The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 09, 2002
Filed:
Aug. 15, 2000
Christopher G. Walter, Walled Lake, MI (US);
Matt Fuligni, Northville, MI (US);
The Little Tikes Company, Hudson, OH (US);
Abstract
A motion sensing device for producing either an audio or a visual output includes a toy body, a motion sensor, either a sound generating device or a light generating device, and a control circuit. The motion sensor is coupled to the toy body. The motion sensor defines a cavity and has at least three contacts and a moveable object disposed in the cavity. The moveable object is positionable between at least a first position in which, the movable object bridges a first combination of two of the at least three contacts to form a first circuit input, and a second position, in which the moveable object bridges a second combination of two of the at least three contacts forming a second circuit input. The control circuit is coupled to the toy body and is electrically coupled to the motion sensor and to the generating device. The control circuit is configured to transmit a varying actuation signal to the generating device based upon the rate of change of the moveable object between the first position and the second position. In another aspect of the invention, a toy includes a toy body, a control unit, a motion sensor, either a generating device, and a control circuit. In another aspect of the invention, a control unit for a riding toy having a toy body is provided and includes a housing, a motion sensing means, a generating device, and a control circuit. The housing is removably coupled to the toy body of the riding toy.