HK1170445A - Toy - Google Patents

Description

Toy (A)

Cross Reference to Related Applications

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 61/250,507, filed 10/2009, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

Embodiments of the present invention relate to toys, and more particularly to toy figures having articulating portions.

Background

Children's toys include reduced cars, boats, trains, figures, and the like, in which the imagination of the user provides play and enjoyment that extends over hours. Toy figures that simulate competing or combat-type activities are particularly popular because the user can participate in an imaginary war or combat sequence.

Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a toy having articulating portions and allowing interaction with a user.

Disclosure of Invention

In one embodiment, a toy figure is provided, the toy figure including a main body portion; a pair of appendages movably connected to the main body portion to move from a first position to a second position and back to the first position; and a detachable body portion detachably connected to the main body portion, wherein the pair of appendages grasp the detachable body portion when they are moved to the second position, and wherein the pair of appendages detach the detachable body portion from the main body portion when they are moved back from the second position toward the first position.

In another embodiment, a toy figure is provided, the toy figure comprising: a main body part; a pair of arms movably connected to the main body portion for movement between a first position and a second position, each arm of the pair of arms having an upper arm portion pivotally connected to the main body portion and a pair of lower arm portions pivotally connected to the upper arm portion, respectively; and a detachable body portion fixedly connected to the pair of arms, the detachable body portion being configured to be received within an area of the main body portion when the pair of arms are in the second position, and wherein the detachable body portion is detached from the main body portion when the pair of arms are in the first position.

Drawings

Other features, advantages and details appear, by way of example only, in the following description of embodiments, the description referring to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a toy having a detachable body portion attached thereto in a first position according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a view of the toy in a second position, wherein the arms of the toy grasp the detachable body part;

FIG. 1C is a view of the toy showing the disassembly of the detachable body portion;

FIGS. 2A-2C are diagrams illustrating a toy according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 shows a projectile that can be launched from a detachable body part;

FIG. 4 illustrates a detachable body part according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the toy figure with the detachable body portion attached to the toy figure and the arms of the toy figure not attached thereto;

FIG. 5A is a view of the components of a drive mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

6-10 are diagrams illustrating operational features and movements of a toy figure according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

fig. 11-16 illustrate alternative exemplary embodiments of the present invention.

Detailed Description

Referring now to the drawings, various exemplary embodiments of the invention are provided. As shown, toy figure 10 is described herein. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the components of a toy as described herein may be formed of a readily moldable material, such as plastic or any other equivalent material. As will be discussed further herein, the toy has various embodiments or combinations wherein the toy figure is moved through or sequentially through a plurality of positions by rotating and/or moving components of the toy figure.

In one embodiment, the toy figure will simulate a creature, alien, human, anthropomorphic, robot, monster, or any other type of configuration. Toy figure 10 has a main body portion 12 and a pair of legs 14 and a pair of arms or appendages 16. The pair of appendages or arms are movably or rotatably connected to the main body portion for movement from a first position 18 (see at least fig. 1A, 6 and 10) to a second position 20 (see at least fig. 1B and 7) and back to the first position 18 (see at least fig. 1C and 10), thus allowing movement in the direction of arrow 22.

In an exemplary embodiment and to facilitate movement of the arms or appendages, a handle portion 24 is disposed on a back or back portion of the doll, wherein the handle portion is readily grasped and manipulated by a user 26 of the toy. The handle portion is configured to manipulate the pair of appendages or arms through the positions described above and shown in the figures when the user manipulates the handle portion.

According to one non-limiting exemplary embodiment and to facilitate movement of the arm or appendage relative to the main body portion, the handle portion provides or is coupled to a drive mechanism 27 for rotating and/or moving the arm. A drive mechanism connects the arm to the handle portion such that movement of the handle portion moves the arm.

In one embodiment and to help facilitate the arm moving back and forth through the positions shown in the figures, one or more springs disposed in the arm and/or the main body portion bias the arm spring into the first position such that movement of the arm into the second position by movement of the handle portion and its subsequent release moves the arm back into the first position. Of course, non-spring biased arms and body parts are also contemplated by various embodiments of the present invention.

For example, and as will be described herein, the handle portion 24 is connected to a gear train that actuates or moves a gear rack in a reciprocating manner such that the arm member of the toy articulates between the first and second positions when movement of the gear rack also articulates a complementary gear train disposed therein.

The toy figure also has a detachable body portion 28 configured to be detachably connected to the main body portion. The removable body portion is configured to be releasably retained in a cavity or recessed area 30 disposed on a rear region or back 32 of the toy figure. In one embodiment, recessed area 30 has features 83 configured to engage complementary openings 85 in removable body portion 28. Alternatively, the detachable body part is simply placed within the recessed area 30.

In one embodiment, the arm will grip the detachable body part when the arm is moved from the first position to the second position and when the detachable body part is placed in the recessed area 30. To grasp the detachable body portion, each arm will include a handle portion 34 configured to engage with a feature on the surface of the detachable body portion, such that once the arm is moved to the second position and when the detachable body portion is in the recessed area, the handle will grasp the detachable body portion, such that successive movements of the arm from the second position toward the first position will cause the detachable body portion to be detached from the area 30.

To facilitate the movement of the arms back and forth from the first position to the second position and to grip the detachable body part, each arm 16 will have an upper arm portion 40 movably connected to the main body part at a joint 42. In addition, the upper arm portion 40 will have a lower or forearm portion 44 that is movably or pivotally connected to the upper arm portion 40 at a joint 46 to allow the lower arm portion to move rotationally or pivotally relative to the upper arm portion in the direction of arrow 50 during movement of the arm between the first and second positions, as best shown in at least fig. 6-9. As shown, each handle portion 34 is connected to a distal end of the lower arm portion 44.

In an alternative exemplary embodiment and to facilitate gripping of the detachable body portion by the handle portion, the arms of the doll are configured to move inwardly and outwardly relative to each other, and the arms may be spring biased slightly inwardly toward each other such that the arms move to the second position, the handle portion will engage the detachable body portion and the outer surface of the detachable body portion will bias the arms outwardly such that the handle portion engages (e.g., frictionally or otherwise engages) the detachable body portion as they move from the second position toward the first position. Alternatively, the arms are simply configured to grip the movable body part. Still alternatively, components of the lower arm portion 44 are slidably connected to the upper arm portion 40 such that the lower arm portion extends away from the upper arm portion when the upper and lower arm portions are moved toward the first position. In another alternative, the lower arm portion 44 may comprise two portions, one of which extends from the other when moved from the second position to the first position, thus providing an extendable arm portion. Thereafter and when the arm portion is moved from the first position back to the second position, the extendable portion will retract and the arm portion 44 will retract to the unextended configuration.

Still further, and in yet another alternative embodiment, and as shown in fig. 11-16, the handle portion of the arm is fixedly connected to the detachable portion such that movement of the arm from the first position to the second position will correspondingly move the detachable portion.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a toy figure has a launching mechanism 69 for launching at least one or more projectiles 70 from a detachable body portion. Here, the projectile is simply loaded or inserted into a cavity in the detachable body part to compress the spring 72 of the launching mechanism until the mechanism, catch or any other suitable mechanism releasably engages and holds the spring 72 in a compressed state and retains a portion of the projectile therein until the actuation button 72 disposed on the surface of the detachable body part is depressed. Once the actuation button is depressed, the catch of the spring mechanism is released and the compressed spring is allowed to expand, thus launching the projectile from the detachable body part. Of course, any suitable or equivalent firing mechanism may be used in the exemplary embodiments of the present invention, so long as the firing mechanism is capable of firing the projectile 70 from the detachable body portion 28 when the firing mechanism is moved with the arm to the first position.

Thus and in one embodiment, a detachable body portion is placed in the area 30 with the projectile inserted therein and when the arm is moved from the first position to the second position, the detachable body portion is gripped by the handle portion and detached from the main body portion and carried with the arm to the second position, wherein the actuation button 72 is depressed and the projectile is launched from the detachable body portion.

As shown in fig. 6-10, the detachable body part is inverted such that the actuator button is rotated from an upright position at least as shown in fig. 6 and 7 to a downward facing position (see at least fig. 9 and 10), wherein the actuator button 72 is depressed by a surface 80 on which the doll stands when the arm is moved with the detachable body part to the first position. In an exemplary embodiment, the legs of the figure have foot portions 82 configured to support the figure on the surface 80 and the toy figure (e.g., arm, detachable body portion, actuation button, etc.) is configured such that once the detachable body portion 38 is moved by the arm to the first position, the actuation button 72 is depressed by the surface 80 and the projectile is launched.

In one embodiment and as shown, the toy figure is configured as a living being or character, and the main body portion is configured to have a unique characteristic, and the detachable body portion also has a configuration that matches the unique characteristic. Also, and in one non-limiting embodiment, the detachable body portion is configured to simulate rock or boulders. Still further and as shown in at least fig. 8-10, the inner surface of the region 30 has a different color than the other portions of the doll, and the bottom surface 84 of the removable body portion is configured to match the inner surface of the region 30. In addition and when the detachable body part is moved by the arm to the first position, the bottom surface of the detachable body part is now facing upwards for easy viewing and the inner surface of the region 30 provides aesthetically pleasing play features. According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the detachable body portion is placed back on the back of the doll/creature (see at least fig. 5) such that it appears similar to a portion of the back of the creature.

Referring to fig. 2A-2B, 5 and 5A, a non-limiting example of a drive mechanism 27 is shown. Here, the end portion 15 of the handle portion 24 is configured to have a geared surface 17 that is received within a body part. In addition, the handle portion 24 is pivotally connected to the body portion so that the user can move the handle portion up and down relative to the body portion. As the handle portion moves up and down, the toothed surfaces 17 engage and rotate a plurality of gears of a gear train 19 rotatably housed within the body portion.

Drive mechanism 27 further includes a rack member 21 slidably disposed within the main body portion of the toy figure. In one embodiment, the rack includes a pair of toothed surfaces 21 'and 21 ", one (21') of which is configured to constantly engage one gear of the gear train 19 as it rotates, so that as movement of the handle portion 24 rotates the gear train 19, the rack slides up and down, while the other (21") of the pair of toothed surfaces of the rack is configured to intermittently engage a portion of the gear 23 fixedly attached to a shaft 25 rotatably received within the main body portion of the toy figure. This intermittent contact with the shaft 25 will cause the desired movement of the arm member 40 relative to the main body part while also allowing movement of the arm member 44 relative to the arm member 40, as will be discussed below. Further, the gear train 19 is configured to independently cause movement of the rack 21 via movement of the handle 24, and movement of the rack 21 will cause movement of the arm members 40 and 44 via independent interaction with the rack 21, as will be discussed below.

The drive mechanism 27 further includes a shaft member 31 rotatably accommodated within the shaft 25. The shaft member 31 has a pair of gears 33, 35 and a gear 37 fixedly connected thereto. The gear 37 is fixedly connected to the shaft member 31 between the gears 33 and 35, or in other words, the gears 33 and 35 are fixedly connected to the end of the shaft 31 with the gear 37 disposed therebetween. The shaft 25 is configured such that when the shaft is rotated to a position corresponding to when the upper arm member 40 is proximate the second position, such that the gear 37 will engage the toothed portion 21' of the rack, such that linear movement of the rack will cause suitable rotational movement of the gear 37 and ultimately the shaft 31 and the gears 33 and 35 connected thereto, movement of the rack 21 will cause movement of the arm member 44 relative to the arm member 40 between at least the position shown in fig. 14 and 15 and the intermediate position when the arm member 40 is rotated to a position corresponding to the second position.

Rotational movement of the shaft 31 and gears 33 and 35 will cause pivotal movement of the arm member 44 relative to the arm member 40. This is achieved by pivotally connecting the arm member 44 to the arm member 40, and wherein the gear member 39 is positioned at a position where the arm member 44 is pivotally connected to the arm member 40.

Still further, a gear train 41 including a plurality of gears 43 is rotatably received in each arm member 40 and connects each arm member 44 to each gear 33, 35 fixedly secured to the shaft 31 such that rotational movement of the shaft 31 will cause pivotal movement of the arm member 44 relative to the arm member 40. Thus and as shown in the figures, reciprocation of the handle portion 24 will cause the arm member 40 to move between the first and second positions, with the detachable object 28 also moving between the first and second positions.

Thus, and as the rack moves up and down, the shaft 25 will rotate as the gear portion 23 engages one of the toothed surfaces of the rack. Each end of the shaft 25 is fixedly connected to the upper arm portion 40 such that rotational movement of the shaft 25 will move the arm member 40 between the first and second positions. In one embodiment, and in order to provide the desired movement of the upper arm member relative to the main body portion, the toothed surface 21 "has a clearance 21 '", such that upward movement of the rack will move the arm member 40 upward until the clearance is adjacent to the point of the toothed portion 23, after which further interaction with the toothed portion 23 is prevented while the rack 21 can continue to move upward, and at that point and due to the configuration of the shaft 25, the toothed surface 21' will now contact and rotate the gear 37, which causes pivotal movement of the arm member 44 relative to the arm member 40 via the gear train 41.

Moving the rack downwards or vice versa from this position will cause movement of the shaft 31 in the opposite direction and hence the arm 44 will move in the corresponding direction relative to the arm 40, and the toothed portion 21 "will again contact the toothed portion 23 and rotate the shaft 25 in the opposite direction via interaction with the toothed portions 21" and 23, thus disengaging the toothed portion 21' from the gear 37 and also causing rotational movement of the arm member 40 in the opposite direction relative to the main body portion 12 via rotation of the shaft 25.

Due to the configuration of the shaft 25 and its rotational movement caused by the toothed surface 21 ", this rotational movement of the shaft 25 will cause the gear 37 of the shaft 31 to no longer engage the toothed surface 21'.

Thus, rotational movement of the shaft 25 causes movement of the arm member 40, while independent movement of the shaft 31 causes rotational movement of the arm member 44 relative to the arm member 40. Still further, linear movement of the rack 21 via the gear train 19 causes rotational movement of the shafts 25 and 31, with one of the toothed surfaces of the rack being configured with a clearance such that there is intermittent contact with a toothed surface complementary to the shaft 25, and the shaft 25 being configured such that the gear 37 of the shaft 31 is only rotated by the rack once the shaft 25 is rotated into a particular orientation relative to the rack 21. In other words, movement of the rack in the first direction will cause rotational movement of the shaft 25 in the first direction until the toothed portion 23 of the shaft 25 is no longer in contact with the toothed portion 21 "of the rack, and then the shaft 25 is oriented such that the toothed portion 21' will now rotate the gear wheel 37 rotatably housed within the shaft 25, which ultimately causes the arm member 44 to move relative to the arm member 40. Thereafter, the opposite movement of the rack will cause the opposite movement of arm member 44 relative to arm member 40 by the toothed portion 21 'engaging gear 37, and then when the toothed portion 21' is in a position to re-engage toothed portion 23, shaft 25 will again rotate and the configuration of shaft 25 will prevent rotational movement of shaft 31.

While the invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (20)

1. A toy figure comprising:

a main body part;

a pair of appendages movably connected to the main body portion to move from a first position to a second position and back to the first position; and

a detachable body portion detachably connected to said main body portion, wherein said pair of appendages grasp said detachable body portion when said pair of appendages are moved to said second position, and wherein said pair of appendages detach said detachable body portion from said main body portion when said pair of appendages are moved back toward said first position from said second position.

2. The toy figure as in claim 1, wherein the detachable body portion further comprises a launching mechanism for launching at least one projectile from the detachable body portion.

3. The toy figure as in claim 2, wherein the detachable body portion further comprises an actuation button disposed on a surface of the detachable body portion, the actuation button configured to actuate the launching mechanism to launch the at least one projectile from the detachable body portion.

4. The toy figure as in claim 3, wherein the actuation button is depressed and the actuation button is in contact with a surface on which the toy figure rests when the pair of appendages are moved back toward the first position from the second position.

5. The toy figure as in claim 2, wherein the main body portion is configured with a unique feature and the detachable body portion has a configuration that matches the unique feature.

6. The toy figure as in claim 2, wherein the main body has a receiving area within which the detachable body portion is received and the detachable body portion is configured to have a unique feature, and wherein the detachable body portion has a configuration that matches the unique feature.

7. A toy figure comprising:

a main body part;

a pair of arms movably connected to the main body portion for movement between a first position and a second position, each arm of the pair of arms having an upper arm portion pivotally connected to the main body portion and a pair of lower arm portions pivotally connected to the upper arm portion respectively; and

a detachable body portion fixedly connected to the pair of arms, the detachable body portion being configured to be received within an area of the main body portion when the pair of arms are in the second position, and wherein the detachable body portion is detached from the main body portion when the pair of arms are in the first position.

8. The toy figure as in claim 7, wherein the detachable body portion further comprises a launching mechanism for launching at least one projectile from the detachable body portion when the pair of arms are in the first position.

9. The toy figure as in claim 8, wherein the detachable body portion further comprises an actuation button disposed on a surface of the detachable body portion, wherein the actuation button is depressed when the pair of arms are in the first position.

10. The toy figure as in claim 9, wherein the detachable body portion further comprises an actuation button disposed on a surface of the detachable body portion, wherein the actuation button is depressed when the pair of arms are in the first position.

11. The toy figure as in claim 9, wherein the actuation button rotates from an upright position when the pair of arms are in the second position to a downward facing position when the pair of arms are in the first position, and the actuation button is depressed by a surface on which the toy figure stands when the pair of arms are in the first position, and the toy figure further comprises a pair of legs each having a foot portion configured to support the toy figure on the surface.

12. The toy figure as in claim 7, wherein the toy figure further comprises a drive mechanism coupled to a handle portion pivotally coupled to the main body portion.

13. The toy figure as in claim 12, wherein an end portion of the handle portion is structured to have a toothed surface received within the main body portion, and when the handle portion is moved relative to the main body portion, the toothed surface engages and rotates a plurality of gears of a gear train rotatably received within the main body portion, and movement of the plurality of gears moves the arm between the first position and the second position.

14. The toy figure as in claim 13, wherein the drive mechanism further includes a rack member slidably disposed within the main body portion of the toy figure, wherein the rack member has a pair of toothed surfaces, one of the toothed surfaces configured to engage one of the plurality of gears of the gear train to cause the rack to slide up and down when the gear train is rotated by movement of the handle portion.

15. The toy figure as in claim 14, wherein the other of the pair of toothed surfaces of the rack is engaged with a gear portion fixedly coupled to a first shaft rotatably received within the main body portion of the toy figure, wherein each end of the first shaft is fixedly coupled to one of the pair of upper arm members such that rotational movement of the first shaft will move the pair of arm members between the first and second positions.

16. The toy figure as in claim 15, wherein the drive mechanism further includes a second shaft member rotatably received within the first shaft, and wherein the second shaft is connected to a pair of gear trains disposed in the pair of arms, wherein movement of the second shaft rotates the pair of gear trains and movement of the pair of gear trains moves the lower arm member relative to the upper arm member, and wherein the second shaft member is connected to one of the pair of toothed surfaces such that movement of one of the pair of toothed surfaces causes rotational movement of the second shaft.

17. The toy figure as in claim 13, wherein the detachable body portion further comprises a launching mechanism for launching at least one projectile from the detachable body portion when the pair of arms are in the first position.

18. The toy figure as in claim 17, wherein the detachable body portion further comprises an actuation button disposed on a surface of the detachable body portion, wherein the actuation button is depressed when the pair of arms are in the first position.

19. The toy figure as in claim 18, wherein the removable body portion further comprises an actuation button disposed on a surface of the removable body portion, wherein the actuation button is depressed when the pair of arms are in the first position.

20. The toy figure as in claim 19, wherein the actuation button rotates from an upright position when the pair of arms are in the second position to a downward facing position when the pair of arms are in the first position, and the actuation button is depressed by a surface on which the toy figure stands when the pair of arms are in the first position, and the toy figure further comprises a pair of legs each having a foot portion configured to support the toy figure on the surface.