JP7584480B2 - Light-emitting production unit and doll toy - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a light-emitting performance unit and a doll toy.

The parts (components) of assembled models and toy dolls, known as plastic models (registered trademark), include light-emitting parts for decorating the models and toy dolls.

Patent document 1 discloses a toy that combines a base body with a spherical hollow body and multiple through holes arranged radially, and a decorative member made of a light-emitting body that can be attached and detached to the through holes of the base body. By combining the base body with a colored body or the base body with a light-emitting body, the toy can be used as a decoration or a plaything.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 11-047458

There is a demand for a simple configuration that can create dramatic effects such as changing the color of specific parts of a model or toy doll over time, and this invention provides the technology to achieve this.

The present invention is a light-emitting performance unit disposed inside a doll toy,
A flexible printed circuit board on which wiring is performed;
A plurality of light emitting units arranged on wiring of a flexible printed circuit board;
Equipped with
each of the plurality of light-emitting body units includes a first LED of a first color and a second LED of a second color, the first LED and the second LED are connected to the wiring in parallel with their polarities reversed, and when a direction of a current flowing from a power source to the wiring is controlled, the first LED emits light when the current flows in a first direction, and the second LED emits light when the current flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction;
The plurality of light emitting units are connected in series by the wiring.
The present invention also provides a light-emitting performance unit disposed inside a doll toy,
A flexible printed circuit board on which wiring is performed;
A plurality of light emitting units arranged on wiring of a flexible printed circuit board;
Equipped with
each of the plurality of light-emitting body units includes a first LED of a first color and a second LED of a second color, the first LED and the second LED are connected to the wiring in parallel with their polarities reversed, and when a direction of a current flowing from a power source to the wiring is controlled, the first LED emits light when the current flows in a first direction, and the second LED emits light when the current flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction;
The plurality of light emitting units are connected in series by the wiring,
The number of the wirings on the flexible printed circuit board is two, and the width between each wiring is at least 0.3 mm;
The first color and the second color are different colors.

The present invention makes it possible to achieve dramatic effects such as changing the color of specific parts of a model over time with a simple configuration.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a circuit diagram according to the embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of a flexible printed circuit board according to an embodiment. 5A and 5B are diagrams illustrating an example of light emission control of an LED according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration example of a model part according to the embodiment. FIG. 13 is a diagram showing another example of the configuration of a model part according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a cross section of a model part according to an embodiment.

The embodiments are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Any combination of two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be used. Also, the same reference numbers are used for identical or similar configurations, and duplicated descriptions are omitted. Also, in each figure, the up, down, left, and right directions relative to the paper surface will be used in the description in the text as the up, down, left, and right directions of the parts (or components) in this embodiment.

First, FIG. 1 shows a circuit diagram of the light-emitting circuit that constitutes the light-emitting performance unit corresponding to this embodiment. The light-emitting circuit can be constructed by arranging light-emitting elements such as LEDs of multiple colors on the wiring of a flexible printed circuit board (FPC). By arranging the light-emitting elements on the flexible printed circuit board in any part of a model or doll toy (hereinafter collectively referred to as a model), it is possible to make a specific part of the model light up.

The circuit diagram shown in Figure 1 is a simplified representation of the light-emitting circuit. Also, the number of light-emitting elements is shown as a limited number for illustrative purposes only, but a larger number of light-emitting elements can be placed on the flexible printed circuit board.

In FIG. 1, the light-emitting circuit 10 is configured to include a power source 100, a current direction control circuit 110, a control unit 120, and a light-emitting unit 130. The power source 100 supplies power for the light-emitting circuit 10 to operate. The current direction control circuit 110 is a switching circuit that switches the direction of the current flowing through the light-emitting unit 130 between a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, and operates in response to a control signal from the control unit 120. The control unit 120 supplies a control signal for controlling the operation of the current direction control circuit 110. The control unit 120 can be configured with a microcomputer, and switches the control signal supplied to the current direction control circuit 110 so that the direction of the current flow switches between the first direction and the second direction at regular time intervals, for example.

The light emitter unit 130 is composed of two LEDs of different colors, with the first LED of a set whose forward direction is the first direction and the second LED of a set whose forward direction is the second direction arranged in parallel. In other words, in the light emitter unit 130, the first LED and the second LED are connected in parallel with their polarities reversed. The first LED and the second LED also have different light emission colors; for example, if the first LED is red, the second LED can be green.

The color combinations are not limited to those mentioned above, and any color combination can be used. Also, the colors may be different depending on the body part. For example, the arms and legs of the model may be a combination of red and green, and the torso and head may be a combination of red and blue. Also, some of the light-emitting units 130 may be a combination of LEDs of the same color. In that case, the light emission color will not change in some body parts. For example, the light emission color may be maintained the same in the head of the model.

In addition, multiple light emitter units 130 are connected in series. This allows a single current direction control circuit 110 to control the light emission of the light emitter units 130 for the entire model.

The input unit 140 is, for example, an operation input unit such as a switch or button provided on the model, and the control unit 120 may switch the light emission mode of the light-emitting unit 130 according to the input from the input unit 140.

Figure 2 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a flexible printed circuit board, which is a component of the light-emitting performance unit corresponding to this embodiment. Wiring 201 runs through the flexible printed circuit board 200, and the wiring 201 is covered with a base film and a coverlay. The light-emitting unit 130 is installed at an arbitrary position on the wiring 201. In the example shown in Figure 2, the wiring 201 as a whole forms a single wire, and a current direction control circuit 110 is connected to the positive terminal 202 and the negative terminal 203, so that the direction of the current flowing through the wiring 201 can be switched between a first direction and a second direction.

The light emitter unit 130 is disposed on the front side of the flexible printed circuit board 200, and the LED of the light emitter unit 130 is connected to the wiring 201. For example, as shown in the area surrounded by the dotted line, the anode of the red LED and the cathode of the green LED are connected to the positive electrode side of the wiring 201, and the cathode of the red LED and the anode of the green LED are connected to the negative electrode side.

The flexible printed circuit board 200 is provided with engagement holes 204 for fixing to parts of the model, and the position of the flexible printed circuit board 200 can be fixed by connecting parts through the engagement holes 204. In addition, the flexible printed circuit board 200 can be bent as desired, so it can be attached by bending or flexing it to fit the shape of a doll toy or part of the model.

In the example shown in FIG. 2, the flexible printed circuit board 200 is divided into limbs, shoulders and arms, and torso and waist, as shown by the dashed lines. The flexible printed circuit board 200 is connected to the torso and waist and the shoulders and arms, and is also connected to the torso and waist and the limbs (legs). As a result, the flexible printed circuit board 200 is positioned from the torso and waist across the arms via the shoulders, and also positioned from the torso and waist across the limbs.

The flexible printed circuit board 200 is disposed to penetrate or pass through the inside of parts that constitute joints such as the neck, shoulders, elbows, waist, and knees. For this reason, it is desirable for the width of the flexible printed circuit board 200 to be as narrow as possible, and it is necessary to reduce the number of wirings. In this embodiment, the number of wirings on the flexible printed circuit board 200 can be two, so the flexible printed circuit board 200 can be constructed with a minimum number of wirings. As an example, the width of the wiring part of the flexible printed circuit board is, for example, 4 mm at its narrowest point. However, the narrowest width of the wiring part differs depending on the size of the model or doll toy, and may be wider than 4 mm. Alternatively, it may be narrower than 4 mm. However, it is desirable to ensure that the width of each wiring is 1 mm and the width between each wiring is 0.3 to 0.5 mm in order to suppress noise.

Next, referring to FIG. 3, the light emission control of the light emitter unit 130 by the control unit 120 will be described. The control unit 120 can perform PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control of the voltage supplied to the light emitter unit 130 through the current direction control circuit. FIG. 3 shows an example of control, with the vertical axis of the graph indicating the brightness of the LED as the ratio (unit: %) of the voltage pulse that is on per unit time in terms of the duty ratio. For both the red LED and the green LED, the duty ratio is increased from 0% to 90% in the first approximately 3 seconds, thereby increasing the brightness from the off state.

After that, when the duty ratio reaches 90%, it is dropped to 50% over the course of about 3 seconds, lowering the brightness. After that, the brightness goes from 50% to 90% four times in a cycle of about 6 seconds, and the brightness goes up and down accordingly. In the final three seconds at the end of the performance, the brightness is gradually lowered from 50% to 0%, and the light is turned off. The red and green LEDs are lit alternately, and the above control is repeated. The interval between switching between the red and green LEDs can be about 10 seconds, for example, but it can be shorter or longer.

The above control method is merely an example, and the duty ratio and lighting time can be controlled by other methods. The red LED or green LED may be switched on and off depending on the operation input from the input unit 140. The input unit 140 may be provided with multiple buttons, and the light emitter unit 130 may be made to emit light with different duty ratios and lighting times depending on the type of button operated. The switch of the input unit 140 may be located, for example, in the joint, and may be turned on by moving the joint. For example, the switch may be turned on when the arm located in the arm joint is posed with the arm raised.

The model may be configured to be manually or automatically transformed from the first state to the second state, with the light-emitting unit 130 hidden in the first state and the light-emitting unit 130 exposed in the second state. In this case, in the first state, a part or the whole of the part covering the light-emitting unit 130 may be made of a light-shielding material. The light-shielding material may be configured, for example, by using molded parts in a color that absorbs light or by attaching a reflective sticker.

In this embodiment, the flexible printed circuit board 200 is arranged inside the model, specifically across the torso and arms, and passing through joints (e.g., elbow joints and knee joints). This allows the light-emitting unit 130 arranged on the flexible printed circuit board 200 to be arranged at a predetermined position on the model. Specific examples of arrangements are described below with reference to Figures 4 to 6.

Figure 4 shows an example in which the flexible printed circuit board is placed on the torso and waist of the model. Part 401 of the flexible printed circuit board is placed inside clear part 402, and the light emitted from the LEDs on both ends passes through clear part 402 and is irradiated to the outside. Clear part 402 is a member made of transparent ABS resin of a predetermined color and transmits light. Part 403 is placed on top of clear part 402, and part 403 is made of polystyrene that does not transmit light. However, this does not exclude the use of materials other than polystyrene (thermoplastic resins such as polyethylene and ABS, thermosetting resins, metals, etc.) as materials for forming such light-opaque parts. Therefore, the light emitted from the LEDs placed on part 401 is irradiated downward in the figure. Wiring part 404 of the flexible printed circuit board extends to other parts of the model through the opening of part 405. In this way, the wiring of the flexible printed circuit board 200 passes through the parts of the model and is placed inside the model (for example, the limbs).

Part 406 is a connector for connecting the flexible printed circuit board 200 to an external device or a power supply part. It can be used to connect to the current direction control circuit 110, power supply 100, control unit 120, input unit 140, etc. shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the current direction control circuit 110, power supply 100, control unit 120, and input unit 140 are arranged as a battery box in a base on which the model is installed, and are connected to the connector by a predetermined wiring. However, this embodiment is merely an example, and the current direction control circuit 110, power supply 100, control unit 120, and input unit 140 may all be mounted inside the model, or at least some of them, for example only the current direction control circuit 110, the current direction control circuit 110, the control unit 120, and the input unit 140 may be mounted, and the remaining parts may be placed in the installation base.

Next, Figure 5 shows an example of the configuration of the legs of the model. Part 501, on which the LEDs of the flexible printed circuit board are arranged, is placed inside surface-emitting part 502. The surface-emitting part is made of GP (high impact PS) material, and has a milky white color. While the above-mentioned clear part 402 was made of a see-through transparent color, the surface-emitting part is intentionally made milky white like frosted glass, or semi-transparent to prevent light from escaping and diffuse the light so that the entire light-emitting surface shines evenly.

A light-shielding part 503 that does not transmit light is arranged on the outside of the surface-emitting part 502, and is configured in combination with other parts so that the position of the light-shielding part 503 can be shifted from a state in which the surface-emitting part 502 is concealed by the light-shielding part 503 to a state in which the surface-emitting part 502 is partially exposed. The mechanism for shifting the position of the light-shielding part 503 is a general mechanism, so a description will be omitted. This makes it possible to see the light generated by lighting the LED through the gaps in the light-shielding part 503 via the surface-emitting part 502.

Although the above describes a case where the surface-emitting part directly receives light from the LED, the light may be diffused by the surface-emitting part via a clear part, as shown in the exemplary cross-sectional view of Figure 6. In Figure 6, the light emitted from the LED 601 is transmitted to the surface-emitting part 605 via clear parts 602 and 603 and diffused. As the outside of the clear part is covered by light-shielding part 604, which does not transmit light, the light is not diffused in the left-right direction, but is transmitted in the direction of part 605. By passing the light through the clear part in this way, the direction and range of light diffusion can be adjusted depending on the size and thickness of the clear part, and also by combining it with a light-shielding part.

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to alternately or selectively emit light from multiple LEDs of different colors by controlling the direction of the current flowing through the wiring. In the illustrated embodiment, when the current flows in a first direction, the red LED emits light, and when the current flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the green LED emits light.

In this embodiment, by connecting LEDs of different luminous colors in parallel in the opposite directions, it is possible to minimize the number of wirings. This also makes it possible to minimize the width of the flexible printed circuit board, and it is possible to place LEDs at any position inside the model parts and create lighting effects.

In addition, in this embodiment, by combining a light-emitting body (LED) that serves as a light source, a transparent part that transmits light, and a surface-emitting part that diffuses light, it is possible to transmit and diffuse light from the light source to any position on the model.

The invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

A light emitting performance unit disposed inside a doll toy,
A flexible printed circuit board on which wiring is performed;
A plurality of light emitting units arranged on wiring of a flexible printed circuit board;
Equipped with
each of the plurality of light-emitting body units includes a first LED of a first color and a second LED of a second color, the first LED and the second LED are connected to the wiring in parallel with their polarities reversed, and when a direction of a current flowing from a power source to the wiring is controlled, the first LED emits light when the current flows in a first direction, and the second LED emits light when the current flows in a second direction opposite to the first direction;
The plurality of light emitting units are connected in series by the wiring,
The number of the wirings on the flexible printed circuit board is two, and the width between each wiring is at least 0.3 mm;
A light emitting performance unit, wherein the first color and the second color are different colors. The light-emitting performance unit of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of light-emitting body units comprises a third LED of a third color and a fourth LED of a fourth color, and the third color and the fourth color are different from at least one of the first color and the second color. The light-emitting performance unit according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flexible printed circuit board is configured such that a portion to be placed on the arm of the doll toy and a portion to be placed on the leg of the doll toy are each connected to a portion to be placed within the torso of the doll toy. The light-emitting performance unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the width of the flexible printed circuit board is 4 mm. A connector connected to the wiring of the flexible printed circuit board is further provided.
An illumination performance unit as described in any one of claims 1 to 4 , which is connected via the connector to the power source and a control unit that controls the direction of current flowing from the power source to the wiring. A doll toy having a light-emitting performance unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5 disposed therein. 7. The doll toy according to claim 6 , wherein each of the plurality of light emitting body units is fixed to a predetermined portion of the doll toy by disposing the flexible printed circuit board inside the doll toy. The doll toy according to claim 7 , wherein at least one of the plurality of light-emitting body units is disposed inside at least one limb of the doll toy to illuminate a predetermined position of the limb. 9. The doll toy according to claim 8 , wherein the limb has a bendable joint mechanism, and the flexible printed circuit board is disposed inside the limb so as to pass through the joint mechanism. 10. The doll toy according to claim 6 , wherein the flexible printed circuit board is arranged to extend from an inside of the body of the doll toy to an inside of at least one limb.

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