GB2355940A - Toy egg which hatches - Google Patents

Abstract

A toy egg is provided which, when placed in a predetermined non-ambient condition, simulates hatching, whereby a replica creature breaks out of the egg. This is preferably achieved by the inflation or other enlargement of the creature contained in the egg. Such inflation may be achieved by providing chemicals which evolve gas when mix and which are stored within the creature in such a way that they do not mix until the egg is moved into a particular position. When the egg is moved into this non-ambient position, gas is evolved which causes the creature to inflate and break out of the egg, preferably by means of preformed break lines in the eggshell.

Description

2355940 Page 1 Mechanical Toy Egg

Technical Field

This invention relates to a novelty toy egg. Background

The egg form has long been used as a basis for children's playthings. We are familiar with decorated eggs, chocolate eggs and eggs used for packaging other toys. This invention relates to an artificial, manufactured egg that in its workings imitates the natural phenomenon of "hatching". That is, it comprises an egg form from which, in certain conditions, a model creature breaks out, the emerging model creature being a representation of any creature that would, in nature, be born from an egg or any fictional or fanciful creature that could be so born.

Essential Technical Features According to the present invention there is provided a toy egg comprised of three components:

(1) a containing egg shell of friable, breakable or separatable form; (2) a contained replica of a suitable living creature so manufactured as to be enlargeable by any suitable method such as inflation, expansion or physical rearrangement, so as to occupy a considerably greater volume than in its compressed form, said inflation, expansion or physical rearrangement either being achieved by the application of power or depending on the release of the inherent elasticity of the compressed form; (3) a trigger mechanism, contained within the egg or creature, so contrived as to activate only when the toy be subjected to certain pre- determined circumstances, such as when the egg be placed in certain ambient conditions, or in particular orientations to the vertical, or handled in a certain sequence of movements, or removed from all or part of its packaging.

Said trigger mechanism will, upon activation, either directly remove a restraint means from a compressed replica creature that then enlarges or re-arranges under the force of its own inherent elasticity or internal pressure, or said trigger will, Page 2 upon activation, initiate any suitable expansive chemical reaction, or initiate the release of potential energy stored in spring or pressure form, to power the inflation or enlargement of a replica creature, or any combination of these techniques. A further embodiment of this general principle could be a device in which the containing shell could act as the restraint means restraining a compressed elastic creature and that in this embodiment of the device the trigger mechanism would act to break or weaken the shell or unlatch components of the shell.

The three components described above Le eggshell, creature and trigger, together comprise the complete toy that would in practice be bought as an egg or eggs and then hatched into a creature or creatures. Whilst the singular term "creature" has been used throughout this description, in practice for marketing reasons it is foreseen that a variety of creatures would be used to encourage the collecting of 11sets" or the hunt for specific rarities.

A preferred embodiment, by way of example, will now be described.

The device consists of three major components contained within each other, these three separate sub-assemblies being: (1) a triggered power source; (2) an expandable replica creature; (3) a breakable (partable) containing eggshell.

These sub-assemblies will now be described separately in order of their assembly during manufacture.

The Trigggered Power Source Whilst many different trigger mechanisms are available, worked by sensing a variety of different changes of ambient condition, the preferred mechanism now described is a time delayed gravity device in which two or more chemically reactive componets, one a liquid, the other a solid, are held apart both by a separating seal of a soluble nature and by the force of gravity. In use the reaction of these two substances would produce gases of expansion to power the enlargement of a hollow infolded expandable creature. It is envisaged that the reaction of the two components would be triggerd by a permanent change of the Page 3 device's orientation to gravity. Thus the toy would require to be manufactured, transported, stored and displayed with an axis (preferably but not necessarily the long axis) of the egg maintained in a constant vertical orientation to gravity. The fact that in practice some shaking or deviation would be bound to occur in the short term is catered for in the design by the provision of separation by the soluble seal, this seal's primary purpose being to ensure a delayed response when, in use and according to instruction, the toy egg is placed with its long axis laying in the horizontal. In this orientation the liquid solvent would permanetly immerse some part of the soluble separating seal causing said seal to dissolve slowly. Once said seal had dissolved the liquid solvent would, under the influence of gravity, become in contact with, and react with the solid reactive agent and at that cause a reaction producing gases of expansion. Said gases would be free to exude from the trigger capsule by way of the gas vent Fig. 1:9 and at that power the expansion of the infolded expandable creature.

Chemistry There are doubtless a large variety of chemical reactions that would suit the requirement of providing gases of expansion but in view of the fact that the device is intended as a plaything the preferred embodiment would utilise familiar and non toxic substances as preferable for both safety and marketing reasons. By way of example one such group of substances could be vinegar, gelatine and bicarbonate of soda. It should be noted that by the time the solvent has eaten through the soluble seal some substance of that seal would also then be in solution so it is therefore necessary to ensure that the resulting complex solution is one that will react effectively with the solid active agent.

To consider the device in action and with reference to the drawings. (Not to scale Fig. 1 shows in exploded cross section a three part circular plastic moulded container in which the lower component Fig. 1:1 holds the liquid solvent as shown by the cross-hatching Fig. 1:2.

Page 4 Fig. 1:3 shows the upper circular, plastic container which holds the reactive solid shown as the dotted area Fig.1:4. This upper container Fig. 1:3 is is pierced about the perimeter of its lower surface (bottom) with a series of holes as shown in plan view in Fig. 2:1 and in elevation in Fig. 1:6. The cross-hatching shown at Fig. 1:5 in this upper container represents a layer of soluble sealant temporarily capable of sealing this chamber against the intrusion of the solvent liquid. Fig. 1:7 shows an air pinhole to allow the liquid solvent to leave its chamber once the soluble seal is dissolved. Fig. 1:8 shows the lid provided to constrain the reactive solid in place during transit. Fig. 1:9 shows the gas vent in this lid.

In manufacture, after the liquid and solid components had been placed in their appropriate compartments the three components would be pressed together along the device's vertical axis so sealing into each other to comprise the complete triggered power source.

Fig. 3 shows in outline such a triggered power source laying in its horizontal 11active" orientation with the liquid component Fig 3:2 shown in contact with and acting upon the soluble seal Fig 3:5.

One further component is provided for facilitating the assembly of the device. This component, shown in Fig. 4, essentially consists of two flat plastic rings or hoops, one of greater diameter than the other and so moulded that the smaller, inner, ring is supportively joined to the bigger, outer ring by two spoke members of differing length so that the inner ring lays in an eccentric relationship to the whole, this component being produced as a one piece plastic moulding. In assembly the purpose of this component is to hold the trigger mechanism in proper relation to the enlargeable replica creature into which it has to be inserted and therein travel. In relation to the drawing Fig. 4:1 shows the ring into which the trigger unit would fit as an interference fitting and Fig. 4:2 shows an outer ring the outer surface of which would provide a solid base to assist in the jointing of the two flexible halves of the contained replica creature next to be described below.

Page 5 For ease of explanation this component is shown and described as a separate component. In practice it would probably be made as an intregal part of one of the containers comprising the trigger unit. The purpose of the inner ring's eccentric positioning will be referred to below.

It should be understood that a triggered chemical power source operating substantially in the manner described above could be made in a great variety of ways and that this preferred embodiment is provided by way of example only.

Contained Replica Creature The replica creature contained within the eggshell is now described.

It is envisaged that said creature, in its expanded, inflated, or unfolded form (i.e in its "hatched form") should preferably, but not necessarily, be approximately twice the length of the egg from which it has emerged.

Fig. 5 shows in outline form such a creature, in this instance and for example only, a dinosaur. This outline form being the form the creature would be in after enlargement (hatching).

Whilst many methods of enlargement are possible, in the preferred form now being described the necessary volume difference between the unhatched, contained creature and the hatched creature would be achieved by inverting (folding in) the limbs of the creature. This infolding occurring as part of the process of manufacture, after the moulding and prior to assembly. The resulting form being substantially as shown in outline in Fig. 6. The enlargement of the creature is achieved by the expansion of the gases produced at "hatching" by the contained triggered power source described above causing the re-invertion of the infolded limbs resulting in the creature reverting to its proper orientation and size.

Page 6 Manufacture Manufacture would be by whatever moulding process be deemed most suitable. It is envisaged that in the preferred form this replica creature be made in two parts adjoined about any join line, possibly and for example only, about the one shown at at Fig. 5:1.

In practice it would be essential that this join be airtight and capable of withstanding some pressure. Any tested sealing technique could be used for this join. In reference to the drawing shown as Fig. 4 it will be seen that the "assembly facilitating device" used to secure the trigger unit in its inner ring provides by way of its outer ring a solid supportive surface about which the sealing together of the creature's two halves may efficiently be effected. It will further be seen by cross reference between Figs. 4 and 6 that the eccentric positioning of the inner ring of the assembly device allows for the invertion of the replica creature's neck and tail.

Materials Choice of material would be critical. The material used would need to be sufficiently maleable to withstand having the hollow limbs inverted (folded inside) as shown in Fig. 6 and to stay in that configuration whilst awaiting use without tendency to set or rigidify in the inverted configuration, yet to be sufficiently stiff so as to provide a satisfactorily solid toy in its hatched form. It would require a degree of elasticity to allow the applied internal pressure to "Pop" the outline from its inverted form back to its normal form.

Containing E-qqshelis In reference to the accompanying drawings Fig. 7 shows in outline a two- part eggshell co-joined about its equator by a rebated interference fit, said eggshell to be composed of any suitable friable or brittle substance such as, for example, a heavily filled plastic, a plaster, papier machd or indeed pasta.

Fig. 8 shows in outline a similiar eggshell, manufactured so as to have internal "scoring " as shown at Fig. 8: 1.

Page 7 Fig. 9 shows in outline a similar eggshell as to Figs. 7 and 8 but composed of a number of interlocking segments.

In all the forms illustrated above the joining of the segments could be by simple interference fit rebates as described above and shown as Fig. 10 or by a "poppet" action rebate as shown in Fig. 11.

In the case of the four part interlocking shell shown as Fig. 9 a combination of rebate fit and poppet fits coud be used to better control the parting action.

In all instances the parting lines could be contoured so as to match external markings of the eggshell, for instance dappled spots or scales.

In all instances above the join could be left unsealed, and so not airtight, or it could be hermetically sealed by use of any suitable sealant. In practice this would depend upon whether the intention was for the egg to be parted by the growing internal pressure or by the mechanical forces applied by the extending contained creature.

In all instances the technique of manufacture should ensure a shell strong enough for the puposes of vending and handling, which will nevertheless part reliably into its component parts once the "hatching " force is internally applied.

In all instances above it is intended that the complete eggshell could be given an additional outer coating to mask its join lines and, if desired, coloured and patterned.

Fig. 12 shows in schematic cut away view an example of the three subassemblies described above assembled to form a complete "Hatchable toy egg" shown in its "safe" transit vertical orientation to gravity.

It will be seen that as each of the three sub-assemblies described above could be effected in a variety of ways, a device achieving the objective of a "Hatchable toy egg" could be achieved by any combination of these various methods.

Claims (1)

1. Claims

   1 An artificial toy egg giving the appearance of a natural egg so devised that when placed in predetermined non ambient conditions a replica creature of suitable type breaks out from said egg in a manner imitating the natural phenomenon of hatching. 2 An artificial egg as in claim 1 above in which the contained creature is a replica of a creature that in nature would be hatched from an egg. 3 An artificial egg as in claim I above in which the contained creature is a fanciful creature or a replica of a fictional creature. 4 An artificial toy egg as in claims 1/213 in which the hatching is achieved by the temporary inflation or enlargement of the contained replica creature. 5 An artificial toy egg as in claims 1/2/3/4 in which the power source for the enlargement is provided by the reaction of non-toxic household chemicals. 6 An artificial toy egg as in claims 1/2/314/5 in which the trigger mechanism responds to prolonged warming, as in the natural process of incubation. 7 An artificial toy egg substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.