EP1857159A1

EP1857159A1 - Manufactured article for play entertainment

Info

Publication number: EP1857159A1
Application number: EP07007984A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Marco Gianasi; Gianfranco Grieco
Original assignee: Grani & Partners SpA
Current assignee: Grani & Partners SpA
Priority date: 2006-05-19
Filing date: 2007-05-03
Publication date: 2007-11-21
Also published as: ITMO20060161A1

Abstract

Manufactured article for play entertainment (1), comprising at least a pair of shaped bodies (2a-2m) featuring respective shells (3) and which can be associated and articulated with each other by inserting temporary connection means in between, wherein said temporary connection means comprise at least one pair of permanent magnets (4) housed in respective seats defined on the shells (3) and which can be coupled together by magnetic attraction.

Description

The present invention refers to a manufactured article for play entertainment.
In the field of objects for play entertainment toys are known featuring articulated parts and/or which can be assembled together and which, for example, reproduce at least in part human and/or animal features.
Such toys, in general, have articulated limbs which, in some cases, can be taken to pieces and fitted back together again from/on the trunk so as to obtain different end solutions.
In particular, the limbs (or the parts of the toy in general) can be associated with the trunk by inserting in between fitting means made, for example, of an appendix protruding from the limb and which can be fitted in a complementary seat on the trunk to define an articulated joint.
The toys of this type are not however without drawbacks, especially due to the possible damaging of the articulated joint following repeated assembly and disassembly operations.
Furthermore, the assembly of the toys described above is not always simple and convenient, and in any case requires applying a certain pressure to insert the appendix inside the respective seat.
Both the aspects mentioned above (joint fragility and assembly difficulty) become especially important considering the generally young age of the users of such toys.
Such drawbacks can be partially reassessed by a second known type of toy in which each of the parts that can be assembled comprises a metal frame covered with a plastic shell.
Generally speaking the metal frame of the trunk features one or more magnets arranged opposite respective openings on the shell.
The frame of the limbs has at least one end featuring a metal end piece, normally a sphere or semi-sphere, which can be inserted in one of the above openings and can be coupled in a removable way with the magnet.
The special configuration of the metal end piece and magnet permits the articulation of the limbs with respect to the trunk.
These known toys also have a number of drawbacks however, including a fairly heavy weight due to the metal frame.
Another drawback consists in the weak adhesion between the magnet and the metal end, made worse by the weight of the parts fitted together and which can cause accidental detachments.
The main aim of this invention is to make available a manufactured article for play entertainment that permits overcoming the above drawbacks using a simple, rational and low-cost solution.
The above aims are all achieved by this manufactured article for play entertainment, comprising at least a pair of shaped bodies featuring respective shells and which can be associated and articulated with each other by inserting temporary connection means in between, characterized in that said temporary connection means comprise at least one pair of permanent magnets housed in respective seats defined on said shells and which can be coupled together by magnetic attraction
Further characteristics and advantages of this invention will appear even more evident from the detailed description of a preferred, but not exclusive, form of embodiment of a manufactured article for play entertainment, illustrated indicatively by way of non limiting example, in the attached drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a schematic and perspective view of the article according to the invention.

With special reference to such figure, a manufactured article for play entertainment of the type of a toy shaped so as to reproduce the human anatomical features has been globally designated by reference number 1.
Embodiments of the manufactured article 1 able to reproduce different shapes cannot however be ruled out.
The manufactured article 1 comprises a plurality of shaped bodies 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 21 and 2m, featuring respective shells 3 in polymeric material and which can be associated by placing temporary connection means in between.
Usefully, each of the shells 3 in polymeric material is made in a single body.
In the particular, but not exclusive, form of embodiment illustrated, the shaped body 2a is configured to reproduce a head, the shaped body 2b is configured to reproduce a trunk, the shaped body 2c is configured to reproduce a pelvis, the shaped body 2d is configured to reproduce an upper limb, the shaped body 2e is configured to reproduce an arm, the shaped body 2f is configured to reproduce a forearm, the shaped body 2g is configured to reproduce a hand, the shaped body 2h is configured to reproduce a lower limb, the shaped body 2i is configured to reproduce a thigh, the shaped body 21 is configured to reproduce a leg, and the shaped body 2m is configured to reproduce a foot.
Advantageously, the temporary connection means comprise a plurality of permanent magnets 4 housed in their respective seats inside the shells 3 which can be coupled together by magnetic attraction.
Each of the shells 3 can comprise just one or a plurality of magnets 4, depending on the anatomic part reproduced and on the envisaged joints.
Usefully, each of the permanent magnets 4 is positioned by a relevant opening 5 defined on the shells 3 and can be provided with a surface protruding from the opening 5.
Advantageously, the protruding surface of the magnets 4 can have a substantially round or flat conformation or of other type.
In particular, the trunk 2b features four permanent magnets 4, arranged facing respective openings 5, and which can be coupled in magnetic attraction with respective permanent magnets 4 defined on the upper limb 2d, on the arm 2e, on the pelvis 2c and on the head 2a.
The pelvis 2c features three permanent magnets 4 that can be coupled, respectively, to a permanent magnet 4, not shown in the illustration and defined on the trunk 2d, to a permanent magnet 4 on the lower limb 2b, and to a permanent magnet on the thigh 2i.
The ends of the forearm 2f feature respective permanent magnets 4 that can be coupled, respectively, with a second permanent magnet 4 on the arm 2e and with a permanent magnet 4 on the hand 2g.
The ends of the leg 21 feature respective permanent magnets 4 that can be coupled, respectively, with a second permanent magnet 4 on the thigh 2i and with a permanent magnet 4 on the foot 2m.
Other configurations of the manufactured article 1 cannot however be ruled out, having different combinations of the shaped bodies 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2l and 2m and/or different configurations of the shaped bodies themselves.
The manufacture of the manufactured article 1 comprises, for each of the shaped bodies 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e, 2f, 2g, 2h, 2i, 2l and 2m described above, a first phase that consists in arranging at least one permanent magnet 4 inside a mould.
The number and arrangement of the permanent magnets 4 inside the mould and the configuration of the mould itself depend on the anatomical shape to be reproduced.
Afterwards, the mould is filled with a polymeric material in fluid state and the solidification of such material inside the mould results in the production, in a single body, of the shells 3 featuring the relative magnets 4.
It has in fact been found how the described invention achieves the set purposes, and in particular, the fact is underlined that the presence of permanent magnets which can be coupled together in magnetic attraction, as an alternative to the known type of coupling between metal end and magnet, permits better adhesion and reduces the possibility of the accidental detachment of the shaped bodies.
Furthermore, the use of shells made of polymeric material as the only support structure (as an alternative to the metal frame) permits considerably reducing the total weight of the manufactured article.
Another advantage associated with the permanent magnets is the easy assembly and disassembly of two or more shaped bodies.
Another advantage is the resistance to wear of the manufactured article even in the case of repeated assembly and disassembly operations.
The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which falling within the scope of the inventive concept.
Furthermore all the details may be replaced by other elements which are technically equivalent.
In practice, the materials used, as well as contingent shapes and dimensions may be any according to requirements without because of this moving outside the protection scope of the following claims.

Claims

Manufactured article for play entertainment, comprising at least a pair of shaped bodies featuring respective shells and which can be associated and articulated with each other by inserting temporary connection means in between, characterized in that said temporary connection means comprise at least one pair of permanent magnets housed in respective seats defined on said shells and which can be coupled together by magnetic attraction.
Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said shells are made in polymeric material or the like.
Manufactured article according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said permanent magnets is positioned by at least one opening defined on at least one of said shells.
Manufactured article according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said permanent magnets comprises at least one surface protruding from said opening.
Manufactured article according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said protruding surface has a substantially spheric configuration.
Manufactured article according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said protruding surface has a substantially flat configuration.
Manufactured article according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said shaped bodies is configured so as to reproduce at least one anatomic part of a human being or animal.
Manufactured article according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said anatomic part is chosen from the group comprising : trunk, pelvis, head, limb, arm, forearm, hand, leg, thigh or foot.
Manufactured article according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said shells is made in a single body.
Manufactured article according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of said shaped bodies.
Manufactured article according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said bodies comprises only one of said seats.
Manufactured article according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of said bodies comprises a plurality of said seats.
Method for making a shaped body according to the claims from 1 to 12, characterized in that it comprises the phases which consist in:
- arranging at least one of said permanent magnets inside a mould;

- filling said mould with a substantially fluid polymeric material;

- solidifying said polymeric material for making a rigid shell featuring said permanent magnet.