US3706155A

US3706155A - Jointed figure toy having cooperating bearing surfaces of duplicate size and contours

Info

Publication number: US3706155A
Application number: US175985A
Authority: US
Inventors: Armando M Balza
Original assignee: Mattel Inc
Current assignee: Mattel Inc
Priority date: 1971-08-30
Filing date: 1971-08-30
Publication date: 1972-12-19
Anticipated expiration: 1989-12-19

Abstract

Figure toy torso, having same appearance when viewed from either the front or the rear, is rotatably connected to trunk along a 45* planar surface so that figure toy is converted from standing position to a sitting position by rotating torso 180* placing trunk normal to torso. A head is rotatably connected to torso and is turned to face the front of doll after rotation of torso.

Description

United States Patent Balza [451 Dec. 19,1972

[54] JOINTED FIGURE TOY HAVING COOPERATING BEARING SURFACES OF DUPLICATE SIZE AND CONTOURS [72] Inventor: Armando M. Balza, Whittier, Calif.

[73] Assignee: Mattel, Inc., Hawthorne, Calif.

[22] Filed: Aug. 30, 1971 [21] Appl. No.2 175,985

[52] U.S.Cl. ..46/151,46/l6l,46/l62 [51] Int. Cl. ..A63h 3/46 [58] FieldofSearch ..46/1l5,l6l,162,163,151,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,221,442 12/1965 Estern et a1 ..46/l62 X 1,345,052 6/1920 Williams ..46/l61 2,760,303 8/1956 Del Mas ..46/l63 X 2,884,739 5/1959 Ketcham "46/116 X Primary Examiner-Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-Robert F. Cutting Attorney-Seymour A. Scholnick [5 ABSTRACT Figure toy torso, having same appearance when viewed from either the front or the rear, is rotatably connected to trunk along a 45 planar surface so that figure toy is converted from standing position to a sitting position by rotating torso 180 placing trunk normal to torso. A head is rotatably connected to torso and is turned to face the front of doll after rotation of torso.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTEU 19 I972 3. 706, 155

sum 1 OF 2 PATENTEDBEB 19 I972 SHEET 2 [IF 2 W m w w a/ max) JOINTED FIGURE TOY HAVING COOPERATING BEARING SURFACES OF DUPLICATE SIZE AND CONTOURS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The background of the invention will be set forth in two parts.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention pertains generally to the field of figure toys of the type having cooperating bearing surfaces of duplicate size and contours between major body parts and more particularly to such a'figure toy which includes a torso having the same appearance when viewed from either the front or the rear.

US. Pat. No. 1,345,052 is an example of a jointed figure toy having cooperating bearing surfaces of duplicate size and contours so that portions of the body of the figure toy may be rotated relative to each other to transform the figure toy from a position where the toy is capable of standing on all four feet to a position where the toy stands on its rear feet with the front feet extending vertically upwardly. Other portions of the body may also be rotated in such a manner that the figure toy appears to be standing on its front feet with its rear feet extending rearwardly in an elevated position SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a new and useful jointed figure toy having cooperating bearing surfaces of duplicate size and contour.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a figure toy of the type described including a torso having the same appearance when viewed from either the front or the rear and means rotatably connecting the torso to a trunk portion along a 45 planar surface so that the figure toy is converted from a standing position to a sitting position by rotating the torso 180.

According to the present invention, a figure toy-is provided which includes a torso having the same appearance when viewed from either the front or the rear. The torso includes an upper end having a neck plug and a lower end having a planar surface forming an angle of 45with a horizontal plane.

The figure toy also includes a trunk portion having an upper planar surface which also forms an angle of 45with a horizontal plane and which is adapted to rotatably engage the lower planar surface on the torso.

The trunk includes a pair of legs having a major axis which may be aligned with the major axis of the torso when the torso and trunk are placed in a first rotated position with respect to each other. Upon a 180rotation from this position, the major axis through the legs is normal to the major axis through the torso so that the figure toy will assume a sitting position with the head of the figure toy facing backward. The head may then be rotated on the neck plug to a forward-facing position.

The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both'as to its organization and manner of use, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like elements in the several views.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a figure toy of the presentinvention in a standing position;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the figure toy of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the figure toy of FIG. 1 with its head and trunk portion rotated 90"- counter-clockwise from the FIG. 1 position;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the figure toy of FIG. 1 after the torso has been rotated 90- clockwise;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the figure toy of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the torso of the figure toy of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of the torso; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view .of the figure toy in its FIG. 2 position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A Referring again to the drawings, a figure toy constituting a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, generally designated 10, includes a head 12, a torso 14, and a trunk 16. w

Referring now more in particular to FIGS. 6 8, torso 14 includes an upper end 18 provided with a neck plug 20 having an annular groove 22 rotatably receiving head 12. Torso 14 also has a lower end 24 provided with a trunk plug 26 having an annular groove 28 rotatably receiving trunk 16. Groove 28 includes an upper shoulder 30 comprising a planar surface forming an angle of about 45with a horizontal plane passing through torso l4.

Torso 14 includes a pair of

arms

32, 34 formed integrally therewith and extending laterally outwardly therefrom. A hand 36 is formed on the end of each

arm

32, 34 and

arms

32, 34 and hands 36 have the same appearance when viewed from the front, as in FIG. 6, and from the rear, as in FIG. 7.

Trunk 16 includes an upper end 40 provided with an annular planar surface 42 forming an angle of about 45with a horizontal plane passing through trunk 16. A pair of legs (FIG. 1) 44, 46 depend from trunk 16 and are adapted to support figure toy 10 in a standing position when head 12, torso l4 and trunk 16 are arranged in the position shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 8.

Legs

44, 46 are adapted to extend from figure toy 10 normal to the major axis aa of figure toy 10 when the parts are arranged as shown in FIG. 4.

Figure toy 10 may be converted from'the position shown in FIG. 2 to the position shown in FIG. 4 by rotating torso l4 lcounterclockwise in the direction of arrow B (FIG. 2). Alternatively, head 12 and trunk 16 may be rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG. 3.

Figure toy 10 will then assume the position shown in jects and providing the advantages hereinbefore stated,

it is to be understood that it is merely illustrative of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention and that no limitations are intended to the details of construction or design herein shown other than as defined in the appended claims, which form a part of this disclosure.

What is claimed is:

l.-1n a figure toy having sections which may be rotated upon each other 180 without destroying the continuity of the surface of the figure, the improvement means pivotally connecting said torso and trunk together on an axis making a predetermined acute angle to said torso, whereby said figure toy may be converted from a standing configuration to a sitting configuration by rotating said trunk and torso with respect to one another.

2. A figure toy, comprising:

a normally upright torso having a lower planar surface forming an angle of about 45 with a horizontal plane;

a pair of arms fixed to said torso and extending laterally from opposite sides of said torso, opposite sides of said arms being similarly configured and having the same appearance when viewed from the rear as when viewed from the front;

a trunk having an upper planar surface forming an angle of about 45 with said horizontal plane;

means rotatably connecting said torso and trunk together about an axis transverse to said planar surfaces, whereby rotation of said torso and trunk 180 with respect to each other from an aligned position places said torso and trunk normal to each other; and

a head rotatably mounted on said torso.

Claims

1. In a figure toy having sections which may be rotated upon each other 180* without destroying the continuity of the surface of the figure, the improvement comprising: a normally upright unitary torso having simulated arms fixed thereto and extending laterally therefrom, said torso also having a front side and a rear side, opposite sides of said arms being configured to have the same appearance when viewed from either said front side or said rear side; a unitary trunk including a hip portion and legs fixedly extending from said hip portion; and means Pivotally connecting said torso and trunk together on an axis making a predetermined acute angle to said torso, whereby said figure toy may be converted from a standing configuration to a sitting configuration by rotating said trunk and torso 180* with respect to one another.

2. A figure toy, comprising: a normally upright torso having a lower planar surface forming an angle of about 45* with a horizontal plane; a pair of arms fixed to said torso and extending laterally from opposite sides of said torso, opposite sides of said arms being similarly configured and having the same appearance when viewed from the rear as when viewed from the front; a trunk having an upper planar surface forming an angle of about 45* with said horizontal plane; means rotatably connecting said torso and trunk together about an axis transverse to said planar surfaces, whereby rotation of said torso and trunk 180* with respect to each other from an aligned position places said torso and trunk normal to each other; and a head rotatably mounted on said torso.