WO2007008172A1

WO2007008172A1 - A ball and socket type connection suitable for use in toys and figurines

Info

Publication number: WO2007008172A1
Application number: PCT/SG2005/000232
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yeow Heng Lee
Original assignee: Yeow Heng Lee
Priority date: 2005-07-13
Filing date: 2005-07-13
Publication date: 2007-01-18

Abstract

A connection (10) for connecting a first member (12) to a second member (14). The first member (12) includes a male connector (16) comprising a proximal portion (20) adjacent the first member (12), a distal portion (22) remote from the first member (12) and an interconnecting portion (24) connecting between the proximal and distal portions (22). The second member (14) includes a female connector (18) comprising a socket (32) for receiving all or part of the male connector (16). The male connector (16) is receivable in the socket (32) in a first position in which the distal portion (22) is within the socket (32) and is rotatable within the socket (32) such that the first member (12) is pivotable relative to the second member (14). The male connector (16) is receivable in the socket (32) in a second position in which both the distal portion (22) and the proximal portions (20) are within the socket (32), preventing pivotable movement of the distal portion (22) within the socket (32) and thereby preventing pivotal movement of the first member (12) relative to the second member (14).

Description

A ball and socket type connection suitable for use in toys and figurines

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a ball and socket type connection. The connection provides functionality that may be used in any of a number of applications, including as components of toys.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

It is known to provide moveable connections, such as ball and socket joints on various

articles. In toy construction, ball and socket joints are often used to connect the parts

of the toy to provide a range of movement of the toy's members. The present invention provides an improved connection that provides additional

capabilities, including the ability to extend or retract the joint and to allow or restrict

movement thereof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is provided a connection

for connecting a first member to a second member comprising: a male connector on the first member, the male connector comprising a proximal

portion adjacent the first member, a distal portion remote from the first member and

an interconnecting portion connecting between the proximal and distal portions; and

a female connector on the second member comprising a socket for receiving the or

part of the male connector; wherein the male connector is receivable in the socket in a first position in which the distal portion is within the socket and is rotatable within the socket such that the first member is pivotable relative to the second member, and the male connector is receivable in the socket in a second position in which both the distal portion and the proximal portions are within the socket, preventing rotational movement of the distal portion within the socket and thereby preventing pivotal movement of the first member relative to the second member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure Ia is a side cross sectional view of a connection in accordance with the present invention with the male and female connectors disengaged;

Figure Ib is a side view showing commencement of engagement between the male and female connectors of Figure Ia;

Figure Ic is a side view of the connection of Figure Ia showing the male and female connectors engaged in a first position in which the members are moveable with respect to each other;

Figure Id is a side view of the connection of Figure Ia showing the male and female connectors engaged in a second fixed position;

Figure 2a is a view of a toy figure constructed using the multiple connections of the present invention along the arms and lengths of the toy figure;

Figure 2b is an exploded view of the head of the toy figure of Figure 2a;

Figure 2c is an exploded view of the torso of the toy figure of Figure 2a; Figure 3 a is a view of an alternative embodiment of a connection in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3b is a view of the male connector of the connection of Figure 3a; Figure 3 c is a view of the female connector of the connection of Figure 3 a; Figure 3d is a view of the connection of Figure 3a in a first position in which the members are moveable relative to each other;

Figure 3e is a view of the connection of Figure 3 a in a second position in which the members are fixed relative to each other.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the Figures, there is shown a connection 10 for connecting together a first member 12 and a second member 14. The first member 12 includes a male connector 16 and the second member 14 includes a female connector 18 for receiving the male connector 16 of the first member 12. The male connector 16 comprises a proximal portion 20, a distal portion 22 and an interconnecting portion 24. The proximal portion 20 is located on the first member 12, the distal portion 22 is located remote from the first member 12 and the interconnecting portion 24 connects the proximal portion 20 to the distal portion 22. The distal portion comprises a ball 26 and the interconnecting portion 24 comprises a shaft 28 such that the ball 26 and shaft 28 form what is generally the male part of a standard ball and socket type connector.

The proximal portion 20 comprises a hemispherical portion 30 on the first member 12, from which extends the shaft 28. The hemispherical portion 30 is of a radius equal to that of the ball 26 and is arranged such that the longitudinal axis of the shaft passes through the centres of both the ball 26 and the hemispherical portion 30. The female connector 18 comprises a socket 32 on the second member 13 arranged to receive the or part of the male connector 16. The socket 32 is generally cylindrical in cross section having a hemispherical inner end 34. The cylindrical cross section of the socket 32 is dimensioned to receive the ball 26 and the hemispherical portion 30 in a press fit type arrangement.

The depth of the socket 32 is at least as long as the length of the male connector 16 from the base of the hemispherical portion 30 to the end of the ball 26. Preferably the depth of the socket 32 is such when the male connector 16 is completely received within the socket 32, the ball 26 rests against the hemispherical inner end 34 of the socket 32.

The male connector 16 is receivable in the socket 32 in a first position in which the ball 26 is within the socket 32, the interconnecting portion 24 is partly contained within the socket 32 and the hemispherical portion 30 is located outside the socket 32

(as shown in Figure Ib). The arrangement of the male connector 16 is such that in the first position, the ball 26 is rotatable within the socket 32 in the manner of a conventional ball and socket type connector, such that the first member 12 may be pivoted about and rotated with respect to the second member 14. The connection 10 may be moved from the first position to a second position by pushing the male connector 16 further into the socket 32. In the second position, the hemispherical portion 30 of the male connector 16 is also received in the socket 32, as shown in Figure Ic. In the second position, the hemispherical portion 30 being within the socket 32 prevents pivotal movement of the male connector 16 within the socket 32, as is possible in the first position. Therefore, moving from the first position to the second position moves from a position in which the first and second members 12 and 14 are pivotable with respect to each other to a position in which the first and second members 12 and 14 are not pivotable with respect to each other. In the embodiment shown in Figures Ia to Ic, the first and second members 12 and 14 each comprise an element 34 having both a male connector 16 and a female connector 18 on opposed ends thereof. This allows a series of such elements 34 to be connected, with the male connectors 16 of each element 34 received within the female connector 18 of an adjacent element 34 as described previously.

Figure 2a shows a toy figure 40 constructed from connections 10 of the type shown in Figure 1. The toy figure 40 has arms and legs 42 constructed from a series of the elements 34 of Figure 1. The toy figure 40 may be modified by moving each of the connections between adjacent elements 34 between the first and second positions described previously. Thus, any part of the arms or legs 42 may be locked into place by moving the elements 34 at those points into the second position thereof, or be allowed to move freely by placing the elements 34 in the first position thereof. Also, construction of the arms and legs 42 of the toy figure 40 of the elements 34 having the connections 10 of the present invention allows the height and arm length of the toy figures 40 to be adjusted as desired. As moving connections 10 to the second positions thereof moves the elements 34 closer together, the elements 34 of the legs may be moved to the second positions thereof to shorten the legs 42 and thereby reduce the height of the toy figure 40. In a similar fashion, the length of the arms 42 may be adjusted. The toy figure 40 of Figure 2a also includes an adjustable torso 44 and an adjustable head 46. The torso 44 and the head 46 each comprise a plurality of sections 48 rotatably secured to each other. In the embodiment shown, the head 46 comprises an upper head section 50, a lower head section 52 and an intermediate head section 54. Each of the upper, lower and intermediate head sections 50, 52 and 54 are generally cylindrical in shape, with the upper and lower head sections 50 and 52 having hemispherical outer ends. The upper and intermediate head sections 50 and 54 are rotatably connected. Also, the lower and intermediate head sections 52 and 54 are rotatably connected. Each of the upper, lower and intermediate head sections 50, 52 and 54 are provided with differing graphical elements around the circumference thereof such that rotating the upper, lower and intermediate head sections 50, 52 and 54 relative to each other can create different faces for the toy figure 40 as shown in Figure 2b. Also, the torso comprises an upper torso section 56, a lower torso section 58 and an intermediate torso section 60. Each of the upper, lower and intermediate torso sections 56, 58 and 60 are generally cylindrical in shape, with the upper and lower torso sections 56 and 60 having hemispherical outer ends. The upper and intermediate torso sections 56 and 60 are rotatably connected. Also, the lower and intermediate torso sections 58 and 60 are rotatably connected. Each of the upper, lower and intermediate torso sections 56, 58 and 60 are provided with differing graphical elements around the circumference thereof such that rotating the upper, lower and intermediate torso sections 56, 58 and 60 relative to each other can create torsos of differing graphic design for the toy figure 40 as shown in Figure 2c. Figure 3 shows an alternative joint 70 configuration that may be used on toy figures of the type shown in Figure 2. The joint 70 connects a first article 72 to a second article 74. The first article 72 includes a male connector comprising a second ball 76 located on the distal end of an arcuate connecting member 78 extending from a body portion 80 of the first article 72. The arcuate connecting member 78 extends from the body portion 80 and bends through approximately ninety degrees such that a space 82 is defined between the second ball 76 and the body portion 80.

The second article 74 includes a female connector comprising a slot 84 provided in an elongate portion 86 of the second article 74. The elongate portion 86 includes a domed head 87. The slot 84 extends longitudinally into the elongate portion 86 from the domed head 87. The slot 84 includes a pair of recesses on opposed inner surfaces thereof such that the second ball 76 can be inserted into the slot 84 and received between the recesses. When the second ball 76 is received between in the recesses in the slot 84, the second ball is rotatable therein such that the second article 74 is rotatable in a plane parallel to the plane of the slot 84 about the first article 72 (as shown in Figure 3b). The second article is rotatable to a locked position (as shown in Figure 3 c) in which a portion of the domed head 87 of the elongate portion is received between the second ball 76 and the body portion 80 of the second article 74. The space 82 and the domed head 87 are dimensioned such that the domed head 87 engages between the second ball 76 and the body portion 80 in a press-fit type arrangement in the second position thereof to hold the second article 74 relative to the first article 72. Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A connection for connecting a first member to a second member comprising: a male connector on the first member, the male connector comprising a proximal portion adjacent the first member, a distal portion remote from the first member and an interconnecting portion, connecting between the proximal and distal portions; and a female connector on the second member comprising a socket for receiving the or part of the male connector; wherein the male connector is receivable in the socket in a first position in which the distal portion is within the socket and is rotatable within the socket such that the first member is pivotable relative to the second member, and the male connector is receivable in the socket in a second position in which both the distal portion and the proximal portions are within the socket, preventing rotational movement of the distal portion within the socket and thereby preventing pivotal movement of the first member relative to the second member.

2. A connection in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the distal portion comprises a ball and the socket comprises a cylindrical opening having a cross section dimensioned to receive the ball in a press fit arrangement such that in the first position, the ball is rotatable within the socket.

3. A connection in accordance with claim 2, wherein the proximal portion comprises a hemispherical portion having a radius the same as the radius of the ball and the interconnecting portion comprises a shaft extending between the hemispherical portion and the ball along an axis between the centre of the hemispherical portion and the ball.

4. A connection in accordance with claim 3, wherein the socket is of a depth equal to the length from the base of the hemispherical portion to the most distant point on the ball along said axis, such that in the second position thereof, the hemispherical portion, the shaft and the ball are contained within the socket with the ball rests against the inner end of the socket.

5. A connection in accordance with any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first member and the second member each comprise an element having a male connector and a female connector on a side remote from the male connector such that a plurality of such elements may be connected in series.

6. A toy figure having parts thereof constructed of a plurality of elements according to claim 5.

7. A toy figure in accordance with claim 6, wherein said parts comprise arms and legs.

8. A toy figure in accordance with claim 6 or 7, wherein the toy figure includes a head constructed of an upper head section, a lower head section and an intermediate head section, the upper head section being rotatably connected to the intermediate head section, the intermediate head section being rotatable connected to the lower head section and each of the upper, lower and intermediate head sections including graphical elements thereon such that rotating the upper, lower and intermediate head sections relative to each other changes the appearance of the head.

9. A toy figure in accordance with claim 8, wherein the upper, lower and intermediate head sections are generally cylindrical in shape and the upper and lower head sections have hemispherical outer ends.

10. A toy figure in accordance with any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein the toy figure includes a torso constructed of an upper torso section, a lower torso section and an intermediate torso section, the upper torso section being rotatably connected to the intermediate torso section, the intermediate torso section being rotatable connected to the lower torso section and each of the upper, lower and intermediate torso sections including graphical elements thereon such that rotating the upper, lower and intermediate torso sections relative to each other changes the appearance of the torso.

11. A toy figure in accordance with claim 10, wherein the upper, lower and intermediate torso sections are generally cylindrical in shape and the upper and lower torso sections have hemispherical outer ends.

12. A toy figure in accordance with any one of claims 6 to 11 , wherein said parts include a joint for connecting a first article to a second article, the joint comprising: a male connector comprising an arcuate connecting member extending from a body portion of the first article and a second ball mounted at a distal end of the arcuate connecting member; a female connector comprising an elongate portion having a slot, the slot including recesses on opposed internal faces thereof; wherein the second ball is received within the slot and is held between the recesses such that the second ball is rotatable within the recesses thereby allowing the first article to be pivotable about the second article.

13. A toy figure in accordance with claim 12, wherein the arcuate interconnecting member curves such that a space is defined between the second ball and the body portion of the first article and the second article is pivotable to a position in which the elongate portion engages between the body portion and the second ball, thereby restricting pivotal movement of the second article relative to the first article.

14. A toy figure in accordance with claim 13, wherein the arcuate interconnecting member curves through ninety degrees.

15. A toy figure in accordance with claim 13 or 14 , wherein the elongate portion of the second article includes a domed head.