GB2260756A - Convertible toys - Google Patents

Abstract

An "activity" toy, of the kind which includes a number of items relevant to a particular activity or occupation, for example as carried out in an office, post office or school, consists of a body (10) with a carrying handle (32), a tray (12) hinged to the body (10), and two slides (14 and 16). The tray (12) can be opened to a horizontal position and has a number of compartments (40) to contain loose items (63). The slides (14, 16) can be pulled outwards to provide, with the body (10), a large area which can represent part of a building. The slides (14, 16) can be pushed in to a closed position and the tray (12) closed against the body (10). so that the toy can be easily carried and used to store the loose items (63), without the need for a separate carrying case. An additional member is hinged to the body on the side opposite the tray (12), and serves, when closed against the body (10), to engage the slides (14, 16) and lock them in the closed position. <IMAGE>

Description

TOYS This invention relates to toys.

More particularly, the invention relates to toys of the kind which include a number of items relevant to a particular activity or occupation, or a particular environment in which the activity or occupation is carried out, such as an office, post office or school.

For example, an "office" toy might include a number of toy versions of office equipment, such as a telephone, typewriter or computer keyboard, and fax machine, together with paper, pens and pencils, and so on. Such toys are often supplied with a carrying case in which the various items can be stored after use. Some of the items may be built into the carrying case.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved toy of the kind referred to.

This invention consists in a toy of the kind referred to, comprising a body, a tray hinged to the body and movable between an open position in which the body stands upright and the tray extends generally horizontally from a lower portion of the body and a closed position in which the tray lies against the body, the tray having compartments in which loose items can be stored and which are retained in the compartment when the tray is in the closed position, a carrying handle fixed to the body, and two extension members each mounted on the body and movable between a retracted position and an extended position in which each member extends from a respective side of the body.

Preferably, each extension member is slidable on the body between the retracted and extended positions.

In one form of the invention, the extension members are mounted on the side of the body opposite the tray, and arranged so that there is a spacing between the extension members in the retracted position, and a further member is hinged to the body on the side opposite the tray for movement between a closed position in which it fits between the extension members, and an open position in which it extends generally horizontally from the body. Preferably, the further member in its closed position engages the extension members to lock them in the retracted position.

In one embodiment of the invention, the body comprises an upper portion to which the carrying handle is fixed, a lower portion to which the tray is hinged, and two uprights extending between the upper and lower portions of the body and defining between them an aperture. The aperture may be closed by an opaque sheet, or alternatively may be left open or closed by a transparent sheet, to simulate, for example, the cashier's window of a post office.

The tray may be provided with a cover or covers to close the compartments before the tray is moved to the closed position.- The cover or covers may be hinged to the side of the tray remote from the body.

The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view from the front and one side of a toy in accordance with the invention, in the open position, Figure 2 is a view from the back and one side of the toy, in the open position, Figure 3 is an exploded view of the toy, Figure 4 is a view of the toy from the front and one side, in the closed position, and Figure 5 is a view of the toy from the rear and one side, in the closed position.

Referring to the drawings, a toy comprises a body 10, a tray 12 hinged to the body, and two slides 14 and 16.

The body 10 comprises an upper section 22 joined by two upright members 24 and 26 to a base section 30. The upper section 22 has a recess 23 in which is mounted an integral carrying handle 32.

The tray 12 has a flat base 34 and two side walls 35. Rearward extensions 36 of the side walls 35 have bosses 37 which fit into recesses 38 in the base section 30 of body 10, so that the tray 12 hinges between a closed position, shown in Figure 4, and an open position, shown in Figure 1. A suitable catch (not shown) is provided to hold the tray in the closed position. The tray is divided into a number of compartments 40 which can be used to receive and store small articles. A cover 42 is hinged to the front wall 41 of the tray 12 so that the cover can be moved between a closed position in which it closes the compartments 40 and an open position in which it extends forwards from the tray, as shown in Figure 1.

The slides 14 and 16 are each movable between a retracted position, shown in Figure 4 and 5, and an extended position shown in Figures 1 and 2. Slide 14 consists of a generally rectangular body which slides horizontally between the upper portion 20 and lower portion 30 of the body 10. Slide 14 is formed on its upper surface with an elongated projection 44, which fits into a groove 45 in the upper portion 20 of the body 10. The lower surface of slide 14 is similarly formed with an elongate projection 46 which fits into a groove 47 in the lower portion 30 of the body 10, to retain the slide on the body. To facilitate assembly, groove 47 is defined between a lower part of the upright 24 and a part 25 screwed to the upright 24. Outward movement of slide 14 to its extended position is limited by stops 48 and 49 formed on the projections 44 and 46.Slide 14 is formed with a handle 49 by means of which it can be easily moved between the retracted and extended position. Slide 16 is constructed and mounted on the body 10 in a similar manner to slide 14. A further extension member 50 is hinged to the rear of the base section 30 so that it can move between a closed position, shown in Figure 5, in which it fits between the slides 14 and 16 in their retracted positions, and an open position in which it extends rearwards from the body 10, as shown in Figure 2. Hook-shaped projections 61 on slides 14 and 16 engage in recesses 62 in the member 50 when the member 50 is in its closed position, to lock the slides in the retracted position.

The aperture in the body, defined by the uprights 24 and 26 and the upper and base sections 22 and 30, is filled with a sheet 60, which may be opaque or transparent. Alternatively, the aperture may be left open.

In the closed position, the toy can be easily carried, and can be used to store, in the compartments 40 of tray 12, loose items 63 (Figure 1) supplied as part of the toy. In the open position, the body 10 and the slides 12 and 14, can be used to represent part of a building, for example the wall of a school, the cashier's window of a post office, or the reception desk of an office. The relatively large area provided by the body 10 and the extended slides 14 and 16 can be used to hold a number of articles. For example, as shown in Figure 3, an "office" toy can be provided with filing trays 62 fixed to slide 16, and a memo pad 63 fixed to slide 14. Other items, such as a telephone index and a pencil holder, may be fixed to the opposite faces of the slides, and to the rear faces of the uprights 24 and 26 of the body 10. Further items may be fixed to or incorporated in the sheet 60. The tray 14 may be provided with relevant toy articles, some of which, for example a toy printing device, may be fixed into the tray. The compartments 40 of the tray may be used to house pencils, pens, etc., and the cover 42 may be made to simulate the keyboard of a computer. The surface of cover 42 may also be provided with a raised design, which a child can transfer to a sheet of paper placed on the raised surface by rubbing over the sheet with a pencil or crayon. The extension member 50 may be formed as a relevant item. For example, the member 50 could be formed with a recess 51 to receive a toy calculator (not shown). Other small articles, for example a bell or a flashing light, may be incorporated into the body, tray or slides of the toy.

It will be appreciated that the toy described can be used as the basis of a number of separate toys. by providing suitable items fixed to the body, slides or tray, or provided as loose items housed in the tray.

The various components of the toy may be made of a suitable plastics material.

Claims (8)

1. A toy comprising a body, a tray hinged to the body and movable between an open position in which the body stands upright and the tray extends generally horizontally from a lower portion of the body and a closed position in which the tray lies against the body, the tray having compartments in which loose items can be stored and which are retained in the compartment when the tray is in the closed position, a carrying handle fixed to the body, and two extension members each mounted on the body and movable between a retracted position and an extended position in which each member extends from a respective side of the body.

2. A toy as claimed in Claim 1, in which each extension member is slidable on the body between the retracted and extended positions.

3. A toy as claimed in Claim 2, in which the extension members are mounted on the side of the body opposite the tray, and arranged so that there is a spacing between the extension members in the retracted position, and a further member is hinged to the body on the side opposite the tray for movement between a closed position in which it fits between the extension members, and an open position in which it extends generally horizontally from the body.

4. A toy as claimed in Claim 3, in which the further member in its closed position engages the extension members to lock them in the retracted position.

5. A toy as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the body comprises an upper portion to which the carrying handle is fixed, a lower portion to which the tray is hinged, and two uprights extending between the upper and lower portions of the body and defining between them an aperture.

6. A toy as claimed in Claim 5, in which the aperture is closed by an opaque or transparent sheet.

7. The toy as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the tray is provided with a cover or covers to close the compartments before the tray is moved to the closed position.

8. A toy as claimed in Claim 7, in which the cover is hinged to the side of the tray remote from the body.