US20130225034A1

US20130225034A1 - Toy with reversible base

Info

Publication number: US20130225034A1
Application number: US13/669,812
Authority: US
Inventors: David Bella Martorell
Original assignee: Magic Box Int Toys SL
Current assignee: Magic Box Int Toys SL
Priority date: 2012-02-24
Filing date: 2012-11-06
Publication date: 2013-08-29
Also published as: EP2620190A1; ES1076539Y; ES1076539U

Abstract

A toy is provided with a reversible base of the type intended to be propelled manually or with the aid of a manual operating tool for moving the base during game play. The toy has features aimed at allowing its assembly in different positions for achieving different sliding or jumping movements of the figure due to the propulsion.

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a toy with reversible base of the type intended to be propelled manually or with the aid of a manual operating tool for moving it during game play. This toy with reversible base has features aimed at allowing its assembly in different positions for achieving different sliding or jumping movements of the figure due to the propulsion.

FIELD OF APPLICATION OF THE INVENTION

This invention is applicable in the toy manufacturing sector.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many toys generally made of plastic material finishing at their lower end in a support plate forming a single body with the toy and allowing it to rest in an upright position on any surface are known today within the field of toys.
These toys are static, the player being the one who must grab them to move them or to change their position.
Other toys having means aimed at facilitating their movement when being propelled manually are also known, for example, the sliding toy described in utility model ES1072477 U is known, which toy internally has a cavity in its lower area in which there is housed a heavy sphere or ball which can protrude partially through a window defined in the body or structure of the toy for contacting with the ground, such that when propelling the toy and then releasing it said toy is then moved by the rotational inertia of the heavy sphere or ball itself.
These and other toys in the forms of figures or dolls existing in the market have a fixed structure allowing a single way of use and movement, for example manually or by rolling, preventing the use of different types of movement of the toy during game play.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The toy with reversible base object of this invention is of the type intended to be propelled manually or with the aid of a manual operating tool for moving it during game play, and has features aimed at allowing its assembly in different positions for achieving different movements, either sliding movements or jumping movements of the toy, by means of propulsing it; increasing the possibilities of game play.
To that end, the toy of the invention comprises a multiform body which can represent an animal, or a human form, or any imaginary or real object and have coupling means for assembling it on a support base at one lower end.
Said support base has, in its middle area, a larger face and a smaller face provided with coupling means which are identical with one another and complementary to the coupling means of the body of the toy; said coupling means allow assembling the mentioned body on any of the faces of the base, which provides the base with a reversible character.
Said base defines a contour having, at least in a portion thereof, an oblique ramp extending between the two larger and smaller faces of the base.
The mentioned features of the base allow coupling the body of the toy on the smaller face of the base in a first assembly position, such that the larger face of said base is the one intended for contacting any game surface.
In this position the oblique ramp descends from the smaller face to the larger support surface such that upon clamping said ramp against the support surface manually or by means of a manual operating tool, for example a flexible blade, the toy is moved horizontally on the support surface.
When the position of the base is inverted and the body of the toy is coupled on the larger face of the base, said base rests on the game surface with its smaller base. In this position when the base is clamped against the game surface by means of an operating tool, moving the support point of the tool from the central area to the periphery of the base, the base rocks suddenly, the toy performing jumping movements due to the inverted arrangement of the oblique ramp.
Therefore, fixing the body of the toy on one or the other face of the base is sufficient for achieving different types of movement or displacement of the toy when it is conveniently driven as has been mentioned.
These and other additional features of the invention described in the claims will be more easily understood in view of an embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description being made and for the purpose of aiding to better understand the features of the invention, a set of drawings is attached to the specification in which the following has been depicted with an illustrative and non-limiting character:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the toy with reversible base according to the invention in which the base has been depicted as resting on its larger face and the body of the toy with its coupling means facing the complementary coupling means defined in the smaller face of the base.

FIG. 2 shows a view similar to the preceding view with the body of the toy coupled to the smaller face of the base during the clamping of the base against a support surface by means of a manual operating tool.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the base resting on its smaller face and the body of the toy with its coupling means facing the complementary coupling means of the larger face of the base.

FIG. 4 shows a view similar to FIG. 3 with the body of the toy coupled on the larger face of the base during the clamping of the base against a support surface by means of a manual operating tool.

FIG. 5 shows a rear-lower perspective view of the body of the toy in which the coupling means of the lower end formed by perimetral channel portions provided with respective lower access openings can be seen.

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the base sectioned through a diametrical plane and in which the complementary coupling means for assembling the body of the toy can be seen.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In the embodiment shown in the attached drawings, the toy with reversible base comprises a multiform body (1) and a base (2) for its coupling.
The body (1) has coupling means at its lower end (11) represented by perimetral channel portions (12) provided with respective lower access openings (13).
The base (2) has a larger face (21) and a smaller face (22) provided with coupling means complementary to the coupling means of the body (1) and represented in this case by seats (21 a, 22 a) for receiving the lower end (11) of the body (1) and by radial appendages (21 b, 22 b) respectively.
These coupling means allow coupling the body (1): on the smaller face (22) of the base (2) as shown in FIG. 2, or on the larger face (21) of the base (2) as shown in FIG. 4.
In the example shown, the base (2) has a frusto-conical contour defining an oblique ramp (23) extending between the larger face (21) and the smaller face (22) throughout the expanse thereof.
When the body (1) is assembled on the smaller face (22) of the base as shown in FIG. 2 and a pressure “P” is exerted with a manual operating tool on the oblique ramp (23), clamping the base against a support surface, the toy performs a sliding movement on the support surface.
However, when the body (1) is assembled on the larger face (21) of the base, when a pressure “P” is exerted with an operating tool on said larger face (21) clamping the base against a support surface, said base (2) rocks suddenly due to the lower arrangement of the oblique ramp (23), causing the toy to jump.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, said base (2) is formed by a first annular part (2 a) with a U-shaped section the outer flange of which defines the perimetral contour of the base and the inner flange of which demarcates a central area in which the coupling means (21 a,21 b, 22 a,22 b) of the faces (21) and (22) of the base are defined.
In this embodiment, the U-shaped section of the mentioned first annular part (2 a) is closed on the larger face of the base by means of a second flat annular part (2 b).
This configuration of the base allows reducing the manufacturing costs both due to the greater simplicity of the moulds to be used and to the lower amount of material necessary for forming it.
Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention as well as a preferred embodiment, it must be stated that that the materials, shape, size and arrangement of the elements described can be modified accordingly, provided that it does not entail an alteration of the essential features of the invention claimed below.

Claims

1. A toy with a reversible base of a type intended to be propelled manually or with the aid of a manual operating tool for moving the base during game play; wherein the toy comprises a multiform body having coupling means for assembling it on a support base at one lower end; said base having a larger face and a smaller face provided with the same coupling means, and complementary to the coupling means of the body of the figure for assembling the body on any of the faces of the base; said base defining a contour having at least one oblique ramp extending between the two larger and smaller faces of the base in a portion thereof.

2. The toy according to claim 1, wherein the coupling means defined in the body and in the base are bayonet coupling means and are formed by perimetral channel portions provided with respective lower access openings, and by radial appendages intended to be housed in the respective perimetral channel portions.

3. The toy according to claim 1, wherein the base has a frusto-conical contour defining an oblique ramp between the two faces of the base throughout its expanse.

4. The toy according to claim 1, wherein the base is formed by—a first annular part with a U-shaped section the outer flange of which defines the perimetral contour of the base and the inner flange of which demarcates a central area in which the coupling means of the two faces of the base are defined; and by a second flat, annular part closing the U-shaped section of the mentioned first annular part on the larger face of the base.