Other

M Design

Ronald G Magers

Gerald A McDonald

Michael Risso

Lee K Wa

A musical hoop toy may be provided with a hoop structure, a sensing mechanism coupled to the hoop structure and being disposed on an interior side of the hoop structure such that, when the hoop structure is spun around a person's waist, the sensing mechanism will be periodically activated by a portion of the person's waist, an audio speaker coupled to the hoop structure, and a controller operatively coupled to the sensing mechanism and the audio speaker. The controller may include a processor, a memory, and a computer program stored in the memory. The computer program may have a computer program portion that causes a music sequence to be generated and a computer program portion that causes an audio sound effect to be generated in response to each activation of the sensing mechanism.

Musical hula hoop

A two-way ratchet mechanism operated by a plunger that moves a pawl housing in one of two directions. The ratchet mechanisms are preferably used in a children's game to simultaneously gather game pieces in receptacles.

Game and two-way ratcheting mechanism

An electronic soap bubble sensing and responsive device which is activated upon making contact between a soap bubble and an electronic sensor. The device consists of two electrodes mounted on a support frame and electrically coupled to internal electrical signal generation circuitry. The soap bubble sensor includes electrodes which are positioned so as to contact the soap bubble conjointly. Soap bubble fluid being conductive allows such contact to complete a trigger circuit, which contact also bursts the bubble, thereby breaking the circuit. The electrodes have a geometric configuration so as to maximum the conjoint contact with spherical bubbles, and the electrodes are supported on a frame so as to minimize wetting of the frame and triggering inadvertent activation. The completed electrical circuit can activate any sensory output as a result of the triggering, including sounds, lights or motion. Other sensors disclosed for discerning the presence of a soap bubble include impedance change of an antenna wire, optical sensing, magnetic sensing, and capacitive sensing.

Soap bubble sensing and responsive device

An optical toy image generator of the present invention comprises a parabolic reflector having a central opening for movable receipt of an image bearing shaft. The image bearing shaft contains a distorted representation which will appear on the shiny mirrored surface of the reflector as a dynamic changing proper image to the viewer who is facing the reflector's parabolic surface.

Image expanding apparatus

A toy helicopter is provided having a rotor that gradually accelerates to simulate the start-up of a full-scale helicopter, wherein the gradual acceleration is induced by frictional interaction between the surface of a drive shaft and the surface of a bore formed in the rotor hub. Actuation is accomplished by lifting an actuating shaft which extends from the rotor hub and drive shaft to activate a motor; returning the actuating shaft to its resting position deactivates the toy. The toy also provides a flashing light and audio mechanism to further simulate the operation of a full-scale helicopter.

Toy helicopter

A domed spinning top is disclosed in which a vertically movable housing member having a transparent dome is mounted above a stationary base. A rotatable turntable is mounted on the housing member under the dome. An actuating mechanism acts upon a drive mechanism to engage the turntable and rotate it during vertical movement of the housing member toward the base. Upon cessation of vertical movement of the housing member toward the base, the actuating mechanism disengages the drive mechanism from the turntable to permit the turntable to rotate freely. A peek-a-boo enclosure comprising a plurality of shroud segments is mounted on the turntable in which the segments separate to expose a central figure during rapid rotation of the turntable, and return together to substantially encase the central figure when rotation of the turntable is diminished.

Domed spinning top

A steerable wheeled toy in which each of a set of rear wheels is independently rotatable about a fixed axis in a toy body to provide effective differential movement in which each of a set of front wheels is caster mounted, the front wheels being connected together through a tie rod for co-ordinated follower action and in which a steering column is centrally connected adjacent the rear wheels and has a portion adjacent the body which is flexible but transmits torque to accurately simulate the driving and steering movements of a full size vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Manchester, MA, United States of America

Ronald G Magers