GB2178331A

GB2178331A - Toy

Info

Publication number: GB2178331A
Application number: GB08617574A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Derek Wilkinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-07-18
Filing date: 1986-07-18
Publication date: 1987-02-11
Also published as: GB8518161D0; GB8617574D0

Abstract

A toy comprising a base and a plurality of outer walls secured to or integral with said base and movable relative to said base, one or more of said walls and/or said base having a member or members projecting from the interior surface(s) thereof, said walls in a first position providing a housing or container for said member(s), movement of said walls to a second position causing said member(s) to be upstanding from said interior surface(s), said member(s) and said walls in said second position providing a three-dimensional play situation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Toy This invention relates to toys, and particularly to toys in which a play situation can be created and in which at the same time the play situation can be stored within the confines of the toy itself.

According to the present invention there is provided a toy comprising a base and a plurality of outer walls secured to or integral with said base and movable relative to said base, one or more of said walls and/or said base having a member or members projecting from the interior surface(s) thereof, said walls in a first position providing a housing or container for said member(s), movement of said walls to a second position causing said member(s) to be upstanding from said interior surface(s), said member(s) and said walls in said second position providing a three-dimensional play situation.

Preferably, a plurality of said walls will have at least one member projecting from their inner surface.

The container will preferably take the form of a cube having its side walls hingedly secured to the base portion of the cube, a top or cover being hingedly secured to one of said side walls.

Said walls and said base will preferably be made of a synthetic plastics material.

The member or members projecting from the inner surfaces of said walls and said base portion may take several forms. For example, said members together may be representative of a farmyard, a garage/garage forecourt, an airport, a fort and soon.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, an embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a part of a toy according to the invention and showing a core unit of the toy; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the toy of Figure 1 but showing a full play situation; Figure 3 is a plan view on Figure 2; Figure 4 is a perspective view of the toy of Figures 1 to 3 but showing the toy in its closed position; and Figures 5 to 8 illustrate a number of modified core units for use in a toy according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings, the toy according to the invention comprises a container 2 in the form of a cube (Figure 4) consisting of a base 4, a top or cover 6, and side walls 8, 10, 12, and 14 which are hinged to the base 4. The top or cover 6 is hinged to the side wall 14. The base 4, top or cover 6 and side walls 8, 10, 12, and 14 are composed of a synthetic plastics material. The side wall 10 has a pair of latches 1 OA which engage slots 6A in the top or cover 6 when the toy is in the position shown in Figure 4.

The cube 2 is transformable to the form shown in Figure 1 by movement of the walls and top or cover relative to the base 4.

The side walls 8, 10, 12, and 14 are either secured to the base 4 so as to be movable relative to the base, or they will be formed integrally with the base, in which case there will be portions of reduced thickness of material between the base and the side walls so as to form hinges to enable the relative movement to take place. The top or cover 6 will similarly be attached to or integral with the side wall 14.

As will be seen from Figure 1, the base 4, has an assembly 16 secured to and projecting from its inner surface, said assembly being representative of a building which forms the "core" of the play situation. This assembly is adaptable for differing play situations by applying differing roofing or capping structures as shown more particularly in Figures 5 to 8 which show the "core" assembly 16 having roofing or capping structures 18,20,22, and 24 so that the assembly is representative of an airport building, a farmhouse, a garage, and a fort respectively.

Referring now specifically to Figures 2 and 3, a total play situation is shown. Secured to the side walls 8, 10, and 12 are assemblies or buildings 26, 28, and 30 respectively which are movable with their respective side walls as will be expalined hereinafter. It will also be seen from Figure 3 that the roofing unit 18 has been applied to the assembly or buidling 16 so as to adapt the assembly or buidling to a particular play situation -- an airport. The assemblies or buildings 26,28, and 30, as well as the assembly or building 16, may be specifically marked to suit the particular play situation or alternatively removable decals or the like may be applied to suit the particular play situation.

The base 4 and side walls, as well as the top or cover 6 may carry markings, for example as those shown in Figure 2, such markings being representative of road markings, scenery or other representative markings to suit the particular play situation created.

In a first position of the side walls 8, 10, 12, and 14, and the top or cover 6, relative to the base 4, the walls and base will be arranged into the form of the cube 2, the assemblies 16, 26, 28, and 30 interfitting and lying within the cube. To secure the walls in this position, the latches 1 0A are in engagement with the slots 6A in the top or cover 6, has a tab 6A which engages a slot or other means (not shown) in or on the side wall 12.

To create the desired play situation, as shown for example in Figures 2, the latches 10A are released from the slots 6A which thus allows the side walls 8, 10, 12, and 14 to hinge relative to the base 4 and to lie in the same general plane as the base 4, in which position the assemblies 16,26,28, and 30 are upstanding from their respective side walls. In this position of the side walls, the top or cover 6 will also lie in the same general plane as the base 4.

In the embodiment described with reference to Figure 2, the play situation created is an airport, but it will be appreciated that other play situations, such as for example a farming and, a garage/garage forcourt, a fort and soon may be created by substituting the roofing or capping structures of Figures 6 to 8 to suit the particular play situation and by applying the appropriate decals or the like to the assemblies.

Whilst the members constituting the cube have been described as being composed of a synthetic plastics material, it will be appreciated that they may be composed of cardboard or other suitable material.

It will also be appreciated that sha s other than a cube may be formed when the side walls and top or cover are in their first positions.

Thus the invention provides a toy which is selfcontained in that the play situated created is stored within the unit itself simply by moving the walls of the unit.

Claims

1. A toy comprising a base and a plurality of outer walls secured to or integral with said base and movable relative to said base, one or more of said walls and/or said base having a member or members projecting from the interior surface(s) thereof, said walls in a first position providing a housing or container for said member(s), movement of said walls to a second position causing said member(s) to be upstanding from said interior surface(s), said member(s) and said walls in said second position providing athree-dimensional play situation.

2. A toy according to Claim 1, wherein a plurality of said walls each have at least one member projecting from the inner surface.

3. A toy according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the member projecting from the inner surface of the base is adaptable to differing play situations by applying differing roofing or capping structures to said members.

4. A toy according to any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein said container inciudes a top or cover secured to or integral with one of said outer walls.

5. A toy according to Claim 4, wherein said top or cover includes slots for engagement by latches carried by one of the outer walls for securing the container.

6. A toy according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein said container is a cube.

7. A toy according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the toy is composed of a synthetic plastics material.

8. A toy constructed and adapted to operate substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.