US20140148079A1

Movatterモバイル変換

Info

Publication number: US20140148079A1
Application number: US13/685,907
Authority: US
Inventors: Cheng-Chun ZHANG
Original assignee: Gemmy Industries Corp
Current assignee: Gemmy Industries Corp
Priority date: 2012-11-27
Filing date: 2012-11-27
Publication date: 2014-05-29

Abstract

A waving inflatable toy has a body and an opening alignment unit. The body has an opening alignment chamber, a first inflate and deflate chamber and a second inflate and deflate chamber. The opening alignment chamber has four openings respectively communicating with a main chamber, the first inflate and deflate chamber, the second inflate and deflate chamber and an air outlet. The opening alignment unit is mounted inside the opening alignment chamber and has a four-way valve assembly having four air vents and a guide vane and intermittently rotated an angle so that each air vent is sequentially aligned with the openings of the opening alignment chamber. The guide vane can be rotated to selectively guide inflated air into the first or second inflate and deflate chamber. Accordingly, the waving direction of the toy is constantly changing to demonstrate a vivid motion and provide an animated visual effect.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a toy and more particularly to a waving inflatable toy.

2. Description of the Related Art

Inflatable figures are entertaining and displayable, are hollow and have air chambers therein. While being inflated, inflatable figures are expanded in volume into a fixed form for the purposes of entertainment, advertisement and decoration. After being deflated, inflatable figures can be folded flat and stored in a compact bag for easy storage. In view of the foregoing advantages and operational flexibility, inflatable figures may be proclaimed as one type of most popular inflatable toys. However, conventional inflatable figures can be only statically exhibited and easily become stereotypical in terms of visual reception. Therefore, toy industry is constantly conceiving how to improve the design of inflatable figures by providing satisfactory entertaining and animated effect through added motion of the inflatable figures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a waving inflatable toy demonstrating a more animated visual effect arising from a constantly changing waving direction of the toy.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the waving inflatable toy has a body, an air pump and an opening alignment unit. The body has a main chamber, a first inflate and deflate chamber, a second inflate and deflate chamber, an air outlet and an opening alignment chamber.

The main chamber, the first inflate and deflate chamber, and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed inside the body and take the form of hollow airbags. The first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed next to each other.

The air outlet is formed through the body.

The opening alignment chamber takes the form of a hollow airbag, is formed inside the main chamber, and has a first opening, a second opening, a third opening and a fourth opening.

The first opening communicates with the main chamber.

The second opening communicates with the second inflate and deflate chamber.

The third opening communicates with the air outlet.

The fourth opening communicates with the first inflate and deflate chamber.

The air pump is connected to the main chamber of the body.

The opening alignment unit is mounted inside the opening alignment chamber and has a driving motor and a four-way valve assembly.

The driving motor is mounted inside the opening alignment chamber and has a spindle.

The four-way valve assembly is connected to the driving motor and has four air vents and a guide vane.

Each air vent is rotated to sequentially align with the first opening, the second opening, the third opening and the fourth opening of the opening alignment chamber when the four-way valve assembly is intermittently driven to rotate an angle by the driving motor.

The guide vane is mounted inside the four-way valve assembly, and divides an inner space of the four-way valve into two rooms varying according to a position of the guide vane when the four-way valve assembly is intermittently driven by the driving motor to rotate the angle. Two of the air vents communicate with one of the divided rooms, and the other two air vents communicate with the other divided room.

From the foregoing technical measure, the waving inflatable toy can be inflated by using the air pump to pump air into the main chamber of the body. By changing the position of the guide vane of the four-way valve assembly, the inflated air selectively enters the first inflate and deflate chamber or the second inflate and deflate chamber. The inflated air expands the first inflate and deflate chamber upon entering it and shrinks the second inflate and deflate chamber so that the body of the toy waves toward one side. The inflated air expands the second inflate and deflate chamber upon entering it and shrinks the first inflate and deflate chamber so that the body of the toy waves toward an opposite side. Hence, by constantly changing the airflow direction in the opening alignment chamber of the four-way valve assembly, the waving direction of the body of the toy can keep changing so as to demonstrate a vivid motion and provide an animated visual effect.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a waving inflatable toy in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view in partial section of the waving inflatable toy inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of an opening alignment unit of the waving inflatable toy inFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a four-way valve of the opening alignment unit inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an operational top view in partial section of the waving inflatable toy inFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is another operational top view in partial section of the waving inflatable toy inFIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an operational perspective view of a second embodiment of a waving inflatable toy in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is another operational perspective view of the waving inflatable toy inFIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of a waving inflatable toy in accordance with the present invention has abody10, anair pump20 and anopening alignment unit30.

Thebody10 is hollow, is made of a soft and thin material, and has multiple air chambers therein. Thebody10 has atrunk11, a first wavingportion12 and asecond waving portion13. The first wavingportion12 and the second wavingportion13 are mounted on two sides of thetrunk11.

Thetrunk11 has amain chamber14, anopening alignment chamber15 and anair outlet110. Thefirst waving portion12 and thesecond waving portion13 respectively have a first inflate anddeflate chamber16 and a second inflate anddeflate chamber17 formed therein.

Theair pump20 is conventional, and has a pump inlet formed through a bottom portion and a pump outlet formed through a top portion. Theair pump20 is mounted beneath themain chamber14 of thebody10. As the pump outlet is aligned with themain chamber14 of thebody10, theair pump20 serves to pump the air near the pump inlet into themain chamber14 through the pump outlet.

With reference toFIGS. 3 and 4, theopening alignment unit30 is mounted inside the openingalignment chamber15 and has a drivingmotor31, a four-way valve assembly32 and aGeneva mechanism33.

The drivingmotor31 is conventional, is mounted inside acover312 and on a fixingbase313, and has aspindle310. Thespindle310 is mounted through the fixingbase313. The drivingmotor31 and thecover312 are securely mounted inside the openingalignment chamber15.

The four-way valve assembly32 has two half housings and aguide vane325. The half housings are assembled to form a complete housing that is hollow and cylindrical. Each half housing has anannular wall320, afirst air vent321, asecond air vent322, athird air vent323 and afourth air vent324. An axial direction of thefirst air vent321 is perpendicular to those of thesecond air vent322 and thefourth air vent324. An axial direction of thethird air vent323 is perpendicular to those of thesecond air vent322 and thefourth air vent324. Theguide vane325 is plate-like and is rotatably mounted inside the four-way valve assembly32, and divides an inner space of the four-way valve assembly into two rooms varying according to a position of theguide vane325 when the four-way valve assembly32 is intermittently driven by the drivingmotor31 to rotate an angle. At one of the positions of theguide vane325, thefirst air vent321 and thefourth air vent324 may communicate with one of the rooms, and thesecond air vent322 and thethird air vent323 may communicate with the other room. A bottom of the four-way valve assembly32 is combined with the fixingbase313 to define a storage space between the bottom of the four-way valve assembly32 and the fixingbase313.

With reference toFIGS. 3,4 and5, theGeneva mechanism33 has adriving wheel330 and a drivenwheel331. Thedriving wheel330 has a wheel, anindentation332, an arm and apin333. Theindentation332 is formed on and recessed from one edge of the wheel. One end of the arm and the wheel are concentrically and rotatably mounted on the bottom of the four-way valve assembly32, and thepin333 is formed on and protrudes upwards from the other end of the arm extending beyond theindentation332. The drivenwheel331 is square-shaped, is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the four-way valve assembly32, is equally divided into four leaves and has fourguide slots334. Each leaf has a concave arc portion formed in an outer edge of the leaf and matching a circumferential edge of the wheel of thedriving wheel330. Eachguide slot334 is formed between corresponding adjacent two of the four leaves along a radial direction. Any adjacent two of the fourguide slots334 are perpendicular to each other. Thedriving wheel330 is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the four-way valve assembly32 at an eccentric position and away from a rotation center of the four-way valve assembly32, and is received in the storage room defined by the fixingbase313 and the four-way valve assembly32. A rotating center of the drivenwheel331 coincides with the center of the four-way valve assembly32. The concave arc portion of each leaf of the drivenwheel331 abuts against the circumferential edge of thedriving wheel330 so that thepin333 of thedriving wheel330 can be sequentially moved in theguide slots334 of the drivenwheel331 when the driving wheel is continuously rotated. When thedriving wheel330 is rotated360 degrees, thepin333 can drive the drivenwheel331 to turn90 degrees. Hence, the drivenwheel331 becomes an intermittent motion mechanism capable of being rotated90 degrees for each revolution of thedriving wheel330. Thespindle310 of the drivingmotor31 is concentrically connected to a rotating center of thedriving wheel330.

With reference toFIG. 2, driven by the drivingmotor31 and theGeneva mechanism33, the four-way valve assembly32 can be intermittently rotated so that thefirst air vent321, thesecond air vent322, thethird air vent323 and thefourth air vent324 are rotated to sequentially align with and communicate with thefirst opening150, thesecond opening151, thethird opening152 and thefourth opening153. By changing the position of theguide vane325, two different communicating states are available among thefirst opening150, thesecond opening151, thethird opening152 and thefourth opening153.

With reference toFIG. 5, when the waving inflatable toy is operated, theair pump20 continuously pumps air into themain chamber14 of thebody10. Air is pumped into the openingalignment chamber15 through thefirst opening150. Theguide vane325 is so positioned that thefirst opening150 communicates with thefourth opening153 but does not communicate with thesecond opening151 and thethird opening152. Therefore, the inflated air sequentially flows through thefirst opening150, the openingalignment chamber15 and thefourth opening153 to the first inflate and deflatechamber16 to inflate and expand the first inflate and deflatechamber16. Meanwhile, as thesecond opening151 communicates with thethird opening152, the air inside the second inflate and deflatechamber17 is exhausted to theair outlet110 sequentially through thesecond opening151, the openingalignment chamber15 and thethird opening152 to deflate and shrink the second inflate and deflatechamber17. By inflating the first inflate and deflatechamber16 and deflating the second inflate and deflatechamber17, the first wavingportion12 and the second wavingportion13 wave toward a rear direction of the waving inflatable toy.

With reference toFIG. 6, when the four-way valve assembly32 is rotated to another orientation, theguide vane325 is so rotated that thefirst opening150 communicates with thesecond opening151 and does not communicate with thethird opening152 and thefourth opening153. The inflated air enters the second inflate and deflatechamber17 through thefirst opening150, the openingalignment chamber15 and thesecond opening151 to inflate and expand the second inflate and deflatechamber17. Meanwhile, as thethird opening152 communicates with thefourth opening153, the air in the first inflate and deflatechamber16 is exhausted to theair outlet110 through thefourth opening153, the openingalignment chamber15 and thethird opening152 to deflate and shrink the first inflate and deflatechamber16. By inflating the second inflate and deflatechamber17 and deflating the first inflate and deflatechamber16, the first wavingportion12 and the second wavingportion13 wave toward a front direction of the waving inflatable toy.

By constantly rotating the four-way valve assembly32 in the openingalignment chamber15 to change the air flow directions, the first wavingportion12 and the second wavingportion13 continuously and alternately change their waving directions, thereby demonstrating dynamic and vivid motion and providing higher entertaining and animated visual effect.

With reference toFIG. 7, a second embodiment of a waving inflatable toy in accordance with the present invention has abody10A, anair pump20A and anopening alignment unit30A.

Thebody10A takes a human form and has an upper portion and a lower portion. Thebody10A has amain chamber14A, an openingalignment chamber15A, a first inflate and deflatechamber16A and a second inflate and deflatechamber17A. The openingalignment chamber15A is defined within themain chamber14A. Anair outlet110A is formed through thebody10A. The first inflate and deflatechamber16A and the second inflate and deflatechamber17A are formed on two side portions inside the lower portion of thebody10A. The openingalignment chamber15A has afirst opening150A, asecond opening151A, athird opening152A and afourth opening153A. The openingalignment chamber15A communicates with themain chamber14A through thefirst opening150A. Thesecond opening151A communicates with the second inflate and deflatechamber17A. Thethird opening152A communicates with theair outlet110A. Thefourth opening153A communicates with the first inflate and deflatechamber16A.

Theair pump20A is mounted beneath thebody10A and has a pump outlet communicating with themain chamber14A of thebody10A.

Theopening alignment unit30A is mounted inside the openingalignment chamber15A and has a driving motor, a four-way valve assembly32A and a Geneva mechanism. The driving motor, the four-way valve assembly32A and the Geneva mechanism are similar to those in the first embodiment. The four-way valve assembly32A has four air vents and aguide vane325A mounted inside the four-way valve assembly32A. Driven by the driving motor and the Geneva mechanism, the four-way valve assembly32A can be rotated intermittently so that the air vents of the four-way valve assembly32A are rotated to sequentially align with and communicate with thefirst opening150A, thesecond opening151A, thethird opening152A, and thefourth opening153A. By changing the position of theguide vane325A of the four-way valve assembly32A, two different communicating states are available among thefirst opening150A, thesecond opening151A, thethird opening152A, and thefourth opening153A.

When the waving inflatable toy is operated, the air pump continuously pumps air to themain chamber14A of thebody10A. The inflated air enters the openingalignment chamber15A through thefirst opening150A. As theguide vane325A is so positioned that thefirst opening150A communicates with thefourth opening153A and does not communicate with thesecond opening151A and thethird opening152A, the inflated air flows to the first inflate and deflatechamber16A through thefirst opening150A, the openingalignment chamber15A and thefourth opening153A to inflate and expand the first inflate and deflatechamber16A. Meanwhile, as thesecond opening151A communicates with thethird opening152A, the air in the second inflate and deflatechamber17A is exhausted to theair outlet110A sequentially through thesecond opening151A, the openingalignment chamber15A and thethird opening153A to deflate and shrink the second inflate and deflatechamber17A. By inflating the first inflate and deflatechamber16A and deflating the second inflate and deflatechamber17A, the upper portion of thebody10A waves toward a direction.

With reference toFIG. 8, when theguide vane325A of the four-way valve assembly32A is rotated to another angle, theguide vane325A is so positioned that thefirst opening150A communicates with thesecond opening151A and does not communicate with thethird opening152A and thefourth opening153A. The inflated air flows through thefirst opening150A, the openingalignment chamber15A, and thesecond opening151A to enter the second inflate and deflatechamber17A so that the air inside the first inflate and deflatechamber16A is exhausted to theair outlet110A through thefourth opening153A, the openingalignment chamber15A and thethird opening152A, and the first inflate and deflate chamber is deflated and shrunk. By inflating the second inflate and deflatechamber17A and deflating the first inflate and deflatechamber16A, the upper portion of thebody10A waves toward an opposite direction.

Accordingly, by constantly rotating the four-way valve assembly32A in the openingalignment chamber15A in the present embodiment to change the air flow directions, thebody10A continuously and alternately changes its waving directions, thereby demonstrating dynamic and vivid motion and providing a higher entertaining and animated visual effect.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only.

Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A waving inflatable toy comprising:

a body having:

a main chamber, a first inflate and deflate chamber and a second inflate and deflate chamber formed inside the body, taking the form of hollow airbags, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed next to each other:

an air outlet formed through the body; and

an opening alignment chamber taking the form of a hollow airbag, formed inside the main chamber, and having:

a first opening communicating with the main chamber;

a second opening communicating with the second inflate and deflate chamber;

a third opening communicating with the air outlet; and

a fourth opening communicating with the first inflate and deflate chamber;

an air pump connected to the main chamber of the body; and

an opening alignment unit mounted inside the opening alignment chamber and having:

a driving motor mounted inside the opening alignment chamber and having a spindle; and

a four-way valve assembly connected to the driving motor and having:

four air vents, each air vent rotated to sequentially align with the first opening, the second opening, the third opening and the fourth opening of the opening alignment chamber when the four-way valve assembly is intermittently driven to rotate an angle by the driving motor; and

a guide vane mounted inside the four-way valve assembly, and dividing an inner space of the four-way valve into two rooms varying according to a position of the guide vane when the four-way valve assembly is intermittently driven by the driving motor to rotate the angle, wherein two of the air vents communicate with one of the divided rooms, and the other two air vents communicate with the other divided room.

2. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 1, wherein

center lines of any adjacent two of the first opening, the second opening, the third opening, and the fourth opening are substantially perpendicular;

axial directions of any adjacent two of the air vents are substantially perpendicular; and

the four-way valve assembly is intermittently rotated a right angle at a time by the driving motor.

3. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the opening alignment unit further has a Geneva mechanism, and the Geneva mechanism has:

a driving wheel mounted pivotally at an eccentric position on a bottom of the four-way valve assembly and away from a rotation center of the four-way valve assembly and having:

a wheel;

an indentation formed on and recessed from one edge of the wheel;

an arm extending beyond the indentation, wherein one end of the arm and the wheel are concentrically mounted on the bottom of the four-way valve assembly; and

a pin formed on and protruding upwards from the other end of the arm; and

a driven wheel being square-shaped, pivotally mounted on the bottom of the four-way valve assembly, equally divided into four leaves and having four guide slots, wherein each leaf has a concave arc portion formed in an outer edge of the leaf and matching a circumferential edge of the wheel of the driving wheel, each guide slot is formed between corresponding adjacent two of the four leaves along a radial direction, any adjacent two of the four guide slots are perpendicular to each other, the concave arc portion of each leaf slidably contacts the circumferential edge of the driving wheel so that the pin of the driving wheel is sequentially moved in the guide slots of the driven wheel when the driving wheel is continuously rotated, a pivot center of the driven wheel coincides with the rotation center of the four-way valve assembly, and the spindle of the driving motor is concentrically connected to a pivot center of the driving wheel.

4. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 1, wherein

the body has:

a trunk; and

a first waving portion and a second waving portion mounted on two sides of the trunk;

the main chamber and the opening alignment chamber are formed inside the trunk;

the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are adjacently formed and aligned next to each other; and

each of the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber has:

a central portion located inside the trunk; and

two side portions located inside a corresponding one of the first waving portion and the second waving portion.

5. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 2, wherein

the body has:

a trunk; and

the main chamber and the opening alignment chamber are formed inside the trunk;

a central portion located inside the trunk; and

6. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 3, wherein

the body has:

a trunk; and

the main chamber and the opening alignment chamber are formed inside the trunk;

a central portion located inside the trunk; and

7. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 4, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are aligned next to each other in a front-to-rear direction.

8. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 5, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are aligned next to each other in a front-to-rear direction.

9. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 6, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are aligned next to each other in a front-to-rear direction.

10. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 1, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed on two side portions inside the body.

11. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 2, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed on two side portions inside the body.

12. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 3, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed on two side portions inside the body.

13. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 10, wherein

the body takes a human form and has an upper portion and a lower portion; and

the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed on two side portions inside the lower portion of the body.

14. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 11, wherein

the body takes a human form and has an upper portion and a lower portion; and

15. The waving inflatable toy as claimed inclaim 12, wherein

the body takes a human form and has an upper portion and a lower portion; and