Toy with pivoting portions capable of rolling over and methods thereof

• US 8,057,275 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2008
• Issued: 11/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Inventors: Peckus, Linas, Olson, Jeffrey, Sun, Zhi Xin, Kujawski, Brian S., Yang, Lc, Maddocks, Richard J., Cameron, Don
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim; Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stanczak; Matthew B
• Application Number:
  US12/236,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20100075570A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,148 Days
• Field of Search: 446/371, 446/376, 446/373, 446/375, 446/370, 446/353, 446/330, 446/384, 446/390, 446/391, 446/487, 446/383, 472/134, 472/135, 746/06.R, 74/53, 74/54, 74/55, 74/56, 74/57, 74/58, 74/59
• US Class Current: 446/330
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 13/02 imitating natural actions, e.g. catching a mouse by a cat, the kicking of an animal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1828 Cam, lever, and slide

Abstract

A toy employing a simple yet unique pivoting mechanism to provide back and forth and side to side pivoting movements and operable to wiggle, twist back and forth, and roll the toy over numerous times imitating a playing, cuddling and rolling over puppy or the like. The toy includes a body portion, a first pivoting portion, and a first linkage coupling the body portion to the first pivoting portion at an angled pivot point offset from a vertical axis intersecting the point at which the body and the first pivoting portions are coupled. An angled surface is included at the first pivoting portion and a gear mechanism is coupled to the body portion and operable to pivot the first pivoting portion with respect to the body portion driving the pivoting action at the angled surface of the first pivoting portion providing back and forth and side to side pivoting movements.

Claims

1. A toy, comprising:

a body portion;

a first pivoting portion;

a covering at least partially incorporating the body and first pivoting portions;

a first linkage coupling the body portion to the first pivoting portion at an angled pivot point offset from a vertical axis intersecting the point at which the first linkage and the first pivoting portions are coupled;

an angled surface at the first pivoting portion, wherein the angled surface of the first pivoting portion is offset from a horizontal plane bisecting the first pivoting portion;

two fin like protrusions projecting from the first pivoting portion along the horizontal plane for facilitating a roll over movement of the toy; and

a gear mechanism coupled to the body portion and operable to pivot the first pivoting portion with respect to the body portion driving the pivoting action at the angled surface of the first pivoting portion providing back and forth and side to side pivoting movements.

2. The toy according to claim 1, wherein the first linkage comprises a rotatable drive shaft mechanically engaging the gear mechanism, the rotatable shaft further comprising a surface that interfaces with the angled surface of the first pivoting portion.

3. The toy according to claim 2, wherein the first linkage comprises a telescoping member pivotably coupled to the first pivoting portion to facilitate the pivoting movements of the first pivoting portion.

4. The toy according to claim 3, wherein the telescoping member couples to the first pivoting portion at two or more pivot points in cooperation to provide a loose connection to facilitate the side to side pivoting movements of the first pivoting portion.

5. The toy according to claim 1, further comprising a second pivoting portion coupled to the body portion at an end opposite the first pivoting portion, and a second angled surface at the second pivoting portion.

6. The toy according to claim 5, further comprising a second linkage coupling the body to the second pivoting portion at an angled pivot point offset from a vertical axis intersecting the point at which the second linkage and the second pivoting portions are coupled.

7. The toy according to claim 6, wherein the gear mechanism is operable to pivot the second pivoting portion with respect to the body portion driving a pivoting action at the second angled surface of the second pivoting portion providing back and forth and side to side pivoting movements.

8. A toy, comprising:

a body portion;

a first pivoting portion;

a first linkage having a rotatable drive shaft and a surface thereof coupling the body portion to the first pivoting portion at an angled pivot point;

a first angled surface at the first pivoting portion where the rotatable drive shaft of said first linkage interfaces with the first angled surface;

a second pivoting portion;

a second linkage having a rotatable drive shaft and a surface thereof coupling the body portion to the second pivoting portion opposite the first pivoting portion at an angled pivot point;

a second angled surface at the second pivoting portion where the rotatable drive shaft of said second linkage interfaces with the second angled surface; and

a gear mechanism coupled to the body portion and mechanically engaging the rotatable drive shaft of said first linkage and the rotatable drive shaft of said second linkage to pivot the first and second pivoting portions with respect to the body portion driving the pivoting action of the first pivoting portion at the first angled surface and of the second pivoting portion at the second angled surface providing back and forth and side to side pivoting movements and roll over actions of the toy.

9. The toy according to claim 8, wherein the first linkage couples the body portion to the first pivoting portion at its angled pivot point offset from a vertical axis intersecting the point at which the first linkage and the first pivoting portions are coupled, and the second linkage couples the body portion to the second pivoting portion at its angled pivot point offset from a vertical axis intersecting the point at which the second linkage and the second pivoting portions are coupled.

10. The toy according to claim 9, wherein the first linkage comprises a first telescoping member pivotably coupled to the first pivoting portion to facilitate the pivoting movements of the first pivoting portion, and wherein the second linkage comprises a second telescoping member pivotably coupled to the second pivoting portion to facilitate the pivoting movements of the second pivoting portion.

11. The toy according to claim 10, wherein the first and second telescoping members couple to the first and second pivoting portions, respectively, at two or more pivot points in cooperation to provide a loose connection to facilitate the side to side pivoting movements of the first and second pivoting portions.

12. The toy according to claim 8, wherein the angled surface of the first pivoting portion is offset from a horizontal plane bisecting the first pivoting portion.

13. The toy according to claim 12, further comprising a covering at least partially incorporating the body and first pivoting portions.