FI98790C - Articulated toy, such as a small animal or doll - Google Patents

Description

98790

The present invention relates to toys and has been developed with a view to its possible use in the manufacture of small toys which are small animals or dolls and which can be connected, for example, to an articulated toy, for example a small animal or a doll. food products as gifts or “surprises” by placing them inside hollow food-10 street products such as chocolate eggs.

In this field, it has proved necessary to make gifts or surprises even more obviously toys: this requirement is quite difficult to meet with conventional toys formed from a single piece. In the past, this problem has been solved, for example, with surprises included in chocolate eggs, so that the toys have been in many parts: the consumer (usually a child) takes the toy from the egg (usually placed in a protective container), then has to assemble it. play activities.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a toy which is superior to the foregoing, in particular in view of the possibility of providing a small animal or doll which the user can obtain in various desired positions.

According to the present invention, the object is achieved by means of 30 toys, the characteristics of which are shown in particular. in the appended claims.

The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figures 1 and 2 show in general perspective a toy according to the invention in two different positions of use, and Fig. 2 98790 shows a section of the toy according to Figures 1 and 2, toy interior structure.

In the drawings, the toy is generally indicated by reference numeral 1 and in the illustrated embodiment it is a small animal, e.g. a cow or a buffalo. This choice of character is, of course, completely open and can generally comprise, for example, various human and / or animal-like characters.

Furthermore, the invention makes it easy to implement completely different toys (e.g. vehicles, etc.).

In the illustrated embodiment, the toy 1 consists essentially of three parts, namely: 15 - a central spherical body 2 with a through hole 3 in the diameter, - a front body 4, generally visible, comprising an outer surface 5 defining the features of a human and / or animal figure and a spherical cup-shaped inner surface 20 6, and - a rear body 7 which, like the front body 4, can be seen to comprise an outer surface 8 reproducing the features of a human and / or animal figure and a spherical cup-shaped inner surface 9.

25

Naturally, the terms "front" and "rear" used in paragraphs 4 and 7 refer to parts of the figure represented by the toy: it is worth mentioning that this connotation is indicative and open to interpretation and is therefore not restrictive.

In the assembled device, the additional pieces 4 and 7 are fitted to the spherical body 2 in order to bring the cup-shaped surfaces 6 and 9 into contact with the spherical body 2, in particular with the two pole areas into which the ends of the through hole 3 open.

3 98790 Thus, connections are formed between the two additional pieces 4, 7 and the main body, which allow their relative orientation along the identified spherical surface, in an embodiment this is illustrated by the outer surface of the body 2 to which the cup shapes 6 and 8 conform.

The additional pieces 4 and 7 also have complementary formations 10 and 11, which together are adapted to define a spherical joint with a joint center indicated by P, which substantially coincides with the center of the spherical surface of the body 2.

In the illustrated embodiment, the hinge part 10 consists of an arm 12 projecting radially from the inner cup surface of the body 4 in this radius and having a ball head or heart at its free end 15.

The complementary hinge part 11 also consists of an arm 14 projecting radially from the inner cup surface 9 of the body and having at its free end a cup formation 15 defining a cup or seat for receiving the ball 13.

The parts 10 and 11 and the pieces 2, 4 and 7 are preferably molded entirely of plastic material. Thus, the cup 15 is able to give up to a certain extent in the radial direction (the elasticity '25 is increased by the notches made in the mouth part), whereby its snap connection with the ball head 13 is possible.

Of course, the articulation shown here is entirely exemplary and can be replaced by a functionally equivalent articulation.

However, in order to optimize the invention, it is important that the joint point P coincides or at least substantially coincides with the center of the surface of the spherical body 2.

It should be noted, however, that the body does not necessarily have to be entirely spherical (although this solution appears to be the most advantageous for several reasons and structural simplicity): in fact, it is sufficient that the parts intended to cooperate with the cups 6 and 9 of the inner surfaces 4 and 7 are 5 spherical.

It should also be noted that the toy does not necessarily have to contain two additional pieces: it is sufficient for the invention to have only one of these pieces.

Again, it is important to note that the surfaces 6 and 9 do not necessarily have to be spherical according to paragraph 2 in order for the additional pieces 4, 7 to be in contact with the spherical surface of the main body. For this purpose, the spherical cup surfaces (although they are the preferred solution) can be replaced by non-spherical cups which are intended to be spaced from the surface of the body 2, except at their circumferential circular areas. Again, at least some of the advantages of the invention could be maintained if the connection 20 between the main body 2 and the additional bodies 4, 7 were not provided by a spherical surface but instead limited (also with respect to the arrangement of the joints 10, 11) so as to be formed along a circular surface. (more specifically the path) by means of e.g. cylindrical coupling surfaces 25.

Coupling by means of spherical surfaces is, of course, a preferred solution; however, coupling along a circular path should also be considered within the scope of the invention.

30. From the above, it can be seen that the structure of the described toy is excellent for forming small toys in the shape of small animals or dolls which are able to assume different positions easily, as exemplified in Figures 1 and 2, simply by orienting the additional pieces 4 and 7 differently. with respect to the main body 2 and thus the different relative tendencies of paragraphs 4 5 98790 and 7.

For example, Fig. 1 shows a position in which the animal represented by the toy 1 is substantially straight, while in the position shown in Fig. 2 5 the same animal appears completely turned to the other side. Clearly, the same structure allows the character represented by the device to be rotated to positions where it either lies or is upright, etc., according to the user's choice.

10

As previously stated, the use of the articulated toy of the present invention to make various characters, such as dolls or animals, is not binding, although preferred, the invention may also be used for other purposes.

Claims (5)

98790 An articulated toy comprising: - a first body (2) of general spherical shape, and - two additional pieces (4, 7) each connected to the first body (2) so as to be orientable in this respect along the path of a circle in said first body. on a spherical surface (2, 6, 9) formed by the body, characterized in that said first body (2) forms the main body of the toy and in that the two additional bodies (4, 7) have spherical articulation members (10, 11), extending through said main body (2) and defining a center of articulation substantially coincident with the common center of said track and said spherical surface (2, 6, 9). 15 Toy according to Claim 1, characterized in that the additional pieces (4, 7) each have outer surfaces (5, 8) which represent parts which look like human and / or animal figures. 20 A toy according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the articulation members essentially comprise: - a core (13) located in one of the additional pieces (4) and a cup-shaped part (15) located in one of the additional pieces (7) , and in which the heart (13) is located. A toy according to claim 3, characterized in that the heart (13) and the cup-shaped part (15) are each located on their own arm (12, 14) projecting generally radially from the spherical surface (2, 6, 9). . A toy according to claim 4, characterized in that the cup-shaped part (15) is made of a completely flexible material so as to be able to receive the core (13) generally with a snap connection. •. nil ill I.I3L3C 98790