Importance

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Abstract

A toy doll with lips that move as speech sounds are produced from a speaker. Pressing a button on the body of the doll activates an integrated circuit that sends voice signals to the speaker, which transmits the sounds. This in turn actuates a switch, causing a motor to run. The drive shaft of the motor rotates, causing a series of meshing gears to turn. The axle of a gear in the series that passes through the eccentric bore of an internal cam causes the cam to move so that it forces an L-shaped cam follower to rock back and forth about a pivot point. The rotatable pivot rod is supported by the rigid torso of the doll, and one end of the cam follower is attached to the interior of the doll's flexible face at a point connecting the two lips. The rocking of the cam follower causes the lips to close and open in a simulation of talking. The motor only runs, and consequently the lips only move, at the same time that simulated speech is transmitted from the speaker. A portion of the doll's rigid body that is interior to its flexible head supports the head and prevents the head and face from collapsing or becoming distorted during operation.

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First Claim