Action Toy Figure with Internal Spring

Abstract

A toy figure that is capable of launching a secondary projectile using a spring action. The toy figure is a solid molded body of flexible material, having a head, torso and limb appendages. One of the limb appendages is an action appendage. A spring is enclosed within the molded body. By bending and releasing the action appendage, the spring is cocked and released. The energy provided by the spring is transferred to the action appendage and to any external projectile that is attached to the action appendage or contacted by the action appendage.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field Of The Invention

In general, the present invention relates to toy figures that have spring-loaded limbs that can be used to throw or kick a separate projectile when cocked and released. More particularly, the present invention relates to toy figures that have springs molded into the body or limbs of the toy figure.

2. Prior Art Description

The prior art is replete with toy figures that contain internal springs of various types. The springs are often used to provide the toy figure with some degree of resiliency, so that it can return to its original shape after being manipulated by a child.

Many toy figures also use internal springs as a means to store mechanical energy that can be used to perform an action. For example, coil springs are used in a wide variety of toy figures as wind-up power sources for internal gearboxes. Leaf springs, straight springs and torsion springs are typically used to create swinging actions, such as kicking and throwing.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,280,285 to Morehouse exemplifies a typical toy figure with an internal leaf spring. The leaf spring extends into the leg. When the leg is pulled back, energy is stored in the leaf spring. Upon release, the energy stored in the spring causes the toy figure to kick a toy ball. Many different spring configurations can be used to create the same function, as is evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 2,249,670 to Sidle, U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,803 to Hamlin; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,331 to Reyazbayrak.

A problem with such prior art toy figures is that the toy figure is bulky, and is often set on a base. As such, it is awkward to move the toy character from place-to-place in pursuit of a toy ball. It is especially difficult to move the toy figure and control the toy figure to kick a ball in a real-time game where two players are in pursuit of the same toy ball with opposing toy figures.

Another problem with such prior art toy figures is that they are molded plastic toys that are fairly delicate. The toys can be easily broken by over extending the limb that contains the spring. Furthermore, the toy figures are easily broken is stepped upon or if brought into violent contact with other figures during pursuit of a ball in play.

The present invention is an improved toy figure that contains an integrated spring. The toy figure is thin, being nearly two-dimensional. Accordingly, the toy figure is nearly indestructible and can be stepped on, impacted, and over-manipulated with no harm to the toy. Additionally, the toy figure is lightweight and easily manipulated from point-to-point. The toy figure can also be rapidly cocked and released in real time.

As such, two players can play against each other in pursuit of the same ball.

The details of the improved toy figure are described and claimed below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a toy figure that is capable of launching a secondary projectile using a spring action. The toy figure is a solid molded body of flexible material, such as a pliable plastic. The molded body has a back surface and a front surface within a shaped periphery. The periphery defines the profile of a sport themed character, having a head, torso and limb appendages. One of the limb appendages is an action appendage. Which limb appendage is the action appendage depends upon the selected theme of the toy figure.

A spring that provides a spring bias to the action appendage is enclosed within the molded body.

The spring has a first end, a second end and a central section disposed between the first end and the second end. The spring is encased within the solid molded body so that the first end is disposed in the action appendage and the second end is disposed in the torso section. By bending and releasing the action appendage, the internal spring is cocked and released. The energy provided by the spring is transferred to the action appendage and to any external projectile that is attached to the action appendage or contacted by the action appendage.

The molded body is very thin. The shaped periphery has a maximum width between opposing points and an average thickness between the back surface and the front surface. The maximum width is at least eight times greater than the average thickness. This makes the toy figures easy to move and manipulate in a real-time game between opposing players.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following description of exemplary embodiments thereof, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a toy figure with an internal spring;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the toy figure in a resting position;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the exemplary embodiment of the toy figure in a cocked position;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the exemplary embodiment of the toy figure;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the springs used within the toy figure;

FIG. 6 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of a toy figure;

FIG. 7 is a front view of another alternate embodiment of a toy figure; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of an alternate embodiment for a contact section of an action appendage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the present invention toy assembly can be embodied in many ways, only a few embodiments have been selected for illustration and discussion. The illustrated embodiments, however, are merely exemplary and should not be considered limitations when interpreting the scope of the claims.

Referring to FIG. 1 in conjunction with FIG. 2FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, a toy FIG. 10 is shown. The toy FIG. 10 has a molded body 12 that is unistructurally molded from a flexible material 14. The molded body 12 is solid with no open internal spaces. The molded body 12 has a flat back surface 16 and a contoured front surface 18. The contoured front surface 18 contains complementary contours and graphics 20 that provide the front surface 18 with the appearance of a sport-themed figure playing a sport. In the referenced illustrations, the contours and graphics 20 provide the front surface 18 of the toy FIG. 10 with the appearance of a soccer player.

The flat back surface 16 and the contoured front surface 18 share the same complex peripheral shape. The peripheral shape works with the contours and graphics 20 to define a head section 22, a torso section 24 and limb appendages 26 for the toy FIG. 10. The limb appendages 26 include leg appendages and arm appendages. Some of the limb appendages 26 may also contain attached sports equipment, such as a baseball bat, a hockey stick, or the like, depending on the theme of the toy FIG. 10. The peripheral shape has a maximum width W1 between opposing points along the peripheral shape. The position of the maximum width W1 is dependent upon the shape and theme of the toy FIG. 10. The preferred maximum width W1 is between three inches and eight inches. However, other sizes can be used for novelty items, such as key chains.

The molded body 12 is very thin in relation to its maximum width W1. The thickness T1 of the molded body 12 averages a thickness of between ¼ of and inch and ⅝ths of an inch. A preferred ratio is that the maximum width W1 of the molded body 12 is at least eight times greater than the average thickness T1 of the molded body 12. This ratio makes the toy FIG. 10 seem flat. The ratio also makes the molded body 12 very flexible. The molded body 12 is made of a flexible material 14, such as silicone or synthetic rubber. However, a soft plastic, such as a plasticized vinyl polymer is preferred. Since the molded body 12 is so thin and is made of relatively soft material, the molded body 12 can easily bend and flex when manipulated. The average thickness T1 of the molded body 12 is just thick enough to prevent the molded body 12 from bending under the force of its own weight, if held as a cantilever from one side.

As will be explained in more detail, at least one of the limb appendages 26 is an action appendage 28. The location of the action appendage 28 depends upon the theme of the toy FIG. 10. If the toy FIG. 10 is a soccer player, the action appendage 28 is a leg appendage, so the toy FIG. 10 can kick. If the toy FIG. 10 is a basketball player, the action appendage 28 is an arm so the toy FIG. 10 can shoot a basketball. The action appendage 28 may contain a contact section 30. The contact section 30 is the section of the action appendage 28 that actually makes contact with a toy ball, toy puck or other such projectile 32. The contact section 30 can be made convex, to better contact the projectile 32, or concave to better hold the projectile 32 depending upon the theme of the toy FIG. 10.

A spring 34 is molded into the flexible material 14 of the molded body 12. The spring 34 extends into both the torso section 24 of the molded body 12 and the action appendage 28. The presence of the spring 34 provides the action appendage 28 with a spring bias. The spring bias acts to hold the action appendage 28 in the same plane as the torso section 24 so that the flat back surface 16 of the molded body 12 remains flat. If the action appendage 28 is manipulated, the internal spring 34 bends and the internal spring 34 stores energy until the manipulation is released.

A tab 36 is attached to the flat back surface 16 of the action appendage 28. It is this tab 36 that is manually grasped and pulled. To utilize the toy FIG. 10, the toy FIG. 10 is held upright in one hand. As is shown in FIG. 3, the thumb of the holding hand is placed against the flat back surface 16 of the molded body 12 over the spring 34. The proper placement of the thumb is indicated by an icon 38 that is printed or molded onto the flat back surface 16 of the molded body 12. Using a second hand, a user grasps and pulls the tab 36. This causes the molded body 12 and the internal spring 34 to bend. This cocks the spring 34. The spring 34 stores energy as it bends. Once the tab 36 is released, the spring 34 snaps back to its original position, therein causing the action appendage 28 to move rapidly. This energy can be used to kick or throw the projectile 32.

Referring to FIG. 5 in conjunction with FIGS. 1 through 4, it can be seen that the internal spring 34 is a straight spring having a first end 40, an opposite second end 42 and a central section 44 interposed between the first end 40 and the second end 42. The spring 34 can be flat but preferably has a slight cylindrical curvature that increases the rigidity of the spring 34. This increases the spring constant value for the spring 34 and helps prevent the spring from becoming deformed if severely bent. The straight spring 34 can be reinforced by a shorter reinforcement spring 46 that abuts against the primary straight spring 34 along the central section 44 of the spring 34. The reinforcement spring 46 also adds to the rigidity of the straight spring 34 and helps prevent the straight spring 34 from becoming permanently deformed.

The first end 40 of the straight spring 34 is set in the action appendage 28. The second end 42 of the straight spring 34 is anchored in the torso section 24 of the molded body 12. The straight spring 34 and the reinforcement spring 46, if present, are molded into the flexible material 14 of the molded body 12. As such, the flexible material 14 of the molded body 12 also adds to the rigidity of the straight spring 34 and inhibits kinking or other permanent deformation in the straight spring 34.

The icon 38 on the flat back surface 16 of the molded body 12 is positioned to be just above the central section 44 of the straight spring 34. The user is instructed by the icon 38 on the flat back surface 16 of the molded body 12 to place a thumb against the flat back surface 16. The placement of the thumb corresponds to a point above the central section 44 of the straight spring 34. The thumb acts as a fulcrum, whereby the straight spring 34 bends about the thumb when the tab 36 is pulled. To further ensure that the spring 34 bends at the proper point, a depression 50 can be molded into the molded body 12 from the contoured front surface 18. The depression 50 is formed directly in front of the central section 44 of the straight spring 34. As such, the center of the straight spring 34 is interposed within the molded body 12 between the thumb placement icon 38 and the depression 50. The presence of the depression 50 acts as a hinge and enables the molded body 12 to bend easily about the depression 50. Being the path of least resistance, the molded body 12 will bend about the depression 50 and cause the internal straight spring 34 to bend in the proper orientation.

In FIGS. 1 through 4, the toy FIG. 10 is themed as a soccer player that is designed to kick a projectile 32 in the form of a toy soccer ball. As such, the action appendage 28 is one of the leg appendages. The contact section 30 of the action appendage 28 has a convex protrusion 52 to increase the mass of the action appendage 28 and to increase its ability to propel the projectile 32. The toy FIG. 10 is brought into position adjacent the projectile 32. The action appendage 28 is then pulled back by the tab 36 and released. The straight spring 34 within the molded body 12 propels the action appendage 28 into contact with the projectile 32. On impact, momentum is transferred to the projectile 32 and the projectile 32 is propelled away from the toy FIG. 10.

Configuring the toy FIG. 10 as a soccer player is only one possible embodiment of the present invention. The toy FIG. 10 can also be configured as a hockey player, a football player, or the like. Referring to FIG. 6, one such alternate embodiment is shown. In FIG. 6, the toy FIG. 60 is configured as a baseball batter. In such a configuration, the toy FIG. 60 is configured with a bat 62. The bat 62 is integrally molded as part of the molded body. It is the bat 62 that becomes the action appendage 64 because it is the bat 62 that is the desired moving element of the toy FIG. 60.

Since the bat 62 is the action appendage 64, the internal straight spring 68 extends into the bat 62 from the torso section of the molded body. A tab is provided on the rear surface of the bat 62 to assist in the manual gripping and manipulation of the bat 62.

Referring to FIG. 7, another toy FIG. 70 is shown, wherein the toy FIG. 70 is configured as a basketball player. In such a configuration, the toy FIG. 70 is configured with a shooting arm 72. The shooting arm 72 is the action appendage because it is the desired moving element of the toy FIG. 70. Since the shooting arm 72 is the action appendage, the internal straight spring 74 extends into the shooting arm 72 from the torso section of the molded body. A tab is provided on the rear surface of the shooting arm 72 to assist in the manual gripping and manipulation of the shooting arm 72.

It will be understood that if a toy figure is configured as a basketball player that shoots a ball projectile, or a baseball player that throws a ball projectile, then the toy figure needs the ability to hold the ball projectile as the arm is cocked and released. The ball projectile can be made to attach to the toy figure in numerous ways, such as, through the use of magnets. However, referring to FIG. 8, a preferred arrangement is presented. In FIG. 8 an action appendage 80 is shown having a contact section 82. The contact section 82 is concave in order to cup and retain a spherical projectile 84. A small peg 86 can be positioned in the contact section 82. The peg 86 is sized to pass into a small bore 88 formed into the spherical projectile 84. When the spherical projectile 84 is placed in the contact section 82, the peg 86 passes into the bore 88 and temporarily holds the spherical projectile 84 in place.

It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention that are illustrated and described are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art can make many variations to those embodiments. Likewise, elements from different embodiments can be mixed and matched in combinations not specifically illustrated. All such embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Claims

1. A toy figure, comprising: a solid molded body of flexible material having a back surface and a front surface within a shaped periphery, wherein said molded body has a torso section and an action appendage extending from said torso section;a spring having a first end, a second end and a central section disposed between said first end and said second end, wherein said spring is encased within said solid molded body, having said first end disposed in said action appendage and said second end disposed in said torso section, wherein said spring creates a spring bias that acts to hold said action appendage and said torso section in alignment in a common plane.

2. The toy figure according to claim 1, wherein said shaped periphery has a maximum width between opposing points and an average thickness between said back surface and said front surface, wherein said maximum width is at least eight times greater than said average thickness.

3. The toy figure according to claim 1, wherein said back surface of said molded body is flat and aligned with said common plane.

4. The toy figure according to claim 1, wherein said front surface contains graphics that provide an appearance of a sport themed character to said front surface of said molded body.

5. The toy figure according to claim 4, wherein said front surface of said molded body is molded with contours that complement said graphics in providing said appearance of said sport themed character.

6. The toy figure according to claim 1, wherein said spring is a straight string.

7. The toy figure according to claim 6, wherein said spring has a cylindrical curvature that propagates from said first end to said second end.

8. The toy figure according to claim 1, further including a reinforcement spring that abuts against said central section of said spring within said molded body.

9. The toy figure according to claim 1, further including an icon on said back surface of said molded body that is positioned just above said central section of said spring within said molded body.

10. The toy figure according to claim 1, further including a depression in said front surface of said molded body proximate said central section of said spring within said molded body.

11. The toy figure according to claim 1, wherein said action appendage has a contact protrusion for striking an external projectile.

12. The toy figure according to claim 1, wherein said action appendage has a depression for receiving an external projectile.

13. A toy figure, comprising: a unistructurally molded body of flexible material having a flat back surface and a contoured front surface within a shaped periphery, wherein said molded body has a torso section and an action appendage extending from said torso section;a spring molded within said molded body, said spring having a first end, a central section, and a second end, wherein said spring is fully encased within said solid molded body, having said first end extending into said action appendage; andwherein said shaped periphery has a maximum width between opposing points and an average thickness between said back surface and said contoured front surface, wherein said maximum width is at least eight times greater than said average thickness.

14. The toy figure according to claim 13, wherein said front surface contains graphics that provide an appearance of a sport themed character to said front surface of said molded body.

15. The toy figure according to claim 13, wherein said spring is a straight string.

16. The toy figure according to claim 15, wherein said spring has a cylindrical curvature that propagates from said first end to said second end.

17. The toy figure according to claim 13, further including a reinforcement spring that abuts against said central section of said spring within said molded body.

18. The toy figure according to claim 13, further including an icon on said back surface of said molded body that is positioned just above said central section of said spring within said molded body.

19. The toy figure according to claim 13, further including a depression on said front surface of said molded body proximate said central section of said spring within said molded body.

20. The toy figure according to claim 13, wherein said action appendage has a contact protrusion for striking an external projectile.