U.S. patent application number 12/380979 was filed with the patent office on 2010-02-18 for modular multi-piece figures from rearrangeable elements and kits allowing construction of same.
Invention is credited to Joeben Bevirt.
Application Number | 20100041300 12/380979 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 41681582 |
Filed Date | 2010-02-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100041300 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bevirt; Joeben |
February 18, 2010 |
Modular multi-piece figures from rearrangeable elements and kits
allowing construction of same
Abstract
Toy figures assembled from components including ball and socket
attributes which allow for movement between the components, which
allows the user to position the various portions of the figures
into desired positions. A kit of components including ball and
socket attributes which allow for assembly into a large number of
different types of figures or structures of vastly different types
and shapes.
Inventors: |
Bevirt; Joeben; (Santa Cruz,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MICHAEL A. GUTH
2-2905 EAST CLIFF DRIVE
SANTA CRUZ
CA
95062
US
|
Family ID: |
41681582 |
Appl. No.: |
12/380979 |
Filed: |
March 4, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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11324994 |
Jan 3, 2006 |
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12380979 |
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61068229 |
Mar 4, 2008 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
446/97 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F16M 11/14 20130101;
F16M 2200/065 20130101; F16M 11/40 20130101; F16M 11/2078
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/97 |
International
Class: |
A63H 3/16 20060101
A63H003/16 |
Claims
1. A character object comprising; a torso having a plurality of
articulated components, said articulated components having ball and
socket connectors; a plurality of appendages, wherein each
appendage is pivotally connected to the torso, wherein each
appendage is pivotally connected to the torso using a ball and
socket connector.
2. The character object of claim 1 wherein said appendages are
adapted to be easily removed from said torso.
3. The character object of claim 1 wherein said plurality of
appendages comprise articulated components, said articulated
components having ball and socket connectors.
4. The character object of claim 3 wherein said appendages have a
specialty connector, said specialty connector coming from the list
of: foot, hand, wing, claw.
5. An assembly kit for toy use comprising: a plurality of extension
elements, said extension elements having a ball or socket feature
on each end, said extension elements being straight elements; and a
plurality of triangle connector elements, said connector elements
having three attachment features, said attachment features having a
ball or socket feature on their ends; wherein the ball features of
said extension elements and said triangle connector elements are
adapted to fit with the socket features of said triangle connector
elements and said extension elements.
6. The assembly kit of claim 5 wherein some of said extension
elements comprise an element body, said element body comprising: a
first end portion; a second end portion; and a socket engaging end
surface at said first end portion, said socket engaging end surface
being the external surface at said first end portion; and an
internal socket receiving cavity at said second end portion.
7. The assembly kit of claim 5 further comprising a plurality of
specialty connectors, said plurality of specialty connectors
comprising: foot connectors; and head connectors.
23. The assembly kit of claim 22 wherein said plurality of
specialty connectors further comprises tail connectors.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 11/324,994 to Bevirt, filed Jan. 3, 2006. This
application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.
61/068,229 to Bevirt, filed Mar. 4, 2008.
BACKGROUND
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to modular toy elements which
can be assembled and arranged into figures, and to kits with a
variety of such elements.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Modeling kits typically comprise a plurality of pieces of
different types. A structural item may be formed by interconnecting
various pieces. Modeling kits are used by children, hobby
enthusiasts, educators, and the like. The assembly of a model can
used as an educational tool to teach school age children.
[0006] A versatile modeling kit would allow for the creation of a
variety of items, such as action figures, animals, structures,
vehicles and other items from a fixed plurality of items that could
be used in these different applications.
[0007] What is called for is a modeling kit comprising pieces that
may easily assembled into a variety of different types of items.
What is also called for are figures assembled from such pieces that
are easily assembled and disassembled, and which allow for motion
between the pieces if such motion is desired by the user.
SUMMARY
[0008] Toy figures assembled from components including ball and
socket attributes which allow for movement between the components,
which allows the user to position the various portions of the
figures into desired positions. A kit of components including ball
and socket attributes which allow for assembly into a large number
of different types of figures or structures of vastly different
types and shapes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 illustrates an action figure with a plurality of
interconnected connectors according to some embodiments of the
present invention.
[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates a partially assembled figure with a
plurality of interconnected connectors according to some
embodiments of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 3A-B illustrate features for action figures with
connectors according to some embodiments of the present
invention.
[0012] FIGS. 4A-I illustrate different pieces of a modeling kit
according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 5 illustrates a structure made from different pieces of
a modeling kit according to some embodiments of the present
invention.
[0014] FIG. 6 illustrates a structure made from different pieces of
a modeling kit according to some embodiments of the present
invention.
[0015] FIG. 7 illustrates a structure made from different pieces of
a modeling kit according to some embodiments of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 8 illustrates a structure made from different pieces of
a modeling kit according to some embodiments of the present
invention.
[0017] FIGS. 9A-E illustrate different pieces of a modeling kit
according to some embodiments of the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 10 illustrates illustrate different pieces of a
modeling kit according to some embodiments of the present
invention.
[0019] FIG. 11 illustrates illustrate different pieces of a
modeling kit according to some embodiments of the present
invention.
[0020] FIGS. 12A-B illustrate action figures according to some
embodiments of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 13 illustrates a toy figure according to some
embodiments of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 14 illustrates a toy figure according to some
embodiments of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 14 illustrates a toy figure according to some
embodiments of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 16 illustrates a toy figure according to some
embodiments of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0025] In some embodiments of the present invention, as seen in
FIG. 1, a multi-piece toy FIG. 10 is comprised of a plurality of
pieces. The pieces are constructed such that they may be easily
assembled and disassembled. The pieces are also constructed such
that pieces may be moved positionally relative to each other. The
pieces may have a ball and socket construction using internal
socket receiving cavities and socket engaging end surfaces. The
inner surface of the an internal socket receiving cavity is adapted
to fit over the socket engaging end surface of another connector,
or of another piece with a similar socket engaging end surface.
[0026] The toy FIG. 10 is seen as being comprised of a plurality of
pieces. The pieces may be part of a kit of pieces adapted to be
easily assembled into a variety of figures or structures. The kit
of pieces is adapted to allow for assembly into such a variety of
figures or structures by the use of a basic selection of pieces
which allow for a variety of use to create many underlying
structures, and then for completion using a variety of less generic
specialized pieces for completion of the figures, such as head,
feet, and the like.
[0027] In the case of the toy FIG. 10 seen in FIG. 1, the pieces
16, 11 used in the arms and legs, and the pieces 15, 17 used as the
shoulders and hips, are examples of more generic pieces which can
be used in a multitude of ways. The more specialized pieces, such
as the head 14, the hands 13, and the feet 12, allow the user to
complete an underlying body constructed from the more generic
pieces into a more complete toy figure. In this way, a kit of
pieces can be utilized to allow for an almost endless variety of
objects to be created.
[0028] FIG. 2 illustrates an underlying body according to some
embodiments of the present invention. The underlying body is
similar in the assembly of its components to the body underlying
the toy figure of FIG. 1 with the exception of the components 18 at
the base of the legs. Instead of attaching on foot to the end of
each leg, as was done in FIG. 1, a set of claws, for example, could
be added to the base of the legs on each of the balls available for
mounting on the components 18 at the base of the legs. As seen
here, the use of easily assembled and disassembled pieces which
utilize a ball and socket construction allows for a multitude of
assembly options.
[0029] FIGS. 3A-B illustrate some of the more specialized pieces
which can be used in conjunction with the generic pieces in the
assembly of various character objects. The hand 20 and the foot 21
are seen with socket engaging end surfaces, although they may also
use an internal socket receiving cavity in some embodiments, and
the kit of pieces may have both types of joint types available.
[0030] FIGS. 4A-I illustrate component pieces which may be part of
a character object, structure, or part of a kit of components
according to some embodiments of the present invention. An
extension component 11 may have a ball on one end and a socket on
the other end, or may have a ball on each end, or a socket on each
end. A star component may have balls on all four ends 22, or
sockets on all four ends 23, or a combination of these features. A
triangle connector 26, 27 may have balls on all three corners, or
another distribution of end features. A T-connector 28, 30 may have
balls or sockets in line, with a ball or socket at a right angle in
between the ends.
[0031] In some embodiments of the present invention, the wall
thicknesses of the internal socket receiving cavity or the socket
engaging end surface, or both, are constructed so that an
interference fit remains after the ball and socket joint connectors
are connected.
[0032] FIG. 5 illustrates another useful aspect of the components
of a kit according to some embodiments of the present invention. As
seen, a wall structure 40 has been created out of a plurality of
different types of component pieces. The component pieces used as
seen above for the assembly of a toy figure, such as an action
character, can also be used to create structure, such as a wall.
The ease in which the ball and socket connectors can be attached,
separated, re-attached, and assembled allows for a multitude of end
uses for the component pieces. As evident, a kit of such component
pieces would allow a user the flexibility to create and modify a
multitude of toy figures, as well as structures.
[0033] FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 illustrate underlying bodies 50, 60, 70
which have been constructed out of the aforementioned components.
The underlying bodies 50, 60, 70 may be completed with more
specialized hand, feet, wing, and head components to complete an
action figure.
[0034] FIGS. 9A-E illustrate more component pieces that may be part
of a kit of component pieces according to some embodiments of the
present invention. FIG. 9A illustrates an offset swivel which may
allow for motion of a portion of a figure relative to another. FIG.
9B illustrates a three into one component which may be used
structurally, or as a claw in an action figure. FIG. 9C illustrates
an angle component. FIG. 9D illustrates a component adapted for use
in making a wall or other structure.
[0035] In some embodiments of the present invention, as seen in
FIG. 10, a variety of specialty components are seen which can be
used to create a specialized action figure. An elephant's head 81,
tusk 82, tail 84, and feet 85 are seen. However, given the
flexibility allowed the user, the body of the action figure which
may use these specialized components is not so constrained, that
is, may be of specialized or eccentric nature. FIG. 11 illustrates
further specialized components, such as lion's heads 86, 89, and
feet 87, 88.
[0036] FIGS. 12A and 12B illustrate an advantage of the kit aspect
of the present invention. The two action figures of these two
Figures are similar in that they use the same specialty components,
but have been constructed using different body components to give a
different overall look to the action figure.
[0037] FIGS. 13-16 illustrate other action figures according to
some embodiments of the present invention.
[0038] As evident from the above description, a wide variety of
embodiments may be configured from the description given herein and
additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those
skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is,
therefore, not limited to the specific details and illustrative
examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures from such
details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of
the applicant's general invention.
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