Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
  • A63H33/062—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements with clip or snap mechanisms
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
  • A63H33/067—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements with rotation or translation, e.g. of keyhole or bayonet type
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
  • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
  • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
  • A63H33/082—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with dovetails
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
  • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
  • A63H33/084—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with grooves
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63H—TOYS, e.g. TOPS, DOLLS, HOOPS OR BUILDING BLOCKS
  • A63H33/00—Other toys
  • A63H33/04—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts
  • A63H33/06—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements
  • A63H33/08—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails
  • A63H33/086—Building blocks, strips, or similar building parts to be assembled without the use of additional elements provided with complementary holes, grooves, or protuberances, e.g. dovetails with primary projections fitting by friction in complementary spaces between secondary projections, e.g. sidewalls

Definitions

• the present description relates to amusement articles, such as for example toys and the like.
• Various embodiments can find application in amusement articles that are to be inserted in shell- type or capsule-type containers, used for inserting so- called “surprises” in foodstuff products, such as chocolate eggs and the like.
• Various embodiments can refer to the association of said amusement articles to confectionery products, without prior introduction into shell-type or capsule-type containers, but simply via insertion in packages made of flexible film, such as bags made of plastic material.
• Various embodiments may envisage the use of such amusement articles by themselves, hence in a way independent of the possible contexts of application to which reference has previously been made purely by way of example.
• Amusement articles for example in the form of toys, such as small vehicles or characters, constitute a sector of application that is extremely vast and diversified, both from the aesthetic standpoint and from the technical standpoint.
• shell-type or capsule-type containers are known that are able to receive inside them an amusement article such as a toy, an accessory such as a key-ring, a necklace, a lucky charm, etc. having the function of surprise gift.
• a container of the type considered may present in the form of a cylindrical barrel with dome-shaped end parts (which are, for example, hemispherical) with an axial dimension (length) in the region of 5 cm and a diametral dimension in the region of 3.5 cm.
• the document No. 2010/109370 Al describes a solution that tackles the technical problem linked to the fact that the dimensions of the amusement article designed to function as "surprise” may be limited by the dimensions of the container so that the dimensions of the article are limited, even in the case of articles comprising distinct parts, to a few centimetres.
• the solution according to the document No. 2010/109370 Al enables, instead, use as "surprise” of articles of a quite considerable size such as, for example, a model of aeroplane that is able to fly.
• amusement articles that can be assembled, for example according to a general criterion of modularity.
• documents such as IT-U-167 969 or
• IT-U-210 696 apply the above criterion of modularity using the aforesaid shell-type or capsule-type containers as bricks of a set of construction toys.
• various embodiments may refer to amusement articles used in themselves and not necessarily contained in plastic capsules or barrels.
• amusement articles that can be assembled starting from a number of pieces, possibly according to a general criterion of modularity: reference may be made in this regard to documents such as, for example, IT-A-1 233 001, GB 2 171 022 A, GB 2 408 219 A, GB 2 490 551 A, GB 200601445 Al , US 3 583 091 A, US 5 061 219 A, US 6 572 429 B2, US 7 553 209 Bl, US 2003/0129919 Al , US 2005/113177 Al , US 2006/0276100 Al , US 2008/0090485 Al , US 2011/0028063 Al , EP 0 586 341 Bl, EP 0 856 341 Bl, EP 1 068 886 A2 , EP 1 463 571 Bl, EP 1 755 757 Bl, EP 2 125 131 Bl, WO 03/059481 A, WO 2005/110571 Al
• the object of various embodiments is to provide amusement articles such as to present a high degree of playability, both in absolute terms, when said articles are not associated to shell-type or capsule-type containers and in relation to their possible insertion in shell-type or capsule-type containers used for the so-called "surprise” gifts in foodstuff products such as chocolate eggs and the like.
• connection for example, coupling (for example, radial or axial coupling) and articulated connection, and/or with the possibility of coupling together different components;
• toys e.g., character statuettes
• added parts which may be articulated.
• FIG. 1 and 2 are a perspective view and a top plan view, respectively, of an element according to embodiments ;
• the reference number 10 designates as a whole an element that can be used for providing amusement articles, for example according to the modalities illustrated more fully in what follows.
• the element 10 may comprise a body made of plastic material, for example, moulded.
• the element 10 may present in the form of a flat body, e.g., a disk-shaped body, with a diameter comprised between approximately one centimetre and a few centimetres.
• the element 10 may present in the form of a flat body with two opposite faces 10a, 10b.
• the hub region 12 may be full or, as illustrated here, provided with an axial cavity 120.
• the hub region 12 and the contour region 14 may be connected together by a plurality of spokes 13, four in number in the examples represented in Figures 1 to 8 and 10, three or five in number in the examples represented in Figures 9 and 11, or six in number in the examples represented in Figures 12 to 14.
• first and second coupling elements may face one another.
• first coupling elements comprising a plurality of swivel-coupling recesses or sockets 18;
• the alternating sequence could be different from the one exemplified here, for instance with a toothed sector 16 (second coupling element) followed by two recesses 18 (first coupling elements) , in turn followed by a toothed sector 16, then by one or two recesses 18, and so forth.
• the recesses 18 are set at the same angular distance apart (at 90° from one another) along the contour of the element 10. Consequently, as may be appreciated more fully for example in the front view of Figure 3, the element 10 may, in various embodiments, present an overall shape at least roughly similar, for example, to a cross.
• toothed coupling sectors 16 can hence be spaced at the same distances apart and are the same as one another.
• toothed coupling sectors 16 may each comprise three cavities 160 and four teeth 161 as indicated explicitly in Figure 1.
• the aforesaid cavities/ teeth may present a complementary conformation that may be identified at least roughly as a dove- tailed conformation.
• swivel-engagement heads e.g., spherical heads
• swivel-engagement heads 28 having a shape and/or dimensions such as to enable insertion thereof into the recesses or sockets 18 and articulation therewith.
• condition of coupling between the formations 20a and 20b is such as to enable free relative rotation of two elements 10 axially coupled together as exemplified in Figure 5.
• condition of coupling between the formations 20a and 20b is (for example, as a result of the presence of ribbings or of other retention elements obtained on the body of the element 10) such as to prevent relative rotation of two elements 10 axially coupled together as exemplified in Figure 5.
• the extension and/or distribution of the first and second coupling elements, i.e., of the sockets 18, of the heads 28, or of the toothed sectors 16, which may present (for example, for the toothed sectors 16) angular extensions different from the ones here provided by way of example and/or (for example, for the recesses 18 and/or the heads 28) a positioning where they are not set at the same angular distances apart;
• the number of the first and second coupling elements which may be higher or lower than what is here shown by way of example (e.g., four - Figures 1 to 8 - three or five - Figures 9 to 11 - or else six - Figures 12 to 14) ;
• toothed sectors 16 present all the same number or different numbers of cavities 160 and teeth 161;
• the articulated configuration may be a hinge-like configuration with capacity of orientation with respect to a single axis.
• Figures 3 to 7 exemplify various modes of use (i.e., various levels of "playability” ) of an element 10 as exemplified herein in Figures 1 to 6.
• Figure 3 shows how the element 10 can be used as pendant or necklace.
• the element 10 can be coupled to a lace, necklace, or bracelet B (schematically represented with a dashed line in Figure 3) that carries (in Figure 3 both of these possibilities, which can be used distinctly from one another, are represented) :
• Figure 4 exemplifies, instead, the possibility of using an element 10 according to various embodiments as element ("brick") of a modular set of construction toys, exploiting the possibility of coupling together a number of elements 10 by bringing into a coupling condition respective toothed sectors 16, i.e., causing the teeth 161 of one of the toothed sectors 16 of one element 10 to couple (for example according to a coupling configuration that can at least be roughly likened to a coupling of the dove-tailed type) in the cavities 160 of one of the toothed sectors 16 of another element 10.
• Figure 4 highlights how said possibility can be extended to two or more elements 10, showing two elements 10 already coupled together according to the modalities just described and a third element 10 brought up close so as to be set in a condition of coupling with one of the two elements 10 already coupled together.
• the material constituting the element 10 for example a plastic material, may present characteristics of resilience, for example characteristics of resilience of an elastic type, such as to enable a snap-action interlocking.
• a tolerance of for example less than 1 ⁇ , such as to enable a snap- action fit between the two elements.
• Figure 5 exemplifies the possibility of coupling a number of elements 10 exploiting the axial-engagement formations 20a, 20b.
• the coupling in question can take place by bringing the elements 10 to mate together.
• the coupling in question can take place by bringing the elements 10 to be at least marginally set at a distance from one another, as schematically illustrated by way of example in Figure 5.
• Figure 5 (as likewise Figure 4) highlights the possibility of extending said coupling mode to two or more elements 10, showing a third element 10 that is brought up close so as to be in conditions of axial coupling with two elements 10 already coupled together.
• the modalities of axial coupling exemplified in Figure 5 may envisage both the possibility of free relative rotation of the elements 10 coupled together and, optionally, the possibility of this movement of rotation being prevented owing to the profile of the complementary formations 20a, 20b and/or to the presence, on the elements 10 axially coupled together, of contrast elements such as to prevent the aforesaid movement of rotation.
• Figure 6 exemplifies yet a further level of playability that can be implemented using an accessory B3, which has a toothed part B31 that can be engaged to one of the toothed sectors 16, for example by inserting it into one of the cavities 160, and has a pin-like part P3 that can be inserted in the hub region 12 (exploiting for this purpose the axial cavity 120, if present) of another element 10.
• the second element 10 can be used as a wheel, as schematically exemplified in the left-hand part of Figure 6.
• level of playability exemplified in Figure 6 can be used in a combined way with the other levels of playability exemplified previously.
• Figures 7 and 8 exemplify yet a further level of playability (which can also be used in combination with the other levels of playability exemplified and/or with the other embodiments exemplified herein) in which the element 10 (or possibly a number of elements 10 coupled together, for example coupled axially as illustrated in Figure 5) can constitute the body part of a toy such as, for example, a zoomorphic toy (a prehistoric monster, in the example illustrated) in combination with a number of accessory parts B4, B5, B6, that can be coupled to the recesses 18, the toothed sectors 16, and/or the heads 28 of the element 10.
• a zoomorphic toy a prehistoric monster, in the example illustrated
• accessory parts B4, B5, B6, that can be coupled to the recesses 18, the toothed sectors 16, and/or the heads 28 of the element 10.
• the accessories B4 each comprise a pair of legs of the animal, which are provided with teeth B41 that can be coupled on opposite sides of an element 10 by engaging the teeth B41 in cavities 160 of two adjacent sectors 16 of the element 10.
• the accessories B5 and B6 are constituted by two further pieces (for example, one designed to represent the head part of the monster and the other the tail part of the monster itself) each provided with a swivel-engagement head B51, B61 that can be inserted in an swivel- coupling configuration into two sockets 18 of the element 10.
• Figure 8 illustrates the zoomorphic character in the assembled condition with the head part B5 and the tail part B6 represented, respectively, in a raised condition and in a lowered condition.
• spherical heads B51 and B61 for modifying the orientation, for example lowering the head and raising the tail or else, in general, modifying the orientation of these parts with respect to the body of the animal.
• Figures 9 to 11 exemplify the fact that the characteristics and functions of use described previously can be referred also to embodiments in which the element 10 has a shape different from that of a circular disk (as presented in Figures 1 to 8), for example a polygon such as a triangle (see Figure 9), a quadrangle (e.g., a square, see Figure 10), or a polygon with even more sides (e.g., a pentagon, see Figure 10, a hexagon and so on) .
• a polygon such as a triangle (see Figure 9), a quadrangle (e.g., a square, see Figure 10), or a polygon with even more sides (e.g., a pentagon, see Figure 10, a hexagon and so on) .
• toothed sectors 16 either a rectilinear profile or (as exemplified, for example, in Figure 9) a slightly arched profile - for example, with its convexity facing outwards - so as to facilitate coupling with homologous sectors.
• Figures 12 to 14 exemplify the possibility, already introduced and discussed previously, of envisaging, in various embodiments, the presence, instead of the toothed sectors 16 (or at least of part of them), of swivel-engagement heads (e.g., spherical heads) 28 having a shape and/or dimensions such as to enable insertion and articulation thereof with the sockets 18.
• swivel-engagement heads e.g., spherical heads
• Figure 12 exemplifies, according to a point of observation approximately corresponding to the point of observation of Figure 1, the possibility of using, as second coupling elements, instead of the toothed sectors 16, swivel-engagement heads 28 separated by recesses 18 having a complementary conformation.
• the elements 10 can afford, in addition to the modalities of modular coupling between elements 10 that have already been illustrated previously, further possibilities of connection, such as for example:
• Figures 12 to 14 likewise exemplify the fact that the choice of envisaging six heads 28, separated by six recesses 18 (but both the number and the sequence of alternation could be different) is suited to bestowing on the element 10 a general shape for example like a star or snow flake, which can be used, for instance, as necklace, as previously proposed with reference to Figure 3.
• Figures 15 to 19 exemplify once again the above further potential of use (of course without exhausting the practically infinite range of possibilities afforded by such a system) with reference to possible coupling modes: - axial with parallel planes of lie, with respective complementary formations 20a and 20b ( Figure 15) ;
• the coupled elements 10 are the same as one another (see for example Figure 4) ;
• the coupled elements 10 differ from one another (see for example Figures 15 to 19) for instance as regards at least one between:
• first and second engagement (or coupling) elements such as the recesses 18, the toothed sectors 16, and the heads 28, in so far as they are elements or members comprised in the part designated as a whole by 10;

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• Toys (AREA)
• Electrotherapy Devices (AREA)
• Pharmaceuticals Containing Other Organic And Inorganic Compounds (AREA)

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Citations (30)

Family Cites Families (45)

• 2013
  • 2013-04-24 IT IT000336A patent/ITTO20130336A1/it unknown
• 2014
  • 2014-04-18 CN CN201480023085.3A patent/CN105142746B/zh active Active
  • 2014-04-18 EA EA201592031A patent/EA034134B1/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2014-04-18 US US14/787,213 patent/US20160101371A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2014-04-18 PL PL14722773T patent/PL2988840T3/pl unknown
  • 2014-04-18 MX MX2015014710A patent/MX361439B/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2014-04-18 EP EP14722773.0A patent/EP2988840B1/en active Active
  • 2014-04-18 BR BR112015027136A patent/BR112015027136B8/pt active IP Right Grant
  • 2014-04-18 WO PCT/IB2014/060838 patent/WO2014174422A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2014-04-23 AR ARP140101686A patent/AR096068A1/es active IP Right Grant
• 2015
  • 2015-10-07 ZA ZA2015/07449A patent/ZA201507449B/en unknown
• 2016
  • 2016-03-15 HK HK16103004.0A patent/HK1215002A1/zh unknown

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