Self-propelled rolling toy

• US 4,272,093 A
• Filed: 09/17/1979
• Issued: 06/09/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David G. Bories, Dennis Filice
• Original Assignee: David G. Bories, Dennis Filice
• Inventors: Bories, David G., Filice, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Pekar, John A.
• Application Number:
  US06/076,322
• Time in Patent Office: 631 Days
• Field of Search: 280/206, 280/207, 280/78, 280/205, 272/1 R, 272/1 B, 272/115, 272/35, 272/28, 104/68, 104/59, 104/53, 297/DIG. 3, 105/330
• US Class Current: 280/206
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 19/02 Freely-movable rolling hoops, e.g. gyrowheels or spheres or cylinders, carrying the user inside resisting devices overcoming gyroscopic forces of rotating bodies A63B21/22; standing on it for equilibrium exercises A63B26/003
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children

Abstract

A self-propelled rolling toy adapted to contain a child therein and rollable from one point to another, the toy including a seat, and a restraint for holding the child in fixed position in the toy while the child controls movement of the toy. Optionally, a ring is provided having a curved wall whereby, when the toy engages a first part thereof, it is automatically rolled back towards a second part thereof.

Claims

1. A rolling toy comprising:

a generally spherically shaped hollow shell structure having an interior sufficiently large to accomodate a human being;

an opening leading into the interior of said shell of a size sufficient to allow a human being to pass therethrough;

a seat disposed in the interior of said shell for providing a seat for a human being;

restraining means associated with said seat and said shell for both holding a human being in said seat and restraining movement thereof;

feet retaining means on the interior of said shell for retaining the feet of a human being in a fixed position; and

hand gripping means on the interior of said shell for gripping by the hands of a human being

wherein said seat is disposed against and integral with the inside wall of said hollow shell structure, and which seat is comprised of two sections, an upper back section and a lower seat cushion section, each of which is separately inflatable,

said seat further including a pair of harnesses, one on the left and one on the right side therof, through which an occupant'"'"'s left and right arms may be respectively inserted.

2. In the toy of claim 1 wherein said harnesses are each attached to the upper section and lower section of the seat.

3. In the toy of claim 1 wherein said harnesses each include an adjustable belt.

4. In the toy of claim 1 wherein said feet retaining means includes an adjustable foot strap.

5. In the toy of claim 1 wherein said hand gripping means includes a looped resilient strap adjustably coupled to the interior of said shell.

6. In the toy of claim 1 wherein said opening is closed off by a door hingedly connected to said shell.

7. In the toy of claim 6 wherein said door is vented and lockable to said shell.

8. In the toy of claim 1 wherein said shell is comprised of at least a pair of interconnected hemispherically shaped members.

9. In the toy of claim 1 including a confining area encircling said shell, said confining area having a single continuous curved wall curving from a point inwardly of said area upwardly and outwardly of the interior of said area

whereby said shell can travel omnidirectionally within said confined area.

10. In the toy of claim 9 wherein said confining area is an annular ring supported on a supporting surface, and further wherein the curvature and height of said wall are correlated to the curvature and diameter of said shell whereby said shell is confined within said confining area and thereby prevented from going over the wall during said omnidirectional travel.