US20080038988A1

US20080038988A1 - Deformable toy

Info

Publication number: US20080038988A1
Application number: US11/565,445
Authority: US
Inventors: Ming-Tay Hsu
Original assignee: Foluck International Co Ltd
Current assignee: Foluck International Co Ltd
Priority date: 2006-08-08
Filing date: 2006-11-30
Publication date: 2008-02-14
Also published as: TWM305705U

Abstract

A deformable toy includes: a deformable surrounding wall defining an enclosed space therein and having a foldable portion and an invertable portion; and a decorative piece connected to the invertable portion. The invertable portion is concave relative to the foldable portion so as to cooperate with the foldable portion to define a first recess to receive the decorative piece therein when the foldable portion is disposed at a non-folded state and the invertable portion is disposed at a non-inverted state. The foldable portion defines a second recess, the invertable portion is convex relative to the foldable portion to protrude outwardly of the second recess from the foldable portion, and the decorative piece is disposed outwardly of the second recess when the foldable portion is disposed at a folded state and the invertable portion is disposed at an inverted state.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese application no. 095213951, filed on Aug. 8, 2006.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a deformable toy.
2. Description of the Related Art
A conventional deformable toy as shown in FIG. 1 is made from one single soft transparent or semitransparent plastic tubular body. The tubular body is turned inside out and fitted into itself to form a main body 1 having an inner tube 11 and an outer tube 12. A fluid 2 or other visual decorative article is filled between the inner tube 11 and the outer tube 12. When squeezing the deformable toy, the fluid 2 will axially rush to at least one end and will make the inner tube 11 axially slide relative to the outer tube 12, i.e., axially protrude from or retract into one end. Such deformation will make a pattern 3 (e.g., a frog in FIG. 2) partially convex or concave. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, a deformed section 13 can be protruded from an open mouth 31 of the frog 3. However, the conventional deformable toy has a disadvantage, i.e., after protruding from the open mouth 31, the deformed section 13 and/or the inner tube 11 cannot be automatically restored back to the original position when the squeezing force is released.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a deformable toy that can overcome the aforesaid drawback of the prior art.
According to this invention, a deformable toy includes: a deformable surrounding wall defining an enclosed space therein and having a foldable portion and an invertable portion extending from the foldable portion and surrounded by the foldable portion, the foldable portion being foldable from a non-folded state to a folded state, the invertable portion being invertable from a non-inverted state to an inverted state and being automatically restorable from said inverted state to said non-inverted state, the invertable portion being disposed at the non-inverted state when the foldable portion is disposed at the non-folded state, and being disposed at the inverted state when the foldable portion is disposed at the folded state; and a decorative piece connected to the invertable portion. The invertable portion is concave relative to the foldable portion so as to cooperate with the foldable portion to define a first recess to receive the decorative piece when the foldable portion is disposed at the non-folded state and the invertable portion is disposed at the non-inverted state. The foldable portion defines a second recess, the invertable portion is convex relative to the foldable portion to protrude outwardly of the second recess from the foldable portion, and the decorative piece is disposed outwardly of the second recess when the foldable portion is disposed at the folded state and the invertable portion is disposed at the inverted state.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional deformable toy;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing protrusion of a deformed section from an open mouth of the conventional deformable toy shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of the preferred embodiment of a deformable toy;

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the deformable toy at a non-operated state;

FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the deformable toy at an operated state;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment, in which a pen is connected to a deformable surrounding wall;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment, in which a pencil-sharpener is connected to the deformable surrounding wall; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment, in which a stamp is connected to the deformable surrounding wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 3 to 5, the preferred embodiment of a deformable toy 2 according to the present invention is shown to include a deformable surrounding wall 21 defining an enclosed space 22 therein and having a foldable portion 212 and an invertable portion 213 extending from the foldable portion 212 and surrounded by the foldable portion 212, and a decorative piece 23 connected to the invertable portion 213. The deformable surrounding wall 21 is made of a flexible plastic material and is designed to have a pattern (e.g., an animal). The enclosed space 22 is filled with a fluid 30, such as water or gas. During manufacturing, the fluid 30 is filled into the enclosed space 22 through a hole 216 in the deformable surrounding wall 21. The hole 216 is then sealed using, for example, high frequency sealing process.
The foldable portion 212 is foldable from a non-folded state (see FIG. 4) to a folded state (see FIG. 5). The invertable portion 213 is invertable from a non-inverted state (see FIG. 4) to an inverted state (see FIG. 5). The invertable portion 213 is disposed at the non-inverted state when the foldable portion 212 is disposed at the non-folded state (see FIG. 4), and is disposed at the inverted state when the foldable portion is disposed at the folded state (see FIG. 5).
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4, the invertable portion 213 is concave relative to the foldable portion 212 so as to cooperate with the foldable portion 212 to define a first recess 214 to receive the decorative piece 23 when the foldable portion 212 is disposed at the non-folded state and the invertable portion 213 is disposed at the non-inverted state. As shown in FIG. 5, when the deformable surrounding wall 21 is subjected to a squeezing force, the fluid 30 in the enclosed space 22 presses the foldable portion 212 and the invertable portion 213. Then, the foldable portion 212 is folded to the folded state so as to form a second recess 215, and the invertable portion 213 is inverted so as to be convex relative to the foldable portion 212 to protrude outwardly of the second recess 215 from the foldable portion 212 (i.e., at the inverted state). As a consequence, the decorative piece 23 (e.g., eyes of an animal in this embodiment) is disposed outwardly of the second recess 215. When the squeezing force is released, the foldable portion 212 is unfolded to the non-folded state, and the invertable portion 213 is automatically restored back to the non-inverted state. In this embodiment, each of the foldable portion 212 and the invertable portion 213 has a thickness thinner than the remainder of the deformable surrounding wall 21 so that deformation of the foldable portion 212 and the invertable portion 213 are easier than that of the remainder.
Preferably, the deformable toy 2 further includes a retaining recess 217 provided on the deformable surrounding wall 21. As shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, the deformable toy 2 further includes an object, such as a pen/pencil 3, a pencil-sharpener 4, a stamp 5, etc., which is inserted into the retaining recess 217.
In this invention, the deformable toy 2 further includes a key-ring 24 provided on the deformable surrounding wall 21.
According to the present invention, the deformable toy 2 can be automatically restored back to the original state so as to provide added convenience and amusing effect.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation and equivalent arrangements.

Claims

1. A deformable toy comprising:

a deformable surrounding wall defining an enclosed space therein and having a foldable portion and an invertable portion extending from said foldable portion and surrounded by said foldable portion, said foldable portion being foldable from a non-folded state to a folded state, said invertable portion being invertable from a non-inverted state to an inverted state and being automatically restorable from said inverted state to said non-inverted state, said invertable portion being disposed at the non-inverted state when said foldable portion is disposed at the non-folded state, and being disposed at the inverted state when said foldable portion is disposed at the folded state; and

a decorative piece connected to said invertable portion;

wherein said invertable portion is concave relative to said foldable portion so as to cooperate with said foldable portion to define a first recess to receive said decorative piece therein when said foldable portion is disposed at the non-folded state and said invertable portion is disposed at the non-inverted state; and

wherein said foldable portion defines a second recess, said invertable portion is convex relative to said foldable portion to protrude outwardly of said second recess from said foldable portion, and said decorative piece is disposed outwardly of said second recess when said foldable portion is disposed at the folded state and said invertable portion is disposed at the inverted state.

2. The deformable toy of claim 1, further comprising a retaining recess provided on said deformable surrounding wall.

3. The deformable toy of claim 2, further comprising a pen inserted into said retaining recess.

4. The deformable toy of claim 2, further comprising a pencil-sharpener inserted into said retaining recess.

5. The deformable toy of claim 2, further comprising a stamp inserted into said retaining recess.

6. The deformable toy of claim 1, further comprising a key-ring provided on said deformable surrounding wall.