GB2277881A - Optical toy - Google Patents

Abstract

There is disclosed an optical toy having a body 10, a source of light, a filter (25 Figure 6) of different colors, a semi-transparent portion 3 for illumination by light transmitted through the filter (25), a mechanism mounting the semi-transparent portion 3 for movement relative to the main body and further mechanism moving the filter (25) relative to the light source. The semi-transparent portion 3 may be in the form of a crescent, supporting a figurine, or it may be formed into a swinging cot or rocking chair, or a ship or an airplane. The toy may include a sound producing mechanism. <IMAGE>

Description

DESCRIPTION OPTICAL TOY The present invention relates to an optical toy. In the past infants have been amused by disposing a light source within a rotating dome on which a pattern is presented, such that as the dome is rotated the light projects images over the walls and ceiling of the nursery room.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, there is provided a light source, a filter which is movable relative to the light source and which changes in color while moving, together with a semi-transparent portion to be illuminated as light is transmitted through the filter and mounted to move (eg. to swing) with respect to the body.

The optical toy of the present invention includes a body provided with a source of light, a filter of different colors, a semi-transparent portion for illumination by light being transmitted through the filter, a mechanism mounting the semitransparent portion for movement relative to the main body and further mechanism moving the filter relative to the light source.

The optical toy of the present invention will be described by way of example with reference to the drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the optical toy of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the upper frame thereof; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lower frame illustrating the operating mechanisms of the toy; Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the light portion thereof; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the upper frame; Figure 6 is an exploded perspective view of portions of the operating mechanisms thereof; Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view depicting the light source and its related operating mechanisms; Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the light source components; Figure 9 is a plan view of the switching mechanism; Figure 10 is a plan view depicting the cam of the switching mechanism; and Figure 11 is a schematic diagram depicting operation of the switching mechanism.

The optical toy of the present invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 1 in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Operation begins by rotating the knob 2 rightwardly after which the release of same permits the crescent-shaped light member 3 to slowly swing right and left in turn swinging the rabbit 4. As the light member 3 swings its color gradually changes from red to yellow to green while a musical sound is emitted.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the light member 3 is mounted to rotate about shaft 3a. As will be apparent from Figures 2 and 3 the main body 10 consists of an upper frame 11 depicted in Figure 2 and a lower frame 12 shown in Figure 3.

The upper frame 11 is provided with opening ila for receiving the light member 3 and recessed portions lib in which bearings are fitted for receiving shafts 3a of the light member 3. The light member 3 is mounted on the upper frame 11 by inserting the shafts 3a of the light member 3 into the recessed portions lib. In Figure 2 the reference numeral 3d designates the opening through which the knob 2 protrudes.

The light member 3, as seen in Figure 4, includes a front frame 31 and a rear frame 32 screwed together. It will be apparent that the inside of the light member 3 is hollow and, moreover, the inner surface thereof may be irregular to diffuse light.

As seen in Figure 5, an opening 30a is formed at the base portion 30 of the light member 3 to introduce light. A swing lever 33 is provided to swing the light member 3 in the opening 30a. A spring 34 is positioned between a spring hanging portion 33a of the swing lever 33 and a spring hanging portion lia of the upper frame 11. Mounting pieces 30c (see Fig.4) are provided for mounting the rabbit 4 on the upper surfaces of the wall frame 31 and the rear frame 32. Boss portions of divided pieces 4a of the rabbit 4 are fitted in the longitudinal direction. The divided pieces 4a are pin-engaged with each other at the boss portions.

Returning to Figure 3, a battery box 14 is formed on the lower frame for containing a source of electrical energy, i.e., a battery, (not shown). A spiral spring (not shown) is positioned downwardly from the knob 2 on the lower frame 12.

As seen in Figure 6, a rotating drum (not shown) of a music box is connected with a spiral spring shaft 15 through a gear mechanism of conventional formation (not shown). The peripheral surface of the rotating drum is formed with projections, to which are mounted comb-like teeth reeds (not shown) for producing sound when touched.

A gear 16 is provided coaxially with the rotating drum, and a gear 18 is provided on a shaft 17 which meshes with the gear 16. The biasing force of the spiral spring is transmitted to a swing cam 19 through the gears 17 and 18. The swing cam 19 engages a swing lever 33 of the light member 3.

Accordingly, as the swing cam 19 is rotated by the biasing force of the spiral spring, the swing lever 33 is moved, as a result of which the light member 3 is swung to the right and left around the shafts 3a. In addition, to prevent the inner mechanism of the light member 3 from being broken when the movement of the light member 3 is forcibly stopped, a face clutch 20 is provided between the gear 18 and the swing cam 19.

A gear 21 is provided coaxial with the rotating shaft 15.

A gear 22 is provided on the shaft 17 and meshes with the gear 21. Moreover, a partial cut-off gear 23 is additionally provided so as to be integrated with the gear 22. The partial cut-off gear 23 meshes with a gear 24a provided around the peripheral surface of a cylindrical filter 24. As a result, the biasing force of the spiral spring is transmitted to the filter 24 through the gears 21, 22 and 23, so that the filter 24 is intermittently rotated. In addition, since the partial cut-off gear 23 only intermittently meshes with the teeth of the filter 24, the filter 24 idles when the teeth of the filter 24 do not mesh with the partial cut-off gear 23. To cope with this problem, a triangular cam 51 is provided on a shaft 50 of the filter 24, and a leaf spring 52 engages the triangular cam 51.

The filter 24 is positioned downwardly from the opening 30a of the light member 3. A seal 25 divided into colored parts, for example, red, yellow and green, is positioned on the inner surface of the peripheral wall of the filter 24. As a result, the filter 24 is divided into parts having three colors along the circumferential direction. A light source is provided within the filter 24. The light source consists of an electric lamp 26 and a glass bulb 26a facing the inside of the filter 24. As the filter 24 is lighted from the inside by the electric lamp 26, the light transmitting through the filter 24 enters the light member 3, and is diffused by the inner surface of the light member 3.Moreover, within the filter 24, a reflection board 41 for covering the glass bulb 26a from the lower portion and both sides is provided for introducing light to the light member 3 by the reflection board 41 while lowering the loss of the light.

The electric lamp 26 is disposed in a space defined by the base 27, upper cover 28, front cover 29 and back lid 40. The front cover 29 is constructed such that at least a portion of the glass bulb 26a is transparent. In addition, if the glass bulb 26a is broken by some rare accident, the flakes of the glass bulb 26a will be scattered within the lower frame 12. To cope with the unlikely event, the front cover 29 is provided.

The back lid 40 is removable, and the electric lamp 26 is removable attached by the removal of the back lid 40.

In the power supply for the electric lamp 26, as shown in Fig. 8, the minus side of the battery is connected to an edge contact portion 26b of the electric lamp 26 through a conductive piece 27a provided on the base 27 and a conductive piece 40a provided on the back lid 40, while the plus side of the battery is connected to an annular contact portion 26b through the reflection board 41.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 9, a switching mechanism 60 for opening/closing a power source circuit is provided on the lower frame 12 for flashing the electric lamp 26. The switching mechanism 60 includes a Geneva gear 61 and a cam 62. The switching mechanism 60 closes the power source circuit of the electric lamp 26 when the spiral spring is wound. On the other hand, when the spiral spring is unwound, the switching mechanism 60 opens the power source circuit.

The Geneva gear 61 has a projection 63a of a primary wheel 63 provided on the spiral spring shaft 15 which meshes with a gear groove 65a of a vertical wheel 65 additionally provided on the shaft 64, to intermittently rotate the vertical gear 65 by rotation of the primary wheel 63. In this case, the edge surface of one tooth 65b of the teeth of the vertical gear 65 is curved to expand outwardly, so that the tooth 65b functions as a stopper.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 10, the cam 62 has a D-shaped primary node 66 which is additionally provided integrally with the back side of the vertical wheel 65. The primary node 66 is contacted by one terminal piece 67 of a switch S, as shown in Figs. 3 and 11. When the arc-circular portion of the primary node 66 contacts the terminal piece 67, the switch S is turned on. When the chord portion of the primary node 66 contacts the terminal piece 67, the switch S is turned off. As shown in Figure 11, at the off-position, the tooth 65b of the Geneva gear 61 restricts the primary wheel 63.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

For example, in the preferred embodiment, the bottoming cylindrical filter is provided as the colored filter; however, a flat filter may be used.

The light member 3 is formed into a crescent shape in the preferred embodiment; however, it may be formed into a swinging cot or rocking chair, or ship or airplane.

Moreover, the sound need not be limited to music, and various sounds such as the movement of water may be used.

Claims (4)

1. An optical toy, comprising: a body, a source of light, a filter of different colors, a semitransparent portion for illumination by light transmitted through said filter, means mounting said semi-transparent portion for movement relative to said main body and means moving said filter relative to said light source.

2. An optical toy as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a figurine provided on said semitransparent portion.

3. An optical toy as claimed in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a sound producing mechanism.

4. An optical toy substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.