|Publication number||US7642438 B1|
|Application number||US 11/654,702|
|Publication date||Jan 5, 2010|
|Priority date||Jan 19, 2007|
|Publication number||11654702, 654702, US 7642438 B1, US 7642438B1, US-B1-7642438, US7642438 B1, US7642438B1|
|Original Assignee||Wayne Cohen|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (32), Non-Patent Citations (6), Referenced by (2), Classifications (10), Legal Events (1)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
1. Field of the Invention
In general, the present invention relates to noise making devices that make noise by passing air across a vibrating element. More particularly, the present invention device relates to novelty noise making devices that have a self-contained bellow structure for creating the flow of air needed to create noise.
2. Prior Art Description
The prior art is replete with novelty devices that are designed to make noise. One class of such novelty devices is the vibrating element noisemaker. A vibrating element noisemaker typically has a conduit through which air passes. A vibrating element is placed in the conduit so that the vibrating element vibrates and makes noise as air runs through the conduit.
In many designs, the air that passes through the conduit and excites the vibrating element is created by blowing into the conduit. This is often the design of novelty instrument noisemakers, such as kazoos and harmonicas, that are played at the mouth. Other noisemakers rely upon a bellows to generate the air needed to excite the vibrating element and make noise. The bellows can take many forms. For instance, there are many novelty balls that make noise when the ball is squeezed. In such toys, the structure of the ball is the bellows and the vibrating element is a small structure positioned in a vent of the ball.
In some prior art noisemakers, a squeeze bulb is used to create a short strong burst of air. The squeeze bulb is often corrugated to help the squeeze bulb collapse when it is squeezed. Such designs are commonly used on game calls, such as duck calls, and are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,782,558 to Harley, entitled Call Device, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,803,785 to Primos, entitled Game Call Apparatus With A Selective Disablement Mode.
Regardless of whether the vibrating element noisemaker is a ball, kazoo or duck call, all vibrating element noisemakers share some common operational characteristics. Foremost among those characteristics is the fact that the only way to vary the noise produced by the noisemaker is to vary the flow of air traveling through the noisemaker. If a loud noise is to be created, a large burst of air is used. If a soft nose is to be created, a gentle puff of air is used.
A second characteristic shared by vibrating element noisemakers is that the flow of air beyond the vibrating element cannot be constricted. In a squeeze ball there is no structure beyond the vibrating element. In both kazoos and duck calls, enlarged resonance chambers are provided to increase the volume of the noise being made. If any restriction is placed beyond the vibrating element in the noisemaker, a backpressure condition develops that limits the flow of air past the vibrating element and therefore lessens the noise.
The present invention is a novelty noisemaker that utilizes a vibrating element. However, the chamber beyond the vibrating element is specially designed to enable the noisemaker to engage a secondary object without any detrimental effect to the noisemaker's ability to make noise. This improved noisemaker design is described and claimed below.
The present invention is a novelty noisemaker assembly and its associated method of assembly. The noisemaker assembly has a bellows for manually producing a flow of air. The bellows has an open end through which air passes. Air from the bellows passes through a sound generator that produces sound energy as the air passes. The sound energy from the sound generator passes into a pitch control chamber. The pitch control chamber is a tubular structure that extends between a first end and a second end. A plurality of slots are formed in the tubular structure between the first end and the second end.
A secondary object is coupled to the second end of the pitch control chamber. The secondary object obstructs the second end of the pitch control chamber. Consequently, the slots in the side of the pitch control chamber provide the only exit port for the flow of air created by the bellows and the sound energy created by the sound generator. By selectively covering and uncovering the slots, a user can vary both the flow of air and the tone of the sound energy.
For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Although the present invention can be configured in many ways, only a few exemplary embodiments are shown. The exemplary embodiments are selected to illustrate some of the best modes contemplated for practicing the invention. However, the selection of the exemplary embodiments is arbitrary and should not be considered a limitation upon the scope of the claims.
Referring to both
A neck extension 14 can be formed at the top of the bellows 12. A knob 16 is optionally provided that caps the neck extension 14. The knob 16, if present, is preferably made of a hard material, such as plastic or wood. The knob 16 provides a hard surface at the top of the bellows 12 that can be pressed upon, therein causing the entire bellows 12 to collapse. The hard knob 16 also provides a surface upon which a printed or inscribed indicia 18 can be placed. In the shown embodiment, the knob 16 is generally disc shaped. It should be understood that the knob 16 can be shaped in other ways, such as in the shapes of animals or corporate logos.
The bellows 12 has a single open end 19. Accordingly, when the bellows 12 is compressed, air contained within the bellows 12 is displaced out of the open end 19. A sound generator 20 is positioned at the open end 19 of the bellows 12. The sound generator 20 contains a vibrating element 22 that creates noise as the air from the bellows 12 flows out the open end 19 of the bellows 12. There are numerous sound generator designs known in the prior art of noisemakers. Many such prior art sound generator designs can be adapted for use as part of the present invention.
A pitch control chamber 30 is coupled to the open end 19 of the bellows 12 around the sound generator 20. All air that passes through the sound generator 20 passes into the interior of the pitch control chamber 30. The pitch control chamber 30 is a tubular structure. A plurality of parallel slots 32 are formed in the side of the pitch control chamber 30. In the illustrated embodiment, three slots 32 are shown. However, it should be understood that any plurality of slots 32 can be utilized. Furthermore, although the slots 32 are aligned in a parallel configuration, the slots 32 need not be uniform in size, although uniformity is preferred. It is also preferred that the overall areas of the openings defined by the slots 32 be generally equal to, or larger than, the area within the sound generator 20 through which air passes.
The distal end 34 of the pitch control chamber 30, opposite the bellows 12 is closed with and end cap 36. Consequently, the slots 32 in the pitch control chamber 30 provide the only vent for air to exit the pitch control chamber 30. It will therefore be understood that the same volume of air displaced out of the bellows 12 and into the pitch control chamber 30 must also flow out of the pitch control chamber 30 through the slots 32. Since the area of the slots 32 is at least as large as the airflow area of the sound generator 20, the slots 32 offer no more resistance to the flow of air than does the sound generator 20 itself. The presence of the slots 32 therefore does not create a backpressure condition that adversely effects the flow of air from the bellows 12 through the sound generator 20.
As air flows through the sound generator 20, the sound generator 20 makes noise. The noise reverberates within the pitch control chamber 30 and is emitted into the surrounding environment through the slots 32. The slots 32 do not restrict the flow of air through the sound generator 20, provided that all of the slots 32 remain unobstructed. However, if one or more of the slots 32 becomes obstructed, the area available for the free flow of air becomes less than the airflow capacity of the sound generator 20. Accordingly, a backpressure condition develops in the pitch control chamber 30 that limits the volume of air flowing through the sound generator 20. By selectively limiting the flow of air through the sound generator 20, the noise created by the sound generator 20 can be selectively controlled. It will therefore be understood that a person selectively covering the slots 32 with his/her fingers can selectively control the sound being produced by the overall noisemaker assembly 10.
The pitch control chamber 30 acts as a resonance chamber. The slots 32 are positioned at different points along the pitch control chamber 30. By selectively covering the different slots 32, the sound energy escapes the pitch control chamber 30 at different points. Accordingly, the sound released through each slot 32 will vary in pitch and tone. The overall noisemaker assembly 10 therefore has the ability to be selectively played like an instrument with specific notes being achieved at desired points in tempo.
In operation, it will therefore be understood that to operate the noisemaker assembly 10, the bellows 12 is compressed by pressing downwardly on the knob 16 atop the bellows 12. If the knob 16 is not present, the bellows 12 is directly contacted. As the bellows 12 collapses, air from within the bellows 12 is displaced through the sound generator 20. The sound generator 20 produces sound energy that is directed into the pitch control chamber 30. The user, by selectively obstructing the various slots 32 in the side of the pitch control chamber 30, can vary the pitch, tone and volume of the sound energy emanating out of the noisemaker assembly 10.
The pen subassembly 42 has a head section 44 that passes into the distal end 34 of the pitch control chamber 30, therein fully obstructing the distal end 34. The head section 44 can be held in place in the distal end 34 of the pitch control chamber 30 using threads, adhesive and/or a friction fit.
The pen subassembly 42 has a writing point 46 that can be a ballpoint or a felt tip. The pen subassembly 42 also includes an ink reservoir 48 that extends into the space of the pitch control chamber 30. The presence of the pen subassembly 42 has no effect on the flow of air into the pitch control chamber 30 and out through the slots 32. The noisemaker assembly 40, therefore, has a structure that enables it to be connected to secondary objects like the pen subassembly 42, without having adverse effects on its ability to produce noise.
The bellows 41 has been shaped so that is has a form section 43 and a standard corrugated section 45. The form section 43 has the shape of an animal, inanimate object or corporate logo. The form section can either be molded as part of the bellows 41 or attached to the end of the bellows 41 in the same manner as the cap shown in
It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention that have been illustrated and described are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art can make many variations to those embodiments using functionally equivalent components. For instance, the shape and size of the bellows, sound generator and pitch control chamber can all be varied as a matter of design choice. Furthermore, any secondary object can be connected to the distal end of the pitch control chamber provided that secondary object does not interfere with the flow of air out of the slots within the pitch control chamber. All such variations, modifications and alternate embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.
|Cited Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US305213 *||Sep 16, 1884||Means for operating wind-whistles|
|US403702 *||Jul 23, 1888||May 21, 1889||Campaign-horn|
|US455671 *||Mar 13, 1891||Jul 7, 1891||Campaign-horn|
|US482786 *||Sep 20, 1892||Resonator|
|US677113 *||May 17, 1900||Jun 25, 1901||Robert Bruce||Sounding toy.|
|US2782558||Aug 29, 1955||Feb 26, 1957||Max Harley||Call device|
|US2817187 *||Aug 13, 1956||Dec 24, 1957||Auzin John M||Squeeze toy|
|US3002318 *||Mar 21, 1960||Oct 3, 1961||Marx & Co Louis||Toy|
|US3282144 *||Jun 8, 1964||Nov 1, 1966||Philip H Knott||Musical reed toys|
|US3691675 *||Mar 1, 1971||Sep 19, 1972||Quaker Oats Co||Jack-in-the-box sounder|
|US3774572 *||Jun 21, 1972||Nov 27, 1973||R Borraccio||Snow skiing training aid|
|US3813811 *||Feb 2, 1972||Jun 4, 1974||Herter Inc S||Pheasant call|
|US3900993 *||Aug 3, 1973||Aug 26, 1975||Betters Paul D||Game call device|
|US3941081 *||May 12, 1975||Mar 2, 1976||Nakamura Sangyo Co., Ltd.||Alarm for a bicycle|
|US4114501 *||Oct 14, 1976||Sep 19, 1978||Tomy Kogyo Co., Inc.||Musical toy|
|US4121373 *||Feb 4, 1977||Oct 24, 1978||The Quaker Oats Company||Sounding mechanism for toy animals|
|US4271744 *||Oct 9, 1979||Jun 9, 1981||Marvin Glass & Associates||Musical toy|
|US4371278 *||Feb 20, 1981||Feb 1, 1983||Joo Hong K||Musical pen|
|US4539888 *||Feb 24, 1984||Sep 10, 1985||Maurice Whelan||Extended range musical pipe instrument|
|US4583957 *||Mar 8, 1984||Apr 22, 1986||Levy Henry A||Pneumatically-operated robotic toy|
|US4981314 *||Feb 6, 1989||Jan 1, 1991||Carr Anthony L||Door knob|
|US5310380 *||Apr 13, 1992||May 10, 1994||Levy Richard C||Adjustable height play toy with movable body portion|
|US5522756 *||Sep 22, 1994||Jun 4, 1996||Mattel, Inc.||Air driven sound generating toy using malleable material|
|US5571037 *||Sep 26, 1995||Nov 5, 1996||Meyer/Glass Design||Noise making toy|
|US5803785 *||May 20, 1997||Sep 8, 1998||Primos, Inc.||Game call apparatus with a selective disablement mode|
|US6031168 *||Dec 8, 1998||Feb 29, 2000||Damm; Edward A.||Practice bagpipe chanter|
|US6240671 *||Apr 20, 1999||Jun 5, 2001||Joe Galfidi, Jr.||Game caller kit and method|
|US6422912 *||Jul 28, 2000||Jul 23, 2002||Ethan Summers||Novelty item with user actuated noise maker|
|US6575804 *||Nov 5, 2001||Jun 10, 2003||Primos, Inc.||Manually manipulable game call apparatus|
|US20010034177 *||Apr 5, 2001||Oct 25, 2001||Hunn Charles E.||Sports noisemaker|
|USD354689 *||Nov 12, 1993||Jan 24, 1995||Combined writing instrument and whistle|
|USD448409 *||Mar 1, 2001||Sep 25, 2001||Aaron Schimmel||Bubble blowing pen cap|
|1||*||Bongo Logic Company website, (C) 2007, viewed Jan. 13, 2008 at www.bongologic.com/promo.php and www.bongologic.com/company-profiles.php, shows details of company and patents arround the world.|
|2||*||Latin Percussion turns 30: how Martin Cohen and family turned Americans on the a Latin beat and built a thriving business along the way, Music Trades, Nov. 1994, Entrepreneur .com, viewed Jan. 13, 2009 at: http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/print/16437446.html.|
|3||*||Logoed Noisemaker at Branders.com (annoted zoom view), viewed Jul. 28, 2008 at http://www.branders.com/s/Logoed-Noisemaker---Quackler-zoom-73715.html.|
|4||*||Maraca Pen, at GraphicIce.com (C) 2006, viewed Jul. 28, 2008 at http://graphicice.com/index.php/action/prodspec/itemID/161978472/.|
|5||*||Quackler Noisemaker, at GraphicIce.com (C) 2006, viewed Jul. 28, 2008 at http://graphicice.com/index.php/action/prodspec/itemID/782239875.|
|6||*||Whistle Pen, at GraphicIce.com (C) 2006, viewed Jul. 28, 2008 at http://graphicice.com/index.php/action/prodspec/itemID/122180851/.|
|Citing Patent||Filing date||Publication date||Applicant||Title|
|US9108118||Sep 1, 2011||Aug 18, 2015||Adar Golad||Air driven toy assembly|
|WO2012030219A1 *||Sep 1, 2011||Mar 8, 2012||Adar Golad||Air driven toy assembly|
|U.S. Classification||84/330, 446/193, 446/188, 446/207, 446/192, 446/184|
|International Classification||A63H3/31, G10D7/00|