Child calming toy with rythmic stimulation

Abstract

An improved child calming device comprising, in accordance with the preferred embodiment, a stuffed animal ( 10 ) having a pocket ( 88 ) within which is contained a heart beat simulating transducer ( 12 ) is disclosed. The transducer is actuated, in a number of optional ways, by application of pressure to an actuator ( 22 ) which is coupled to a switch ( 30 ) which drives an electronic circuit ( 40 ) contained within the housing ( 14 ) of the simulator ( 12 ). The number and power of the "simulated" heart beats may be controlled by selective actuation of the actuator.

1 . A child pacifying doll, comprising: 
 (a) a skin defining a doll body;    (b) stuffing disposed in said skin, and filling said skin into a soft doll body form and defining an internal volume within said doll body;    (c) a vibration coupling element having a mass, said vibration coupling element disposed in said internal volume;    (d) an electromagnetic inertial pulsating device, said electromagnetic inertial pulsating device comprising a vibrating mass, said vibrating mass being coupled resiliently to the mass of the vibration coupling element;    (e) a pulse producing circuit for producing electrical pulses, said electrical pulses being coupled to said electromagnetic inertial pulsating device, said vibrating mass pulsating in response to said electrical pulses to produce movements in said vibration coupling element which comprise simulated heartbeats; and    f) a control circuit having a control signal output for controlling said pulse producing circuit, said control circuit being responsive to a user input to cause said pulse producing circuit i) to produce electrical pulses during an active period, or ii) to produce a limited number of pulses.    
     
     
         2 . A child pacifying device, comprising: 
 (a) a surface member defining a device body;    (b) a pocket defining member secured to said surface member, said pocket defining member defining an internal volume;    (c) a vibration coupling element having a mass, disposed in said internal volume;    (d) an electromechanical inertial pulsating device, said electromechanical inertial pulsating device comprising a vibrating mass, said vibrating mass being coupled resiliently to the mass of the vibration coupling element;    (e) a pulse producing circuit for producing electrical pulses, said electrical pulses being coupled to said electromechanical inertial pulsating device, said vibrating mass pulsating in response to said electrical pulses to produce movements which comprise simulated heartbeats; and    f) a control circuit having a control signal output for controlling said pulse producing circuit, said control circuit being responsive to a user input to cause said pulse producing circuit to produce electrical pulses during an active period following activation of said pulse producing circuit even if said actuation has been terminated, and then to cease producing pulses.    
     
     
         3 . A child pacifying device as in  claim 2 , wherein said pulses may be produced during an active period of time of selectabel duration.  
     
     
         4 . A child pacifying device as in  claim 2 , wherein said number of pulses comprises a selectable number of simulated heartbeats.  
     
     
         5 . A child pacifying device as in  claim 2 , wherein said control circuit comprises a switch, said switch being activatable by said user; said switch being coupled to a time sensing circuit to generate said control signal output, said control signal output varying as a function of the time that said switch is actuated, different values of said control signal output causing said pulse producing circuit to produce an indication of the length of the entire period.  
     
     
         6 . A child pacifying device as in  claim 5 , wherein said switch is located on a support member secured to said vibrator element and said control circuit causes said control circuit to emit a control signal output triggering said electromechanical inertial pulsating device to simulate a number of heartbeats proportional to the time that said switch is activated.  
     
     
         7 . A child pacifying device as in  claim 2 , further comprising a switch for activating said electromechanical inertial pulsating device, said switch being located on a support member secured to said vibrator element.  
     
     
         8 . A child pacifying device as in  claim 5 , wherein said indication is an audio recording.  
     
     
         9 . A child pacifying device as in  claim 7 , wherein said vibration coupling element is a casing and said electromechanical device is disposed within said casing.  
     
     
         10 . A device as in  claim 1  wherein said device is a plush stuffed doll and said volume communicates with the ambient through a port defined by the surface member and further comprising a closure secured around said port for closing said volume.  
     
     
         11 . A device as in  claim 7  wherein said switch actuates said pulsating device in response to the application of an object to the outer surface of said doll body.  
     
     
         12 . A device as in  claim 11  wherein said skin has an inside surface and said switch comprises a push button which extends from said pulsating device and bears against said inside surface of said skin.  
     
     
         13 . A device as in  claim 7  wherein said electromechanical device comprises an electronic driver which is turned on and off by said switch which is positioned to be actuated upon application of hugging pressure around said doll body.  
     
     
         14 . A device as in  claim 2 , wherein said switch comprises a push button switch positioned to be actuated upon hugging of the doll body and wherein said push-button switch actuates an electronic driver which drives said electromechanical device and wherein said electronic driver outputs a series of electrical pulses.  
     
     
         15 . A device as in  claim 8  wherein said pulses alternate between pulses of relatively high frequency content and relatively low frequency content.  
     
     
         16 . A device as in  claim 2 , wherein said pulsating device is actuated by electrical pulses and further comprising a control to vary the amplitude of said electrical pulses.  
     
     
         17 . A device as in  claim 2 , wherein said electromechanical device comprises a resilient member securing said vibration coupling element to said vibrating mass and an electromagnet for displacing two ends of said member with respect to each other to extreme relatively close positions relative to each other where the two ends are still spaced apart from each other whereby displacement occurs without impact.  
     
     
         18 . A device as in  claim 2 , wherein said electromechanical device moves said vibrating mass from a point proximate but not contacting said electromechanical device.  
     
     
         19 . A doll is in  claim 2 , wherein said resilient member comprises a U-shaped leaf spring.  
     
     
         20 . A child pacifying doll, comprising: 
 (a) a soft doll body;    (b) a pocket associated with said body and defining a volume in said body, said pocket opening to the outer surface of said body;    (c) a casing disposed within said volume;    (d) a vibrating weight member associated with said casing;    (e) an electromagnet disposed in said casing;    (f) a leaf spring for securing said electromagnet to said vibrating weight member at a position where said vibrating member is displaced by actuation of said electromagnet, said electromagnet and said vibrating member forming a pulsation assembly;    (g) structure securing said assembly to said casing; and    (h) a drive causing said vibrating weight member to vibrate for a limited period of time in response to an actuation of said assembly, even if said actuation has been discontinued.    
     
     
         21 . A doll, comprising 
 (a) a soft doll body;    (b) an internal compartment disposed in said body;    (c) a bob weight disposed in said compartment;    (d) an electromechanical member disposed in said compartment;    (e) a leaf spring for securing said electromechanical member to said bob weight at a position to be displaced by said electromechanical member;    (f) a drive circuit, coupled to receive an actuation input, said drive circuit applying pulses of electrical energy to said electromagnetic member sufficient to displace said bob weight with respect to said electromagnetic member only to extreme positions of said bob weight relative to said electromagnetic member where said bob weight and said electromagnetic member are spaced apart from each other whereby movement occurs without impact, said pulses being applied for a limited period of time, even after removal of said actuation input, and even if said actuation input is maintained indefinitely