Reconfigurable toy assembly

• US 4,680,018 A
• Filed: 04/07/1986
• Issued: 07/14/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/1982
• 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:
  US06/849,211
• Time in Patent Office: 463 Days
• Field of Search: 446/376, 446/93, 446/97, 446/431, 446/465, 446/487, 446/470, D21/128, D21/150, D21/166
• 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 reconfigurable toy assembly is disclosed which is adapted to be reversibly transformed to provide two kinds of configurations entirely different from each other between a first position and a second position by only swinging operation. Typically, the reconfigurable toy assembly is constructed in such a manner to provide a vehicle form by folding the toy assembly and a robotic humanoid form by unfolding.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable toy assembly having a vehicle configuration in a first position and a robotic humanoid configuration in a second position, comprising:

a first element configured to simulate the front portion of a vehicle in a first position and a robotic humanoid trunk in a second position;

a second element swingably mounted on the upper portion of said first element, said second element being configured to simulate a robotic humanoid head in a second position and received in said first element in a first position;

a pair of third elements pivotally connected to two sides of said first element, said third elements being configured to simulate a lower portion and front wheel portion of a vehicle in a first position and a pair of robotic humanoid arms in a second position;

a pair of fourth elements pivotally connected to the lower portion of said first element, said fourth elements being configured to simulate a pair of robotic humanoid legs in a second position and received in said first element in a first position; and

a pair of fifth elements each pivotally connected to the lower portion of the corresponding fourth element.

3. A reconfigurable toy assembly having a vehicle configuration in a first position and a robotic humanoid configuration in a second position, comprising:

a first element configured to simulate the front portion of a vehicle in a first position and a robotic humanoid trunk in a second position;

a second element pivotally and movably connected to said first element, said second element being configured to simulate a robotic humanoid head in a second position and received in said first element in a first position;

a pair of third elements pivotally connected to two sides of said first element, said third elements being configured to simulate a lower portion and front wheel portion of the vehicle in a first position and a pair of robotic humanoid arms in a second position;

a fourth element connected to said first element so as to be vertically swingable and horizontally rotatable with respect to said first element, said fourth element being configured to simulate a robotic humanoid waist in a second position and received in said first member in a first position;

a pair of fifth elements each extensibly connected to the lower side of said fourth element, said fifth elements being configurated to simulate a pair of robotic humanoid legs in a second position and received in said first element in a first position; and

a pair of sixth elements each pivotally connected to the lower end of a corresponding fifth element, said sixth elements being configured to simulate the rear portion and rear wheel portion of the vehicle in a first position and a pair of robotic humanoid feet in a second position.

4. A reconfigurable toy assembly comprising:

a frame member;

means mounted on the assembly for translating the toy assembly across a support surface, and

a housing member providing in a first position a simulated vehicle body configuration, movably connected to the frame member, the housing member is divided into component parts that are movably interconnected, reconfiguration of the housing member component parts from the vehicle body configuration of the first position provides a second position simulating a robotic humanoid, at least a first component housing part can be bifuracated to simulate feet of a robotic humanoid, at least a second component housing part can be repositioned to simulate the chest of a robotic humanoid and a third component housing part supports a simulated humanoid robot head member, the first component housing part when configured in the second position is moved relative to the frame member and separated to simulate the robotic humanoid feet, the second component housing part is moved relative to the frame member above the first component housing part to form a chest and the third component housing part is positioned above the second component housing part to provide the head.

2. A reconfigurable toy assembly as defined in claim 10 further comprising a sixth element pivotally connected to the lower portion of said first element, said sixth element being configured to simulate a robotic humanoid waist in a second position and received in said first element in a first position, said fourth elements being securely fixed to the lower portion of said sixth element.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein the housing member includes a front hood member as the second component and the head member is pivotally attached to a portion of the hood member.

6. The invention of claim 4 wherein the frame member supports the means for translating and is divided into component parts, a pair of the component parts is movable to form simulated arm appendages in the second position of simulating a robotic humanoid.

7. The invention of claim 4 wherein the first component housing part simulates the rear end of a vehicle configuration.

8. The invention of claim 4 wherein the frame member can be moved linearly relative to a component part of the housing member.

9. The invention of claim 6 wherein the means for translating includes a pair of front wheels, one rotatably connected to each frame component part that simulates an arm appendage.

10. The invention of claim 7 wherein the first component housing part is separted and moved linearly apart when operatively simulating the feet of a robotic humanoid.