Toy

• US 6,203,393 B1
• Filed: 07/19/1999
• Issued: 03/20/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Round LLC
• Original Assignee: The Round LLC
• Inventors: Flynn, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Ackun, Jacob K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Carlson, Jeffrey D.
• Application Number:
  US09/194,656
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 446/75, 446/76, 446/77, 446/78, 446/93, 446/94, 446/95, 446/230, 446/231
• US Class Current: 446/75
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/002 made of parts to be assembled
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 23/005 made of parts to be assembled
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/003 Convertible toys, e.g. robots convertible into rockets or vehicles convertible into planes

Abstract

A toy which includes a hollow spherical body is disclosed. The body is adapted to be dismantled into at least two parts. Component parts are included within the body. These component parts are adapted to be releasably fixed to the exterior of the body to modify the appearance of the body into a car, a truck, a helicopter, aircraft, spaceship, submarine or similar vehicle. A character may also be included within the spherical body.

Claims

1. A toy including a hollow ball having an equator, wherein the ball is adapted to be disassembled about its equator into two or more parts and wherein one or more components are stored within the ball, the components being removably attachable to the outside surface of the ball and/or removably attachable to each other so as to modify the appearance of the toy, and wherein at least a portion of the ball'"'"'s exterior surface is removable to reveal a transparent portion of the ball'"'"'s surface.

2. A toy according to claim 1 wherein the hollow ball is substantially spherical.

3. A toy according to claim 1 in which the components comprise a character or parts necessary to form a character such as head, body, arms, legs.

4. A toy according to claim 1 in which the components comprise a steering wheel and a seat.

5. A toy according to claim 3 in which one of the parts includes a steering wheel and/or a seat attached to its internal surface.

6. A toy according to claim 1 in which the components comprise parts required to form a vehicle such as a car, a helicopter or an airphane when said parts are attached to the exterior surface of the hollow ball.

7. A toy according to claim 6 in which the components include one or several of the following:

wheels, axles, helicopter tail, helicopter skids, helicopter rotor, airplane wings, spaceship parts, submarine parts, digger parts, and crane parts.

8. A toy according to claim 6 in which holes are provided in the external surface of the ball, the holes being the means by which the components are attachable to the external surface of the sphere.

9. A toy including a hollow spherical ball, the ball being adapted to be disassembled into a first part and a second part, wherein at least one component is stored within the hollow ball, the at least one component being releasably attachable to the outside surface of the hollow ball so as to modify the appearance of the hollow spherical ball such that it resembles a car, a truck, a digger, a crane, a helicopter, an airplane, a submarine or a spaceship. wherein at least a portion of the ball'"'"'s exterior surface is removable to reveal a transparent section of the ball'"'"'s surface.

10. A toy according to claim 9 wherein the hollow spherical ball also includes a character.