US3745696A

US3745696A - Doll having means for changing facial expression upon turning of head

Info

Publication number: US3745696A
Application number: US00230594A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Sapkus; J Lewis; R Leidtke; A Villasana
Original assignee: Mattel Inc
Current assignee: Mattel Inc
Priority date: 1972-03-01
Filing date: 1972-03-01
Publication date: 1973-07-17
Anticipated expiration: 1990-07-17
Also published as: DE2244711A1

Abstract

A doll which can be made to smile or to pout and cry when its head is turned to the left or right, comprising an elastic hollow head member and mechanisms for deforming it when the head is turned. A rigid member braces the center of the upper lip so it does not move. A lower lip member can move the lower lip down or up, while a corner moving member can move the corners of the mouth up or down, all movements being relative to the center of the upper lip to create a smile or pout. The corner moving member is mounted to pull the corners of the mouth back as it moves them up and to push the corners of the mouth forwardly as it moves them down, to make the expression more natural. When the mouth opens in a smile, a hole in the mouth cavity is exposed for the reception of water that flows into a reservoir in the head, then when the head is moved to a pout position the reservoir is squeezed to supply water to holes in the eyes so that the doll appears to cry.

Description

Sapkus et al.

[in 3,745,696 [451 July 17,1973

DOLL HAVING MEANS FOR CHANGING FACIAL EXPRESSION UPON TURNING OF HEAD [21] Appl Field Inventors: Jurgis Sapkus, Manhattan Beach; J.

Stephen Lewis, Pacific Palisades; Ronald R. Leidtke, Redondo Beach; Armando P. Villasana, Los Angeles,

all of Calif.

Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif.

Mar. 1, 1972 US. Cl. 46/135 R, 46/141 Int. Cl. A63h 11/00, A63h 3/24 of Search 46/135 R, 141

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Bowers 46/135 R Wittmann 46/169 R X Schaeffer 46/135 R Cohn.. 46/135 R Crosman 46/135 R Primary Examiner-F. Barry Shay Attorney-Seymour A. Scholnick [57] ABSTRACT A doll which can be made to smile or to pout and cry when its head is turned to the left or right, comprising an elastic hollow head member and mechanisms for deforming it when the head is turned. A rigid member braces the center of the upper lip so it does not move. A lower lip member can move the lower lip down or up, while a comer moving member can move the corners of the mouth up or down, all movements being relative to the center of the upper lip to create a smile or pout. The corner moving member is mounted to pull the corners of the mouth back as it moves them up and to push the corners of the mouth forwardly as it moves them down, to make the expression more natural. When the mouth opens in a smile, a hole in the mouth cavity is exposed for the reception of water that flows into a reservoir in the head, then when the head is moved to a pout position the reservoir is squeezed to supply water I to holes in the eyes so that the doll appears to cry.

' 3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PAIENTEnJuL i nan sum 2 UF 4 DOLL HAVING MEANS FOR CHANGING FACIAL EXPRESSION UPON TURNING OF HEAD BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION pout, can make entertaining toys. While the functions of smiling, pouting, crying, and the like are entertaining novelties, the acceptability of a doll is largely determined by the cuteness of the doll both in any neutral position between a definite smile and pout and in the smiling and pouting configurations. A variety of dolls are known which can smile or pout, but the expressions have often not been appealing. One approach .to changing the facial expression has been to utilize a simple lever for raising and lowering the lower lip, but while this gives an appearance reminescent of a smile or pout, it often results in a largely artificial expression. Of course, the actual human face includes numerous muscles which cooperate in a complex manner to produce facial expressions, and it .is not possible to duplicate such a mechanism in a moderately priced toy. Furthermore, cuter expressions can be obtained by exaggerating certain facial movements rather than attempting to duplicate actual expressions of babies. A problem exists, however, in choosing a small number of facial movements, whether related to actual facial movements of children or not, which can be performed by relatively simple mechanisms, and which can combine to produce very cute changes of facial expression.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a doll is provided which can be made to change in facial expression between a neutral configuration wherein it has a slight smile, to configurations wherein it has a broad smile or a deep pout, and wherein the expressions are realistic or slightly exaggerated so that the doll is very appealing. The doll includes a hollow head construction of flexible material and braced against deformation at the center of the upper lip. A lower lip moving member moves the lower lip up and down relative to the center of the upper lip, while a corner moving member connected to the inside of the heat member at the opposite comers of the mouth moves the comers of the mouth up and down with respect to the center of the upper lip. When the head is turned to the right, the lower lip is moved down and the corners of the mouth are moved up to create a broad smile. When the head is turned to the left, the lower lip is moved up while the corners of the mouth are moved down to create a pout. The member that moves the comers of the mouth, moves them rearwardly or forwardly when moving them respectively up or down, to prevent unnatural distortions.

The doll is provided with a reservoir in the head for supplying water to holes near the eyes so as to allow the doll to cry when it is moved to a pouting configuration.

.The reservoir is constructed of elastic material, and is squeezed when the head is turned to the left for pouting. When the head is turned to the right for smiling, a hole in the mouth cavity is exposed to receive water from a squirt bottle for filling the reservoir. The reservoir has an overflow tube leading to the bottom of the abdomen, so that when the reservoir is overfilled the doll appears to urinate.

The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will best be understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawmgs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS I FIG. 1 is a front view of a doll head constructed in accordance with the invention, shown in a forward facing position wherein it has a slight smile:

FIG. 2 is a front view of the doll face of FIG. 1 after it has been turned to the right, wherein it acquires a broad smile configuration;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the doll head of FIG. 1 after the head has been turned to the left, wherein it acquires a pouting configuration and releases tears;

showing the mechanisms in the head and upper torso at a time when the doll is in a neutral position wherein it faces forwardly;

FIG. 5 is a view taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4, but show- 'ing the mechanism after thehead has been turned to' the right so that the doll acquires a large smile configuration; 7

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the head of FIG. 4, but shown after it has been turned to the left wherein it acquires a pouting configuration and cries; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the valve and crying mechanism of the doll of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows the doll of the invention in a neun'al or normal position wherein it has a somewhat happy expression that is achieved with only a slight smile. The head 10 can be turned to the dolls right to change the configuration into a large smile, as illustrated in FIG. 2, or it can be turned to the dolls left to change the configuration to a large pout, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The doll has eye regions with holes 12 therein through which water can be dispensed. When the doll is in the crying configuration of FIG. 3, water. is dispensed through the holes 12 to simulate tears. The doll also has a mouth cavity 14 with a hole 16 therein through which water can be forced, to fill a reservoir within the head which supplies water for the tears. The doll head 10 includes a hollow head member 18 of resilient material which can be readily deformed at the mouth region to produce the changes in expression. Apparatus within the hollow head member 18 applies forces to it near the mouth region to produce appropriate deformations.

A skilled artist can construct a doll head so that it has a highly appealing, or cute appearance when it is inthe neutral position of FIG. 1. However, a different task is involved in providing a relatively simply mechanism that can change the doll expression to one of a broad smile or a deep pout, in a manner that configures the doll so that it is very cute in either of these configurations.

FIG. 3A illustrates portions of the mechanism within the doll that enables a change of expression in a realistic, although exaggerated manner. The apparatus includes a head bracing member or frame that extends along the center of the doll from the forehead down to the upper lip, a portion 20b being located at the center of the upper lip of the doll to substantially fix the position of this portion of the doll mouth. A lower lip lever 22 which is substantially pivotally mounted on the doll head 10, is attached to the center of the lower lip of the doll, to move the lower lip substantially down and up so as to help create a smile or pout. A comer moving member 24 is mounted on the doll head 10 and has two forward portions 24f that are attached to receiving portions 25 formed on the inside of the hollow head member 18 at the opposite ends or corners of the mouth. The corner moving member 24 is guided so that the front ends 24f move up and down and also move for ward and rearwardly in the direction of arrows F and R. The movement of the comers of the mouth up or down with respect to the center portion of the upper lip helps to exaggerate the smile and pout configurations which make the expressions cuter. The rearward or forward shift of the corners of the mouth in a smile or pout, creates tautness or slackness, respectively, in the mouth region near the corners, which contribute to the exaggerated smile or pouting expression. The combination of these movements of the lower lip and corners of the mouth, relative to the center of the upper lip, has been found to be sufficient to produce highly appealing smiles and pouts even without any other changes in facial expression.

FIG. 4 illustrates details of the mechanism that moves the lower lip and comers of the mouth relative to the center of the upper lip when the doll head 10 is turned realtive to the torso 26., The hollow head member 18 is constructed of two parts 18a and 18b, the upper part 18a being fairly rigid while the lower part 18b is of an easily deformable flexible material such as a plastisol. The bracing frame 20 is stiff to help retain the configuration of the lower head portion. The frame 20 has a lower part 20L that is pivotally mounted on a neck plug 28 which is fixed to the top of the torso 26, so that the head 10 can pivot about an axis 30 relative to the torso. A pair of

camming rollers

32, 34 are mounted on the top of the neck plug 28, and they serve as cams for sliding a cam follower 36 that is slidably mounted on the frame 20. A forward part of the cam follower 36 is pivotally connected at 38 to the lower lip lever 22 to pivot it so as to move the center of the lower lip region 40 up and down. The camming rollers also engage the comer moving member 24 to move it back and forth so as to move the comers of the mouth.

As can be seen in FIG. 5, therollers 32, 34 project through an aperture 42 in the cam follower 36. If the torso is turned clockwise as seen in FIG. 5, then the roller 34 will move toward the position 34:. The roller 34 will therefore bear against the walls of the aperture 42 and move the cam follower 36 rearwardly, which causes the lower lip to move down and create a smile. During such clockwise turning, the roller 34 will also press against the back wall 44 of the comer moving member 24 and cause it to move rearwardly, thereby moving the corners of the doll mouth up and rearwardly. On the other hand, if the torso is moved counterclockwise as seen in FIG. 5, then the roller 32 will move toward the position 32p. The roller 32 will therefore push the cam follower 36 forwardly and cause the lower lip to pivot up to a pout configuration. The roller 32 will not push the corner moving member forwardly.

However, as the cam follower 36 approaches its extreme forward position, a tab 46 formed on a rear portion of the cam follower will engage the rear wall 44 of the corner moving member and push it forwardly, thereby causing the corners of the doll mouth to move down to a pout configuration.

Referring again to FIG. 4, it can be seen that the lower lip lever 22 is held between a pair of

pins

48, 50 that serve to substantially pivotally mount the lower lip lever on the doll frame. The

pins

48, 50 allow the rear portion of the lip lever to move up as well as to rotate. This allows the end of the lip lever that is engaged with the lower lip 40 of the doll to follow any tendencies of the lower lip to move inwardly as it moves down, to thereby help avoid unnatural jutting out or pulling in of the lower lip. The lower lip lever 22 largely pivots about an imaginary axis located far behind the

pins

48, 50, and actually can move in a more complex manner than in a simple pivoting manner so as to avoid unnatural distortions near the lower lip and to reduce resistance to pivoting.

The corner moving member 24 is guided in movement by a rib 52 that is fixed to the head frame 20 and by a guide pin 54 that is also fixed to the head frame. The guide pin 54 engages slots 56 formed in the forward portions of the bifurcated comer moving member to guide the forward portions thereof in upward and downward movement as it slides the corner moving member forwardly and rearwardly in the head. The extreme forward ends 24f of the corner moving member are fixed to the inside of the resilient head member 18 at the corners of the mouth. As the corner moving member 24 slides rearwardly as illustrated in FIG. 6, it also pivots, to pull the corners of the dolls mouth upwardly as well as rearwardly. Similarly, as the corner moving member is pushed forwardly, as illustrated in FIG. 7, it also pivots to push the corners of the mouth downwardly as well as forwardly. Such movements are in relation to the center of the upper lip at 58 which is fixed in position.

When the doll is moved to the pouting configuration, water from a reservoir 60 flows downwardly through a tube 62, then through a valve 64 (FIG. 4) and through a pair of discharge tubes 66 that lead to the holes 12 in the eyes where tears are dispensed. The reservoir 60 is constructed of resilient material so it can be compressed to cause water to be ejected from it. Such compression of the reservoir is performed by a squeeze arm 67 of a compressing lever 68. The lever 68 is pivotally mounted on a pin 70, and has arms 72 held between pairs of tabs 74 on the cam follower 36. When the cam follower is moved forwardly, which occurs during movement to a pouting configuration, it pivots the compressing lever 68 to move the arm 67 up against the reservoir and causes tears to be dispensed. An overflow conduit which leads from the reservoir must be blocked during compression of the reservoir to prevent water from flowing out therethrough. Another arm 78 on the compressing lever 68 operates to block the conduit 80, the arm 78 moving up to pinch off the conduit 80 whenever the compressing lever 68 is pivoted during movement of the doll to a pouting configuration.

The doll is constructed to allow the reservoir 60 to be easily filled when the doll is in a smiling configuration. When the doll is in such a configuration, the mouth is open wide to expose the fill hole 16 which is otherwise largely concealed. A child can insert the tip of a squeeze bottle into the hole 16 and squeeze the bottle so as to squirt water through it. The water squirted in through the mouth passes through the valve 64 and upwardly along the tube 62' to the reservoir 60 to fill it. If water continues to be squirted into the doll after the reservoir is filled, then additional water will flow out of the reservoir through the overflow conduit or tube 80. The tuber 80 extends along the axis 30 of pivoting of the head on the torso, and down along the torso to a hole 82 at the bottom of the torso, i.e. at the bottom of the abdomen. Water flowing out through the hole 82 simulates urination of the doll.

FIG. 8 illustrates details of the valve 64 which directs fill water into the reservoir and directs water being squeezed out of the reservoir into tubes leading to the eyes. The valve includes an upper valve housing 84 and lower housing 86, and a resilient diaphragm 88 that is held between them. When water is forced'through the mouth opening 16 into the valve, the pressure of the water deflects a central portion 90 of the diaphragm away from a valve seat 92 and deflects a free-end portion 94 of the diaphragm so that water can pass into the tube 62 that leads to the reservoir 60. When water is no longer being forced through the mouth opening 16, the diaphragm 88 returns to a configuration wherein it blocks off the bottom of the tube 62. When the reservoir is squeezed so that there is an appreciable pressure in the tube 62, the pressure of water therein deflects a portion 95 of the diaphragm downwardly so water can flow under a valve seat 98 and into the tubes 66'that carry it to the eyes. Thus, the valve 64 acts to direct water into the reservoir when it is being filled, and to direct water from the pressured reservoir into the tubes that lead to the eyes when the reservoir is squeezed.

The invention therefore provides a relatively simple apparatus that can be used in dolls, to deform regions of the mouth so as to provide appealing smile and pout expressions, and also to make the doll dispense tears when it is in a pout configuration. The mechanism includes a lower lip lever that moves substantially up and down, and a comer moving member that moves the comers of the mouth down and up while the center of the upper lip remains substantially stationary. The corner moving member also pulls the corners of the mouth with a rearward directional component or pushes them with a forward directional component as it moves them up or down, respectively. The crying mechanism includes a squeezable reservoir which can be filled through an opening in the doll mouth, the mouth opening being fully exposed only when the doll smiles. Filling can proceed even after the reservoir overflows, and the overflow is conducted to an outlet near the bottom of the doll torso to simulate urination. During squeezing of the reservoir, however, the reservoir outlet is pinched off. The operation of the various mechanisms is controlled by turning of the head on the torso, which eliminates the need for external operating levers and the like whose appearance and whose operation might tend to inject artificiality.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur tothose skilled in the art and consequently it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.

What is claimed is:

l. A doll comprising:

a torso;

a hollow head member pivotally mounted on said torso, said head member constructed of flexible material at least near the mouth, and having an upper lip region,'a lower lip region, and regions at the comers of the mouth;

a bracing member mounted in said head member and including a portion engaging the center portion of the upper lip region thereof;

corner moving means coupled to said bracing member and to said head member at the opposite corners of the mouth region and operable to move the mouth corners up and down relative to the center portion of the upper lip region;

' lower lip moving means coupled to said bracing member and to said head member at the lower lip region and operable to move said lower lip region up and down relative to the center portion of the upper lip region; and

operating means for selectively operating said corner moving means and said lower lip moving means, to move up the corners of the mouth region and also movedown the lower lip region, relative to said center portion of said upper lip region so as to produce a smile, or to move down the comers of the mouth region and also move up the lower lip region, relative to said center potion of the upper lip region so as to produce a pout-like expression, said operating 'means including at least one cammounted on said torso, a cam follower mounted on said head member for substantially slideable forward and rearward movement thereon, and said lower lip moving means including'a lever substantially pivotally mounted on said bracing member and connected to said cam follower to be substantially pivoted by it, said lever attached to the lower lip region of said head member to move it relative to said bracing member, whereby to change the facial expression by pivoting the head on the torso.

2. A doll comprising:

a torso;

a head pivotally mounted on said torso, said head including a hollow resilient head member defining a mouth with mouthcorners and central upper and lower lip portions;

first and second cam operated members disposed in said head, each member having forward and rearward portions; 6

means for mounting said first and second cam operated members in said head and for guiding'the rear portions of said first and second cam operated members in substantially forward and rearward.

sliding in said head;

means coupling the forward end portion of said first member to the mouth corners of said resilient head member for moving said mouth corners with downward and upward directional components as the rear portion of said first member slides in said head;

means coupling the forward end portion of said second member to the central region of the lower lip portion of said resilient head member, for moving said lower lip portion relative to the other portions of said resilient head member with upward and downward directional components transverse to said forward and rearward sliding as the rear portion of said second member slides in said head; and

member for receiving the forward end of said first member, and guide means for confining the forward portion of said first member to move with a vertical directional component, said means for guiding the rear portion of said first member in substantially slideable movement engaging said first member loosely enough to permit it to pivot as it slides.

Claims

1. A doll comprising: a torso; a hollow head member pivotally mounted on said torso, said head member constructed of flexible material at least near the mouth, and having an upper lip region, a lower lip region, and regions at the corners of the mouth; a bracing member mounted in said head member and including a portion engaging the center portion of the upper lip region thereof; corner moving means coupled to said bracing member and to said head member at the opposite corners of the mouth region and operable to move the mouth corners up and down relative to the center portion of the upper lip region; lower lip moving means coupled to said bracing member and to said head member at the lower lip region and operable to move said lower lip region up and down relative to the center portion of the upper lip region; and operating means for selectively operating said corner moving means and said lower lip moving means, to move up the corners of the mouth region and also move down the lower lip Region, relative to said center portion of said upper lip region so as to produce a smile, or to move down the corners of the mouth region and also move up the lower lip region, relative to said center potion of the upper lip region so as to produce a poutlike expression, said operating means including at least one cam mounted on said torso, a cam follower mounted on said head member for substantially slideable forward and rearward movement thereon, and said lower lip moving means including a lever substantially pivotally mounted on said bracing member and connected to said cam follower to be substantially pivoted by it, said lever attached to the lower lip region of said head member to move it relative to said bracing member, whereby to change the facial expression by pivoting the head on the torso.

2. A doll comprising: a torso; a head pivotally mounted on said torso, said head including a hollow resilient head member defining a mouth with mouth corners and central upper and lower lip portions; first and second cam operated members disposed in said head, each member having forward and rearward portions; means for mounting said first and second cam operated members in said head and for guiding the rear portions of said first and second cam operated members in substantially forward and rearward sliding in said head; means coupling the forward end portion of said first member to the mouth corners of said resilient head member for moving said mouth corners with downward and upward directional components as the rear portion of said first member slides in said head; means coupling the forward end portion of said second member to the central region of the lower lip portion of said resilient head member, for moving said lower lip portion relative to the other portions of said resilient head member with upward and downward directional components transverse to said forward and rearward sliding as the rear portion of said second member slides in said head; and camming means mounted on said torso and fixed thereto for movement therewith relative to said head for sliding the rear portions of said first and second members in forward and rearward directions in said head as said head pivots relative to said torso.

3. The doll described in claim 2 wherein: said means coupling the forward end portion of said first member to the mouth corners comprises means formed on the inside of said resilient head member for receiving the forward end of said first member, and guide means for confining the forward portion of said first member to move with a vertical directional component, said means for guiding the rear portion of said first member in substantially slideable movement engaging said first member loosely enough to permit it to pivot as it slides.