Sequential action toy having a plurality of cams

Claim 2

A sequential action toy which comprises: a housing; motor means located on said housing; a first cam means rotatably mounted on said housing in operative association with said motor means and rotated about an axis by said motor means; said first cam means having a surface which is oriented perpendicular to said axis; said first cam means including first and second cams located thereon and extending axially in the same direction away from said surface, the shape of said first cam different from the shape of said second cam and the axial displacement of said second cam from said surface is greater than the axial displacement of said first cam from said surface; a first movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said first movable member including a first cam follower located thereon, said first cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said first cam follower is independently engagable by both said first and said second cams in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said first member on said housing; a second movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said second movable member including a second cam follower located thereon, said second cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said second cam follower is engaged by said second cam in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said second member on said housing; at least a portion of each of said first and said second cams are radially displaced the same distance from said axis; said first and said second cam followers also being radially displaced the same distance from the axis with the radial displacement of said first and said second cam followers being essentially the same as the radial displacement of said portion of each of said first and said second cams; said first movable member is slidably mounted on said housing and is positioned tangential to the locus of the pathway of movement of said portions of said first and said second cams.

Claim 3

The toy of claim 1 including: electrical power means located on said housing for supplying electrical power; switch means located on said housing in electrical association with said power means; sound producing means located on said housing in electrical association with said switch means; said sound producing means including microprocessor means, circuit means and speaker means each electrically connected to the other and including said circuit means electrically connected to said switch means; said motor means electrically associated with said switch means; said switch means controlling electrical power to both said sound producing means and said motor means.

Claim 4

The toy of claim 1 further including: a further cam means rotatably mounted on said housing in operative association with said motor and rotated by said motor; said further cam means including a third cam located thereon; a third movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said further cam means, said third movable member including a third cam follower located thereon, said third cam follower positioned in association with said further cam means so as to be contacted by said third cam and moved by said third cam in response to rotation of said further cam means so as to move said third movable member on said housing.

Claim 5

The toy of claim 3 wherein: said further cam means is rotated about said same axis as is said first cam means and rotates in conjunction with said first cam means.

Claim 6

The toy of claim 3 wherein: said third cam is eccentrically located on said further cam means so as to eccentrically rotate about said axis.

Claim 7

The toy of claim 1 wherein: said second movable member is slidably mounted on said housing and is positioned tangential to the locus of the pathway of movement of said portions of said first and said second cams.

Claim 8

The toy of claim 6 wherein: said first and said second movable members are positioned on opposite sides of said axis of said first cam means.

Claim 9

The toy of claim 7 wherein: both said first and said second movable members move linearly along pathways which are tangential to said locus of said pathway of movement of said portions of said first and said second cams.

Claim 10

The toy of claim 8 wherein: said first and said second movable members each include biasing means biasing them from a biased to an unbiased position, said first and said second movable members being moved from said unbiased position to said biased position when said first movable member is engaged by said first and said second cams and said second movable member is engaged by said second cam, respectively.

Claim 11

The toy of claim 9 wherein: said first and said second movable members in moving from said unbiased position to said biased position move in opposite directions with respect to one another.

Claim 12

The toy of claim 1 further including: sound producing means located in said housing, said sound producing means produces sound independent of movement of said motor means and any said cam means and movable members associated with said motor means so as to be moved by said motor means.

Claim 13

The toy of claim 11 wherein: said sound producing means includes microprocessor means, circuit means and speaker means each of which being electronically connected to the others.

Claim 14

A sequential action toy which comprises: a housing; motor means located on said housing; a first cam means rotatably mounted on said housing in operative association with said motor means and rotated about an axis by said motor means; said first cam means having a surface which is oriented perpendicular to said axis; said first cam means including first and second cams located thereon and extending axially from said surface, the axial displacement of said second cam from said surface is greater than the axial displacement of said first cam from said surface; a first movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said first movable member including a first cam follower located thereon, said first cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said furface in a location whereby said first cam follower is independently engagable by both said first and said second cams in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said first member on said housing; a second movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said second movable member including a second cam follower located thereon, said second cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said second cam follower is engaged by said second cam in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said second member on said housing; a further cam means rotatably mounted on said housing in operative association with said motor and rotated by said motor; said further cam means including a third cam located thereon; a third movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said further cam means, said third movable member including a third cam follower located thereon, said third cam follower positioned in association with said further cam means so as to be contacted by said third cam and moved by said third cam in response to rotation of said further cam means so as to move said third movable member on said housing; said third cam is eccentrically located on said further cam means so as to eccentrically rotate about said axis; said third cam follower comprises a bifurcated member having left and right arms, said left and right arms positioned on opposite sides of said third cam so as to be alternately contacted by said third cam as said third cam eccentrically rotates; each of said left and right arms are pivotally mounted to said third movable member and further including biasing means connecting between said left and said right arm so as to bias said left and said right arms toward each other and toward said third cam.

Claim 15

A sequential action toy which comprises: a housing; motor means located on said housing; a first cam means rotatably mounted on said housing in operative association with said motor means and rotated about an axis by said motor means; said first cam means having a surface which is oriented perpendicular to said axis; said first cam means including first and second cams located thereon and extending axially from said surface, the axial displacement of said second cam from said surface is greater than the axial displacement of said first cam from said surface; a first movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said first movable member including a first cam follower located thereon, said first cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said furface in a location whereby said first cam follower is independently engagable by both said first and said second cams in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said first member on said housing; a second movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said second movable member including a second cam follower located thereon, said second cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said second cam follower is engaged by said second cam in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said second member on said housing; a further cam means rotatably mounted on said housing in operative association with said motor and rotated by said motor; said further cam means including a third cam located thereon; a third movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said further cam means, said third movable member including a third cam follower located thereon, said third cam follower positioned in association with said further cam means so as to be contacted by said third cam and moved by said third cam in response to rotation of said further cam means so as to move said third movable member on said housing; said third cam is eccentrically located on said further cam means so as to eccentrically rotate about said axis; said third cam follower comprises a bifurcated member having left and right arms, said left and right arms positioned on opposite sides of said third cam so as to be alternately contacted by said third cam as said third cam eccentrically rotates; each of said left and right arms are pivotally mounted to said third movable member and further including biasing means connecting between said left and said right arm so as to bias said left and said right arms toward each other and toward said third cam.

Claim 16

The toy of claim 13 wherein: said further cam means is rotated about said same axis as is said first cam means and rotates in conjunction with said first cam means.

Claim 17

The toy of claim 14 wherein: at least a portion of each of said first and said second cams are radially displaced the same distance from said axis; said first and said second cam followers also being radially displaced the same distance from said axis with the radial displacement of said first and said second cam followers being the same as the radial displacement of said portion of each of said first and said second cams.

Claim 18

A sequential action toy which comprises: a housing; motor means located on said housing; a first cam means rotatably mounted on said housing in operative association with said motor means and rotated about an axis by said motor means; said first cam means having a surface which is oriented perpendicular to said axis; said first cam means including first and second cams located thereon and extending axially from said surface, the axial displacement of said second cam from said surface is greater than the axial displacement of said first cam from said surface; a first movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said first movable member including a first cam follower located thereon, said first cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said first cam follower is independently engagable by both said first and said second cams in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said first member on said housing; a second movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said second movable member including a second cam follower located thereon, said second cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said second cam follower is engaged by said second cam in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said second member on said housing; at least a portion of each of said first and said second cams are radially displaced the same distance from said axis; said first movable member is slidably mounted on said housing and is positioned tangential to the locus of the pathway of movement of said portions of said first and said second cams; said first movable member moves linearly along a pathway which is tangential to said locus of the pathway of movement of said portions of said first and said second cams.

Claim 19

A sequential action toy which comprises: a housing; motor means located on said housing; a first cam means rotatably mounted on said housing in operative association with said motor means and rotated about an axis by said motor means; said first cam means having a surface which is oriented perpendicular to said axis; said first cam means including first and second cams located thereon and extending axially from said surface, the axial displacement of said second cam from said surface is greater than the axial displacement of said first cam from said surface; a first movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said first movable member including a first cam follower located thereon, said first cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said first cam follower is independently engagable by both said first and said second cams in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said first member on said housing; a second movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said second movable member including a second cam follower located thereon, said second cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said second cam follower is engaged by said second cam in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said second member on said housing; at least a portion of each of said first and said second cams are radially displaced the same distance from said axis; said first movable member is slidably mounted on said housing and is positioned tangential to the locus of the pathway of movement of said portions of said first and said second cams; said first movable member moves linearly along a pathway which is tangential to said locus of the pathway of movement of said portions of said first and said second cams.

Claim 20

A sequential action toy which comprises: a housing; motor means located on said housing; a first cam means rotatably mounted on said housing in operative association with said motor means and rotated about an axis by said motor means; said first cam means having a surface which is oriented perpendicular to said axis; said first cam means including first and second cams located thereon and extending axially away from said surface, the axial displacement of said second cam from said surface is greater than the axial displacement of said first cam from said surface; a first movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said first movable member including a first cam follower located thereon, said first cam follower positioned in asociation with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said first cam follower is independently engagable by both said first and said second cams in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said first member on said housing; a second movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said second movable member including a second cam follower located thereon, said second cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said second cam follower is engaged by said second cam in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said second member on said housing; said first cam means includes a second surface, said second surface located on said first cam means adjacent to said housing; a pivot member pivotally associated with said second surface to move between a first orientation with respect to said second surface and a second orientation with respect to said second surface, said pivoting member overlaying a first portion of said second surface when in said first orientation and overlaying a second portion of said surface when in said second orientation; pivot member moving means for moving said pivot member between said first and said second orientations, a first section of said pivot member moving means located on said pivot member and a second section of said pivot member moving means located on said housing, said first section of said pivot member moving means engaging said second section of said pivot member moving means as said first cam means rotates, the engagement of said first section of said pivot member moving means with said second section of said pivot member moving means alternately moving said pivot member between said first and said second orientations.

Claim 21

A sequential action toy which comprises: a housing; motor means located on said housing; a first cam means rotatably mounted on said housing in operative association with said motor means and rotated about an axis by said motor means; said first cam means having a surface which is oriented perpendicular to said axis; said first cam means including first and second cams located thereon and extending axially away from said surface, the axial displacement of said second cam from said surface is greater than the axial displacement of said first cam from said surface; a first movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said first movable member including a first cam follower located thereon, said first cam follower positioned in asociation with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said first cam follower is independently engagable by both said first and said second cams in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said first member on said housing; a second movable member movably mounted on said housing in association with said first cam means, said second movable member including a second cam follower located thereon, said second cam follower positioned in association with said first cam means axially displaced from said surface in a location whereby said second cam follower is engaged by said second cam in response to rotation of said first cam means so as to move said second member on said housing; said first cam means includes a second surface, said second surface located on said first cam means adjacent to said housing; a pivot member pivotally associated with said second surface to move between a first orientation with respect to said second surface and a second orientation with respect to said second surface, said pivoting member overlaying a first portion of said second surface when in said first orientation and overlaying a second portion of said surface when in said second orientation; pivot member moving means for moving said pivot member between said first and said second orientations, a first section of said pivot member moving means located on said pivot member and a second section of said pivot member moving means located on said housing, said first section of said pivot member moving means engaging said second section of said pivot member moving means as said first cam means rotates, the engagement of said first section of said pivot member moving means with said second section of said pivot member moving means alternately moving said pivot member between said first and said second orientations.

Claim 22

The toy of claim 17 wherein: said first section of said pivot member moving means comprises at least one pivot member cam attaching to said pivot member; said second section of said pivot member moving means comprises a contact surface located on said housing adjacent to said second surface of said first cam means, said pivot cam contacting and engaging said contact surface as said first cam means rotates so as to move said pivot member.

Claim 23

The toy of claim 18 wherein: said second surface of said first cam means comprises a circular surface; said pivot member having a semi-circular shape so as to overlay first a first semi-circular portion of said circular surface in said first orientation and a second semi-circular portion of said circular surface in said second orientation.

Claim 24

The toy of claim 19 including: two pivot cams located on opposite sides of said semi-circular pivot member along a diameter of said circular second surface; one of said pivot cams engaging said engaging surface to move said pivot member from said first orientation to said second orientation as said first cam means rotates and a second of said pivot cams engaging said engagement member to move said pivot member from said second orientation back to said first orientation as said first cam means rotates.