GB2331024A

GB2331024A - Novelty and amusement devices

Info

Publication number: GB2331024A
Application number: GB9723728A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Marcus Christopher Simpson; Ronald Chalmers; Peter Manning; Antony John Dixon
Original assignee: DIXON MANNING Ltd
Current assignee: DIXON MANNING Ltd
Priority date: 1997-11-10
Filing date: 1997-11-10
Publication date: 1999-05-12
Also published as: AU3939199A; GB9723728D0; WO2000067621A1

Abstract

The present invention provides a sound and/or light emitting toy or novelty device (20) including a portion adapted to be attached on the exterior of a drinking straw (1) and electrical means in the device (24) for emitting a visual and/or audible effect when the portion of the straw on to which the device is fitted is full of liquid. There is provided a pair of electrodes (2,3, Figure 5) which are adapted, when the device is fitted to a drinking straw, to pierce the straw wall at two spaced locations. The visual effects may be generated by light emitting diodes, and the audible effects may be generated by a piezo-electric sounder. Externally, the device may resemble a number of different devices such as a teddy bear (20) or a space vehicle (22, Fig.2).

Description

NOVELTY AND AMUSEMENT DEVICES This invention relates to novelty and amusement devices for use with drinking straws.

It is well-known that many toy and amusement items are much enhanced by emitting light and/or sound, generally as a result of mechanical action such as pressing a button to actuate a switch. The immediacy of the action, however, does not enhance enjoyment.

According to the present invention, there is provided a sound and/or light emitting toy or novelty device including a portion adapted to be attached on the exterior of a drinking straw and electrical means in the device for emitting a visual and/or audible effect when the portion of the straw on to which the device is fitted is full of liquid.

Preferably, the device includes a pair of contact points or electrodes which are adapted, when the device is fitted to a drinking straw, to pierce the straw wall at two spaced locations, and wherein the device contains a circuit including a power supply, means for detecting a drop in resistance between the two electrodes when liquid is present filling the straw between them and means for actuating an audible and/or visual signal on that occurring.

The device may be configured in many ways. One way that is particularly preferred is to configure the device with a form of an animal shape adapted to be fitted round the straw. The animal may have a pair of grasping limbs or may be, e.g., in the form of a toy snake to be wound round the straw or an animal with a tail likewise designed to be wound round the straw. The animal's body may conceal a suitable power supply. The device may include a sounder and circuit components adapted to make the sounder emit a noise ostensibly reminiscent of the animal concerned. Additionally or alternatively, the animal may have eyes formed by light-emitting diodes which light up when the portion of the straw to which the item is attached is full of liquid.

A second particularly preferred configuration of the device is to configure the device with a form of a spaceship, aeroplane or other vehicle, the design of the vehicle being one that is adapted to be fitted round the straw. Such a design may be in the form of a spaceship with a number of wings and a central body, two of the wings being adapted to fit round the straw, or an aeroplane with an undercarriage adapted to fit round the straw.

The vehicle's body may conceal a suitable power supply.

The device may include a sounder and circuit components adapted to make the sounder emit a noise ostensibly reminiscent of the vehicle concerned, or the noise that such a vehicle may be expected to have. Additionally or alternatively, the vehicle may have lights, windows, one or more rocket engines, a propulsion system or the like represented by light-emitting diodes which light up when the portion of the straw to which the item is attached is full of liquid.

Alternative constructions to those mentioned above, such as robots, humans or buildings, are possible. All such constructions would work in a similar fashion to that discussed above.

A first preferred method of construction of a device of the present invention is to form a part of the device, e.g. the hand, foot or paw of an animal figure or the wings or undercarriage of a vehicle, as a open circular clip, the arc of the clip extending around 1900 to 2500, with the diameter corresponding to that of a standard plastics drinking straw, usually about 6 mm, and with pointed electrodes arranged circumferentially spaced within the clip. The clip should be of sufficient axial length to prevent contact of the electrodes, which are pointed in order to penetrate the wall of the straw, by a childis finger or tongue.

A second preferred construction of the clip is to again form a part of the device as an open circular clip with the configuration as the first preferred construction, but with the pointed electrodes arranged along the axial length of the clip. In one particular preferred embodiment of this construction the axis of each of pointed electrodes and the axis of the clip are all coplanar. Again the clip should be of sufficient axial length to prevent contact of the electrodes, which are pointed in order to penetrate the wall of the straw, by a child's finger or tongue.

A third preferred construction of the clip has a first portion of the clip which defines a "U" shaped channel with the distance between the flat faces or arms of the "being approximately the diameter of the drinking straw to which the clip is to be attached and the base of the "U" being substantially semi-circular. In this construction pointed electrodes are arranged to pass through the base of the "U" and are longitudinally spaced along the clip. Preferably the axes of the electrodes are substantially parallel with the two flat faces of the nUn .

A second portion of the clip is adapted to engage with the free edges of the arms of the "U" of the first portion, and depending on the length of the arms of the "U" a part of the second portion may be adapted to pass between the arms of the "U" of the first portion. The configuration of the second portion being such that when the second portion is engaged with the first portion of the clip a passage is formed between the first and second portions which passage is defined by the inside faces of the "U" and one face of the second portion. The dimensions of that passage being substantially of the same cross section and dimensions as that of the straw to which the clip is to be engaged.

When using this configuration, a drinking straw is placed between the arms of the "U" of the first portion, and the second portion of the clip is engaged with the free ends of the "U" of the first portion. The act of engagement of the second portion impels the straw into contact with the base of the "U" of the first portion, and results in the pointed electrodes penetrating the wall of the straw.

Preferably the length of the arms of the "U" of the first portion of the clip is sufficient to prevent a child being able to touch the ends of the pointed electrodes with its finger or its tongue.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention there may be provided two or more pairs of contact points each adapted, when the device is fitted to a drinking straw, to pierce the straw wall at spaced locations, the contact points of each pair of points being spaced relatively close to each other, and the different pairs of points being spaced relative to each other longitudinally along the straw. To space the different pairs of contact points along the straw two or more clips may be used. A benefit of such a use of two or more clips is that the attachment of the device of the present invention to the straw is more stable than attachment via a single clip.

A further benefit of use of two or more different pairs of contact points is that it enables different sounds or visual effects to be generated by the device of the present invention as the level of the liquid in the straw changes. To achieve this, the device may be provided with one or more circuits each of which may perform one or more different tasks, and result in different visual or audio effects.

Alternatively the device of the present invention may be provided with clips to engage with two or more different straws, and different sounds or visual effects achieved by drinking through the different straws.

The device may be adapted to be used on only one straw or straws and thrown away after use, or may be adapted to be detachable from the straw or straws after use of the device on the straw to which it was attached has finished.

The invention is illustrated by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a typical way of configuring an animal shape to fit round a drinking straw.

Figure 2 shows a typical way of configuring a space craft shape to fit round a drinking straw.

Figure 3 is a perspective detailed view of a clip of the present invention constructed as a pair of stylised bear's paws or hands showing the positioning of pointed electrodes therein.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view from above showing the device of Figure 3 in use around a straw in section transverse to the longitudinal axis of the straw.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the basic configuration of a second clip of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the basic configuration of a third clip of the present invention.

Figure 7 is a schematic circuit diagram of a typical circuit used in the devices of the present invention, and Figure 8 is an alternative schematic circuit diagram.

Referring to the drawings, these show in Figures 1 and 2 respectively devices of the present invention configured as a teddy bear 20, and a space craft 22. The eyes 24 in the case of Figure 1 may be constituted by light-emitting diodes and/or the head or body may conceal a piezoelectric sounder or other sound-emitting component which may, for example, be associated with circuitry adapted to emit a growl. If the device of the present invention is configured as a species of animal different from a bear, then the sound emitting component may be associated with circuitry adapted to make a suitable animal noise.

In the case of the space craft 22 of Figure 2 the window 26 and/or the rocket motor 28 may be constituted of light emitting diodes, and the body of the space craft 22 may conceal a piezo-electric sounder or other sound emitting component which may, for example, be associated with circuitry adapted to emit a rocket motor type roar.

If the device of the present invention is configured as a different type of transport means or object then appropriate light emitting diodes and/or sound emitting components and circuitry may be concealed in the object and may produce appropriate effects.

The battery and associated circuitry may be located anywhere convenient in any of the devices of the present invention.

The arms or legs 32 of the bear 20 shown in Figure 1 may include contacts in the form of two sharp piercing elements. A pair of arms or legs 32 may be configured as a spring clip which may be opened, and a straw 1 inserted between, e.g. the hands or paws of the bear, and then released, whereon the material of the straw may be pierced by the pointed electrodes.

This is illustrated in more detail in Figures 3 and 4 which show a pair of stylised paws or hands such as might be possessed by a cartoon bear or a human figure which are joined at the wrists 30 and where the fingers 34 constitute the two halves of a substantially circular clip. The arms 32 may be flexed together to move the fingers 34 apart enabling a straw 1 to be inserted between the two hands and on such insertion the wall of the straw 1 is pierced by two spaced apart sharp pointed electrodes 2 and 3 which are connected internally of the "arms" 32 to two leads 4 and 5. As can be seen, the two pointed electrodes project into the space inside the straw and when this is filled with liquid, when someone drinks liquid through the straw, a relatively conducting path is established between the two electrodes. This effectively acts as a simple contact switch and enables the audible and/or visual effects to be triggered. The distance between the two electrodes is preferably about 3 mm.

The basic configuration of a second clip 39 of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 5. The clip 39 is an open circular clip of a diameter approximately equal to the diameter of the straw 1 to which the clip is to be applied. The clip 39 is formed of a resiliently deformable material and has a pair of arms 40 at the two free ends of the clip. The clip encloses more than 1800 of the circle and, thus, the distance between arms 40 is less than that of the diameter of straw 1. Passing through the wall of clip 39 in a region substantially opposite the opening between arms 40 are a pair of pointed electrodes 2, 3. Electrodes 2, 3 project into the space within the clip and the axis of electrodes 2, 3 and the axis of the clip are all substantially co-planar.

When a straw 1 is impelled towards the opening in the clip then arms 40 are resiliently forced away from each other to allow straw 1 to pass into the clip or, depending on the relative resistance to deformation possessed by the straw 1, and arms 40, the straw 1 resiliently deforms to pass through the gap between arms 40. Once more than half of the straw 1 has passed between arms 40, then the resiliency of either the arms 40 of the clip or of straw 1 begins to return the deformed arms or straw back towards their/its original shape. This serves to retain straw 1 in the clip 39.

Introduction of the straw into clip 39 forces electrodes 2, 3 through the wall of the straw 1. As with the clip of Figures 3 and 4 a relatively conducting path is established between electrodes 2 and 3 when someone drinks liquid through the straw, and this effectively acts as a contact switch and enables the audible and/or visual effect to be triggered.

The configuration of clip 39 may be constituted in a similar fashion to the configuration illustrated in Figure 5, and attached to the main body of the device of the present invention, preferably in the region of the clip through which electrodes 2, 3 pass. Alternatively, the clip could be in the form of a channel along the surface of the body of the device of the present invention. If the clip is constructed in this fashion, the arms 40 will have to be configured, and sufficiently spaced one from the other so that the straw 1 can be passed between arms 40 without deforming to such an extent as to damage the structure of straw 1.

The basic configuration of a third clip 50 of the present invention is shown in Figure 6. Clip 50 is formed of a "U" portion 52 and a lid portion 54.

"U" portion 52 is comprised of arms 56, 58 joined by a base 60. The distance between the proximal faces of arms 56 and 58 is equal to or slightly less than the outside diameter of the straw 1 to which the clip is to be attached. Base 60 has a surface 61 joining the proximal face of arms 56 and 58 of a substantially semicylindrical shape.

Passing through base 60 and upstanding from the semicylindrical surface 61 are a pair of electrodes 2, 3.

Electrodes 2, 3 project out of the surface 61 in a direction substantially parallel with the plane of the proximal faces of arms 56 and 58.

Attached via a hinge 62 to arm 56 is lid 54 adapted to overlie the free ends of arms 56 and 58 when in the closed position. The edge of lid 54 remote from hinge 62 is adapted to releasably latch onto the free edge of arm 58 by way of a resiliently deformable pawl 64 and a latch plate 68 attached to lid 54 and arm 58 respectively.

Face 70 is provided with a raised portion 72 which has a channel 74 along its surface. Channel 74 has a semicylindrical or smoothly curved surface.

When pawl 64 is engaged with latch plate 68 a passage is formed that is defined by the surface 61, the proximal faces of arms 56 and 58, and a face 70 of lid 54. The passage is configured to have substantially the same cross sectional dimensions as the straw 1 with which the device of the present invention is to be engaged.

In use of clip 50, a straw 1 is placed by the user between arms 56 and 58. The user then rotates lid 54 about hinge 62 so as to latch pawl 64 over latch plate 68. The action of rotating lid 54 causes the face of channel 74 to engage with straw 1, and the impel straw 1 further between arms 56 and 58 and electrodes 2, 3 through the wall of straw 1.

Clip 50 may be configured in a device of the present invention as illustrated in Figure 6. Alternatively, and preferably, the device of the present invention is formed from two portions hinged together, and abutting faces of the two portions are configured to have the function and construction of "U" portion 52 and lid portion 54.

After the drink has been drunk and the amusement has subsided, the device of the invention may simply be removed from the straw in a reverse fashion to the insertion of the straw.

Figures 7 and 8 are schematic circuit diagrams of two suitable circuits. Each consists fundamentally of a resistance sensing circuit 10 connected to two pointed probes 11, 12 which are adapted to pierce the wall of the straw. The circuit is powered by a battery 13 and is arranged so that if the resistance between probes 11 and 12 drops below a certain value, then current is fed through two light-emitting diodes 15 and a resistor 16.

In the simple circuit of Figure 7, the effect is only to light up two diodes which, e.g. can be arranged as the eyes of a model creature. The circuit shown in Figure 8 can additionally switch on a transistor 18 via a resistor 19 connected to its base, transistor 18 being in series with a piezo-electric sounder 20 between battery positive and ground. Thus when the resistance drops between probes 11 and 12, the LEDs 15 light up and a noise is emitted from sounder 20.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A sound and/or light emitting toy or novelty device including a portion adapted to be attached on the exterior of a drinking straw and electrical means in the device for emitting a visual and/or audible effect when the portion of the straw on to which the device is fitted is full of liquid.
2. A device according to Claim 1 in which there is provided a pair of electrodes which are adapted, when the device is fitted to a drinking straw, to pierce the straw wall at two spaced locations.
3. A device according to Claim 2 in which the device contains a circuit including a power supply, means for detecting a drop in resistance between the two electrodes when liquid is present filling the straw between them and means for actuating an audible and/or visual signal on that occurring.
4. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 in which the attachment to the exterior of the drinking straw is by way of at least one open circular clip.
5. A device according to Claim 4 when dependant on Claims 2 or 3 in which the electrodes are circumferentially spaced within the clip.
6. A device according to Claim 4 when dependant on Claims 2 or 3 in which the axes of the electrodes and the axis of the circular clip are all co-planar.
7. A device according to Claim 6 in which the electrodes are located opposite the open portion of the open circular clip.
8. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 in which the means of attachment to the exterior of the straw is a "U" shaped channel adapted to receive the straw, and a lid, the "U" shaped channel and the lid being configured when the lid is placed across the open mouth of the "U" shaped channel to define a passageway of substantially similar cross sectional dimensions as the drinking straw to which the device is to be attached.
9. A device according to Claim 8 when dependant on Claims 2 or 3 in which axes of the electrodes are substantially parallel with the two flat faces of the "U" shaped channel.
10. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 9 in which the external configuration of the device is such as to resemble any one of a human, an animal, a vehicle, abuilding, a robot, a machine, or a mythical being, or a fictional being.
11. A device according to Claim 10 in which the visual effects emitted by the toy are generated by light emitting electrodes.
12. A device according to Claim 10 or 11 in which the audible effects are generated by a piezo-electric sounder.
13. A device according to any one of Claims 10 to 12 in which the audible effect produced is reminiscent of the sound or expected sound that an object with the configuration of that the device has may be expected to have.
14. A device according to any one of Claims 1 to 13 which includes an electrical circuit as shown in Figure 8.