Realistic coordinating of specific body part movements in mechanical toys

Abstract

A realistic electromechanical toy that can replicate lifelike resting and active positions and movements of animals and other creatures while they are supported on a surface as well as when they are picked up by a user by coordinating the positioning and movement of specific body parts. To this end it is regarded that through observation of real live animals, the animals are seen to drop down or droop their legs when they are picked up off a supporting surface. Cats in particular can easily be shown to drop down or droop their legs in what looks like a relaxed and non-flexing position when they are picked up from a supporting surface. An upper limb portion facilitates extension of an intermediate limb portion when the upper limb portion is in its extended position, and retracts the intermediate limb portion when the upper limb portion is in its resting position with a biased joint positioning the intermediate limb portion to its extended position when the body is elevated away from a supporting surface. Accordingly the limbs of the present invention provides for emulating this drop down or drooping leg positioning by overriding the retracting function of each limb portion when the body is elevated from a supporting surface providing a realistic drop down leg feature in each limb.

1 . An apparatus for realistic movement of a body part, comprising: 
 a body;    an upper limb portion pivotally attached to said body allowing reciprocatory movement of the upper limb portion between a first resting position and a second extended position;    a biased joint;    an intermediate limb portion pivotally attached to said upper limb portion;    said upper limb portion extending said intermediate limb portion when said upper limb portion is in the second extended position, and retracting said intermediate limb portion when said upper limb portion is in the first resting position with the biased joint being operative to bias the position of the intermediate limb portion to the second extended position when said body is elevated away from a supporting surface.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a lower limb portion pivotally attached to said intermediate limb portion by a spring biased joint which is operative to bias the lower limb portion to an extended position when the upper limb portion is in the first resting position, and a stop assembly coupled to the lower limb portion for limiting the range of movement of the lower limb portion.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a drive assembly coupled to the upper limb portion and a motor in the body for driving movement of the upper limb portion.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the drive assembly comprises a cam mechanism coupled to the motor driving a linkage attached to the upper limb portion for directing movement of the upper limb portion.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the intermediate limb portion is attached to the upper limb portion by a spring biased joint, and further comprising a linkage assembly coupled to the upper limb portion and the intermediate limb portion for extending and retracting the intermediate limb portion when the upper limb portion is in the second extended position and the first resting position, respectively.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the drive assembly comprises a gear assembly coupling the upper limb portion to the intermediate limb portion for directing movement of the intermediate limb portion, and comprising a stop assembly linked to the upper limb portion for limiting the range of movement of the upper limb portion.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the spring biased joint couples the upper limb portion to the body for directing movement of the upper limb portion, and further comprising a stop assembly linked to the upper limb portion for limiting the range of movement of the upper limb portion.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the body comprises an upper body portion and a lower body portion moving in opposite directions, wherein the body portions are separated when the upper limb portion is in the first resting position and the body portions are together when the upper limb portion is in the second extended position.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a body linkage coupling the body to the cam mechanism for driving the body portions apart when the upper limb portion is in the first resting position and together when the upper limb portion is in the second extended position.  
   
   
       10 . A method for coordinating realistic movement of a body part in an apparatus including a body, an upper limb portion pivotally attached to the body allowing reciprocatory movement of the upper limb portion between a first resting position and a second extended position, a biased joint, and an intermediate limb portion pivotally attached to the upper limb portion, comprising the steps of: 
 extending the intermediate limb portion when the upper limb portion is in the second extended position; and    retracting the intermediate limb portion when the upper limb portion is in the first resting position with the biased joint being operative to bias the position of the intermediate limb portion to the second extended position when the body is elevated away from a supporting surface.    
   
   
       11 . An apparatus for realistic movement of a body part, comprising: 
 a body;    a front upper limb portion pivotally attached to said body allowing reciprocatory movement of the front upper limb portion between a first resting position and a second extended position;    a front intermediate limb portion pivotally attached by a first biased joint to the front upper limb portion;    a rear upper limb portion pivotally attached by a second biased joint to said body allowing recriprocatory movement of the rear upper limb portion between a first resting position and a second extended position;    a rear intermediate limb portion pivotally attached to said rear upper limb portion;    the front and rear upper limb portions extending the front and rear intermediate limb portions, respectively, when the front and rear upper limb portions are in the second extended position, and retracting the front and rear intermediate limb portions, respectively, when the front and rear upper limb portions are in the first resting position, with the first spring biased joint being operative to bias the position of the front intermediate limb portion to the second extended position and the second biased joint being operative to bias the position of the rear upper limb portion to the second extended position when said body is elevated away from a supporting surface.    
   
   
       12 . The apparatus as recited in  claim 11 , further comprising a front lower limb portion pivotally attached by a third biased joint to the front intermediated portion, and a rear lower limb portion pivotally attached by a fourth biased joint to the rear intermediate limb portion, with the third and fourth biased joints being operative to bias the position of the front and rear lower limb portions, respectively, to the second extended position when the body is elevated away from a supporting surface.