GB2309652A

GB2309652A - Toy

Info

Publication number: GB2309652A
Application number: GB9602107A
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: GB9602107D0

Abstract

A toy comprises a central unit (1) which has an internal volume (8) and an aperture (9) for venting the volume and which is squeezable in order to compress the volume. A plurality of legs (6) project away from the central unit and have sticky feet (7). The central unit (1) carries a smelly chemical arranged to evaporate into the internal volume (8). Thus, smelly air is vented into the external atmosphere through the aperture (9) when the central unit (1) is compressed, for example upon the toy hitting and sticking to a window. In an alternative arrangement (Figures 2 and 3), the central unit comprises a body and a squeezable covering, and the internal volume is between body and covering, and the smelly chemical is carried by the covering and or the body.

Description

TOY The present invention relates to an improvement in a toy having legs with 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 USX,884,989 and US4,618,213.

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 down to the bottom of the window and lands on a horizontal surface.

According to the present invention, there is provided a toy comprising: a central unit which has an internal volume and an aperture for venting the volume and which is squeezable in order to compress the volume; and a plurality of legs projecting away from the central unit and having sticky feet; wherein the central unit carries a smelly chemical arranged to evaporate into the internal volume.

If the toy is made to resemble a toy creature such as an insect, the chemical smell may be an unpleasant smell so as to resemble the "stink" produced by a stinkbug. The user may squeeze the central unit before throwing the toy at a vertical surface such as a window. This will release the smell from the internal volume and into the atmosphere and enhance the experience provided by the toy, as it uses its sticky feet to tumble down the vertical surface.

The central unit may be arranged so that, when the toy hits the vertical surface. the impact compresses the central unit and causes the smell to be vented out of the internal volume through the aperture. In this way, the release of the smell can be made coincident with the commencement of the tumbling action of the toy.

In some embodiments, the central unit comprises a body and a squeezable covering which covers at least part of the body; the legs project away from the body; the internal volume exists between the body and the covering; and the smelly chemical is carried by the covering and/or the body.

Such a toy in accordance with the present invention may most conveniently be produced by adapting the toy described in the prior art GB and US specifications discussed at the beginning of this text. The covering may be a localised covering, e.g. over the top surface of the back of the body of the toy. Preferably, however, the covering envelopes the body, the legs project through the covering and the aperture is provided in the covering. With this arrangement, the exterior surface of the covering could be made to resemble the head, thorax and abdomen of a bug. Also, the body could be reduced to a vestigial function in which it does not have to resemble the body of a creature. The body might even been reduced down to nothing more than a connecting piece connecting together the bases of the legs.

It is envisaged that the body and legs of the toy may be assembled together from moulded components of comparatively rigid plastics material, as for the toy insect of the prior art GB and US specifications. With such a hard body, it will be more convenient for the smelly chemical to be provided in or on the covering, e.g. by means of impregnating the covering after it has been moulded around the body and legs. The moulding operation might involve placing the already assembled body and legs in a mould and then moulding the covering around the body and legs with the material of the covering being a flexible, soft material. The moulding operation could be such that the material of the covering sticks to the legs at the positions where the legs penetrate the covering in order to enable the legs to serve to position the covering relative to the body.The feet could be moulded onto the ends of the legs at the same time as the covering is moulded around the body and legs.

In some different embodiments which are currently preferred, the central unit comprises a body and a squeezable container which is secured to the body; the legs project away from the body: the internal volume exists within the container; the smelly chemical is carried by the container: and the aperture is provided in the container. With this arrangement, the squeezable container (e.g. a hollow ovoid) may be malluiactured as a separate item and then attached to the body in a simple way e.g. by means of a glue or interengaging male and female portions). Preferably. the body comprises top and bottom plates which are superimposed and secured together with the parts of the legs remote from the feet being sandu lclled between the plates.Thus the legs may be placed between the plates and the plates then secured together to hold the legs in position. Conveniently. the facing surfaces of the plates may be provided with grooves for receix Ulg and positioning the legs.

Preferably, the squeezable container is secured to the upper surface of the top plate. The plates may be generally oval and the squeezable container shaped to resemble the abdomen of an insect. For example. a part resembling an insect head is secured to a front end of e top plate and the squeezable container is located behind the insect head part.

The aperture may be provided at the rear of the toy in order to simulate the body aperture that is frequently found at the rear of an insect.

Alternatively or additionally, apertures could be provided at locations corresponding to the eyes of an insect. The aperture or apertures may serve the additional function of enabling a replenishing smelly chemical to be added into the internal volume after the toy has been used for a period of time and the original amount of smelly chemical has become depleted.

The smelly chemical does not have to have an unpleasant smell, although such a smell may be more appealing to boys. The smelly chemical could have a pleasant smell, such as the smell of wild flowers or strawberries, and a toy having such a version of the smelly chemical might be more appealing to female customers.

Non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a toy; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a toy; and Fig. 3 is a section along the line III-III of Fig. 2, showing the features lying on the plane of the section or just off the plane of the section.

The toy of Fig. 1 is shaped to resemble an insect. A central unit 1 comprises a body 2 of relatively rigid plastics material and a squeezable covering 3 of soft material. The body 2 includes a forward part 4 which resembles the head and thorax of the insect and a rear part 5 which projects rearwardly from the rear surface of the forward part 4 and is in the form of a strut.

There are six legs 6. Two of the legs 6 project from the forward part 4 and four of the legs 6 project from the rear part 5.

Each leg 6 includes a foot 7 made of compressible, sticky material.

The six feet 7 enable the toy to be stuck to a vertical surface such as a window.

The squeezable covering 3 is hollow and is positioned behind the forward part 4 and envelopes the rear part S and the adjacent parts of the four rear legs 6. As a result, there is an internal volume 8 defining a cavity within the covering 3. An aperture 9 is provided at the rear of the covering 3 for venting the internal volume 8. The covering 3 is impregnated with a smelly chemical. When the covering 3 is manually compressed or compressed by the impact forces resulting from when the toy 10 its. for example, a window some of the smelly air within the internal volume 8 is vented through the aperture 9 into the external atmosphere so as to be detectable by people in the vicinity.

The squeezable covering 3 may incorporate an impermeable outer layer so that the smelly chemical will evaporate into the internal volume 8 and not directly into the external atmosphere. Alternatively. the smelly chemical could be provided by means of impregnated pellets which are positioned loosely inside the internal volume 8 or secured to the rear part 5. Further alternative arrangements will be apparent to the person skilled in the art.

Where the legs 6 project through the covering 3, the covering is moulded to the legs in order to help secure the covering 3 in position.

Similarly, the covering 3 grips the rear part 5 at the position where the rear part 5 penetrates into the covering 3.

With regard to the second embodimellt of Figs. 2 and 3. structural components which are the same as in the embodiment of Fig. 1 have the same reference numerals. With the second einbodiinent. the body 2 is enveloped by the squeezable covering 3. The body 2 has no particular shape and the shape of the central part of the insect is provided by the exterior surface of the covering 3. As may be seen from Fig. 2. the exterior surface of the covering 3 resembles the head, thorax and abdomen ot an Insect.

All six of the legs 6 are fixed to and project away from the body 2.

Thus, all six legs 6 penetrate the covering 3 and, at the points of penetration, the covering 3 is moulded to the legs 6 so that the covering is held in position.

The internal volume 8 resembles a distorted sphere that exists between the body 2 and the covering 3. Two apertures 10 are provided through the covering 3 in order to assist the aperture 9 in venting the internal volume 8.

As may be seen from Fig. 2, the apertures 10 are provided at positions corresponding to the eyes of the insect.

With this second embodiment, the smelly chemical may be applied onto the body 2.

Claims

1. A toy comprising: a central unit which has an internal volume and an aperture for venting the volume and which is squeezable in order to compress the volume; and a plurality of legs projecting away from the central unit and having sticky feet; wherein the central unit carries a smelly chemical arranged to evaporate into the internal volume.

2. A toy according to claim 1, wherein: the central unit comprises a body and a squeezable covering which covers at least part of the body; the legs project away from the body; the internal volume exists between the body and the covering; and the smelly chemical is carried by the covering and/or the body.

3. A toy according to claim 2, wherein the covering envelopes the body, the legs project through the covering and the aperture is provided in the covering.

4. A toy according to claim 3, wherein the covering is fixed to the legs.

5. A toy according to claim 4, wherein the covering is moulded onto the legs.

6. A toy according to claim l, wherein: the central unit comprises a body and a squeezable container which is secured to the body; the legs project away from the body; the internal volume exists within the container; the smelly chemical is carried by the container; and the aperture is provided in the container.

7. A toy according to claim 6, wherein the body comprises top and bottom plates which are superimposed and secured together with the parts of the legs remote from the feet being sandwiched between the plates.

8. A toy according to claim 7, wherein the squeezable container is secured to the upper surface of the top plate.

9. A toy according to claim 8, wherein a part resembling an insect head is secured to a front end of the top plate and the squeezable container is located behind the insect head part.

10. A toy according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the central unit has a longitudinal axis, the legs are arranged in first and second sets on respective sides of the longitudinal axis and the aperture is generally aligned with the longitudinal axis and is adjacent to one of the two axial ends of the central unit.

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