GB2359031A

GB2359031A - Toy

Info

Publication number: GB2359031A
Application number: GB0030285A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Santi Vacharapanyawong
Original assignee: PLAN CREATIONS CO Ltd
Current assignee: PLAN CREATIONS CO Ltd
Priority date: 2000-01-10
Filing date: 2000-12-12
Publication date: 2001-08-15
Anticipated expiration: 2020-12-12
Also published as: GB0030285D0; GB0000476D0; GB2359031B

Abstract

A toy comprises body 3, 4, 7 which is placed on a surface including a channel having openings at either end (12, 13, Fig 1.) and a transporting section 8, perhaps an inclined flat ramp, between the two ends (12, 13) external of the channel. A number of moveable objects 14 to 18 free to move within and substantially filling the length of the channel are provided. The action of pushing or hitting one of the moveable objects at the first end 14 causes all the objects to move, ejecting the last moveable object 18 from the opposite end (13) of the channel, which then rolls down section 8 to the first end (12). A hammer 19 may be used to hit the moveable objects, which are preferably balls formed of non-elastic material. The bottom wall 7 of the channel may be curved, perhaps substantially circular, the ends (12, 13) opening upwards. A diverter 11 may be provided at the opposite end (13) to redirect objects on to the transporting section 8. The body may be provided with viewing orifices (5, 6)

Description

2359031 1 Entertaining Toy This invention relates to toys and more

particularly though not solely to toys for entertaining adults and/or children wherein physical input is required in order to achieve a pleasing result.

There are many toys for entertaining children and/or adults. However, it would be advantageous to provide a toy which children and/or adults could use which was enjoyable to play with, involved some surprising or entertaining effect, taught children hand/eye co-ordination and was simple and affordable to produce.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an entertaining toy that will go at least some way toward meeting the above desiderata or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly, the present invention consists in a toy comprising:

a body adapted to be positioned on a support surface and including a channel having openings at either end, a transporting section being provided between the two ends of the channel, external of the channel, a predetermined number of movable objects positioned within and substantially filling the length of the channel of the body, the movable objects free to be moved along the channel, wherein the action of pushing or hitting one of the movable objects at a first end of the channel causes all of the movable objects to be moved along the channel, ejecting one of the movable objects from the other end of the channel, the ejected movable object then being transported by the transporting section to the first end of the channel.

A particular example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

2 Figure 1 is a side elevation showing hidden detail of the entertaining toy according to the present invention with the channel devoid of any movable objects for clarity; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the toy of Figure 1 from the opposite side which has been loaded with movable objects; and Figures 3A, 39 and 3C are cross-sectional side views through the toy of Figure 2 demonstrating the operation of the toy according to the present invention.

With reference to Figure 1 in particular, it may be seen that the entertaining toy according to an example of the present invention includes a body 1 adapted to be mounted upon a substantially horizontal support surface 2. Body 1 includes first 3 and second 4 side walls which are preferably parallel and in use substantially perpendicular to the support surface 2. Feet 20 and 21 are provided to contact the support surface and to stabilise the body thereon.

Connecting the side walls 3 and 4 are a curved chann(l bottom wall 7 and a transporting section or ramp 8. The ends of the curved channel bottom wall 7 are terminated in grooves provided in channel end dowels 10 and 11, the dowels also serving to provide additional rigidity to the body structure. Grooves and/or holes may be provided in the side walls 3 and 4 in order to assist in locating and fixing the ramp 8, the dowels 10 and 11 and the curved channel bottom wall 7. Preferably, the curved channel bottom wall 7 is semi-circular over most or all of its length.

The side walls 3 and 4, the curved channel bottom wall 7 and the ramp 8 together def ine a channel 9 which, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, is adapted to receive a number of movable objects, for example balls 14 to 18. Movable objects 14 to 18 need not be balls but could be practically any other shaped object so long as they f it within the channel and substantially fill the length of the channel between the openings 12 and 13. Preferably the movable 3 Cz objects are made from a substantially non-elastic material such as wood as are each of the other components of the body 1. The components of the body 1 are preferably glued or bonded together but could alternatively be pegged, nailed or connected in any other well known way.

A first channel opening 12 is formed between dowel 10 and one end of ramp 8 while another channel opening 13 is formed between dowel 11 and the other end of ramp 8. Ramp 8 is preferably inclined from channel opening 13 to channel opening 12. Balls 14 to 18 may be inserted into the channel through one or both of the channel openings 12 and 13. The movable objects are freely permitted to be moved along the channel from one opening to the other but the width of the channel and the dimensions of the balls are such that they is are unable to pass each other and thereby alter their order within the channel. The balls must therefore move through channel 9 in the order in which they are inserted and preferably the width of the channel (the distance between the side walls 3 and 4) is only just wider than the diameter of the balls 14 to 18.

A hammer or mallet 19, which is preferably also made from wood, is provided to assist a user in using the toy but is not essential to the toy's operation which could just as easily be used without the hammer.

In use, and with particular reference to Figures 3A, 3B and 3C, the balls 14 to 18 are first positioned within the channel as shown in Figure 3A. The user then pushes ball 14 at opening 12 of channel 9 (or more preferably hits ball 14 with hammer 19). As the channel bottom wall 7 is curved, in their rest state, each of the balls 14 to 18 are forced by gravity into contact and the force applied by the user to move ball 14 also causes each of the other balls 15 to 18 to be moved along channel 9. As can be seen in Figure 3B, this movement of balls 14 35 to 18 causes ball 18 to be ejected from channel opening 13. Ball 18 then travels along ramp 8 until it enters channel opening 12. The user may then repeat the process by hitting 4 ball 18 to cause ball 17 to be ejected from channel opening 13 and to then travel back to channel opening 12 and so on. It will be seen that the balls 14 to 18 may be continuously circulated through the body by the user continuously 5 hitting the next ball to arrive at channel opening 12.

It can be seen in the figures that the curved channel bottom wall 7 rises above channel opening 13 while at channel opening 12, the channel bottom wall is approximately level with the closest end of ramp 8. The part of the curved channel bottom wall 7 above the channel opening 13 acts as a lip controlling the path of the ball being ejected. In addition, dowel 11 protrudes into the normal path of the ejected ball and acts as a diverter means by diverting the ball onto and along ramp 8. These is features ensure that no matter how hard the ball at channel opening 12 is struck or pushed, the ball ejected from opening 13 will always follow substantially the same path and will not be ejected upwardly out of the toy or towards the user of the toy. This ensures that the balls are not lost and is also a safety feature.

It can also be seen in the figures that aligned viewing orifices or slots are provided in each of the side walls 3 and 4. In the particular embodiment shown there is a large curved viewing slot 5 and a smaller viewing hole 6.

These viewing orifices allow the user to watch the balls as they pass through the channel and an improved visual effect may be achieved by painting the balls dif f erent colours. It will also be noted that the small viewing hole resembles an eye while the larger viewing slot resembles a smiling mouth and therefore a pleasing visual effect is produced particularly if a small nose 22 is also provided.

It should also be noted that channel 9 provides a convenient storage receptacle for the balls when the toy is not in use. Similarly, the handle of hammer 19 may be passed through one of the viewing holes 5 or 6 when the toy is not in use to ensure that the pieces of the toy are all stored together and not lost.

Thus, at least in its preferred form, the toy according to the present invention provides fun and entertainment for children as well as providing a tool for hand-eye co-ordination development. The present invention is also applicable to adults and may be considered an intriguing and fun "stress relief,, device.

6

Claims

1. A toy comprising:

2. A toy as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a 20 hammer adapted to allow a user to hit the movable object at the first end of the channel.

3. A toy as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of the movable objects are formed from a non-elastic material.

4. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each of the movable objects comprise a ball.

5. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said transporting section comprises a flat ramp section which is inclined from the other end of the channel towards the first end to assist the movable objects ejected from the other end to return to the f irst end of the channel.

6. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one wall of said channel is of a curved shape so that the direction of movement of the movable objects is in a plane substantially perpendicular to said 7 support surface, the ends of the channel being open in an upward direction.

7. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said at least one wall of said channel is of a 5 substantially circular shape along most of its length.

8. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the opening in the other end of the channel is provided with a diverter means in the path of the movable objects ejected from the channel which redirects the 10 ejected movable objects along the transporting section.

9. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said transporting section comprises part of the external surface of said channel.

10. A toy as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said body is provided with viewing orifices to allow the movement of the movable objects along the channel to be viewed from outside the channel.

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