Transformable toy

• US 7,785,168 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spin Master Limited (Spin Master Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Spin Master Limited (Spin Master Corp.)
• Inventors: Yamada, Satoshi, Nobata, Fujio
• Primary Examiner(s): Hunter; Alvin A
• Assistant Examiner(s): YOUNG, SCOTT E
• Application Number:
  US11/644,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20070197124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 446 71- 73, 446/80, 446/129, 446/139, 446/268, 446/269, 446/273, 446/321, 446/324, 446/487, 446/75, 446/76, 446/92, 446/320, 446/330, 446/99, 446/376, 704/13
• US Class Current: 446/376
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 11/00 Self-movable toy figures
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/008 Launching devices for motorless toy vehicles start mechanisms for trackways A63H18/026; for toy aircraft A63H27/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/003 specially adapted for a particular function not connected with dolls as electric lighting devices A63H3/006
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/003 Convertible toys, e.g. robots convertible into rockets or vehicles convertible into planes
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068

Abstract

A toy with an exterior structure. Constructed to transform from a rollable first shape to a second shape. An interior structure inside the exterior structure is endowed with a magnetic body that moves by way of a magnetic force that acts from the exterior of the toy, an interior locking portion that moves simultaneously with the movement of this magnetic body, and a biasing member that effects a force which moves or turns this interior locking portion in a particular direction. If the magnetic force does not act from the exterior of the toy, the first shape of the exterior structure maintained. In the event that a magnetic force has acted from the exterior of the said toy, the exterior structure transforms from the first shape to the second shape.

Claims

1. A toy characterized by a toy equipped with an exterior structure, constructed in such a way that it transforms from a rollable first shape to a second shape, and an interior structure contained within the interior of this exterior structure, and

wherein the said exterior structure is endowed with a transformation means that transforms an exterior locking portion and the said exterior structure from the said first shape to the said second shape, and

wherein the said interior structure is endowed with a magnetic body that moves by means of a magnetic force that acts from the exterior of the said toy, an interior locking portion that moves simultaneously with the movement of this magnetic body, and a biasing means that effects a force which moves or turns this interior locking portion in a particular direction, and

wherein, in the event that a magnetic force does not act from the exterior of the said toy, a locked state of the said interior locking portion, which moved or turned in a particular direction by means of the force of the said biasing means, and the said exterior locking portion is realized, and the first shape of the said exterior structure is thereby maintained, and

wherein, on the contrary, in the event that a magnetic force has acted from the exterior of the said toy, the said magnetic body and the said interior locking portion resist the force of the said biasing means and move or turn, the locked state of the said interior locking portion and the said exterior locking portion is thereby released, and the said exterior structure thereby transforms from the said first shape to the said second shape by means of the said transformation means.

2. The toy as defined in claim 1 characterized by the said interior locking portion being one that moves integrally with the said magnetic body in the interval between the central location and near-surface location of the said toy in a rectilinear fashion, and

wherein the said biasing means is one that effects a force which moves the said interior locking portion from the near-surface location towards the central location of the said toy.

3. The toy as defined in claim 1 characterized by the said interior structure being endowed with a first interior turning portion that turns integrally with the said magnetic body upon a first interior turning axis, and a second interior turning portion that turns upon a second interior turning axis simultaneously with the turning of the said first interior turning portion, and

wherein the said interior locking portion is one that turns integrally with the said second interior turning portion, and

wherein the said biasing means is one that effects a force which turns the said second interior turning portion and the said interior locking portion in a particular direction.

4. The toy as defined in claim 1 characterized by the said exterior structure being endowed with a first exterior turning component that turns upon a first exterior turning axis, and a second exterior turning component that turns upon a second exterior turning axis, and

wherein the said transformation means is a turning means that effects a force which turns the said first and second exterior turning components.

5. The toy as defined in claim 1 characterized by being constructed in such a way that, in the event that a magnetic force has acted from the exterior of the said toy and the locked state of the said interior locking portion and the said exterior locking portion has been released, the turning of the said first exterior turning component and the turning of the said second exterior turning component is realized, in this order.

6. The toy as defined in claim 1 characterized by the said first shape of the said exterior structure being a roughly spherical shape.

7. The toy as defined in claim 1 characterized by the said exterior structure being constructed in such a way that it is restorable from the said second shape to the said first shape, and

wherein it is constructed in such a way that, in the event that the said exterior structure has been restored from the said second shape to the said first shape, a locked state of the said interior locking portion and the said exterior locking portion is realized, and the said first shape of the said exterior structure is thereby maintained once again.