Patent Application
20230233951
The present application relates generally to toys such as dolls or figurines and, in particular, to toys such as dolls or figurines that can be used for fortune-telling and/or other playtime activities that require a source of substantially random preselected information.
Through the years, toy dolls and/or figurines (for simplicity, referred to herein as figurines or toy figurines) have provided amusement and entertainment for children. That is, toy dolls and figurines have some inherent play value. To increase this play value, various features, such as actions, movements, or other functions, have been incorporated into some figurines (e.g., so that figurines can appear to walk, crawl, talk, be incorporated into board games, etc.).
Some toys may entertain users by providing pseudo-random output of preselected information. As one example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,621, which is issued to Abe C. Bookman. and entitled LIQUID FILLED DIE AGITATOR CONTAINING A DIE HAVING RAISED INDICIA ON THE FACETS THEREOF, discloses a “Magic 8-Ball” that is a sphere, made to look like a billiard ball, that is filled with a liquid and includes a die having words on each face that can be used to answer yes-or-no questions. Thus, a user can shake the sphere and observe the die through a transparent panel to read an answer to a posed question, such as “yes,” “no,” “outlook not so good,” and the like.
Despite the foregoing, there is a continuing need for more interesting and varied toy or doll features, for example, to entertain a child. In particular, while the features of U.S. Pat. No. 3,119,621 may be interesting and engage a user, the billiard-ball appearance may fail to entertain a user in various contexts, and a child may quickly become bored with such a toy.
A toy figurine and/or a toy are presented herein. In at least some embodiments, the toy includes a body portion in which a substantially transparent portal is provided to view an internal cavity. The internal cavity may be filled with a fluid and a die may freely float in the fluid. The die may include a plurality of faces, each including a visual element, so that when the toy is agitated, a particular face of the die may be viewable through the portal.
Other systems, methods, features and advantages will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. All such additional systems, methods, features and advantages are included within this description, are within the scope of the claimed subject matter.
The toy figurine and/or toy presented herein may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The elements in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the toy figurine. In the figures, like-referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
The toy figurine and/or the toy presented herein includes an interior cavity in which a fluid is provided to support a free-floating die in the fluid. A viewing portal composed of a semi-transparent or substantially transparent material is also provided in the body of the toy figurine or toy so that a user can view the die floating in the fluid. The die may include a plurality of faces that each have a different visual element, such as a word, phrase, icon, symbol, color, and the like. In at least some embodiments, as a user engages with the toy figurine or toy, the contents of the interior cavity are mechanically agitated such that the various faces of the die are visible to the user. Due to the mechanical agitation, the user may not be able to predict which particular face is visible through the portal at a given time, thus enabling the toy figurine or toy to act as a source of substantially random selection, which can be used to support a variety of tasks. For example, a user can ask the toy figurine or toy questions, and the visual element of the face exposed through the portal can be interpreted as an answer. Thus, present embodiments increase play value beyond the value already provided by a conventional toy or figurine by further providing a source of substantially random, preselected information.
In the depicted embodiment, arms 140A, 140B and legs 150A, 150B articulate at various joints with respect to body portion 110 so that toy figurine 100 can be manipulated into a variety of poses or other configurations. The joints are provided at attachment points between body portion 110 and arms 140A, 140B and legs 150A, 150B, and may include ball-and-socket or other joints. Additionally or alternatively, joints may be provided at locations corresponding to elbows, knees, ankles, and/or wrists of toy figurine 100. Again, these joints may be constructed in any manner. Likewise, the various appendages (e.g., arm 140A, arm 140B, leg 150A, and/or leg 150B) can be formed from any number of parts in any desirable manner (e.g., by coupling clamshell portions together).
As depicted, the portal 120 included in the body portion 110 of the toy figurine 100 is substantially transparent to enable a user to view an internal cavity provided in body portion 110. In some embodiments, the internal cavity houses a chamber that is inserted in body portion, as is depicted and discussed in further detail with respect to
The internal cavity of toy figurine 100 is partially or substantially filled with a fluid in which die 130 freely floats. When a user holds toy figurine substantially 100 upright (e.g., with the body portion 110 above legs 150A, 150B such that toy figurine 100 is parallel with respect to a gravitational force), a buoyant property of die 130 causes die 130 to float proximal to portal 120. Thus, one or more faces of die 130 becomes visible to a user through portal 120. Accordingly, portal 120 includes a substantially transparent or semi-transparent material, such as a glass, acrylic, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, polystyrene, and the like.
When toy figurine 100 is tilted (e.g., moved in a direction partially or substantially orthogonal to a gravitational force), the die 130 floats throughout the internal cavity. While die 130 is floating, die 130 may rotate throughout the fluid provided in the internal cavity such that when toy figurine 100 is held upright again, die 130 presents a same or different face when die 130 floats to be proximal to portal 120. Mechanical agitation during the tilting process, typically provided by a user, causes the face that is presented to portal 120 to be substantially random each time, similar to rolling a die, so that a same or different face of die 130 is presented after each tilting session. Accordingly, toy figurine 100 can be manipulated by a user to view various faces of die 130 in a manner that unpredictably presents the various faces. Thus, toy figurine 100 can be used for a variety of applications, such as providing answers to questions posed by a user or providing other feedback. In some embodiments, the feedback provided by die 130 of toy figurine 100 can be used to support various playtime activities, such as board games, or other games in which the rules require a substantially random source of preselected information.
In at least some embodiments, the fluid and die 130 are provided in chamber body 210 prior to joining cap portion 220 to chamber body 210. In various embodiments, any conventional or other attachment mechanism may be employed; for example, the bottom of chamber body 210 may be threaded, and cap portion 220 may include complimentary threading so that cap portion 220 can be screwably affixed to chamber body 210 to secure the contents of chamber 200 (e.g., fluid and die 130). In some embodiments, cap portion 220 is permanently joined to chamber body 210, such that destructive removal is necessary (e.g., via ultrasonic welding). A seal (e.g., o-ring, gasket, etc.) may be provided between chamber body 210 and cap portion 220 so that fluid cannot escape from the interior of chamber 200. Additionally or alternatively, in some embodiments, the chamber body 210 is joined to the cap portion 220 in any of the foregoing manners and includes or define one or more fill ports (or other similar structures) that allows fluid to be introduced into a chamber defined by the chamber body 210 and the cap portion 220.
Tip portion 230 of chamber 200 is hollow to provide a bubble containment area so that any air bubbles in the fluid of chamber 200 will not be visible through portal 120 when toy figurine 100 is held in an upright position. In some embodiments, tip portion 230 of chamber 200 is narrower than chamber body 210 to facilitate insertion of chamber 200 into body portion 110 of toy figurine 100. Thus, tip portion 230 acts as a wedge to separate the interior material of body portion 110 in order to facilitate passage of chamber 200 through material of body portion 110. Additionally or alternatively, tip portion 230 acts as a stabilizer to reduce movement of chamber 200 inside of body portion 110, so that chamber 200 may more effectively remain in a desired location. In some embodiments, body portion 110 (and/or other portions of toy figurine 100) are formed (e.g., deposited) around chamber 200 via a process such as injection molding.
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Die 130 may be made of any material or combination of materials in order to make die 130 buoyant in a fluid that is provided to the interior cavity of chamber 200. In various embodiments, die 130 may be hollow or solid, wherein the density of die 130 is lower than the density of the surrounding fluid. In various embodiments, the fluid may include any conventional or other fluid, such as water, a water-based solution, an alcohol, or any other fluid. In some embodiments, the fluid includes a non-toxic fluid. In some embodiments, the fluid includes an antimicrobial or antifungal property. In some embodiments, a dye is provided to the fluid that is at least partially soluble in the fluid. In one example embodiment, the fluid in which die 130 is floating within includes an alcohol with a blue dye.
Moreover, when tip portion 230 of chamber 200 is disposed in the neck portion 115 of body portion 110 and cap portion 220 is disposed proximate a hip section of body portion 110, the body portion may provide two points of engagement for chamber 200. These two points of engagement ensure chamber 200 is fixedly secured within body portion 110, even during agitation of toy figurine 100 that is naturally encouraged by inclusion of chamber 200. In fact, in some embodiments, tip portion 230 and cap portion 220 may each be coupled to corresponding structures included on an interior surface of body portion 110, e.g., with any combination of snap fits, interference fits, one or more couplers (e.g., screws), etc. However, to be clear,
While the toy figurine and/or toy presented herein has been illustrated and described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since it will be apparent that various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the inventions and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. In addition, various features from one of the embodiments may be incorporated into another of the embodiments. That is, it is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in a preferred form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure as set forth in the following claims.
It is also to be understood that the toy figurine and/or toy described herein, or portions thereof may be fabricated from any suitable material or combination of materials, such as plastic, foamed plastic, wood, cardboard, pressed paper, metal, supple natural or synthetic materials including, but not limited to, cotton, elastomers, polyester, plastic, rubber, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof. Suitable plastics may include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), or the like. Suitable foamed plastics may include expanded or extruded polystyrene, expanded or extruded polypropylene, EVA foam, derivatives thereof, and combinations thereof.
Additionally, it is to be understood that terms such as “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “rear,” “side,” “height,” “length,” “width,” “upper,” “lower,” “interior,” “exterior,” “inner,” “outer” and the like as may be used herein, merely describe points of reference and do not limit the present invention to any particular orientation or configuration. Further, the term “exemplary” is used herein to describe an example or illustration. Any embodiment described herein as exemplary is not to be construed as a preferred or advantageous embodiment, but rather as one example or illustration of a possible embodiment of the invention.
Finally, when used herein, the term “comprises” and its derivations (such as “comprising”, etc.) should not be understood in an excluding sense, that is, these terms should not be interpreted as excluding the possibility that what is described and defined may include further elements, steps, etc. Similarly, where any description recites “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such disclosure should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Meanwhile, when used herein, the term “approximately” and terms of its family (such as “approximate”, etc.) should be understood as indicating values very near to those which accompany the aforementioned term. That is to say, a deviation within reasonable limits from an exact value should be accepted, because a skilled person in the art will understand that such a deviation from the values indicated is inevitable due to measurement inaccuracies, etc. The same applies to the terms “about” and “around” and “substantially”.
