GB2229567A

GB2229567A - Musical toy having a moving picture display

Info

Publication number: GB2229567A
Application number: GB8906790A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kai Wai Jok
Original assignee: Roxy Plastic Factory Ltd
Current assignee: Roxy Plastic Factory Ltd
Priority date: 1989-03-23
Filing date: 1989-03-23
Publication date: 1990-09-26
Anticipated expiration: 2009-03-23
Also published as: GB2229567B; GB8906790D0

Abstract

A musical toy (1), for example resembling a portable television set, comprising a musical box mechanism (15), a mechanically driven moving picture display (3) and means (22) for driving the moving picture display from the drive of the musical box mechanism when the latter is operating. The display (3) may be housed in a replaceable cartridge (8). Means (18, 23) may be provided for preventing operation of the musical box mechanism (15) when the moving picture display (3) is disengaged from the musical box mechanism. The picture display (3) may comprise an endless belt (29) extending around two rollers (30). <IMAGE>

Description

MUSICAL TOY HAVING A MOVING PICTURE DISPLAY This invention relates to a musical toy having a moving picture display.

Viewed from one aspect the present invention provides a musical toy comprising a musical box mechanism, a mechanically driven moving picture display, and means for driving the moving picture display from the drive of the musical box mechanism when the latter is operating.

The musical box mechanism may be of any suitable construction, but its basic structure will preferably be of a type used in conventional musical boxes comprising a rotating drum with raised points on its surface co-operating with fixed springy levers to produce a series of notes. Such a mechanism generally includes an energy storage spring which must be wound up for use and which rotates the drum as it unwinds; however a mechanism having a different energy storage means or having a battery mechanism could alternatively be used.

In a particularly simple embodiment the moving picture display may be formed integrally with a musical box portion of the toy in which the musical box is housed. However, preferably the moving picture display is removable from the musical box portion, to allow a variety of alternative pictures to be selected and displayed. Thus a child playing with the toy may for example imagine that he is choosing to view a television channel of his choice.

In one convenient arrangement the moving picture display is located within a cartridge engaged in use with the musical box portion. Such a cartridge may be received in use within a chamber defined within the musical box portion, the cartridge being removable from the chamber as desired to facilitate replacement with an alternative cartridge having a different moving picture display located therein.

In such an arrangement, means may be provided for releasably locking a cartridge in the chamber in engagement with the musical box portion, thus making the toy more robust. In order to facilitate removal of the cartridge from the chamber resilient means co-operating with the locking means may be provided for at least partially expelling the cartridge from the chamber when the locking means is released.

Once a cartridge is partially expelled from the chamber it may be easily gripped for removal even by a small child.

In one embodiment the locking means comprises a spring loaded catch which is pivotally mounted to the musical box portion adjacent one side of the cartridge and is adapted to engage with a recess in the side wall of the cartridge. The catch is biased by the spring towards engagement with the recess and may be manually pivoted out of engagement with the recess if desired to release the cartridge, which is then partially expelled from the chamber by means of a spring.

A musical toy having a moving picture display which is removable from the musical box portion but is not housed within a cartridge engaged in use within a chamber may nevertheless include means for locking the moving picture display in engagement with the musical box portion and co-operating means for disengaging it therefrom.

The moving picture display is mechanically driven and may take any suitable form. In one embodiment the moving picture display comprises an endless belt wrapped around a pair of rollers located one on each side of a transparent screen.

One of the rollers is rotated from the drive of the musical box mechanism, for example by means of a drive shaft driven from the musical box mechanism which engages with an end of one roller, whereby to move the belt decorated with images in front of the screen. The screen may be formed of a transparent material having vertical ribs, or having vertical opaque lines which enhance the visual appearance of successive images being flashed onto the screen as the belt is driven past. This is a particularly simple and effective construction for the moving picture display.

In a simple arrangement in which the driven roller and the drive of the musical box mechanism are in line with each other the drive shaft of the musical box mechanism may engage directly with the roller. Otherwise where these parts are not in line or to accommodate a different moving picture speed the drive shaft for the roller may be driven from the drive of the musical box mechanism through gears.

If desired the musical box mechanism may be operated independently of whether or not a moving picture display is engaged with the musical box portion. For example the musical box mechanism may operate continuously if it is wound up, or it may be controlled by a manually operable on/off switch. However, preferably means are provided for preventing operation of the musical box mechanism when the moving picture display is disengaged from the musical box portion such that said display is disconnected from the drive of the musical box.

This feature may increase the realism of the toy in that the sound and moving picture always operate together. In addition, if the musical box mechanism is inoperatable when the moving picture display is not connected to it then this will alert a child to the fact that the toy is not correctly assembled.

Thus for example if a cartridge housing a selected moving picture display is not fully received within its chamber within the musical box portion so that the moving picture display will not be driven from the drive of the musical box mechanism then the absence of music may encourage a child to ensure that the cartridge is fully engaged and locked within the chamber.

Means for preventing operation of the musical box mechanism may take any convenient form. In one arrangement a rotationally mounted part is driven from the drive of the musical box mechanism and if rotation of said part is prevented then the drive of the musical box mechanism is thereby halted. Thus in such an embodiment means for preventing operation of the musical box mechanism when the moving picture display is disconnected from the drive of the musical box mechanism comprises an operating arm co-operating with the moving picture display, and a rotationally mounted part mechanically linked to the drive of the musical box, the arrangement being such that when in use the moving picture display is disconnected from the means for driving said display from the drive of the musical box mechanism, the operating arm is thereby moved to impinge on the rotationally mounted part whereby to prevent operation of the musical box mechanism.

When the moving picture display is engaged with the musical box portion such that the moving picture display is connected to its drive, the operating arm is thereby moved away from the rotationally mounted part to allow operation of the musical box mechanism.

Such an operating arm may be slidably, pivotally or otherwise mounted and may be biased for example by means of resilient means such as a spring towards a position in which operation of the musical box is prevented. The operating arm may then be movable away from the rotationally mounted part to allow operation of the musical box mechanism by means of engagement of the moving picture display with the musical box portion to connect the moving picture display with its drive.For example in one arrangement the operating arm is pivotally mounted and is biased to project in use into a chamber defined within the musical box portion of the toy in which the musical box mechanism is housed, the arrangement being such that when in use a cartridge in which the moving picture display is housed is engaged within the chamber such that the display is connected to the drive of the musical box mechanism, the operating arm is thereby pivoted away from the rotationally mounted part to allow operation of the musical box mechanism. When the cartridge is disengaged from the chamber, thus disconnecting the display from its drive, the operating arm is pivoted under the bias of a spring to impinge on the rotationally mounted part to prevent music being played.

In one particularly convenient arrangement said operating arm also provides a resilient means whereby the moving picture display is disengaged if desired from the musical box portion as the display is disconnected from its drive. Thus in the above arrangement when a locking means is released the operating arm is pivoted under the bias of a spring into the chamber whereby to partially expel the cartridge from the chamber.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 shows a partially sectioned plan view of the embodiment; Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the musical toy of Fig 1 with a cartridge shown partially removed from the cartridge chamber; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a part of a cartridge and its drive shaft.

The musical toy 1 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 comprises a musical box portion 2 and a moving picture display 3. The musical box portion 2 is formed of plastic and has two halves 4,5 which are secured together in use by four screws (not shown). A chamber 6 is defined within the musical box portion 2 having an opening 7 at one end to receive a cartridge 8 in which the moving picture display 3 is housed. In use the cartridge 8 may be engaged within the chamber 6 or removed therefrom.

The exterior of musical box portion 2 generally resembles a portable television set having a screen 9, and parts respectively resembling an aerial 10, a tuning knob 11, channel selecting switches 12, an on/off button 13, and ear plug sockets 14.

A musical box mechanism 15 mounted within portion 2 is based on a conventional musical box mechanism having an energy storage spring 16 which is manually wound up in use by turning tuning knob" 11, a drum 17 which is driven by energy storage spring 16 as the spring unwinds, and fixed springy levers (not shown) which co-operate with raised points on the surface of the rotating drum to produce a series of musical notes as the drum is rotated and the springy levers are deflected by the raised points. A rotationally mounted blade 18 is coupled through gears to the drive shaft 19 of the drum 17, so that blade 18 is thereby rotated when the musical box mechanism operates. If blade 18 is held stationery then the rotation of the drum 17 and unwinding of energy storage spring 16 is thereby prevented.

A crown gear 20 is mounted at an end of the drum drive shaft 19 and meshes with a pinion 21 to drive a second drive shaft 22 lying perpendicular to the drum drive shaft 19. The end of drive shaft 22 remote from pinion 21 extends into chamber 6 in which a cartridge 8 is received in use.

An operating arm 23 is pivotally mounted at pivot 24 within musical box portion 2. The operating arm is biased by means of spring 25 towards a first position shown dotted in Fig. 1 in which it impinges at one end on rotationally mounted blade 18 and its other end projects into chamber 6. The operating arm 23 has a second position shown in Fig 1 in which it neither projects into chamber 6 nor impinges on blade 18.

A catch 26 having a construction similar to that of operating arm 23 is pivotally mounted on pivot 27 adjacent chamber 6. The catch 26 is biased by means of spring 28 to project at its end remote from button 13 into chamber 6. Button 13 abuts the catch at its other end and this button may be manually depressed to pivot the end of catch 26 remote from the button away from chamber 6.

The moving picture display 3 housed within cartridge 8 comprises an endless belt 29 decorated with pictures extending around two rollers 30 (one only shown). The two rollers are located one on each side of a screen 31, the arrangement being such that as one of the rollers 30 is rotated, the endless belt 29 is thereby moved past the screen 31 and round the other roller (not shown). Due to vertical ribs on the screen 31 successive images appear to flash on and off the screen.

Roller 30 is provided with a recess 32 in one end which engages with the end of drive shaft 22 in use when the cartridge 8 is fully engaged within chamber 6. The internal surface of recess 32 is ribbed and the surface of drive shaft 22 is provided with co-operating projections so that when drive shaft 22 is rotated from the musical box mechanism drum drive shaft 19, roller 30 is thereby rotated to operate the moving picture display 3 by moving the endless belt 29 infront of screen 31.

When cartridge 8 is fully engaged within chamber 6 a projection on catch 26 at its end adjacent chamber 6 engages under the force of spring 28 in a recess 33 in a side wall of the cartridge to lock the cartridge in engagement with the musical box portion 2 and the roller 30 is engagement with drive shaft 22.

When the cartridge is inserted into the chamber and drive shaft 22 is received within recess 33 then operating arm 23 contacts cartridge 8 and is forced by the cartridge to pivot against the bias of spring 25 until its end no longer projects into chamber 6. In this position the other end of operating arm 23 is pivoted away from the rotationally mounted blade 18 which forms a part of the musical box mechanism and the musical box mechanism is then free to operate. If the energy storage spring has been wound up by rotation of knob 11 and has not fully unwound then the musical box mechanism will operate to play music and to move the moving picture display.

The cartridge may be disengaged from the chamber once button 13 has been manually depressed to pivot catch 26 away from recess 33 against the bias of spring 28. When catch 26 is released, operating arm 23 pivots under the bias of spring 25 to the position shown dotted in Fig. 1 in which it partially extends into chamber 6 and impinges on blade 18. The operating arm thereby partially expels the cartridge 8 from the chamber and disengages the drive shaft 22 from recess 33 in roller 30 so that the moving picture display is not in a position where it may be driven from the musical box mechanism drive. In this position the other end of operating arm 23 impinges on rotationally mounted blade 18 to prevent operation of the musical box mechanism.

It is to be clearly understood that there are no particular features of the foregoing specification, or of any claims appended hereto, which are at present regarded as being essential to the performance of the present invention, and that any one or more features or combinations thereof may therefore be included in, added to, omitted from or deleted from any of such claims if and when amended during the prosecution of this application or in the filing or prosecution of any divisional application based thereon. Furthermore the manner in which any of such features of the specification or claims are described or defined may be amended, broadened or otherwise modified in any manner which falls within the knowledge of a person skilled in the relevant art, for example so as to encompass either implicitly or explicitly, equivalents or generalisations thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A musical toy comprising a musical box mechanism, a mechanically driven moving picture display, and means for driving the moving picture display from the drive of the musical box mechanism when the latter is operating.

2. A musical toy as claimed in claim 1 wherein the moving picture display is removable from a musical box portion of the toy in which the musical box mechanism is housed.

3. A musical toy as claimed in claim 2 wherein the moving picture display is located within a cartridge engaged in use within a chamber defined within the musical box portion, said cartridge being removable from said chamber.

4. A musical toy as claimed in claim 3 wherein means are provided for releasably locking a cartridge in the chamber in engagement with the musical box portion.

5. A musical toy as claimed in claim 4 wherein resilient means are provided for at least partially expelling the cartridge from the chamber when said locking means is released.

6. A musical toy as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the moving picture display comprises an endless belt wrapped around two rollers.

7. A musical toy as claimed in claim 6 wherein the moving picture display is driven by means of a drive shaft driven from the drive of the musical box mechanism, which drive shaft engages with one of said rollers.

8. A musical toy as claimed in any of claims 2 to 7 wherein means are provided for preventing operation of the musical box mechanism when the moving picture display is disengaged from the musical box portion such that said display is disconnected from the drive of the musical box mechanism.

9. A musical toy as claimed in claim 8 wherein said means for preventing operation of the musical box mechanism when the moving picture display is disconnected from the drive of the musical box mechanism comprises an operating arm co-operating with the moving picture display, and a rotationally mounted part mechanically linked to the drive of the musical box mechanism, the arrangement being such that when in use the moving picture display is disconnected from the means for driving said display from the drive of the musical box mechanism, the operating arm is thereby moved to impinge on the rotationally mounted part whereby to prevent operation of said musical box mechanism.

10. A musical toy as claimed in claim 9 wherein said operating arm is pivotally mounted and is biased to project in use into a chamber defined within a musical box portion of the toy in which the musical box mechanism is housed and to impinge on said rotationally mounted part to prevent operation of the musical box, the arrangement being such that when in use a cartridge in which the moving picture display is located in engaged within said chamber, such that said display is connected to the drive of said musical box mechanism said operating arm is thereby pivoted away from the rotationally mounted part to allow operation of the musical box.

11. A musical toy as claimed in claim 9 or 10 wherein said operating arm also provides a resilient means whereby the moving picture display may be disengaged from the musical box portion.

12. A musical toy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.