US20100099328A1

US20100099328A1 - Simulated eye for toy

Info

Publication number: US20100099328A1
Application number: US12/545,089
Authority: US
Inventors: Man-Zhong Wang; Bin Jiang; Shi-Pei Zhang
Original assignee: Hongfujin Precision Industry Shenzhen Co Ltd; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
Current assignee: Hongfujin Precision Industry Shenzhen Co Ltd; Hon Hai Precision Industry Co Ltd
Priority date: 2008-10-21
Filing date: 2009-08-21
Publication date: 2010-04-22
Also published as: CN101721815A

Abstract

A simulated eye is capable of being changeable in an opened state and a closed state. The simulated eye includes an eyeball, an upper eyelid covering the eyeball, a pivot rod, and a driving device having a shaft. The pivot rod is pivotally coupled to the eyeball, the eyelid is fixed to the pivot rod, and the pivot rod is engaged with the shaft and is driven to rotate by the driving device. Accordingly, the upper eyelid is driven to rotate relative to the eyeball by the driving device, so as to simulate an opened state and a closed state of human eyes.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates to toys and, more particularly, to a simulated eye for a toy.
2. Description of Related Art
As the development of the electronic technology, more and more robot toys simulate people's actions, such as, walking, jumping, and so on. As known, eyes are one of the most important organs of human body, and people can express various feelings via the action of the eyes. However, the eyes of robot toys simulate by imitating various shapes of the human eyes, other simulation effects of the eyes of the robot toys are needed to make the robot looks more lifelike. Therefore, what is needed is a simulated eye capable of simulating more human eyes' actions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components of the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments of the simulated eye. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout several views.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a simulated eye having an eyeball and an eyelid while in an opened state in accordance with one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1, but viewed from another aspect.

FIG. 3 is also a perspective view of the simulated eye of FIG. 1, but showing the simulated eye being in a closed state.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the simulated eye of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a back view of the eyeball shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the simulated eye of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-3, a simulated eye 10 is changeable between an opened state and a closed state. The simulated eye 10 includes a semispherical eyeball 100, a semispherical upper eyelid 200 covering the eyeball 100, a semispherical lower eyelid 120, a driving device 300, and a bracket 150. An iris 102 is disposed on an external surface of the eyeball 100, and the eyeball 100 is fixed to the lower eyelid 120. The driving device 300 is configured for driving the upper eyelid 200 to rotate so as to shield and/or expose the iris 102. The bracket 150 is attached to the lower eyelid 120. The simulated eye 10 is fixed to a toy or a robot via the bracket 150.
Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, two opposite bearings 108 are symmetrically mounted at the rim of the eyeball 100, and the two bearings 108 are aligned in a straight line extending through a center of the eyeball 100. A supporting member 110 protrudes inwardly from an inner surface of the eyeball 100 and is adjacent to one bearing 108. The supporting member 110 includes a smooth surface 112 facing the bearing 108. Two arcuate fixing members 202 protrude downwardly from two opposite ends of the upper eyelid 200. The two fixing members 202 are disposed corresponding to the two bearings 108, and a round hole 204 is defined in each fixing member 202.
The simulated eye 10 further includes a pivot rod 104, a gear 106 fixed on the pivot rod 104. The pivot rod 104 is pivotally fixed in the two bearings 108. Furthermore, the length of the pivot rod 104 is longer than the distance of the two bearings 108, so that the pivot rod 104 is insertable in the round holes 204.
The driving device 300 having a rack 302 is configured for engaging with the gear 106 and driving the upper eyelid 200 to rotate. A plurality of teeth 304 are formed on a surface of the rack 302, and another surface opposite to the surface having teeth 304 is smooth. The rack 302 is driven by the driving device 300 and is movable inwardly and outwardly relative to the driving device 300. The driving device 300 can be fixed on a housing (not shown) of the simulated eye 10, or can be fixed on a toy using the simulated eye 10.
Furthermore, the driving device 300 can be a step motor, a servo motor, or the like. In the embodiment, referring to FIG. 6, the driving device 300 includes a coil 306, and an elastic element 308 fixed in the coil 306. The coil 306 is electrically connected to a power source (not shown), and generates magnetism while being powered on. A part of the rack 302 is received in the coli 306, and the rack 302 is made from magnetic material, such as iron, cobalt, magnet, and the like. In one embodiment, the rack 302 may be a magnet. The elastic element 308 is further coupled to the rack 302. In one embodiment, the elastic element 308 may be a coil spring. Accordingly, when the coil 306 is powered on, the rack 302 is attracted by the magnetism to move inwardly. At the same time, the elastic element 308 is pressed by the rack 302 and elastically deformed to store elastic energy. When the coil 306 is powered off, the elastic element 308 releases the elastic energy and drives the rack 302 return to an original position.
In assembly, the pivot rod 104 extends through the two opposite bearings 108. The gear 106 fixed on the pivot rod 104 is opposite to the supporting member 110, and the rack 302 is sandwiched between the supporting member 110 and the gear 106, so that the rack 302 is engaged with the gear 106. Two ends of the pivot rod 104 are further locked into the two round holes 204 respectively. Accordingly, the upper eyelid 200 is rotatable with the pivot rod 104.
After assembly, the upper eyelid 200 is fixed on the pivot rod 104, and the pivot rod 104 is pivotally coupled to the eyeball 100. The rack 302 locked between the gear 106 and the supporting member 110, is engaged with the gear 106 and is driven to slide relative to the supporting member 110 by the driving device 300. Accordingly, the pivot rod 104 is arranged for translating a linear movement of the rack 302 with respect to the gear 106 to a rotational movement of the upper eyelid 200. Therefore, the upper eyelid 200 is driven to rotate relative to the eyeball 100, so that to simulate an opened state and a closed state of human eyes.
Referring to FIG. 6, when the rack 302 is driven to move inwardly by the driving device 300, the upper eyelid 200 is rotated toward the lower eyelid 120, and the simulated eye 10 changes to a closed state. Referring to FIG. 1, when the rack 302 is driven to move outwardly by the driving device 300, the upper eyelid 200 is rotated away from the lower eyelid 120, and the simulated eye 10 is in an opened state.
Although the present disclosure has been specifically described on the basis of the embodiments thereof, the disclosure is not to be construed as being limited thereto. Various changes or modifications may be made to the embodiments without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure.

Claims

1. A simulated eye, comprising:

an eyeball;

an upper eyelid covering the eyeball;

a pivot rod; and

a driving device having a shaft;

wherein the pivot rod is pivotally coupled to the eyeball, the upper eyelid is fixed to the pivot rod, the pivot rod is engaged with the shaft and is driven to rotate by the driving device.

2. The simulated eye as described in claim 1, wherein two fixing members protrude form the upper eyelid, a round hole is defined in each fixing member, and the pivot rod is fixed to the upper eyelid via the two round holes.

3. The simulated eye as described in claim 2, wherein two bearings opposite to each other are symmetrically mounted on the eyeball, the two bearings are disposed corresponding to the two fixing members and are aligned in a straight line extending through a center of the eyeball, the pivot rod is pivotally coupled to the eyeball via the two bearings.

4. The simulated eye as described in claim 1, wherein a gear is fixed to the pivot rod, the shaft comprises a plurality of teeth, and the shaft is meshed with the gear via the plurality of teeth.

5. The simulated eye as described in claim 4, wherein a supporting member protrudes inwardly from an inner surface of the eyeball to support the shaft, the supporting member is opposite to the gear, the shaft is sandwiched between the supporting member and the gear.

6. The simulated eye as described in claim 1, wherein the shaft is made from magnetic material and is movable relative to the driving device, the driving device comprises a coil, the shaft is driven to move inwardly when the coil being powered on.

7. The simulated eye as described in claim 6, wherein at least one elastic element is fixed in the coil, the at least one elastic element is further coupled to the shaft, the at least one elastic element is pressed by the shaft while the coil being powered on and elastically deformed, and the at least one elastic element restores to drive the shaft return to an original position while the coil being powered off.

8. The simulated eye as described in claim 1, further comprising a lower eyelid, the lower eyelid is attached to the eyeball.

9. The simulated eye as described in claim 1, wherein the driving device is a step motor or a servo motor, the driving device drives the upper eyelid to shield and expose the eyeball.

10. A simulated eye capable of being operated to change between an opened state and a closed state, the simulated eye comprising:

an eyeball disposed with an iris;

an eyelid coverable on the eyeball; and

a driving device coupled to the eyelid for driving the eyelid to rotate relative to the eyeball;

wherein when the eyelid is driven by the driving device to rotate relative to the eyeball to the closed state, the iris of the eyeball is substantially hidden by the eyelid, and when the eyelid is driven by the driving device to rotate relative to the eyeball to the opened state, the iris of the eyeball is exposed and viewable.

11. The simulated eye as described in claim 10, further comprising a rack and a gear engaged with the rack, the rack being coupled to the driving device, the gear being fixed to the eyelid, the driving device is capable of driving the rack to move linearly, the gear is caused to rotate by engaging with the rack, thereby the eyelid is caused to rotate accordingly.