Toy Assembly With Blower And Color Changing Features

Abstract

A toy assembly includes an air blower than can blow air and particles such as glitter. In one embodiment, the toy assembly includes a doll and an air blower that can blow air and glitter particles as well as change the color of the hair of the doll.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy, comprising:
 a housing;   a blowing mechanism disposed in the housing, the blowing mechanism generating a first flow of air that is discharged from the housing;   a container coupled to the housing, the container holding a plurality of glitter particles; and   a particle dispersing mechanism disposed in the housing, the particle dispersing mechanism generating a second flow of air that is discharged from the housing, the second flow of air being periodic bursts of air, the particle dispersing mechanism allowing glitter particles to exit the container into the second flow of air and be intermittently discharged from the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a first opening and a second opening separate from the first opening, the first flow of air from the blowing mechanism exits through the first opening, and the second flow of air containing the glitter particles exit through the second opening. 
     
     
         3 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the particle dispersing mechanism is coupled to the container, and the particle dispersing mechanism controls the intermittent entry of glitter particles into the second flow of air. 
     
     
         4 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the particle dispersing mechanism includes a valve member coupled to the container, the valve member controlling the flow of particles from the container, the particle dispersing mechanism includes a reciprocating member that intermittently engages and moves the valve member to allow glitter particles to exit the container. 
     
     
         5 . The toy of  claim 4 , wherein the reciprocating member is an elongate member that slides relative to the housing, and the valve member moves substantially perpendicularly to the elongate member. 
     
     
         6 . The toy of  claim 1 , wherein the particle dispersing mechanism includes a bellows and an actuator, and the actuator is driven intermittently to engage the bellows and create the bursts of the second flow of air. 
     
     
         7 . The toy of  claim 6 , wherein the housing includes a drive mechanism having a cam member coupled thereto, and the cam member has a cam surface engageable with the actuator to move the actuator to engage the bellows. 
     
     
         8 . The toy of  claim 7 , wherein the cam member intermittently engages a portion of the actuator as the cam member rotates. 
     
     
         9 . The toy of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an actuating switch operable by a user to activate the blowing mechanism and the particle dispersing mechanism; and   a mode switch operable by the user to select between a first mode of activation of the blowing mechanism alone and a second mode of activation of the blowing mechanism and the particle dispersing mechanism.   
     
     
         10 . The toy of  claim 9 , wherein each of the blowing mechanism and the particle dispersing mechanism is continuously operated in the second mode. 
     
     
         11 . A toy assembly, comprising:
 a doll; and   a glitter and air blower comprising:
 a housing; 
 an air flow generating mechanism disposed in the housing, the air flow generating mechanism generating a first flow of air that is discharged from the housing; 
 a container coupled to the housing, the container holding a plurality of glitter particles; and 
 a particle flow generating mechanism disposed in the housing, the particle flow generating mechanism generating a second flow of air that is discharged from the housing, the second flow of air including periodic bursts of air containing glitter particles, the particle flow generating mechanism including a control mechanism that controls the entry of glitter particles into the second flow of air, the first flow of air carrying the particles from the second flow of air into engagement with the doll. 
   
     
     
         12 . The toy of  claim 11 , wherein the housing has a first opening and a second opening above the first opening, the first flow of air exits through the first opening, and the second flow of air exits through the second opening. 
     
     
         13 . The toy of  claim 11 , wherein the particle flow generating mechanism includes a bellows and an actuator, and the actuator is driven intermittently to engage the bellows and create the bursts of the second flow of air. 
     
     
         14 . The toy of  claim 13 , wherein the housing includes a drive mechanism having a cam member coupled thereto, the cam member has a cam surface engageable with the actuator to move the actuator to engage the bellows, and the cam member intermittently engages a portion of the actuator as the cam member rotates. 
     
     
         15 . The toy of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 an actuating switch operable by a user to activate the air flow generating mechanism and the particle flow generating mechanism; and   a mode switch operable by the user to select between a first mode of activation of the air flow generating mechanism alone and a second mode of activation of the air flow generating mechanism and the particle flow generating mechanism, wherein each of the blowing mechanism and the particle dispersing mechanism is continuously operated in the second mode.   
     
     
         16 . A toy assembly for use with a doll, comprising:
 a housing including:
 an air source disposed in the housing, the air source configured to blow air through an opening in the housing, and 
 a mounting portion; and 
   a first component removably coupleable to the mounting portion, the first component being engageable with a portion of the doll to change the color of the portion of the doll; and   a second component removably coupleable to the mounting portion, the second component containing particles that can be dispersed from the housing by the air from the air source.   
     
     
         17 . The toy assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the first component includes a body defining a chamber in which a liquid or object can be placed. 
     
     
         18 . The toy assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the portion of the doll is hair of the doll. 
     
     
         19 . The toy assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the particles are dispersed through an opening in the second component via the air from the opening in the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The toy assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the mounting portion includes a threaded portion, and each of the first component and the second component includes a threaded member that can be used with the threaded portion to couple the corresponding one of the first component and the second component to the mounting portion.