US4938730A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Toy house with magnetically actuated light
Assignee: Tomy Kogyo Co Ltd
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Filing: 1988-06-09
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Granted: 1990-07-03
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Expires: 2008-06-09
Abstract
Abstract A toy house has a lamp for illuminating an interior of the toy house and a switch which is magnetically actuated by placing a play piece having magnet disposed in its bottom surface area in proximity to an end of a lever which carries magnetically attractable material. When the end of the lever moves towards the play piece due to magnetic attraction, the opposite end of the lever causes two contacts to come into electrical contact with each other.
Inventors
- 👤 Yuji Yamane
- 👤 Hideya Nishikawa
- 👤 Tetsuya Joja
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 22:49
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63H; A63H3/00; A63H3/36; A63H3/52; A63H33/00; A63H33/26
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
184 words
A toy house comprising: an electrical circuit including a light and a battery power source; first and second electrical contacts coupled to the electrical circuit and being normally spaced apart to provide an open circuit; a house member having windows and an interior, wherein the light is mounted in the house member which is illuminated by the light when the electrical circuit is closed; magnetic actuator means for opening and closing the electrical circuit; and a base member having top, bottom, and side walls defining an interior chamber, the house member being supported on the top wall of the base member; wherein the magnetic actuator means comprises a play piece having a magnet disposed therein, a lever pivotally supported inside the base member and having a distal end for carrying magnetic material and an opposite, proximal end for moving the first and second electrical contacts together, the magnetic material being attractable to the magnet in the play piece when the play piece is placed on the top wall to the base member, thereby causing the first and second electrical contacts to move into contact.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
184 words
A toy house comprising: an electrical circuit including a light and a battery power source; first and second electrical contacts coupled to the electrical circuit and being normally spaced apart to provide an open circuit; a house member having windows and an interior, wherein the light is mounted in the house member which is illuminated by the light when the electrical circuit is closed; magnetic actuator means for opening and closing the electrical circuit; and a base member having top, bottom, and side walls defining an interior chamber, the house member being supported on the top wall of the base member; wherein the magnetic actuator means comprises a play piece having a magnet disposed therein, a lever pivotally supported inside the base member and having a distal end for carrying magnetic material and an opposite, proximal end for moving the first and second electrical contacts together, the magnetic material being attractable to the magnet in the play piece when the play piece is placed on the top wall to the base member, thereby causing the first and second electrical contacts to move into contact.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
A house toy according to claim 1, wherein the house member includes a plurality of windows.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
A house toy according to claim 1 wherein the first electrical contact is stationary and the second electrical contact is movable with the lever.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
110 words
A toy house comprising: a base member having top, bottom and side walls defining an interior chamber; a house member detachably connected to the top wall of the base; a light disposed at least partially inside the house member; a battery power supply disposed within the base member for powering the light; first and second electrical contacts electrically coupled to the light and being normally spaced apart to provide an open circuit which prevents the power source from powering the light; and magnetic actuator means disposed at least partially outside the base member for moving the first and second electrical contacts into contact with each other, thereby closing the circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
110 words
A toy house comprising: a base member having top, bottom and side walls defining an interior chamber; a house member detachably connected to the top wall of the base; a light disposed at least partially inside the house member; a battery power supply disposed within the base member for powering the light; first and second electrical contacts electrically coupled to the light and being normally spaced apart to provide an open circuit which prevents the power source from powering the light; and magnetic actuator means disposed at least partially outside the base member for moving the first and second electrical contacts into contact with each other, thereby closing the circuit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
99 words
A toy house according to claim 4, wherein the magnetic actuator means comprises a pivotal lever having a distal end carrying magnetic material and a proximal end in proximity to the first and second electrical contacts and a medial portion pivotally supported within the base member, and a magnet movable to a marked area of the top wall of the base member in substantial vertical alignment with the magnetically attractable material to magnetically attract the magnetic material and cause the proximal end of the lever to move the first and second electrical contacts into electrical contact with each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
16 words
A toy house according to claim 4 wherein the house member includes a plurality of windows.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
42 words
A toy house according to claim 5, wherein the bottom wall of the base member is detachably connected to the top wall and includes a battery receptacle, a mount for mounting the lamp, and a vertical support for pivotally supporting the lever.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A toy house according to claim 6, wherein the light extends through the top wall of the base member and into the interior of the house member.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-07-02 | 1994-01-01 | 1994-07-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-07-02 | 1998-01-01 | 1998-07-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-07-02 | 2002-01-01 | 2002-07-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |