CA2204678A1 - Magnetic figures' storyboard - Google Patents
Magnetic figures' storyboardInfo
- Publication number
- CA2204678A1 CA2204678A1 CA 2204678 CA2204678A CA2204678A1 CA 2204678 A1 CA2204678 A1 CA 2204678A1 CA 2204678 CA2204678 CA 2204678 CA 2204678 A CA2204678 A CA 2204678A CA 2204678 A1 CA2204678 A1 CA 2204678A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- magnetic
- figures
- storyboard
- accessories
- metallic
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
- A63H33/00—Other toys
- A63H33/26—Magnetic or electric toys
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
- A63F9/06—Patience; Other games for self-amusement
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
- A63F—CARD, BOARD, OR ROULETTE GAMES; INDOOR GAMES USING SMALL MOVING PLAYING BODIES; VIDEO GAMES; GAMES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- A63F9/00—Games not otherwise provided for
- A63F9/34—Games using magnetically moved or magnetically held pieces, not provided for in other subgroups of group A63F9/00
Landscapes
- Toys (AREA)
Abstract
A magnetic figures' storyboard includes a metallic board with a background scene on which may be placed magnetic figures with inter-changeable magnetic clothes and magnetic animals, magnetic accessories and the like. A storybook and/or audio tape may accompany the storyboard.
Description
CA 02204678 1997-0~-07 MAGNETIC FIGURES' STORYBOARD
Field of the Invention This invention relates in general to an interactive toy and more particularly to a magnetic figures' storyboard.
Background of the Invention Interactive toys stimulate the imagination of children, and toys with multiple pieces to be handled and manipulated aid in developing a child's manual dexterity.
Prior art human or animal figures are used by children to develop imaginative stories about these figures. For example, human action figures or farm figures are used by children to develop their own stories about adventures or life on the farm, respectively. Children's toy figures may be used on the floor, in toy cars, in toy buildings, in boats, in the tub, and magnetic figures on metallic surfaces, such as, refrigerators or freezers.
Other figures, such as, stuffed toys and dolls are well-known playmates for children. Flat stand-up dolls and life-like dolls with inter-changeable clothing are well-known and provide an additional element for a children's imagination to use, namely to match the activity which the child imagines the doll is engaged in with the appropriate clothing. There are many patents for flat dolls with inter-changeable clothing, including Canadian Patent337,436 (Murdison, 1933); U.S. Patent 3,646,705 (Nicholson, 1972); and U.S.
Patent 3,753,312 (Hughes, Jr., 1973).
There are toys featuring background scenes or templates on which figures can be attached, for instance: a scene of a road on the wall of a room on which cars may be attached (U.S. Patent 4,900,604, Martinez, 1990); a map of the United States on which mountains and lakes may be attached CA 02204678 1997-0~-07 (U.S. Patent 4,937,181, Rogers, 1990); a magnetic puzzle on a refrigerator forming a scene on which magnetic figures may be attached (U.S. Patent 5, 203, 847, Butt, 1993). These backgrounds form the basis for the story which the child creates.
Magnetic figures are used in the home on metallic surfaces, typically, refrigerators, freezers or other metallic appliances. A metallic board comprising a background on which magnetic figures with inter-changeable magnetic clothing are placed is not disclosed in the prior art.
Thus an interactive toy being a portable metallic board which provides a background scene for magnetic figures and accessories, is needed. The present invention is a metallic board which has a background picture to act as a storyboard on which magnetic figures and accessories are placed. The human figures have inter-changeable magnetic clothing, and there are other magnetic animal figures and accessories, such as, suns and scene decorations useful to create a story.
Summary of the Invention In accordance with the present invention there is provided an improved interactive toy.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a metallic board comprising a background scene (a "storyboard"), on which magnetic human figures with inter-changeable clothes and other accessories may be placed. The magnetic figures and accessories may include animals, flowers, plants, furniture, decorations and any other objects to create a story on the storyboard. The figures and accessories may be coloured or otherwise decorated to illustrate the figure or accessory, or the figures may be left wholly or partially blank to allow them to be coloured or CA 02204678 1997-0~-07 drawn on using a suitable marker, pen or pencil. The colourings may be designed to be erasable, removable or permanent.
Brief Description of the Drawings A detailed description of the preferred embodiment is provided herein below with reference to the following drawings, in which:
Figure 1, in a plan view, illustrates a metallic storyboard in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2, in a perspective view, illustrates the storyboard of Figure 1 with magnetic human and animal figures;
Figure 3, in a plan view, illustrates the storyboard of Figure 2 with magnetic inter-changeable clothes and magnetic accessories; and Figure 4, in a diagrammatic cross section, illustrates the storyboard components of Figure 2.
In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated in a plan view, a type of interactive toy in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
The interactive toy includes a storyboard 5 comprising a metallic board 10 with a border 12 and background scene 15.
CA 02204678 1997-0~-07 In Figure 2, the interactive toy of Figure 1 is illustrated in a perspective view. Figure 2 shows a magnetic female figure 20; a magnetic male figure 25; and a magnetic rabbit figure 30.
In Figure 3, the interactive toy of Figure 2 is illustrated in a plan view.
Figure 3 shows magnetic accessories of: clothing 40, hair 50, hat 60, ballet slippers 70, boots 80, a bouquet of flowers 90, a bow 100, and a sun 110.
In figure 4, the interactive storyboard toy of the present invention is seen in a diagrammed partial cut away and cross section showing the component parts of the storyboard with figures: frame 6, background scene laminated artwork 15, magnetic female figure 20, magnetic rabbit figure 30, sheet metal 115 and cardboard backing 120.
In operation, the interactive toy can provide children with a storyboard 5 on which to place magnetic figures and accessories to create stories and stimulate a child's imagination. How this is achieved is explained below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The scene on the storyboard shown in Figures 1 to 3 is of a stage floor with curtains on either side.
The storyboard may be laid on a child's lap or table top, or hung on or propped up against a wall. The border 12 is helpful to grip the storyboard more easily. The human figures 20, 25 and rabbit figure 30 are placed on the storyboard 5. The figures and accessories are magnetic so that they remain on the storyboard 5 by the magnetic attraction to the metallic board 10.
Accessories may be added onto or alongside the figures to create different overall scenes. In Figure 3, the female figure 20 is adorned with clothing 40, hair 50, shoes 70 and is holding a bouquet of flowers 90. The rabbit figure 30 is adorned with a bow 100 and the male figure is adorned with clothing 40, a hat 60 and boots 80. The background scene is adorned with the addition of a sun 110.
CA 02204678 1997_0C,_07 It will be recognised that a great variety and combination of figures and accessories may be used on an unlimited number of background scenes 15.
Examples of background scenes and corresponding figures are: mountain ranges with yodelers and goats; a restaurant with diners and musicians; a living room with fireplace and family; a ballroom with dancers; a kitchen with mice and food; a forest treetop with monkeys and birds; an ocean floor with strange aquatic creatures; a ski hill with skiers.
The magnetic figures and accessories may be provided with a full illustration of the figure or accessory on its face. However, the figures and accessories may also be provided with no illustration or only minimal illustration for colouring on, using suitable markers, pens or pencils. The markings may be erasable/removable or permanent The marker, pens and pencils may be permanent if desired, however the non-permanent instruments allow a child to redraw or colour the figures and accessories more than once. Suggested illustrations may be included to assist the child in identifying the figure or accessory and in filling it in.
The metallic storyboard, magnetic figures and magnetic accessories may be created in many ways provided that the magnetic figures may be placed on and removed from the metallic board by a child. The storyboard may be constructed of sheet metal backed with a cardboard or light wood, to form a metallic board, with a border of plastic or other smooth material around the perimeter of the metallic board to keep the metal sheet and backing together and for ease in handling the storyboard. The scene on the metallic board may be drawn directly on the metallic board or preferably the scene is drawn on a sheet of * with coloured markers of (*type of marker and then glued onto the metallic board with * glue. The magnetic figures may be created by cutting out a figure or accessory from flexible magnetic sheeting.
CA 02204678 1997-0~-07 The illustration of the figure or accessory is created in the same way as the background scene and glued onto the magnetic sheet cut-out.
The storyboard could alternatively be made with a magnetic board and metallic figures, clothing, animals, and accessories etc. It is understood that when the figure is magnetic the clothing could be either metallic or magnetic.
Likewise, if the figure is metallic the clothing may be either magnetic or metallic depending in part on the strength or the magnetic board and its abilityto hold the metallic clothing on the metallic figure. Various combination are understood to be encompassed by the scope of the invention.
In addition to the storyboard, the present invention contemplates the use of a storybook or audio tape which tells a story for which suitable figures and accessories are provided to complement the story in the book or tape. In this way a child could actively participate in the story as it is told or read through interactive use of the storyboard, figures and accessories.
Other variations and modifications of the invention are possible. For example, set out alternative not described above. All such modifications or variations are believed to be within the sphere and scope of the invention
Field of the Invention This invention relates in general to an interactive toy and more particularly to a magnetic figures' storyboard.
Background of the Invention Interactive toys stimulate the imagination of children, and toys with multiple pieces to be handled and manipulated aid in developing a child's manual dexterity.
Prior art human or animal figures are used by children to develop imaginative stories about these figures. For example, human action figures or farm figures are used by children to develop their own stories about adventures or life on the farm, respectively. Children's toy figures may be used on the floor, in toy cars, in toy buildings, in boats, in the tub, and magnetic figures on metallic surfaces, such as, refrigerators or freezers.
Other figures, such as, stuffed toys and dolls are well-known playmates for children. Flat stand-up dolls and life-like dolls with inter-changeable clothing are well-known and provide an additional element for a children's imagination to use, namely to match the activity which the child imagines the doll is engaged in with the appropriate clothing. There are many patents for flat dolls with inter-changeable clothing, including Canadian Patent337,436 (Murdison, 1933); U.S. Patent 3,646,705 (Nicholson, 1972); and U.S.
Patent 3,753,312 (Hughes, Jr., 1973).
There are toys featuring background scenes or templates on which figures can be attached, for instance: a scene of a road on the wall of a room on which cars may be attached (U.S. Patent 4,900,604, Martinez, 1990); a map of the United States on which mountains and lakes may be attached CA 02204678 1997-0~-07 (U.S. Patent 4,937,181, Rogers, 1990); a magnetic puzzle on a refrigerator forming a scene on which magnetic figures may be attached (U.S. Patent 5, 203, 847, Butt, 1993). These backgrounds form the basis for the story which the child creates.
Magnetic figures are used in the home on metallic surfaces, typically, refrigerators, freezers or other metallic appliances. A metallic board comprising a background on which magnetic figures with inter-changeable magnetic clothing are placed is not disclosed in the prior art.
Thus an interactive toy being a portable metallic board which provides a background scene for magnetic figures and accessories, is needed. The present invention is a metallic board which has a background picture to act as a storyboard on which magnetic figures and accessories are placed. The human figures have inter-changeable magnetic clothing, and there are other magnetic animal figures and accessories, such as, suns and scene decorations useful to create a story.
Summary of the Invention In accordance with the present invention there is provided an improved interactive toy.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a metallic board comprising a background scene (a "storyboard"), on which magnetic human figures with inter-changeable clothes and other accessories may be placed. The magnetic figures and accessories may include animals, flowers, plants, furniture, decorations and any other objects to create a story on the storyboard. The figures and accessories may be coloured or otherwise decorated to illustrate the figure or accessory, or the figures may be left wholly or partially blank to allow them to be coloured or CA 02204678 1997-0~-07 drawn on using a suitable marker, pen or pencil. The colourings may be designed to be erasable, removable or permanent.
Brief Description of the Drawings A detailed description of the preferred embodiment is provided herein below with reference to the following drawings, in which:
Figure 1, in a plan view, illustrates a metallic storyboard in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2, in a perspective view, illustrates the storyboard of Figure 1 with magnetic human and animal figures;
Figure 3, in a plan view, illustrates the storyboard of Figure 2 with magnetic inter-changeable clothes and magnetic accessories; and Figure 4, in a diagrammatic cross section, illustrates the storyboard components of Figure 2.
In the drawings, preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purpose of illustration and as an aid to understanding, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to Figure 1, there is illustrated in a plan view, a type of interactive toy in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
The interactive toy includes a storyboard 5 comprising a metallic board 10 with a border 12 and background scene 15.
CA 02204678 1997-0~-07 In Figure 2, the interactive toy of Figure 1 is illustrated in a perspective view. Figure 2 shows a magnetic female figure 20; a magnetic male figure 25; and a magnetic rabbit figure 30.
In Figure 3, the interactive toy of Figure 2 is illustrated in a plan view.
Figure 3 shows magnetic accessories of: clothing 40, hair 50, hat 60, ballet slippers 70, boots 80, a bouquet of flowers 90, a bow 100, and a sun 110.
In figure 4, the interactive storyboard toy of the present invention is seen in a diagrammed partial cut away and cross section showing the component parts of the storyboard with figures: frame 6, background scene laminated artwork 15, magnetic female figure 20, magnetic rabbit figure 30, sheet metal 115 and cardboard backing 120.
In operation, the interactive toy can provide children with a storyboard 5 on which to place magnetic figures and accessories to create stories and stimulate a child's imagination. How this is achieved is explained below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. The scene on the storyboard shown in Figures 1 to 3 is of a stage floor with curtains on either side.
The storyboard may be laid on a child's lap or table top, or hung on or propped up against a wall. The border 12 is helpful to grip the storyboard more easily. The human figures 20, 25 and rabbit figure 30 are placed on the storyboard 5. The figures and accessories are magnetic so that they remain on the storyboard 5 by the magnetic attraction to the metallic board 10.
Accessories may be added onto or alongside the figures to create different overall scenes. In Figure 3, the female figure 20 is adorned with clothing 40, hair 50, shoes 70 and is holding a bouquet of flowers 90. The rabbit figure 30 is adorned with a bow 100 and the male figure is adorned with clothing 40, a hat 60 and boots 80. The background scene is adorned with the addition of a sun 110.
CA 02204678 1997_0C,_07 It will be recognised that a great variety and combination of figures and accessories may be used on an unlimited number of background scenes 15.
Examples of background scenes and corresponding figures are: mountain ranges with yodelers and goats; a restaurant with diners and musicians; a living room with fireplace and family; a ballroom with dancers; a kitchen with mice and food; a forest treetop with monkeys and birds; an ocean floor with strange aquatic creatures; a ski hill with skiers.
The magnetic figures and accessories may be provided with a full illustration of the figure or accessory on its face. However, the figures and accessories may also be provided with no illustration or only minimal illustration for colouring on, using suitable markers, pens or pencils. The markings may be erasable/removable or permanent The marker, pens and pencils may be permanent if desired, however the non-permanent instruments allow a child to redraw or colour the figures and accessories more than once. Suggested illustrations may be included to assist the child in identifying the figure or accessory and in filling it in.
The metallic storyboard, magnetic figures and magnetic accessories may be created in many ways provided that the magnetic figures may be placed on and removed from the metallic board by a child. The storyboard may be constructed of sheet metal backed with a cardboard or light wood, to form a metallic board, with a border of plastic or other smooth material around the perimeter of the metallic board to keep the metal sheet and backing together and for ease in handling the storyboard. The scene on the metallic board may be drawn directly on the metallic board or preferably the scene is drawn on a sheet of * with coloured markers of (*type of marker and then glued onto the metallic board with * glue. The magnetic figures may be created by cutting out a figure or accessory from flexible magnetic sheeting.
CA 02204678 1997-0~-07 The illustration of the figure or accessory is created in the same way as the background scene and glued onto the magnetic sheet cut-out.
The storyboard could alternatively be made with a magnetic board and metallic figures, clothing, animals, and accessories etc. It is understood that when the figure is magnetic the clothing could be either metallic or magnetic.
Likewise, if the figure is metallic the clothing may be either magnetic or metallic depending in part on the strength or the magnetic board and its abilityto hold the metallic clothing on the metallic figure. Various combination are understood to be encompassed by the scope of the invention.
In addition to the storyboard, the present invention contemplates the use of a storybook or audio tape which tells a story for which suitable figures and accessories are provided to complement the story in the book or tape. In this way a child could actively participate in the story as it is told or read through interactive use of the storyboard, figures and accessories.
Other variations and modifications of the invention are possible. For example, set out alternative not described above. All such modifications or variations are believed to be within the sphere and scope of the invention
Claims
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2204678 CA2204678A1 (en) | 1997-05-07 | 1997-05-07 | Magnetic figures' storyboard |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2204678 CA2204678A1 (en) | 1997-05-07 | 1997-05-07 | Magnetic figures' storyboard |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2204678A1 true CA2204678A1 (en) | 1998-11-07 |
Family
ID=4160596
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2204678 Abandoned CA2204678A1 (en) | 1997-05-07 | 1997-05-07 | Magnetic figures' storyboard |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2204678A1 (en) |
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2009047824A2 (en) * | 2007-10-12 | 2009-04-16 | Stearn, Stephen Harvey | Educational toy having a variable configuration |
| CN103623597A (en) * | 2013-10-08 | 2014-03-12 | 浙江纺织服装职业技术学院 | Interactive child toy based on story experience and using method thereof |
-
1997
- 1997-05-07 CA CA 2204678 patent/CA2204678A1/en not_active Abandoned
Cited By (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2009047824A2 (en) * | 2007-10-12 | 2009-04-16 | Stearn, Stephen Harvey | Educational toy having a variable configuration |
| WO2009047824A3 (en) * | 2007-10-12 | 2009-08-13 | Stearn Stephen Harvey | Educational toy having a variable configuration |
| CN103623597A (en) * | 2013-10-08 | 2014-03-12 | 浙江纺织服装职业技术学院 | Interactive child toy based on story experience and using method thereof |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |