Non-rollable to rollable transforming toy

• US 8,814,629 B2
• Filed: 06/14/2012
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Johnston, Andrew Lewis
• Original Assignee: Johnston, Andrew Lewis
• Inventors: Johnston, Andrew Lewis
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cegielnik, Urszula M
• Application Number:
  US13/523,788
• Publication Number:
  US 20120329365A1
• Time in Patent Office: 803 Days
• Field of Search: 446/431, 446/409, 446/487, 446269-294, 446/470, 446129-139, 473/569, 473/577, 473/587, 473/588, 473/595, 273/359, 273/108, 273/126.R, 273/129.R
• US Class Current: 446/487
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/00 Toy vehicles, e.g. with self-drive; convertible into other toys A63H33/003; Cranes, winches or the like; Accessories therefor traffic games with figures moved by players A63F9/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 17/02 convertible into other forms under the action of impact or shock, e.g. arrangements for imitating accidents
• 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 transformable toy with an alterable exterior structure. The toy is constructed to transform from a non-rollable first shape to a second rollable shape. An interior structure inside the exterior structure includes two or more exterior wall portions that collectively define a sphere, the wall portions moveably coupled relative to each and actuated by a triggering mechanism reactive to a magnetic force that is initiated external to the toy, and a biasing member that effects a force which transitions the wall portions to control the exterior structure—from a non-rollable (e.g., half-sphere or the like) first shape to a rollable (e.g., sphere or the like) second shape. Without initiation of the magnetic force, the first shape is maintained. With initiation of the magnetic force, the first shape transforms to the second shape.

Claims

1. A toy, comprising:

a housing having a first exterior wall shaped as a first portion of a sphere sectioned by a plane passing through said sphere to form a first planar face, said housing including a cavity within said first portion of said sphere;

a sphere-completing structure moveably coupled to said housing and disposed within said cavity, said sphere-completing structure including a second exterior wall including a part shaped as a second portion of said sphere sectioned by said plane passing through said sphere to form a second planar face wherein said first and second portions together are configurable to complete said sphere and wherein said sphere-completing structure is moveable within said cavity between a first position in which said planar faces are substantially parallel with said sphere-completing structure substantially disposed within said cavity and a second position in which said planar faces are substantially parallel with said sphere-completing structure substantially disposed outside said cavity;

a biasing system coupled to said housing and to said sphere-completing structure, said biasing system capable of applying a biasing force sufficient to transform said sphere-completing structure from said first position to said second position; and

a latching system coupled to said housing and to said sphere-completing structure, said latching system including a first latching mode maintaining said first position against said biasing force and maintaining said second position when said sphere-completing structure is transformed to said second position by said biasing force;

wherein said latching system includes an externally-actuable trigger for releasing said first latching mode.

2. The toy of claim 1 wherein said externally-actuable trigger includes a magnetic element disposed within said cavity.

3. The toy of claim 1 wherein said externally-actuable trigger includes a first magnetic component.

4. A transformable toy configurable to repeatably transition between a glide state and a spherical state, comprising:

a housing having a first exterior domed surface defining a first partial spherical surface having a cavity accessed through a first planar opening in said first exterior domed surface;

a sphere-completing element having a second domed exterior surface coupled to a planar face, sphere-completing element moveably coupled to said housing inside said cavity for a movement of said sphere-completing element within said cavity, said movement configured for a first repeatable transformation of said sphere-completing element between a glide position and a spherical position and said movement further configured for a second repeatable transformation of said sphere-completing element between said spherical position and said glide position, said glide position configured to dispose said planar face outside said cavity with said second domed exterior surface disposed inside said cavity and said spherical position configured to dispose said planar face inside said cavity with said second domed exterior surface disposed outside said cavity wherein said partial spherical surfaces collectively define a substantially spherical surface when said sphere-completing element is disposed in said spherical position;

a latching system, coupled to said sphere-completing element, including a latch maintaining said sphere-completing element in said glide position until a trigger event releases said latch.

5. The transformable toy of claim 4 further comprising:

a biasing system coupled to said housing and to said sphere-completing element, said biasing system configured to apply a biasing force to said sphere-completing element transforming it from said glide position to said spherical position.

6. The transformable toy of claim 4 wherein said sphere-completing element is rotatably coupled to said housing and wherein said repeatable transformations include rotations of said sphere-completing element within said cavity when transitioning between said states.

7. The transformable toy of claim 5 wherein said sphere-completing element is rotatably coupled to said housing and wherein said repeatable transformations include rotations of said sphere-completing element within said cavity when transitioning between said states.

8. The transformable toy of claim 4 wherein said sphere-completing element includes an internal volume defined by said second domed exterior surface and said planar face, further comprising:

a triggering mechanism, disposed within said internal volume, coupled to said latching system, and responsive to a detection of a triggering element disposed outside said internal volume and proximate to said planar face when said sphere-completing element is in said glide position, said detection configured to produce said trigger event to said latching system to release said latch.

9. The transformable toy of claim 7 wherein said sphere-completing element includes an internal volume defined by said second domed exterior surface and said planar face, further comprising:

a triggering mechanism, disposed within said internal volume, coupled to said latching system, and responsive to a detection of a triggering element disposed outside said internal volume and proximate to said planar face when said sphere-completing element is in said glide position, said detection configured to produce said trigger event to said latching system to release said latch.

10. The transformable toy of claim 8 wherein said triggering mechanism includes a first magnetic component and wherein said triggering element includes a second magnetic component magnetically complementary to said first magnetic component.

11. The transformable toy of claim 10 wherein said detection includes said triggering element captured against said planar face by said first magnetic component.

12. The transformable toy of claim 9 wherein said triggering mechanism includes a first magnetic component and wherein said triggering element includes a second magnetic component magnetically complementary to said first magnetic component.

13. The transformable toy of claim 12 wherein said detection includes said triggering element captured against said planar face by said first magnetic component.

14. The transformable toy of claim 4 wherein said planar face includes a plurality of motive elements.

15. The transformable toy of claim 13 wherein said planar face includes a plurality of motive elements.