GB2266847A

GB2266847A - Inflatable toy.

Info

Publication number: GB2266847A
Application number: GB9210366A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Siu Man Nan
Original assignee: Nanma Manufacturing Co Ltd
Current assignee: Nanma Manufacturing Co Ltd
Priority date: 1992-05-14
Filing date: 1992-05-14
Publication date: 1993-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2012-05-14
Also published as: GB2266847B; GB9210366D0

Abstract

Two portions of an inflatable toy are connected by a joint so as to allow relative rotational movement of the portions. A suitable joint comprises two plastic pans 2, 3 which fit together by a lip and groove construction 5, 7 and may have a hollow flexible tube 8 passing through it to pneumatically connect the two inflatable portions. The toy may be a doll, particularly a life-size inflatable doll for example as sold to adults, with a torso rotationally connected to at least one limb by means of the joint. Such a doll is much more life-like than known inflatable dolls which have fixed limbs. In known dolls, freedom of movement between limbs and torso or between head and torso is dependent upon the flexibility of the inflated material and the extent to which the toy is inflated. <IMAGE>

Description

INFLATABLE TOY DESCRIPTION The present invention relates to inflatable toys or the like, for example to inflatable dolls.

Known inflatable dolls have fixed limbs. Freedom of movement between limbs and torso or between head and torso is dependent upon the flexibility of the inflated material and the extent to which the toy is inflated. Hence they are not very lifelike either in appearance or in use.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inflatable toy having two portions and a joint interconnecting the two portions so as to allow rotational movement of one portion with respect to the other portion.

The portions may be detachable or may be permanently connected when assembled.

Preferably the joint comprises: a first part, fixedly attached to one portion, having a groove of substantially circular cross section; a second part, fixedly attached to the other portion, having a substantially circular lip of appropriate dimensions arranged and constructed so as to be received into the groove and be rotatable therein. The groove may be internal or external.

One or both parts may be generally disc shaped. They are preferably made from plastics material, the first plate being preferably of rigid plastics material and the second plate of a plastics material having some elastic properties.

Where the two toy portions are both inflatable, the interconnecting parts preferably communicate the interior of the portions.

Preferably, the joint also comprises a hollow flexible tube to pneumatically connect the two inflatable parts.

The toy may be a doll with a torso rotationally connected to at least one limb by means of the joint.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inflatable toy having two or more portions connected together by means permitting pneumatic communication between the portions. The means may be a flexible tube having a diameter substantially less than that of each of the portions.

In a preferred embodiment, the toy is a doll and the two portions comprise a torso and at least one limb.

Preferably the two portions are also connected by a joint comprising: a first part, fixedly attached to one portion, having a groove of substantially circular cross section; a second part, fixedly attached to the other portion, having a substantially circular lip of appropriate dimensions arranged and constructed so as to be received into the groove and be rotatable therein.

Preferably the portions are connected by a form of the joint described which permits the pneumatic communication.

It will be seen that an inflatable doll constructed according to the present invention is more lifelike.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic front view of an inflatable doll according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a side view of the doll of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a back view of the doll of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows the construction of a joint used at A in the doll of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a cross-section of the joint of Fig. 4.

Fig. 1 shows an inflatable doll having a head 1, a torso 2 and limbs 3. The limbs 3 are connected to torso 2 at joints A which are shown in more detail and described in connection with Figs. 4 and 5. Due to the constructions of joints A, they can be detached from the torso as shown at 3' in Figs. 1 and 3.

When the limbs 3 are attached to the torso 2, the joints A work so as to allow the limbs to be freely poseable as shown at 3" in Fig. 2.

Figs. 4 and 5 show the construction of joint A. A plate in the form of disc 4 is made of rigid plastics material and comprises a groove 5. Disc 4 is fixed to the torso 2 of the doll. A second plate or disc 6 is fixed to a limb 3 of the doll. This second disc 6 is made of elastomeric plastics material and has a lip 7. The groove 5 and the lip 7 have a substantially circular cross section in the plane of the respective discs 4 and 6. In use, the two discs are pushed together so that the lip 7 is located in groove 5 and can swivel freely therein when the limb 3 is rotated. Hence the limbs can achieve any position within a 3600 circle.

A flexible hollow tubing 8 connects the torso 2 and the limb 3 so that air used to inflate the torso 2 via air inlet 9 (Fig. 3) can pass through the joint as shown by arrows 10 and inflate the limbs 3 simultaneously. Alternatively, separate air inlets would be provided on each limb.

The joint could also be used to connect the head to the torso or for any other inflatable toy, for example to attach a steering wheel to an inflatable toy car. The invention is particularly advantageous when applied to a life-size inflatable doll for example as sold to adults, in the shape of a male or a female.

Claims

1. An inflatable toy having two portions and a joint interconnecting the two portions so as to allow rotational movement of one portion with respect to the other portion.

2. An inflatable toy according to claim 1, wherein the joint is formed such that the two portions are detachable one from the other.

3. A joint, for an inflatable toy, comprising a first part, fixedly attached to one portion of the toy, having a groove of substantially circular cross-section, and a second part, fixedly attached to a second portion of the toy, having a substantial circular lip of appropriate dimensions arranged and constructed so as to be received into the groove and be rotatable therein.

4. A joint according to claim 3, wherein the groove is internal of the first part.

5. A joint according to claim 3, wherein the groove is externally formed on the first part.

6. A joint according to claim 3, 4 or 5, wherein at least one of the parts is generally disc-shaped.

7. A joint according to any one of claims 3 to 6, wherein at least one of the parts is made from a plastics material.

8. A joint according to claim 7, wherein the first part is formed of a rigid plastics material and the second part is formed of a plastics material having some elastic properties.

9. An inflatable toy according to claims 1 and 2, having a joint according to any one of claims 3 to 8.

10. An inflatable toy according to claim 9, wherein the two toy portions are both inflatable and the interconnecting parts communicate the interior of the portions.

11. An inflatable toy according to claim 10, comprising a hollow flexible tube to pneumatically connect the two inflatable portions.

12. An inflatable toy according to any one of claims 9 to 11, comprising a doll with a torso rotationally connected to at least one limb by means of the joint.

13. An inflatable toy substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows

14. A toy having two inflatable portions interconnected by a joint comprising interlocking discs allowing rotational movement of one portion with respect to the other portion, the two portions being detachable one from the other and the toy comprising a hollow flexible tube which passes through the joint and pneumatically connects the two inflatable portions to communicate the interior of the portions.