Interactive hatching egg

Abstract

An interactive hatching egg provides a learning experience for children. The egg is formed of upper and lower sections joined along a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis of the egg. The lower section carries a power supply, a controller having an input coupled to a touch sensor and outputs coupled to a motive drive, an illumination source and a sound generator. The controller is programmed to initiate a cycle upon detecting when the egg is touched, with the cycle including sound and light patterns. The cycle concludes with the motive drive actuating a latch which releases a hatch lid contoured in the upper shell to expose a baby animal. Upon detecting the egg being touched during a cycle, the controller alters the sound and/or light patterns.

Having thus described the invention, there is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent:  
     
         1 . An interactive hatching egg, the egg comprising a shell, the shell carrying user accessible contents, a portion of the shell comprising a hatch lid, the hatch lid being operable to reveal the user accessible contents, a controller positioned within the shell, the controller being operatively connected to the hatch lid, the controller being programmed to open the hatch lid upon conclusion of a hatching cycle, the controller being programmed to respond to the egg being touched during the hatching cycle.  
     
     
         2 . An interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 1    wherein the controller is programmed to initiate the hatching cycle in response to the egg being touched.  
     
     
         3 . An interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 1    wherein the user accessible contents comprises a baby animal.  
     
     
         4 . An interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 1    further including a sound generator positioned within the shell, the sound generator being operatively connected to the controller, the controller being programmed to actuate the sound generator during the hatching cycle.  
     
     
         5 . An interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 4   , the controller being programmed to vary the actuation of the sound generator in response to the egg being touched during the hatching cycle.  
     
     
         6 . An interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 1    further including an illumination device positioned within the shell, the illumination device being operatively connected to the controller, the controller being programmed to actuate the illumination device during the hatching cycle.  
     
     
         7 . An interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 6   , the controller being programmed to vary the actuation of the illumination device in response to the egg being touched during the hatching cycle.  
     
     
         8 . An interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 6   , wherein the hatch lid is translucent, whereby illumination from within the shell can be observed.  
     
     
         9 . An interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 1    further including a motive drive positioned within the shell, the motive drive being mechanically coupled to the hatch lid, the motor drive being operatively connected to the controller, the controller actuating the motive drive to open the hatch lid.  
     
     
         10 . An interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 9    further including a chassis positioned within the shell, the chassis being user inaccessible, the controller and the motive drive being secured to the chassis.  
     
     
         11 . An interactive hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 10   , wherein the shell comprises an upper shell section and a lower shell section, the hatch lid being formed in the upper shell section, the chassis being positioned within the lower shell section.  
     
     
         12 . A method of providing an interactive experience in simulation of the hatching of an egg employing a shell having a hatch lid and a controller within the shell, the method comprising the steps of: 
 a) programming the controller with a hatching cycle,    b) positioning a simulated animal within the shell and behind the hatch lid,    c) actuating the hatching cycle,    d) employing the controller to generate sound patterns from within the shell during the hatching cycle, and    e) employing the controller to open the hatch lid to expose the simulated animal upon conclusion of the hatching cycle.    
     
     
         13 . A method of providing an interactive experience in simulation of the hatching of an egg with a shell having a hatch lid in accordance with    claim 12    further including the steps of: 
 f) constructing at least a portion of the shell of translucent material; and  
 g) employing the controller to generate light patterns from within the shell during the hatching cycle.  
 
     
     
         14 . A method of providing an interactive experience in simulation of the hatching of an egg with a shell having a hatch lid in accordance with    claim 12    further including the steps of: 
 f) employing the controller to vary the sound patterns if the shell is touched prior to completion of the hatching cycle.  
 
     
     
         15 . A method of providing an interactive experience in simulation of the hatching of an egg with a shell having a hatch lid in accordance with    claim 14    further including the steps of: 
 g) constructing at least a portion of the shell of translucent material;  
 h) employing the controller to generate light patterns from within the shell during the hatching cycle, and  
 i) employing the controller to vary the light patterns if the shell is touched prior to completion of the hatching cycle.  
 
     
     
         16 . A hatching egg comprising an egg shell formed of at least two sections, one of the sections including a hatch lid, user accessible contents being positioned within the one section, the other section including a motive drive connected to the hatch lid for opening the hatch lid to access the user accessible contents, the motive drive being user unaccessible.  
     
     
         17 . A hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 16    further including a chassis, the chassis being user inaccessible and positioned within the other section, a latch mounted to the chassis, the latch being in engagement with the hatch lid when the hatch lid is closed, the motive drive being actuated to disengage the latch from the hatch lid whereby the user accessible contents will become available.  
     
     
         18 . A hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 16    wherein the user accessible contents comprises a baby animal.  
     
     
         19 . A hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 17    wherein the chassis includes a peripheral wall and a lid forming a chassis enclosure, the motive drive being positioned within the chassis enclosure.  
     
     
         20 . A hatching egg constructed in accordance with    claim 19    wherein the lid is positioned between the one section and the other section, the one section being positioned above the other section, the user accessible contents being positioned on top of the lid.