MXPA99009131A - Toy having jumping action - Google Patents

Abstract

A toy producing a jumping or bouncing action includes an outer body (11) and an interior support structure including elongated body housing (20) having head portion (21) and supporting tail (24). A pair of leg units (23) having corresponding supporting feet (26) are slidable within body housing (20) and are joined by transversely extending leg unit bridge (70). Gear drive unit (60) rotates segment gear (62). Segment gear (62) engages gear rack (75) on leg unit bridge (70) to drive the toy toward a squatting position as leg units (23) are drawn into body housing (20). Spring (77) is coupled between leg unit bridge (70) and body housing (20) and is stretched as segment gear (62) rotates lifting the gear rack (75). When the teeth of segment gear (62) disengage gear rack (75), spring (77) causes the toy to bounce or jump. The action repeats until a control unit timer deactivates motor (50).

Description

TOY THAT HAS JUMP ACTION SPECIFICATION Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to dolls and toy figures and particularly to those having soft bodies padded with "felt." BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Felt or plush toys have been provided in a virtually endless variety, taking exterior shapes corresponding to dolls, toy figures, animal figures and fantastic characters. While their appearance has differed substantially since specialists have devoted themselves to providing figures of felt toys and felt toys increasingly interesting and entertaining, all in general follow the characteristic of providing a soft outer body covered with a cloth soft flexible. In many felt toys, the outer fabric includes an exterior simulated "skin" or other texture feature. The most usual and predominant type of felt toys provides some kind of head and limbs, with the head often defining various facial features such as the mouth, nose, eyes, ears and the like.

In many felt toys, the cushioned outer body and the flexible outer fabric are supported on a relatively rigid inner skeleton structure. Often, the skeleton-like structure is articulated and has movable joints that facilitate movement of limbs such as arms, legs and head. More sophisticated skeleton supports include mechanisms to facilitate mouth movement and other features. More recently, simple skeletons used for articulation and support of the outer felt body have been replaced by action mechanisms and movement energized by batteries, displaced by more complex motors. According to this, felt toys have provided figures that simulate various diverse movement patterns, such as walking, running, kicking and so on. Additional improvements have included the supply of apparatus for the production of sounds energized by untimely batteries, which can already be operated cyclically or responsive to touch as sensitive switches under pressure, and such are placed in relation to the felt body. In this way, those skilled in the art have continuously dedicated themselves to improving the sophistication, entertainment and appearance or attractiveness of felt toys by providing increasingly interesting toys.

For example, the US patent. No. 5,074,820 issued to Nakayama, establishes a sitting toy with filled vibratory sound, which has a filled body, which holds a main switch in response to externally applied loads that control an activated vibrator when the main switch is activated to vibrate at least a portion of the stuffed toy. The toy also includes a sound generator that produces a sound while the vibrator is activated. The patent of the U.S.A. No. 4,037,357 issued to Monroe et al., Establishes a jumping toy, configured to generally resemble a squatting frog and having a base member holding a mechanism connected through a gear train to a moving arrow which in turn transports a spring-directed impulse rod. The moving arrow holds a gear that stays in engagement with a fixed gear holder. The activation of the mechanism displaces the pulse rod against the spring branch and another gear carried by the moving shaft engages and releases cyclically by a sector gear and causes the cyclic oscillation of the pulse rod. Sufficient force develops against the support surface to cause the toy to jump up from the surface.

The patent of the U.S.A. No. 5,356,326 granted to Ting, establishes a TOY THAT SHAKES, which has a felt toy figure, which incorporates a movement generating device activated by a sound detector transducer. The movement-generating apparatus agitates the figure causing it to be given an oscillating action. The patent of the U.S.A. No. 4,308,686 granted to Higuera, establishes a TOY THAT HAS AN EXTREMITY CAPABLE OF MOVING IN TWO ADDRESSES, where a pair of leg appendages is held pivotally on a body that resembles a frog or the like and a spring impeller engages the pivotable appendages, whereby energy is stored in the spring with the appendages in a latched position and released to produce a jumping action as the legs pivot. The patent of the U.S.A. No. 3,200,538 granted to Glass and collaborators, establishes a TOY AVE WITH SOUND AND ELECTRICALLY ENERGIZED, which has a mobile skeleton energized by batteries, which is supported by a bird-like body, which is operative to perform predetermined movements of travel on a surface of support and that is capable of producing various sounds. The patent of the U.S.A. No. 4,545,175 granted to ing, establishes a DANCER OF HULA, who alternately moves her left and right hips to give a similarity that compares to a current dancer. The wrist includes an upper portion, a lower portion and a base portion together with the apparatus to move each portion relative to the other. The patent of the U.S.A. No. 4,411,099 awarded to Cancel, establishes a SINGLE ELECTRIC FROG, which provides a toy that produces sounds in the form of a frog, which includes a stationary base and an ascending pivotal body where the body's pivotal motion controls the circuit of a system of a sound energized by batteries. The patent of the U.S.A. No. 2,425,429 issued to Hansen, establishes a TOY FIGURE and the US patent. No. 2,953,869 granted to Collischan establishes a TOY FIGURE, both of which are illustrative of the first apparatuses to produce mobile animal toy figures. While prior art devices described in various ways have improved the toy technique and in some cases enjoyed commercial success, there remains a continuing need in the art for increasingly interesting and entertaining improved and inventive toy figures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved felt toy. A more particular object in the present invention is to provide an improved felt toy having a jumping action that operates in an interesting and entertaining activity cycle. A still more particular object of the present invention is to provide an improved felt toy, which has an interesting and entertaining jumping action that can also be operated in a non-energized manual play mode. According to the present invention, there is provided a toy having a jumping action comprising: a body housing defining an interior cavity; a pair of leg or leg units, which have a pair of feet and which are slidably held by the body housing between an extended position and a retracted position; a control or transmission of gears operative on the pair of leg units, to move the leg units from the extended position to the retracted position and release the pairs of leg units; spring means for moving the pair of leg units towards the extended position; and an outer body that provides a flexible cover for the body housing, the pair of leg units and the feet. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The characteristics of the present invention that is considered novel, are established particularly in the appended claims. The invention, together with additional objects and advantages thereof can be better understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the various figures in which similar reference numbers identify similar elements and where: Figure 1 establishes a front view of a felt toy constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 establishes a sectional view of the operating mechanism inside the toy of Figure 1 that is taken on the lines of section 2-2; Figure 3 establishes a view of the perspective structure of the jump mechanism of the felt toy of the present invention; Figure 4 establishes a sectional view of the jump mechanism of the felt toy of the present invention which is taken on the lines of section 4-4 of Figure 2; Figure 5 establishes a sectional view of the jump mechanism of the felt toy of the present invention, which is taken on the lines of section 5-5 of Figure 2; and Figure 6 establishes a partial perspective view of the interlock mechanism operative within the jump mechanism of the felt toy of the present invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITY Figure 1 establishes a front view of a felt toy constructed in accordance with the present invention and with general reference to the number 10. The felt toy 10 defines an outer body that is generally referred to by the number 11 , which is designed to exhibit an appearance that generally corresponds to a caricature-like animal figure. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the outer body 11 can be configured with an appearance that suggests or exhibits a variety of appearance characteristics such as different humans, animals or fantastic figures of cartoons without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The general structure of the outer body is defined in a torso position 14 that supports a pair of arms 12 and 13, and a neck that extends upwards 15. The neck 15 supports a head 19, which according to the appearance of animal fantastic or similar to caricature of the outer body 11, sustains various appearance characteristics such as eyes, nose, mouth and ears. The torso 14 further supports a pair of leg portions 16 and 17 extending downwardly. The felt toy 10 further includes a support body housing 20 adapted within the torso 14 and extending upwardly through the neck area 15 of the outer body 11. A head support 21 extends upwardly from the body housing 20. The body housing 20 further supports a pair of downwardly extending leg units 22 and 23 which in turn support the feet 25 and 26, respectively. The leg units 22 and 23 as well as the feet 25 and 26, are covered by land portions 16 and 17 of the outer body 11. Furthermore, a tail unit 24 extends down and back from the body housing 20 and provides shape and support for a tail 18 formed of felt material corresponding to the outer body 11. In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention set forth in more detail below, the leg units 22 and 23 that hold feet 25 and 26 , are movable between the extended position illustrated in Figure 1, and a contracted or "squat" position (shown in dotted line representation in Figure 2) wherein the leg units 22 and 23 move upward to the housing of body 20. The flexible fabric of the leg positions 16 and 17 of the outer body 11 adopt this contraction or squat movement of the leg signals 22 and 23. In further compliance with the present invention, As described below in greater detail, the user initiates an operating cycle of the felt toy 10 to force the upper portion of the outer body 11 downwardly on the feet 25 and 26 causing the leg units 22 and 23 to they force into the body housing 20 and momentarily engage in a squat position. This downward movement of the body housing 20 on the leg units 22 and 23 initiates an operating cycle wherein the felt toy 10 appears to squat for a short time interval and subsequently initiates a plurality of repeated jumping or jumping actions as Leg units 22 and 23 are repeatedly directed upwardly into the body housing 20 and subsequently move downward in a rapid extension that releases the felt toy 10 in a jump or jump motion. After a predetermined time interval which preferably corresponds to 5 to 8 jump cycles, the operation of the felt toy 10 ends and the toy 10 again acquires the upright or standing position shown in Figure 1. Further compliance with the present invention and as set forth below in greater detail, the operating cycle of the felt toy 10 also includes the production of various sounds that are synchronized and coordinated to the jumping or jumping movements of the operating cycle. During the movement of the leg units 22 and 23 in and from the body housing 20, the soft outer fabric of which the leg portions 16 and 17 of the outer body 11 are formed, allows the extension and contraction of the portions to be adopted. of leg of the felt toy 10. Figure 2 establishes a sectional view of the toy 10 that is taken on the lines of section 2-2 in Figure 1. For purposes of illustration, the outer body 11 is omitted from Figure 2 As described above, the toy 10 includes a body housing 20 that provides the basic support structure for the toy 10 that includes a head portion 21 and that receives the leg units 22 and 23. The last support feet 25 and 26 (foot 25 is shown in Figure 1). According to the present invention, the leg units 22 and 23 are joined with a leg unit bridge of 70 (seen in Figure 3) which facilitates the movement of the leg units 22 and 23 in unison agreement with the jump mechanism or operational jump established below in greater detail. Of importance with respect to the present invention is the support of the leg units 22 and 23 together with the bridge of the leg unit 70 in a sliding manner that allows the combined structure of the leg units 22 and 23 in conjunction with the leg unit bridge 70, move upwardly within the interior cavity 30 of the body housing 20 and outward or downward of and to provide the jumping action or toy bounce 10. The body housing 20 further supports a switch structure 33 that includes a switch button 32 that extends outwardly from the body housing 20 and a stop 30 extending inwardly in the interior cavity 30. The switch button 32 and the stop 39 are formed as an integral unit as best seen in Figure 3 and are pivotally held in the inner cavity 30 in a pivot 38. An electrical switch 37 is interlocked with the switch button 32 and is operational to provide an electrical switching action, as the button 32 moves transversely on the body housing 20 due to the pivotal support of the pivot 38. The body housing 20 further defines a battery compartment 34 that supports a plurality of conventional batteries 35, in conjunction with appropriate electrical contacts ( not shown) manufactured in accordance with conventional manufacturing techniques to produce an electrical connection between the batteries 35. The housing 20 further includes a battery compartment door 36 that provides closure in the compartment 34 that is held using conventional fasteners (not shown) . A control unit 40 having a switch 42 and a synchronizer 41, is held in the interior cavity 30 and constructed in accordance with conventional manufacturing techniques. A horn 43 is held in the interior cavity 30 and is placed in close association with the loudspeaker grille 44. A gear control 60 is held in the interior cavity 30 includes a housing 61 that supports an electric motor 50 and a plurality of impulse gears. The motor 50 is manufactured in accordance with techniques in conventional manufacture and includes an output shaft 51 which supports a helical gear 52. The gear control unit 60 further includes a gear 53 which couples the helical gear 52 having a smaller gear 54 there subject. The gear 54 in turn engages a gear 55 that supports a clutch structure 56.

The clutch structure 56 is then established in Figure 3 in greater detail. However, it is sufficient to note here that the clutch structure 56 accepts a release of force within the gear control unit 60 in the event that the drive unit encounters an obstruction or abuse by the user. As best seen in Figure 3, the clutch unit 56 engages the gear 55 with a somewhat smaller gear 57 which in turn engages the gear 58. The gear 58 further engages a gear 59 (shown in FIG. Figure 3) which in turn engages a segment gear 62. Of importance with respect to the operation of the structure of the present invention, the segment gear 62 is a partial gear having gear teeth disposed approximately in half of the periphery of the gear. The gear 62 which is supported by an arrow 67 includes a square interlock 66. The interlock 66 assembles the gear 62 with a rotatable cam 65 causing the cam 65 to rotate in unison with the segment gear 62. In this way, the rotation of the the output arrow of the motor 51 provides a corresponding rotation of the segment gear 62 and cam 65. As best seen in Figure 3, the leg units 22 and 23 are joined by a bridge of leg units 70 that supports a support of gears 75 in the front center portion thereof. Returning to Figure 2, it will be seen that the bridge of the leg unit 70 supports the gear holder 75 in proximity to the segment gear 62. The resulting structure allows the segment gear 62 to engage the gear holder 75 when the gear teeth of the segment gear 62 are rotated in engagement with the teeth of the gear holder 65. When the rotational position of the segment gear 62 moves its gear teeth out of engagement with the gear holder 75, the segment gear 62 further influences the vertical position of the bridge of the leg unit 70. The bridge of the leg unit 70 defines a spring hook 71 which receives an end of a coil spring 77. The remaining end of the spring 77 is received on a hook 64 formed on the motor 50 in the housing 61. In this way, with the housing 61 being held in a fixed position or stationary position within the internal cavity. ior 30 of the body housing 20 and with the combined structure of the leg units 22 and 23 and the leg unit bridge 70 which is vertically movable and slidably held within the body housing 20 according to the structure set forth below in Figure 5, the force of the spring 77 provides a resilient spring force that displaces the combined structure of the leg units 22 and 23 and the leg unit bridge 70 downwardly from the interior cavity 30 of the body housing 20 to the extended position of the toy 10. In this way, with the motor 50 inactivated or disconnected and with the segment gear 62 rotated to a position without engagement with the gear support 75, the toy of the present invention provides a manual mode of operation in where the user is able to hold either the torso 14 or the head portion 19 (as seen in Figure 1) and exert a downward force that is communicated to the a body loosening 20 and moving the body housing 20 downwards on the combined structure of the leg units 22 and 23 and the leg unit bridge 70 by stretching the spring 77. As the user releases the toy 10, the spring force 77 displaces the combined structure of the leg units 22 and 23 and the bridge of the leg unit 70 downward, against the underlying play surface such as a surface 75 which results in the housing of the body of spring 22 moves upward away from the underlying play surface. As a result, the user is able to repeatedly bounce the toy 10 together in a manual operation.

The most important mode of operation of the toy of the present invention, however, is carried out when the motor 50 is energized and an automatic or repeated jumping or jumping action is carried out. The motor-driven or energized jump action of the toy 10 is initiated as the user forces the torso to the head portion 19 (seen in Figure 1) downwardly with the feet 25 and 26 arranged on a surface such as surface 45. The downward force on the torso 14 or the head portion 19 communicates to the body housing 20 and forces the body housing downwardly on the leg units 22 and 23 resulting in a relative movement between the housing of the body. body 20 and the bridge of the leg unit 70 upwards in the direction indicated by the arrow 81. This upward movement continues until the bridge of the leg unit 70 reaches the actuator of the switch 42 as indicated by the arrow 82 It will be noted that the action of the on / off switching structure 33 will be described in more detail below. However, it is sufficient to note here that the movement of the on / off switch button 32 to the activated position pivots the stop 39 away from the path of travel of the hook 71 on the bridge of the leg unit 70. In this way, the occasion of the on / off switching motor 32 in the activated or on position moves the stop 32 away from the path of travel of the hook 71 and allows downward force on the body housing 20 to move the actuator of the switch 42 against the surface of the bridge of the leg unit 70, according to the bridge of the leg unit 70, reaches the position of bridged lines shown on the arrow 82. Actuation of the switch 42 causes the control unit 40 to activate the motor 50. There will be it will be noted that the motor 50, the control unit 40, the switch 42, the switch 37, the batteries 35 and the horn 43 are provided with appropriate electrical connection wires They are not illustrated, but they are used according to conventional manufacturing techniques. In this way, the wires are used to couple the operating power to the control unit 40 from the batteries 35 and to couple the switch 37 of the control unit 40. Furthermore, the electric power wires are coupled between the control unit 40. and the motor 50 while wires for sound or audio signal connection are coupled between the control unit 40 and the horn 43. This wiring totally goes according to the conventional manufacturing techniques and is omitted from Figure 2 to avoid an undue obstruction of the drawing. In this way, with the actuation of the switch 42, the control unit 40 activates the motor 50 producing rotation of the arrow 51. As set forth below in greater detail and as seen in Figures 3 and 6, an interlocking mechanism provided in the interior cavity 30 includes a pivoting latch pin 90 and a locking surface 74 formed on the underside of the leg unit bridge 70. The operation of the finger 90 against the bridge of the leg unit 70 and the surface Interlock 74, which is seen in Figure 6, is set forth in more detail below. However, it is sufficient to note here that such a locking mechanism is operative to temporarily lock the leg units 22 and 23 and the bridge of the leg unit 70 in the dotted line position indicated by the arrow 82, once that the user forces the body housing 20 downwards on the feet 25 and 26 with sufficient force. As a result, the felt toy 10 appears to "squat" and squat when the user releases the downward force on the toy. With the jump mechanism locked in the squat position, the motor energization 50 and rotation of the output shaft 51 produces the helical gear rotational movement 52. This rotational movement engages through the plurality of gears in the drive unit. gear pulse 60 to provide rotation of the cam 65. By means set forth below in greater detail, the rotation of the cams 65 causes a pivotal movement of the pawl 90 (seen in Figure 6) away from its locked position by releasing the locking mechanism and allowing the energy stored within the stretched spring 77, to move the bridge of the locking unit. legs 70 and leg units 22 and 23 outwardly and downwardly from body housing 20 in the direction indicated by arrow 85. This rapid spring-loaded momentum movement of leg units 22 and 23 and the bridge of the leg unit 70 produces a downward force on the surface 45 urging the body housing 20 upwards causing the toy 10 to jump or bounce. The inclined surface at the bottom of the feet 25 and 26 causes the toy 20 to acquire a forward inclined posture with respect to the surface 45. As a result, the downward pulse movement of the leg units 22 and 23 releases the housing of body 20 and as a result, all toy 10 forward and upwardly as indicated by arrow 86. As spring 77 contracts to the solid line position shown, toy 10 is thrown to the dotted line position shown. Subsequently, with the spring energy 77 expended, the toy 10 returns to rest on the surface 45 having moved up and forward and then seated downwards to again rest on the supporting surface. In further accordance with the present invention, the continuous rotation of the motor 50 rotates the cam 65 furthest from the ratchet 90 and rotates the teeth of the segment gear 62 in engagement with the gear holder 75. As the motor 50 continues to be energized, the The segment gear 65 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow 80 which in turn raises the gear support 75 and the bridge of the leg unit 70 upwards inside the interior cavity 30 in the direction indicated by the arrow 81. This continuous upward movement and as the bridge of the leg unit 70 continues to be raised, the spring 77 is again stretched. As the segment gear 62 continues to rotate by lifting the gear holder 75, the teeth of the segment gear 62 rotate out of engagement with the gear holder 75. Once this engagement is interrupted, the segment gear 62 continues to rotate, without However, in the absence of coupling between the segment gear 62 and the gear holder 65, the bridge of the leg unit 70 is again freely movable and under the displacement of the spring 77, the combined structure of the leg units 22 and 23 and the leg unit bridge 70 are again rapidly propelled downward in the direction indicated by the arrow 84, producing another release of the toy 10 in a jump or jump action. In this way, this cycle is repeated as the motor 50 continues to be energized and as the gear control unit 60 continues to cause rotation of the segment gear 62, in engagement with gear support 75 and out of engagement to release the gear support and produce repeated jumping action. The operating cycle thus described will continue indefinitely, but by the action of a synchronizer 41 within the control unit 40. The synchronizer 41 is operative within the control unit 40 and is reinitialized with each actuation of the switch 42. The synchronizer 41 operates to establish a synchronized interval for operation of the control unit 40 in the energizing motor 50. In this way, in the cycle described above, the actuation of the switch 42 which causes the control unit 40 to activate the motor 50, also reinitializes the synchronizer 41 and causes the synchronizer 41 to start synchronizing an operating interval. Once the synchronizer 41 has finished its operating interval, the control unit 40 is deactivated and in the absence of an additional actuation of the switch 42, the motor 50 is no longer activated. In the operation of the jumping or jumping toy in the present invention, the effect of synchronizer 41 is to provide a limitation of the number of operating cycles produced by the control unit 40. Once the synchronizer 41 has finished its period of time, the control unit 40 interrupts the operation of motor 50 and toy 10 is inoperative and rests on surface 45. Resuming activity by toy 10 requires the user to again force body housing 20 downwardly with sufficient force to overcome the force of the spring 37 and cause the above-described locking of the finger 90 (see Figure 6) and the previously described actuation of the switch 42. At this point, the toy 10 is again squatted and the cycle described above is repeated. As a result, each operating cycle of the toy of the present invention results in a series of jumping or jumping actions followed by a standing or standing action. Each new cycle begins by forcing the upper body portion down on the underlying surface. Figure 3 establishes a view of the perspective structure of the gear control unit 60 together with the leg units 22 and 23 and the leg bridge unit 70. It is also illustrated in the perspective structure view of the Figure 3 the switching structure 33. As described above, the leg units 22 and 23 are attached to a leg unit bridge 70. The leg units 22 and 23 are further coupled to the feet 25 and 26. The unit of leg 22 defines a rib guide 27 while the leg unit 23 defines a rib guide 28. The rib guides 27 and 28 function to maintain adequate sliding movement of the leg units 22 and 23 within the body housing 20 in the manner set forth in Figure 5. The bridge of the leg unit 70 further defines a pair of elongated guides 72 and 73, to cooperate in additionally controlling the sliding movement of the bridge of the leg unit 70 within The body housing 20. The leg unit bridge 70 further includes a gear holder 75, an interlocking surface 74 and a safety hook 71. A housing of the gear control unit 61 is formed of a pair of corresponding mirror image housing portions 61A and 61B. The housing portions 61A and 61B fit together to provide the enclosure for the gear control unit shown as to a gear control unit 60 in Figure 2. An electric motor 50 is received within the housing portions 61A and 61B and includes an output shaft 51 which supports a helical gear 52. A compound gear formed from a gear 53 which engages the helical gear 52 and a gear 54, are rotatably held in the housing 61 by the arrow 102. A gear 55 supported by an arrow 100 inside the housing 61 engages the gear 54. The arrow further supports a clutch structure 56 having a gear 57 engaged. The clutch 56 functions to provide a limited force engagement between the gear 55 and the gear 57 to prevent damage to the operating mechanism of the gear control unit, should an obstacle or a fault be encountered. The gear 57 engages a gear 58 supported within the housing 61 on an arrow 101. A gear 59 supported on an arrow 67 within the housing 61 engages the gear 58 and engages a segment gear 62 also supported on the arrow 67 by the spring coupler 63. The spring coupler 63 provides a resilient coupling between the gear 59 and the segment gear 62, which further protects the operating mechanism of the control unit of gears. The segment gear 62 includes a square coupling element 66 which engages a cam 65. The cam 65 is also rotatably supported by the arrow 67. A spring 77 has an end coupled to a safety hook 71 formed on the bridge of the unit of legs 70 and a remaining end coupled to the housing 71 in a hook 64. A finger 90 is pivotally supported on an arrow 91 within the housing 61 and is coupled to a spring 92. The spring 92 engages the finger 90 and the housing 61, to provide a spring torsional force that moves the finger 90 in pivotal movement with respect to the arrow 91 in the direction indicated by the arrow 93. In this way, the finger 90 moves against the cam 65 by the spring 92. The structure 23 includes a support plate 46 secured within the body housing 20 as seen in Figure 2. The support plate 19 slidably supports an on / off switch button 32 and further includes a pivot support 38. The pivot 38 receives a pivot pin 47 which passes through a passage 48 of the switching lever 78. The switching lever 78 further includes an extension 49 which passes through an opening 79 in the support plate 46 for coupling and partially holding the on / off switch button 32. The switch lever 78 further includes a stop 39. In operation, with the switch lever 78 pivotally held within the pivot e 38 by the pin 47, an electrical switch 37 is coupled to the switching lever 78 in the manner seen in Figure 2. The combined structure provides a pivotal movement of the switching lever 78 in response to lateral movement of the switch button on / off switch 32 which drives the electrical switch 37 and which moves the stop 39 ao of the travel path of the safety hook 71 in the action described above in Figure 2. In this way, with the switch button 32 moved to the position and disconnection, the switching lever 78 is correspondingly pivoted by passing the electrical switch 37 to its off position and pivoting the stop 39 towards an obstruction position within the travel path of the safety hook 71. As a result, the previously described actuation of the switch 42 produced by the upward movement of the bridge of the leg unit 70 is avoided. opposite, with the switch button 32 moving to the on position, the switching lever 78 pivots to simultaneously drive the electrical switch 37 and the pivot stop 39 away from the travel path of the switch hook 71. This in turn allows a complete upward movement of the bridge of the leg unit 70 to operate the switch 42 as indicated in Figure 2. Figure 4 establishes a sectional view of the toy 10 that is taken on the lines of section 4-4 of the Figure 2. Again, to avoid undue obstruction of the drawing Figure, the outer body 11 has been omitted from Figure 4. As described above, the toy 10 includes a body housing 20 having a battery compartment 34 and a door for battery compartment 16 there supported. Within the compartment 34, a plurality of batteries 35 is held. Also within the battery compartment 34 a plurality of conventional electrical connection terminals are provided to provide electrical connections to the batteries 35. The body housing 20 is held by a tail portion 24 and a pair of leg units 22 and 23 that they have feet 25 and 26, respectively. As described above, the leg units 22 and 23 are joined by a leg unit bridge 70 that supports a gear holder 75. A gear control unit 60 includes a housing 61 formed of the housing portions 61A and 6IB , includes a gear 58 coupled to a gear 59 which in turn engages a segment gear 62 by a spring coupler 63. A cam 65 is rotatably held within the housing 61 and engages the segment gear 62. As best seen in Figure 6, a finger 90 is pivotally supported by the housing 61 and moved to the cam 65 by a spring 92 (seen in Figure 3). A coil spring 77 is held between the housing 61 and a leg unit bridge 70 in the manner seen in Figure 2. Figure 7 establishes a sectional view of the toy 10 which is taken on the section lines 5-5 of FIG. Figure 2. Again, it will be understood that the outer body cover 11 was omitted in the drawing of Figure 5 to avoid undue obstruction of the drawing Figure. As described above, Drawing Figure 10 includes a body housing 20 defining an interior cavity 30 and holding a tail 24. The body housing 20 further supports a housing 61 formed in the housing positions 61A and 61B. The housing 61 supports a motor 50 having an output shaft 51 which in turn holds a helical gear 52. As also described above, the toy 10 includes a pair of leg units 22 and 23 having legs 25 and 26 supported in this way. The leg units 22 and 23 are slidably held within passages 94 and 95 formed in the interior cavity 30 of the body housing 20. The leg unit 22 defines opposite placed guide ribs 27 and 87 that are received within corresponding guide channels. formed in the body housing 20 to provide vertical movement, as the leg unit 20 slides within the channel 94. Similarly, the leg unit 23 includes guide ribs 28 and 88 which are received within the corresponding vertical channels, which are form in the body housing 20 whereby the leg unit 23 is slidably received within the passageway 95 formed in the body housing 20. As a result, the leg units 20 and 22 slide uniformly in vertical movement with respect to the housing of body 20. Figure 6 establishes a view of the structure in partial perspective of the mechanism of interlocking or of acerrojamiento that pro It is provided by the finger 90, the bridge of the leg unit 70 and the cam 65. Figure 6 is provided to illustrate the spatial relationships between the finger 90, the bridge of the leg unit 70 and the cam 65. In this way , the various support apparatuses supporting the finger 90 and the cam 65 are best seen in Figures 3 and Figure 2 described above. The important thing in Figure 6 is to show the spatial relationship between the finger 90 and the interlocking surface 74 of the bridge of the leg unit 70. In this way, the finger 90 moves towards the cam 65 in the direction indicated by the arrow 110 through the action of spring 92 (seen in Figure 3). As a result, the upward movement of the bridge of the leg unit 70 described above and shown in Figure 2, which occurs when the user forces the toy body portion 10 down to the squat position, allows the bridge of the Leg unit 70 moves towards a sufficient distance to allow the finger 90 to pivot in the direction indicated by the arrow 110 by bridging the upper edge of the finger 90 in alignment with the locking surface 74. The position of the cam 65 as shown in FIG. illustrates, facilitates this inward movement of the finger 90. The interaction of the upper edge of the finger 90 and the interlocking surface 74 prevents downward movement of the bridge of the leg unit 70. As a result, an interlock that holds the toy Figure in a "squat" position described above, results. As stated earlier in Figure 2, described in conjunction therewith, the toy Figure of the present invention remains in the squat position as the cam 65 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 111. As the eccentric lobe of the cam 65 is rotated in contact with finger 90, finger 90 is pivoted away from edge 74 and the interlocking characteristic is overcome. This allows the start of a jumping or jumping cycle for the toy 10. While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications can be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Thus, the purpose of the appended claims is to cover all these changes and modifications that fall within the real spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims (1)

1.- A toy that has a jump action, characterized in that it comprises: a body housing that defines an interior cavity; a pair of leg units defining a pair of feet and slidably held by the body housing between an extended position and a retracted position; a gear control operative on the pair of leg units, for moving the leg units from the extended position to the retracted position and releasing the pair of leg units; spring means for moving the pair of leg units towards the extended position; and an outer body that provides a flexible cover for the body housing, the pair of leg units and the feet.