Toy figure with articulating joints

• US 6,638,136 B1
• Filed: 04/17/2000
• Issued: 10/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CJ Associates Ltd.
• Original Assignee: CJ Associates Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, James S. W., Kwan, Chiu Keung
• Primary Examiner(s): Banks, Derris H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Suhol, Dmitry
• Application Number:
  US09/550,562
• Time in Patent Office: 1,289 Days
• Field of Search: 446/376, 446/379, 446/380, 446/381, 446/382, 446/385, 446/390
• US Class Current: 446/376
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/46 Connections for limbs
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14131 using positioning or centering means forming part of the insert
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14065 Positioning or centering articles in the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14467 Joining articles or parts of a single article B29C45/14377, B29C45/14385, B29C45/14581, B29C45/14614 and B29C45/006 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14754 being in movable or releasable engagement with the coating, e.g. bearing assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/10 Homopolymers or copolymers of propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/16 Elastomeric ethene-propene or ethene-propene-diene copolymers, e.g. EPR and EPDM rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/22 Macromolecular compounds not provided for in C08L2666/16 - C08L2666/20
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 2666/24 Graft or block copolymers according to groups C08L51/00, C08L53/00 or C08L55/02; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 37/00 Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having one or more unsaturated aliphatic radicals, each having only one carbon-to-carbon double bond, and at least one being terminated by a heterocyclic ring containing oxygen of cyclic esters of polyfunctional acids C08L31/00; of cyclic anhydrides of unsaturated acids C08L35/00; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 45/00 Compositions of homopolymers or copolymers of compounds having no unsaturated aliphatic radicals in side chain, and having one or more carbon-to-carbon double bonds in a carbocyclic or in a heterocyclic ring system; Compositions of derivatives of such polymers of cyclic anhydrides or imides C08L35/00; of cyclic esters of polyfunctional acids C08L31/00
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/06 grafted on to homopolymers or copolymers of aliphatic hydrocarbons containing only one carbon-to-carbon double bond
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 71/02 Polyalkylene oxides

Abstract

A toy figure having multiple articulating limbs connected to the torso by pivot joints that are molded in a vertical injection molding step that forms and pivotally interconnects, in situ, one member of the pivot joint to a second, pre-formed member of the pivot joint.

Claims

1. A toy figure comprising:

a trunk having an upper segment and a lower segment, the upper segment being rotatably connected to the lower segment;

a first limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the first limb segment rotationally connected at its proximal end to the lower trunk segment;

a second limb segment having-a proximal end and a distal end, the second limb segment comprising two shell members, concealed means for securing the shell members together and means for capturing the distal end of the first limb segment between the shell members to form an articulating joint between the first and second limb segments, the capturing means being integral with and concealed within the two shell members;

a connecting member having a proximal end and a distal end, the connecting member extending from the distal end of the second limb segment; and

a third limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the third limb segment comprising two shell members, concealed means for securing the shell members together and means for capturing the distal end of the connecting member between the shell members to form an articulating joint between the connecting member and the third limb segment, the capturing means being integral with and concealed within the two shell members.

2. The toy figure of claim 1 further comprising a shaft member connecting the proximal end of the first limb segment to the lower trunk segment.

3. The toy figure of claim 1 wherein the two shell members of the second limb segment rotationally capture the distal end of the first limb segment.

4. The toy figure of claim 1 wherein the two shell members of the third limb segment pivotally capture the distal end of the connecting member.

5. The toy figure of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the connecting member comprises a bore.

6. The toy figure of claim 5 wherein the two shell members of the third limb segment form an internal pivot pin adapted to fit in the bore of the connecting member when the two shell members are joined together to capture the distal end of the connecting member.

7. A toy figure comprising:

a trunk;

a first limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the first limb segment rotationally connected at its proximal end to the trunk;

a second limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the second limb segment comprising two shell members, concealed means for securing the shell members together and means for capturing the distal end of the first limb segment between the shell members to form an articulating joint between the first and second limb segments, the capturing means being integral with and concealed within the two shell members;

a connecting member having a proximal end and a distal end, the connecting member extending from the distal end of the second limb segment, with the proximal end of the connecting member captured by the distal end of the second limb segment when the two shell members of the second limb segment are joined together; and

a third limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the third limb segment comprising two shell members, concealed means for securing the shell members together and means for capturing the distal end of the connecting member between the shell members to form an articulating joint between the connecting member and the third limb segment, the capturing means being integral with and concealed within the two shell members.

8. The toy figure of claim 7 further comprising a shaft member connecting the proximal end of the first limb segment to the trunk.

9. The toy figure of claim 7 wherein the two shell members of the third limb segment pivotally capture the distal end of the connecting member.

10. The toy figure of claim 7 wherein the distal end of the connecting member comprises a bore.

11. The toy figure of claim 10 wherein the two shell members of the third limb segment form an internal pivot pin adapted to fit in the bore of the connecting member when the two shell members are joint together to capture the distal end of the connecting member.

12. A toy figure comprising:

a trunk having an upper segment and a lower segment, the upper segment being rotatably connected to the lower segment;

a first articulating limb connected to the upper trunk segment, the first articulating limb comprising;

a first limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the first limb segment rotationally connected to the upper trunk segment;

a second limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the second limb segment comprising two shell members, and concealed means for securing the shell members together and means for capturing the distal end of the first limb segment between the shell members to form an articulating joint between the first and second limb segments, the capturing means being integral with and concealed within the two shell members;

a connecting member having a proximal end and a distal end, the connecting member extending from the distal end of the second limb segment, with the proximal end of the connecting member captured by the distal end of the second limb segment when the two shell members of the second limb segment are joined together to form an articulating joint between the connecting member and the second limb segment;

a third limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the third limb segment comprising two shell members, concealed means for securing the shell members together and means for capturing the distal end of the connecting member between the shell members to form an articulating joint between the connecting member and the third limb segment, the capturing means being integral with and concealed within the two shell members; and

a second articulating limb connected to the lower trunk segment, the second limb segment comprising;

a first limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the first limb segment rotationally connected to the lower trunk segment;

a second limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the second limb segment comprising two shell members, concealed means for securing the shell members together and means for capturing the distal end of the first limb segment between the shell members to form an articulating joint between the first and second limb segments, the capturing means being integral with and concealed within the two shell members;

a connecting member having a proximal end and a distal end, the connecting member extending from the distal end of the second limb segment;

a third limb segment having a proximal end and a distal end, the third limb segment comprising two shell members, concealed means for securing the shell members together and means for capturing the distal end of the connecting member between the shell members to form an articulating joint between the connecting member and third limb segment, the capturing means being integral with and concealed within the two shell members.