GB2076342A

GB2076342A - A figurine and base member therefor

Info

Publication number: GB2076342A
Application number: GB8113935A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Britains Ltd
Current assignee: Britains Ltd
Priority date: 1980-05-08
Filing date: 1981-05-07
Publication date: 1981-12-02
Also published as: GB2076342B

Abstract

A moulded plastics figurine (1) comprises a releasable connector (2, 3) which is a push fit into a socket (9, 10) of a base member (7) so as to support the figurine in an upstanding position. The side wall of the connector (2, 3) or the base socket (9, 10) is provided with a plurality of ribs (6) to improve the connection. The base can be metal and comprise a row of sockets which may form part of another toy. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A figurine and base member therefor This invention relates to a figurine and a base member for supporting the latter in an upstanding position.

According to the invention there is provided a figurine moulded from a plastics material and a base member for supporting the latter in an upstanding position, the base member having a socket opening into its upper surface and provided with a first peripheral surface, and the figurine having a plug element formed at its base which is insertable into the socket for making a releasable push-fit connection therewith and which is provided with a second peripheral surface, one of the first and second peripheral surfaces comprising a plurality of projections for engaging the other of the first and second peripheral surfaces when the plug element is inserted into the socket.

Conveniently the figurine has two plug elements which are insertable into two sockets formed in the base member.

Suitably the base member is metallic.

Preferably the projections are formed on the second peripheral surface of the or each plug element.

Conveniently the projections are in the form of ribs which extend substantially parallel to the direction of insertion of the plug element into the socket.

The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a figurine, Figure 2 shows a plan from below, on an enlarged scale, of a detail of the figurine shown in Figure 1, and Figures 3 and 4 are a plan and side view, respectively, of a base member for supporting the figurine shown in Fig. 1 in an upstanding position.

Fig. 1 shows a figurine, generally designated 1, moulded from a thermoplastic material and having a pair of plug elements 2 and 3 moulded to the base of its feet 4 and 5, respectively. Each plug element 2, 3 may have a substantially cylindrical form (as shown in Fig. 1) or may taper inwardly towards its bottom surface. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the peripheral surface of each plug element 2, 3 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart ribs 6 (only some of the ribs have been designated a reference numeral in Figs. 1 and 2).

A metallic member 7 (see Figs. 3 and 4) is provided for supporting the figurine 1 in an upstanding position. The base member 7 is provided with a pair of sockets 9, 10 opening into its upper surface, the sockets 9 and 10 being of substantially circular cross-section and being spaced apart substantially the same distance as the plug elements 2 and 3.

In order to support the figurine 1 in an upstanding position, the plug elements 2 and 3 are inserted into the sockets 9 and 10, respectively (plug element 2 is shown inserted in socket 9 in Fig. 3). The ribs 6 are slightly resiliently deformed as they engage with the peripheral surfaces of the sockets 9, 10 and enable the plug elements 2, 3 to make releasable push-fit connections in the sockets 9, 10, respectively.

The figurine when not connected to the base member 7 may be supported on another model toy (not shown). Conveniently such a model toy is provided with sockets of similar cross-section to the sockets 9, 10 formed in the base member.

Preferably the bottom surface of each plug element 2, 3 is flat so that the figurine 1 is able to stand on its own without the use of the base member 7.

The base member 7 may serve to connect together two figurines; one plug element of one figurine being inserted into socket 9 and one plug element of another figurine being inserted into the other socket 1 0. It will be appreciated that if a plurality of base members is provided a plurality of figurines may be linked together in a chain. If desired the free plug element at either end of such a chain of figurines may be inserted into a socket provided in another toy.

In other embodiments of the invention, the base member may be made of a plastics material. Furthermore the projections may be formed on the peripheral surface of the sockets. The projections need not be in the form of ribs but may be in any other suitable form, e.g. in the form of dimples. Finally it should be realised that a figurine need only be provided with one plug element. In this latter case it is only necessary to provide a single socket in the base member.

1. A figurine moulded from a plastics material and a base member for supporting the latter in an upstanding position, the base member having a socket opening into its upper surface and provided with a first peripheral surface, and the figurine having a plug element formed at its base wich is insertable into the socket for making a releasable pushfit connection therewith and which is provided with a second peripheral surface, one of the first and second peripheral surfaces comprising a plurality of projections for engaging the other of the first and second peripheral surfaces when the pltig element is inserted into the socket.

2. A figurine and base member according to claim 1, in which the figurine is provided with two plug elements insertable into two sockets formed in the base member.

3. A figurine and base member according to claim 1 or 2, in which the said second

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION A figurine and base member therefor This invention relates to a figurine and a base member for supporting the latter in an upstanding position. According to the invention there is provided a figurine moulded from a plastics material and a base member for supporting the latter in an upstanding position, the base member having a socket opening into its upper surface and provided with a first peripheral surface, and the figurine having a plug element formed at its base which is insertable into the socket for making a releasable push-fit connection therewith and which is provided with a second peripheral surface, one of the first and second peripheral surfaces comprising a plurality of projections for engaging the other of the first and second peripheral surfaces when the plug element is inserted into the socket. Conveniently the figurine has two plug elements which are insertable into two sockets formed in the base member. Suitably the base member is metallic. Preferably the projections are formed on the second peripheral surface of the or each plug element. Conveniently the projections are in the form of ribs which extend substantially parallel to the direction of insertion of the plug element into the socket. The invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a figurine, Figure 2 shows a plan from below, on an enlarged scale, of a detail of the figurine shown in Figure 1, and Figures 3 and 4 are a plan and side view, respectively, of a base member for supporting the figurine shown in Fig. 1 in an upstanding position. Fig. 1 shows a figurine, generally designated 1, moulded from a thermoplastic material and having a pair of plug elements 2 and 3 moulded to the base of its feet 4 and 5, respectively. Each plug element 2, 3 may have a substantially cylindrical form (as shown in Fig. 1) or may taper inwardly towards its bottom surface. As can be seen in Fig. 2, the peripheral surface of each plug element 2, 3 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart ribs 6 (only some of the ribs have been designated a reference numeral in Figs. 1 and 2). A metallic member 7 (see Figs. 3 and 4) is provided for supporting the figurine 1 in an upstanding position. The base member 7 is provided with a pair of sockets 9, 10 opening into its upper surface, the sockets 9 and 10 being of substantially circular cross-section and being spaced apart substantially the same distance as the plug elements 2 and 3. In order to support the figurine 1 in an upstanding position, the plug elements 2 and 3 are inserted into the sockets 9 and 10, respectively (plug element 2 is shown inserted in socket 9 in Fig. 3). The ribs 6 are slightly resiliently deformed as they engage with the peripheral surfaces of the sockets 9, 10 and enable the plug elements 2, 3 to make releasable push-fit connections in the sockets 9, 10, respectively. The figurine when not connected to the base member 7 may be supported on another model toy (not shown). Conveniently such a model toy is provided with sockets of similar cross-section to the sockets 9, 10 formed in the base member. Preferably the bottom surface of each plug element 2, 3 is flat so that the figurine 1 is able to stand on its own without the use of the base member 7. The base member 7 may serve to connect together two figurines; one plug element of one figurine being inserted into socket 9 and one plug element of another figurine being inserted into the other socket 1 0. It will be appreciated that if a plurality of base members is provided a plurality of figurines may be linked together in a chain. If desired the free plug element at either end of such a chain of figurines may be inserted into a socket provided in another toy. In other embodiments of the invention, the base member may be made of a plastics material. Furthermore the projections may be formed on the peripheral surface of the sockets. The projections need not be in the form of ribs but may be in any other suitable form, e.g. in the form of dimples. Finally it should be realised that a figurine need only be provided with one plug element. In this latter case it is only necessary to provide a single socket in the base member. CLAIMS

3. A figurine and base member according to claim 1 or 2, in which the said second peripheral surface of the or each plug element is provided with the said plurality of projections.

4. A figurine and base member according to any of the preceding claims, in which each projection is in the form of a rib.

5. A figurine and base member according to claim 4, in which the said ribs extend substantially parallel to the direction of insertin of the or each plug element into the or each socket.

6. A figurine and base member according to any of the preceding claims in which the base member is metallic.

7. A figurine and base member according to any of the preceding claims, in which the or each plug element has a substantially flat bottom surface to enable the figurine to be supported on a substantially flat support surface without the use of the base member.

8. A figurine and base member according to any of the preceding claims, in which the or each plug element has a substantially cylindrical form.

9. A figurine having at least one plug element and a base member having at least one socket into which the or each plug element is insertable to support the figurine in an upstanding position, the or each plug element and the or each socket being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawing.

9. A figurine and base member according to any of claims 1 to 7, in which the or each plug element tapers inwardly towards its bottom surface.

10. A figurine and a base member for supporting the figurine in an upstanding position, the figurine and base member being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawing.

11. A figurine having at least one plug element and a base member having at least one socket into which the or each plug element is insertable to support the figurine in an upstanding position, the or each plug element and the or each socket being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawing.

CLAIMS (27Jul1981)

1. A figurine moulded from a plastics material and a base member for supporting the latter in an upstanding position, the base member having a socket opening into its upper surface and provided with a first peripho eral surface, and the figurine having a plug element formed at its base which is insertable into the socket for making a releasable pushfit connection therewith and which is provided with a second peripheral surface, one of the first and second peripheral surfaces comprising a plurality of spaced-apart ribbed projections for engaging the other of the first and second peripheral surfaces when the plug element. is inserted into the socket, said ribbed projections extending substantially parallel to the direction of insertion of the or each plug element into the or each socket.

4.A figurine and base member according to any of the preceding claims, in which the base member is metallic.

5. A figurine and base member according to any of the preceding claims in which the bur each plug element has a substantially flat bottom surface to enable the figurine to be supported on a substantially flat support surface without the use of the base member.

6. A figurine and base member according to any of the preceding claims, in which the or each plug element has a substantially cylindrical form.

7. A figurine and base member according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the or each plug element tapers inwardly towards its bottom surface.

8. A figurine and a base member for supporting the figurine in an upstanding position, the figurine and base member being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figs. 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawing.