U.S. patent application number 11/988422 was filed with the patent office on 2009-05-21 for launchable doll.
This patent application is currently assigned to GENIE TOYS PLC. Invention is credited to David Gamlin, Casey W. Norman, Tony Thatcher.
Application Number | 20090130943 11/988422 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34976426 |
Filed Date | 2009-05-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090130943 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Norman; Casey W. ; et
al. |
May 21, 2009 |
Launchable Doll
Abstract
A launchable doll having arms, legs and wings fixed to the doll
at a waist level thereof which impart aerodynamic lift to the doll
when the doll is rotated A set including the launchable doll and a
launcher including a base, a tube that contains the legs and a
mechanism that rotates the tube and the doll with respect to the
base.
Inventors: |
Norman; Casey W.;
(Gloucestershire, GB) ; Gamlin; David; (Bath,
GB) ; Thatcher; Tony; (Dorset, GB) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IP GROUP OF DLA PIPER US LLP
ONE LIBERTY PLACE, 1650 MARKET ST, SUITE 4900
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Assignee: |
GENIE TOYS PLC
Cheltenham
GB
|
Family ID: |
34976426 |
Appl. No.: |
11/988422 |
Filed: |
July 20, 2006 |
PCT Filed: |
July 20, 2006 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/GB2006/002712 |
371 Date: |
January 7, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/37 ; 446/234;
446/236 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 27/12 20130101;
A63H 3/003 20130101; A63H 29/02 20130101; A63H 27/007 20130101;
A63H 29/24 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/37 ; 446/234;
446/236 |
International
Class: |
A63H 27/127 20060101
A63H027/127; A63H 1/20 20060101 A63H001/20; A63H 1/00 20060101
A63H001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 22, 2005 |
GB |
0515118.8 |
Claims
1-15. (canceled)
16. A launchable doll having arms, legs and wings, the wings fixed
to the doll at a waist level thereof to impart aerodynamic lift to
the doll when the doll is rotated.
17. The doll according to claim 16, wherein the arms and/or legs
are movable.
18. The doll according to claim 16, wherein the wings are pivotable
with respect to the body of the doll so that, when not rotating,
the wings fall to a substantially vertical position.
19. The doll according to claim 18, wherein the wings provide a
skirt for the doll.
20. The doll according to claim 16, wherein the wings are
detachable from the doll.
21. The doll according to claim 20, wherein the wings are
attachable between a torso portion and a waist portion of the body
portion.
22. The doll according to claim 21, wherein the torso and waist
portions are slidable towards and away from each other and at least
one spring is provided to clamp a projection on the wings between
the torso and waist portions.
23. The doll according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the
legs is pivotably attached at least indirectly to the torso portion
and provided with a cam that moves the leg or waist portion towards
the torso portion.
24. The doll according to claim 21, further comprising a lever
provided on the torso portion that urges the waist portion away
from the torso portion to release the wings.
25. The doll according to claim 16, having four wings.
26. The doll according to claim 25, wherein the wings are provided
on two parts which fit together around the body of the doll.
27. A set comprising: a launchable doll according to claim 16; and
a launcher comprising a base, a tube that contains the legs and a
mechanism that rotates the tube and the doll with respect to the
base.
28. The set according to claim 27, wherein the wings of the doll
are arranged to rest on an upper end of the tube.
29. The set according to claim 27, wherein the mechanism is a
windable clockwork mechanism.
30. The set according to claim 27, wherein the mechanism is powered
by a pull string or a pullable serrated strip.
31. A launchable doll having wings that are fixed to but detachable
from the doll at the waist level thereof and which impart
aerodynamic lift to the doll when the doll is rotated.
32. The doll according to claim 31, wherein the wings are
attachable between a torso portion and a waist portion of the body
portion.
33. The doll according to claim 32, wherein the torso and waist
portions are slidable towards and away from each other and at least
one spring is provided to clamp a projection on the wings between
the torso and waist portions.
34. The doll according to claim 32, wherein at least one of the
legs is pivotably attached at least indirectly to the torso portion
and provided with a cam that moves the leg or waist portion towards
the torso portion.
35. The doll according to claim 32, further comprising a lever
provided on the torso portion that urges the waist portion away
from the torso portion to release the wings.
36. A launchable doll having four wings provided on two parts that
fit together around a body portion of the doll at a waist level
thereof and which impart aerodynamic lift to the doll when the doll
is rotated.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a .sctn.371 of International Application No.
PCT/GB2006/002712, with an international filing date of Jul. 20,
2006 (WO 2007/010264 A2, published Jan. 25, 2007), which is based
on British Patent Application No. 0515118.8, filed Jul. 22,
2005.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] This disclosure relates to launchable dolls comprising wings
which impart aerodynamic lift to a figurine when it is rotated.
BACKGROUND
[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,086 discloses a doll. However, it could
be advantageous to provide a more versatile doll.
SUMMARY
[0004] We provide a launchable doll having arms, legs and wings,
the wings fixed to the doll at a waist level thereof to impart
aerodynamic lift to the doll when the doll is rotated.
[0005] We also provide a set including the launchable doll and a
launcher including a base, a tube that contains the legs and a
mechanism that rotates the tube and the doll with respect to the
base.
[0006] We further provide a launchable doll having wings that are
fixed to but detachable from the doll at the waist level thereof
and which impart aerodynamic lift to the doll when the doll is
rotated.
[0007] We still further provide a launchable doll having four wings
provided on two parts that fit together around a body portion of
the doll at a waist level thereof and which impart aerodynamic lift
to the doll when the doll is rotated.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] Representative dolls will now be described in more detail,
by way of example only, and with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 shows a launchable doll;
[0010] FIG. 2 shows the doll of FIG. 1 in a launcher;
[0011] FIG. 3 shows an alternative launcher;
[0012] FIGS. 4 and 5 show the wing parts of the doll in more
detail;
[0013] FIG. 6 shows an alternative wing part;
[0014] FIGS. 7 to 12 are sectional views showing stages in the
fitting of the wings; and
[0015] FIGS. 13 to 16 are sectional views showing stages in the
fitting of other wings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] We provide a launchable doll having wings which impart
aerodynamic lift to the doll when it is rotated, the wings being
fixed to the doll at a waist level thereof. This allows the doll to
have movable limbs so that it can be posed and dressed as a regular
doll. It also allows the doll to be launched from a launcher
without having specific means for coupling to the launcher.
[0017] The wings may be pivotable with respect to the body of the
doll so that, when not rotating, the wings fall to a substantially
vertical position. This allows the doll to sit. The wings may thus
provide a skirt for the doll.
[0018] The wings may be detachable from the doll as desired. In
particular, the wings may be attachable between a torso portion and
a waist portion of the body portion. The torso and waist portions
may be slidable towards and away from each other and at least one
spring may be provided to clamp a projection on the wings between
the torso and waist portions. At least one leg of the doll may be
pivotably attached at least indirectly to the torso portion and
provided with cam means for moving the leg or waist portion towards
the torso portion. A lever may be provided on the torso portion to
urge the waist portion away from the torso portion to release the
wings.
[0019] A particular construction of the doll may have four wings.
The wings may be provided on two parts which fit together around
the body of the doll.
[0020] Preferably, the doll comprises articulated legs and/or
arms.
[0021] We also provide a set comprising a launchable doll as
defined above and a launcher comprising a base, a tube for
containing the legs of the doll and a mechanism for rotating the
tube and the doll with respect to the base. The wings of the doll
may be arranged to rest on an upper end of the tube. The mechanism
may be a windable clockwork mechanism or may be powered by a pull
string or a pullable serrated strip.
[0022] Turning now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a doll having
wings 1 which are arranged to impart aerodynamic lift to the doll
when the doll is rotated as shown by the arrows. The wings are
detachable from the body of the doll and the doll has articulated
arms 2 and legs 3 allowing dressing, etc. when the wings 1 are
removed.
[0023] FIG. 2 shows how the legs of the doll are inserted in a tube
4 of a launcher 5. The tube is rotatable with respect to a base 6
of the launcher. The internal cross section of the tube 4 is not
round so that rotation thereof causes the doll to rotate and fly
out of the tube. The tube is rotated, for example, by a geared
mechanism powered by a windable spring. Such a mechanism is easier
to use than the pull cord mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 5,525,086 and
enhances safety as it allows the amount of rotation and, hence, the
lift to be closely controlled. An alternative mechanism is powered
by a so-called "rip cord" which is a serrated strip, usually of
plastics such as polypropylene. This strip is loaded into the
launcher and engages teeth, either on the launching tube or on a
gear at least indirectly connected to the tube to cause the
required rotation when pulled through.
[0024] FIG. 3 shows an alternative launcher in which a rotatable
tube is formed inside a tower 7 of a palace 8.
[0025] FIGS. 4 and 5 show one way in which the wings 1 may be
fitted to the doll. Two wings 1 are formed on each of two wing
parts 9, each wing part having a semicircular portion 10. The
semicircular portions 10 are joined to form a ring extending around
the body of the doll.
[0026] FIG. 6 shows an alternative wing part in which wings 1' are
pivotable downwardly relative to a semicircular portion 10'. The
wings 1' can form a skirt for the doll in this position. When the
doll is rotated the wings 1' rise to a horizontal position by their
aerodynamic lift.
[0027] FIG. 7 is a sectional view of one structure of the body of
the doll. A torso 11 has a rear lever 12 which is pivoted at 13 to
a rod 14 arranged to slide vertically within the torso. An upper
spring 15 biases the rod 14 upwardly. The leg 3 of the doll is
pivoted at 17 to the lower end of the rod 14. A waist portion 18 is
retained between the leg 3 and the torso 11 and is biased
downwardly by a lower spring 19 arranged around the rod 14. A
projection 20 on the waist portion 18 engages a recess 21 in the
leg 3 when the latter is in line with the axis of the torso 11.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 8, when the leg 3 is bent, the projection
20 is disengaged from the recess 21, forcing the waist portion 18
upwardly and compressing the lower spring 19.
[0029] FIG. 9 shows that when the lever 12 is lifted, the lower
spring 19 expands and the upper spring 15 is compressed until the
two forces balance. At that point, the gap between the torso 11 and
the waist portion 18 is large enough to receive a protrusion 22 on
the semicircular portion 10 of the wing part 9, the waist portion
18 being shaped to receive this protrusion.
[0030] As shown in FIG. 10, the wing part 9 is pushed further into
the gap, pushing the torso 11 and the waist portion 18 further
apart and compressing the upper spring 15 further. When the
protrusion 22 is fully home it snaps into its location in the waist
portion 18 as the upper spring 15 is released.
[0031] The wing part 9 is held loosely between the torso 11 and the
waist portion 18 and the second wing part 9 is inserted as shown in
FIG. 11.
[0032] FIG. 12 shows that when the lever 12 is pushed down, the
wing parts 9 are clamped securely between the torso 11 and the
waist portion 18.
[0033] FIG. 13 shows an alternative structure in which the doll's
legs are used to lock the wing parts in place. A rod 34 is arranged
to slide vertically in a torso 31. The upper end of the rod is
retained by a pin 43. The attachment of the leg 3 and the waist
portion 18 is similar to the previous structure.
[0034] As shown in FIG. 14, when the leg 3 is bent, the projection
20 on the waist portion 18 pulls the rod 34, and thus the leg 3,
upwardly towards the torso 31. The gap between the torso 31 and the
waist portion 18 is maintained because the lower spring 19 is
stronger than the upper spring 15.
[0035] The wing parts 9 are pushed into place as shown in FIG. 15
and snap into position under the force of the upper spring 15.
[0036] As shown in FIG. 16, as the legs 3 of the doll are
straightened the cam surface thereof moves the waist portion 18
upwards and clamps the wing parts 9 in place. At the end of the
travel projection 20 engages in recess 21, locking leg 3 in
place.
[0037] The wings of the doll may be covered with flexible plastics
material that is softer than the remainder of the doll to allow
easier catching. The doll may have conventional fabric wings
attached to its torso to allow it to resemble a fairy. The doll may
include a light source, such as one or more light emitting diodes,
which may be used to transfer light to transparent or tinted wings,
providing an interesting effect when the wings rotate.
[0038] The word "doll" as used herein embraces both male and female
human figures as well as animal, cartoon and fantasy figures.
* * * * *