Busy ball child's toy

• US 4,645,471 A
• Filed: 03/07/1985
• Issued: 02/24/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Mattel Incorporated
• Inventors: Herring, Donald E., Gross, Raymond J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/709,469
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 446/219, 446/227, 446/256, 446/258, 446/269, 446/264, 446/270, 446/279, 446/289, 446/409, 446/419, 446/431, 446/489, 446/486, 446/491, 446/339, 446/341, 446/392, 446/440 , 446/465, 446/466, 446/468, D21/65, D21/104, 273/58 K
• US Class Current: 446/258
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 1/20 with figure-like features; with movable objects, especially figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/00 Other toys

Abstract

A busy ball child'"'"'s toy including a generally spheroid structure having a plurality of openings, at least some of the openings being configured for captive yet rotatable retention of a generally hollow ball therein. Some of the balls may be at least partially transparent and contain an amusement element therein such as rotatable figures, beads, reflecting elements, lenticular labels, or the like. The toy is symmetrical about its center and balanced to enable the toy to be spun as a top. An interconnecting post positioned centrally relative to the balls acts as a shock absorber in the event of dropping or striking of the toy on the balls.

Claims

1. A toy ball device comprising:

a generally hollow structure having a generally spherical outer surface;

diametrically extending generally tubular post means within said generally spherical structure;

a plurality of openings in said structure configured for forming socket means;

a plurality of ball members configured for being received within said socket means with a portion thereof extending beyond the outer surface of said structure, said socket means and said post means being configured for captively retaining said ball members therein and for permitting rotation of said ball members with respect thereto, at least one of said ball members being generally hollow and having an at least partially transparent surface; and

an amusement element generally contained within said at least one ball member.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said post means has the outer diameter thereof in proximate relation to said at least some of said ball members, and said post means is at least partially resilient to act as a shock absorber against sudden impact of said toy.

3. The combination according to claim 2 further including anti-friction means on said post means in proximity to said at least some of said ball members for facilitating rotation of said ball members.

4. A toy ball device comprising:

a generally hollow structure having a generally spherical outer surface and having a diametrically extending post means therein;

a plurality of openings in said structure having the centers thereof lying in a common plane generally perpendicular to said post means, each of said openings having an arcuate lip portion about the periphery thereof configured for forming socket means;

a plurality of ball members configured for being received within said structure intermediate said socket means and said post means with a portion of said ball members extending beyond the outer surface of said structure, said socket means and said post means captively retaining said ball members therein while permitting rotation of said ball members with respect to said structure, at least one of said ball members being generally hollow and having an at least partially transparent surface; and

an amusement element generally contained within said at least one ball member.

5. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said amusement element is movable within said at least one ball member.

6. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said toy ball device includes at least four openings and at least four generally hollow ball members, and at least some of said ball members have an at least partially transparent surface.

7. The combination according to claim 6 wherein said at least one of said some of said ball members includes a movable amusement element therein.

8. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said structure further includes diametrically opposed cup-shaped recesses in general alignment with said post means and generally transparent generally hemispherical dome members having the open end thereof engaged within said recesses.

9. The combination according to claim 8 further including optical means within said recesses for providing images viewable through said dome members.

10. The combination according to claim 4 further including anti-friction means on said post means in proximity to said ball members for facilitating rotation of said ball members.

11. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said toy ball device is symmetrical about its center for enabling said toy to be spun as a top about a point on the surface of one of said ball members.

12. The combination according to claim 4 wherein said structure includes at least two diametrically opposed socket means.

13. The combination according to claim 12 wherein said structure includes four socket means having the centers thereof lying in a common plane including a diameter of said structure.

14. The combination according to claim 13 wherein at least two of said ball members have at least partially transparent surfaces.

15. The combination according to claim 14 wherein at least one of said ball members with an at least partially transparent surface includes an amusement element which is movable within said at least one ball member upon rotation of one of said structure and said at least one ball member.

16. The combination according to claim 13 wherein said toy ball device further includes first and second generally cup-shaped portions in said structure at opposite ends of a line generally perpendicular to said common plane and generally transparent dome members attached to said cup-shaped portions, the outer surfaces of said dome members extending beyond the outer surface of said structure.

17. The combination according to claim 16 wherein said cup-shaped portions include static optical devices for providing images viewable through said dome members.