Background of the Invention Dolls and other toy figures are well known in the toy arts and have proven to be a very popular and long lasting type of toy product. Perhaps one of the more popular type of dolls is found in dolls referred to generally to in the toy art as"fashion dolls".

Fashion dolls are relatively specialized in design and fabrication and typically utilize a relatively small doll having a height of ten to sixteen inches and usually formed of a hard molded plastic material.

Fashion dolls typically utilize plastic bodies having a plurality of articulated joints to facilitate posing or movement of the dolls and to enable the user to change the garments worn by the dolls. In most instances, a substantial quantity of simulated hair is rooted to the dolls head and a relatively ornate and highly decorated face is painted upon the molded features of the doll. The typical play pattern of fashion dolls also includes interchangeable clothing articles or garments which allow the child user to "dress"the fashion doll.

The continued popularity of fashion dolls have prompted practitioner's in the art to strive to improve the attractiveness and amusement value of such products. The attempts often lead to relatively elaborate clothing and accessories as well as a variety of supplemental features. For example, U. S.

Patent 5,277,644 issued to Osborne et al. sets forth a DOLL HAVING ILLUMINATED COLOR CHANGE FIBER OPTIC FEATURE in which a fashion doll supports a battery power supply and a light source within the interior of the doll body. A multicolored light filter is positioned above the light source and is operatively coupled to a knob supported on the front torso of the doll. Manipulation of the knob allows the child user to slide different colored portions of the filter into alignment with the lamp and change the light produced thereby. A plurality of fiber optic elements are operatively coupled at one end to the output of the color filter. The remaining ends of the fiber optic elements extend outwardly through apertures formed in the doll torso to provide light elements upon the outer surface of the doll.

U. S. Patent 2,958,144 issued to Stranges et al. sets forth a HULA HOOP DOLL having a base supporting a drive motor and an upwardly extending drive shaft.

The drive shaft includes a crank mechanism coupled to the moveable hips of a doll also supported upon the base. A simulated hula hoop is secured to the doll torso such that rotation of the drive shaft and crank causes the doll hips to sway emulating the movements of a hula hoop participant.

U. S. Patent 5,288,259 issued to Konta et al. sets forth a DOLL WITH ILLUMINATED HAIR having a quantity of hair which includes optical fibers. The optical fibers extend into the dolls head and are exposed to a light source therein.

U. S. Patent 4,623,318 issued to Tsiknopoulos et al. sets forth a FIGURE WITH ROTATABLE TORSO AND VERTICALLY SWINGING ARMS having a doll supporting a moveable upper torso upon which a pair of arms are secured at freely pivoting shoulder joints.

U. S. Patent 4,781,647 issued to Doane, Jr. sets forth a TOY DOLL CONSTRUCTION WITH PHOSPHORESCENT HAIR FIBERS in which each hair fiber comprises a body portion made of a flexible and durable polymeric material which is at least partially translucent and which supports a plurality of phosphorescent particles therein.

U. S. Patent 5,118,319 issued to Smith et al. sets forth a TOY DOLL WITH SELF CONTAINED LIGHT SHOW having a body supporting a plurality of appendages and having a plurality of lights positioned upon various portions of the doll. Apparatus positioned within the doll figure causes the lights to be illuminated in a predetermined sequence and to produce an image projected from the doll.

U. S. Patent 5,588,895 issued to Larson sets forth an ANGEL ACTION FIGURE DOLL having an doll body supporting a plurality of wings upon the rear torso thereof.

U. S. Patents 2,999,333 issued to Clark and U. S.

Patent 3,509,660 issued to Seymour set forth early examples of hula hoops intended to be manipulated around a users waist.

U. S. Patent 5,108,340 issued to Farrow and U. S.

Patent 4,915,666 issued to Maleyko set forth further improvements of hula hoops of the type intended to be whirled about a user's waist.

U. S. Patent 5,400,534 issued to Lin sets forth an DECORATION WITH IMPROVED ROTARY RINGS having a free standing decoration supported on a base which includes a vertically extending post and sphere defining a plurality of horizontal segments each rotatably removable. The rotating horizontal segments of the supported sphere in turn support various decorative articles on extending flexible filaments.

U. S. Patent 3,205,350 issued to Roszkowski et al.; U. S. Patent 5,816,883 issued to Holland and U. S.

Patent 4,828,527 issued to Spector set forth various examples of toys using fiber optic light communication.

The foregoing described prior art devices have to some to extend improved the art and have in some instances enjoyed commercial success. However, there remains nonetheless a continuing need in the art for ever more improved, interesting and amusing dolls and toy figures.

Summary of the Invention Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide an improved doll having an novel moving light feature. It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a fashion doll having a moving light feature which is powered by an internal battery power source and electric motor.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a doll comprising: a doll body having a waist portion; a belt rotatably supported upon the waist portion; a plurality of flexible tubes extending generally radially from the belt each having an outer end; a plurality of electric light elements supported by the outer ends of the tubes; a battery power source within the doll body; a motor and gear drive electrically coupled to the battery power source and operatively coupled to the belt causing the belt to rotate upon the waist portion; and connecting means coupling each of the electric light elements to the battery power source.

Brief Description of the Drawings The features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in the several figures of which like reference numerals identify like elements and in which:

Figure 1 sets forth a front view of a doll having a spinning light supporting belt constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 sets forth a partial section front view of the present invention doll having a spinning light supporting belt; Figure 3 sets forth a perspective view of the light supporting belt of the present invention; Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 sets forth a front view of a fashion doll constructed in accordance with the present invention and generally referenced by numeral 10.

Doll 10 includes a body 11 having an upper torso 12 and a lower torso 13. Doll body 11 further includes a pair of supporting legs 14 and 15 together with a waist portion 16. In accordance with the present invention, doll 10 further includes a rotating light belt 20 having an annular belt 21 received upon waist 16 in the manner described below. In further accordance with the present invention, belt 21 supports a plurality of elongated flexible hollow tubes 30,31 and 32. Tubes 30,31 and 32 are preferably formed to have different lengths and are preferably equally spaced about annular belt 21. The outer ends of tubes 30 through 32 support respective ornaments 40 through 42. Ornaments 40 through 42 may be fabricated in accordance with the user's choice and may, for example, be flowers, stars, or other ornamental items. Ornaments 40,41 and 42 further

support electric light bulbs 50,51 and 52 respectively. My means set forth below in Figure 2 in greater detail, light bulbs 50 through 52 are operatively coupled by connecting wires passing through tubes 30 through 32 respectively to an internal battery power source within doll body 11.

Suffice it to note here that electric light bulbs 50 through 52 are illuminated to produce light sources at the ends of tubes 30 through 32. To further enhance the appearance and appeal of doll 10, tubes 30 through 32 further support additional non-illuminated ornaments 43,44 and 45. In the preferred fabrication of the present invention, ornaments 43,44 and 45 are not illuminated. However, suffice it to note here that additional electric light bulbs may be positioned within ornaments 43,44 and 45 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

In operation, and by means set forth below in greater detail, an internal drive mechanism supported within body 11 of doll 10 (seen in Figure 2) is operative to rotate belt 21 upon waist 16 in either direction to simultaneously rotate tubes 30 through 32 and their supported ornaments and electric light bulbs. For purposes of illustration, belt 21 is illustrated to be rotating about waist 16 in the direction indicated by arrow 22. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that belt 21 may be alternatively be rotated in the opposite direction to that indicated by arrow 22 without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

As the combined structure of rotating light belt 20 is rotated, the illumination of light bulbs 50

through 52 produces spinning circular light patterns which greatly enhance the amusement value of doll 10.

In the preferred fabrication of the present invention, tubes 30,31 and 32 define different lengths such that rotating light belt 20 produces three different diameter circular light patterns. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that while three electric lamps supported by three tubes extending from belt 21 are illustrated in Figure 1, a greater or lesser number of extending tubes and electric lamps supported at the ends thereof may be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Thus, for example, as few as two flexible tubes and supported electric light bulbs while higher numbers such as four, five etc. may also be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

Figure 2 sets forth a partial section view of doll 10. As described above, doll 10 includes a doll body 11 having an upper torso 12, a lower torso 13 and a pair of supporting legs 14 and 15. As is also described above, doll body 11 defines a waist portion 16. A light belt 20 includes an annular belt 21 supporting a plurality of flexible tubes 30 through 32 having respective ornaments 40 through 42 and electric light bulbs 50 through 52 thereon. As is better seen in Figure 3, tubes 30 through 32 further support intermediate ornaments 43,44 and 45 respectively.

Lower torso 13 and upper torso 12 are coupled by a post 62 which supports a contact ring 77. A pair of batteries 60 and 61 define respective positive terminals commonly coupled by a positive connecting

wire 63 which extends upwardly through the center of post 62. Batteries 60 and 61 further include negative terminals commonly coupled by a negative connecting wire 64 which is electrically connected to ring 77.

Belt 21 further supports an upper gear 75 and a conductive ring 76. Ring 76 may, for example, be formed of an electrically conductive metals such as brass, copper or the like. Similarly, ring 77 is formed of a conductive metal such as brass, copper or the like.

Doll 10 further includes an electric motor 70 operative coupled to a gear drive 73 having an output gear 74. Output gear 74 engages upper gear 75 of belt 21 such that rotation of gear 74 causes a corresponding rotation of gear 75 and thereby belt 21.

Motor 70 is operatively coupled to the positive terminals of batteries 60 and 61 by connecting wires 63. Motor 70 is further coupled to an on/off switch 80 which in turn is operatively coupled to conductive ring 76 by a brush contact 81. Thus, ring 77 is maintained at a negative battery potential while ring 76 is maintained at a positive battery potential.

Accordingly, each of electric light bulbs 40,41 and 42 (seen in Figure 3) is electrically connected to ring 76 and ring 77 to provide illumination of each electric light bulb. More specifically, electric light bulb 50 includes a connecting wire 91 coupled to ring 77 by a brush contact 94 and a connecting wire 90 directly coupled to ring 76. Similarly, electric light bulb 51 is connected by a connecting wire 93 and a brush contact 95 to ring 77 and is further connected to ring 76 by a connecting wire 92. As is better seen

below in Figure 3, electric light bulb 52 is operatively coupled by connecting wires 96 and 97. It will be understood that while not seen in Figure 2, connecting wire 96 is connected to ring 76 while connecting wire 97 is coupled to ring 77 by a brush contact (not shown).

In operation, with on/off switch 80 switched to the on position, the operative power provided by batteries 60 and 61 is applied to motor 70 causing gear drive 73 to rotate output gear 74 and upper gear 75 of belt 21. This rotation of belt 21 rotates flexible tubes 30 through 32 as described above producing the above described light movement patterns.

Concurrently, the electrical connections described above for electric light bulbs 50,51 and 52 apply the energy of batteries 60 and 61 to each of the light bulbs causing illumination and light pattern due to the movement of the bulbs.

Figure 3 sets forth a perspective view of rotating light bulb 20. As described above, rotating light bulb 20 includes a belt 21 supporting a plurality of flexible tubes 30,31 and 32 which in turn support respective ornaments 40,41 and 42. As is also described above, ornaments 40,41 and 42 support respective electric light bulbs 50,51 and 52.

By means described above in Figure 2, lamps 50,51 and 52 are operatively coupled to the battery power source within doll 10. As is also described above, additional non-illuminated ornaments 43,44 and 45 are supported upon tubes 30,31 and 32 respectively.

What has been shown is a doll having a novel spinning light feature which is capable of substantially improving the amusement and entertaining value of the doll.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. Therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.