Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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LIQUID ACTIVATED TOYS
AND OPERATING SYSTEMS FOR USE WITH SAME
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to toys in which the
performance of the toy is a function of a predetermined quantitative
characteristic of a chosen liquid, and more particularly to toy vehicles
configured to exhibit one or more toy output patterns based on the electrical
conductivity of a chosen liquid.
Summary
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to toys in which the
performance of the toy is a function of a given characteristic of a chosen
liquid.
An operating system for such a toy may include an input system responsive to a
predetermined quantitative characteristic of a liquid, and a response system
coupled to the input system and configured to generate one or more toy output
patterns based at least in part on the given characteristic. In some
embodiments, the toy is a battery-powered toy vehicle with a chamber for
containing a liquid body, a pair of electrical contacts to measure the
electrical
conductivity of the liquid body, a processor or logic unit to communicate data
representative of the measured conductivity, and a response system to operate
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one or more vehicle features or components of the toy based on the
conductivity data communicated according to a predetermined output pattern.
In some embodiments, the chamber is detachable from the toy vehicle.
Exemplary components may include a drive assembly to provide a motive
force for the toy vehicle, such as to move the toy vehicle across a ground
surface, and/or an audiovisual assembly including lights and speakers, such as
to produce an audiovisual display. Output patterns may include combinations
of lights, sounds, and/or toy vehicle movement speed.
[0003] In play patterns for use with such a toy vehicle, a user may fill the
chamber with a chosen mixture of one or more household liquids (such as
water, juice, or a carbonated beverage) according to the user's preference.
The
contacts then measure the electrical conductivity of the chosen liquid
mixture,
and the processor prompts the response system to produce an output pattern
that may simulate whether or not the chosen mixture is an appropriate "fuel"
for the vehicle. Thus, a user may try several different liquid mixtures in
order
to discover an optimum "fuel" mixture that produces a user-preferred output
pattern.
[0004] Examples of fluid activated devices are found in U.S. Patent Nos.
4,347,683 and 4,547,169, Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-089654, and
publication W00174463, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by
reference.
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Brief Description of the Drawings
[0005] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a toy operating system suitable for use
with a toy of the present disclosure.
[0006] Fig. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a toy
vehicle operating system.
[0007] Fig. 3 is a top plan view of an exemplary embodiment of a toy
vehicle for use with the toy vehicle operating system of Fig. 2.
[0008] Fig. 4 and 5 are side elevation views of an exemplary embodiment
of a detachable liquid receiving chamber suitable for use with the toy vehicle
of
Fig. 3.
[0009] Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the toy vehicle of Fig. 3, showing the
liquid receiving chamber of Figs. 4 and 5 coupled to the toy vehicle.
[0010] Fig. 7 is a side elevation view of the toy vehicle of Fig. 3, also
showing the liquid receiving chamber of Figs. 4 and 5 coupled to the toy
1 S vehicle.
[0011] Fig. 8 is a schematic representation of the toy vehicle of Fig. 3 with
the toy vehicle operating system of Fig. 2, showing how various components of
the toy vehicle operating system are coupled with various components of the
toy vehicle.
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Detailed Descn~tion
[0012] Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a toy operating system
10. The operating system includes an input system 12 and a response system
14. Input system 12 is coupled with a liquid body 16, and is configured to be
responsive to a predetermined quantitative characteristic or chemical property
of the liquid body, such as electrical conductivity. A liquid body may be any
volume of liquid, such as a mixture of one or more liquids contained in a
reservoir or other receptacle, a mixture of solid and liquid matter, and so
forth.
Input system 12 is thus configured to measure or otherwise nonconsumptively
determine the characteristic and also to communicate data or other information
representative of the measured characteristic to response system 14. Response
system 14 is configured to generate one or more predetermined toy output
patterns, based at least in part on the communicated data or information.
[0013] A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of toy operating system 10
is shown in Fig. 2 as a toy vehicle operating system 110. Toy vehicle
operating
system 110 includes an input system 112 and a response system 114, and is
coupled with a liquid body 116 contained in a reservoir 118. Reservoir 118
may be any receptacle adapted to contain a liquid body 116, such as a liquid
receiving chamber that may be detachably coupled with toy vehicle operating
system 110.
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[0014] As with the components of toy operating system 10 as explained
above, input system 112 is configured to measure a given characteristic of
liquid body 116, and response system 114 is configured to generate one or
more predetermined toy output patterns based at least in part on the
5 measurement.
[0015] As explained in more detail below, in some embodiments of toy
vehicle operating system 110, input system 112 may be configured to measure
the electrical conductivity of a liquid body in reservoir 118, and response
system 114 may be configured to generate a toy output pattern based on the
measured electrical conductivity. Thus, response system 114 may be
configured to generate different toy output patterns when liquids or liquid
mixtures having different conductive properties are placed in reservoir 118.
For example, a first predetermined toy output pattern may correspond to a
liquid mixture having an electrical conductivity in a first range, and a
second
predetermined toy output pattern may correspond to another liquid mixture
having an electrical conductivity in a second range.
[0016] Input system 112 further includes a measuring assembly 120 to
measure the selected, or predetermined, characteristic. Toy vehicle operating
system 110 is configured to be responsive to the electrical conductivity of
liquid body 116. Thus, measuring assembly 120 includes a pair of electrical
contacts 122 configured to deliver an electrical current through liquid body
116
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and thus determine the liquid's electrical conductivity. However, although
measuring assembly 120 is shown to include electrical contacts 122, the nature
of the characteristic to be measured may determine the structural
characteristics
and/or components of the measuring assembly. As such, a toy operating
system configured to be responsive to other liquid properties may include
devices, instruments, or other structural components appropriate for
nonconsumptive measurement of one or more of such quantitative properties of
a liquid body.
[0017] Input system 112 also includes a processor assembly 130 coupled
to measuring assembly 120. Processor assembly 130 is configured to produce
information representative of the measurement of the liquid characteristic.
More particularly, in the exemplary toy vehicle operating system, processor
assembly 130 is configured to produce operational instructions, or inputs, for
one or more components of response system 114 based on the measured
1 S electrical conductivity of a liquid body 116.
[0018] Different liquids may have different electrical conductivities within
a measurable spectrum extending from completely nonconductive (i.e. the
liquid does not conduct electricity) to completely conductive (i.e. current
flows
through the liquid with no resistance). In the exemplary toy vehicle operating
system, processor assembly 130 is configured to produce a predetermined set
of operational instructions, prompting a corresponding toy output pattern,
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based on the liquid's conductivity as measured by measuring assembly 120.
For example, if a liquid's electrical conductivity is within a first
conductivity
range within the spectrum, a first set of predetermined operational
instructions
may be produced, which prompt a first corresponding output pattern, but if a
liquid's electrical conductivity is within a second conductivity range, a
second
predetermined set of operational instructions may be produced, which prompt a
second corresponding output pattern. However, a toy vehicle operating system
may be configured to produce any desired number of sets of operational
instructions and/or output patterns to correspond with any desired number of
ranges.
[0019] Processor assembly 130 thus may include any computational
device, such as a microprocessor, a logic unit, or any other circuitry adapted
to
produce information representative of the measured characteristic and to
communicate this information to the response system. As described above,
1 S such information includes operational instructions for one or more
components
of response system 114, but may optionally include any data, whether
processed, partially processed or unprocessed, or sub-sets of the data,
relating
to the measured characteristic, which may be communicated to response
system 114.
[0020] Response system 114 may include components such as an
audiovisual assembly 140 to produce a plurality of predetermined audiovisual
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displays, a drive assembly 150 to provide a motive force for a toy vehicle,
such
as to move the toy vehicle across a ground surface at a plurality of
predetermined rates of speed, and/or additional components, in any desired
combination. In the illustrated embodiment, response system 114 is configured
to generate a toy output pattern by activating one or more of such components
based on the operational instructions and/or other information received from
processor assembly 130. The configuration of the various components of a
response system, and the nature of the toy output patterns generated, may vary
depending on the nature of the toy vehicle used with the toy vehicle operating
system.
[0021] For example, if toy vehicle operating system 110 is used with a
battery-powered toy vehicle such as a toy racecar, audiovisual assembly 140
may further include a light system 142 and/or a speaker system 144. Light.
system 142 may include one or more lights disposed on the toy vehicle chassis,
such as headlights, tail lights, and so forth, and speaker system 144 may
include one or more speakers configured to emit sounds consistent with a
racecar design, such as a tire squealing or an engine "revving" at various
speeds. Activation of audiovisual assembly 140 may thus include producing
lights and/or sounds simulating those produced by a racecar. Analogously,
drive assembly 150 may further include a motor assembly 152 coupled to a
driven wheel assembly 154. Motor assembly 152 may include one or more
motors, and driven wheel assembly may include one or more driven wheels
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adapted to move the toy vehicle across a ground surface. Thus, activation of
drive assembly 150 may include prompting motor assembly 152 to provide
motive power to a driven wheel of driven wheel assembly 154. Toy output
patterns for the toy vehicle may thus include various combinations of lights,
sounds, and/or toy vehicle movement speed.
[0022] Power for the various component systems of toy vehicle operating
system 110 may be supplied by one or more batteries and/or other power
sources. Continuing the example above, a toy vehicle for use with toy vehicle
operating system 110 may thus include a battery compartment or other
structural features to accommodate an onboard power source. Optionally, any
suitable form of power source may be used. Further, a power switch may be
provided to allow the power source to supply power to the various component
systems as required by toy vehicle operating system 110, or to disengage the
power supply if the toy vehicle is not in use.
1 S [0023] Figs. 3-8 show an exemplary toy vehicle 210 and a liquid receiving
chamber 212 that may be used with toy vehicle operating system 110. More
particularly, Fig. 3 shows a top view of toy vehicle 210, which includes a
chassis 220 shaped to resemble a racecar. Toy vehicle 210 also includes a
plurality of wheels 222 mounted on the chassis, which further include a driven
wheel 224 and rolling wheels 226. Chassis 220 also includes a plurality of
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lights 228, a speaker 230, .an actuator 232 in the form of a push button, and
a
power switch 234.
[0024] Driven wheel 224, lights 228, speaker 230, and actuator 232 are
coupled to various component systems or assemblies of toy vehicle operating
5 system 110. More particularly, driven wheel 224 is coupled with drive
assembly 150, and lights 228 and speaker 230 are coupled with audiovisual
assembly 140. Actuator 232 is coupled to input system 112. Power switch 234
is coupled to a battery assembly or other power source (not shown), and is
configured to engage the power source with, or disengage the power source
10 from, the toy vehicle operating system.
[0025] Chassis 220 further includes a recessed channel 236. Retention
devices 238 are disposed on either side of recessed channel 236, and visible
within recessed channel 236 are electrical contacts 122 of toy vehicle
operating
system 110.
[0026] Liquid receiving chamber 212, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is
configured to contain a liquid body and be detachably coupled to chassis 220
within recessed channel 236. As such, chamber 212 includes substantially
cylindrical chamber wall 240 adapted to conform in size and shape with the
contour of channel 236 One end of chamber 212 includes an input port 242 for
delivery of a liquid into, or from, the chamber. A closure member 244, shown
as a screw cap, is adapted to prevent liquid from escaping from chamber 212
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through input port 242. A pair of electrodes 246 are disposed on the other end
of chamber 212, which protrude through chamber wall 240 and into a liquid
body contained in chamber 212. The view shown in Fig. 4 depicts the
"bottom" of chamber 212, and the view shown in Fig. 5 depicts one "side" of
chamber 212.
[0027] As shown in Fig. 6, when chamber 212 is placed within recessed
channel 236 with the "bottom" of the chamber positioned against the surface of
channel 236, retention devices 238 are adapted to retain chamber 212 in place
until detached from the chassis, and electrical contacts 122 are positioned to
press against electrodes 246. Fig. 7 shows a side view of toy vehicle 210 with
chamber 212 coupled to chassis 220.
[0028] Fig. 8 shows a schematic representation of toy vehicle operational
system 110 as used with toy vehicle 210. When chamber 212 is coupled to
chassis 220 as described above, electrical contacts 122 of measuring assembly
1 S 120 are positioned against electrodes 246. When actuator 232 (not shown in
this view) is depressed, measuring assembly 120 of input system 112 generates
an electrical current and measures the current flow between electrodes 246, if
any. Processor assembly 130 produces operational instructions and/or other
information representative of the measured conductivity and communicates the
instructions to response system 114, prompting the components of response
system 114 to generate a toy output pattern consisting of a predetermined
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combination of activation of lights 228 and/or speaker 230, to produce an
audiovisual display, and/or provision of power to driven wheel 224, to move
the vehicle across a ground surface.
[0029] A variety of play patterns are thus available for use with toy
vehicle 210. For example, a user may fill chamber 212 with a mixture of one
or more household liquids (such as water, juice, or a carbonated beverage)
according to the user's preference. The chamber may then be attached to the
toy vehicle chassis. The user may then depress the actuator to prompt the
measuring assembly to measure the electrical conductivity of the liquid
mixture. The processor assembly may then prompt the response system to
produce an output pattern.
[0030] As mentioned above, in the exemplary toy vehicle operating
system, the toy output patterns produced by the toy vehicle, or response
system
114, are dependent on the electrical conductivity of the liquid body in
chamber
212. Thus, the exemplary toy vehicle will respond differently to liquids or
liquid mixtures with different conductive properties. As such, the toy vehicle
may simulate whether or not a given liquid or liquid mixture is an appropriate
"fuel" for the toy vehicle. A user may try several different liquid mixtures
in
order to discover an optimum "fuel" mixture that produces a preferred output
pattern.
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[0031] For example, if the conductivity of the liquid or liquid mixture
placed in chamber 212 falls within a first conductivity range, the
corresponding
toy output pattern includes activation of speaker 230 to emit a repeated sound
resembling that of an automobile starter, to indicate that the chosen liquid
mixture is not an appropriate "fuel." Alternatively, if the conductivity of
the
liquid or liquid mixture placed in chamber 212 falls within a second
conductivity range, the corresponding toy output pattern includes rapid and
repeated activation of lights 228, activation of speaker 230 to emit a sound
resembling that of an engine starting and retying at a high rate, and
activation
of drive assembly 150 to move the vehicle across a ground surface at a high
rate of speed, to indicate that the chosen liquid mixture is a powerful
"fuel."
[0032] In the exemplary toy vehicle, the level of the toy vehicle's
performance increases with the electrical conductivity of the liquid or liquid
mixture contained in chamber 212. The following table is an example of six
1 S different toy output patterns that may be generated by response system
114,
corresponding to six different electrical conductivity ranges. The
conductivity
ranges are arbitrarily numbered 0-5 to represent nonconductivity (0) to high
conductivity (5).
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Range Toy output pattern
0 Lights do not flash.
"Engine ignition 1" sound plays three times
with small
pauses.
Motor remains off.
Vehicle does not move.
1 Lights flash twice per second, for one second.
"Engine ignition 1" sound will play at high
pitch.
Motor on at 100% for short burst, repeated
8 times.
Vehicle travels 1-2 feet in chugging motion.
2 Lights flash 5 times per second, for one second.
"Engine ignition 1" sound will play at medium
pitch.
Motor on at 50%.
Vehicle travels S-10 feet.
3 Lights flash 10 times per second, for one second.
"Engine ignition 1" sound will play at low
pitch.
Motor on at 67%.
Vehicle travels 12-17 feet.
4 Lights will blink 15 times per second, for
one second.
"Engine ignition 2" sound will play at high
pitch.
Motor on at 83%.
Vehicle travels 17-22 feet.
Lights will blink 20 times per second, for
one second.
"Engine ignition 2" sound will play at medium
pitch.
"Tire squeal" sound will play.
Motor on at 100%.
Vehicle travels 25-30 feet.
Table 1
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[0033] The toy vehicle may further include further components to
augment the vehicle's simulated reaction to different liquid mixtures. For
example, the table above refers to different motor outputs. Thus, drive
assembly 150 may include any appropriate systems or devices, such as a
5 feedback mechanism, to govern the output of a motor within the toy vehicle.
One example of a feedback mechanism consists of a photodiode and LED,
which may be positioned on either side of a tach wheel mounted on an axle.
As the axle and the tach wheel rotate, a light beam traveling from the LED may
be intermittently received by the photodiode through perforations disposed on
10 the periphery of the tack wheel, which are aligned with the path of the
light
beam. Processor assembly 130 may be coded to count the number of times the
light beam is received by the photodiode during a given time increment. This
count may allow the processor to control the drive assembly to increase or
decrease the motor output to maintain a consistent given vehicle speed.
15 [0034] Such a feedback mechanism may optionally be used to allow the
toy vehicle to mimic a response to an inappropriate "fuel." For example,
processor assembly 130 may be coded to intermittently interrupt the power
supply to drive assembly 150, for example, by employing a random number
generator or by means of a count of the number of times the light beam is
received by the photodiode. This intermittent interruption of power can be
incorporated in a set of operational instructions, which can result in a toy
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output pattern that includes the vehicle moving in a "chugging" motion, such
as
to simulate the vehicle's response to an inappropriate "fuel."
[0035] Optionally, the exemplary toy vehicle may be operated
independent of the conductivity of a liquid in chamber 212, with no liquid in
chamber 212, or with chamber 212 detached from toy vehicle 210. Power
switch 234 is selectively movable among an "off ' position designated by the
number 0, a first "on" position designated by the number 1, and a second "on"
position designated by the number 2. The first "on" position allows the toy
vehicle to be used with different liquid mixtures as described above, and the
second "on" position, for use if a user prefers not to test the toy vehicle's
performance using different liquid mixtures, allows the toy vehicle, when
actuator 232 is depressed, to respond with a predetermined toy output pattern
corresponding to a highly conductive liquid.
[0036] The exemplary toy vehicle described herein is intended to be a
non-limiting example of a toy vehicle that may be used with the toy operating
systems of the present disclosure. As such, several variations are possible
and
are within the scope of the disclosure. For example, in some embodiments, the
toy operating system may be adapted to couple with one or more liquid
chambers simultaneously. In some embodiments, one or more liquid chambers
may be permanently coupled with the toy operating system. In such
embodiments, a user may be allowed to choose from among several liquid
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chambers. In some embodiments, a liquid chamber may not include an input
port, but may rather contain a liquid in a sealed chamber. In some
embodiments, a toy vehicle may include a feature or component that allows the
chamber to be automatically emptied in a gradual manner while being operated,
simulating the consumption of fuel, such as to enhance entertainment value of
the toy vehicle.
[0037] Although the toy and toy operating system disclosed herein have
been described in the context of the exemplary embodiment of a toy vehicle,
the disclosed toy operating systems may be used with other toys. For example,
a toy doll may be used with a toy operating system that prompts different
output patterns based on the measurement of a quantitative characteristic of a
liquid contained in a detachable chamber configured to resemble a baby bottle,
allowing a user to test different liquids to produce a user-preferred
response.
[0038] It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses
multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these
inventions has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments
thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a
limiting
sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the
inventions
includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the
various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein.
Similarly, where any claim recites "a" or "a first" element or the equivalent
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thereof, such claim should be understood to include incorporation of one or
more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such
elements.
[0039] Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations
of features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through
presentation of new claims in a related application. Such new claims, whether
they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention,
whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to the original claims,
are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of
the
present disclosure.
