Interactive doll

Abstract

The present disclosure provides toys, and components thereof, for an interactive doll. An interactive doll of the present disclosure may, among other possible actions, close and open its eyes, pucker its lips, smile, blow kisses, change colors, and/or speak in response to a user interacting with the doll. A user may interact with the doll in a number of manners, such as by bringing objects near the doll, applying a liquid to the doll, changing the temperature of the doll, and/or by engaging mechanisms on the doll.

1 . A toy doll for interaction with a user having a head with a face, the doll comprising: 
 a feature disposed on the face, the feature movable between a nominal configuration and an active configuration, and at least a portion of the feature having a thermal characteristic wherein the portion of the feature displays a first color when the thermal characteristic is below a first temperature, and the portion of the feature displays a second color when the thermal characteristic is above a second temperature;    an actuator including: 
 an internal portion disposed within the head to move the feature between the nominal and active configurations; and  
 a trigger adapted to be manipulated by the user, the trigger communicating with the internal portion to control movement of the feature; and  
   an applicator for altering the thermal characteristic of the portion of the feature to change the color of the portion of the feature from one of the first and second colors to the other of the first and second colors.    
   
   
       2 . The toy doll of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger, when manipulated by the user to a position within a predetermined distance of the internal portion, activates the internal portion to move the feature to the active configuration.  
   
   
       3 . The toy doll of  claim 1  wherein the trigger is a button disposed on the doll.  
   
   
       4 . The toy doll of  claim 1  further including a neck, wherein the trigger is disposed adjacent to the neck.  
   
   
       5 . The toy doll of  claim 1 , wherein the applicator includes a sponge for retaining liquid.  
   
   
       6 . The toy doll of  claim 5 , further including a bowl with two or more reservoirs, with one reservoir containing liquid at a temperature below the first temperature and a second reservoir containing a liquid at a temperature above the second temperature.  
   
   
       7 . The toy doll of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger is coupled to the applicator.  
   
   
       8 . The toy doll of  claim 7 , wherein the trigger and applicator coupled together resemble a hand-held makeup applicator.  
   
   
       9 . The toy doll of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the internal portion includes a magnetically responsive element coupled to the feature;    the trigger includes a magnet; and    the magnet acts on the magnetically responsive element when manipulated by the user to a position within the predetermined distance, thereby moving the feature between the nominal and active configurations.    
   
   
       10 . The toy doll of  claim 2 , wherein the feature in the nominal configuration substantially conceals the portion of the feature having the thermal characteristic from the user, and the feature in the active configuration substantially exposes the portion of the feature having the thermal characteristic to the user.  
   
   
       11 . The toy doll of  claim 10 , wherein the feature includes at least one eye and the portion of the feature having a thermal characteristic includes an eyelid.  
   
   
       12 . The toy doll of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the internal portion includes a magnetically responsive element coupled to the eye;    the trigger includes a magnet; and    the magnet acts on the magnetically responsive element when manipulated by the user to a position within the predetermined distance, thereby moving the eye between the nominal and active configurations.    
   
   
       13 . The toy doll of  claim 11 , wherein: 
 the internal portion includes a motor and a magnetically responsive switch operatively coupled to the motor;    the trigger includes a magnet; and    the magnet acts on the magnetically responsive switch when the magnet is manipulated by the user to a position within the predetermined distance of the magnetically responsive switch, the magnetically responsive switch then actuates the motor to move the eye between the nominal and active configurations.    
   
   
       14 . The toy doll of  claim 11 , wherein the feature includes two eyes, and the two eyes are coupled together.  
   
   
       15 . The toy doll of  claim 14 , whereby one eye moving causes the other eye to move.  
   
   
       16 . The toy doll of  claim 1  wherein the feature comprises at least one lip.  
   
   
       17 . The toy doll of  claim 16  wherein the feature includes two lips and the lips are puckered in the active configuration.  
   
   
       18 . The toy doll of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the internal portion includes a magnetically responsive element coupled to the lip;    the trigger includes a magnet; and    the magnet acts on the magnetically responsive element when manipulated by the user to a position within a predetermined distance of the magnetically responsive element, causing the lip to move from the nominal configuration to the active configuration.    
   
   
       19 . The toy doll of  claim 16 , wherein: 
 the internal portion includes a cam coupled to the lip, a motor and a magnetically responsive switch operatively coupled to the motor;    the trigger includes a magnet; and    the magnet causes the magnetically responsive switch to activate the motor when the magnet is manipulated by the user to a position within a predetermined distance of the magnetically responsive switch, the motor then rotates the cam to move the lip between the nominal and active configurations.    
   
   
       20 . The toy doll of  claim 19  wherein the lip returns to the nominal configuration from the active configuration after the magnet is removed from within the predetermined distance from the magnetically responsive switch.  
   
   
       21 . The toy doll of  claim 20 , wherein after the magnet is removed from within the predetermined distance from the magnetically responsive switch, the lip returns to the nominal configuration from the active configuration only after a predetermined amount of time.  
   
   
       22 . The toy doll of  claim 1 , wherein the feature includes a thermochromic material.  
   
   
       23 . The toy doll of  claim 1 , further including a speaker and a voice generator.  
   
   
       24 . The toy doll of  claim 23 , wherein the voice generator operates in association with the movement of the feature.  
   
   
       25 . The toy doll of  claim 23 , wherein the voice generator generates phrases dependent on user actions.  
   
   
       26 . A user-interactive toy eye apparatus for use with a doll head, the apparatus comprising: 
 an eye with an eyelid portion, the eye being movable between a nominal configuration and an active configuration, and the eyelid portion having a thermal characteristic such that the eyelid portion displays a first color when the thermal characteristic is below a first temperature and the eyelid portion displays a second color when the thermal characteristic is above a second temperature;    an actuator including: 
 an internal portion disposed within the head to move the eye between the nominal and active configurations; and  
 a trigger adapted to be manipulated by the user, the trigger communicating with the internal portion to control movement of the eye; and  
   an applicator for altering the thermal characteristic of the eyelid portion to change the color of the eyelid portion from one of the first and second colors to the other of the first and second colors.    
   
   
       27 . The toy eye apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the eye in the nominal configuration appears open and conceals a substantial portion of the eyelid portion from the user, and the eye in the active configuration appears closed and exposes a substantial portion of the eyelid portion to the user.  
   
   
       28 . The toy eye apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein: 
 the internal portion includes a magnetically responsive element coupled to the eye;    the trigger includes a magnet; and    the magnet, being manipulated by the user to a position within a predetermined distance of the magnetically responsive element, causes the eye to move from the nominal configuration into the active configuration.    
   
   
       29 . The toy eye apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein: 
 the internal portion includes a motor and a magnetically responsive switch operably coupled to the motor;    the trigger includes a magnet; and    the magnet, being manipulated by the user to a position within a predetermined distance of the magnetically responsive switch, acts on the magnetically responsive switch, the magnetically responsive switch thereby actuating the motor to move the eye from the nominal configuration to the active configuration.    
   
   
       30 . The toy eye apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the applicator includes a sponge for retaining liquid.  
   
   
       31 . The toy eye apparatus of  claim 30 , further including a bowl with two or more reservoirs, with one reservoir containing liquid at a temperature below the first temperature and a second reservoir containing a liquid at a temperature above the second temperature.  
   
   
       32 . The toy eye apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the trigger is coupled to the applicator.  
   
   
       33 . The toy eye apparatus of  claim 32 , wherein the trigger and applicator coupled together resemble a hand-held makeup applicator.  
   
   
       34 . The toy eye apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the lip includes a thermochromic material.  
   
   
       35 . A user-interactive toy mouth apparatus for use with a head, the apparatus comprising: 
 a lip movable between a nominal configuration and an active configuration, at least a portion of the lip having a thermal characteristic such that the portion of the lip displays a first color when the thermal characteristic is below a first temperature and the portion of the lip displays a second color when the thermal characteristic is above a second temperature;    an actuator including: 
 an internal portion disposed within the head to move the lip between the nominal and active configurations; and  
 a trigger adapted to be manipulated by the user, the trigger communicating with the internal portion to control movement of the feature; and  
   an applicator for altering the thermal characteristic of the portion of the lip to change the color of the portion of the lip from one of the first and second colors to the other of the first and second colors.    
   
   
       36 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 35 , further including an additional lip, and when the lips are the nominal configuration they resemble a smile, and when the lips are in the active configuration they appear to pucker.  
   
   
       37 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein: 
 the internal portion includes a magnetically responsive element coupled to the lip;    the trigger includes a magnet;    the magnet, being manipulated by the user to a position within a predetermined distance of the magnetically responsive element, causes the lip to move between the nominal and active configurations.    
   
   
       38 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein: 
 the internal portion includes a cam coupled to the lip, a motor and a magnetically responsive switch;    the trigger includes a magnet; and    the magnet, being manipulated by the user to a position within a predetermined distance of the magnetically responsive switch, causes the magnetically responsive switch to activate the motor, the motor thereby rotating the cam to move the lip between the nominal and active configurations.    
   
   
       39 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the applicator includes a sponge for retaining liquid.  
   
   
       40 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 39 , further including a bowl with two or more reservoirs, with one reservoir containing liquid at a temperature below the first temperature and a second reservoir containing a liquid at a temperature above the second temperature.  
   
   
       41 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the trigger is coupled to the applicator.  
   
   
       42 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 41 , wherein the trigger and applicator coupled together resemble a hand-held makeup applicator.  
   
   
       43 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the motor includes a solenoid adapted to move the cam, causing the lip to move.  
   
   
       44 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 38 , wherein the lip returns to the nominal configuration from the active configuration after the magnet is removed from within the predetermined distance from the magnetically responsive switch.  
   
   
       45 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein after the magnet is removed from within the predetermined distance from the magnetically responsive switch, the lip returns to the nominal configuration from the active configuration only after a predetermined amount of time.  
   
   
       46 . The toy mouth apparatus of  claim 35 , wherein the lip includes a thermochromic material.