Opening case toy or amusement device

• US 4,575,348 A
• Filed: 03/29/1984
• Issued: 03/11/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Christopher C. Wiggs, Christopher J.C. Taylor
• Original Assignee: Christopher C. Wiggs, Christopher J.C. Taylor
• Inventors: Wiggs, Christopher C., Taylor, Christopher J. C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nolan, Daniel
• Application Number:
  US06/594,534
• Time in Patent Office: 712 Days
• Field of Search: 446/9, 446/308, 446/309, 446/310, 446/311, 446/312, 446/314, 446/330, 446/487, 132/79 R, 132/79 F, 132/82 R, 132/83
• US Class Current: 446/310
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/16 Boxes from which figures jump

Abstract

An amusement device comprises a case in which is housed a figure. When the case is closed the figure is hidden within the case and covered by a lid. An operating button accessible when the case is closed can be depressed to actuate a mechanism which opens the lid of the case simultaneously causing the figure to rise from its stored position and to turn through a 90° angle to an erect position in which it stands out from the case.

Claims

1. An amusement device comprising:

(a) base means and lid means together defining a case;

(b) means pivoting said base means and lid means together;

(c) a display object in said case supported for rotation between collapsed and erect states;

(d) means operable as said lid is raised to move said display object to its erect position and to permit said display object to collapse itself as said lid is lowered;

(e) a tray in said base movable in translation relative thereto and operatively connected to said lid so that when said tray is at one end of its travel said lid is closed and said lid opens as said tray moves towards the other end of its travel;

(f) resilient means biasing said tray towards said other end of its travel;

(g) a table on which said display object is carried, said table being journalled in said tray for rotation about an axis parallel to said base and moved as the tray advances towards said other end of its travel over a fence that cooperates with the lower face of the table to rotate the table and erect the display object.

2. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein said display object is mounted on a turntable carried by said table for rotation relative thereto, a peg depending from said turntable and arranged to become entrapped between a pair of adjacent walls after said display object has become erect, said display object being rotated as said tray moves past said peg during further travel of the tray towards said other end.

3. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein said lid has actuating fingers projecting beyond said pivot and engaged at their ends with said tray so that said lid rises and fallas as said tray advances and retires.

4. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein said lid, base and tray are square in plan.

5. The amusement device of claim 1, wherein said case tray and figure are moulded in a plastics material.

6. An amusement device comprising:

(a) a case;

(b) a display object in said case supported for rotation between collapsed and erect states; and

(c) means operable to move said display object to its erect position and to permit said display object to collapse itself

(d) a tray in said case movable in translation relative thereto

(e) resilient means biasing said tray towards one end of its travel within the case;

(f) a table journalled in said tray for rotation about an axis parallel to said base and moved as the tray advances towards said one end of its travel over a fence that cooperates with the lower face of the table to rotate the table and erect the display object.

7. The amusement device of claim 6, wherein said display object is mounted on a turntable carried by said table for rotation relative thereto, a peg depending from said turntable becoming entrapped between a pair of adjacent walls after said display object has become erect, said display object being rotated as said tray moves past said peg during further travel of the tray towards said one end.

8. An amusement device comprising a case and a display object movable between a collapsed position in which it is housed within the case and an erect position in which it stands proud of said case, wherein said device includes means operable by the user of the device to raise the object from its collapsed position to its erect position and to rotate said object about an axis substantially normal to the case as the object reaches its erect position, said means for raising the object comprising a turntable on which said object is mounted, said turntable being pivotally connected to a tray movable within the case, and fence means cooperating with said turntable during travel of said tray to pivot said turntable about its connection to said tray to raise the turntable and said object to its erect position.

9. An amusement device according to claim 8 wherein said turntable includes means cooperating with said fence means during movement of the tray after the object is erected, to effect said rotation of said object.