GB2337945A

GB2337945A - A toy

Info

Publication number: GB2337945A
Application number: GB9923115A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Martin Allan Grossman
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1999-10-01
Filing date: 1999-10-01
Publication date: 1999-12-08
Also published as: GB9923115D0

Abstract

The invention relates to a toy (110) having a resilient, at least partly invertable body (112) and at least one element (114) adapted to be substantially retained therein, wherein the body (112) is invertable between a first position wherein the body (112) provides a cavity (118) for substantially retaining the at least one element (114) and a second position wherein the body (112) is substantially inverted relative to the first position (Figures 10 to 13). The body and element are adapted to be stored within an openable container (122, Figure 14).

Description

2337945 1 A TOY The present invention relates to a toy. In particular, but

not exclusively, the present invention relates to a toy having a resilient, at least partly invertable body and at least one element adapted to be substantially retained therein.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toy comprising:

a resiliently deformable, at least partly invertable body; and at least one element adapted to be substantially retained within the body; and wherein the body is invertable between a first position wherein the body provides a cavity for substantially retaining the at least one element and a second position wherein the body is substantially inverted relative to the first position.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toy comprising:

an openably closable container; a resiliently deformable, at least partly invertable body; and at least one element adapted to be substantially retained within the body; wherein the body is invertable between a first position wherein the body provides a cavity for substantially retaining the at least one element and a second position wherein the body is substantially inverted 2 relative to the first position; and wherein the body and the element are adapted to be stored within the openable container when not in use.

Preferably, the body is at least partially selfactuatable to the second position to discharge the at least one element from the cavity.

Thus the present invention may provide a toy with a resiliently deformable body, which in a first position provides a cavity for retaining at least one element, where the body may be actuated to move to a second position to discharge the element from the cavity. This may be achieved by a user deforming the body to the first position with the at least one element in the cavity, and subsequently applying an initial force to the body, to cause it to move to the second position. The resilience of the body -may enable at least partial self-actuation of the body to the second position such that, once set in the f irst position by the user, the body may be caused to at least partly "automatically" move to the second position. However, such movement may require an initial, and possibly subsequent minor interim forces, to be applied to the body by the user to assist the movement.

The body and/or the/each element may, in one or both of the first and second positions, have a predetermined shape or configuration, and/or bear a surface pattern or ornament.

3 The shape or conf iguration of the body may be that of at least part of a human or other creature, a geometrical shape or the like. Preferably, the shape or configuration is a head such as a head formed in the shape of an "alien,, creature. Alternatively, the shape or configuration may be that of part of an animal, such as a dog, cat or horse head. In a further alternative, the shape or configuration may be a generally quadrilateral body such as a cube, a sphere, a pyramid or the like.

The shape or configuration of the/each element may be that of an "alien" creature. Preferably the "alien" creature is shaped like a baby alien or an alien foetus. Alternatively, the shape or configuration of the/each element may be that of an animal such as a cat, dog, horse or the like.

Preferably the toy comprises a plurality of elements. The number of elements may be dependent upon the maximum size of the cavity when the body is in the first position.

Preferably the elements are tightly packed within the cavity.

The/each element itself may comprise a resiliently deformable element body. The/each element body may be deformable between a first element position and a second element position, wherein in the first position the element body provides a secondary cavity for substantially retaining a secondary element.

4 Preferably, the resiliently deformable element body is at least partially self-actuatable to the second element position to discharge at least one secondary element from the secondary cavity.

The resiliently deformable body may be made from a gelatinous type material.

The/each element may also be made from a gelatinous type material.

The gelatinous -material may be at least partly adhesive, such that an element may be removably retained on an outer surface of the body in use.

There follows a description of a number of embodiments of the present invention, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective illustration of one embodiment of a toy according to an aspect of the present invention, with a body of the toy in a second body position; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the body of the toy of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view of the toy of Figure 1 with the body in a first body position, where a user is applying a force to the body of the toy to assist in causing the body to move to the second position of Figure 1; Figures 4 to 7 are views of the toy shown in Figure 3 during movement of the body from the first position to the second position of Figure 1; Figure 8 is a perspective illustration of a preferred embodiment of a toy according to an aspect of the present invention, with a body of the toy in a second body position; Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the body of the toy of Figure 8; Figures 10 to 12 are views of the toy shown in Figure a during movement of the body from the first position to the second position of Figure 8; Figure 13 is a view of the toy of Figure 8 in the second position after the body has moved to the second position as shown in Figures 10 to 12; and Figure 14 is a view of the toy of Figures 8 to 13 stored in an openably closable container.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, there is shown a toy indicated generally by reference numeral 10. The toy 10 comprises a generally spherical body 12, and 3 generally spherical elements 14. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the body 12, and it will be noted that the body 12 includes a cavity 16 therein.

The body 12 is of a resilient, deformable material, such as an adhesive gelatinous rubber material, as are each of the elements 14. As will be described in more detail below, the body 12 is shown in Figures 1 and 2 in a second body position where the elements 14 are outside the body 12.

6 Referring now to Figure 3, the body 12 is shown in a first body position, where the body 12 defines a cavity 18 in which the elements 14 are retained. The body 12 is moved to the first position by a user applying a force to the body 12 to invert it from the second position shown in Figure 1, to the first position shown in Figure 3. This is enabled by the body 12 being of a resiliently deformable material as described above. When moving body 12 to the first position of Figure 3, the elements 14 are each first located on a upper surface of the body 12 opposite the cavity 16 (see Figure 1), following which a user may insert his thumbs into the cavity 16, and fold wall areas 20 (shown in Figure 2) upwardly and outwardly in the direction of the arrows A (also shown in Figure 2). The elements 14 are thus enveloped by the wall areas 20 which then define the cavity 18. As shown in Figure 3, the elements 14 are then retained substantially within the cavity 18.

The body 12 is sufficiently resilient such that the user need only normally apply an initial return force on the wall areas 20 in the direction of arrows B shown in Figure 3 to cause the body 12 to begin to move to the second position of Figure 1. Figure 4 shows the body 12 in the first position after this movement has commenced.

Turning now to Figures 5 to 7 there are shown various subsequent intermediate stages of the movement of the body 12 from the first position of Figure 3 to the second position of Figure 1. In Figure 5, the user is shown supporting the body 12. However, the body 12 is of a 7 ,sticky" material, and may be placed upon a flat, or inclined surface. As shown, the wall areas 20 defining the cavity 18 slowly open outward and downward in the direction of the arrows B of Figure 3, slowly exposing the elements 14. Figure 6 shows the body 12 in a stage when the wall areas 20 have caused the cavity 18 to open yet further, further exposing the elements 14. Figure 7 shows the body 12 in a position where the cavity 18 is fully open and substantially flat, with the elements 14 almost completely exposed. The body 12 subsequently returns, under a forcing action of its own resilience, to the position shown in Figure 1, with the elements 14 outside the body 12. The elements 14 are of a material similar to the body 12, and accordingly may adhere to the outer surface of the body 12. This movement between the first and second positions may be repeated many times by the user, who may derive pleasure from observing such movement.

Referring now to Figures 8 to 13, and initially to Figure 8, there is shown a preferred embodiment of a toy in accordance with an aspect of the present invention, indicated generally by reference numeral 110. The toy 110 comprises a body 112 in the shape of the head of an "alien' creature, and two elements 114 each taking the form of a baby alien creature. The body or "head" 112 is similar to the body 12 of Figure 1 whilst the elements 114 are similar to the elements 14 of Figure 1. Likewise, the body 112 and the elements 114 are of similar materials to the body 12 and elements 14 respectively.

8 Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the head 112 of Figure 8, where it will be seen that the head 112 includes a cavity 116. The head 112 is shown in a second position in Figure 8 where each baby 114 is outside the body 112.

Figures 10 to 12 illustrate various stages in movement of the head 112 from a first position of Figure 10, similar to the f irst position of body 12 shown in Figure 3, where each baby 114 is retained within a cavity 118 def ined by walls 120 of the head 112 shown in Figure 9, to a second position (Figure 13). In a similar fashion to the toy 10 of Figures 1 to 7, the head 112 is inverted to the first position of Figure 10 by a user applying a force outwardly and upwardly upon the wall areas 120 in the direction of the arrows A of Figure 9 to form the cavity 118 in which each baby 114 is disposed.

Figures 11 and 12 show further stages in the movement of the head 112 to the second position of Figure 8 as the cavity 118 slowly opens exposing each baby 114.

The head 112 is shown in the second position after the head 112 has moved from the first position (F:Lgure 10) in Figure 13. It will be noted that each baby 114 may adhere to the head 112 after such movement.

This gives the effect to the user of each baby 114 being "born" from the head 112 of the toy 110. In a similar fashion to the toy 10, this effect may be repeated many times.

9 Referring now to Figure 14, there is shown an openably closable container, indicated generally by reference numeral 122. The container 122 is hollow, defining a cavity 124 for storing the head 112 and each baby 114 of the toy 110 of Figures 8 to 13 when the toy is not in-use. The container 122 comprises two generally half-egg shaped shells 126 and 128. Shell 126 is opaque, and bears the features of an "alien" creature. Shell 128 is clear, allowing the head 112 and babies 114 to be viewed when stored in cavity 124. The container 122 is truncated to provide a flat base 130, allowing the container 122 to be placed on a flat surface. Shells 126 and 128 define overlapping engagement rims, which allow the container 122 to be opened along line 132, enabling head 112 and the babies 114 to be removed from the cavity 124 for use.

After the user has finished "playing" with the toy 110, the head 112 and babies 114 are returned to the container 122, which 'is then closed, for storage. A further, amorphous gelatinous material is provided in the cavity 124 to add to the alien effect of the toy 110.

Various modifications may be made to the foregoing within the scope of the present invention. For example, the body 12, 112 may be sufficiently resilient to selfactuate between the first and second positions. The body 12, 112 and/or elements 14, 114 may be in the shape of a human or other creature, a geometrical shape or the like. In particular, the body 12, 112/element 14, 114 may be in the shape of part of an animal, such as a dog, cat or horse head; a generally quadrilateral body such as a cube; a sphere, pyramid or the like. The/each element 14, 114 may be in the shape of a cat, dog, horse or the like.

The element 14, 114 may itself comprise a resiliently deformable element body deformable between first and second positions, in the first position defining a cavity for substantially retaining a secondary element.

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Claims

1. A toy comprising: a resiliently deformable, at least partly invertable body; and at least one element adapted to be substantially retained within the body; and wherein the body is invertable between a first position wherein the body provides a cavity for substantially retaining the at least one element and a second position wherein the body is substantially inverted relative to the first position.

2. A toy comprising: an openably closable container; a resiliently deformable, at least partly invertable body; and at least one element adapted to be substantially retained within the body; wherein the body is invertable between a first position wherein the body provides a cavity for substantially retaining the at least one element and a second position wherein the body is substantially inverted relative to the first position; and wherein the body and the element are adapted to be stored within the openable container when not in use.

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3. A toy as claimed in either of claims 1 or 2 wherein the body is at least partially self-actuatable to the second position to discharge the at least one element from the cavity.

4. A toy as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the body and/or theleach element has, in one or both of the first and second positions, a predetermined shape or configuration, and/or bears a surface pattern or ornament.

5. A toy as claimed in claim 4 wherein the shape or conf iguration of the body is that of at least part of a human or other creature, a geometrical shape or the like.

6. A toy as claimed in claim 5 wherein the shape or configuration is a head.

7. A toy as claimed in claim 6 wherein the head is formed in the shape of an "alien" creature.

8. A toy as claimed in claim 5 wherein the shape or configuration is that of part of an animal.

9. A toy as claimed in claim 8 wherein the part of the animal is a dog, cat or horse head.

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10. A toy as claimed in claim 5 wherein the shape or configuration is a generally quadrilateral body such as a cube, a sphere, a pyramid or the like.

11. A toy as claimed in claim 4 wherein the shape or configuration of the/each element is that of an "alien,, creature.

12. A toy as claimed in claim 11 wherein the "alien" creature is shaped like a baby alien or an alien foetus.

13. A toy as claimed in claim 4 wherein the shape or configuration of the element is that of an animal.

14. A toy as claimed in claim 13 wherein the animal is a cat, dog, horse or the like.

15. A toy as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the toy comprises a plurality of elements.

16. A toy as claimed in claim 15 wherein the number of elements is dependent upon the maximum size of the cavity when the body is in the first position.

17. A toy as claimed in either of claims 15 or 16 wherein the elements are tightly packed within the cavity.

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18. A toy as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the/each element itself comprises a resiliently deformable element body.

19. A toy as claimed in claim 18 wherein the/each element body is deformable between a first element position and a second element position, wherein in the first position the element body provides a secondary cavity for substantially retaining a secondary element.

20. A toy as claimed in claim 19 wherein the resiliently deformable element body is at least partially self-actuatable to the second element position to discharge at least one secondary element from the secondary cavity.

21. A toy as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the resiliently deformable body is made from a gelatinous type material.

22. A toy as claimed in claim 21 wherein theleach element is also made from a gelatinous type material.

23. A toy as claimed in either of claims 21 or 22 wherein the gelatinous material is at least partly adhesive, such that an element is removably retainable on an outer surface of the body in use.