US3768197A

US3768197A - Take-apart doll

Info

Publication number: US3768197A
Application number: US00282368A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Shimamura
Original assignee: ASAKI CORP
Current assignee: ASAKI CORP
Priority date: 1972-08-21
Filing date: 1972-08-21
Publication date: 1973-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 1990-10-30

Abstract

A take-apart doll comprising a head and neck portion, a transparent bell shaped body portion having a first opening at the top thereof and a second opening at the bottom thereof, an interchangeable apparel suitable for fitting within said body portion, and a leg portion having a base part of a first diameter, and a top part of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, whereby the different portions are assembled by inserting the neck portion within the first opening of the body portion, and inserting the leg portion within the bottom opening and tightly fitting about the neck portion, with the apparel being placed within and adjacent the body portion and with the base part acting as a base for the assembled doll.

Description

tlnite' States Patent [1 1 Shimamura Get. 3@, 1973 TAKE-APART DOLL [75] Inventor: Juky 'Shimamura, Matsudo, Japan [73] Assignec: Asaki Corporation, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Aug. 21, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 282,368

[52] US. Cl. 46/22, 46/162 [51] Int. Cl A63h 3/16 [58] Field of Search 46/22, 115, 15,1,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1960 Risler 46/22 12/1965 Estern et a1....

Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Attorney-Moonray Kojima [57] ABSTRACT A take-apart doll comprising a head and neck portion, a transparent bell shaped body portion having a first opening at the top thereof and a second opening at the bottom thereof, an interchangeable apparel suitable for fitting within said body portion, and a leg portion having a base part of a first diameter, and a top part of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, whereby the different portions are assembled by inv .serting the neck portion within the first opening of the body portion, and inserting the leg portion within the a. bottom opening and tightly fitting about the neck portion,'with the apparel being placed within and adjacent the body portion and with the base part acting as a base for the assembled doll.

5 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATENTEDUCT 30 1925' FIG] FIGS

FIGJ

FIGS

FIG.4-

1 TAKE-APART DOLL BACKGROUND OF INVENTION This invention relates to take-apart dolls having inexpensive interchangeable apparel means.

Although there are numerous different types of dolls and small figurines available in the prior art, it has been found that such dolls or figurines which are easily assembled and disassembled and have interchangeable parts retain the interest of the child, and hence increase their commercial attraction. Also such dolls or figurines should be inexpensive and easy to manufacture.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a doll or figurine which is easily assembled and disassembled and which is inexpensive to manufacture.

The invention encompasses a doll or figurine, preferrable of the minature type, which is easily assembled and disassembled. The doll or figurine comprises a head disposed on a round shaft, a bell shaped transparent body, and a cylindrical leg or base having a cylindrical extension. The shaft is insertable through the top of the body, and the extension is insertable through the bottom of the body and is capable of tightly holding the shaft. An apparel made of suitable material and on which is printed a pattern of womens dress or a mans suit or the like, is insertable and positionable within the body or on the outside thereof.

Advantageously, the arrangement can be assembled and disassembled by a child readily and safely. Also, apparel may be interchanged with little expense.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I. depicts an illustrative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2. depicts the embodiment of FIG. 1 as disassembled; I

FIG. 3. depicts an elevational cross section of the embodiment of FIG. 1 using an interchangeable apparel on the inside of the body; 7 FIG. 4. depicts an elevational cross section of another embodiment wherein the apparel is located without the body;

FIG. 5. depicts an illustrative interchangeable apparel for use outside the body; and 1 FIG. 6. depicts another illustrative base portion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 depicts an assembled doll or figurine comprising head 1, body 3, and base or legs within which is a bore II. The doll is shown disassembled in FIG. 2. The head 1 is attached to or is the same part as cylindrical shaft or neck portion 2. Body 3, is bell shaped as shown and has an opening 4 at the top thereof and an opening 14 at the bottom thereof. The body may be made of any suitable material such as plastic and is transparent when apparel 7 is used within the body. The base 5 has attached'thereto a cylindrical top portion 6 of suitable smaller diameter and length. The inside diameter of hole 12 is of a larger diameter than the outside diameter of shaft 2 so that shaft 2 may fit tightly therein. It may have a slightly reduced diameter toward the bottom thereof to assure a tight fit.

The length of the top portion 6 may be sufficient, as shown in FIG. 3, to fit against body extension 13 (see FIG. 3). The space between body and the assembled leg and shaft portions must be sufficient to hold apparel 7. The apparel shown in FIG. 2 may be made of any suitable material such as paper, and be of any suitable pattern, such as a dress or mans suit printed thereon.

Turning to FIG. 4, apparel 7 may be placed on the outside of body 3. FIG. 5 depicts a suitable apparel 7 for use on the outside of body 3. The apparel comprises a body portion 7b, a neck portion 70, and an extension portion 7a which is used to tie the apparel together.

An alternative base may also have three segments as depicted in FIG. 6, including a bottom portion 5 having a bore 11 therein, an intermediate circular plate portion 10, and a top portion 6 having a bore 12 therein.

The assemblying of the doll may be explained with reference to FIG. 2. Apparel 7 is placed inside body 3 such that the pattern shows through the transparent body. Shaft 2 is then inserted into the top hole 4 of body 3. Top portion 6 of the leg or base is the inserted into the bottom hole 14 of body 3, with the shaft 2 fitting tightly into hole 12 thereof. The top portion 6 fits into body 3 and'the bottom portion 5 extends below the bottom plane thereof. Thus, as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the assembled doll may stand on its base 5 with top portion 6 thereof gripping tightly shaft 2 on which is head 1, with apparel 7 held within the body 3 by friction and closing of body3 by the step portion of base portion 5 (FIG. 2). An alternative base portion 10 shown in FIG. 6 may be used with flat circular plate portion 10 fitting into the bottom hole 14 of body 3. The bottom surface of plate 10 may. be flush with the planeof the body bottom.

In another alternative embodiment, such as shown in FIG. 4, which shows the same elements of FIG. 3 except for apparel 7 being on the outside of body 3, apparel 7 as shown in FIG. 5 may be used. Apparel 7 may be placed on the outside of body 3 as shown in more detail in FIG. 4 by placing portion 7b around the body 3, with neck portion 70 being at top thereof and tying 7a together about the neck portion.

The head portion may be spherical as shown or of any other suitableshape, and have painted or otherwise displayed thereon any suitable face, hair, etc., which may be interchangeable.'The head and extending shaft portions may be of plastic and be extruded in a known manner. Similarly, the base portion and body portion may be made of any suitable material such as plastic,

. and simply extruded by means of known extruder.

The neck portion is advantageously, of a sufficient length and diameter such that it will firmly fit into hole 12 of top portion 6 and through body post 13, (see FIGS. 3 and 4) and have only the head protrude from the bodyportion, 3. The part between the shaft and head 1 may be stepped as shown to provide a suitable fit with body 3. The hole 11 of bottom portion 5, advantageously provides a more secure base and better appearing toy. However, such hole 11 may be filled or the bottom portion 5 may be a solid piece. When assembled, the post 13 may rest against top portion 6, although such an arrangment is not absolutely necessary. Also, the intermediate plate 10 shown in FIG. 6 need not be flush with the bottom plane of body 3.

The hole 11 may advantageously be of an inside diameter large than the outside diameter of post 13 so that the bottom portion 5 may be placed on the post 13 and the top portion 6 then providing the base means. Of course the outside diameter of shaft 2 is smaller than the inside diameter of hole 4, post 13 and hole 12 in order that the shaft will fit into and through the post 13 and be held by top portion 6 in the assembled position.

The foregoing description is intended to be only illustrative of the principles of the invention. Numerous other variations and modifications thereof would be apparent to one skilled in the art. All such modifications and variations are to be considered to be within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A doll comprising A. head means having a head portion, an elongated round cylindrical attaching means with first outside diameter and between said head portion and said attaching means a neck portion of larger diameter than said first outside diameter;

B. body means comprising a bell shaped body with a vertical center axis, said body having an opening at the top thereof, and an opening at the bottom thereof, both said openings having substantially the same vertical axis as said vertical axis of said body, and a post means extending within said body from the top thereof, said post means having an inside diameter larger than said first outside diameter and D. leg means having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion having a bore therein of an inside diameter larger than said first outside diameter and a part thereof of an inside diameter sufficient to securely hold said neck portion; said bottom portion having a third outside diameter larger than the outside diameter of said top portion, whereby said top portion of said leg means is inserted within said opeining at said bottom of said body means and said attaching means of said head means is inserted through said opening at said top of said body means and within said bore of said top portion thereby tightly securing the parts of said doll together.

2. Doll of claim 1, wherein said bottom portion of said leg means comprises a first flat circular portion of a fourth outside diameter adjacent said top portion and a second portion of a different diameter smaller than said fourth diameter.

3. Doll of claim 1, wherein said bottom portion of said leg means has a bore therein.

4. Doll of claim 1, wherein said apparel means is made of paper and disposable within said body means and wherein said body means is of transparent material.

5. Doll of claim 1, wherein said apparel means is disposed on and without said body means.

Claims

1. A doll comprising A. head means having a head portion, an elongated round cylindrical attaching means with first outside diameter and between said head portion and said attaching means a neck portion of larger diameter than said first outside diameter; B. body means comprising a bell shaped body with a vertical center axis, said body having an opening at the top thereof, and an opening at the bottom thereof, both said openings having substantially the same vertical axis as said vertical axis of said body, and a post means extending within said body from the top thereof, said post means having an inside diameter larger than said first outside diameter and a second outside diameter; C. interchangeable apparel means for placing either outside of said body means or within said body means; and D. leg means having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top portion having a bore therein of an inside diameter larger than said first outside diameter and a part thereof of an inside diameter sufficient to securely hold said neck portion; said bottom portion having a third outside diameter larger than the outside diameter of said top portion, whereby said top portion of said leg means is inserted within said opeining at said bottom of said body means and said attaching means of said head means is inserted through said opening at said top of said body means and within said bore of said top portion thereby tightly securing the parts of said doll together.