GB1572583A - Toys - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO TOYS (71) I, PETER HOWARD LEWIS, of 2108 International Building, 139, Des Voeur Road, Central, Hong Kong, A British Subject, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to toys.

According to this invention there is provided a toy comprising a base sheet carrying or encompassing a plurality of switch means distributed over the base sheet and arranged in such a way that pressure applied over any one of said switch means acts to close that switch means, each switch means being connected through a separate respective set of resistors to a musical tone generator, each set of resistors comprising a plurality of resistors in parallel, the arrangement being such that pressure applied over different switch means causes different sets of resistors to be connected to the tone generator to cause the tone generator to generate tones of respective different frequencies.

Preferably the switch means are all connected in parallel across terminals of the tone generator, each respective set of resistors comprising two resistors, each resistor being connected between one side of the switch means and a respective one of two parallel conductors which are connected to the tone generator.

Conveniently each switch means comprises a fixed contact means which is engaged by a movable contact when pressure is applied over that switch means.

Advantageously said fixed contact means comprises contact means connected by respective resistors constituting said set of resistors to respective conductors of two parallel conductors which are connected to the tone generator, and said movable contact is connected to a third conductor which is connected to the tone generator.

If a preferred embodiment of the invention is placed on the floor a person walking, jumping or dancing on the base sheet will successively switch-in different sets of resistors causing different notes to be emitted by the tone generator.

The total number of switch means incorporated in the base sheet may be selected in dependance on the size of the base sheet.

If desired the arrangement may be made such that a person dancing on specific portions of the base sheet may cause the notes emitted by the tone generator to be a tune.

The musical tone generator is a standard unit incorporating a multi-vibrator tone oscillator.

The invention will now be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 is a view of one embodiment of a toy in accordance with the invention, which includes a base sheet and a standard musical tone generator; Figure 2 is a detail of one embodiment of a switch incorporated in the base sheet; Figure 3 is a circuit diagram of the generator and switches; and Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the toy when in use.

The toy shown in the drawings comprises a base sheet or pad generally indicated at 2 formed of two sheets of material sandwiching a plurality of switches 4 such as that illustrated in Figure 2, the switches being distributed over the area of the pad as indicated in Figure 1. The switches are connected by means of a cable 6 to a standard musical tone generator 8. In an alternative embodiment the switches may merely be carried by the base sheet, rather than being encompassed thereby.

Each switch comprises fixed contact means 10 which comprise two separate conductive areas, the separate areas being connected through respective resistors 12, 12A, or 18, 18A to respective conductors of parallel conductors 14, 20, which are connected to terminals of the tone generator 8. A movable contact 16 is formed of resilient material whose normal position is as shown in Figure 2. The movable contact is positioned uppermost beneath the upper sheet of the pad so that a person stepping on the pad causes the movable contact to engage the fixed contact means to complete the circuit through the switch. The movable contact is connected to a conductor 22 connected to a further conductor 24 extending parallel to the conductors 14 and 20 and connected to a terminal of the generator.

The musical tone generator generally indicated at 8 is of standard multi-vibrator construction and will not be specifically described. A two gang switch 26 is provided having three positions: that marked A operating to switch off the generator, that marked B operating to switch-on the generator at a low volume and that marked C operating to switch-on the generator at a high volume.

The switches can be arranged in any desired pattern over the area of the base sheet or pad 2. If the base sheet or pad 2 is laid on the floor and a user steps on the base sheet or pad 2, as shown in Figure 4, he will exert pressure on one or more of the close onto the fixed contact means to complete the circuit connecting conductors 20, 14 and 24. It will readily be appreciated that the closing of one or more of these switches alters the resistance of the circuit associated with the terminals of the musical tone generator and hence alters the frequency of the sound being emitted from a loudspeaker unit 28 associated with the generator 8.

If a user dances on the base sheet or pad then a series of different notes is emitted which can form a tune.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A toy comprising a base sheet carrying or encompassing a plurality of switch means distributed over the base sheet and arranged in such a way that pressure applied over any one of said switch means acts to close that switch means, each switch means being connected through a separate respective set of resistors to a musical tone generator, each set of resistors comprising a plurality of resistors in parallel, the arrangement being such that pressure applied over different switch means causes different sets of resistors to be connected to the tone generator to cause the tone generator to generate tones of respective different frequencies.

2. A toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein the switch means are all connected in parallel across terminals of the tone generator, each respective set of resistors comprising two resistors, each resistor being connected between one side of the switch means and a respective one of two parallel conductors which are connected to the tone generator.

3. A toy as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which each switch means comprises a fixed contact means which is engaged by a movable contact when pressure is applied over that switch means.

4. A toy according to claim 3 wherein said fixed contact means comprises contact means connected by respective resistors constituting -said set of resistors to respective conductors of two parallel conductors which are connected to the tone generator, and said movable contact is connected to a third conductor which is connected to the tone generator.

5. A toy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. means 10 which comprise two separate conductive areas, the separate areas being connected through respective resistors 12, 12A, or 18, 18A to respective conductors of parallel conductors 14, 20, which are connected to terminals of the tone generator 8. A movable contact 16 is formed of resilient material whose normal position is as shown in Figure 2. The movable contact is positioned uppermost beneath the upper sheet of the pad so that a person stepping on the pad causes the movable contact to engage the fixed contact means to complete the circuit through the switch. The movable contact is connected to a conductor 22 connected to a further conductor 24 extending parallel to the conductors 14 and 20 and connected to a terminal of the generator. The musical tone generator generally indicated at 8 is of standard multi-vibrator construction and will not be specifically described. A two gang switch 26 is provided having three positions: that marked A operating to switch off the generator, that marked B operating to switch-on the generator at a low volume and that marked C operating to switch-on the generator at a high volume. The switches can be arranged in any desired pattern over the area of the base sheet or pad 2. If the base sheet or pad 2 is laid on the floor and a user steps on the base sheet or pad 2, as shown in Figure 4, he will exert pressure on one or more of the close onto the fixed contact means to complete the circuit connecting conductors 20, 14 and 24. It will readily be appreciated that the closing of one or more of these switches alters the resistance of the circuit associated with the terminals of the musical tone generator and hence alters the frequency of the sound being emitted from a loudspeaker unit 28 associated with the generator 8. If a user dances on the base sheet or pad then a series of different notes is emitted which can form a tune. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A toy comprising a base sheet carrying or encompassing a plurality of switch means distributed over the base sheet and arranged in such a way that pressure applied over any one of said switch means acts to close that switch means, each switch means being connected through a separate respective set of resistors to a musical tone generator, each set of resistors comprising a plurality of resistors in parallel, the arrangement being such that pressure applied over different switch means causes different sets of resistors to be connected to the tone generator to cause the tone generator to generate tones of respective different frequencies.

2. A toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein the switch means are all connected in parallel across terminals of the tone generator, each respective set of resistors comprising two resistors, each resistor being connected between one side of the switch means and a respective one of two parallel conductors which are connected to the tone generator.

3. A toy as claimed in claim 1 or 2 in which each switch means comprises a fixed contact means which is engaged by a movable contact when pressure is applied over that switch means.

4. A toy according to claim 3 wherein said fixed contact means comprises contact means connected by respective resistors constituting -said set of resistors to respective conductors of two parallel conductors which are connected to the tone generator, and said movable contact is connected to a third conductor which is connected to the tone generator.

5. A toy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.