Magnetically Coupled Toy Assembly

Abstract

A toy capable of being easily assembled by a child. The components or elements of the toy are supplied in a bag held in a metallic container or can. The elements, which may be facial features and decorative items, are provided with magnet means enabling them to be attached or secured to the container forming a face with attractive accessories such as a hat or the like.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This application relates to a toy and, more particularly, to a toy capable of being easily and quickly assembled.

Many toys on the market are attractive to a child, especially those which resemble human characteristics. Such toys generally come preassembled as a single item with little or no variety available. The child is left to play with the single toy arrangement provided and is not able to create his toy.

Many other toys permit the child to create a design, shape, or configuration by providing plurality of members which generally connect with or attach to each other. Such toys tend to be complex in nature and are difficult for the child to assemble. Further, these toys seem to place great emphasis on the manipulative skill of the child which detracts from the child's natural desire to create.

Generally, most toys are sold in boxes or containers which are relatively bulky and serve no function. Due to their lack of functionality, these containers and boxes frequently become lost or destroyed, and consequently the parts held therein are often scattered about, frequently destroying the effectiveness and purpose of the toy.

An object of the present invention is to provide a toy which permits great creativity on the part of a child.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy including a plurality of parts which are capable of being easily and quickly assembled.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a toy capable of being easily assembled by a child without requiring great manual dexterity.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a toy for a child which encourages the child's creativity.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy which is durable, yet attractive and relatively inexpensive.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a container housing parts of a toy which is functional.

Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the above objects are accomplished by providing a metallic container and cover holding therein a plurality of parts. The container is cylindrical in shape and preferably is metal. When the cover is removed from the container, the parts are taken out for assembly. The container and cover may be designed to resemble a face and the parts may include such features and ornaments as a nose, ears, and a decorative hat. Each of the parts is provided with a magnet means which permits easy securing of the parts to the container.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the toy is assembled by placing a base member of the toy on a flat surface, balancing and coupling the bottom of the metal container to the top of the base member, coupling at least one member to side wall outer surface of the container, attaching the cover member to the container, and coupling at least one part to the top surface of the cover member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled toy of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the toy showing the cover member removed from the container and a bag holding the parts or members of the toy to be coupled to the container and cover member.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along lines 4--4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a rear perspective view of one of the parts of the toy showing a magnet means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates the toy 10 in its assembled form. Prior to assembling the toy, the parts are removed from a cylindrical container 2, preferably metallic and suitably decorated by taking off a top cover member 14 therefrom and removing a bag 16, preferably plastic holding the parts or members of the toy. The cover 14 is provided with a downwardly extending annular side or edge 18 terminating in an outwardly turned annular lip 20. The cover is fitted onto the top portion 22 of the container which is bordered by an outwardly extending annular edge or lip 24. Preferably, the cover is held to the container by a friction fit, although other communication means securing these parts together may be employed.

The container may be used to form a basic outline for a face as indicated in FIG. 1 or may form any outline or background desired and may be of any other shape in addition to cylindrical. As illustrated in the preferred embodiment, a base member 26 is provided which includes a pair of legs 28, a body 30, and a pair of outwardly extending arms 32. The base member is suitable for placing on a flat surface or substrate (not shown). The top of the base member is provided with a magnet means 34 and a pair of balancing means or spaced apart parallel struts 36 enabling the container to be placed on top thereof and be securely coupled thereto and balanced thereon. After the container is placed on top of the base member, other parts or members 38 or the toy may be coupled to the container to create a desired image or form. In particular, and as shown in FIG. 1, suitable facial features and ornaments are provided to decorate the container.

Each part or member 38 is provided with a magnet means 40 which enables the part to be coupled to the metal container or cover member. As particularly shown in FIG. 5 with a nose 42, the magnet means is in the form of a small permanently magnetized magnet 44 to be mounted to the rear of the nose permitting it to be coupled to the face of the container.

METHOD OF ASSEMBLY

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the toy is assembled by performing the following steps: placing the base member on a surface, coupling the container to the base member, balancing the container on top of the base member, and coupling the parts to the container and/or closed cover member.

It is to be understood that other parts and shapes thereof may be employed, and the preferred embodiment merely illustrates the principles of the present invention.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above article without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A self-stored toy which is capable of being assembled to form a multicharactered figurine-like toy doll comprising a cylindrical shaped container made of a ferrous material, a removable cover member, a plurality of parts including at least one hat enclosed within said container and adapted to be coupled to said container; each of said parts being provided with magnet means for coupling said parts to said container, and the parts other than said hat comprise a plurality of facial sensory elements of a human being; a base member provided with magnet means and balancing means, and simulating the torso or body portion of said multicharactered figurine-like toy doll, said base member having said magnet means and balancing means at the top of said body portion and said body portion including a pair of outwardly extending feet and arm-like parts; the base of said container being coupled to said base member and supported thereon by means of said magnet means and said balancing means, whereby a self-standing toy doll-like figure is erected upon the assembling of said parts to said container and cover member.

2. A toy as set forth in claim 1, wherein said balancing means includes a pair of spaced apart struts.