Action device with confined action element

• US 4,381,620 A
• Filed: 11/27/1981
• Issued: 05/03/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1981
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company (PepsiCo Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: The Quaker Oats Company (PepsiCo Incorporated)
• Inventors: Panzarella, James S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US06/325,353
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 46/47, 46/49, 46/50, 46/201, 46/269, 46/99, 46/100, 46/209, 46/32, 46/1 R, 46/53, 46/56, 46/48, 46/61-63, 272/8 R, 272/8 N, 273/58 B, 273/58 F
• US Class Current: 446/177
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/00 Other toys

Abstract

A toy having a spherical hollow ball rotatably supported on a stand by two stub shafts molded on the ball. An action element mounted on a spindle is located within the ball for limited movement by two parallel apertured baffle plates. The spindle has a length slightly less than the diameter of the ball. Each end of the spindle is beveled and is in contact with the interior surface of the ball whereby as the ball is rotated the spindle and the action element is caused to rotate within the confines of the apertures of the baffle plates. The stand is supported by a resilient neck and a suction cup base.

Claims

1. A rotatable hollow ball action device comprising:

a hollow transparent ball having an inner peripheral surface;

an action element having a spindle of a length slightly less than the diameter of said inner peripheral surface, said spindle having end portions thereof bearing upon and in rolling engagement with diametrically opposed predetermined portions only of said inner peripheral surface; and

means on said inner peripheral surface for confining movement of each of said spindle end portions to said predetermined portions whereby primarily spinning and limited rocking motion is imparted to said action element upon rotation of said ball.

2. A rotatable hollow ball action device according to claim 1 wherein said action element comprises a unitary molded figure.

3. A rotatable hollow ball action device according to claims 1 or 2 wherein said movement confining means comprises parallel, spaced apart baffle plates secured to diametrically opposed chordal regions of said inner peripheral surface, said plates further having coaxial openings defining circular shoulders which are normally disengaged from said end portions of said spindle, and are engageable by said end portions only to confine movement of said spindle to said predetermined portions of said inner peripheral surface.

4. A rotatable hollow ball action device according to claim 1, and further comprising means for rotatably supporting said ball for rotation about a spherical axis extending through the centers of said predetermined portions of said inner peripheral surface.

5. A rotatable hollow ball action device according to claim 4 wherein said ball has axially extending stub shafts, and said ball supporting means comprises a stand having a U-shaped member at one end thereof, and means at the free ends of said U-shaped member for rotatably supporting said stub shafts for rotation about said spherical axis.

6. A rotatable hollow ball action device according to claim 5 wherein a suction cup is provided at the opposite end of said stand for releasably securing said stand to a support base.

7. A rotatable hollow ball action device according to claim 6 wherein said suction cup has a resilient neck to allow swinging movement of said stand relative to the support base.