US3664670A - Doll launcher game - Google Patents

Abstract

A DOLL CAPABLE OF BEING UTILIZED WITH ASSOCIATED GAME APPARATUS INCLUDING A GRID-LIKE GAME BOARD FOR RECEIVING BALL-LIKE MISSILES. AN ACTIE PLAYER LAUNCHING MEANS IS PROVIDED TOGETHER WITH A LAUNCHING MEANS FOR THE DOLL. MOTOR MEANS IN THE DOLL IS ASSOCIATED WITH LINKAGE FOR DRIVING AN ARM OF THE DOLL THROUGH A PATH OF TRAVEL TO LAUNCH A MISSILE TOWARDS THE GAME BOARD. CIRCUITRY CONNECTS THE AC-

TIVE PLAYER LAUNCHING MEANS TO THE DOLL TO ACTIVATE THE DOLL RESPONSIVE TO LAUNCHING OF A MISSLE FROM THE ACTIVE PLAYER LAUNCHING MEANS.

Description

May 23, 1972 GLASS ET AL DOLL LAUNCHER GAME 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 28, 1971 \NVENTORS MAPV/A LGLASS JEFFFEYQBPESLOW EU6A-WEJAW025K/ VWNHIIII u w m, gwmmw ATTORNEYS May 23, 1972 M. I. GLASS L DOLL LAUNCHER GAME.

4 Sheets-Sheet s Filed Jan. 28,

v mvsmons mew nemss ATTORNEYS May 23, 1972 M. l. GLASS ET DOLL LAUNCHER GAME Filed Jan. 28, 1971 4 Sheets-Sheet -1 NmF m2.

u G2. 2 x 0Q 1 IN VE N TORS MAPV/IV 64468 di /P570. @554 CW I EUGENE u woesz/ BY W' W. (ll/aw wuw WM ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,664,670 DOLL LAUNCHER GAME Marvin I. Glass and Jeffrey D. Breslow, Chicago, and Eugene Jaworski, Park Ridge, 11]., assignors to Marvm Glass & Associates Filed Jan. 28, 1971, Ser. No. 110,699 Int. Cl. A63h 33/26 US. Cl. 273-101 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to a doll capable of being utilized with an associated game device.

Brief description of the prior art There have been developed many different types of toys or dolls which simulate people or animals and the like and are capable of limited responses to a signal or command to perform certain acts or maneuvers. Such toys or dolls are a source of amusement to younger children in that the children feel a sense of control over an object which is responsive to their commands.

In some instances, children desire to simulate competition with animated dolls or toys. Few, if any such presently available animated dolls or toys are capable of direct competition with a child. The purpose of this invention is to provide a doll which is capable of competing with an active participant.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention is directed, in brief, to the provision of a novel doll which is capable of directly competing with an active player.

The best mode currently contemplated for carrying out the invention includes the provision of a doll having articulated legs and arms, with one of the arms being connected to motor means to drive the arm through a path of travel. Associated implements for use in particpating in competitive activity with the doll include a grid-like game board having openings therethrough for receiving ball-like elements. An active player launching element is provided including a spring arm for flipping a ball towards the game board. The launching element includes a contact member in the path of travel of the spring arm. A similar launching means is provided for the doll. Motor means associated with the doll for driving the movable arm is activated by the engagement of the active player launching element spring arm with a contact member therein following which the simulated player will be driven through one launching cycle operation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the elements of the simulated player and associated game of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the simulated player assembly of this invention;

3,664,670 Patented May 23, 1972 FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal section view of the simulated player assembly of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a vertical section view of the simulated player of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section view of the simulated player of this invention taken generally along the lines 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the ballfeeding tray associated with the simulated player assembly;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the ball release lever in a ball-dispensing position; and

FIG. 8 is a vertical section view through the active player launching assembly.

While this invention is susceptible of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail a specific embodiment therefor, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT This invention is directed to a motor operated doll 10 and related accessories 11 which may be utilized therewith. The related accessories which may be utilized with the motor operated doll 10 of this invention include a target member or playing element receiving means 12, which is generally box-like in configuration including upstanding sides such as 12a and 12b terminating in an open top 14. A grid-like frame 16 is positioned in the interior of the playing element receiving means. Frame 16 spans the sides 12a and 12b and is recessed relative of the open top. The grid frame 16 includes a plurality of openings 18 which are intended to receive a playing element therein as will be explained later.

An active player playing piece launching means 20 is provided, including a base 22 and a generally medial upright portion 24. Upright portion 24 includes spaced sidewalls 24a and a depending rear wall 24b with a forwardly and downwardly inclined top surface 24c having a ball-receiving opening 24d therein for receiving a missile, playing element, or ball 25. Preferably, the playing elements or balls 25 to be utilized with the game 10 of this invention would be of a type similar in characteristic to that of a well-known ping pong ball.

A launching lever 26 is connected at its inner end 28 to the underside of top 240. Lever 26 is preferably made of a resilient material such as spring metal so that it may be moved to a stressed or cocked position, and re leased therefrom to rapidly return to its original position and launch a ball from opening 24c. Lever 26 underlies opening 24d and extends through an opening 30- in the rear wall 24b so that its outer end is positioned to the exterior of the medial upright portion 24 and may be provided with a suitable knob 32 thereon. Lead wires 34 and 36 extend from connection to lever 26 and a contact 38, respectively. Contact 38 is fastened to the underside of top 24c and is positioned immediately below launching lever 26 in a position to be engaged thereby when the launching lever 26 is depressed only slightly downwardly.

The accessories to be utilized with the doll 10 further includes a simulated player launching assembly 41 similar to the active player launching means 20. The launching assembly 41 includes a base 42 having a generally medially oriented upright portion 44 including spaced side Walls 44a and upright rear wall 44b having an offset portion 44b formed therein, a downwardly and fonwardly inclined top portion 44c having a ball-receiving opening 44d therein for receiving the same playing piece elements or balls 25 therein as received in opening 240 in top 240 of launching means 20.

The launching assembly 41 also includes a launching lever 46 having an inner end 48 which is connected to the underside of top 440. Lever 46 has the same characteristics and relative location as lever 26. Lever 46 extends outwardly through an opening 50 in the rear wall 44b so that the outer, or free end thereof, is to the exterior of the medial upright portion 44 and may be provided with a knob 52 thereon.

Associated with the launching assembly 41 is a ballfeeding means 54. Ball-feeding means comprises an inclined tray 56 which has a generally tear-drop configuration in plan and is supported on top of the portion 440 of medial upright portion 44 of the launching assembly 41. This support may be by way of either a detachable or releasable engagement or the feeding means 54 may be integrally molded as part of the launching assembly 41.

The tray 56 is provided with a generally centrally positioned, uprightly extending serpentine partition 58 and peripherally oriented and uprightly extending outer walls 60 to define a gravity influence, ball-feeding track. A ballreceiving opening 62 is provided in the tray and a ballrelease lever 64 underlies the opening including a rear end 65 which extends outwardly beyond the tray 56 towards the launching lever 46, and particularly, the outer end 52 thereof.

The underside of the tray 56 includes a depending bracket structure 66 and the ball-release lever 64 is pivoted thereto by means of pivot connection 68. A ball-holding cup 70 normally occupies the space of opening 62. Cup 70 includes a forwardly extending finger 72 which is intended to engage the underside of tray 56 and a depending arcuate segmental web 74 which is intended to block the opening 62 during manipulation of the ball-release lever and ball-holding cup 70. The ball-holding cup further includes a depending bracket structure 76 and the cup is pivoted to the offset forward end 80' of the ball-release lever 64 by means of pivot connections 78 on the forward end 80 of the ball-release lever. With particular reference to FIGS. 1, 3, 6 and 7, when the rear end 65 of ballrelease lever 64 has downward movement imparted thereto, the lever will pivot in the direction indicated by arrow A in FIG. 7 about the pivot 68 which will cause the forward end 80 to pivot upwardly in the direction indicated by arrow B in FIG. 7 so that the ball-holding cup 70 will be pushed through opening 62. As finger 72 engages the underside of tray 56, the ball-holding cup 70 will pivot about its pivotal mounting '80 to thrust a ball 24 forwardly. At the same time, the arcuate segmental Web 74 depending from the ball-holding cup 70 will prevent the entry of the next adjacent ball 25 through opening 62. When downward motion is released from the rear end 65 of ball-release lever 64, it will return to the position shown in FIG. 6 and the next adjacent ball 25 will be gravity fed partially through opening 62 and into a seating relation with respect to the cup 70.

The launching assembly 41 also includes a pair of spaced openings 82 in the rear wall 44b. Simulated player nesting plugs 84 and 86 extend outwardly through the openings 82 and rear wall 44b and include contact elements 84a and 86a which are connected to lead wires 34 and 36.

The doll 10 of this invention is intended to be capable of competing with a child as a simulated player during the play of a game. Doll 10 includes a torso portion 92 having a hollow interior and legs 94 and 96 which are connected to the torso at movable joints 94a and 96a for swingable movement with respect to the torso. Arms 98 and 100 are also provided and include inwardly directed hubs 98a and 100a with circumferential recesses 98b and 10012 for rotatab-ly mounting each of the arms 98 and 100 with respect to arm hole openings 102 and 104, respectively. In the interior of the torso 92 there is provided a sleeve 106 which surrounds a shaft 108 with shaft 108 extending into hub portions 98a and a of the arms 98 and 100 to join the hubs 98a, sleeve 106 and hub 100a together.

Arm 100 is fixed to shaft 108 for rotation therewith but sleeve 106 and arm 98 are rotatable relative to shaft 108. Sleeve 106 and arm 98 have peripheral recesses 106' and 98' for receiving detent member 109. Member '109 is mounted on the end of spring arm 109a atlixed at 10% to sleeve 106. Thus, rotational movement applied to sleeve 106 will be transmitted as rotational movement to arm 98. Also, the arm 98 may override detent member 109 when it is grasped by its extremity so that the arm may be moved independently of any driving force imparted thereto.

The doll or simulated player .10 further includes a head portion 110. The bottom opening 110a of the head has a frame insert 112 therein from which a depending cam arm 114 depends into the interior of torso 92. The neck opening 116 of the torso 92 has a plate 118 extending thereacross and supports upwardly extending brackets 120. An opening 122 is provided in plate 118 in alignment with brackets 120, and the cam arm 114 extends downwardly through opening 102 and is pivotally connected to brackets .120 at pivotal pin 124. A return spring 125 runs from arm 114 to connection with the interior of torso 92.

The interior of the torso 92 is also provided with a motor and gear train frame 128 which supports a battery 130 between bracket ends 132. Wires 134 and 136 lead from opposite ends of bracket 132 to the plug contacts 138 and 140 in receptacles 142 and 144 at the forward portion of the torso 92. Frame 128 supports a motor 146 having an output shaft 148 with a drive gear 150 thereon. Activation of motor 146 causes rotation of gear 150 to drive the several gears of the gear train 152 and thereby drive the gear train output shaft 154.

At one end of the output shaft .154 a wheel 156 is connected thereto to the exterior of frame 128. Wheel 156 has a notch 158 therein. Underlying wheel 156 is a first contact 160 and a second contact 162 spaced thereabove having a semicircular tab end 162a for reception in notch 158.

The other end of gear train output shaft 154 has a cam Wheel 166 fixed thereto for rotation with shaft 154 including a cardioid periphery 166a which tracks on the lower end of arm 114. By this arrangement, as shaft 154 rotates, the head 110 is given a slight to-an-fro nodding action as cam arm 114 tracks on the periphery 166a of cam wheel 166 and pivots about the pivotal mounting 124.

Arm drive wheel 168 is also connected to shaft 154 to the exterior of frame 128 and link 170 is pivotally mounted eccentrically on wheel 168 and 172. The opposite end of link 170 is forked at 176 and pin 178 extends therethrough to pivotally connect the forked end 176 of arm 170 with radial extension 180 of sleeve 106. Thus, as shaft 154 rotates responsive to driving of the gear train by motor 146, wheel 168 will also rotate, and, because the arm 170 is eccentrically mounted relative to Wheel 168, this will cause a reciprocating movement in arm 170. As best seen in FIG. 2, this will cause the doll arm 98 to move between an uppermost raised position and a lowermost position whereby, when going through this path of travel, the arm may strike a lever or the like, such as the rear end 65 of lever 64 and the launching knob 52 to perform all feeding and launching functions.

In operation, the tray 56 is provided with a plurality of missile elements or balls 25, with one of the balls residing in the cup 70. The target member 12 is spaced generally equidistant from both of the launching means. A missile element is also deposited in opening 240. of the active player launching element. The child playing the game with the doll then depresses launching lever 26, which will cause the lever 26 to engage contact 3 8 to close the circuit across wires 34 and 36 thereby initiate rotation of motor 146. Prior to the engagement of lever 26 with contact 38, the doll is inactive. The initial rotation of motor 146 is sufiicient to urge tab end 162a outwardly from notch 158 in Wheel 156, to close the circuit across contacts 160 and 162, thereby assuring continuous operation of motor 146 for one revolution of wheel 156.

In the interim, the child continues to depress lever 26 to place it in a stressed or cocked condition, and then releases the launching lever 26, causing a ball 25 to be launched into a path of travel toward the target 12. As motor 146 continues to rotate, wheel 168 also rotates, pulling link 170 downwardly. This causes arm 98 to be pulled downwardly also, and the arm first engages ball release lever 64 which, by means of the tilting of cup 70, causes a ball 25 to roll down the tray and occupy opening 44d in the passive player launching means 41. At the same time, cam arm 114 tracks on periphery 166a of cam wheel 166, causing the head of the doll to tilt downwardly toward launching means 44. As arm 98 continues downwardly, it engages the knob 52 on launching lever 46. Continued downward movement of the arm depresses or cocks lever 46, and when the arm 100 has moved downwardly a sufficient distance to release its engagement with knob 52, as shown in dotted outline in FIG. 2, lever 46 is released and ball 25 will be launched into a path of travel toward the target board. The continued tracking of cam arm 114 on cam 166 causes the head of the doll to be tilted upwardly as the ball 25 is launched to simulate the action of following the flight of the ball.

During the period of time that arm 98 is moving through its path of travel, cam arm 114 tracks on the periphery 166a of cam wheel 166 causing a nodding motion to be imparted to head 110. Continued rotation of wheel 168 causes reverse reciprocation of link .170 to return arm 98 to the uppermost position as shown in dotted outline in FIG. 2. As the arm reaches the uppermost position, notch 158 in wheel 156 is presented to end 162a of contact 162, allowing contact 162 to separate from contact 160 and thereby break the circuit across these contacts. This cycle of operation is repeated each time an active player or participant depresses launching lever 26.

To set the game up for use, the simulated player 90 is positioned as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, with the legs 94 and 96 extending outwardly in a simulated seated position. Plugs 84 and 86 of launching assembly 41 are inserted into receptacles 142 and 144 so that contact elements 84a and 86a engage contacts 138 and 140. This establishes connection between wires 134 and I136 in the torso and wires 3-4 and 36 respectively, which lead from launching assembly 20. By this arrangement the simulated player is part of the active circuit with the launching assembly 20.

The object of the game is for a child to compete with the doll in an attempt to successfully launch the missile elements 25 into a path of travel so that they will be received in the openings 18 of target 12. It is to be understood that different forms of targets could be provided, other than the exemplary form 12 shown herein. Successful play of the game could be determined by the total number of missile elements which the active and simulated participant successfully launched or by playing the game as a variation of tic-tac-toe and establishing a successful straight-line pattern thereacross.

It can be seen that the doll and associated implements of this invention are well suited for competitive activity with a child participant. The doll responds to each launching maneuver of the child so that the competitive activity continues as long as the child continues his launching maneuvers and the doll is provided with a supply of missile elements in the tray 56. Thus, the child may actually play a competitive game with the doll and compete with the doll as he would with a playmate.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as some modifications may be obvious to those skilled in the art.

We claim:

1. A competitive action doll for use with competitive game accessories including missile launching elements, the doll comprising means defining a simulated body and simulated limbs, with at least one of the limbs being articulated for movement from a rest position through a launching path of travel and for return to the rest position; motor means operably associated with the doll; means interconnecting the motor means with the articulated limb for driving the same through said launching path of travel; circuit means interconnecting said moto-r means with a source of power for activating said motor responsive to momentary closing of the circuit means interconnecting said motor means with a source of power to initiate driving said limb through said launching path of travel and means for continuously closing the circuit between the motor means and the source of power for a predetermined period of time following said momentary closing to continue to drive said limb through said launching path of travel.

2. The doll of claim 1 wherein the means for continuously closing the circuitry includes a circuit closing member connected to the motor and driven thereby.

3. The doll of claim 2 wherein a pair of normally open contacts are positioned adjacent to the circuit closing member and wherein the circuit closing member has surface portions engageable with at least one contact responsive to initial driving of said motor to close the contacts together and establish circuitry therethrough for a predetermined period of time.

4. The doll of claim 3 wherein the circuit closing member is a disc having a recess and one contact has a detent portion of a size and shape to occupy said recess.

"5. The doll of claim 1 wherein the circuit means interconnecting said motor means with a source of power includes lead wires associated with external connecting means on the doll for connection with external switch means remote from the (1011.

6. The doll of claim \1 including connecting means thereon and a doll missile launching means having complementary connecting means thereon for orienting the doll relative to the launching means.

7. The doll of claim 6 wherein the doll launching means includes a launching element which is positioned for engagement by said doll limb when the doll is connected to the doll launching means.

8. The doll of claim 7 wherein a missile element feeding means is associated with the doll launching means and includes a missile releasing lever in the path of travel of the doll limb for releasing a missile to the launching means as said limb moves through the launching path of travel.

9. The doll of claim 8 wherein the missile element feeding means includes a missile holding station and a ramp means extending therefrom to said doll launching means with the missile releasing lever associated with a mechanism at the holding station to release a missile therefrom onto said ramp responsive to engagement of the missile releasing lever by said doll limb.

10. The doll of claim 7 wherein the circuit means interconnecting the motor means with a source of power includes lead wires associated with the connecting means and wherein the launching means connecting means has lead wires extending therefrom to a switch means remote from the doll.

11. The doll of claim 10 including, in combination therewith, an active player launching means for launching a missile toward a target with the remote switch means being associated with said active player launching means to activate said doll motor responsive to activation of said switch means at said active player launching means.

12. The doll of claim 1 wherein the doll includes head means movably mounted thereon with said motor including head tracking means associated therewith, and head guide means associated with said head means and said tracking means for movement of said head means as said motor drives said limb.

13. The combination of claim 111 wherein the means for continuously closing the circuitry includes a circuit closing member connected to the motor and driven thereby.

14. The combination of claim 13 wherein a pair of normally open contacts are positioned adjacent to the circuit closing member and wherein the circuit closing member has surface portions engageable with at least one contact responsive to initial driving of said motor to close the contacts together and establish circuitry therethrough for a predetermined period of time.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the doll includes head means movably mounted thereon with said motor including head tracking means associated therewith, and head guide means associated with said head means and said tracking means for movement of said head means as said motor drives said limb.

16. The combination of claim 14 wherein a missile element feeding means is associated with the doll launching means and includes a missile releasing lever in the path of travel of the doll limb for releasing a missile to the launching means as said limb moves through the launching path of travel.

17. The combination of claim 16 wherein the missile element feeding means includes a missile holding station and a ramp means extending therefrom to said doll launching means with the missile releasing lever associated with a mechanism at the holding station to release a missile therefrom onto said ramp responsive to engagement of the missile releasing lever by said doll limb.

1 8. The combination of claim 117 wherein the doll includes head means movably mounted thereon with said motor including head tracking means associated therewith, and head guide means associated with said head means and said tracking means for movement of said head means as said motor drives said limb.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,103,762 9/1963 Glass et a1. 46247 3,436,859 4/1969 Dekau 46247 3,442,040 5/ 1969 Dore 46245 LOUIS G. MANCENE, Primary Examiner R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R.

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