Toy strength measuring device

Abstract

A toy strength measuring device with a segmented body and an internal cable. A potentiometer is connected between the segmented body and the cable to determine movement of the cable relative to the segmented body. An electronic output is generated to correspond to an amount of relative movement sensed by the potentiometer.

1 . A toy comprising: 
 a segmented body with an internal cable;    a potentiometer connected between the segmented body and the cable to determine movement of the cable relative to at least a part of the segmented body;    an electronic output that corresponds to an amount of relative movement sensed by the potentiometer.    
   
   
       2 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the segmented body includes at least one domed, hollow segment.  
   
   
       3 . The toy of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one domed, hollow segment includes a domed end with an aperture through which the internal cable passes.  
   
   
       4 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the segmented body includes at least one segment with a shoulder that restricts relative movement of an adjacent segment so that a gap forms between portions of the one segment and the adjacent segment when the segmented body is bent along a primary axis.  
   
   
       5 . The toy of  claim 1 , further comprising a foam outer cover encasing the segmented body.  
   
   
       6 . The toy of  claim 5 , wherein the foam outer cover is substantially I-beam shaped.  
   
   
       7 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the segmented body is configured to bend primarily within a single plane relative to the potentiometer.  
   
   
       8 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the segmented body is configured to bend within more than a single plane relative to the potentiometer.  
   
   
       9 . A toy comprising: 
 a resilient, elongate body including several hollow segments movably joined together;    a cable attached to a first end of the hollow segments,    a biasing element attached to a second end of the hollow segments, opposite the first end, and attached to the cable;    a sensor connected to the cable adjacent to the biasing element relative to the first end of the hollow segments so that the sensor is configured to sense movement of the cable relative to the second end of the hollow segments;    electronics electrically connected to the sensor;    at least one of a visual output and an audio output electrically connected to the electronics so that the electronics may modulate at least the visual output or the audio output in response to movement of the cable as sensed by the sensor.    
   
   
       10 . The toy of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the hollow segments includes a domed end.  
   
   
       11 . The toy of  claim 10 , wherein the domed end includes an aperture through which the sensor is operatively connected to another of the hollow segments.  
   
   
       12 . The toy of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the hollow segments includes a shoulder that restricts relative movement of an adjacent hollow segment so that a gap forms between portions of the adjacent hollow segments when the resilient elongate body is bent along a primary axis.  
   
   
       13 . The toy of  claim 9 , further comprising a foam outer cover encasing the resilient elongate body.  
   
   
       14 . The toy of  claim 13 , wherein the foam outer cover is substantially I-beam shaped.  
   
   
       15 . The toy of  claim 9 , wherein the hollow segments are configured to allow bending of the resilient elongate body primarily within a single plane relative to the sensor.  
   
   
       16 . The toy of  claim 9 , wherein the hollow segments are configured to allow bending of the resilient elongate body within more than a single plane relative to the sensor.  
   
   
       17 . A toy comprising: 
 at least two domed, hollow segments shaped so that the segments collectively define a first dimension measured through the hollow of the segments when the segments are approximately coaxially oriented, and define a second dimension measured through the hollow of the segments when the segments are oriented at an angle relative to each other;    a length sensor operatively connected to the hollow segments to sense a change in orientation of the segments relative to each other by sensing a change in length from the first dimension to the second dimension or from the second dimension to the first dimension;    electronics electrically connected to the length sensor;    at least one of a visual output and an audio output electrically connected to the electronics so that the electronics may modulate at least the visual output or the audio output in response to movement of the cable as sensed by the length sensor.    
   
   
       18 . The toy of  claim 17 , wherein at least one of the segments includes an aperture through which the length sensor is operatively connected to another of the segments.  
   
   
       19 . The toy of  claim 17 , further comprising a foam outer cover encasing the at least two segments.  
   
   
       20 . The toy of  claim 19 , wherein the foam outer cover is substantially I-beam shaped.