Animatronic toy

This invention relates to animatronic toys. Animatronic items exist that comprise moving parts. Moving parts can make a toy more interesting. In particular, moving parts of an animatronic toy add a degree of realism which enhances the interaction between the toy and a user.

Animatronic toys have moving parts that are generally automatically driven by internal mechanisms and they are inherently more complex than most other toys. The added complexity can reduce the reliability of the toy and make it more expensive to manufacture. Additionally, the moving parts may make the toy unsuitable for young children.

It is an object of the present invention to alleviate at least some of the problems associated with the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an animatronic toy comprising a support structure, a face comprising a resilient skin, and drive means for moving the skin relative to the structure to give the face the appearance of having a smile, the drive means being connected to first and second connection locations on the skin which are spaced from one another and the drive means being arranged to controUably alter the spacing between the first and second connection locations so deforming the skin.

Preferably, the toy is arranged such that increasing the spacing between the first and second locations tends to increase the appearance of the face having a smile.

Preferably, the drive means comprises a drive unit and connection means for connecting the drive unit to at least one of the spaced connection locations on the skin. Preferably, the connection means comprises a first connector for connecting the drive unit to the first spaced location on the skin. Preferably, the connection means comprises a second connector for connecting the drive unit to the second spaced location on the skin. Preferably, the connection means comprises at least one elongate flexible member. The elongate flexible member may comprise a cord.

Preferably, the drive unit is located on one side of the support structure and the skin is located on the other side of the support structure. Preferably, the drive unit is located on the inside of the support structure and the skin is located on the outside of the support structure. Preferably, the support structure comprises a head shaped portion.

The connection means may be arranged to follow a path between the drive unit and at least one spaced location on the skin. The path may be a curvilinear path. The path may pass through an aperture in the support structure. Guide means for guiding the connection means may be provided. The guide means may help define the path. The guide means may comprise the aperture. Preferably, the drive means is arranged to controllably alter the spacing between the first and second locations by moving the connection means along the path. The toy may be arranged so that the spacing between the first and second locations is increased by moving the connection means along the path toward the drive unit.

The skin may comprise an aperture shaped to give the face the appearance of having a mouth. Preferably, the first and second spaced locations are close to corners of the mouth aperture. Preferably, the toy is arranged such that the drive means is operable to increase the distance between the first and second locations such that the mouth is widened into a smile. The toy may be arranged so that the skin is stretched as the distance between the first and second locations is increased. Preferably, when the distance between the first and second locations is increased, the area of skin between the first and second spaced locations is stretched and the skin in an area outside the area between the first and second locations is compressed so that the shape of the skin is altered to give the appearance of a smile with dimples.

Preferably, the drive means is connected to a third connection location on the skin which is spaced from the first and second locations. Preferably, the drive means is operable to change the spacing between the third location and at least one of the first and second locations. Preferably, the drive means is operable to move the skin at the third location relative to the support structure.

Preferably the drive means is operable to move the skin at the third location in a direction away from the first and second locations. Preferable, the direction is such that movement in that direction increases the spacing between the third location and the first location and the spacing between the third location and the second location by an equal amount.

Preferably, the third connection location is close to an area on the

mouth between the first and second locations. The third connection location may be substantially equidistant from the first and second locations.

Preferably, the third connection location is close to the bottom of the mouth. In a set of alternatives the third spaced location may be close to the top of the mouth.

Preferably, the drive means is operable to move the skin at the third connection location to give the face the appearance of having a smile with a parted mouth.

Preferably, the drive means comprises a third connector for connecting the drive unit to the third connection location on the skin.

Each of the connectors may pass through an aperture in the support structure. There may be a separate aperture for each connector or two or more connectors may pass through a common aperture.

Preferably, the skin is shaped to closely fit the shape of at least a portion of the support structure.

Preferably, the support structure comprises at least one portion of low friction material to facilitate movement of the skin relative to the support structure. Preferably, the at least one portion of low friction material is positioned on the support structure at a location where it is desirable for the skin to be movable relative to the support structure. This can help in achieving the toy having the appearance of having a smile.

The toy may have a normal configuration and a smiling configuration. Preferably, when the toy is in the normal configuration, the first and second spaced locations are positioned closer together than when the toy is in the

smiling configuration.

The drive means may have a first position in which the toy is in the normal configuration and a second position in which the toy is in the smiling configuration. The skin may provide a resilient force which tends to move the drive means towards the first position. The drive means may be arranged to work against the resilient force of the skin to move to the second position.

The drive means may be arranged to operate at a speed which is chosen to give the toy the appearance of smiling at a realistic speed. Preferably, the drive unit comprises a motor, a control unit for controlling the motor and a transmission mechanism for transmitting drive between the motor and the connection means. Preferably, the transmission mechanism comprises a gearing system to help in moving the connection means at a speed that is conducive to the toy appearing to smile at a realistic speed.

The transmission mechanism may comprise two complementary movement members which are arranged to move in different directions when the motor is operated.

The transmission mechanism may comprise two counter-rotating gear wheels. The transmission mechanism may comprise at least one lever. Where there are two levers, each lever may be attached to a respective one of the counter rotating gear wheels. Preferably, an end of the or each lever remote from a pivot point of the lever is attached to the connection means.

Where the connection means comprises two connectors and the

transmission mechanism comprises two levers, a first of the connectors may be attached to a first of the levers and a second of the connectors may be attached to a second of the levers. Where there is a third connector this may be connected to the same lever as that to which the first connector is connected, that to which the second connector is connected or connected to another part.

Preferably, the animatronic toy comprises an eye, an eyelid member arranged to be pivotable relative to the eye, and drive means for controllably moving the eyelid member to give the toy the appearance of blinking.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided an animatronic toy comprising a support structure, a face comprising a resilient skin, and drive means for moving the skin relative to the structure to give the face the appearance of having a smile, the drive means being connected to first and second connection locations on the skin which are spaced from one another and fixed in a position relative to one another and the drive means being arranged to control the position of the first and second connection locations so that their position relative to one another is not altered, but their position relative to the support structure is altered, so deforming the skin.

The first and second connection locations may be fixed in position relative to one another by way of a bar member extending between the first and second connection locations. Preferably, the skin is attached to the bar member at the first and second connection locations. The bar member may

be attached to the skin along its entire length.

The subsidiary features defined above in relation to the first aspect of the invention may also be subsidiary features of the second aspect of the present invention where the context allows.

According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided an animatronic toy comprising an eye, an eyelid member arranged to be pivotable relative to the eye, and drive means for controHably moving the eyelid member to give the toy the appearance of blinking. The drive means may comprise a drive unit and a flexible elongate drive transmission member for transferring drive to the eyelid member.

Preferably, the animatronic toy has an open-eye configuration in which the eyelid member is positioned relative to the eye to give the appearance of the eye being open, and has a close-eye configuration in which the eyelid member is positioned relative to the eye to give the appearance of the eye being closed. When the toy is in the open-eye configuration the drive means may be in a first position and when the toy is in the close-eye configuration the drive means may be in a second position, the drive means being moveable between the first and second positions to move the toy between the open-eye and close eye configurations.

The drive unit may be operable to move the drive transmission member to pivot the eyelid member about a pivot axis.

The drive transmission member may be resilient. The drive transmission member may be arranged in a loop. Preferably, the drive

transmission member comprises a drive band. The drive transmission member may be made of rubber or elastomeric material. Preferably, the drive transmission member extends between the drive unit and the eyelid member. The eyelid member may comprise an engagement portion for cooperation with the drive transmission member. The engagement portion may have an outer surface on which the drive transmission reacts. Preferably, the outer surface is at least part cylindrical in shape. Preferably, the at least part cylindrical shape is substantially coaxial with the pivot axis of the eyelid member.

Preferably, the drive means comprises a clutch mechanism for selectively transferring drive between the drive means and the eyelid member.

It is advantageous to provide a clutch mechanism because it can avoid potential damage to the drive means. This damage may be caused when the eyelid member is held in position (for example, by a user or if the eyelid member becomes stuck) and the drive means operates to try to drive the eyelid member. Another advantage provided by a clutch mechanism is that it may prevent injury to a user. For example, where the user is a young child, the young child may place fingers into the path of a closing eyelid member. The clutch mechanism may provide a means of preventing the closing eyelid member from pinching a young child's fingers.

The clutch mechanism may comprise the drive transmission member. The clutch mechanism may comprise the engagement portion. Preferably,

the clutch mechanism is arranged to transfer drive between the drive means and the eyelid member when the drive transmission member is frictionally engaged with the engagement portion such that the drive transmission member moves with the engagement portion. The clutch mechanism may be arranged so that substantially no drive is transferred between the drive means and the eyelid member when the drive transmission member slides over the engagement portion such that the drive transmission member moves relative to the engagement portion.

The toy may comprise a drive guide for guiding the drive transmission member around the eyelid member. The drive guide may comprise a wheel. Preferably, the drive guide is remote from the drive unit. Preferably, the eyelid member is disposed between the drive guide and the drive unit. The drive guide may be arranged to maintain a level of contact between the drive transmission member and the eyelid member so as to promote effective operation of the clutch mechanism.

Preferably the toy may comprise a second eye with a corresponding second eyelid member. The two eyelid members may be linked so as to move with one another. The two eyelid members may have the same pivot axis. Preferably, the two eyelid members comprise the same engagement portion. Preferably, the engagement portion is disposed between the two eyelid members.

When the toy has two eyes there is an advantage is disposing the engagement portion between the two eyelid members because an equal weight distribution on either side of the engagement portion will lead to a

better drive transfer

The drive means may be arranged to operate at a speed which is chosen to give the toy the appearance of blinking at a realistic speed.

There will now be described an embodiment of the present invention by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front view of an animatronic toy;

Figures 2(a) to 2(f) show various expressions of the face of the animatronic toy shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a front perspective view of part of the internal mechanisms of the animatronic toy shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 shows a side perspective view of part of the same internal mechanisms of the animatronic toy as shown in Figure 3; Figure 5 shows an underside perspective view of part of the same internal mechanisms of the animatronic toy as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a schematic front view of a general outline of the skull of the toy and of part of the same internal mechanisms of the animatronic toy as shown in Figure 3; and Figure 7 is a schematic top view of a general outline of a front portion of the skin of a face of the animatronic toy and part of the same internal mechanisms as shown in Figure 3.

Figures 8(a) and 8(b) illustrate another way in which an animatronic toy can be made to appear to smile in a second embodiment of the present

invention.

Figure 1 shows a front view of an animatronic toy 1. The toy 1 comprises a head portion 100 and a body portion 102. The toy 1 has a variety of components that are arranged to animate the toy 1. The components are mainly electrical and/or mechanical and are primarily housed within either the head portion 100 or body portion 102 of the toy 1.

An electrical power source (not shown) is housed within the body portion 102. A control board for controlling the variety of components of the toy 1 is housed within the body portion 102. An aperture (not shown) is located on the underside of the toy 1 to allow for the electrical power source to be changed. In other embodiments of the present invention, the toy 1 may comprise a charging connector for allowing the recharging of the electrical power source located within the toy 1.

An on/off button (not shown) is located on the body portion 102. There are electrical wires within the body portion that are routed through to the head portion 100 for transmitting power and/or control signals between the head portions 100 and the body portion 102. The head portion 100 comprises a face 2, a mouth 4, a left eye 10, a left eyelid member 12, a right eye 20 and a right eyelid member 22. (The left eye 10 is on the right in Figure 1 and the right eye 20 is on the left in Figure ϊ). The head portion 100 has a support structure comprising a skull 8 a general outline of which can be seen in Figure 6. The face 2 comprises a

resilient skin 9.

The toy 1 is arranged to move the face 2 so that the toy 1 appears to open and close its eyes, blink and smile.

Figures 2 (a) to 2(f) shows the face 2 of the toy 1 in various expressions. Figure 2(a) shows a close-eye configuration in which the eyelid members 12, 22 are positioned relative to the eyes 10, 20 to give the appearance of the eyes being closed.

Figure 2(d) shows an open-eye configuration in which the eyelid members 12, 22 are positioned relative to the eyes 10, 12 to give the appearance of the eyes being open.

Figures 2(b) and 2(c) show configurations between the close-eye configuration and the open-eye configuration.

Figures 2(a) to 2(d) also show a normal configuration in which the mouth 4 is positioned in a neutral position. Figure 2(f) shows a smiling configuration in which the mouth 4 is positioned in a smiling position to give the appearance of the face 2 of the toy 1 smiling. Figure 2(e) shows the toy 1 in a position between the normal configuration and the smiling configuration.

The eyelid members 12, 22 are joined together so as to form a single, integral eyelid member 32 (as can be seen in Figure 3). This means that the eyelid members 12, 22 move together. In other embodiments of the present invention, each eyelid member 12, 22 may move separately, each eyelid having a independently moveable eyelid member.

Figure 3 shows a front perspective view of part of the internal mechanisms 104 of the animatronic toy. These internal mechanisms 104 are

located in the head portion 100 of the animatronic toy 1. The internal mechanisms 104 cause the toy 1 to appear to smile and open and close its eyes 10, 20. Figure 3 shows the the toy 1 in the open-eye configuration.

The internal mechanisms 104 comprise a number of components including the eyelid member 32, eyes 10, 20, a support plate 30, a drive transmission member 40 in the form of a elastomeric band 40, a drive guide wheel SO which acts as part of a drive guide, a left eyelet 60 (shown on the right of Figure 3), a right eyelet 70 (shown on the left of Figure 3), a left drive lever 62, a right drive lever 72, a left pivot point 36 and a right pivot point 37. As shown in Figure 4, the components of the internal mechanisms 104 also include a right gear wheel 75, a support bracket 32, an eye drive unit 80 and a mouth drive unit 90.

As shown in Figure 5, the components of the internal mechanisms 104 also comprise a left gear wheel 65, a mouth drive unit gear wheel 92 and leads 34.

Figure 6 is a schematic front view of part of the same internal mechanisms of the animatronic toy as shown in Figure 3. The dotted regions on Figure 6 represent some of the components of the internal mechanisms 104 that are behind the skull 8. Not all of the components are represented. The skull 8 has a lower portion 6 on which a low friction material 7 is attached.

Figure 6 also shows a left connector 67 for connecting the left eyelet 60 to a left connection location 69 via a left aperture 68; a right connector 77 for connecting the right eyelet 70 to a right

connection location 79 via a right aperture 78; and a central connector 177 for connecting the left eyelet 60 to a central connection location 179 , via a central aperture 178.

Figure 7 is a schematic top view of part of the same internal mechanism of the animatronic toy as shown in Figure 3. Again, the dotted regions on Figure 7 represent some of the components of the internal mechanism 104 that are behind the skull 8 but not all of the components are represented. Figure 7 also shows the general outline of the front portion of the skin 9 of the face of the animatronic toy. As mentioned above, Figures 3 and 4, show the toy 1 in the open-eye configuration in which the eyelid member 32 is drawn back. The elastomeric band 40 is stretched in a loop from the eye drive unit 80 to the eyelid member 32 and then to the wheel 50 and then back to the eye drive unit 80. The eye drive unit comprises a motor, a gearbox and a pulley (all not shown), the pulley rotationally engaging the elastomeric band 40. The elastomeric band 40 is stretched around the central portion of the eyelid member 32 (see Figure 3) and frictionaily engages it. The eyelid member 32 is held back in place in the open-eye configuration by way of frictional engagement with the elastomeric band 40. The eyelid member is pivotabJe about an axis, the axis being defined either side by the left pivot point 36 and the right pivot point 37.

In operation, the eye drive unit 80 is used to drive the elastomeric band 40 by way of the eye drive unit motor rotating the eye drive unit pulley so as to rotate the band 40 along its length. During normal operation, the

frictional engagement of the band 40 with the eyelid member 32 allows the band 40 to move the eyelid member 32 about the pivot points 36, 37.

If during operation of the eye drive unit 80 the eyelid member 32 is held still (for example, by a user), the band 40 slips over the eyelid member 32. As such, the eyelid member 32, the band, 40, the drive unit 80 and the wheel 50 are arranged to work as a clutch mechanism. The wheel 50 is arranged so as to limit the amount of frictional engagement with the eyelid member 32 so as to promote the effective operation of the clutch mechanism by limiting the amount of contact between the band 40 and the eyelid member 32. The wheel 50 is also arranged to provide a return path for the band 40 from the wheel 50 to the drive unit 80 which runs underneath the eyelid member 32 and the eyes 10, 20.

Referring now to Figures 1, 5, 6 and 7, the resilient skin 9 is moulded to fit over the skull 8 and is attached to the skull 8 at areas such as at the periphery of the skin 9 and around the eye sockets of the skull 8. However the skin 9 is not attached to the skull 8 at locations around the mouth 4. The skin 9 around the mouth 4 is slidable relative to the skull 8. The low friction material 7 on the lower portion 6 of the skull 9 aids the sliding of the skin 9 relative to the skull 8. The mouth 4 includes an aperture 4a in the skin 9 which leads through to the skull 8. The skull 8 is therefore visible via the aperture 4a in the skin when the aperture is widened. The region of the skull 8 that is visible via the aperture in the skin 9 is arranged to have the appearance of teeth.

As shown in Figure 7, the skin has three connection locations; a left connection location 69, a right connection location 79, and a central connection location 179. The connection locations 69, 79, 179 are locations on the inside surface of the skin 9 at which the connectors 67, 77, 177 respectively join. The connectors 67, 77, 177 are joined on the inside surface of the skin, but could be embedded in the skin 9 to form the join. The inside surface of the skin 9 is the surface of the skin 9 which faces the skull 8.

In this embodiment the connectors 67, 77, 177 are cords 67, 77, 177 which are threaded from the eyelets 60, 70 via the apertures 68, 78, 178 to the connection locations 69, 79, 179. The left cord 67 is threaded from the left eyelet 60 via the left aperture 68 to the left connection location 69. The right cord 77 is threaded from the right eyelet 70 via the right aperture 78 to the right connection location 79. The central cord 177 is threaded from the right eyelet 70 via the central aperture 178 to the central connection location 179. Although the apertures 68, 78, 178 are shown in Figure 7, this is just for clarity; the apertures are not located in the skin 9 but rather are located in the skull 8 (the outline of which is shown in Figure 6). As mentioned above, the skin 9 has an aperture 4a which defines part of the mouth 4 of the toy 1. The same aperture 4a is shown in Figure 6 but again this is just for clarity; the aperture is not present on the skull 8 the outline of which is shown in Figure 6.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 7, the mouth drive unit 90 comprises a motor (not shown) which operates to rotate the mouth drive unit gear wheel 92. The gear wheel 92 is meshed with the left gear wheel 65 and the left gear

wheel 65 is meshed with the right gear wheel 75. As the mouth drive unit 90 operates, the left and right gear wheels 65, 75 counter-rotate. The left and right drive levers 62, 72 mounted on a respective left and right gear wheel 65, 75 follow the movement of each respective gear wheel. In Figure 7, the toy is in a normal or "rest / non-smiling" configuration and the drive means (comprising the mouth drive unit 90, the gear wheels 92, 65, 75 and the levers 72, 62) are in a first position.

The toy moves towards a smiling configuration when the mouth drive unit gear wheel 92 rotates clockwise (with the toy in the orientation shown in Figure 7), the left gear wheel 65 rotates counter-clockwise, the right gear wheel 75 rotates clockwise and the end of the levers 62, 72 on which the eyelets 60, 70 are mounted move in a direction away from the respective aperture through which the cords 67, 77, 177 pass.

There are stops (not shown) which prevent the levers 62, 72 from moving too far in either direction. Figure 7 shows the levers 62, 72 at one end of their range of movement (Le. when the drive means is in the first position). The other end of their range of movement is defined when the lever 72 is rotated clockwise approximately 90 degrees (and the lever 62 is rotated counter-clockwise approximately 90 degrees). When the levers 62, 72 reach the other end of their movement, the drive means is in a second position and the toy 1 is in the smiling configuration.

When the toy 1 moves from the normal configuration to the smiling configuration, the left eyelet 60 moves away from the left aperture 68 and pulls the left cord 67 which is attached to the left eyelet 60 through the left

aperture 68 so that the length of the left cord 67 which is inside the skull 8 (shown as a dashed line) is increased and the length of the left cord 67 which is outside the skull 8 is decreased so that the end of the left cord 67 attached at the left connection location 69 is moved towards the left aperture 68. At the same time, the right eyelet 70 moves away from the right aperture 78 and pulls the right cord 77 which is attached to the right eyelet 70 through the right aperture 78 so that the length of the right cord 77 which is inside the skull 8 (shown as a dashed line) is increased and the length of the right cord 77 which is outside the skull 8 is decreased so that the end of the right cord 77 attached at the right connection location 79 is moved towards the right aperture 78.

Also, at the same time as the right eyelet 70 moves away from the right aperture 78, the right eyelet 70 moves away from the central aperture 178 and pulls the central cord 177 which is attached to the right eyelet 70 through the central aperture 178 so that the length of the central cord 177 which is inside the skull 8 (shown as a dashed line) is increased and the length of the central cord 177 which is outside the skull 8 is decreased so that the end of the central cord 177 attached at the central connection location 179 is moved towards the central aperture 178. Thus as the toy 1 moves from the normal configuration to the smiling configuration the connection locations 69, 79, 179 are moved apart towards their respective apertures 68, 78, 178 and stretch the resilient skin 9 to give the toy 1 the appearance of smiling. It can be seen that the drive means is arranged to controllably alter the position of the connection locations 69, 79,

179 relative to the support structure and the drive means is arranged to controllably alter the position of the connection locations 69, 79, 179 relative to one another.

The corners of the mouth 4 rise and move apart and the bottom 'lip' of the mouth 4 moves down to widen the aperture to give the toy 1 the appearance of smiling with a parted mouth. As mentioned above visible 'teeth' are located on the skull 8 behind the aperture so that when the toy 1 enters a smiling configuration, the toy 1 is given the appearance of smiling with teeth or grinning. As the toy 1 enters the smiling configuration, the skin around the corners of the mouth is compressed to form dimples (as shown in Figure 2(f)).

When the toy 1 moves from a smiling configuration to a normal configuration, the drive system operates to move the eyelets 60, 70 towards their respective apertures 68, 78, 178 and this removes the tension on the cords 67, 77, 177. The resilience of the skin 9 pulls the connection locations 69, 79, 179 back into their rest positions.

The animatronk toy comprises an on/off button (not shown) which allows the user to switch the toy on and off.

The toy comprises a first and second sensor (not shown). These sensors are in a form of pressure sensors. The first pressure sensor is located in the tummy of the body portion of toy, and the second sensor is located in the foot of the toy.

The toy comprises a sound system located (not shown) in the body portion of the toy. The sound system comprises a speaker (not shown)

through which the sound system outputs predetermined sound effects.

The toy comprises a control system (not shown) including a timer located in the body portion of the toy. The control system receives inputs from the pressure sensors and provides outputs to the eye and mouth drive units, and it also provides outputs to the sound system of the toy. The control system controls the sound effect, the blinking and the smiling of the toy according to a program. During normal operation, when the toy I is switched off, the toy 1 is in a 'sleeping' state where its eyes 10,20 are 'closed' and its mouth 4 is in a neutral, non-smiling configuration. Conversely, when the toy 1 is switched on, the toy 1 is in an 'awake' state wherein the eyes 10,20 are predominantly open and the mouth 4 is operable to move between a neutral, non-smiling configuration and a smiling configuration.

If the toy 1 remains in the 'awake' state for a predetermined amount of time without the control system receiving inputs from the pressure sensors, the control system operates to move the toy 1 from the 'awake' state to the 'sleeping' state. When the toy 1 moves from the 'awake' state to the 'sleeping' state, the control system operates the eye drive unit 80 so as to close the eyes 10, 20 of the toy 1 slowly.

When the toy 1 is in the 'sleeping' state, it may be 'woken up' so as to move from the 'sleeping' state to the 'awake' state by pressing the pressure sensors in the tummy and the foot simultaneously. When the toy 1 moves from the 'sleeping' state to the 'awake' state, the control system operates the eye drive unit 80 so as to open the eyes 10, 20 of the toy 1 slowly.

The control system operates each of the eye 80 and mouth drive units

90 by way of respective eye and mouth drive signals via electrical wires (not shown) running between the control system located in the body portion of the toy 1 and the drive units located in the head portion of the toy 1. The drive signals operate the respective drive units 80, 90 in the following way; if the eye or mouth drive signal is 'on' and in a 'forward polarity' then the respective eye or mouth drive unit 80, 90 is driven in the forward direction; if the eye or mouth drive signal is 'on' and in a 'reverse polarity' then the respective eye or mouth drive unit 80, 90 is driven in the reverse direction; and if there is no eye or mouth drive signal, then the respective eye 80 or mouth drive unit 90 is not driven in either the forward or reverse direction.

A drive signal may be pulsed or may be continuous.

If the drive signal is continuous then the respective eye or mouth drive unit 80, 90 will operate at a normal rate which, in the case of the eye drive unit 80, will cause the toy 1 to move its eyelids 12, 22 relatively quickly. Thus, if the drive signal to the eye drive unit 80 is on continuously in a forward polarity for a predetermined duration, and then on continuously in a reverse polarity, then the toy 1 will close its eyes 10, 20 quickly, then open its eyes 10, 20 quickly to give the appearance of blinking (assuming that a forward polarity drive signal causes the drive unit 80 to operate so as to close the eyes of the toy I).

If the drive signal is pulsed, then the respective eye or mouth drive unit 80, 90 will operated at a reduced rate, depending on the pulsed signals characteristics - for example, the frequency and mark/space ratio of the pulsed signal. If the drive signal is pulsed at a high frequency, with an even mark/space ratio, then the respective eye or mouth drive unit 80, 90 will operate at a reduced rate. In the case of the eye drive unit 80, this pulsed drive signal will cause the eye drive unit 80, to move its eyelids 12, 22, relatively slowly. This gives the toy 1 the appearance of moving its eyelids 12, 22 slowly (Le. opening or closing its eyes slowly). If a pulsed signal is used, then the frequency of the pulsed drive signal is generally chosen to be of a frequency that causes the drive units 80, 90 to operate smoothly. The mark/space ratio of the pulsed drive signal can be used to control the speed of operation of the drive units 80, 90.

The method of pulsing the drive signals allows for a relatively simple and cheap way to be able to control the speed of eyelid and/or mouth operations.

Figures 8(a) and 8(b) illustrate another way in which an animatronic toy can be made to appear to smile in a second embodiment of the present invention. The toy of the second embodiment is similar to that described above but the arrangement for causing the toy to appear to smile is different. Figure 8(a) shows the position of the mouth of the animatronic toy in a normal configuration and Figure 8(b) shows the mouth of the animatronic toy in the smiling configuration. In Figures 8(a) and 8(b) there is shown a left connection location 269, a right connection location 279 and a central

connection location 289. The central connection location 289 is in the form of a bar member 289 which attaches to the skin at a left-central connection location 2869 and a right-central connection location 2879. In alternatives, the bar member 289 may be attached to the skin along its entire length. The animatronic toy operates in a similar way as described above in respect of the first embodiment of the present invention, but the drive means is operable to move the central connection location 289 from a first position as shown in Figure 8(a) downward to a second position as shown in Figure 8(b) so as to give the toy an appearance of smiling. This may be done with or without moving the left and right connection locations 269, 279. In some alternatives the left and right connection locations may be held fixed relative to the underlying structure. In other alternatives, there may be no left or right connections locations and the corners of the mouth may be left free. That is to say moving the bar downwards can in some instances allow a smile to be achieved.