UA129394C2 - Double-sided elastic figure that can be brought into different playing or visual states by turning it out - Google Patents

Abstract

An elastic game figure made of molding material has a hollow body, the wall of which contains two surfaces with three-dimensional elements made on them, forming the shape of various game characters. The surfaces of the body are connected to form an opening, which allows changing the game and visual appearance by turning it over and changing the surface from one to the other and vice versa. The body of the elastic game figure is made single-layer in the shape of a cylinder, which is closed at one end by a hemispherical part, the inner radius of which is equal to the inner radius of the cylinder, and open at the other end with the formation of an opening, along the edge of which a radial rounding is made, made as a toroidal thickening, which is distributed symmetrically relative to the body wall, the diameter of the circle of which is 1.5-2.0 of the thickness of the body wall. The height of the body in the axial section is in the range of 20-23 mm and on the inverted surface it corresponds to the diameter of the body on the inverted surface as 1:1-1.5, the thickness of the body wall is 0.9-1.1 mm, and the three-dimensional elements are made together with the body as textured inflows, the height of which is 0.3-2.5 mm relative to the wall. 12

Description

ENGINEERING INDUSTRY

The claimed invention belongs to the field of games and entertainment and relates to an elastic toy figure that can be transformed inside out to thereby change the appearance and/or function of the toy, and be used as a finger toy or as a figure for board games.

LEVEL OF TECHNOLOGY

Finger toys are known from the prior art, are used for puppet-type games and contribute to the development of the child's imagination and motor skills, such as the elastic toy disclosed in the patent. CM86202814) dated 27.05.1987, made in the form of a head of a certain character. However, this toy has only a front part and its use is limited to one character, respectively.

Double-sided toys that are brought into different play or visual states by turning are also known and find application in particular in puppets that are worn on the hand and demonstrate characters in puppet shows, as disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat.

O5844445182 dated 05/21/2013. But the size of such dolls is large enough to match the size of the actor's hand, they are most often made of textiles to ensure easy removal and turning, and scaling them to a small size is impossible.

Less bulky double-sided toys are known from the prior art.

For example, patent 082215226A dated 20.09.1989 describes an elastic, deformable toy that contains a hollow elastic body that can be turned inside out.

The toy body has an inner part and an outer part of different configurations, formed by patterns or colors that differ from each other. The toy body is formed of an elastic material, mainly consisting of a block copolymer (ethylene, styrene and butylene) and a plasticizer (liquid paraffin), and has a small hole that allows the toy to be turned inside out.

Also known is the patent I5664510181 dated 11.11.2003, which describes a transformable ball that can be turned through a hole and has a different configuration on the outer and inner surfaces. The ball has a diameter of about 50 mm and a thickness of at least 4 mm and is made of an elastic jelly-like material, which is a mixture of a melt of a copolymer and a plasticizer.

A figure according to patent 582267443В dated 08.12.1993 is also made of jelly-like elastic material, which is characterized in particular by the fact that the figure is formed by injection molding or casting; it has an internal cavity that is turned out through a small hole in the figure, which is located on its lower side; the cavity essentially has a spherical, ellipsoidal or egg-shaped shape.

The above solutions concern toys that have a rolling shape and their use is due to entertainment, inherent mainly in ball games, while, due to their execution from a jelly-like material, they still have a stretching effect, which can also be used for games, and for turning them out, a small hole is enough, which is able to stretch due to the execution of the body in a jelly-like manner. Creating such toys from a denser elastic material will lead to difficulties either with molding or with subsequent turning out, which is due to limited deformation of the material. Moreover, these toys are not intended to simulate many game situations and develop motor skills by putting them on the fingers and using them as imaginary "living" puppets, and the lack of stability in them prevents them from being installed on a horizontal surface and used in board games or for decorative purposes, for example as collectible figurines.

The possibility of making toys that transform by turning out from a denser elastic material, such as a rubber-like synthetic plastic, is solved in Pat. 5824060618 dated 27.06.2007, which discloses a hollow toy or figurine having different profiles of the inner and outer surfaces formed by three-dimensional elements in the form of protrusions and depressions, and can be turned inside out to reveal on its outer surface one of two different profiles depicting a character, scene, shape or object. This toy, due to its hollowness and the presence of an extension in the direction of the hole, can be used both as a finger and as a table toy, however, to acquire these qualities, its body is formed in two layers with a cavity made between the layers, which is filled with grease to facilitate turning out.

ESSENCE OF THE INVENTION

The objective of the claimed invention is to create an elastic double-sided children's toy figure that has different contours on both surfaces, can be easily turned inside out while maintaining its original dimensions, and can be used both as a finger toy and as a table toy.

In addition to design features, such a toy must have a number of technical characteristics that give it properties of tensile strength and elasticity, as well as verified geometric parameters that ensure the possibility of easy turning of the toy without damaging it, create sufficient space in its interior for possible putting on the child's finger and, accordingly, removing it without causing unpleasant sensations, and also ensure the stability of the structure, for its stability and balance for possible tabletop use.

The problem is solved by the fact that the elastic game figure has a hollow body, the walls of which contain two surfaces with three-dimensional elements made on them, forming the shape of various game characters, while the surfaces of the body are connected to form an opening, which allows changing the game and visual appearance of the toy by turning it over and changing the surface from the first to the second and vice versa. According to the claimed invention, the body of the elastic game figure is single-layered and made in the shape of a cylinder, which is closed at one end by a hemispherical part, the inner radius of which is equal to the inner radius of the cylinder, and open at the other end with the formation of an opening, along the edge of which a radial rounding is made, distributed symmetrically relative to the wall of the body. The height of the figure along the axial section of the body is in the range of 20-23 mm and along the turned surface correlates with the diameter of the body on the inverted surface as 1:1-1.5. The specified geometric parameters provide the possibility of easy turning out of the toy in two ways: directly through the hole, rolling it along the outer surface of the case, or indirectly - by pressing on the hemispherical part of the case and pushing through the hole. In addition, the execution of a radial, symmetrical relative to the case wall, rounding along the hole gives stability to the figure when it is installed on a horizontal surface. In this case, the main thickness of the case wall is 0.9-1.1 mm, and the three-dimensional elements are made together with the case as textured inflows, the height of which is 0.3-2.5 mm relative to the wall. This, together with other features of the claimed invention, provides sufficient space in the inner part of the case for the possibility of putting the figure on any finger of a child aged 5 years and older and even on the tip of an adult's finger without unpleasant sensations of squeezing, and at the same time avoid damage to the three-dimensional elements.

According to a preferred embodiment, at least some of the textured inflows on the first and second surfaces of the body are paired and located oppositely relative to the axis of symmetry of the body and directly opposite to each other relative to the body wall, which allows to ensure the location of certain elements of the game characters on both surfaces of the figure in the same spatial representation, and additionally contributes to the balancing of the figure and its equilibrium.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the radial rounding along the edge of the hole is made as a toroidal thickening, the diameter of the circle of which is 1.5-2.0 of the main thickness of the housing wall. This thickening performs the function of a bandage, which additionally holds the figure on the finger and strengthens the edge of the hole to protect it from premature destruction in the zone of greatest stress, and its size is selected and coordinated with the dimensions of the housing in such a way as not to cause physical harm or pain during use.

As a material for making an elastic toy figure, molding hypoallergenic silicone can be used, which has a hardness on the Shore scale of 30-40 units, type A.

The choice of such a material with the specified hardness is due to the fact that a figure with such characteristics can be turned inside out without additional physical effort, and when transforming it, the shape of the figure remains intact, in particular without deformations and ruptures of the body, and the vertical stability of the figure is achieved.

Dye may be added to the material in an amount of no more than 0.5% by weight of the base material. The use of components in the specified proportion allows you to obtain the desired shade of the color range of the elastic figure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of the claimed invention and its advantages, the following description provides an explanation of possible examples of its implementation with reference to the figures of the attached drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like parts, and which show the following: Fig. 1 schematically illustrates an elastic figure in longitudinal section; Fig. 2 schematically illustrates an elastic figure in cross section; Fig. 3 illustrates the appearance of an elastic figure with one surface turned out; Fig. 4 illustrates the appearance of an elastic figure with another surface turned out; Fig. 4a illustrates a longitudinal section of an elastic figure with one surface turned out; Fig. 4b illustrates a longitudinal section of an elastic figure with another surface turned out.

POSSIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING THE INVENTION

The elastic figure has a hollow body (1), which is made in the shape of a cylinder, closed at one end by a hemispherical part (2), and open at the other end with the formation of an opening (3), the overall shape of the figure's body can be described as O-shaped.

The body (1) is made of a single layer, and on the first (5) and second (6) surfaces of its wall (4), which has a certain thickness, three-dimensional elements (7) are made in the form of textured inflows, which form different profiles on each of the surfaces (5, b) of the wall (4). A radial rounding (8) is made along the edge of the hole (3), which gives stability to the figure when it is installed on a horizontal surface, which can be made as beveled edges symmetrical to the wall (4), or, as indicated in the preferred embodiment, have the form of a toroidal thickening, also symmetrical to the wall (4), i.e. such that it goes beyond the main wall and adds to the stability of the figure also the function of additional holding of the figure on the finger and strengthens the edge of the hole.

To ensure the use of the figure both for wearing on the finger and the possibility of easy turning, the ratio of its main parameters was experimentally determined taking into account the elasticity of the material used and the anthropometric indicators of the fingers of children aged 5 to 12 years. To minimize the size of the case (1) while ensuring sufficient space for the child's finger and at the same time ensuring easy turning of the case, the basis was taken to derive the minimum required indicator of the internal diameter and depending on the height H of the product and the thickness and its wall (4), and, after deriving the minimum required internal diameter, its indicator was additionally increased by 595 to reduce the pressure of the figure on the finger. It was found that the ratio H/y should be within 1:1-1.5, with H along the axial section of the housing (1) in the range of 20-23 mm, which also determines the optimal thickness P of the main wall (4) of the housing (1) within 0.9-1.1 mm. To ensure different profiles of the inner and outer surfaces and while maintaining internal hollowness, the height of the three-dimensional elements (7) is selected on the grounds that their total volume should be no more than half of the internal volume of the cavity of the housing (1), and is determined within 0.3-2.5 mm, which is necessary and sufficient for the possibility of forming on the surfaces (5, b) of the wall (4) various in shape and number of textured influxes without overlapping the cavity of the housing (1).

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show cross-sections and longitudinal sections of the claimed figure, while maintaining the specified ratios of its parameters, and Fig. 46 illustrates a specific example of the execution of an elastic figure depicting different characters. As can be seen from the provided images, the textured influxes (7) on the first and second surfaces of the body are paired, in this case they form the paws, ears and eyes of the characters, and are located directly opposite each other relative to the wall of the body, which allows to ensure the location of certain elements of the game characters on both surfaces of the figure in the same spatial representation.

As a material for making an elastic figure, molding hypoallergenic silicone can be used, which has a hardness on the Shore scale of 30-40 units, on the A scale. Dye can be added to the material, in an amount of no more than 0.5 95 of the mass of the base material, which additionally allows you to diversify its appearance and individuality.

At the same time, it is obvious to a specialist in this field that it is permissible to manufacture the figure from other elastic materials that ensure the strength and elasticity of this product, and also meet sanitary standards, which is important in the manufacture of goods for children, without departing from the principles of this invention. The specified material is one of the possible compounds that was tested in the manufacture of the claimed invention by injection molding. This manufacturing method is the most common and most progressive method of molding plastics, since it allows you to obtain products of complex configuration with little labor and energy and consists in filling the molding cavity of the mold with a melt with its subsequent compaction due to pressure and cooling. At the same time, the injection molding process is relatively easily automated using the simplest serial devices and allows you to manufacture an elastic double-sided figure both serially and in small batches.

The above characteristics allow for the creation of a product that is both strong and elastic, has the ability to be easily turned over without significant deformation and, as a result, damage, and is stable. The elastic double-sided figure can be made in a variety of design embodiments, for example, to be models of people, animals, or characters that appear in all types of media, including films, print, television, music, sports, cartoons, comics, etc.

The claimed double-sided elastic figure can be used as a finger toy,

to promote the development of a child's motor skills and imagination and find application for staging mini-performances with the performance of various roles with its help, or to be used for finger contact with various surfaces, ensuring the sanitary challenges of our time, or even to be a decoration.

The elastic figure can also be used for board games or be part of a collectible set, a decorative element, etc.

Claims (4)

1. An elastic game figure made of molding material, having a hollow body, the wall of which contains two surfaces with three-dimensional elements made on them, forming the shape of various game characters, while the surfaces of the body are connected to form an opening, which allows changing the game and visual appearance by turning it over and changing the surface from one to the other and vice versa, characterized in that the body of the elastic game figure 15 is made single-layer in the shape of a cylinder, which is closed at one end by a hemispherical part, the inner radius of which is equal to the inner radius of the cylinder, and open at the other end with the formation of an opening, along the edge of which a radial rounding is made, made as a toroidal thickening, which is distributed symmetrically relative to the wall of the body, the diameter of the circle of which is 1.5-2.0 of the thickness of the wall of the body, while the height of the body along the axial 20 section is in the range 20-23 mm and on the turned surface corresponds to the diameter of the body on the turned surface as 1:1-1.5, the thickness of the body wall is 0.9-1.1 mm, and the three-dimensional elements are made together with the body as textured inflows, the height of which is 0.3-2.5 mm relative to the wall. 2. An elastic toy figure according to claim 1, characterized in that hypoallergenic silicone, having a Shore A hardness of 30-40 units, is used as the molding material 25 of the body. 3. An elastic toy figure according to claim 1, characterized in that a dye is added to the body material in an amount of at most 0.5% by weight of the base material. 4. An elastic game figure according to claim 1, characterized in that at least part of the textured 30 influxes on the surfaces of the body are paired and located oppositely relative to the axis of symmetry of the body and directly opposite to each other relative to the wall of the body. 4 I det V KO what: I okt ; ; about a TT t Ou t Sonyu o v Fig. 1