Plush toys and plush toy drive devices

Abstract

To provide a stuffed toy and a stuffed toy driving device that allow various movements to be enjoyed. [Solution] The stuffed toy 100 comprises a stuffed toy body 110 and a drive unit 120 that can be attached and detached to the inside of the stuffed toy body 110. The drive unit 120 is characterized by having a contact detection unit 122 that detects contact with the stuffed toy body 110 and a power unit 124 that transmits power to the stuffed toy body 110 when contact is detected by the contact detection unit 122. The stuffed toy body 110 is provided with a fastener 112, and the drive unit 120 can be attached and detached to the inside of the stuffed toy body 110 by opening and closing the fastener 112. With this configuration, the drive unit 120 can be attached and detached to the inside of the stuffed toy body 110 and can be added later, making it possible to create a stuffed toy that can be enjoyed with a variety of movements. It can also be enjoyed as a regular stuffed toy that does not move.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a stuffed toy and a stuffed toy driving device. [Background technology]

[0002] A known conventional stuffed toy is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2002-66160 (Patent Document 1). The stuffed toy disclosed in this document has an actuating body shaped to correspond to the moving parts of the stuffed toy body. This actuating body is built into the stuffed toy body and is actuated by the driving force from the spiral spring of the driving means. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-66160 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the stuffed toy disclosed in the above Patent Document 1 has few variations in movement and only moves in a predetermined manner. There has been a demand for a stuffed toy that can move in a variety of ways.

[0005] The present invention was made in consideration of these problems, and its purpose is to provide a new and improved stuffed animal and stuffed animal drive device that allows users to enjoy a variety of movements. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, according to a first aspect of the present invention, a stuffed toy is provided, comprising a stuffed toy body and a drive unit, at least a portion of which is detachably attached to the inside of the stuffed toy body, the drive unit comprising a contact detection unit that detects contact with the stuffed toy body, and a power unit that transmits power to the stuffed toy body when contact is detected by the contact detection unit.

[0007] With this configuration, the drive unit can be attached and detached to the inside of the stuffed toy body, and the drive unit can be added later, so it is possible to create a stuffed toy that can be enjoyed with a variety of movements.It can also be enjoyed as a normal stuffed toy that does not move.

[0008] The present invention can be applied in various ways. For example, the main body of the stuffed toy may be provided with an opening and closing part, and the drive unit may be attached and detached to and from the inside of the main body of the stuffed toy by opening and closing the opening and closing part. With this configuration, the drive unit can be easily attached and detached to and from the inside of the main body of the stuffed toy by opening and closing the opening and closing part (for example, a hook-and-loop fastener or a zipper).

[0009] Furthermore, in order to solve the above problems, according to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stuffed toy drive device, at least a portion of which is detachably attached to the inside of the stuffed toy body, characterized in that it comprises a contact detection unit that detects contact with the stuffed toy body, and a power unit that transmits power to the stuffed toy body when contact is detected by the contact detection unit.

[0010] According to this configuration, by retrofitting the stuffed toy drive device to the stuffed toy body, it is possible to create a stuffed toy that can move in a variety of ways.

[0011] This device can be applied in a variety of ways. For example, it may further include a housing section for housing the contact detection section and power section, and the housing section may have an opening / closing section, which may be opened or closed to allow only the contact detection section and the power section to be attached or detached from the stuffed toy body. With this configuration, by opening or closing the opening / closing section (for example, a hook-and-loop fastener or a zipper), the contact detection section and the power section can be easily attached or detached inside the stuffed toy body after the stuffed toy drive device has been retrofitted to the stuffed toy body. This allows for a simple configuration, as there is no need to provide a hook-and-loop fastener or a zipper on the stuffed toy body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0012] The plush toy of the present invention can provide a plush toy and a plush toy drive device that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Other advantages of the present invention will be described in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the configuration of a stuffed toy 100 according to a first embodiment, in which (a) shows the inside of the stuffed toy 100 and (b) shows the back of the stuffed toy 100. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a driving unit 120. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are diagrams for explaining the operation of the stuffed toy 100, in which (a) shows the operation of turning on the driving unit 120, and (b) shows the state in which the head is rotating. [Figure 4] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing modified examples, in which (a) shows a state in which the drive unit 120 has been moved from the head to one arm, and (b) shows a state in which the drive unit 120 has been added to both arms. [Figure 5] 10 is a diagram showing the configuration of a stuffed toy 200 according to a second embodiment. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a driving unit 220. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: In this specification and drawings, components having substantially the same functional configurations are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0015] (First embodiment) A stuffed toy 100 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. First, the configuration of the stuffed toy 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of the stuffed toy 100 according to the first embodiment. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of the drive unit 120.

[0016] As shown in Fig. 1, the stuffed toy 100 is configured to include a stuffed toy main body 110 and a drive unit 120, at least a portion of which is detachably attached to the inside of the stuffed toy main body 110. As will be described later with reference to Fig. 2, the drive unit 120 is characterized by including a contact detection unit 122 that detects contact with the stuffed toy main body 110, and a power unit 124 that transmits power to the stuffed toy main body 110 when contact is detected by the contact detection unit 122. The configuration of each unit will be described in detail below.

[0017] (Plush toy body 110) As shown in FIG. 1, the stuffed toy body 110 is an animal-shaped body with a head, torso, arms, legs, etc., and has a zipper 112 (opening / closing part) on the back. The rest of the plush toy body can be constructed in almost the same way as a normal stuffed toy. A drive unit 120, which will be described later, can be inserted into the stuffed toy body 110 through this zipper 112. In this embodiment, the opening / closing part is provided on the back, but the opening / closing part is not limited to the back and can be provided in any position. For example, the opening / closing part may be such that the head and torso are separated. In addition to the zipper, the opening / closing part may also be a hook-and-loop fastener, a button, a hook, etc.

[0018] The stuffed toy body 110 has a small amount of stuffing so that it can accommodate the drive unit 120 inside. Stuffing may be cotton, urethane, polystyrene foam, or the like. The stuffed toy body 110 may have a double structure with an outer and inner layer, with stuffing placed between the outer and inner layers, to prevent direct contact between the drive unit 120 and the stuffing.

[0019] The stuffed toy body 110 can be enjoyed as a normal stuffed toy by itself even without the drive unit 120. The stuffed toy body 110 can be distributed on the market by itself as a single product.

[0020] (Drive unit 120) 2, the driving unit 120 is characterized by including a contact detection unit 122 that detects contact with the stuffed toy body 110, and a power unit 124 that transmits power to the stuffed toy body 110 when contact is detected by the contact detection unit 122. As described above, the driving unit 120 is used by being inserted into the stuffed toy body 110 through the fastener 112 of the stuffed toy body 110. The entire driving unit 120 does not have to be inserted inside the stuffed toy body 110, and a part of the driving unit 120 may protrude outside the stuffed toy body 110.

[0021] The contact detection unit 122 can be configured, for example, by a pressure sensor. The contact detection unit 122 is installed inside the head of the stuffed toy body 110, and can detect the pressure when a person strokes the head of the stuffed toy body 110.

[0022] The power unit 124 can be configured with a micro servo. The power unit 124 rotates and vibrates when the contact detection unit 122 detects that a person has stroked the head of the stuffed toy body 110. This power is transmitted to the stuffed toy body 110, causing it to move.

[0023] The above operations are controlled by a microcomputer 126 in the driving unit 120. A battery 128 can be used as the power source for the driving unit 120. The battery 128 may be built into the stuffed toy body 110 or may be provided outside the stuffed toy body 110. Furthermore, the power source for the driving unit 120 may be supplied from an external power source instead of the battery 128. The driving unit 120 may be provided with any other necessary components as appropriate.

[0024] The driving unit 120 can be distributed in the market as a standalone product as a stuffed toy driving device, separate from the stuffed toy body 110. In other words, the driving unit 120 (stuffed toy driving device) can be used in common with multiple types of stuffed toy bodies.

[0025] The configuration of the stuffed toy 100 has been described above. Next, a method for attaching and detaching the drive unit 120 to and from the stuffed toy main body 110 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 again. As shown in FIG. 1(b), the fastener 112 on the stuffed toy main body 110 is opened, and the drive unit 120 is inserted into the stuffed toy main body 110 via the fastener 112. As shown in FIG. 1(a), the stuffed toy 100 is constructed by adjusting the position of the drive unit 120 and closing the fastener 112. For example, when it is desired to move the head of the stuffed toy 100, the power unit 124 is placed on the head, and when it is desired to move the arms, the power unit 124 is placed on the arms. When detaching the drive unit 120 from the stuffed toy main body, the reverse is done.

[0026] The above has described how to attach and detach the drive unit 120 to the stuffed toy body 110. Next, the operation of the stuffed toy 100 will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the stuffed toy 100.

[0027] First, open the fastener 112 of the stuffed toy body 110, insert the driving unit 120 into the stuffed toy body 110, and place the contact detection unit 122 and the power unit 124 in the head portion. Then, turn on the power.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 3(a), when a person strokes the head of the stuffed toy body 110, the contact detection unit 122 detects this and the power unit 124 moves. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the head of the stuffed toy body 110 moves. The movement of the stuffed toy 100 can be designed as desired. For example, the head can be made to rotate or shake.

[0029] (Effects of the first embodiment) As described above, according to this embodiment, a plush toy 100 that can be enjoyed in a variety of movements can be configured with a simple configuration in which the drive unit 120 is simply inserted into the plush toy body 110.

[0030] In addition, since the driving unit 120 is detachable from the stuffed toy body 110, the driving unit 120 can be inserted into the stuffed toy body 110 to make the stuffed toy 100 move, or the driving unit 120 can be removed from the stuffed toy body 110 to make it a regular stuffed toy.

[0031] (Variation) A modified example of the first embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the modified example, in which (a) shows a state in which the driving unit 120 has been moved from the head to one arm, and (b) shows a state in which the driving unit 120 has been added to both arms.

[0032] In the above embodiment, an example in which the head of the stuffed toy 100 is moved has been described, but the arms of the stuffed toy 100 may also be moved. As shown in Fig. 4(a), the driving unit 120 that moves the head can be attached to the arms. When moving the arms, the contact detection unit 122 and the power unit 124 of the driving unit 120 inserted into the stuffed toy body 110 are disposed in the arms.

[0033] When a person strokes the arms of stuffed toy body 110, contact detection unit 122 detects this and power unit 124 moves. The movement of stuffed toy 100 can be designed as desired. For example, the arms can be made to swing.

[0034] Furthermore, the power unit 124 can be added not only to the head but also to the arms. When moving the head and both arms of the stuffed animal 100, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the number of power units 124 of the drive unit 120 is increased to three, and each is controlled by a microcomputer 126. It is also possible to place three contact detection units 122 and three power units 124, one on the head and one on each arm.

[0035] When a person strokes the head of the stuffed toy body 110, the contact detection unit 122 detects this and the power unit 124 moves. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the head and both arms of the stuffed toy body 110 move. The movement of the power unit 124 can be designed as desired. For example, the head and both arms of the stuffed toy body 110 may move in unison, or may move separately.

[0036] (Second embodiment) A stuffed toy 200 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the configuration of the stuffed toy 200 according to the second embodiment. Fig. 6 is a diagram showing a drive unit 220. The following description will focus on the differences from the first embodiment, and components that can be configured in the same way will be given the same reference numerals and descriptions thereof may be omitted.

[0037] As shown in FIG. 5, the stuffed toy 200 is configured to include a stuffed toy body 210 and a drive unit 220 at least a part of which is detachably attached to the inside of the stuffed toy body 210, similar to the first embodiment.

[0038] (Plush toy body 210g) The stuffed toy body 210 does not have a fastener like the stuffed toy body 110 of the first embodiment, but has a slit 212 for inserting the drive unit 220, which will be described later. Other aspects of the stuffed toy body 210 can be configured in the same way as the stuffed toy body 110 of the first embodiment.

[0039] The stuffed toy body 210 can be enjoyed as a normal stuffed toy by itself, even without the drive unit 220. The stuffed toy body 210 is not conspicuous because it has a slit 212 instead of a zipper. The stuffed toy body 210 can be distributed on the market by itself as a product.

[0040] (Driver 220) 6, similar to the drive unit 120 of the first embodiment, the drive unit 220 includes a contact detection unit 222 that detects contact with the stuffed toy body 210, a power unit 224 that transmits power to the stuffed toy body 210 when contact is detected by the contact detection unit 222, a microcomputer 226, and a battery 228. The drive unit 220 is further characterized by including a storage unit 230, in which the contact detection unit 222, the power unit 224, and the microcomputer 226 are stored. The storage unit 230 is provided with a fastener 232 similar to the fastener 112 provided on the back of the stuffed toy body 110 of the first embodiment. As described above, the drive unit 220 is used by being inserted into the stuffed toy body 210.

[0041] The size of the driving unit 220 is configured so that it can be attached and detached into the stuffed toy body 210 through the slit 212 of the stuffed toy body 210, and will not easily come off once inserted. For this reason, the material and shape of the slit 212 of the stuffed toy body 210, in particular, and the material and shape of the storage section 230 can be designed as appropriate. For example, the storage section 230 may be configured to be slightly smaller than the stuffed toy body 210 so that it can be stored within the stuffed toy body 210. Furthermore, the storage section 230 may have the same shape as the stuffed toy body 210, or it may have a different shape.

[0042] The drive unit 220 can be sold on the market as a standalone product as a plush toy drive device, separate from the plush toy body 210. In other words, the drive unit 220 (plush toy drive device) can be used in common with multiple types of plush toy bodies. Other aspects of the drive unit 220 can be configured in the same way as the drive unit 120 of the first embodiment.

[0043] The above has described the configuration of the stuffed animal 200. Next, the operation of the stuffed animal 200 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0044] 5, the drive unit 220 is inserted into the stuffed toy body 210 through the slit 212 in the stuffed toy body 210. When the power is turned on, the stuffed toy body 210 can be moved in the same way as in the first embodiment.

[0045] (Effects of the second embodiment) As described above, according to this embodiment, in addition to the effects of the first embodiment, by opening and closing the fastener 232, after the drive unit 220 (stuffed toy drive device) has been attached to the stuffed toy main body 210, the contact detection unit 222 and power unit 224 can be easily attached to and detached from the inside of the stuffed toy main body 210. The stuffed toy main body 210 has only the slit 212 and does not require any hook-and-loop fasteners or zippers, so the configuration can be simple.

[0046] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these examples. It is clear that those skilled in the art can conceive of various modifications and alterations within the scope of the utility model claims, and it is understood that these modifications and alterations also fall within the technical scope of the present invention.

[0047] For example, in the above embodiment, the driving part is attached and detached from the back of the stuffed toy body, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the driving part may be attached and detached from the bottom of the stuffed toy body or from another part. If the stuffed toy body has a mouth, head, or belly that opens wide, it may be attached and detached from the mouth. Furthermore, the stuffed toy body is not limited to an animal shape with a head, torso, arms, legs, etc., but may be in any shape, such as a mascot character or a regular polyhedron.

[0048] The above-described embodiments, applications, and modifications can be implemented in any combination. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 100, 200 plush toys 110, 210 Plush toy body 112 Zipper 120, 220 drive unit 122, 222 Contact detection unit 124, 224 Power section 126, 226 microcomputer 128, 228 battery 212 Slit 230 Storage Unit 232 Zipper

Claims

1. The stuffed toy itself, a drive unit at least a part of which is detachably attached to the inside of the stuffed toy body; It consists of The drive unit is a contact detection unit that detects contact with the stuffed toy body; a power unit that transmits power to the stuffed toy body when the contact is detected by the contact detection unit; A stuffed toy characterized by comprising:

2. The stuffed toy body is provided with an opening and closing part, The plush toy according to claim 1 , wherein the drive unit is attached to and detached from the inside of the plush toy body by opening and closing the opening and closing unit.

3. A stuffed toy drive device at least a part of which is detachably attached to the inside of the stuffed toy body, a contact detection unit that detects contact with the stuffed toy body; a power unit that transmits power to the stuffed toy body when the contact is detected by the contact detection unit; A stuffed toy driving device comprising:

4. Further, a housing unit is provided to house the contact detection unit and the power unit, The storage section has an opening and closing section, 4. The stuffed toy drive device according to claim 3, wherein only the contact detection unit and the power unit can be attached and detached from the stuffed toy body by opening and closing the opening and closing unit.

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