AU727189B3 - An animated ornament - Google Patents

Description

7 "I 1

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A PETTY PATENT Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention Title: Hsi-Yao CHUNG Hsi-Yao CHUNG CULLEN CO., Patent Trade Mark Attorneys, 239 George Street, Brisbane, QId. 4000, Australia.

AN ANIMATED ORNAMENT The following statement is a full description of this invention including the best method of performing it known to me: FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a novelty ornament, and more particularly to an animated fish-like decoration which can play music and perform actions of wagging the head, swinging the tail and opening the mouth in conjunction with the music.

BACKGROUND ART There are various known ornaments and decorations used as furnishings for rooms. Most of them have a static configuration, and people gradually lose interest in them after a period of time. Animated decorations have been invented. However, the actions performed by these decorations are usually monotonous and/or predictable, so that they soon lose their appeal.

It is an object of this invention to provide an animated novelty article in the form of a decoration or ornament.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In one broad form, the invention provides an animated ornament in the form of an animal having a tail and a head with a mouth, the ornament being static when inoperative but operable to perform a plurality of animated actions, the ornament having sounder means for playing music, and electronically-controlled means for moving the tail, turning the head and moving the mouth when the music is played.

In the preferred embodiment, the animal is a fish, and the electronically-controlled moving means is adapted to wag the tail of the fish when the music is played, then turn the head of the fish and open and close the mouth of the fish to simulate singing in conjunction with the music. The fish ornament is typically mounted on a planar support, and the head is moved from a position alongside and parallel to the support to an angled position facing the viewer.

In the preferred embodiment, the movement of the head of the fish is controlled by a first motor. The movement of the mouth is controlled by a second motor which opens and closes the lower jaw of the mouth. The second motor is mounted on a member which is moved by the first motor.

The movement of the tail is controlled by a third motor. All three motors are controlled by an electrical circuit to perform their respective functions.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a fish-like decoration in accordance with one embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of the fish-like decoration; Fig. 3 is a top view of the fish-like decoration; Fig. 4 is a front view showing a lower jaw turned downwards and upwards to open and shut the mouth; Fig. 5 is a top view showing the body turned outwards and inwards to wag the head and the tail; Fig. 6 is a front schematic view showing the fish-like decoration; Fig. 7 is a front schematic view showing the fish is performing the actions of wagging the head, swinging the tail and opening the mouth; and Fig. 8 is a side view of another embodiment of the fish-like decoration.

In order that the invention may be fully understood and put into practice, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to Figs. 1-3, a fish-like decoration in accordance with the present invention is composed of a generally planar support 10 and a fish-like body 20. The support 10 is a hollow case having an opening 101 defined in the centre of a front face thereof. A rear cover 11 is provided on a back of the support 10 and has a battery chamber 111 defined therein.

Electronic elements, including a circuit board and a sounder such as a speaker (not shown or numbered) are electrically connected with the circuit board, and are mounted within the support 10. The sounder is controlled by the circuit board to play music, typically one or more prerecorded songs or portions of songs. Such a sounder is known by those skilled in the art, so the electronic elements will not be described in detail.

The body 20 comprises a main base 21 mounted in the opening 101 of the support 10. (The term "base" is used to refer to a support, block, housing or like member. The main base 21 -has a first motor 211 electrically connected with the circuit board, wherein a rotation axis of the motor 211 is substantially parallel to the front face of the support 10. A first shaft 212, which has two square portions respectively extending out from a top face and a bottom face of the base 21, is provided in a distal end of the main base 21.

The first shaft 212 is engaged with the first motor 211 and driven by it. Two first pivot arms 213 are respectively provided on the square portions of the first shaft 212 and extend towards a first side of the base 21 facing the fish's head. A first pin 214 is provided between the two first arms 213 and a first spring 215 is mounted between the pin 214 and the first side of the base 21. A body sheet 22 with a hole 221 defined in the centre portion thereof is provided on distal ends of the arms 213. When the first motor 211 is actuated, it pivots the arms 213 about the first shaft 212 outwards and inwards, to thereby swing the body sheet 22 out from the support 10 to a position angled to the support 10 and then back in to a position generally parallel to the support 10. The spring 215 biases the body sheet towards the support A front base 23 is mounted in the hole 221 of the sheet 22. The front base 23 has a second motor 231 mounted in the hole 221 and which is also electrically connected with the circuit board. A rotation axis of the motor 231 is perpendicular to that of the first motor 211. A second shaft 232 which has two square portions respectively extending out from the front face and the back face of the base 23 is provided in a distal end of the front base 23. The second shaft 232 is engaged with the second motor 231 and driven by it. Two second pivot arms 233 are respectively provided on the square portions of the second shaft 232 and extended towards the fish's head. A second pin 234 is provided between the two second arms 233.

A lower jaw 24 having two first lugs 241 respectively formed at two sides thereof is mounted on distal ends of the second arms 232. A second spring 235 has a first end engaging the first lugs 241 and a second end engaging the second shaft 232 to bias the lower jaw to a closed position.

An upper jaw 25 is provided above the lower jaw 24 and has two second lugs 251 respectively formed at two sides thereof. The upper jaw 25 is mounted on the front base 23 and above the second shaft 232 by the second lugs 251.

When the second motor 231 is actuated, the second arms 233 can be pivoted about the second shaft 232 to open and shut the lower jaw 24.

A rear base 26 is mounted at the other side of the main base 21 to the front base 23. The rear base 26 comprises a third motor 261 electrically connected with the circuit board, and having a rotation axis parallel to that of the first motor 211. A third shaft 262, which has two square portions respectively extending out from the top face and the bottom face of the base 26, is provided in a distal end of the rear base 26. The third shaft 262 is engaged with the third motor 261 and driven by it.

Two third pivot arms 263 are respectively provided on the square portions of the third shaft 262 and extended towards the fish's tail. A third pin 264 is provided between the two third arms 263. A tail plate 27 having two third lugs 271 respectively formed at two sides thereof is provided on distal ends of the third arms 263 of the rear base 26. A third spring 265 has one end mounted on the third lugs 264 and a second end engaged with the third shaft 262 to bias the tail plate towards the support 10. When the third motor 261 is actuated, the third arms 263 can be pivoted about the third shaft 262 outwards and inwards to swing the tail plate 27.

A fish-like shell 28 made of a material such as PVC covers the main, front and rear bases 21, 25, 26.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the first motor 211, the second motor 231 and the third motor 261 are controlled by the circuit board to run in harmony or synchronisation with the rhythm of music played by the sounder.

For example, when the sounder plays a song, the second motor 231 of the front base 23 is actuated to drive the second shaft 232 and the lower jaw 24 is pivoted downwards and upwards to open and shut the mouth. Repeatedly performing this action, it seems that the fish is singing the song. The first and third motors 211, 261 can be actuated to drive the first shaft 212 and the third shaft 262 respectively, and the body sheet 22 and the tail plate 27 are pivoted outwards and inwards to wag the head and tail. Thus, the fish looks life-like.

In one sequence, the third motor 261 wags the tail when the music commences. To the surprise of the viewer, the first motor 211 then turns the head to face the viewer. To the even greater surprise of the viewer, the second motor 231 opens and closes the jaw to make it seem that the fish is singing the lyrics. The jaw movement can be synchronised with the lyrics by the circuit board.

When the motors 211, 231, 261 are stopped, the springs 215, 235, 265 make the body sheet 22, the lower jaw 24 and the tail plate 27 return to original positions. An inactive status and an active status of the fishlike decoration are respectively shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7.

In general, the fish-like decoration is hung on a wall by fastening the support 10. Referring to Fig. 8, according to another embodiment of the present invention, the support 10 further comprises a leg 30 provided at a back face thereof. By the leg 30, the support 10 can be stood on for arranging the fish-like decoration on a flat surface.

From the above description, it is noted that the invention has the following advantages: Because the fish-like body can perform wagging the head, swinging the tail and opening the mouth in harmony with the rhythm of a song, the fish-like decoration seems alive and has an attractive decorative effect.

7 It is to be understood, however, that even though various characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. For example, the shell 28 may be in the shape of another animal.

Claims (3)

1. An animated ornament in the form of an animal having a tail and a head with a mouth, the ornament being static when inoperative but operable to perform a plurality of animated actions, the ornament having sounder means for playing music, and electronically-controlled means for moving the tail, turning the head and moving the mouth when the music is played.

2. An animated ornament as claimed in claim 1 wherein the animal is a fish, the ornament including a generally planar support on which the fish is mounted generally parallel to the support, and wherein the moving means is operable to turn the head of the fish to an angle to the support and to move a jaw of the mouth to simulate the fish singing in conjunction with the music.

3. An animated ornament is claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the electronically-controlled moving means includes a first motor for moving the head, a second motor for moving a jaw of the mouth, and a third motor for moving the tail, the first, second and third motors being controlled by an electrical circuit. Dated this third day of October 2000 Hsi-Yao CHUNG By his patent attorneys Cullen Co.