GB2309651A

GB2309651A - Toy

Info

Publication number: GB2309651A
Application number: GB9602106A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Barry Nigel Goodwin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-02-02
Filing date: 1996-02-02
Publication date: 1997-08-06
Also published as: GB9602106D0

Abstract

A toy comprises a body (1), a plurality of legs (4) projecting away from the body and having sticky feet (5), and an adaptor (7) which is supported by the body, has an eyelet portion (9) having at least one eyelet (10) and is slidable relative to the body in order to move the eyelet portion away from the body. The toy includes locking means for the adaptor. In relation to the adaptor (7), the toy may alternatively or additionally be provided with an aperture (12) which is arranged to receive the non-writing end of a writing instrument (13) so as to fix the toy to the writing instrument. The body may comprise a first unit which supports the legs and a second unit releasably connected to the first unit and supporting the adaptor.

Description

TOY The present invention relates to improvements in a toy comprising a body and a plurality of legs projecting away from the body and having sticky feet.

A toy of the above type is already known. It is in the shape of a bug and is the subject of GB-2,222,958 and US-4.884,989 and US-4,618,213.

With the existing bug, it is thrown at a vertical surface such as a window and the sticky feet stick to the window. The legs project in generally two directions: firstly in the downward direction of the bug and secondly in the upward direction of the bug. Thus, initially the bug has some of its feet (e.g. three of the six feet) stuck to the window. Because the centre of gravity of the bug is offset from the plane of the window. the top foot which is stuck to the window is gradually pulled away from the window. The bug pivots relative to its two lower feet which are still stuck to the window. so that one of the unstuck feet is swung round and pushed against the window surface.

The bug temporarily remains in this position. Then the upper stuck feet become unstuck and the bug pivots round once again. This process is repeated until the bug has tumbled dowel to the bottom of the window and lands on a horizontal surface.

A problem with the bug is that the sticky feet gradually become less and less sticky. Each leg of the bug is made of a relatively rigid plastics material. The foot at the end of the leg comprises a spherical blob of very soft material which is moulded around the free end of the rigid leg. The soft material is either naturally sticky or else impregnated with a sticky substance.

Dust and dirt become stuck to the feet and it is this which reduces the stickiness of the feet.

Over time, the bug becomes unable to perform its tumbling function and merely falls from its initial position down to the ground.

At this time, many of the bugs are thrown away as the purchasers feel that they are of no more use.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toy comprising: a body; a plurality of legs projecting away from the body and having sticky feet; and an adaptor which is supported by the body, has an eyelet portion having at least one eyelet and is slidable relative to the body in order to move the eyelet portion away from the body.

The adaptor provides the toy with a feature that may be used even after the sticky feet have ceased to be sticky enough to permit the toy to stick to a vertical surface. The eyelet(s) of the eyelet portion may be threaded through a lace of an item of footwear so that the toy is attached to the footwear whilst it is being worn by a person. The toy serves as an item of decoration on the footwear. Because the toy has this additional function, it is less likely to be discarded after the sticky feet have become covered with dust and dirt.

The adaptor is slidable relative to the body so that, when the eyelet portion is not being used, it may be retracted to a position in which it is less likely to interfere with any tumbling of the toy making use of the sticky feet.

Usually, the body has a longitudinal axis, the legs are arranged in first and second sets on respective sides of the longitudinal axis and the adaptor is slidable in generally the same direction as the longitudinal axis. This arrangement would be particularly suited if the toy is a toy creature such as an insect in which the body of the toy comprises the central part of the insect and the legs are the insect legs.

Preferably, the adaptor is an elongate member and the eyelet portion is at one end of the elongate member. If the toy is a toy insect, there may be two eyelets at the eyelet portion and the two eyelets may be made to resemble the eyes of an insect.

Preferably, the toy includes locking means for locking the adaptor in an extended position relative to the body and preferably also for locking the adaptor in a retracted position relative to the body. This helps the user to use the feel of the toy to identify the extended and retracted positions of the adaptor. This is assisted if the adaptor is relatively freely slidable between the retracted and extended positions.

Preferably, the locking means comprises interengaging projection(s) and depression(s) provided on or in facing surfaces of the adaptor and the body. For example, there may be two depressions in the adaptor and a projection on the body. Moving the adaptor so as to switch the body projection from engaging one of the adaptor depressions to the other adaptor depression has the effect of moving the adaptor from the retracted position to the extended position. When the adaptor is initially released from the projection, it is unlocked from its retracted position and then slides relatively freely to the extended position, at which tl0e adaptor by means of one of its depressions becomes locked to the body projection and thus locked in the extended position.

An alternative arrangement might involve serrated teeth being provided on the facing surfaces of the adaptor and the body so that the teeth are able to slide over each other as the adaptor moves from the retracted position to the extended position. However, movement in the reverse direction would involve the teeth locking together to prevent such movement. In this way, there could be provided a one-way action tor movement from the retracted position to the extended position.

In some embodiments. the body comprises (i) a first unit which supports the legs and (ii) a second unit which is connected to the first unit and supports the adaptor. The second unit may be releasably connected to the first unit. For example, if the first unit resembles the central part of an insect and the second unit is connected to the bottom surface of the central part, the insect may be used by itself for tumbling down a window or the like and then assembled with the second unit to have use of the adaptor.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toy comprising: a body; and a plurality of legs projecting away from the body and having sticky feet; wherein the toy has an aperture which is arranged to receive the non-writing end of a writing instrument so as to fix the toy to the writing instrument.

Again, when the sticky feet become contaminated with an excessive amount of dust or dirt, there is no need for the toy to be thrown away because it may serve a second, decorative function by virtue of being fixed to a writing instrument such as a pen or pencil. This is achieved by means of the aperture of the toy.

Preferably, the toy further comprises an adaptor which is supported by the body, has an eyelet portion having at least one eyelet and is slidable relative to the body in order to move the eyelet portion away from the body.

Such a toy offers two secondary functions after the primary function provided by the sticky feet is no longer available. The user may choose between making use of the eyelet portion to secure the toy to a lace of an item of footwear, or making use of the aperture in order to fix the toy to a writing instrument.

The aperture may comprise a through hole in the adaptor and a hole in the body and the adaptor may have a retracted position in which the two holes are aligned for receiving the non-writing end of the writing instrument.

Because the aperture is only available for use when the adaptor is in its retracted position, the toy when mounted on the writing instrument will not be visually unpleasing by virtue of having the adaptor in its advanced position without the adaptor serving any purpose when in that position.

Other combinations of the first and second aspects of the invention are possible.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a combination of a writing instrument and a toy which comprises a body and a plurality of legs projecting away from the body and having sticky feet, wherein the body of the toy is releasably fixed to the non-writing end of the writing instrument.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a unit (corresponding to the second unit of the body of the first and second aspects of the present invention) which is connectable to a toy having legs with sticky feet.

Non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is an underneath plan view of a first embodiment of a toy, showing the adaptor in its retracted positions: Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l. but showing the adaptor in its extended position; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the toy of Fig.

Fig. 4 is an underneath plan view of a second embodiment of a toy; Fig. 5 is a side view of the toy of Fig. 4. when the toy is fixed to a pencil: Fig. 6 is a side view of a third tinbodiinent of a toy. when the toy is fixed to a pencil; and Fig. 7 is an underneath plan view of the toy of Fig. 6, but shows the adaptor in its extended position.

The toy of Figs. 1-3 is shaped to resemble an insect. There is a body 1 comprising a thorax 2 and an abdomen 3.

Six relatively rigid legs 4 project from the body 1. Each leg 4 includes a foot 5 made of compressible, sticky material. The six feet 5 enable the toy to be stuck to a vertical surface such as a window.

In the undersurface of the body 1 is a channel 6 which is aligned generally along the centre line of the body 1. This centre line also serves to separate the six legs 4 into two sets each on a respective side of the centre line. There is an adaptor 7 which is slidably received in the channel 6. The cross-sections of the channel and the adaptor are such as to prevent the adaptor from dropping out of the channel, while still permitting the adaptor to slide along the channel.

The adaptor 7 comprises a neck portion 8 and an eyelet portion 9 which has two eyelets 10 which are symmetrically positioned relative to the centre line of the body.

The adaptor 7 is slidable from the retracted position shown in Fig. 1 to the extended position shown in Fig. 2. This movement is carried out when the feet 5 have ceased to be sticky and the toy has lost its primary function.

Its secondary function is then activated by sliding the adaptor 7 to its extended position so as to move the eyelets 10 away from the body 1 and to leave them accessible for being threaded through a lace of an item of footwear. Sliding the adaptor 7 involves the adaptor sliding along the centre line of the body 1 and moving the eyelet portion 9 away from the front end of the body 1, i.e.

the front end of the thorax 2.

The bottom surface of the channel 6 incorporates a projection (not shown). This projection is selectively engageable with two small apertures 11 that are formed through the neck portion 8 of the adaptor 7. When the adaptor is retracted, the projection engages with the front one of the apertures 11 so as to hold the adaptor in its retracted position. A reasonable amount of forward pushing force applied to the adaptor 7 has the effect of overcoming the interengagement between the projection and the forward one of the apertures 11. As a result, the adaptor 7 slides forwards to its extended position, shown in Fig. 2. at which point the projection of the body 1 engages with the rear one of the apertures 11 so as to hold the adaptor 7 in its extended position.

With regard to the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5. structural components which are the same as in the embodiment of Figs. 1-3 have the same reference numerals. This second embodiment differs from the first embodiment by not having an adaptor 7, and instead having a blind aperture 12 in its bottom surface. This enables the toy to be fixed to the non-writing end of a pencil 13 as shown in Fig. 5. The diameter of the blind aperture 12 is such that the body 1 frictionally grips the non-writing end of the pencil 13. The frictional attachment may be overcome, if necessary. so as to release the toy from the pencil. In the second embodiment, the body I includes a head 14 at the front end of the thorax 2. The head 14 is shown as being solid but it may instead be in the form of a loop and may, for example. be sized and used so as to attach the toy to a keyring.Alternatively. a dedicated metal loop may be integrated with the body 1, for example 011 the undersurface of the body or at the rear end of the body, so as to provide a robust attachment between the toy and a keyring.

The concepts of the first and second eiiobodiments may be combined.

To enable this to be done, an aperture of silniiar diameter to the aperture 12 could be provided through the neck portion 8 of the adaptor 7. When the adaptor 7 is in its retracted position, the aperture of the adaptor would align with the aperture 12 to permit the toy to be releasably fixed to the non-writing end of the pencil 13.

An alternative way of combining the concepts of the first and second embodiments is illustrated by the third ejiobodiment of Figs. 6 and 7.

Structural components which are the same as in the first and second embodiments have the same reference numerals in Figs. 6 and 7.

The body 1 is split into two units. There is a first unit comprising the thorax 2, abdomen 3 and the head 14. There is a second unit 15 which connects to the bottom surface of the abdomen 3.

The unit 15 is made of solid material such as plastics and has the channel 6 in its top surface and the adaptor 7 slidably received in the channel 6. The bottom surface of the unit 15 contains the blind aperture 12.

As for the first embodiment, the adaptor 7 of the third embodiment is slidable from the retracted position shown in Fig. 6 to the extended position shown in Fig. 7.

The connection between the top surface of the unit 15 and the bottom surface of the abdomen 3 may be achieved by means of interengaging projections and recesses (not shown) For example, four projections may be provided on the top surface of the unit 15 and four recesses may be provided in the bottom surface of the abdomen 3. Pushing the two units together would result in the projections clicking into the recesses and being gripped thereby, so as to connect together the two units. The connection may be such as to prevent disassembly of the two units. Alternatively, disassembly and reassembly may be permitted.

Because the body 1 is in two units, the first unit (components 2, 3 and 14) may be sold as a separate item from the second unit 15. For example, the second unit 15 may be sold as an optional item in order to augment the sticky-leg function of the first unit. Usually, the two units will be sold together and could be provided in the same packaging, and the user would then have the additional interest of assembling together the two units at the time when it is desired to make use of the features of the second unit 15.

Claims

1. A toy comprising: a body; a plurality of legs projecting away from the body and having sticky feet; and an adaptor which is supported by the body has an eyelet portion having at least one eyelet and is slidable relative to the body in order to move the eyelet portion away from the body.

2. A toy according to claim 1, wherein the body has a longitudinal axis the legs are arranged in first and second sets on respective sides of the longitudinal axis and the adaptor is slidable in generally the same direction as the longitudinal axis.

3. A toy according to claim 1 or 2. wherein the adaptor is an elongate member and the eyelet portion is at one end of the elongate member.

4. A toy according to claim 3 wherein the body is elongate and the elongate member is slidable so as to move the eyelet portion away from an end of the elongate body.

5. A toy according to claim 3 or 4. whereill the adaptor comprises a neck and the eyelet portion, and the neck is narrower than the eyelet portion and is slidably received in an aperture or challllel in the body.

6. A toy according to claim 5 when dependent on claim 4, wherein the eyelet portion is, in a plan view of the toy and for all sliding positions of the adaptor, in front of a front end of the body.

7. A toy according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the toy includes locking means for locking the adaptor in an extended position relative to the body.

8. A toy according to claim 7, wherein the locking means is arranged to lock the adaptor in a retracted position relative to the body.

9. A toy according to claim 8, wherein the adaptor is relatively freely slidable between the retracted and extended positions.

10. A toy according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the locking means comprises interengaging projection(s) and depression(s) provided on or in facing surfaces of the adaptor and the body.

11. A toy according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the body comprises (i) a first unit which supports the legs and (ii) a second unit which is connected to the first unit and supports the adaptor.

12. A toy according to claim 11, wherein the second unit is releasably connected to the first unit.

13. A toy according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the first unit resembles the central part of an insect and the second unit is connected to the bottom surface of the central part.

14. A toy comprising: a body; and a plurality of legs projecting away from the body and having sticky feet; wherein the toy has an aperture which is arranged to receive the non-writing end of a writing instrument so as to fix the toy to the writing instrument.

15. A toy according to claim 14, wherein the aperture extends upwards from the bottom of the toy.

16. A toy according to claim 14 or 15. wherein the aperture is a blind aperture.

17. A toy according to any one of claims 14 to 16, further comprising an adaptor which is supported by the body, has an eyelet portion having at least one eyelet and is slidable relative to the body in order to move the eyelet portion away from the body.

18. A toy according to claim 17, wherein the aperture comprises a through hole in the adaptor and a hole in the body and the adaptor has a retracted position in which the two holes are aligned for receiving the non-writing end of the writing instrument.

19. A toy according to claim 17 or 18. wherein the body comprises (i) a first unit which supports the legs and (ii) a second unit which is connected to the first unit and supports the adaptor.

20. A toy according to claim 19, wherein the second unit is releasably connected to the first unit.

21. A toy according to claim 19 or 20, wherein the first unit resembles the central part of an insect and the second unit is connected to the bottom surface of the central part.

22. A combination of a writing instrument and a toy which comprises a body and a plurality of legs projecting away from the body and having sticky feet wherein the body of the toy is releasably fixed to the non-writing end of the writing instrument.

23. A combination of a laced item of footwear and a toy according to any one of claims 1 to 10 or to any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein a lace of the item of footwear passes through the eyelet(s) of the eyelet portion.

24. A toy substantially as herein described with reference to, or with reference to and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.