Patent US3841020A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3841020A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Facial animating means for a figure toy
Assignee: Mattel Inc
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Filing: 1968-10-17
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Granted: 1974-10-15
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Expires: 1988-10-17
Abstract
Abstract A doll wherein moving one of the doll''s arms actuates mechanism to change the doll''s facial expression from a smile to a sad or crying look. The mechanism includes means for moving the lower lip relative to the mouth corners from a smiling position where the central portion of the lower lip is below the mouth corners to a sad position where that central portion is above the mouth corners and jutting somewhat forwardly. The mechanism also includes means for moving the eyebrows downwardly to a scowl position and for ejecting simulated tears from the eyes, after mouth movement toward the sad position has started. Sounding means are also actuated, at about the time the sad expression is achieved, to simulate a small child crying.
Inventors
- 👤 J Ryan
- 👤 J Kossoff
- 👤 J Hartman
- 👤 R Cowell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 12:47
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H3/00; A63H3/36; A63H3/48; A63H3/24; A63H3/28; A63H3/31
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
219 words
In combination with a figure toy having a torso and a head including a flexible plastic face having simulated nose, eyebrow, eye and mouth portions, said mouth portion including an upper lip and a lower lip, said lips being joined together in such a manner that said mouth portion includes a pair of corner portions defining the width of said mouth portion, animating means comprising: a first mouth animating means operatively connected to said lower lip and including a first animator portion secured directly to and engaging only an intermediate portion of said lower lip between and spaced from said corner portions; a second mouth animating means comprising spaced animator portions secured directly to said mouth only at said corner portions for predetermining the position of each of said corner portions; and actuator means connected to at least one of said mouth animating means for imparting relative movement between said first animator portion and said spaced animator portions, said actuator means including means for moving said one mouth animating means in such a manner that said first animator portion is moved relative to said spaced animator portions between a smiling position wherein said first animator portion is below said spaced animator portions and a sad position wherein said first animator portion is between and above said spaced animator portions.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
219 words
In combination with a figure toy having a torso and a head including a flexible plastic face having simulated nose, eyebrow, eye and mouth portions, said mouth portion including an upper lip and a lower lip, said lips being joined together in such a manner that said mouth portion includes a pair of corner portions defining the width of said mouth portion, animating means comprising: a first mouth animating means operatively connected to said lower lip and including a first animator portion secured directly to and engaging only an intermediate portion of said lower lip between and spaced from said corner portions; a second mouth animating means comprising spaced animator portions secured directly to said mouth only at said corner portions for predetermining the position of each of said corner portions; and actuator means connected to at least one of said mouth animating means for imparting relative movement between said first animator portion and said spaced animator portions, said actuator means including means for moving said one mouth animating means in such a manner that said first animator portion is moved relative to said spaced animator portions between a smiling position wherein said first animator portion is below said spaced animator portions and a sad position wherein said first animator portion is between and above said spaced animator portions.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
A toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said first mouth animating means moves said first animator portion upwardly and forwardly of said face, relative to said spaced animator portions, when relatively moving said lips from said smiling position toward said sad position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
A toy as defined in claim 1 wherein said actuator means is arranged to simultaneously move both said first and second mouth animating means in opposite directions between said smiling and said sad positions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
A combination as stated in claim 1 including means for supplying simulated tears to said eye portions, said simulated tear supply means being connected to said actuator means for actuation thereby.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
A combination as stated in claim 4 wherein said actuator means includes means for delaying actuation of said tear supply means until actuation of said mouth animating means has begun.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said animating means includes sound producing means operatively associated with said actuator means for emitting a sound when said mouth animating means is actuated.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
139 words
A combination as stated in claim 1 including eyebrow animating means comprising: a U-shaped member having a pair of legs and a bight portion, each of said legs having one end connected to said bight portion and a free end; a crank arm connected to each of said free ends for swingably mounting said eyebrow animating means in said head; a pair of passageways provided in each of said crank arms adjacent each of said free ends; and a pair of U-shaped clips, each of said clips having a bight portion embedded in said plastic face adjacent an associated simulated eyebrow portion and a pair of arms extending from said clip bight portion into engagement with said crank arms at associated ones of said passageways, whereby swinging of said eyebrow animating means within said head pulls said eyebrow portions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
A combination as stated in claim 1 wherein said second mouth animating means includes: a pair of arms swingably mounted in said head, each of said arms having a free end positioned behind an associated corner portion of said mouth portion; said spaced portions maintaining said corner portions in said predetermined positions comprising wire clip means embedded in each of said corner portions of said mouth portion; and means connecting said wire clip means to an associated free end of said arms.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
124 words
A combination as stated in claim 7 including a frame mounted in said head for supporting and caging said animating means, said frame comprising: a skull portion supporting said head, said skull portion including a support for said nose portion and being provided with eye openings and a mouth opening, said animating means being connected to said eyebrow portions and said mouth portion through associated ones of said openings; means supporting said eyebrow animating means and said mouth animating means within said skull portion; a cylindrical portion extending from said skull portion into said torso; and means provided in said skull portion and said cylindrical portion for mounting said actuator means in operative association with said eyebrow animating means and said mouth animating means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A toy as defined in claim 7 wherein said actuator means is arranged to actuate said one mouth animating means through a portion of its movement before starting to actuate said eyebrow animating means.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
80 words
In a doll, a head having simulated eyes, holes in the head in the region of said eyes, a reservoir adapted to be filled with a tear-simulating liquid, conduits extending from said reservoir to said holes, the interiors of said conduits communicating with both said reservoir and said holes, a movable appendage forming part of the doll, and means responsive to movement of said appendage for selectively permitting or preventing the flow of liquid from said reservoir to said holes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
80 words
In a doll, a head having simulated eyes, holes in the head in the region of said eyes, a reservoir adapted to be filled with a tear-simulating liquid, conduits extending from said reservoir to said holes, the interiors of said conduits communicating with both said reservoir and said holes, a movable appendage forming part of the doll, and means responsive to movement of said appendage for selectively permitting or preventing the flow of liquid from said reservoir to said holes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
28 words
In a doll, the arrangement defined in claim 11 wherein said responsive means includes a valve means for controlling the liquid flow between said reservoir and said holes.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-10-14 | 1978-04-15 | 1978-10-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-10-14 | 1982-04-15 | 1982-10-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-10-14 | 1986-04-15 | 1986-10-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |