Transformable Toy

• US 20100252990A1
• Filed: 06/23/2010
• Published: 10/07/2010
• 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
• Granted Patent: US 8,500,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 273/108
• 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 comprising a main body element and at least one first moveable element associated with said main body element and moveable with respect thereto from a first position adjacent said main body element, to a second position in which at least a portion of a said first moveable element has moved away from said main body element, said at least one first moveable element being permanently biased toward said second position, and being provided with catch means co-operable with releasable latch means in said main body element to maintain at least one said first moveable element in said first position until said latch means is released, wherein said releasable latch is provided with a magnet, whereby said releasable latch may be moved out of engagement with said catch by attraction of said magnet to a ferrous or other magnetic metal surface.

2. The toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein said main body element, together with said at least one first moveable element, are a first shape when said at least one first moveable element is in said first position, and a second shape when said at least one first moveable element is in aid second position.

3. The toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein said first shape is selected from the group consisting of spheres, cubes, tetrahedrons, pyramids, triangular prisms, egg shapes, parallelepipeds, cylinders, discus shapes, toruses, teardrops, lozenges, animal shapes, planet shapes, robot shapes, vehicle shapes, building shapes, tree shapes, sports equipment related shapes, weapons shapes, character-head shapes, and the like.

4. The toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein said releasable latch is biased to a position in engagement with said catch.

5. The toy as claimed in claim 1, further comprising at least one second moveable element, hinged to said at least one first moveable element and moveable from a closed position adjacent said at least one first moveable element, to an open position away from said at least one first moveable element, said at least one second moveable element being biased toward said open position, and foldable to said closed position, said at least one second moveable element being restrained against movement toward said open position while said catch is in engagement with said releasable latch.

6. A toy configured transformable between a first shape of a sphere and a second shape of a character, said toy comprising:

an outer structure formed with a plurality of outer members rotatably connected with adjoining ones and elastic means disposed between the rotatably adjoining outer members, wherein, when assembled, said outer members are combined to provide the first shape of the sphere, and wherein, when transformed into the second shape, the outside members are configured to constitute part of said character;

an inner structure formed with at least an inner member which constitutes another part of said character wherein the inner member is held within an inner space constituted by the combined outer members in the first shape so that the inner member is not seen from the outside; and

a holding means formed with an inner magnetic member arranged movably inside of the toy wherein said plurality of outer members in the combined state are maintained against the elastic force of the elastic means in the first state,

wherein a magnetic force, which may operate between the inner magnetic member and an outer magnetism member arranged at a location on a course along which the toy in the first shape of the sphere rolls over in response to manipulation by the user, causes the inner magnetic member to move and such movement of the inner magnetic member causes the holding member to release the holding state, and said plurality of outer member burst open outwardly by the released elastic force of the elastic means, and the hidden inner member to appear whereby the toy transforms from the first shape to the second shape and said character configured by said plurality of outer member and said inner member pops up.

7. The toy according to claim 6,

wherein said inner member constitutes a head of the character and is hidden in the inner space of the sphere in the first shape, and

wherein the character is constituted with the inner member as the head and said plurality of the outer members burst open outwardly in the second state.

8. The toy according to claim 6,

wherein said outer structure further comprises a lower member the lower surface of which is formed of a hemisphere,

wherein the inner members to constitute a head and a body of the character are arranged on the upper portion of the lower member,

wherein an opening is formed at lower portion of said hemisphere and said inner magnetic member is movably disposed in the opening.

10. A game device comprising:

a shooter configured to shoot the toy in the rotatable outer shape according to claim 6; and

a running course formed with said outer magnetism member,

wherein the toy is shot from said shooter toward the running course.

11. A game device according to claim 10, comprising a group of toys, each toy comprising:

a plurality of character-forming members to constitute a character;

a lower member;

a holding member;

an inner magnetic member movably disposed inside of said lower member and configured to move when a magnetic force is operated between the inner magnetic member and an outer magnetism member; and

elastic members;

wherein said plurality of character-forming members and said lower member are maintained to a first shape by maintaining at least some of said plurality of character-forming members at a predetermined arrangement against elastic forces of the elastic members by said holding member under surroundings without the magnetic force with the outer magnetism member,

wherein, when a magnetic force is operated between the inner magnetic member and the outer magnetism member, such magnetic force causes the inner magnetic member to move to release the holding member, thereby to cause said plurality of character-forming members and said lower member to transform to a second shape of a character,

wherein said plurality of character-forming members comprise at least an inner member and a plurality of outer members, which are configured to constitute the character when transformed to the second shape,

wherein, in the first shape, said outer members are arranged to constitute a rotatable outer shape together with said lower member, to provide an inner space in which said inner member is held such that the inner member is not seen from the outside, and to maintain such rotatable outer shape against elastic forces of the elastic members by the holding member,

whereby the toy rolls over in response to manipulation by a user while such rotatable outer shape is maintained,

wherein, when the toy reaches at a location at which the outer magnetism member is arranged, the inner magnetic member moves by the magnetic force to release the holding member,

wherein said outer members move outwardly by the elastic forces of the released elastic members to cause the hidden inner member to appear whereby the character, which is composed of said plurality of outer members and said inner member, appears;

said group of toys comprising various characters different from one another at said second shapes.

9. A transformable toy comprising:

a plurality of character-forming members to constitute a character;

a lower member;

a holding member;

an inner magnetic member movably disposed inside of said lower member and configured to move when a magnetic force is operated between the inner magnetic member and an outer magnetism member; and

elastic members;

wherein said plurality of character-forming members and said lower member are maintained to a first shape by maintaining at least some of said plurality of character-forming members at a predetermined arrangement against elastic forces of the elastic members by said holding member under surroundings without the magnetic force with the outer magnetism member,

wherein, when a magnetic force is operated between the inner magnetic member and the outer magnetism member, such magnetic force causes the inner magnetic member to move to release the holding member, thereby to cause said plurality of character-forming members and said lower member to transform to a second shape of a character,

wherein said plurality of character-forming members comprise at least an inner member and a plurality of outer members, which are configured to constitute the character when transformed to the second shape,

wherein, in the first shape, said outer members are arranged to constitute a rotatable outer shape together with said lower member, to provide an inner space in which said inner member is held such that the inner member is not seen from the outside, and to maintain such rotatable outer shape against elastic forces of the elastic members by the holding member, whereby the toy rolls over in response to manipulation by a user while such rotatable outer shape is maintained,

wherein, when the toy reaches at a location at which the outer magnetism member is arranged, the inner magnetic member moves by the magnetic force to release the holding member,

wherein said outer members move outwardly by the elastic forces of the released elastic members to cause the hidden inner member to appear whereby the character, which is composed of said plurality of outer members and said inner member, appears.

12. A game device comprising:

a shooter configured to shoot the toy in the rotatable outer shape according to claim 9; and

a running course formed with said outer magnetism member,

wherein the toy is shot from said shooter toward the running course.