Toy figures have been and continue to be a stable source of amusement for children. Enhancements that spark a child's imagination and features that provide continued engagement of the toy figurine with the child add to its play value and build a bond between the child and the toy figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,543 B1 to Andrews discloses a toy figurine having an enhanced punching feature. When the toy figure's torso is pivoted and released, the upper torso rapidly pivots back to its original alignment imparting a punching motion to one of the toy figure's arms. The punching arm supports a switch, a flash element, and a light emitting diode (LED). A control circuit responds to actuation of the switch to produce a crash-type sound and to energize the flash element to provide a simultaneous burst of bright light each time the toy figure's hand impacts a suitable object. While Andrews provides an entertaining play pattern, the activation of light and sound is limited to when the figure's hand impacts an object.
The WWE FLEXFORCE product line by MATTEL includes action figures that re-enact the signature moves of certain WWE personalities. For example, the FIST POUNDIN' JOHN CENA action figurine includes a torso joint at the stomach area of the figure. A child may pivot the upper torso backwards by pulling the figure's arms up and back. Releasing the figure's arms causes both the arms and the torso joint to quickly return to their original positions. Through this sequence of motions, the child may re-enact their wrestling idol picking up and hurling an opponent into ringside ropes or smashing down on an opponent with two beefy fists. Similarly, the HOOK THROWIN' CHRIS JERICHO action figurine includes elbow and shoulder joints that quickly return to their original positions to simulate a hook punch. The BIG TALKIN' TRIPLE H action figurine includes a similar elbow and shoulder joint, but further includes a “signature phrase,” such as “time to play the game,” that the figurine “speaks” when the arm is pulled back about the shoulder joint. Additionally, the FLIP KICKIN' REY MYSTERIO action figurine includes knee, hip and ankle joints that quickly return to their original positions to allow the figurine to simulate a kick or perform a flip. The ROUND HOUSE KICKIN' EVAN BOURNE action figurine includes a leg joint that quickly returns to its original position to allow the figurine to simulate a kick. The leg joint in this figurine is described with more detail in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/495,584, filed on Jun. 13, 2012, entitled Toy Figure with Articulating Limb, which is hereby incorporated by reference in full. These WWE FLEXFORCE action figures do not include any electronics, including flashing lights or “charging up” sounds to accompany their movements.
The GREEN LANTERN GALACTIC SCALE KILOWOG action figurine by MATTEL includes an internally lit-up ring symbol on the figure's chest. When the figure's right arm is raised from down by its side to straight up in front, the light-up ring symbol flashes with a steady pulse. The light pulses continue for a set time regardless of whether the arm stays up or is moved back to its original lowered position while the light pulses. The figurine does not include any sound to accompany its movement, nor do the figure's light pulses indicate any “charging up” patterns.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds