Reversibly transformable toy block assembly

• US 4,578,046 A
• Filed: 03/18/1983
• Issued: 03/25/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takara Co., Ltd. (TOMY Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Takara Co., Ltd. (TOMY Company Limited)
• Inventors: Ohno, Kouzin
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US06/476,822
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 446/95, 446/94, 446/93, 446/96, 446/97, 446/99, 446/269, 446/268, 446/320, 446/321, 446/376, 446/431, 446/465, 446/470, 446/487
• US Class Current: 446/376
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/003 Convertible toys, e.g. robots convertible into rockets or vehicles convertible into planes

Abstract

A reversibly transformable toy block assembly is disclosed which is constructed in such a manner to be reversibly transformed between two kinds of toys entirely different from each other. Typically, the toy block assembly may be assembled or constructed in a manner to be reversibly transformed between a toy vehicle formed by folding the block assembly and a toy robot formed by unfolding the block assembly.

Claims

1. A reversibly transformable toy block assembly, comprising:

a frame means for supporting said toy block assembly;

a pair of first movable elements mounted on both sides of said frame means so as to be shiftable between a first position and a second position;

a second movable element mounted on said frame means so as to be shiftable between a third position and a fourth position;

a pair of third movable elements slidably mounted on said frame means so as to be slidable between a fifth position and a sixth position; and

a pair of fourth movable elements each attached to the end portion of each said third movable elements so as to be movable between a seventh position and an eighth position;

wherein said toy block assembly forms a toy vehicle when said toy first, second, third and fourth movable elements are respectively in the first, third, fifth and seventh positions and said toy block assembly forms a toy humanoid robot different in appearance from said toy vehicle when the first to fourth movable elements are respectively in the second, fourth, sixth and eighth positions, when said toy block assembly is transformed into said toy robot, said frame means forms a trunk of said toy robot and said first to fourth movable elements respectively form arms, a head, legs and feet of said toy robot, each of the elements being permanently connected together as a unitary toy assembly.

2. A reversibly transformable toy block assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said first movable elements are pivotably connected with respect to said both sides of said frame means.

3. A reversibly transformable toy block assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said first movable elements are slidably mounted with respect to said both sides of said frame means.

4. A reversibly transformable toy block assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said toy block assembly is transformed into said toy vehicle having a housing, a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, said toy vehicle further including two rotating members rotatably mounted at a predetermined interval on each of said first movable elements, said rotating members of said first movable elements forming said pair of front wheels and said pair of rear wheels.

5. A reconfigurable toy vehicle comprising:

a first housing member configured in a first position to simulate a front portion of a vehicle, including a, roof member and a front wheel supporting member, the front wheel supporting member being extendable away from the roof member; and

a second housing member configured in a first position to simulate a rear portion of a vehicle, the respective members are permanently connected and relatively movable apart from each other to assume a second position having a robotic humanoid form, a portion of one of the first and second housing members is pivotally movable to provide a robotic humanoid head while a portion of the other housing member is movable to provide robotic humanoid feet, the first housing member having its roof member forming a part of a robotic humanoid body with the front wheel supporting member extended away from the roof member to form the robotic humanoid feet.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein the respective housing members form in a first position a sports car configuration.

7. The invention of claim 5 wherein the second housing member further includes a first and second articulated side member supporting respectively a wheel for contacting a support surface in a first position and capable of being extended in the second position to form respective robotic humanoid arm appendages.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the first and second articulated side members are folded beneath the toy vehicle in the vehicle mode of operation.

9. A reconfigurable toy vehicle comprising:

a first housing member configured in a first position to simulate a front portion of a vehicle, including a roof member and a pair of front wheel supporting members simulating the motor hood of a car, the front wheel supporting members are extendable from a vehicle configuration and pivotable into robot feet configurations; and

a second housing member configured in a first position to simulate a rear portion of a vehicle, the respective housing members are permanently connected together but are further relatively movable apart from each other to assume a second position having a robotic humanoid form, a portion of one of the first and second housing members is pivotally movable to provide a robotic humanoid head;

the second housing member further includes a first and second articulated side member supporting respectively a wheel for contacting a support surface in a first position and capable of being extended in the second position to form respective robotic humanoid arm appendages, the first position providing the major portion of the articulated side members in a parallel stored position extending across the bottom surface of the vehicle configuration.

10. A toy block assembly reversibly transformable between a toy vehicle formed by folding said block assembly and a toy humanoid robot formed by unfolding said block assembly, comprising, when said toy block assembly is in the shape of said toy robot:

front and rear wheels;

a roof member forming a trunk of said toy robot;

a pair of first members movably attached to one end of said trunk forming member so as to form legs of said robot when extended from a vehicle position;

a member foldably attached to the other end of said trunk forming member, which forms a head of said toy robot;

a pair of articulated members foldably mounted on both sides of said trunk forming member, which forms arms of said toy robot when extended from a vehicle position and respective supports for the rear wheels; and

hood members pivotally attached to said leg forming members, which form feet of said toy robot, said members, as a whole, forming said toy vehicle when said head forming member, said foot forming members and said arm forming members are folded and pivoted and said leg forming members are contracted.

11. A toy block assembly reversibly transformable between a toy vehicle formed by folding said block assembly and a toy robot formed by unfolding said block assembly, comprising;

a first member forming the middle and rear portions of said toy vehicle when folded and said middle portion forming a trunk of said toy robot when unfolded;

a second member rotatably attached to one end of said first member, said second member forming a rear surface of said toy vehicle and a head of said toy robot;

a pair of third members stretchably mounted on both sides of said first member, said third members forming a lower side surface and front and rear wheels of said toy vehicle and a pair of arms of said toy robot;

a pair of fourth members stretchably attached to the other end of said first member, said fourth members forming a pair of legs of said toy robot which are receivable in said trunk; and

a fifth member rotatably attached to one end of each of said fourth members, said fifth members forming the front portion of said toy vehicle and a pair of feet of said toy robot.

12. A reversibly transformable toy block assembly capable of forming a toy vehicle and a toy robot comprising:

a frame means;

a pair of first movable elements mounted on both sides of said frame means so as to be shiftable between a first position and a second position;

a second movable element mounted on said frame means so as to be shiftable between a third position and a fourth position;

a pair of third movable elements slidably mounted on said frame means so as to be slidable between a fifth position and a sixth position; and

a pair of fourth movable elements each attached to the end portion of each said third movable elements so as to be shiftable between a seventh position and an eighth position;

wherein said toy block assembly forms a toy vehicle when said first, second, third and fourth movable elements are respectively in the first, third, fifth and seventh positions and said toy block assembly forms a toy robot when the first to fourth movable elements are respectively in the second, fourth, sixth and eighth positions, when said toy block assembly is transformed into said toy robot, said frame means forms a trunk of said toy robot and said first to fourth movable elements respectively form arms, a head, legs and feet of said toy robot, said feet of said toy robot are separated from each other to from a pair, said fourth movable elements comprising a pair of movable parts pivotally connected to the respective end portions of said third movable elements, said movable parts forming said pair of feet of said toy robot, wherein said toy block assembly is transformed into said toy vehicle having a housing, a pair of front wheels and a pair of rear wheels, said toy vehicle including a rotating member rotatably mounted with respect to each of said pair of first movable elements and said pair of movable parts which form said fourth elements, said rotating member of said first movable elements forming said pair of rear wheels and said rotating member of said movable parts of said fourth elements forming said pair of front wheels.