US20060089079A1

US20060089079A1 - Bone-like construction for toy doll and the doll having the same construction

Info

Publication number: US20060089079A1
Application number: US11/255,890
Authority: US
Inventors: Akihiro Enku
Original assignee: Volks Inc
Current assignee: Volks Inc
Priority date: 2004-10-27
Filing date: 2005-10-24
Publication date: 2006-04-27
Also published as: JP2006122250A; JP4636403B2

Abstract

A toy doll has a bone-like construction, wherein the toy doll can freely take a yieldable attitude even if its arm or its leg is deeply bent on its joint. The toy doll is equipped with an intermediate and auxiliary joint in the upper arm and in the thigh which does not exist in a human being. The toy doll can obtain any curving attitude either for maintenance or for release because of the flexibility of the intermediate and auxiliary joint located in an arm or leg bone.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION

This present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application Number 2004-312990 (filed on Oct. 27, 2004) which is expressly incorporation herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bone-like construction for a toy doll and the doll having the same construction, wherein an arm which is devised to have an upper arm bone equipped with a joint on each end like a human being and a leg which is devised to also have a thigh bone with a joint on each end.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, various kinds of toy dolls were assembled with bone-like materials having joints and skin-like materials. The skin-like materials covered the bone-like materials like a human being wherein the dolls were provided in deformable and yieldable forms by movement of the equipped joints.
Similarly, the dolls were provided with their covers constructed of flexible materials and with bone-like materials inside and pad materials there between, wherein deformable joints like a human being are equipped with the bone-like materials. At the same time, a figure doll was also marketed wherein a bone constructed of hard materials was covered with a soft skin while movable joint portions were equipped with the bone like a human being so that the joint portions were always arranged to remain at neutral positions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Bone-like constructions for an arm and a leg for a doll adopted by prior arts were composed of arm bones and leg bones with joints on both ends similar to the construction of a human being. Arm portions and leg portions for the doll were covered with outer covers composed of soft resin similar to human skin. When an elbow joint of the doll is gradually bent, each cover of an upper arm and a forearm approaches together in the vicinity of the elbow joint and friction power is caused thereon so that wrinkle is created on the friction point. Thus, this wrinkle creation prevents the doll from bending attitude and the required condition to keep bending cannot be maintained. At the same time, the above theory can be true of the leg portions of the doll. When a knee joint of the doll is bent, each cover of a thigh and a lower leg approaches together in the vicinity of the knee joint to invite the wrinkle creation on the knee joint by the friction power. Because of this result, maintenance of the knee bending is lost.
In view of above difficulty, the present invention has an object to provide the bone-like construction for the doll which maintains its attitude for the bending on the point of the elbow joint or that of the knee joint even if the doll is deeply bent on each joint point.
In order to overcome the difficulty, the present inventor has repeated many trials and errors through his various experiments by producing many models or samples for toy dolls. After these experiments, he discovered provision of a novel intermediate joint in the bone-like construction at each end of the upper arm bone or the thigh bone. Although the intermediate joint does not exist in a human being, this intermediate joint can soften some strong approach between each cover on the joint point, whereas the maintenance of bending attitude can be maintained.
The bone-like construction developed by the present invention has the arm bone and the log bone, and on each end of these bones the joints are prepared. On the middle of these bones are the intermediate and auxiliary joints which divide the bones for bending. These intermediate joints do not exist in a human being.
The intermediate joint comprises a joint surface which is established on the divided face of the bones with each other contacted, a pivot point about which operates the joint surface to be separated or to be contacted, and a holder which is set rotatably to the pivot point and suspends separation of the joint surface with a fixed angle.
The bones of the toy doll developed by this invention are produced in hard resin mold while the skin covers are produced by soft resin mold.
A toy doll having a bone-like construction wherein the doll has joints on both ends of arm portions or leg portions comprise a bone-like construction having an intermediate and auxiliary joint in a middle of the arm portions and/or leg portions so that the intermediate and auxiliary joint allows the bone to bend for yieldable poses, wherein the intermediate and auxiliary joint does not exist in a human being.
The bone-like construction according to claim 1, wherein the bone is produced similar to a human upper arm bone or a human thigh bone with the inclusion of the intermediate and auxiliary joint in the arm bone and the thigh bone.
The intermediate and auxiliary joint comprises a pair of joint surfaces which contact each other formed on parts of arm or leg bone portions; a pivot for said pair of joint surfaces wherein the surfaces are in contact or separated; and a holder rotatably fixed onto the pivot and adapted to hold separation of the two surfaces at a fixed angle.
The toy doll which has a bone-like construction where the toy doll can take poses in yieldable attitudes as desired, and the bone is a material selected from hard plastic resin while a skin cover wrapping the bone is a material selected from soft plastic resin.

BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a toy doll having a bone-like construction developed by the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a left arm of the doll showing a cover material for the arm.
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a left leg of the doll showing the cover material for the leg.
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the left arm for assembling its details with its bone-like construction.
FIG. 5 in an exploded view of the left leg for assembling its details with its bone-like construction.
FIG. 6 in a front view of the left arm showing its bending condition.
FIG. 7 is a front view of the left arm explaining the constructing material shown in FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a front view of the left arm in its bending condition.
FIG. 9 is front view of the left arm showing its bending condition for the bone-like construction with its covering materials.
FIG. 10 is an explanatory view of an auxiliary joint prepared in an upper arm bone showing its movement as indicated in FIG. 7 and FIG. 9.
FIG. 11 is a side view of the left leg in the bending condition.
FIG. 12 is a side view of the left leg in the bending condition with its covering materials.
FIG. 13 is a side view of the left leg showing its bending condition.
FIG. 14 is a side view of the left leg showing its bending condition for the bone-like construction with its covering materials.
FIG. 15 is an explanatory view of an auxiliary joint prepared in a thigh bone showing its movement as indicated in FIG. 12 and FIG. 14.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Now, preferred embodiments shall be explained in detail referring to the submitted figures.
With reference to FIG. 1, the numeral 1 is a toy doll which is constructed of a head (2), abdomen portions (5) comprising an upper abdomen (3) and a lower abdomen (4), arm portions (12) comprising a shoulder joint (6), an upper arm (7), an elbow joint (8), a forearm (9), a wrist joint (10) and a hand (11), and further constructed of leg portions (19) comprising a thigh joint (13), a thigh (14), a knee joint (15), a shin (16), an ankle joint (17) and a foot (18). All of the above explained parts are composed with each cover material produced of soft resin which is hollow. Each bone-like construction, and each joint is adapted to be bent so that any pose like a human being can be realized.
As shown in FIG. 2, the upper arm (7) belonging to the arm portions (12) is constructed of an upper arm cover (20) similar to human skin and of an upper arm bone (21) similar to human bone, while the forearm (9) is constructed of a forearm cover (22) and of a forearm bone (23). At both ends of the upper arm bone (21), the shoulder joint (6) and the elbow joint (8) are formed, while at the both ends of the forearm bone (23) the elbow joint (8) and the wrist joint (10) are formed.
Referring to FIG. 3, the thigh (13) belonging to the leg portions (19) is constructed of a thigh cover (24) similar to human skin and of a thigh bone (25), while the shin (16) is constructed of a shin cover (26) and of a shin bone (27). On both ends of the thigh bone (25) the thigh joint (13) and the knee joint (15) are formed, while on the both ends of the shin bone (27) the knee joint (15) and the ankle joint are formed.
With reference to FIG. 4, the forearm (12) is assembled as follows. A thoracic vertebrae (28) comprising a bone for the breast is prepared in the upper abdomen (3), and a cylindrical shoulder joint (30) is prepared and inserted rotatably into a shoulder joint receiver (29) formed on both sides of the thoracic vertebrae (28), and on one end of the shoulder joint (30) an upper arm receiver (32) in flat disk-like shape is established having a receiving hole (31) in its center. The upper arm receiver (32) is adapted to attach the upper abdomen (3) to the arm portions (12). A larger hemisphere body and a smaller hemisphere body are firmly united via a ditch (33) running through lengthwise around the united hemisphere body, and a shoulder arm joint (34) is prepared in a column-like shape extending downward from the bottom of the smaller hemisphere body. A pair of hemisphere joints (35) are prepared in symmetry and are united by a tapping screw (37) with a connector (36), while the screw (37) is freely movable in the relative receiving hole (31). Accordingly, the shoulder joint (6) is constructed of the shoulder joint (30), the upper arm receiver (32) and the hemisphere joints (35) including the shoulder arm joint (34), whereas the shoulder joint (6) is fitted with the upper abdomen (3) and is freely movable in all directions.
The shoulder arm joint (34) is rotatably fitted with an upper and cylindrical arm bone (39) where the upper bone (21) (FIG. 2) is connected with a reinforcing ring (38). On the bottom end of the cylindrical arm bone (39), an auxiliary joint pivot (43) in U-letter like shape is formed which is constructed of a pedestal (40), a receiver hole (41) and a pedestal plate (42). Further, with reference to FIG. 10, a joint surface (45) which is confronting with another joint surface (44) comprising the lower surface of the pedestal (40) is formed, while an auxiliary joint receiver hole (46) for the arm auxiliary joint pivot (43) is prepared at the place of the receiver hole (41) in the condition where the joint surface (45) is contacting on the other joint surface (44) of the pedestal (40). When the joint surface (45) is turned round centering on the auxiliary joint receiver hole (46) toward the direction where the surface (45) is separating from the other surface (44) of the pedestal (40), a bird-bill like holder (47) which holds the separation between the surface (45) and the other surface (44) on a fixed angle is formed on the lower place from the auxiliary joint receiver hole (46) contrary to the joint surface (45). On the bottom end, an elbow receiver (50) in flat disk shape is formed and it has a notch (49) which has enough width to receive a round elbow joint (56) at an upper arm elbow receiver hole (48) opening upward, and the auxiliary joint receiver hole (46) of the auxiliary joint (51) is aligned with the auxiliary joint receiver hole (46) by a tapping screw (52) through the receiver hole (41) of the auxiliary joint pivot (43) wherein the screw (52) is freely movable in the auxiliary joint receiver hole (46). The upper arm bone (21) comprises the cylindrical arm bone (39), the arm auxiliary joint pivot (43) and the auxiliary joint (51). Referring also to FIG. 10, an intermediate auxiliary joint (53), which is formed in an intermediate place of the upper arm bone (21) and operates to bend the bone (21) for its division, is constructed of the joint surface (44) and another surface (45), both surfaces formed on the surfaces of the bone and opposed to each other, and the stop holder (47), screwed rotatably onto the auxiliary joint pivot (43) by the tapping screw (52) so that the stop holder (47) maintains the separation of both joint surfaces (44, 45) at the fixed angle.
The elbow receiver (50) is rotatably prepared against the round joint (56) through the upper arm elbow receiver hole (48) of the elbow receiver (50), while a ring-like longitudinal ditch (54) which divides the elbow joint in the round shape is formed and a column-like center plate (55) is also formed extending at a direct angle in the lengthwise direction of the arm portion (12). On the lower portion of the round joint (56) where the longitudinal ditch (54) divides to produce two hemisphere bodies and relative hemisphere shape columns are established, while a column-like forearm joint (57) is prepared and it is freely fitted into a column-like forearm bone (58) belonging to the forearm bone (23). A column-like wrist joint connector (59) is rotatably fitted into this column-like forearm bone (58), and the column-like wrist joint connector (59) has a down end (59 a) while a receiving hole (60) to receive the forearm (9) is drilled on the center wherein a wrist receiver (62) in flat disk shape is prepared equipped with a notch (61) to receive a center (64). The wrist receiver (62) is rotatably fitted into a round joint (65) through the receiving hole (60) with the center (64) of a round joint (65) where a longitudinal ditch (63) is drilled. On the lower part of the round joint (65), a hand bone (66) is formed. Accordingly, the forearm bone (23) comprises the column-like bone (58) and the column-like forearm and the down end (59 a), and the elbow joint (8) comprises the elbow receiver (50) and the round joint (56), while the wrist joint (10) comprises the wrist receiver (62) and the round joint (65). The numeral 67 is a neck bone to be fitted into the head (2).
In reference with FIG. 5, the leg portions (17) are assembled as follows. In the lower portion of a pelvis (68) to be placed on the lower abdomen (4), a column-like pelvis joint (69) is prepared extending to both sides and a cylindrical thigh receiver (70) is rotatably fitted into the column-like pelvis joint (69). The cylindrical thigh receiver (70) is prepared as extending around a flat disk (71) which has round circumference to be cut as dome-like with a required width on the center of sphere. On the sphere side after cutting a pair of column-like thigh joints (72) are formed. The column-like thigh joints (72) are rotatable fitted with a cylindrical receiver (76) of a hemisphere joint (75), while a running ditch (73) is formed with a thigh joint column (74). The hemisphere joint (75) is fixedly connected by a tapping screw (77). Thus, the thigh joint (13) comprises the cylindrical thigh receiver (70), the flat disk (71), the column-like thigh joint (72) and the hemisphere joint (75), and the thigh joint (13) is set to the lower abdomen (4) and rotated freely in all directions.
The thigh joint column (74) is inserted into a thigh reinforcement ring (78), and a column-like bone (79) comprising the thigh bone (25) is also rotatably fitted. The column-like bone (79) is inserted into a thigh bone receiver (80) in cylinder shape and having an open mouth upward, while on a wall of this bone receiver (80) a pivot (82) for the leg auxiliary joint is established with plural barrel-like receivers at fixed spaces and having an auxiliary joint receiving hole (81) with its mouth opening at a right angle against the lengthwise direction of the leg portions (19). A joint surface (84) contacts a lower joint surface (83) and is prepared on the bottom face of the thigh bone receiver (80). A bolt receiving hole (85) on the auxiliary joint side aligns with the auxiliary joint receiving hole (81). The joint surface (84) faces the lower joint surface (83). When the joint surface (84) is rotated centering on the bolt receiving hole (85) to separate the joint surface (84) from the lower joint surface (83), a jagged holder (86) is adapted to suspend the separation of both joint surfaces (83, 84) at a fixed angle and is formed and extending outward from the joint surface (84). On the center of the lower part, a knee receiving hole (87) for the thigh side is formed, and a knee joint receiver plate (88) is prepared as a flat plate forming the center position as the knee receiving hole (87). An auxiliary thigh bone (89) for the thigh (14) is screwed by the bolt receiving hole (85) of the contacting holder (86) into the auxiliary joint receiving hole (81) of the pivot (82) by a bolt-nut (90) combination while the bolt receiving hole (85) is fixed in free condition into the pivot (82). Below the knee receiving hole (87) a pin (91) is formed in order to maintain the standing pose of the toy doll (1). Thus, the thigh bone (25) comprises the column-like bone (79), the thigh bone receiver (80), the pivot (82) and the auxiliary thigh bone (89). With reference to FIG. 15, an auxiliary joint for a knee (92), as an intermediate joint which is prepared at the intermediate position of the thigh bone (25) wherein the thigh bone (25) is bent and divided, comprises the two joint surfaces (83, 84) which confront each other on the divided surface of the bone, the auxiliary joint has a pivot (82) which works to contact or separate these two surfaces (83, 84) and the holder (96) which holds the separation of these two surfaces (83, 84) and which is rotatably fitted into the pivot (82) by the bolt-nut (90) combination.
A hemisphere style joint (94) has a cylindrical center (93) and a knee joint shin piece (96), while another symmetry piece of this hemisphere joint is prepared, and these two pieces are combined by a tapping screw (95) via the knee receiving hole (87) in free condition. When these two pieces are combined, the knee joint (92) is also tightly connected by the screw (95), and then a cylindrical knee joint shin piece (97) is established. Accordingly, the knee joint (15) comprises the knee joint receiver plate (88) and the hemisphere style joint (94).
A cylindrical shin bone (99) comprising the shin bone (27) is rotatably inserted into the cylindrical knee joint shin piece (97) with a shin reinforcing ring (95). The cylindrical shin bone (99) is fitted into a cylindrical ankle joint receiver (100) and the bottom of this joint receiver (100) is rotatably fitted into the ankle joint (17) shown in FIG. 1. Thus, the shin bone (27) comprises the cylindrical shin bone (99) and the cylindrical ankle joint receiver (100).
FIG. 6 shows the condition where the elbow joint (8) of the arm portions (12) is bent in the toy doll (1).
In reference with FIG. 7, when the arm movement is taken, in the position of the elbow joint (8) between the upper arm (7) and the forearm (8), the similar movement like a human being can be performed until the upper arm cover (20) and the forearm cover (22) contact each other in the vicinity of the elbow joint.
In reference to FIG. 8, when the elbow joint (8) is further bent over the contacting condition between the upper arm cover (20) and the forearm cover (22), the auxiliary joint (53) which does not exist in a human being promotes the further bending of the elbow joint (8) as seen in FIG. 9.
As shown in FIG. 10, when the joint surface (44) seated below the pedestal (40) and the other surface (45) seated on the auxiliary joint (51) come in a contacting condition, these two surfaces (44, 45) are gradually moved apart from each other toward the direction of an arrow A on the center of the auxiliary joint receiving hole (41) by the bending promotion of the auxiliary joint (51), while the holder (47) prepared on the auxiliary joint (51) is adapted to contact on the joint surface (44) so as to prevent the separation of these two surface (44, 45) at a fixed angle. Accordingly, the upper arm (7) can be deeply bent against the forearm (9), and at the same time, the upper arm cover (20) and the forearm cover (22) in the vicinity of the elbow joint (8) do not interfere each other.
The FIG. 11 shows the bending condition of the toy doll (1) in the leg portions (19).
Referring to FIG. 12, in the position where the thigh (14) and the shin (16) are pinching the knee joint (15), the thigh (14) and the shin (16) in the vicinity of the knee joint (15) can be bent like a human being until the thigh cover (24) and the shin cover (26) contact each other.
As shown in FIG. 13, when the knee joint (15) is further bent over the contacting condition between the thigh cover (24) and the shin cover (26), the auxiliary joint (92) which does not exist in a human being promotes further the bending movement of the knee joint (15) as seen in FIG. 14.
FIG. 15 shows the joint surface (83) seated below the thigh bone receiver (80) and the other joint surface (84) seated on the auxiliary thigh bone (89). As these two surface (83,84) move in a contacting condition they are gradually moved to be separated from each other toward an arrow B direction which is centered on the auxiliary joint receiving hole (81). The bending of the auxiliary thigh bone (89), while the holder (86) prepared on the auxiliary thigh bone (89) is adapted to contact the side wall of the thigh bone receiver (80) to prevent over separation of these two surfaces (83,84). Accordingly, the thigh (14) can be deeply bent against the shin, and at the same time, the thigh cover (24) and the shin cover (25) do not interfere each other.
FIG. 9 shows the auxiliary joint (53) of the arm portions (12) which is constructed in the upper arm (9), while the auxiliary joint (92) of the leg portions (19) is prepared in the shin (16). Similarly, the auxiliary joint can be also prepared in either of the upper arm (7) or the forearm (9), while the leg auxiliary joint can be also prepared in either or the thigh (14) or the shin (16) portion.
The bone material can be supplied with the molding of metal such as aluminum, brass, or stainless steel, and similarly, of hard resin such as urethane, acryl, nylon, ABS, polycarbonate, polypropylene, styrene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene and others. The cover material can be supplied with soft resin such as polyvinyl chloride, urethane, elastomer, or synthetic rubber.
This invention provides a beautiful looking toy doll, wherein its elbow or its knee can be deeply bent in the pose like a human being. The invention also provides an intermediate and auxiliary joint which is not seen in a human being in the middle of the bone construction. This auxiliary joint realizes the deep yielding for the elbow and knee joints and as a result the occurrence of wrinkles on the contacting place between each skin cover can be prevented.
It is further understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing description is a preferred embodiment of the disclosed method and that various changes and modifications may be made in this invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Claims

1. A toy doll having a bone-like construction wherein the doll has joints on both ends of arm portions or leg portions comprising:

a bone-like construction having an intermediate and auxiliary joint in a middle of the arm portions and/or leg portions so that the intermediate and auxiliary joint allows the bone to bend for yieldable poses,

wherein the intermediate and auxiliary joint does not exist in a human being.

2. The bone-like construction according to claim 1, wherein the bone is produced similar to a human upper arm bone or a human thigh bone with the inclusion of the intermediate and auxiliary joint in the arm bone and the thigh bone.

3. The bone-like construction according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate and auxiliary joint comprises;

a pair of joint surfaces which contact each other formed on parts of arm or leg bone portions;

a pivot for said pair of joint surfaces wherein the surfaces are in contact or separated; and

a holder rotatably fixed onto the pivot and adapted to hold separation of the two surfaces at a fixed angle.

4. The toy doll which has the bone-like construction where the toy doll can take its poses in yieldable attitudes as desired, wherein the bone is a material selected from hard plastic resin while a skin cover wrapping the bone is a material selected from soft plastic resin.