US20250213992A1

US20250213992A1 - Toy figure with ball joints

Info

Publication number: US20250213992A1
Application number: US18/852,265
Authority: US
Inventors: Markus Hirche; Mark Leach
Original assignee: Mixups GmbH
Current assignee: Mixups GmbH
Priority date: 2022-03-28
Filing date: 2023-03-24
Publication date: 2025-07-03
Also published as: EP4482593A1; WO2023187585A1; DE102022107285A1

Abstract

A toy figure (1) with a plurality of movable body parts (2) is provided. In each case, two body parts (2) are releasably connected to one another by a ball joint (4). The ball joint (4) has a first joint part (41) and a second joint part (42). Each joint part (41, 42) has a first end and an opposite second end, which are connected to each other via a joint axis (43). A joint head (411) is arranged at the first end of the first joint part (41) and a joint socket (421) is arranged at the first end of the second joint part (42). The joint socket (421) movably accomodates the joint head. An anchor for attaching the respective joint part to a body part is arranged at the second end of the first joint part and at the second end of the second joint part.

Description

The present invention relates to a toy figure with a plurality of body parts which are movably and detachably connected to one another via ball joints (in German: “Kugelgelenke”). By using universal ball joints, body parts of the same toy figure can be newly combined with each other, but also different toy figures can be mixed with each other in a wide variety of ways.
A toy figure whose body parts are connected to each other by means of ball joints is described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,359,030, for example. In this figure, the ball joints at the hip, knee, shoulder, etc. each have different sizes, so that the combination of body parts is fixed.
Another typical toy figure with a large number of body parts that are movably connected to each other via ball joints is known from CA 2,477,531. In this figure, the ball heads of the joints are firmly connected to a body part via a stem or the body part and joint head are formed in one piece. Accordingly, matching body parts have a joint socket (in German: “Gelenkpfanne”) formed therein, into which the joint heads can be inserted. By using ball joints of the same type, body parts can be partially interchanged.
The present invention is based on the task of overcoming the problems known in the prior art and providing an improved toy figure with a large number of body parts. In particular, a toy figure is to be provided whose body parts and joints can be combined with one another in a particularly versatile manner. In particular, body parts of different toy figures can also be interchanged and combined with each other. The toy figure according to the invention can thus be part of a set of similarly constructed toy figures.
The solution to the problem is achieved by the toy figure according to claim 1. Further embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims, the drawings and the following description of exemplary embodiments.
A toy figure according to the invention has a plurality of body parts, for example a head, a torso, shoulders, upper arms, lower arms, hands, a plurality of fingers with finger segments, feet, legs, etc. Two body parts are connected to each other by a joint, in particular a ball joint, so that the connection can be released and re-established several times. In particular, all or at least a large number of the joints are designed in the same way so that the body parts can be exchanged and combined with each other almost at will. This means that a large number of different combinations can be assembled by connecting body parts. Body parts of other toy figures in a set of toy figures can also be exchanged (in German: “ausgetauscht”) and combined with each other.
The joints are each designed as ball joints that are detachably connected to each other. Each ball joint has a first joint part (in German: “Gelenk”) and a second joint part. Typically, the first joint part is connected to a first body part and the second joint part is connected to a second body part. By joining the two joint parts together, an articulated connection is created between the two body parts. Ball joints have the advantage that they allow a particularly high degree of freedom of movement.
Each joint part has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The first end and the second end are connected to each other via a joint axis. The joint axis can be cylindrical or pin-shaped, for example. The first end, the joint axis and the second end are preferably formed in one piece. This means that the joint parts can be manufactured in large quantities in a particularly inexpensive injection molding process, for example.
A joint end is arranged at the first end of the first joint part. A joint socket is arranged at the first end of the second joint part, which can accommodate the joint head and support it in a movable manner. The joint head and joint socket thus form the ball joint. The joint head is essentially spherical in shape. The socket is essentially in the form of a hollow hemisphere and is also connected to a joint axis. The inner radius of the hollow hemispherical joint socket essentially corresponds to the outer radius of the spherical joint head so that the joint head can be inserted into the joint socket with a precise fit.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, ball joints of different sizes can be used, which are dimensioned in particular to match the size of the body parts. In order to be able to establish a connection between the joint parts of different sizes, adapter pieces can preferably be provided. This also makes it possible to combine the body parts with body parts of other toy figures whose body parts may be significantly larger or significantly smaller.
The joint socket is preferably elastically deformable, so that the joint head must be pressed into the joint socket with a predetermined force in order to establish the connection. By applying a predetermined force, the joint head can be pulled out of the joint socket again accordingly. By using suitable materials such as a plastic material or a combination of several plastic materials or suitable composite materials, the ball joint can be connected and disconnected many times without fatigue of the elastic properties of the joint socket occurring.
The spherical joint head can, for example, have a diameter of approx. 3 to 10 mm, preferably 4 to 8 mm and particularly preferably approx. 5 mm. The hollow spherical joint socket has a corresponding inner diameter of approx. 3 to 10 mm, preferably 4 to 8 mm and particularly preferably approx. 5 mm.
An anchor for attaching (in German: “zum Befestigen”) the respective joint part to a body part is arranged at the second end of the first joint part and at the second end of the second joint part. The anchor is particularly designed to connect to a body part in a form-fitting manner. A joint part is then attached, for example, by inserting the anchor into a correspondingly shaped receptacle of a body part. A body part can have receptacles for one joint part or preferably two joint parts, particularly preferably for three or more joint parts. For example, a head has a receptacle for a joint part. An upper arm, lower arm or leg preferably has two receptacles for joint parts. For example, a torso can have five receptacles for joint parts. In particular, a hand can have three, four, five or six receptacles for joint parts.
A preferred body part consists of several components, preferably two halves, which can be detachably connected to each other. In order to enable children to play safely, the components can be glued together so that unintentional separation of the components during play can be prevented. According to a preferred embodiment, receptacles for the joints are made of two halves, wherein each half of the receptacle is arranged in correspondently one of the two components, for example, so that a positive fit is created between the receptacle and the anchor when the components are put together, preventing the joint part from falling out or being pulled out.
According to a preferred embodiment, most of the body parts of the toy figure are composed of two essentially half-shell-shaped components. Preferably, one half of a receptacle is arranged in one of the half-shells. A half-shell shape is particularly easy to realize and can also save material and weight, while at the same time achieving high strength.
An embodiment of the body parts consisting of two halves does not exclude that further additional components of the body part are or can be connected to the “halves” to form the body part. However, the essential load-bearing properties, including the receptacles, are preferably fulfilled by the components designated as halves. For the sake of simplicity, the term “half” is preferably used in the following, even if additional components may be present.
The receptacles can hold the anchors in place, in particular to prevent them from being pulled out along the joint axis. In preferred embodiments, the anchor can rotate within the receptacle around the joint axis. In particular, the receptacles can form a bushing in which the anchors are rotatably mounted.
The components or halves of a body part are preferably detachably connected by pins (in German: “verzapft”). For example, the components can be connected to each other via two or more pins (in German: “Zapfen”). One component may have pin holes and another component pin projections that engage the pin holes. Alternatively, each component can each have a pin hole and a pin projection, so that a relative orientation of the components is preferably specified.
A connection by means of a pin has the advantage that the connection can be released by applying a predetermined force. This force is preferably low enough that a child can easily separate the components from each other when playing with the toy figure. Furthermore, the force is preferably strong enough that the components are not separated from each other by the usual loads that occur when playing with the toy figure. Suitable pin connections, which can be assembled and disassembled many times, can be easily produced, for example, with injection-molded plastic parts.
Instead of a pin connection, components of some body parts can also be connected to each other by means of clamping edges (in German: “Klemmkanten”) or the like, which run along an inner edge of an essentially hollow half-shell-shaped component of a body part. The matching counterpart is also half-shell-shaped, whereby the inner edge serves to clamp the clamping edge.
In another preferred embodiment, the anchor can have a stopper that prevents a joint part from rotating around the joint axis. It may still be possible to rotate two body parts relative to each other about the joint axis, as the joint head can preferably be rotated about the joint axis in the joint socket. However, the movement around the joint axis may depend on the orientation of the body parts in relation to each other.
A preferred ball joint is designed to rotate around three axes. A first axis of rotation can run along the joint axis or parallel to the joint axis. Second and third axes of rotation are preferably aligned perpendicular to the joint axis. The three resulting rotational movements can also be described as rolling, yawing and pitching, whereby rolling is defined as along the joint axis.
According to a preferred embodiment example, the joint socket of the second joint part can have a notch (in German: “Auskerbung”) whose size corresponds at least to the joint axis of the first joint part, so that the joint axis can be moved into the notch. The notch allows the ball joint to be deflected by up to approximately 90 degrees, preferably up to 100 degrees, particularly preferably up to 120 degrees to the joint axis. The notch can preferably be dimensioned such that the joint axis of the first joint part can snap into the notch, so that the joint is locked against further movement perpendicular to the joint axis of the second joint part.
According to a preferred embodiment, the anchor of a joint part is designed as an annular cantilever (in German: “ringförmige Auskragung”) perpendicular to the joint axis. In particular, the annular cantilever can be rotationally symmetrical. The receptacle in the body part is a corresponding bushing with a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the cantilever, which forms a pivot bearing with the cantilever.
In one version of the anchor with stopper, the annular cantilever described above can have a flattened section. The receptacle in the body part can have a flattened section corresponding to the annular cantilever. The flattened section of the annular cantilever and the flattened section of the receptacle form a form-fit that can prevent the joint part from rotating around the joint axis. As an alternative to flattening, the stopper can be designed as a bulge or notch (in German: “Ausbuchtung oder Auskerbung”) or respectively as a indentation or notch (in German: “Einbuchtung der Einkerbung”). The receptacle can be designed accordingly so that the anchor and receptacle form a form-fit. Combinations of flattening, bulging and indentation are also conceivable as preferred embodiments.
The first joint part is made of a first material. The second joint part is preferably made of a second material that differs from the first material. The first material and the second material can preferably each be plastics that can be processed by injection molding. Advantageously, the first material and the second material can have similar strengths. Further preferably, the first material and the second material have a specific coefficient of friction relative to one another, so that a predetermined frictional force is created between the joint head and the joint socket. The frictional force can be increased in particular by a clamping effect of the joint socket. The frictional force or clamping effect prevents two body parts from changing their orientation in relation to each other by themselves or by gravity alone. This means that the body parts of the toy figure can be brought into a desired position in relation to each other, which does not change on its own, for example, only due to gravity, during play.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Further advantageous embodiments are described in detail below, with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawings, which, however, does not limit the scope of the invention.

The figures schematically show:

FIG. 1 shows a toy figure according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary embodiment of a ball joint for a toy figure according to the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates the joint connection between two body parts of a toy figure according to the invention.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of one half of a body part with images.

FIG. 5 shows a finger segment with ball joints.

FIG. 6 shows a view of an arm.

FIG. 7 illustrates various adapter pieces for connecting body parts of different sizes.

FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate various toy figures in a kit whose body parts are interchangeable.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION BY MEANS OF EXAMPLES OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, identical reference signs denote identical or comparable components.
FIG. 1 shows a toy FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the invention with a plurality of body parts 2, including an upper body 2 a and a lower body 2 b. A shoulder 2 c is arranged on each of the left and right sides of the upper body 2 a, each of which is connected to an upper arm 2 d. The upper arm 2 d is connected to a lower arm 2 e, which has a hand equipped with several fingers formed from finger segments 2 f. A leg 2 g with a foot 2 h is arranged on the left and right of the lower body 2 b. A head 3 is also positioned on the upper body 2 a. The left body parts 2 are shown separately, while the right body parts 2 are assembled.
The body parts 2 are each movably connected to each other via ball joints 4. Details of the ball joints are described below. In FIG. 1 , the joint heads 411 of the ball joints 4 are visible on the left-hand body parts.
FIG. 2 shows a detailed view of a ball joint 4, which has a first joint part 41 and a second joint part 42. Each joint part 41, 42 has a first end and an opposite second end, which are each connected to each other via a cylindrical or pin-shaped joint axis 43.
A spherical joint head 411 is arranged at the first end of the first joint part 41. A substantially hemispherical joint socket 421 is arranged at the first end of the second joint part 42. By an insertion movement in the direction of the arrow shown, the joint head 411 can be clipped into the joint socket 421, so that the joint socket 421 movably supports the joint head 411.
A right-handed coordinate system with coordinate axes x, y, z is shown in the joint head 411. The coordinate system is defined here with a fixed reference to the joint head. Rotations around the respective coordinate axes are designated Rx, Ry, Rz. The center of rotation is the center of the spherical joint head 411. The rotation Rx corresponds to a rotation around the joint axis 43 and is referred to as rolling. The rotation Ry is also referred to as pitching and the rotation Rz is also referred to as yawing.
The joint socket 421 exerts a clamping force on the clipped-in joint head 411, so that a certain force must be applied in order to move the joint parts 41, 42 against each other. This clamping force can be adjusted by selecting suitable materials for the joint parts 41, 42. On the one hand, the choice of the material of the second joint part 42 influences the elasticity of the joint socket 421. On the other hand, the friction between the joint head 411 and the joint socket 421 can be influenced by the materials.
Due to the clamping force or the frictional force between the joint socket 421 and the joint head 411, the body parts 2 of the toy FIG. 1 can be aligned to each other as desired without the alignment changing by itself or only under the effect of gravity. Thus, the toy FIG. 1 can assume a desired position or pose during play and retains this until the position or pose is changed by actively moving the body parts 2 relative to each other.
The first joint part 41 can be released from the second joint part 42 by pulling along the joint axis 43. The holding force of the joint socket 421 is preferably only overcome when pulling with a predetermined tensile force. For example, a tensile force of at least 50 N, preferably at least 60 N, more preferably at least 70 N is required to release the joint parts 41, 42 from one another. The joint parts 41, 42 are designed in such a way that they can be connected or disconnected many times without the force required for this changing noticeably in each case.
In a preferred embodiment, both joint parts 41, 42 are made of the same plastic material. In alternative embodiments, the joint parts 41, 42 can be made of different plastic materials. Further, the surface of the joint head 411 or the inner surface of the socket 421 can be coated with a material to adjust the friction between the joint head 411 and the joint socket 421 to a desired level.
The joint socket 421 of the second joint part 42 has two opposing round notches 422 on the circumferential edge of the hemispherical shape. The diameter of the notches 422 corresponds to the diameter of the joint axis 43 of the first joint part 41. The notches 422 increase the range of movement of the ball joint 4 for rotations Ry so that an angular range of 180° is achieved here.
In preferred embodiments, the notches 422 can be cut even deeper, so that preferably an angular range of, for example, 200° for rotations Ry can be achieved.
The position in which the joint axes 43 of the two joint parts 41, 42 are aligned with each other is defined as 0°. The notches 422 therefore allow a rotation Ry of +90° to −90°. Rotations Rx are possible in the entire angular range of 360°. Rotations Rz are possible here in a smaller angular range of approx. +45° to −45°.
An anchor 44 for attaching the respective joint part 41, 42 to a body part 2 is arranged at the second end of the first joint part 41 and at the second end of the second joint part 42. For attaching the joint parts to a body part 2, the body parts each have corresponding receptacles 24, which will be described later.
The anchor 44 is formed as an annular cantilever perpendicular to the joint axis 43. The annular cantilever here has a flattened portion 441 which serves as a stopper to prevent rotation of the joint part 41, 42 installed in a body part 2 around the joint axis 43.
FIG. 3 shows the shoulder 2 c and the upper arm 2 d of the toy FIG. 1 in detail. Both body parts 2 c and 2 d each consist of several components, in this case two halves 21 c, 22 c and 21 d and 22 d. The halves are essentially symmetrical to each other. Receptacles 24 for the anchors 44 of the joint parts 41, 42 are arranged inside the body parts 2. These receptacles 42 are described below with reference to FIG. 4 .
FIG. 4 shows one half 21 c of the shoulder 2 c in detail. The arrow indicates the direction in which the joint parts 41, 42 can each be inserted into the receptacle 24. The receptacle 24 is designed to match the shape of the cantilever of the anchor 44. Matching the flattened section 441 of the anchors 44, the receptacles 24 each have flattened sections 241. When the joint parts 41, 42 are inserted into the respective receptacle 24, the flat surfaces of the flattened sections 441 of the anchors 44 come into contact with the flat surfaces of the flattened sections 241 of the receptacles. This can prevent the joint parts 41, 42 from rotating around the joint axis 43.
After inserting the joint parts 41, 42 into the corresponding receptacles 24, the second half 22 c (not shown in FIG. 4 ) of the body part 2 c can be connected to the first half 21 c. By combining the halves 21 c, 22 c, the receptacles 24 are closed so that the joint parts 41, 42 are secured therein. In the illustrated embodiment, one half of the receptacle 24 is arranged in each half 21 c, 22 c of the body part 2 c.
In the case of the shoulder 2 c shown, it is attached by means of clamping edges along the inner edge of the halves 21 c, 22 c. The half 22 c not shown has a circumferential cantilever on the inner edge, which clamps against the inner edge of the half 21 c shown. This mechanism is described below with reference to FIG. 5 .
FIG. 5 shows a finger segment 2 f. The assembled finger segment 2 f is shown at the bottom. At the top of FIG. 5 , the two halves 21 f and 22 f of the finger segment 2 f are separated from each other. A clamping edge 25 can be seen on the circumferential inner edge of the lower half 21 f, which engages in the inside of the upper half 22 f and produces a clamping force to attach the two halves 21 f, 22 f together.
FIG. 6 illustrates the left arm of the toy FIG. 1 in FIG. 1 . Shoulder 2 c, upper arm 2 d and lower arm 2 e are separated from each other. The hand on the lower arm has three fingers and a thumb. The fingers are each formed from three finger segments 2 f. The thumb has two finger segments 2 f. The structure of the finger segments 2 f has already been described with reference to FIG. 5 .
FIG. 7 shows three exemplary adapter pieces 45 with differently sized joint parts. The adapter pieces 45 can, for example, be constructed similarly to the finger segment 2 f shown in FIG. 5 . A first adapter piece 45 in FIG. 7 above combines a large joint head 411 a with a small joint socket 421 b. A second adapter piece 45 in the middle of FIG. 7 combines a large joint head 411 a with a large joint socket 421 a. A third adapter piece 45 at the bottom of FIG. 7 combines a small joint head 411 b with a large socket 421 a.
Examples of toy figures 1, 10 are described below, in which body parts 2, 20 of different sizes were interchanged by using the adapter pieces 45.
The toy figures 1 described here as an embodiment example can be offered in particular as a kit, which makes it possible to interchange and connect a large number of different body parts 2 of different toy figures of different sizes with one another via joints 4 and/or adapter pieces 45, so that many different configurations of the toy figures can be assembled.
FIGS. 8 and 9 show examples of two different toy figures 1, 10 whose body parts are interchangeable. The adapter pieces 45 shown in FIG. 7 are used for this purpose.
In FIG. 8 , the left toy FIG. 1 from FIG. 1 has the left arm 20 e of the second toy FIG. 10 on the right. The arm 20 e of the toy FIG. 10 is connected to the shoulder of the toy FIG. 1 via an adapter piece 45.
The slightly smaller, lighter body parts 20 of the toy FIG. 10 have slightly smaller joint heads 411 b, which are firmly connected to the body parts 20. These smaller joint heads 411 b fit into the smaller joint sockets 421 b of the adapter pieces 45.
In FIG. 9 , both the legs 2 g, 20 g and the arms 2 e, 20 e have been exchanged between the two toy FIGS. 1, 10 . The connection is made via suitable adapter pieces 45, as shown in FIG. 7 . The body parts 20 of the second toy FIG. 10 were thus attached to the first toy FIG. 1 via the adapters 45 shown in FIG. 7 above.
The larger body parts 2 of the first toy FIG. 1 have the larger joint heads 411 a. These body parts 2 are connected to the second toy FIG. 10 using the adapter pieces 45 shown in FIG. 7 below with the matching larger joint sockets 421 a. Thus, a wide variety of combinations of body parts 2, 20 of the different FIGS. 1, 10 can be assembled using the adapter pieces 45.
Because the joints 4 consist of joint parts 41, 42, which are inserted between the halves 21, 22 of the body parts 2, joints 4 of different sizes or different types can be installed. Since the ball joints 4 can be easily plugged together or divided (in German: “leicht zusammenstecken bzw. Teilen lassen”), body parts can be exchanged and combined particularly easily without damaging the parts.
The features disclosed in the above description, the claims and the drawings may be of importance both individually and in any combination for the realization of the invention in its various embodiments.

Claims

1. Toy figure (1) with a plurality of movable body parts (2), wherein:

two body parts (2) are detachably connected to each other by a ball joint (4);

the ball joint (4) has a first joint part (41) and a second joint part (42);

each joint part (41, 42) has a first end and an opposite second end, which are connected to one another via a joint axis (43);

a joint head (411) is arranged at the first end of the first joint part (41);

a joint socket (421) is arranged at the first end of the second joint part (42);

the joint socket (421) movably supports the joint head (411);

an anchor (44) for attaching the respective joint part (41, 42) to a body part (2) is arranged at the second end of the first joint part (41) and at the second end of the second joint part (42);

at least one of the plurality of body parts (2) consists of several components (21, 22);

the anchor (44) is in each case arranged in a correspondingly shaped receptacle (24) of at least one body part (2), which is closed by assembling the components (21, 22).

2. The toy figure (1) according to claim 1, wherein the anchor (44) comprises a stopper (441) which prevents rotation around the joint axis (43).

3. Toy figure (1) according to claim 1, wherein the ball joint (4) is rotatable in three axes.

4. Toy figure (1) according to claim 1, wherein the components (21, 22) each comprise pins for attaching the components (21, 22) to each other.

5. Toy figure (1) according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle (24) is designed to be opened by releasing the components (21, 22) so that the joint part (41, 42) is released.

6. Toy figure (1) according to claim 1, wherein the joint axis (43) between the first end and the second end is formed as a cylindrical pin.

7. Toy figure (1) according to claim 1, wherein the joint socket (421) of the second joint part (42) comprises a notch (422), the size of which corresponds at least to the joint axis (43) of the first joint part (41).

8. Toy figure (1) according to claim 1, wherein:

the anchor (44) is formed as an annular cantilever perpendicular to the joint axis (43); and

the receptacle (24) is a bushing with a cross-section corresponding to the cantilever (44), which forms a pivot bearing with the cantilever (44).

9. Toy figure (1) according to claim 8, wherein:

the annular cantilever has a flattened section (441);

the receptacle (24) has a flattened section (241) corresponding to the annular cantilever; and

the flattened section (441) of the annular cantilever and the flattened section (241) of the receptacle (24) prevent the joint part (41, 42) from rotating around the joint axis (43).

10. The toy figure (1) according to any claim 1, wherein the joint socket (421) is elastic to allow repeated coupling or uncoupling of the joint head (411).

11. The toy figure (1) according to claim 10, wherein the coupling of the joint head (411) with or the uncoupling of the joint head (411) from the joint socket (421) requires a predetermined force.

12. Toy figure (1) according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of ball joints (4) are connected in series.

13. Toy figure (1) according to claim 1, wherein the first joint part (41) is made of a first material and the second joint part (42) is made of a second material different from the first material.