EP0620032A1

EP0620032A1 - Dolls

Info

Publication number: EP0620032A1
Application number: EP93302038A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Mui Chun Anita Chan
Original assignee: Creation & Distribution Ltd
Current assignee: Creation & Distribution Ltd
Priority date: 1993-03-17
Filing date: 1993-03-17
Publication date: 1994-10-19
Anticipated expiration: 2013-03-17
Also published as: ATE114989T1; DE69300028T2; EP0620032B1; DE69300028D1; ES2066626T3

Abstract

A doll includes a generally semi-ellipsoidal shell (10) within its stomach region which defines a recess accommodating one or more replica babies. The recess is closed by a removable cover (16). Within the body of the doll are voice synthesising means (26, 34) arranged to produce the sound of a crying newborn baby and a switch (40) connected to control the operation of the voice synthesising means. The switch, which may constitute a photosensitive element (40), is so arranged that the voice synthesising means is switched on when the cover (16) is removed.

Description

The present invention relates to dolls as are used as a child's plaything and is concerned with that type of doll in whose stomach region there is a recess which accommodates one or more replica babies, the recess being closed by a removable cover.
Dolls of this type, so-called pregnant dolls, are known. They afford much entertainment to young children, particularly young girls.
Dolls are also known, so-called crying dolls, which include a voice synthesiser or voice unit which is arranged to produce a noise which approximates to that of crying. The voice unit is intended to produce the illusion that the doll is crying. Dolls are usually in the form of a young child or relatively old baby and the crying noise which is produced is thus that of a crying child or relatively old baby. The voice unit of such dolls is actuated by a simple manual switch, for instance by moving or removing a part of the doll, e.g. a "dummy" in its mouth.
It is the objection of the invention to develop and improve so-called pregnant dolls so that they provide greater entertainment, and enhanced possibilities for play, to children.
According to the present invention a doll of the type referred to above is characterised by voice synthesising means arranged to produce the sound of a crying baby and switch means connected to control the operation of the voice synthesising means, the switch means being so arranged that the voice synthesising means is switched on when the cover is removed.
Thus the doll of the present invention not only contains one or more replica babies in a recess or cavity within its stomach region which is closed by a removable cover but also includes a voice synthesiser arranged to produce the sound of a crying newborn baby when the cover is removed. This creates the illusion that the replica babies within the recess cry when exposed to light and it is thus the replica babies which are perceived to be crying rather than the doll itself.
The switch controlling the operation of the voice synthesising means may take various forms and may, for instance, simply be a pressure-actuated switch which is actuated by the removal of the cover. Alternatively, the cover may include a conductive wire or area which completes a circuit connected to the voice synthesising means when it is in position, which circuit is broken when the cover is removed and thus initiates operation of the voice synthesising means. It will therefore be appreciated that the term "switch means" as used herein is to be interpreted in its broadest sense.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention the recess is defined by a shell in which an aperture is formed and the switch means comprises a photosensitive element, e.g. a photoresistor or photodiode, positioned behind the aperture so that light is incident on it when the cover is removed, the photosensitive element and the voice synthesising means being so constructed and arranged that when light is incident on the photosensitive element it switches the voice synthesising means on. The voice synthesising means may then be arranged to switch off after a predetermined time or only when the cover is replaced, as desired. The advantage of using a photosensitive element as opposed to a mechanical switch or some form of make/break contact arrangement is that no moving parts are required and that it is not significantly subject to degradation by dirt or other substances, e.g. from children's hands.
The recess within the stomach region of the doll may be stationary but in the preferred embodiment the means defining the recess is pivotally mounted within the stomach region of the doll to be movable between a position in which the said means is visible from the exterior of the doll and projects from it and the cover is not visible and a position in which the cover is visible from the exterior of the doll and the said means is not. The means defining the recess, that is to say the shell, may project further from the pivotal axis than the cover does, that is to say have a greater dimension in a direction extending perpendicular to the pivotal axis, and in this event the external appearance of the doll will differ substantially between the two positions of the shell, whereby the doll will have a pregnant appearance when the shell is outermost but not when the cover is outermost.
Further features and details of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of one specific embodiment which is given by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an oblique view of a doll in accordance with the invention in the non-pregnant configuration;
Figure 2 is a similar view of the doll in the pregnant configuration;
Figure 3 is a scrap oblique view of the doll with the stomach recess cover removed to expose two replica babies;
Figure 4 is a scrap perspective of the doll with the stomach recess cover and the replica babies removed; and
Figure 5 is an end view of the stomach recess cover.

The doll is externally of overall generally conventional construction and has a hollow torso or body portion 2 and a head 4. Two arms 6 and two legs 8 are pivotally connected to the body portion. Formed in the stomach area of the doll is a generally elliptical opening 8. The opening 8 is obscured by a generally semi-ellipsoidal shell 10 at the opposite ends of which are respective integral stub shafts 12 lying generally on the major axis of the ellipsoid. The stub shafts 12 are snap-fitted or the like into respective pivotal mountings (not shown) formed on the internal surface of the front of the body portion 2. The shell 10 is thus rotatable about an axis which extends parallel to the height of the doll and is situated adjacent the inner surface of the front of the body portion. As best seen in Figure 4, the shell 10 has integral opposing shoulders 14 adjacent the opening. The shell 10 is closable by a removable lid or cover 16 which is only slightly dished and whose shape corresponds to that of the opening of the shell 10. Situated adjacent its long sides and projecting from its inner surface are two opposing resilient webs 18, integral with which are outwardly extending lugs 20. The cover may thus be push-fitted onto the shell which results in the webs 18 moving towards one another until the lugs 20 can engage beneath the shoulders 14, whereafter the cover is locked in position. A small recess 22 is formed in one side edge of the cover adjacent one of the webs 18 and by inserting a finger nail or other small lever into the recess the cover may be readily removed from the shell.
The shell 10 and cover 16 thus define together a closed stomach cavity which is bodily rotatable about the axis defined by the stub shafts 12 between the position shown in Figure 1, in which the cover 16 is substantially flush with the surrounding areas of the doll's stomach and the doll therefore appears not to be pregnant, and the position shown in Figure 2, in which the shell 10 is uppermost and protrudes from the surrounding areas of the doll's stomach and the doll therefore has the appearance of being pregnant.
Situated within the stomach cavity are one or more, in this case two, replicas of a baby or baby dolls 24. These may readily be rendered visible by rotating the stomach cavity into the position shown in Figure 1 and removing the cover 16, as described above, and they may then be removed and may be used as separate toys in their own right. As may be seen, when the cover is removed, the edge of the shell 10 is substantially flush with or recessed slightly below the edge of the opening 8.
Situated within the body space within the body portion 2 is a voice synthesising circuit or voice unit 26 which is connected by wires 28 to a battery 30 and by further wires 32 to a loudspeaker 34 which is secured to the body of the doll beneath holes 36 which are provided to permit the sound produced by the loudspeaker to be transmitted clearly to the exterior of the doll. The voice synthesising circuit is also connected by further wires 38 to a photosensitive element 40, e.g. a photoresistor or photodiode which is secured at a position directly behind a hole 42 formed in the shell 10. The photosensitive element 40 and the voice synthesising circuit 26 are so configured that the photosensitive element operates as a switch whereby the circuit 24 is enabled or switched on when light is incident on the photosensitive element and is disabled or switched off when no light is incident on the photosensitive element. The voice synthesising circuit is arranged so that the sound produced by the loudspeaker is that of a newborn baby crying rather than an older baby or child crying.
Thus when the cover 16 is removed, light is incident on the photosensitive element, the voice synthesising circuit is switched on and the sound of a newborn baby crying is produced. This produces the illusion that the baby dolls cry when exposed. The crying sound is terminated when the cover is replaced or after a predetermined period of time of e.g. 5 seconds, as required.

Claims

A doll in whose stomach region there is means defining a recess which accommodates one or more replica babies, the recess being closed by a removable cover characterised by voice synthesising means (26, 34) arranged to produce the sound of a crying baby and switch means (40) connected to control the operation of the voice synthesising means, the switch means being so arranged that the voice synthesising means is switched on when the cover (16) is removed.
A doll as claimed in Claim 1 characterised in that the recess is defined by a shell (10) in which an aperture (40) is formed, that the switch means comprises a photosensitive element (42) positioned behind the aperture (40) so that light is incident on it when the cover (16) is removed and that the photosensitive element (42) and the voice synthesising means (26, 34) are so constructed that when light is incident on the photosensitive element it switches the voice synthesising means (26, 34) on.
A doll as claimed in Claim 1 or 2 characterised in that the means (10) defining the recess is pivotally mounted in the stomach region of the doll to be movable between a position in which the said means (10) is visible from the exterior of the doll and the cover (16) is not and a position in which the cover (16) is visible from the exterior of the doll and the said means is not.
A doll as claimed in Claim 3 characterised in that the means (10) defining the recess projects further from the pivotal axis (12) than does the cover (16).