Articulated toy figure

• US 3,938,277 A
• Filed: 02/19/1974
• Issued: 02/17/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Adolph E. Goldfarb, Erwin Benkoe
• Original Assignee: Adolph E. Goldfarb, Erwin Benkoe
• Inventors: Goldfarb, Adolph E., Everitt, Delmar K., Frierdich, Richard D., Chesley, Ronald F., Benkoe, Erwin
• Primary Examiner(s): Mancene, Louis G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lever, J. Q.
• Application Number:
  US05/443,774
• Re-issued As: US RE29,118 E
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 46/161, 46/22, 46/130, 46/131, 46/133
• US Class Current: 446/384
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/46 Connections for limbs

Abstract

An articulated toy figure has head, limb, and hip portions each jointed for pivotal motion. The hip portion is formed by a flat plate which is positioned adjacent to the bottom of the figure'"'"'s torso, and is supported for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the torso. This hip plate has tab means extending normally from the bottom surface thereof, these tab means having knobs extending therefrom over which the upper leg portions fit in pivotal mating engagement. The upper leg portions of the figure, which are joined at one end thereof as just described to the hip plate, and are joined at the other end to the lower leg portions of the figure, have similar recessed joinder portions at each end, these joinder portions having receptacles formed therein into which knobs of the hip plate tab means and lower leg end portions matingly fit for relative pivotal motion.

Claims

1. A toy figure comprising:

a three dimensional torso portion having a longitudinal axis extending generally vertically, said torso portion having an upper end and a lower end which defines a generally flat downwardly facing contact surface,

a head portion supported at said upper end of said torso portion,

a pair of arm portions pivotally attached to said torso portion,

a hip plate portion attached to said lower end of said torso portion for pivotal motion about the longitudinal axis of said torso portion, said hip plate portion being in the form of a flat plate having a power surface and a generally flat upper contact surface, said flat plate extending transversely to said torso axis with said plate upper contact surface juxtaposed to and in slidable mating contact with said torso portion lower end contact surface, said plate having tab means extending downwardly from the lower surface thereof, one of the downwardly facing contact surfaces of said torso portion and the upper contact surface of said plate having a locking recess therein and the other thereof having a locking knob extended into and locked within the recess to permit pivotal motion of the hip plate portion relative to the longitudinal axis of the torso portion, and

a pair of leg portions pivotally attached to said tab means.

2. The toy figure of claim 1 wherein each of said leg portions includes an upper and a lower leg portion pivotally attached to each other.

3. The toy figure of claim 1 wherein the ends of said leg portions are recessed, said recessed ends fitting over said tab means, said tab means having knobs extending outwardly therefrom, said recessed ends of said leg portions having receptacles formed therein into which said knobs fit.

4. The toy figure of claim 3 wherein said recessed portions define slots which are greater in extent on one side thereof than on the opposite side thereof, thereby limiting relative motion between said leg portions and said hip plate greater in one direction than the direction opposite to said one direction.

5. The figure of claim 1 wherein said head portion is pivotally movable about the longitudinal axis of said torso portion, said torso portion has a hollow interior, the head, arms and hip plate portions each having a knob extending therefrom for retaining said portions to said torso portion, said knobs being fitted within the interior of said torso portion.

6. The figure of claim 3 wherein the ends of the leg portions are rounded and form slots into which the tab means are fitted, said slots being greater in extent on the side thereof facing on the front of the figure than the side thereof facing on the rear of the figure, thereby permitting greater pivotal motion of said leg portions to the front than the rear.

7. A toy figure comprising:

a three-dimensional torso portion having an upper end and a lower end and a hollow interior, said torso portion also having a generally vertically extending longitudinal axis and said lower end defines a generally flat downwardly facing contact surface,

a head portion supported at the upper end of said torso portion, said head portion having a knob extending from a lower portion to permit pivotal movement of said head portion about a generally vertical longitudinal axis of said torso portion,

a pair of arm portions being pivotally attached to said torso portion, each of said arm portions having a locking knob extending therefrom and being fitted within the interior of said torso portion to permit movement of said arm portions in an axis relatively normal to said longitudinal axis of said torso portion,

a hip plate portion attached to the lower end of said torso portion for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis of said torso portion, said hip plate portion being in the form of a flat plate extending transversely to said torso axis and having a lower surface and a generally flat upper contact surface in slidable mating contact with the lower contact surface on said torso portion, the upper contact surface of said plate having an outwardly extending knob fitted within the interior of said torso portion to permit pivotal movement of said hip plate portion about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said torso portion, tab means extending downwardly from the lower surface of said flat plate,

a pair of upper leg portions pivotally attached at their upper ends to said tab means, said upper ends of said leg portions being recessed with receptacles formed therein, said tab means having knobs extending outwardly therefrom and said knobs on said tab means extending into and being fitted into said recesses, the upper ends of said leg portions being rounded, said recesses defining slots which are greater in extent on the side thereof facing the front of the figure than on the side thereof facing the rear of the figure, thereby permitting greater pivotal motion of the upper leg portions to the front than to the rear,

and lower leg portions pivotally attached to each of said upper leg portions.

8. A toy figure comprising:

a three-dimensional block shaped torso portion comprised of first and second torso sections and each of said sections having opposed seam lines which are secured together to form said block shaped torso portion, said torso portion having a hollow interior and an upper end and a lower end and side walls, said torso portion also having a generally vertically extending longitudinal axis with said lower end defining a generally flat downwardly facing contact surface,

a head portion supported at the upper end of said torso portion, said head portion having a circular head knob extending from a lower portion thereof and being secured to said head portion by a head pin, said head knob being fitted within the interior of said torso portion through an aperture on the upper end of said torso portion to permit pivotal movement of said head portion about said generally vertical longitudinal axis of said torso portion,

a pair of arm portions being pivotally attached to said torso portion, each of said arm portions having a circular locking arm knob extending therefrom and being secured thereto through arm pins, said arm knobs being fitted within the interior of said torso portion through apertures on said side walls to permit movement of said arm portions in an axis relatively normal to said longitudinal axis of said torso portion,

a hip plate portion attached to the lower end of said torso portion for pivotal movement about the longitudinal axis of said torso portion, said hip plate portion being in the form of a flat plate extending transversely to said torso axis and having a lower surface and a generally flat upper contact surface in slidable mating contact with the lower contact surface on said torso portion, the upper contact surface of said plate having an outwardly extending circular hip knob secured to said plate through a hip plate, said hip knob extending through an aperture in the lower end of said torso portion and being fitted within the interior of said torso portion to permit pivotal movement of said hip plate portion about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said torso portion, tab means extending downwardly from the lower surface of said flat plate,

a pair of upper leg portions pivotally attached at their upper ends to said tab means, said upper ends of said leg portions having rounded ends somewhat similar to the rump of a human being and also being recessed with receptacles formed therein, said tab means having circular leg knobs extending outwardly therefrom, and said knobs on said tab means being secured thereto by leg pins and extending into and being fitted into said recesses, said recesses defining slots which are greater in extent on the side thereof facing the front of the figure than on the side thereof facing the rear of the figure, thereby permitting greater pivotal motion of the upper leg portions to the front than to the rear,

and lower leg portions pivotally attached to each of said upper leg portions.