WO2006051419A2

WO2006051419A2 - Magnetic toy

Info

Publication number: WO2006051419A2
Application number: PCT/IB2005/003602
Authority: WO
Inventors: Valerio Aprile
Original assignee: Produzioni Editoriali Aprile S.P.A.
Priority date: 2004-11-12
Filing date: 2005-11-11
Publication date: 2006-05-18
Also published as: ITTO20040149U1; WO2006051419A3

Abstract

Described herein is magnetic toy consisting of a doll (1) having at least one part (4) that can rotate about an axis of rotation (6) and bearing externally different features (7). The part that can rotate (4) incorporates at least one permanent magnet (8) in such a way that it is able to rotate about the axis of rotation (6) as a result of an external magnetic field so as to change a feature or expression of the doll (1).

Description

"MAGNETIC TOY"

* * *

Field of the invention The subject of the present invention is a toy that is designed particularly, but not exclusively, to accompany packages' of foodstuffs and the like for promotional purposes.

Summary of the invention The purpose of the invention is to produce a toy, based upon phenomena of magnetism, that is particularly simple and extremely amusing and appreciated in particular by small children.

The toy according to the invention is characterized in that it includes a doll representing a human personage or an animal having at least one part that is rotatable about an axis of rotation and bearing externally, on at least two areas set at angular distances apart from one another, different features, said at least one rotatable part incorporating at least one permanent magnet, the opposite poles of which are aligned to one another according to a direction generally orthogonal to said axis of rotation in such a way that said at least one rotatable part is able to rotate about said axis as a result of an external magnetic field.

By approaching an external permanent magnet to the magnetic toy according to the invention, the rotatable part will rotate in one direction or in the opposite direction, as a result of the magnetic attraction or, respectively, of the magnetic repulsion applied by the

■ external magnet, in such a way as to modify selectively or randomly the features of the doll, possibly also with amusing effects of animation due to a continuous change of features or expressions. The rotatable part may consist, according to a first embodiment of the invention, of the head of the doll or of part thereof. According to other embodiments, the entire doll is able to rotate, and in this case it will be provided with an appropriate support.

The toy or game can conveniently include a pair of dolls designed to interact magnetically with one another when manipulated by the same player or else each by a different player.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings, which are provided purely by of way of non-limiting example and in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a magnetic toy according to a first embodiment of the invention;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view at a larger scale of a detail of the toy of Figure 1; - Figure 2a shows a variant of Figure 2;

- Figure 3 is a plan view from above of the detail of Figure 2;

- Figure 4 shows a first variant of Figure 1;

- Figure 5 is a perspective view, at a larger scale, of a detail of Figure 4;

- Figure 6 is a plan view from above of the detail of Figure 5;

- Figure 7 shows a second variant of the magnetic toy according to the invention; and - Figure 8 exemplifies the use of a pair of toys according to Figure 7.

Detailed description of the invention With initial reference to Figures 1 to 3, a first embodiment of the toy according to the invention consists of a doll 1 representing a personage, as in the case of the example illustrated, or else an animal or the like, the head 2 of which is hollow and has a front opening 3.

Set within the cavity of the head 2 is a spherical body 4 supported so that it can rotate freely, or else, more conveniently, via central pins 5, the axis of which, designated by 6, is, in the case of the example illustrated, set in a generally vertical direction.

On the outer surface of the spherical body 4 are represented, in areas set at angular distances apart from one another, faces 7 having different expressions. Said faces (which, in the case where the doll 1 represents an animal, will consist of snouts, also these with different expressions) , number, in the case of the example illustrated, four, angularly staggered with respect to one another by 90°. The corresponding expressions may be for example: the first smiling, the second sulky, the third sad, and the fourth surprised.

It should be pointed out that the number and the configuration of the- different faces may obviously vary with respect to the example illustrated: in any case, the minimum number of different expressions will be two, in this case diametrically opposite to one another. Incorporated within the spherical body 4 is at least one permanent magnet 8, for example formed by a bar oriented generally in a direction orthogonal to the axis of rotation 6, the opposite polarities of which emerge on the outer surface of the spherical body 4, for example in areas corresponding to the noses of two opposite faces 7. A second permanent magnet 9, set orthogonal to the permanent magnet 8, may further be incorporated within the spherical body 4.

The permanent magnet can be constituted, instead of by a bar, by a horizontal magnetic disk (i.e., orthogonal to the axis of rotation 6) , as designated by 13 in Figure 2a, or else vertical (i.e., containing the axis of rotation 6) .

With the arrangement described above, when the doll 1 is exposed to an external magnetic field, for example as a result of the approach of an external magnet 10 (Figure 3) that may be supplied along with the toy, the spherical body 4 will rotate in one direction or in the opposite direction according to the effect of attraction or repulsion exerted by the magnet 10, displaying each time a different expression, corresponding to one or other of the faces 7, at the opening 3 of the head 2. There will thus be obtained an amusing change of expression of the doll 1 and possibly also an equally amusing effect of animation deriving from the continuous variation of its expressions.

It should be noted that the magnet 10 could be replaced by a second doll 1, similar to the one described above: in this case, the two dolls 1 may interact magnetically with one another when manipulated by the same player, or else each by a different player.

The variant represented in Figures 4 to 6 is generally similar to the embodiment described previously, and only the differences will be described in detail, using the same reference numbers for parts that are identical or similar.

In the case of this variant, the spherical body 4 is replaced by a cylindrical body 11, which is also mounted so that it can rotate about an axis 12 within the cavity of the head 2 of the doll 1, which also bears, on its side surface, representations 7 of faces with different expressions, and which also incorporates at least one permanent bar magnet 8 (and/or 9) or else a magnet in the form of a disk, as in the case of Figure 2a. Also in this case, by approaching an external magnet 10 to the head 2 of the doll 1 there will be obtained, as a result of the rotation in one direction or in the opposite direction of the cylindrical body 11, the same effects already described previously with reference to Figures 1 to 3.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 7, the entire body of the doll, designated by 15, is able to rotate by magnetic effect. In this case, it has a pair of aligned end pins 17, and the toy includes a support 16, in which the pins 17 are engaged so that they can rotate. Said support 16 consists of a casing having a front opening 18 for display of just one of the different features of the doll 15, and a resting base 19 for positioning the axis of rotation identified by the pins 17 in a substantially vertical condition.

In this variant the doll 15, which incorporates within it a permanent magnet with the same characteristics described with reference to the previous embodiments, may present, on one half, a first feature and, on the other half, a different feature. Also in this case, the toy may conveniently include a pair of dolls 15, as is illustrated in Figure 8, for example having different features and designed to interact magnetically with one another when manipulated by the same player, or else each by a different player.

Of course, the details of construction and the embodiments (in particular as regards the features of the doll, its different expressions and the form of the body that can rotate) may vary widely with respect to what is described and illustrated herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the ensuing claims.

Claims

1. A magnetic toy, characterized in that it includes a doll (1; 15) representing a human personage or an animal, said toy having at least one part (4, 11, 15) that is rotatable about an axis of rotation (6, 12, 17) and bearing externally, on at least two areas set at angular distances apart from one another, different features, said at least one rotatable part (4, 11, 15) incorporating at least one permanent magnet (8, 9; 13), the opposite poles of which are aligned to one another in a direction generally orthogonal to said axis of rotation (6, 12, 17) , whereby said at least one rotatable part (4, 11, 15) is able to rotate about said axis (6, 12, 17) as a result of an external magnetic field.

2. The magnetic toy according to Claim 1, characterized in that said external magnetic field is originated by a permanent magnet (10) with which the toy (1) is provided.

3. The magnetic toy according to Claim 1, characterized in that said doll (1) has a head (2) including a body (4, 11) with faces or snouts with different expressions (7) constituting said at least one rotatable part.

4. The magnetic toy according to Claim 3, characterized in that said rotatable body (4) is spherical.

5. The magnetic toy according to Claim 3, characterized in that said rotatable body (11) is cylindrical .

6. The magnetic toy according to Claim 3, characterized in that said rotatable body (4, 11) has at least four faces or snouts with different expressions (7) .

7. The magnetic toy according to Claim 3, characterized in that said rotatable body (4, 11) is housed within a cavity of the head (2) of the doll (1) formed with a front opening (3) for exposure of just one of said faces or snouts with different expressions (7) .

8. The magnetic toy Claim 1, characterized in that said at least one rotatable part (4) incorporates two permanent magnets (8, 9) , set orthogonal to one another.

9. The magnetic toy according to one or more of the preceding claims characterized in that said at least one permanent magnet (8, 9) has its own poles emerging on the surface of said at least one rotatable part (4, 11) .

10. The magnetic toy according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one permanent magnet (8, 9) is in the form of a bar.

11. The magnetic toy according to one or more of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said at least one permanent magnet (13) is in the form of a disk.

12. The magnetic toy Claim 1, characterized in that said doll (15) can rotate entirely about said axis of rotation (17) .

13. The magnetic toy Claim 12, characterized in that said doll (15) has a pair of aligned end pins that define said axis of rotation (17) , and the toy includes a support (16) in which said pins (17) are engaged so that they can rotate.

14. The magnetic toy Claim 12, characterized in that said support consists of a casing (16) having a front opening (18) for display of just one of said different features, and a resting base (19) for positioning said axis of rotation (17) in a substantially vertical condition.

15. The magnetic toy according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it includes a pair of said dolls (1; 15) designed to interact magnetically with one another.