Exemplary embodiments of the present invention relate generally to toy figures and particularly toy figures which include movable features for simulating fighting.
Examples of toy figures simulating fighting are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,235,259 and 7,475,881, the contents each of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
Other examples of toys simulating boxing matches are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,269,095; 2,716,840; 3,106,800; 3,856,304; 4,031,657; 4,069,613; 4,366,960; 4,367,875; 4,995,610; and 5,732,953, the contents each of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
It is desirable to provide toys with new features in order to improve upon existing toys to provide users with more variations in play.
In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment a toy figure for use in a game is provided, the toy having a body portion coupled to a controller movably secured to a base member that is fixedly secured to the body portion, wherein movement of the controller with respect to the base member causes a corresponding movement of the body portion with respect to the base member and movement of the base member causes a corresponding movement of the body portion and the controller; and a button disposed on the body portion, the button being capable of movement from a first position to a second position wherein movement of the button from the first position to the second position causes a pair of body parts pivotally secured to the body portion to pivot from a closed position to an opening position.
In another exemplary embodiment, a game is provided, the game having a base; a first fighting figure movably secured to the base, the first fighting figure having: a body portion coupled to a controller movably secured to a base member that is fixedly secured to the body portion, wherein movement of the controller with respect to the base member causes a corresponding movement of the body portion with respect to the base member and movement of the base member causes a corresponding movement of the body portion and the controller; a button disposed on the body portion, the button being capable of movement from a first position to a second position wherein movement of the button from the first position to the second position causes a pair of body parts pivotally secured to the body portion to pivot from a closed position to an open position; and a second fighting figure movably secured to the base, the second fighting figure having: a body portion coupled to a controller movably secured to a base member that is fixedly secured to the body portion, wherein movement of the controller with respect to the base member causes a corresponding movement of the body portion with respect to the base member and movement of the base member causes a corresponding movement of the body portion and the controller; and a button disposed on the body portion, the button being capable of movement from a first position to a second position wherein movement of the button from the first position to the second position causes a pair of body parts pivotally secured to the body portion to pivot from a closed position to an open position.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings; in which:
a and 8b illustrate a front view of a head of a toy figure having a plurality of movable portions according to an embodiment of the present invention;
In one exemplary embodiment, movable toy figures are provided wherein the toy figures are configured to simulate a boxing match or other type of fight. In some embodiments, the toy figure has body, head portions and/or any other portions that articulate or move when triggered.
As illustrated in
Toy 100 may be coupled to a platform to simulate a boxing match or other type of ring, cage or other enclosed or substantially enclosed fighting venue. In one embodiment, toy 100 faces off against another toy that is similar in configuration and operation. Therefore, only one toy figure will be described herein. It will be appreciated however, that each toy figure may have a unique or different appearance from the other toy figure and may have varying movable portions thereon.
Preferably, arms 104 and 106 articulate or move to simulate fighting or punching and are movable independently from each other. As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, the arms may be movable via a series of gears and levers that couple to external switches, buttons or other devices to activate the movement. In embodiments in which the arms are individually movable, each arm is activated by a specific button or switch or other device; however, the arms can be activatable by the same switch and operate in unison. Additionally, the arms may be movable any manner desired. In one embodiment, each arm a fist 113 that may be formed or coated with urethane foam or silicone or other suitable material.
Preferably, as illustrated in
Further, as illustrated in
As shown in
In one embodiment, the toy 100 is configured to couple to and be positioned on a platform 600 (
Each toy 100 may be connected to a respective handle via the bottom of one or both of the first and/or second legs 108, 110. As one skilled in the art would appreciate, in one embodiment, the gear mechanism in toy 100 may extend upwardly through each leg 108, 110 to a respective arm 104, 106 and through the handle or handles to a button or switch or a plurality of button or switches. The arms may be moved as disclosed in previously discussed U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,259 and/or U.S. Patent Application Publication 7,475,881. In addition, toy
Thus, during play the player may activate buttons 610 and/or 612, resulting in articulation of the arms 104 and 106 and/or movement of the toy 100 relative to the floor of the platform. One game play object is to articulate the arms of one figure in such a manner as to cause a second figure's head to extend and/or have the chest or head portions open or move relative to the head and/or body. As described herein, such objects may be accomplished by striking the opponent's figure with sufficient force and/or in a specific area. In one embodiment, as shown in
In one embodiment, as illustrated in
In some embodiments the head 112, the movable chest portions 116 and 118 and the mask portion 120, each have a respective trigger or switch that releases the latch for each specific portion. Upon with the specific trigger only that portion moves. In other embodiments, any number of the head, movable chest portions and mask portion may be linked to the same trigger. For example, the chest and mask portions can be activated by the same trigger, while the head is activated by a separate trigger. Each of the triggers may be on any desired portion of the toy figure.
In one embodiment the head, movable chest portion and mask portion are each in a closed or down position in such a manner that a blow or strike of sufficient force will dislodge the head, chest portion or body portion and allow it to open and/or extend. In other words, there is no trigger or switch that unlatches the head or relevant portion, merely a sufficient blow or jarring of the toy will dislodge some or all of the head, movable body portions and/or the mask portion.
As shown in
In one embodiment and as illustrated in
It will be appreciated that the head and body portion or any other portion of toy 100 may have any number of movable portions that move to expose or partially expose various portions of the toy in any manner desired or extended or separate from the toy in any manner desired. For example, the legs, the torso, the feet and any other portion may have movable portions thereon. Each of these movable portions may be activated by a specific trigger or switch or all movable portions may be activated by the same trigger or switch or any combination of movable portions may be activated by the same or different triggers.
In some embodiments, the mask portion and the movable chest portions and any other portions are tethered to the head and chest respectively; however, it is noted that they may be coupled or connected to the toy in any manner desired or they may not be coupled and be completely removable.
In other embodiments toy 100 may have a button or other device thereon that would allow the toy to engage in the simulating fight without the use of a platform.
Referring now to
As illustrated, a game 200 is provided wherein a pair of fighting figures, robots, action figures or characters 202 are included in game 200. In the foregoing text the term robot will be used however exemplary embodiments of the present invention are not intended to be limited to robot figures as item 202 is intended to cover or refer to any type of figure, figurine, character, action figure, super hero, villain, humanoid, etc. having a head, a chest, legs and articulating arms to combat or fight with another similarly suited item. In one embodiment, robots 202 are movably secured to a platform 204 such that robots 202 may battle, fight or box each other by moving a controller 206 secured to each robot 202.
Movement of the robot is achieved in various methods wherein each method provides at least two different directions or types of movement. As illustrated, each controller 206 will have a movable yoke portion 208 having a pair of handles 210 secured to a shaft portion 212. Each handle (left and right) will have an actuation button 214, which when depressed will cause a corresponding arm (left or right) to punch outwardly from the body of the robot. Movement of the arms of the robot will be similar to that illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,235,259 and 7,475,881 or equivalents thereof wherein depressing of button 214 causes mechanical linkage to move a corresponding arm in a punching fashion outwardly.
In addition, each shaft portion 212 is movably secured to a base member 216 that is also secured to a base 218 that each robot is secured to such that movement of the base member 216 in the direction of arrows 220 will cause a corresponding movement of the base 218 such that the robot moves accordingly. Again movement of base member 216 and base portion 218 is similar to that components illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,235,259 and 7,475,881 or equivalents thereof, wherein base member 216 is movably secured to the platform and has one end extending outwardly from the platform and another end is movably disposed within the platform and is secured to base portion 218.
As shown in
In addition, each controller 206 is also capable of moving various directions including those in the direction of arrows 222 or combinations thereof with respect to base member 216. As will be discussed herein and in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, movement of the controller in the direction of arrows 222 will cause the feet 224 of the robot to move in a similar fashion see for example
In one non-limiting embodiment, the first ball joint 223 is coupled to a second ball joint 225 by for example a linkage member 227. In one embodiment, linkage member comprises a pair of linkage members each having one end secured to a discrete portion of one ball joint and the other end secured to a discrete portion of the other ball joint. In one configuration the ends of the linkage members are secured to opposite sides of the ball joints. Of course, numerous types of linkage members are contemplated as long as rotational movement of one ball joint is transferred to the other ball joint. The rotational movement of the ball joint or equivalent devices allows almost any type of angular movement of the controller to be applied to the portion of the robot the second ball joint is secured to. Second ball joint 225 is secured to a platform or base the feet 224 of the robot are secured to by for example a shaft 229 or any other suitable type of connection thus, movement of ball joint 223 in any direction including those of arrows 222 and combinations thereof will cause a corresponding movement of ball joint 225 and ultimately a corresponding movement of the robot. As illustrated, the platform shaft 229 is secured will be in a spaced relationship with respect to the platform or surface of the arena the robot is movably received in to allow for the angular movement of the ball joint 225 to be applied to platform 218 thus allowing the robot to twist, lean and move as the controller is moved. As illustrated schematically, the second ball joint is movably received within base member 216 below the robot's feet. In addition, the second ball joint is fixedly secured to the robot's feet or other equivalent body portion such that movement of the second ball joint within member 216 will cause a corresponding movement of the robot's feet. Of course, other alternative arrangements are contemplated for translating the movement of controller 206 into a corresponding movement of the robot for example, the waist connection as mentioned above.
In order to move the robot a player moves the controller to the left or right with respect to the base member 216 and this movement will cause the feet 224 and robot 202 to move to the left or right. In addition, movement of the controller back and forth will cause the feet and the robot to lean forward or backward (See for example the movement illustrated in
In addition, each user also depresses buttons 214 in order to punch an opposing robot while the other user moves their controller and their base member to move their robot away from an opponent's punches. Actuation of buttons 214 will cause the robot's arms to articulate or punch outwardly using linkages similar to those illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,235,259 and 7,475,881 or any equivalent mechanisms. In one embodiment, actuation of buttons 214 will cause a piston or feature 231 to move upwardly and into an opening in the feet of the robot to manipulate a linkage that when manipulated causes the robot's arm to articulate outwardly and return to a non-punching position when button 214 is released.
In this illustrated embodiment, each robot 202 will have an actuation button, switch or sensor 230 on a chest portion 232 of the robot. In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the goal of the game will be to punch an opposing player's chest such that when button 230 is depressed the robot whose button is depressed will be defeated. As illustrated, depressing of button 230 from a first position to a second position will cause one or several functions to occur in the defeated robot. For example, one function will be the deflection of movable chest portions 234 of the robot in the directions of arrows 236.
As discussed above, chest portions 234 may be spring biased in the direction of arrows 236 and pivotally connected to the chest for movement from a closed or latched position (
In one non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the visor will be spring biased into the open position and actuation of the button will allow the visor to move from a closed or latched position to an open or defeated position. Actuation of button 230 and corresponding linkage may be similar to the mechanism illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 7,475,881 or any other suitable linkage for translating movement of the button to spring biased features (e.g., chest, head, visor, feet, etc.) of the robot wherein depression of the button releases the spring biased features.
In addition, still another defeated position of the robot is achieved by actuation of the button 230. Here the robot's feet will be pivotally or hingeably secured to platform 218 by a hinge 244 such that actuation of button 230 will cause the feet to no longer be secured to the platform at one end and pivot towards the defeated position illustrated in
In an alternative embodiment, the feet are merely latched to the base by spring biased features 245 that engage openings 247 and a force in the center of the robot's chest will be enough to overcome the biasing force of features 245 and the robot will fall backwards into the defeated position. In any of the aforementioned features wherein pivoting portions of the robot are released the same are capable of being returned to their unreleased position by latching to or engaging movable features. These features move and release the pivoting portions of the robot due to actuation of the button 230 this depression of button 230 causes the movable features to release the pivoting portions, which in some embodiments are spring biased into the open or released position to provide dramatic effect.
Accordingly, depression of button 230 on either robot will cause anyone of the aforementioned actions to occur independently or any combination of the three actions (e.g., chest expanding, head extending with visor flipping and robot collapsing) occurring simultaneously.
In one alternative exemplary embodiment, an LED 250 is located in either the head or chest or both and the LED(s) (powered by a power supply) flashes during game play to simulate a “life force” of the robot. During game play and if the robot was hit at button 230 the LED would flicker and go out.
In still another embodiment, the robots are equipped with sound effects to be played by speaker(s) 252 disposed within or around the game. In one embodiment a recording of a ratchet noise similar to that used in the game depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 3,235,259 is played when button 230 is depressed to simulate the sound effects generated when the spring mechanisms of the aforementioned patent were activated. LED 250 and speakers 252 are illustrated schematically in
While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the present application.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/091,613 filed Aug. 25, 2008, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61091613 | Aug 2008 | US |