U.S. patent application number 11/170607 was filed with the patent office on 2006-12-28 for toy wheel display case.
Invention is credited to Dominic Laurienzo, Tam Kai Pong, Brendon Vetuskey.
Application Number | 20060289317 11/170607 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37565991 |
Filed Date | 2006-12-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060289317 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Vetuskey; Brendon ; et
al. |
December 28, 2006 |
Toy wheel display case
Abstract
A toy wheel display case is described. The display case includes
a housing having side walls, a back wall, and a detachably
attachable front wall. At least one of the walls is formed of a
clear material, thereby allowing a user to see through the wall and
into an interior of the display case. A protrusion is centrally
positioned on the back wall and extends into the housing. The
protrusion is configured to allow for placement of a toy wheel,
whereby a user may position the toy wheel onto the protrusion and
encase the toy wheel within the housing. When placed upon the
protrusion, the entire weight of the toy wheel is supported by the
protrusion with no point of the wheel's tire touching the
housing.
Inventors: |
Vetuskey; Brendon; (Van
Nuys, CA) ; Laurienzo; Dominic; (Los Angeles, CA)
; Pong; Tam Kai; (Lam Tin, HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TOPE-MCKAY & ASSOCIATES
23852 PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY #311
MALIBU
CA
90265
US
|
Family ID: |
37565991 |
Appl. No.: |
11/170607 |
Filed: |
June 28, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
206/304 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F 7/03 20130101; A47F
7/04 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
206/304 |
International
Class: |
B65D 85/02 20060101
B65D085/02 |
Claims
1. A toy wheel display case, comprising: a housing having side
walls, a back wall, and a detachably attachable front wall, and
wherein at least one of the walls is formed of a clear material,
thereby allowing a user to see through the wall; a protrusion
centrally formed on the back wall and extending into the housing,
the protrusion being configured to allow for placement of a toy
wheel, whereby a user may position the toy wheel onto the
protrusion and encase the toy wheel within the housing by attaching
the detachably attachable front wall.
2. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 1, wherein all of
the walls of the housing are formed of a clear material, thereby
allowing a user to place a toy wheel within the housing and view
the toy wheel from multiple angles.
3. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 2, wherein the
side wall comprises six side walls, thereby forming a
hexagonal-shaped housing with the back wall and front wall being
hexagonal-shaped.
4. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 3, further
comprising an attachment apparatus formed on at least one of the
side walls, the attachment apparatus being formed to be attached
with a corresponding attachment apparatus on a second toy wheel
display case, thereby allowing a user to attach two toy wheel
display cases together.
5. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 4, wherein the
side wall has a height and wherein the attachment apparatus
includes two elongated ridges that span the height of the side
wall, each of the elongated ridges including elongated grooves.
6. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 5, further
comprising an attachment apparatus attached with each of the six
side walls, and wherein each attachment apparatus includes two
elongated ridges, with the elongated ridges being spaced from each
other in one of two positions, a first position and a second
position, the attachment apparatus being formed on each of the six
side walls such that the elongated ridges alternate between a first
position to a second position on adjacent walls, thereby allowing a
user to connect two toy wheel display cases by connecting an
attachment apparatus in the first position with the attachment
apparatus of a second toy wheel display case that are in the second
position.
7. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 6, wherein the
detachably attachable front wall includes a raised circular
portion, thereby allowing for placement of wheels of various
widths.
8. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 7, further
comprising a toy wheel for placement within the display case, the
toy wheel having a centrally positioned hub, with the hub being
formed to be attached with the protrusion.
9. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 8, wherein the
wheel and housing are formed such that when the wheel is attached
with the housing, the wheel is entirely supported by the protrusion
with no point of the wheel's tire touching any point of the side
walls.
10. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
side wall comprises six side walls, thereby forming a
hexagonal-shaped housing with the back wall and front wall being
hexagonal-shaped.
11. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 1, further
comprising an attachment apparatus formed on at least one of the
side walls, the attachment apparatus being formed to be attached
with a corresponding attachment apparatus on a second toy wheel
display case, thereby allowing a user to attach two toy wheel
display cases together.
12. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
side wall has a height and wherein the attachment apparatus
includes two elongated ridges that span the height of the side
wall, each of the elongated ridges including elongated grooves.
13. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 12, further
comprising an attachment apparatus attached with each of the side
walls, and wherein each attachment apparatus includes two elongated
ridges, with the elongated ridges being spaced from each other in
one of two positions, a first position and a second position, the
attachment apparatus being formed on each of the side walls such
that the elongated ridges alternate between a first position to a
second position on adjacent walls, thereby allowing a user to
connect two toy wheel display cases by connecting an attachment
apparatus in the first position with the attachment apparatus of a
second toy wheel display case that are in the second position.
14. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 1, wherein the
detachably attachable front wall includes a raised circular
portion, thereby allowing for placement of wheels of various
widths.
15. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 1, further
comprising a toy wheel for placement within the display case, the
toy wheel having a centrally positioned hub, with the hub being
formed to be attached with the protrusion.
16. A toy wheel display case as set forth in claim 16, wherein the
wheel and housing are formed such that when the wheel is attached
with the housing, the wheel is entirely supported by the protrusion
with no point of the wheel's tire touching any point of the side
walls.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (1) Field of Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a display case and, more
particularly, to a display case for a toy wheel.
[0003] (2) Description of Related Art
[0004] Display cases have long been known in the art. Display cases
have been devised for displaying a variety of objects, including
dolls, collectibles, and other items.
[0005] In some cases, display cases have been created for specific
items. For example, a display case for a collectible baseball may
be the approximate size of the baseball and may include a base that
is formed to support the baseball.
[0006] However, no display cases have been formed to specifically
display toy wheels. While toy wheels may be placed in other display
cases, the wheel will be required to rest upon its tire, thereby
detracting from the look of the toy wheel. Thus, a continuing need
exists for a display case that is specifically designed for toy
wheels and that will support the entire weight of the toy wheel
without necessitating that the toy wheel rest upon its tire.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0007] The present invention relates to a toy wheel display case.
The toy wheel display case comprises a housing and a protrusion.
The housing includes side walls, a back wall, and a detachably
attachable front wall. At least one of the walls is formed of a
clear material, thereby allowing a user to see through the wall.
The protrusion is centrally positioned on the back wall and
extending into the housing. The protrusion is configured to allow
for placement of a toy wheel, whereby a user may position the toy
wheel onto the protrusion and encase the toy wheel within the
housing by attaching the detachably attachable front wall.
[0008] In another aspect, all of the walls of the housing are
formed of a clear material, thereby allowing a user to place a toy
wheel within the housing and view the toy wheel from multiple
angles.
[0009] In yet another aspect, the side wall comprises six side
walls, thereby forming a hexagonal-shaped housing with the back
wall and front wall being hexagonal-shaped.
[0010] In yet another aspect, the present invention further
comprises an attachment apparatus formed on at least one of the
side walls. The attachment apparatus is formed to be attached with
a corresponding attachment apparatus on a second toy wheel display
case, thereby allowing a user to attach two toy wheel display cases
together.
[0011] Furthermore, the side wall has a height and the attachment
apparatus includes two elongated ridges that span the height of the
side wall. Each of the elongated ridges includes elongated
grooves.
[0012] In another aspect, the present invention further comprises
an attachment apparatus attached with each of the six side walls.
Each attachment apparatus includes two elongated ridges, with the
elongated ridges being spaced from each other in one of two
positions, a first position and a second position. The attachment
apparatus is formed on each of the six side walls such that the
elongated ridges alternate from a first position to a second
position on adjacent walls, thereby allowing a user to connect two
toy wheel display cases by connecting an attachment apparatus in
the first position with the attachment apparatus of a second toy
wheel display case that are in the second position.
[0013] In another aspect, the detachably attachable front wall
includes a raised circular portion, thereby allowing for placement
of wheels of various widths.
[0014] In another aspect, the present invention further comprises a
toy wheel for placement within the display case, the toy wheel
having a centrally positioned hub, with the hub being formed to be
attached with the protrusion.
[0015] In yet another aspect, the wheel and housing are formed such
that when the wheel is attached with the housing, the wheel is
entirely supported by the protrusion with no point of the wheel's
tire touching any point of the side walls.
[0016] Finally, as can be appreciated by one in the art, the
present invention also comprises a method for forming and using the
toy wheel display case described herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] The objects, features and advantages of the present
invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptions
of the various aspects of the invention in conjunction with
reference to the following drawings, where:
[0018] FIG. 1 is a front-view illustration of a toy wheel display
case according to the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 2 is a back-view illustration of two toy wheel display
cases connected with each other according to the present
invention.
[0020] FIG. 3 is a front perspective-view illustration of a toy
wheel according to the present invention;
[0021] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a toy wheel being positioned
within the toy wheel display case according to the present
invention; and
[0022] FIG. 5 is a front-view illustration of a toy wheel encased
within the toy wheel display case according to the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] The present invention relates to a display case and, more
particularly, to a display case for a toy wheel. The following
description is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art
to make and use the invention and to incorporate it in the context
of particular applications. Various modifications, as well as a
variety of uses in different applications will be readily apparent
to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined
herein may be applied to a wide range of embodiments. Thus, the
present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments
presented, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with
the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
[0024] In the following detailed description, numerous specific
details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough
understanding of the present invention. However, it will be
apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may
be practiced without necessarily being limited to these specific
details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are
shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to
avoid obscuring the present invention.
[0025] The reader's attention is directed to all papers and
documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and
which are open to public inspection with this specification, and
the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated
herein by reference. All the features disclosed in this
specification, (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and
drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same,
equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise.
Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is
one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar
features.
[0026] Furthermore, any element in a claim that does not explicitly
state "means for" performing a specified function, or "step for"
performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a
"means" or "step" clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. Section 112,
Paragraph 6. In particular, the use of "step of" or "act of" in the
claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C.
112, Paragraph 6.
(1) Description
[0027] The present invention relates to a toy wheel display case.
As shown in FIG. 1, the display case 100 includes a housing 102
having side walls 104, a back wall 106, and a detachably attachable
front wall 108. The housing 102 is formed of any suitably rigid
material, a non-limiting example of which includes plastic.
Additionally, at least one of the walls (e.g., front wall 108) is
formed of a clear material (e.g., clear plastic), thereby allowing
a user to see through the wall and view a toy wheel encased within
the housing 102. While only one clear wall is needed to view a
displayed wheel, any number of walls may be made of a clear
material. As a non-limiting example, all of the walls are formed of
a clear material, thereby allowing a user to view the toy wheel
from multiple angles.
[0028] A protrusion 110 is centrally positioned on the back wall
106 and extends into an interior of the housing 102. The protrusion
110 may be formed with the housing 102 or separately formed and
thereafter attached with the housing 102. The protrusion 110 is
configured to allow for placement of a toy wheel.
[0029] The detachably attachable front wall 108 is formed to
operate as a lid and be detachably attachable with the housing 102.
As can be appreciated by one in the art, there are numerous methods
by which to detachably attach a lid, a non-limiting example of
which includes having the side walls 104 of the housing 102 operate
as a sleeve, with the front wall 108 having a corresponding ridge
112 to fit within the sleeve.
[0030] Additionally, the detachably attachable front wall 108
includes a raised circular portion 114. The raised circular portion
114 increases the height of the housing 102 to allow for placement
of wheels of various widths. Additionally, because of the circular
nature of a wheel, the raised circular portion 114 assists in
accentuating a displayed wheel.
[0031] The housing 102 may be formed in any suitable shape to
display a toy wheel. As a non-limiting example, the side walls 104
include six side walls 104, thereby forming a hexagonal-shaped
housing 102 with the back wall 106 and front wall 108 being
hexagonal-shaped. The hexagonal shape closely follows the shape of
a circular tire, yet still possesses flat sides to allow for
placement of the display case 100 upon a surface.
[0032] The display case 100 is formed to be attached with other
display cases. In order to attach the display case 100 with another
display case, at least one attachment apparatus 116 is formed on at
least one of the side walls 104. The attachment apparatus 116 is
formed to be attached with a corresponding attachment apparatus 116
on a second toy wheel display case, thereby allowing a user to
connect two toy wheel display cases 100.
[0033] As can be appreciated by one in the art, there are numerous
techniques for forming attachment apparati that enable the
detachable attachment of two objects. As a non-limiting example,
the attachment apparatus 116 includes two elongated ridges 117 that
span the height 118 of the side wall 104. Each of the elongated
ridges 117 includes elongated grooves 120 that run the length of
the elongated ridge 117. Additionally, each of the elongated ridges
117 includes an outer edge 122 that is formed to fit within the
elongated groove 120 of an attached second display case 100.
[0034] The attachment apparatus 116 may be attached with any number
of side walls 104 to allow for connection with at least one
additional display case 100. As a non-limiting example, and as
shown in FIG. 2, the attachment apparatus 116 is attached with each
of the six side walls 104. In this configuration, each one of the
elongated ridges 117 is spaced from one another in one of two
positions, a first position 200 and a second position 202. The
elongated ridges 117 are spaced closer together in the first
position 200 than they are in the second position 202.
Additionally, the attachment apparatus 116 are formed on each of
the six side walls 104 such that the elongated ridges 117 alternate
from a first position 200 to a second position 202 on adjacent
walls. By changing the spacing, a user may connect two toy wheel
display cases 100 by connecting an attachment apparatus 116 in the
first position 200 of a first display case 204 with the attachment
apparatus 116 of a second toy wheel display case 206 that are in
the second position 202.
[0035] Also shown in FIG. 2 are hanging holes 208. Because of the
hexagonal shape, a user may desire to hang the display case 100
with a flat-side 210 up, or with a corner 212 up. The two hanging
holes 208 are formed so that a user may select which direction to
hang the display case 100.
[0036] In another aspect, and as shown in FIG. 3, the present
invention also comprises a toy wheel 300. The toy wheel 300
includes a center hub 302 for connecting with the protrusion of the
display case. The center hub 302 is formed in any suitable manner
to be connected with the display case, a non-limiting example of
which includes being hollow to allow a portion of the protrusion to
enter into the hollow space of the center hub 302.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 4, the center hub 302 of the toy wheel 300
may be placed within the housing 102 and onto the protrusion 110.
After being placed onto the protrusion 110, a user may encase the
wheel 300 within the housing 102 by attaching the detachably
attachable front wall with the housing.
[0038] FIG. 5 illustrates a toy wheel 300 encased within the
display case 100. As shown, the detachably attachable front wall
108 is placed over the toy wheel 300. As illustrated in FIG. 5,
both the toy wheel 300 and housing 102 are formed such that when
the wheel 300 is attached with the housing 102, the wheel 300 is
centrally disposed within the housing 102. Additionally, the toy
wheel 300 is entirely supported by the protrusion such that no
point on the wheel's 300 tire 500 touches any point on the side
walls.
* * * * *