed wheel; the tips of the reeds are widely spaced from one another by virtue of the radial arrangement so that large-sized solenoid-operated actuators are used for the player's fingers; this results in the compact music box.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2003
    Publication date: August 14, 2003
    Inventor: Shigeru Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 6538186
    Abstract: A music box container, comprising a box unit, a cover unit, a sound-emitting device, a transmission mechanism and a moving picture, wherein the transmission mechanism is installed in the box unit and the cover unit. The transmission mechanism includes a gear set and a connecting-rod mechanism. The gear set is joined between the sound-emitting device and the connecting-rod mechanism. The moving picture includes a frame unit and a plurality of moving objects. The frame unit is accommodated inside the cover unit. The moving objects are installed inside the frame unit and are connected with the connecting-rod mechanism. Thereby, the components include a music box container with a plurality of moving objects that swing leftward, rightward, upward, and downward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2003
    Inventor: Wen Chu Huang
  • Patent number: 6531650
    Abstract: A musical toy with electrical generator is composed a base, a musical set, a string roll, and a cover. The musical set comprises a coil base with a coil at the bottom portion, and a magnet on a spindle of the musical set. When the spindle spins, the magnet spins simultaneously with respect to the coil, thus generates electrical power to activate lighting devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Far Great Plastics Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ting-Hsing Chen
  • Patent number: 6500005
    Abstract: Apparatus and method for rotating an object using a music box mechanism having a spring motor. Apparatus includes a mechanical motor having a spring coupled between a body and a shaft of the music box where the shaft and the body are mounted for rotation relative to each other. The spring is windable by a user to store mechanical potential energy and when released, unwindable to release the stored energy and cause relative rotation between the body and the shaft. A base adapted for stationary placement against a surface such as a table or desktop or a wall or other stationary surface is fixedly coupled to or integrally formed with the shaft of the music box motor. An object such as a spherical planetary object or globe or any other object is connected to the body and includes an aperture or hole through which the base extends to the shaft. This aperture permits the object to rotate about the shaft without interference so that the body and the object rotate about the shaft as the spring unwinds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Inventor: Eric Walter Akkashian
  • Patent number: 6469236
    Abstract: Disclosed is an ornamental display assembly which includes a base, first and second coaxially arranged support members, a common drive mechanism mounted on the base and coupled to the first and second coaxially arranged support members, wherein the drive mechanism includes a music box mechanism and a rotating device, a first ornament supported and driven by the first support member, and a second ornament coupled with the second support member. When the common drive mechanism is actuated, the first support member is rotated by the rotating device while the second support member is rotated by the drive mechanism, thereby respectively causing the first and second ornaments to rotate in different manners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2002
    Inventor: Yu-Kai Chen
  • Patent number: 6398618
    Abstract: A toy consists of a base, a cap and a toy model. The base has stationary wheels and a movable wheel located on the bottom section thereof. The movable wheel may be driven through a gear set by battery power for moving the base around. The cap has a hollow casing located on the top section to house a motor that is driven by a battery for rotating the cap through another gear set. The base has an arched gear rack located on the top surface. By way of an elastic element and a lever to couple with the gear sets and arched gear rack, the cap may be moved to the left and right, and rotated positively and reversely to generate a wide variety of simulative motions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Inventor: Wen-Long Wu
  • Patent number: 6329580
    Abstract: A decorative display device comprising figurines arranged in tiered first and second scenes, one scene being placed above the other. Each of the upper and lower tier scenes is coupled to a wind-up drive and music box mechanism and when rotated appears to be in synchronization with the music. The rotatable and music synchronized scenes are more noticeable and aesthetically pleasing and, thus, provide a more interesting display. The upper and lower tier scenes may rotate simultaneously, at different speeds (but in the same direction), in opposite directions, in opposite directions at different speeds, or one scene may rotate while the other scene remains stationary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2001
    Assignee: Mercuries Asia Ltd.
    Inventor: Douglas E. DeVivo
  • Patent number: 6323404
    Abstract: A music box device whose constitution member is put together into a unit is provided. A pedestal housing 36 for storing therein a spring 38 as well as a pedestal 30 for supporting a spring gear 58 and speed increasing gear trains 32, and 33 of a governor mechanism 24 are formed with synthetic resin mould to be united therewith. A rotating shaft of the speed increasing gear train 32 of the governor mechanism 24 and a rotating shaft 26 of the governor rotating body 25 are supported in cooperation with the pedestal 30 and a spring storage box 36, thus a spring power source unit supplying controlled stable rotating output is constituted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2001
    Assignee: Sankyo Seiki Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Hayashi
  • Patent number: 6300548
    Abstract: A music timer comprises a timing unit, a music box unit and its mounting frame, a music control wheel (29) that has a gap (291) along its edge is driven to rotate by a driving gear through rotary axis of the driving spring of the timing unit; one end (3a) of a brake rod (3) always abuts against the edge of said music control wheel (29) and the other end (3b) extends into the damping mechanism of the music box unit to activate it when the end (3a) abuts against the non-gap places on said music control wheel, whereas when the end (3a) sinks into the gap (291) of said music control wheel, the end (3b) then departs from the damping mechanism of the music box unit, thus producing no influence on its movement. The present invention enables the timer to produce pleasant and lasting music at the end of the timing. Moreover, through the scientific spatial arrangement of the present invention, and the projected cross section of the device is much smaller than the sum of those of the timer and the music box unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Ningbo Yunsheng (Group) Co., LTD
    Inventors: Yunde Zhu, Wei Wang
  • Patent number: 6291749
    Abstract: A musical movement in which a drum has a series of pins that engage the reeds of a vibration plate to play a tune. The movement includes a cam disk which rotates with the drum. A switch is activated by the cam to energize a circuit for flashing a plurality of lights in pseudo-synchronism with the music played by the musical movement. In that way, the distinctive sound of a mechanical musical movement is combined with efficient, computer controlled flashes from light emitting diodes or high intensity micro incandescents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Kao Mei International, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard C. F. Tseng
  • Patent number: 6268554
    Abstract: A comb mounting apparatus for a music box includes a frame, a plurality of musical combs, an actuator drum, and a comb mount assembly, wherein the comb mount assembly includes a base mount, a middle mount and a top mount for mounting, securing and positioning the musical combs relative to the drum actuator so that each musical comb is musically activated by the drum actuator to produce a duet. Further modification divides the middle mount into an upper middle mount and a lower middle mount to allow for additional musical combs to be mounted. Another modification of the comb mounting apparatus utilizes a first comb mount assembly and a second comb mount assembly, and this structure can be further modified to form a comb mounting arch. The invention provides a means for mounting a plurality of musical combs so that the combs may play a duet while minimizing space requirements and construction costs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventor: Wesley Scott Ashton
  • Patent number: 6262352
    Abstract: A music bell controlling device of a pearl box comprises a controlling device, a rotary shaft, and a gear set, etc. The gear set is installed between the bottom and base of the music bell. An elastomer is installed at the upper end of the longitudinal axis of the rotary shaft; a base end of the rotary shaft passes through the through hole to combine with the gear set. The upper end of the rotary axis is swingable. The longitudinal axis of the rotary shaft passes through the controlling device; and swinging of the rotary shaft will drive the controlling device to shift so that the controlling device confines the rotation of the music bell flywheel. As the upper cover of the pearl box is closed, the upper cover will drive the rotary axis to shift to a predetermined direction so that the swingable rod of the control device will shift. Thus, the swingable rod contact with the flywheel of music box, and thus, the music bell stops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Inventor: Jack Liu
  • Patent number: 6204439
    Abstract: A transmission mechanism for a music box having a plurality of ornaments coupled thereon includes a driving mechanism having a rotary wheel with an eccentric rod and disposed in the music box, a first support mounted in the music box and having a through hole, a connection rod having two opposite ends, a first elongated support member inserted through the through hole of the first support, secured on the first support and having one end coupled with an ornament and the other end secured on one end of the connection rod, a coupler having a first end connected with the other end of the connection rod and a second end coupled with the eccentric rod.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2001
    Inventor: Yu-Kai Chen
  • Patent number: 6188006
    Abstract: An electrically Powered Hand Played Music Box has; a base frame that carries a plurality of 88 damped reed/plectrum tone producing assemblies that can be mechanically accessed in groups of 29 sequenced assemblies each, and placed in correspondence with the keys of a 29 key keyboard so that the player can flexibly select the key that a tune can be played in; an inclined face surface that carries a detachable tune board that carries, according to manufacture, a pre-set or moveable electrical contact for each assembly tone contained in a sequence of tune tones; an electromagnetically propelled switching mechanism that travels a track where it engages remote electrical lines to the tune board contacts and actuates the assemblies that produce the sequenced tones; a tone amplifying microphone, and a speaker; and a key on a single key keyboard that a player taps to actuate the switching mechanism and provide tempo and rhythm to the assembly produced tones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Inventor: James Robert Mc Govern