US3699712A

US3699712A - Doll posing stand

Info

Publication number: US3699712A
Application number: US111342A
Authority: US
Inventors: Elliot Handler; Noel F Beasley; Armando J Garcia; Richard L May
Original assignee: Mattel Inc
Current assignee: Mattel Inc
Priority date: 1971-02-01
Filing date: 1971-02-01
Publication date: 1972-10-24
Anticipated expiration: 1989-10-24
Also published as: CA933359A

Abstract

A simple doll stand for the rapid mounting and removal of a doll, which holds a doll in a natural manner and which enables a child to easily rock the doll to make it shake in dance-like movements. The stand includes a disc-like base with ribs extending from a lower face to rockingly support the base on a flat surface. A pair of tubular foot-holders extend from the upper face of the base, each tubular holder having a slot along the front so that a doll''s leg can be held within the slotted tube with the foot of the doll protruding through the slot. The tubular foot-holders are detachable and can be mounted to extend from the same side of the base as the ribs, so that the stand does not rock.

Description

United States Patent Handler et al.

[ 5] Oct. 24, 1972 DOLL POSING STAND Inventors: Elliot Handler, Los Angeles; Noel F. Beasley, Santa Monica; Armando J. Garcia, Sylmar; Richard L. May, Manhattan Beach, all of Calif.

Assignee: Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif.

Filed: Feb. 1, 1971 Appl. No.: 111,342

[1.8. CI. ..46/1l6, 248/346, 46/32 int. Cl. ..A63h 13/00 Field of Search ..248/l27, 346; 46/1 16, 32, 137,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/1961 Ryan ..248/346 X 11/1957 Tiebe ..46/137 12/1952 White ..216/32 X 6/ 1909 Beiser ..46/32 X 2/1921 Letourneau ..46/137 2,867,362 l/l959 Bloch ..248/346 X 2,454,095 1 H1948 Sandlovich ..248/346 2,622,835 12/ 1952 lppolito ..248/346 Primary Examinerbouis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-D. L. Weinhold Attorney-Seymour A. Scholnick [57] ABSTRACT A simple doll stand for the rapid mounting and removal of a doll, which holds a doll in a natural manner and which enables a child to easily rock the doll to make it shake in dance-like movements. The stand includes a disc-like base with ribs extending from a lower face to rockingly support the base on a flat surface. A pair of tubular foot-holders extend from the upper face of the base, each tubular holder having a slot along the front so that a dolls leg can be held within the slotted tube with the foot of the doll protruding through the slot. The tubular foot-holders are detachable and can be mounted to extend from the same side of the base as the ribs, so that the stand does not rock.

8 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEUnm24 m2 3.699.712

saw 1 or 2 fl/cwmo L MAy INVEHTOQ DOLL POSING STAND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention This invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to stands for holding dolls.

2. Description of the Prior Art Girls often like to play with fashion dolls by dressing them in various outfits and posing them. A useful accessory for such dolls would be a stand onto which the dolls could be readily mounted and demounted. Such a stand should be simple to enable production at low cost and should be durable to hold the dolls firmly even after considerable use. Furthermore, such stands should hold the dolls in an unobtrusive manner. In the case of certain dolls that have resiliently coupled body portions, such as dolls that can resiliently bend at the waist, it is desirable that the stand enable shaking of the dolls so they simulate popular dance movements.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a doll stand which is simple and which firmly holds a doll in an unobtrusive manner.

Another object is to provide a simple doll stand which enables shaking of a doll to simulate popular dance movements.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a doll stand is provided which includes a disc-like base having an elongated flange extending from one face to rockingly support it on a flat surface, and having a pair of tubular members extending upwardly from the opposite face for receiving the legs of a doll. Each tubular member has a slot extending along its length so that when a doll leg is inserted therein, the foot of the doll can extend out through the slot. One of the tubular members is positioned directly over the rocking flange while the other tubular member is spaced from a position over the flange, so that the doll experiences a large sideward swaying movement when the stand is rocked.

The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a perspective view of a doll stand constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded plan view of the stand of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the stand of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a tubular foot-holding member of the doll stand of FIG. 1', and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the doll stand of FIG. 1, showing it set up in an alternate configuration.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. I, the doll stand includes a flat, disc-shaped base 10 which is adapted to rest on a substantially flat and horizontal supporting surface. A rib 12 extends from a lower face 14 of the base to rockingly support it on the supporting surface. A pair of tubular members l6, 18 is mounted on the base and extend upwardly, from an upper face 20 thereof. Each

tubular member

16, 18 is designed to receive one

leg

22 or 24 of a doll 26. The stand enables a child to rapidly mount the doll in an upright position for viewing, and also enables a child to rock the doll sidewardly by rocking the stand about the rib 12. The doll 26 is constructed with an upper body portion 28 mounted on a lower body portion 30 by a resilient coupling member 32 that permits the upper body portion to sway from side to side. When a child rocks the stand about the rib 12, the upper body portion 28 sways from side to side relative to the lower body portion 30, in a manner that simulates some popular dancing movements.

Each of the tubular members 16, I8 has a slot 34 extending along its length. The slot 34 in each tubular member enables the tubular member to closely encompass the leg of a doll while providing room for the foot 36 of the doll, because the foot can extend through the slot 34. Each of the tubular members l6, 18 is conical, with a larger diameter at the portion nearest the base 10 than at portions spaced above the base. However, each tubular member also has several inwardly extending ribs 38 that extend substantially parallel to each other so that the space between the ribs is approximately constant along the length of each tubular member. As indicated in FIG. 2, the ribs 38 of each tubular member are spaced to provide a region which closely surrounds the doll leg at the plane 22a thereof which is even with the top of the tubular member. Close surrounding at this location is desirable to assure firm support of the doll. Generally, it is desirable that the close surrounding thereat be such as to leave a clearance between the ribs and doll leg of less than 10 percent of the separation S of the ribs at the top of the tubular member so that the doll is firmly held. The slot 34 allows the walls of the tubular member to expand somewhat at its top, so that it can accommodate a doll leg which is slightly wider than the usual, or unexpanded, distance S between the ribs.

In order to enable easy rocking of the stand, the rocking rib I2 is located so that it is spaced from the center of gravity at 42 of the base. Thus, when the stand is laid on a flat supporting surface S, it is normally supported on the rib 12 and a point 44 on the edge of the base, while an opposite point 46 on the edge lies above the supporting surface. A child can then repeatedly depress and release the base location 46 to cause the stand to rock back and forth. The

tubular members

16, 18 are arranged so that one of them 16, lies directly over the rocking rib 12 while the other 18, is spaced from the rocking rib. In addition, the slots 34 in the tubular members face in a direction parallel to the rocking rib 12 to hold the doll so it also faces in that direction. When the stand is rocked, the doll therefore sways from side to side in a manner closely resembling dance movements wherein the performers sway from side to side.

The base 10 is provided with a flange 47 that extends around its perimeter, to provide a thicker and sturdier appearance and also to stiffen it. The rib 12 extends below the level of the perimeter flange 47, and it extends like the chord of a circle across the disc, defining a pivot line 49 about which the stand can rock. The rib 12 is actually formed by two rib portions 12a and 12!: that provide an interruption in the rib where the tubular member 16 is mounted on the base. The base has three

apertures

48, 50 and 52 for enabling the rapid mounting of the tubular member 16 thereon. The tubular member has three

flanges

54, 56 and 58 extending downwardly and then outwardly from its lower end for reception in the three apertures 48-52 of the base. Installation of the tubular member is accomplished by squeezing the bottom of it, inserting the flanges 54-58 through corresponding apertures in the base, and releasing it. The other tubular member 18 is constructed in a similar manner, and it fits into corresponding apertures 60 formed in the base. The tubular members can be installed in a simple manner, which enables the stand to be packaged and sold compactly while enabling a child to readily set it up in a use position.

FIG. 6 shows an alternate mounting of the tubular foot-

holders

16, 18 with respect to the disc-like base 10 to construct a posing stand which will not rock when laid on a flat surface. By mounting the tubular foot-holders l6 and 18 on the side of the disc-like base 10 from which the rib 12 extends, the stand can be laid flat and supported on the periphery by the flange 47. A child can readily remove the foot-

holders

16, 18 by squeezing their lower ends together and withdrawing them from the

apertures

48, 50, 52 and can reinstall them on the other side of the base.

Thus, the invention provides a doll stand of simple construction which is easily packaged and set up, and yet which enables the firm and rapid mounting and demounting of a doll. Simple doll mounting is provided by the use of at least one tubular member with a slot, to provide room for the foot and yet to closely engage the doll leg at a location above the foot. Rocking of the stand can be performed because of the provision of a rocking rib. Such rocking is facilitated by locating the rib so it is spaced from the center of gravity of the base, and by positioning the tubular members so that one lies over the rocking rib and the other is spaced therefrom. Easy assembly is provided by the use of holding flanges at the bottom of the tubular members which are received in corresponding apertures of the base. The stand can be set up so that it rocks or resists rocking. The entire stand can be formed by injection molding of three parts, and, if desired, the parts can be made of clear plastic to further their unobtrusiveness.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in the art and, consequently, it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.

What is claimed is:

l. A figure toy and doll stand device for placing on a supporting surface comprising:

a base for resting on said surface;

at least one tubular member having a lower end por tion fixed to said base and a portion extending upwardly from said base, said tubular member having a slot extending from its upper end to its lower end portion, whereby to permit reception of a doll foot; and

a doll having a leg with a foot at the lower end thereof, removably positioned in said tubular no more than it) percent greater than the width of the doll leg portion that lies even with said upper tube end.

2. The device described in claim 1 wherein:

said tubular member has a plurality of internally projecting ribs extending in a direction along its length.

3. The device described in claim 1 including:

means defining an elongated pivot depending from said base for rockingly supporting said base on said surface.

4. The device described in claim 1 wherein:

said base has a substantially flat shape with first and second opposite faces; and including means defining an elongated rib extending from said first face of said base to rockingly support it; and wherein said tubular member is constructed for detachable mounting on either face of said base, whereby to enable conversion from a base that rocks to one that does not.

5. The device described in claim 1 wherein:

said tubular member is tapered to define a progressively smaller diameter at regions progressively further from said base.

6. The device described in claim 1 wherein:

said base has three apertures spaced from one another about a circle; and

said tubular member has three angled flanges at its lower end for reception in said apertures. one of said flanges located on either side of said slot and the other located directly opposite said slot.

7. A figure toy and stand device comprising:

a substantially flat base having a portion extending from a first face thereof to define a pivot fulcrum, for rockingly supporting said base on a surface;

a pair of foot-holding members having lower ends fixed to said base and extending substantially perpendicular to and away from a second face of said base which lies opposite said first face, said footholding members spaced at different distances from said pivot fulcrum; and

a toy figure with a pair of legs in said tubular members, said toy figure having relatively movable portions above said legs, whereby when said base is rocked on said pivot fulcrum said portions move relative to each other and thereby animate said figure toy.

8. The device described in claim 7 wherein:

said pivot fulcrum is spaced from the center of gravity of said base.

l 8 i i

Claims

1. A figure toy and doll stand device for placing on a supporting surface comprising: a base for resting on said surface; at least one tubular member having a lower end portion fixed to said base and a portion extending upwardly from said base, said tubular member having a slot extending from its upper end to its lower end portion, whereby to permit reception of a doll foot; and a doll having a leg with a foot at the lower end thereof, removably positioned in said tubular member so that the foot lies adjacent to said base; said tube having a diameter at the upper end thereof no more than 10 percent greater than the width of the doll leg portion that lies even with said upper tube end.

2. The device described in claim 1 wherein: said tubular member has a plurality of internally projecting ribs extending in a direction along its length.

3. The device described in claim 1 including: means defining an elongated pivot depending from said base for rockingly supporting said base on said surface.

4. The device described in claim 1 wherein: said base has a substantially Flat shape with first and second opposite faces; and including means defining an elongated rib extending from said first face of said base to rockingly support it; and wherein said tubular member is constructed for detachable mounting on either face of said base, whereby to enable conversion from a base that rocks to one that does not.

5. The device described in claim 1 wherein: said tubular member is tapered to define a progressively smaller diameter at regions progressively further from said base.

6. The device described in claim 1 wherein: said base has three apertures spaced from one another about a circle; and said tubular member has three angled flanges at its lower end for reception in said apertures, one of said flanges located on either side of said slot and the other located directly opposite said slot.

7. A figure toy and stand device comprising: a substantially flat base having a portion extending from a first face thereof to define a pivot fulcrum, for rockingly supporting said base on a surface; a pair of foot-holding members having lower ends fixed to said base and extending substantially perpendicular to and away from a second face of said base which lies opposite said first face, said foot-holding members spaced at different distances from said pivot fulcrum; and a toy figure with a pair of legs in said tubular members, said toy figure having relatively movable portions above said legs, whereby when said base is rocked on said pivot fulcrum said portions move relative to each other and thereby animate said figure toy.

8. The device described in claim 7 wherein: said pivot fulcrum is spaced from the center of gravity of said base.