JP7699079B2 - Doll-type toys and joint structures - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a doll-type toy and a joint structure.

Doll-type toys (doll bodies) are required to be able to move naturally and have a variety of poses. Therefore, doll-type toys include various joints and movable parts to allow for movements and poses similar to those of humans and animals. Patent Document 1 proposes a four-legged animal doll that has a joint structure that allows for realistic movements similar to those of real animals.

JP 2010-17264 A

The above-mentioned conventional technology includes various joints to realize a wide variety of movements, and each joint is made up of multiple parts. Therefore, seams are created at the joints when multiple parts are combined. Such seams do not exist in humans or animals, and give an unnatural impression compared to the appearance of humans and animals.

The present invention provides a mechanism for realizing a rotatable joint structure in a doll-type toy while also achieving a more natural-looking appearance.

The present invention is, for example, a doll-type toy comprising a first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion on one part, and a second part forming a joint with the first part and having a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted, the second part being formed as a single part, and a step-over portion is formed on the inner side of the recess for rotatably holding the ring-shaped connecting portion.
The present invention also provides, for example, a doll-type toy comprising a first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion on one part, and a second part forming a joint with the first part and having a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted, the second part being formed as a single part, and a semicircular shaped jumping-over portion that rotatably holds the ring-shaped connecting portion on the inner side of the recess, and when the ring-shaped connecting portion is inserted into the second part, the inner side of the ring at the front portion of the connecting portion in the insertion direction comes into contact with the jumping-over portion.

The present invention is also characterized in that, for example, it is a joint structure comprising a first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion on a portion of the first part, and a second part forming a joint with the first part and having a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted, the second part being formed as a single part, and a override portion being formed on the inner side surface of the recess for rotatably holding the ring-shaped connecting portion.
The present invention also provides, for example, a joint structure comprising a first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion on a portion of the first part, and a second part forming a joint with the first part and having a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted, the second part being formed as a single part, a semicircular shaped jumping-over portion that rotatably holds the ring-shaped connecting portion on an inner side surface of the recess, and when the ring-shaped connecting portion is inserted into the second part, the inner side of the ring at a front portion in the insertion direction of the connecting portion comes into contact with the jumping-over portion.

The present invention makes it possible to realize a rotatable joint structure in a doll-type toy while also achieving a more natural-looking appearance.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a front appearance of a doll-type toy according to an embodiment. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an exterior side view of a doll-type toy according to an embodiment. 1A is a perspective view of an upper body including arms of a doll-type toy according to one embodiment, and FIG. 1B is an exploded view of the upper body including arms of the doll-type toy according to one embodiment. FIG. 1A is an exploded view of a shoulder joint of a doll-type toy according to one embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a plan view of an upper arm side shoulder part of a shoulder joint according to one embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a shoulder joint of a doll-type toy according to one embodiment. FIG. 2A shows a shoulder joint of a comparative example, and FIG. 2B shows a shoulder joint according to one embodiment.

The following embodiments are described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the invention according to the claims, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be combined in any combination. In addition, the same reference numbers are used for the same or similar configurations, and duplicate descriptions are omitted.

<Exterior of doll-type toy>
First, an example of the external configuration of a doll-type toy 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1A and 1B. Figure 1A shows the external front view of the doll-type toy 100. Figure 1B shows the external side view of the doll-type toy 100. Note that the up-down, left-right, and front-back arrows indicate the orientation of the doll-type toy in the figure, and the same applies to the other figures.

The doll-type toy (doll body) 100 includes a head 101, a chest 102, arms 103a and 103b, an abdomen 104, a waist 105, a skirt 106 as a clothing part, and legs 107a and 107b. The doll-type toy 100 is a movable doll-type toy such as a movable figure, and each part can be moved within a limited area caused by its relationship with other members. The head 101 is connected to the chest 102 by a spherical connecting member (hereinafter, also referred to as a ball joint). The chest 102 is further connected to arms 103 including a right arm 103a and a left arm 103b by a spherical connecting member, and the abdomen 104 is connected at the bottom. The waist 105 is connected to the abdomen 104. The detailed configurations of the chest 102, abdomen 104, and waist 105 will be described later. Legs 107, including right leg 107a and left leg 107b, are connected to the waist 105 and are covered with a skirt 106.

In the following, the upper body including the head 101, chest 102, and arms 103 is referred to as the upper body. The lower body including the waist 105 and legs 107a and 107 is referred to as the lower body. The upper body and lower body are connected via the abdomen 104. The chest 102, abdomen 104, and waist 105 are also collectively referred to as the torso. In the following, as the joint structure according to this embodiment, a shoulder joint structure in which the arm 103b is connected to the chest 102 by a spherical connecting member (ball joint) is described. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention, and the joint structure described below can be applied not only to the shoulder joint but also to other joints, such as a hip joint, elbow joint, or knee joint that connects the legs.

<Configuration of upper body including arms>
Next, the attachment of the arm 103b to the upper body of the doll-type toy 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 2. Fig. 2(a) is a perspective view showing the chest 102, arm 103b, abdomen 104, and waist 105 of the upper body. Fig. 2(b) is an exploded view of the arm 103b including the shoulder joint. The arm 103b corresponds to the left arm of the doll-type toy 100, but the arm 103a corresponding to the right arm has the same configuration, so detailed description will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 2(a), the arm 103b is connected to the chest 102 by a spherical connecting part (ball joint). That is, the shoulder joint according to this embodiment connects the arm 103b to the chest 102 rotatably by a ball joint. However, this is not intended to limit the invention, and connecting parts of other shapes may be used instead of the spherical connecting part.

As shown in FIG. 2(b), the arm 103b is made up of parts 201 to 204. Part 204 is further made up of multiple parts, but a detailed description of this will be omitted. The shoulder joint according to this embodiment is made up of an upper arm shoulder part 201 and a shoulder movable part 202. Part 204, which constitutes part of the arm 103b, is connected to one side of the upper arm shoulder part 201.

As shown in FIG. 2(b), one side of the shoulder movable part 202 included in the shoulder joint has a spherical connecting part 301 to form the ball joint, and the other side has a ring-shaped connecting part 302 that fits into the upper arm shoulder part 201. The dotted line frame in FIG. 2(b) shows an enlarged view of the shoulder movable part 202. By having these two connecting parts, the arm 103b including part 204 can rotate around the ring part of the shoulder movable part 202 in addition to the rotational movement caused by the ball joint, allowing for a wider variety of movements and poses.

In addition, the upper arm shoulder part 201 into which the ring-shaped connecting part 302 of the shoulder movable part 202 according to this embodiment is fitted is formed from one part (i.e., one member). In general, an axis is inserted into the ring-shaped connecting part to rotate the connected parts. In this case, the upper arm shoulder part having the above-mentioned axis is generally formed from two parts. When parts formed from two parts are combined, a seam is generated in a part of the shoulder, giving an unnatural impression, for example, when such a structure is used for a shoulder joint. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the upper arm shoulder part 201 into which the ring-shaped connecting part 302 is fitted is formed from one part, thereby realizing a shoulder joint without the above-mentioned seam. The detailed configuration of the combination, etc. will be described later.

<Detailed structure of the joints>
Next, a detailed configuration of the joint of the doll-type toy 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3(a) shows an exploded view of the shoulder joint according to this embodiment, and Fig. 3(b) shows the shoulder joint in a state where two parts according to this embodiment are combined.

As shown in FIG. 3(a), the shoulder movable part 202 is formed with a spherical connecting part 301 and a ring-shaped connecting part 302. The spherical connecting part 301 is rotatably connected to the chest part 102. The ring-shaped connecting part 302 is rotatably fitted into the upper arm shoulder part 201 and connected thereto. The upper arm shoulder part 201 is formed on one side with a recess 303 having an opening into which the ring-shaped connecting part 302 of the shoulder movable part 202 is fitted. The inner side surface of the recess 303 is formed with overhanging parts 304a, 304b into which the ring-shaped connecting part 302 is rotatably fitted.

The climbing parts 304a and 304b are fitted into the ring (hole) of the ring-shaped connecting part 302 from both sides, and when fitted into the ring-shaped connecting part 302, they are positioned along the inside (inner diameter) of the ring and function as a rotation axis that allows the arm part 103b to rotate up and down. The climbing parts 304a and 304b also function to hold the connected shoulder movable part 202 to the upper arm shoulder part 201. Figure 3(b) shows the shoulder movable part 202 fitted into the upper arm shoulder part 201.

The upper arm shoulder part 201 is formed to include a recess 303 and an upper arm side connecting part 305. The upper arm side connecting part 305 is formed at the end opposite the end where the recess 303 is formed, and is connected to a part 204 that is part of the arm part 103b. In this embodiment, the connecting part with the pearl 204 is configured to be fixed by fitting, but this is not intended to limit the invention, and for example, the part 204 may be configured to be connected so that it can rotate. This allows for a wider variety of movements and poses to be realized.

＜Upper arm shoulder part＞
Next, the detailed configuration of the upper arm shoulder part 201 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4(a) shows a perspective view of the upper arm shoulder part 201. Fig. 4(b) shows a plan view of the upper arm shoulder part 201.

As shown in FIG. 4(a), the overhanging parts 304a and 304b formed in the recess 303 of the upper arm shoulder part 201 are formed in a convex shape on the inner side surface of the recess 303, and are formed in the deep part of the inner side of the recess 303. The overhanging parts 304a and 304b are formed facing each other on the inner side surface of the recess 303. The overhanging parts 304a and 304b are also formed in a semicircular shape that matches the curvature of the ring of the ring-shaped connecting part 302. As a result, the overhanging parts 304a and 304b can hold the shoulder movable part 202 rotatably by sandwiching it together with the inner wall of the deepest part of the recess 303, and function as a rotation axis when the shoulder movable part 202 rotates. Details will be explained with reference to FIG. 5(b).

As shown in FIG. 4(b), the overhanging parts 304a, 304b are formed with different widths. This is to ensure the strength of the mold when forming the upper arm shoulder part 201. In other words, the strength of the mold is ensured by providing flat surfaces on both sides of the overhanging part 304a. However, although the forming widths are different, the two overhanging parts 304a, 304b are formed in semicircular shapes with the same curvature, and this does not affect their function as the rotation axis of the shoulder movable part 202.

<Cross-section of joint>
Below, a side cross-sectional view of the joint according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5(a) shows a cross section taken along line A-A' in Fig. 3(b), and Fig. 5(b) shows a cross section taken along line B-B' in Fig. 3(b).

Figure 5(a) shows the shoulder movable part 202 climbing over the climbing parts 304a, 304b and fitting into the upper arm shoulder part 201. The climbing parts 304a, 304b are located deep inside the recess 303 of the upper arm shoulder part 201, on the lower side in Figure 5(a). By providing the climbing parts 304a, 304b deep inside the recess 303 in this way, the ring part of the ring-shaped connecting part 302 can be sandwiched and held between the climbing parts 304a, 304b and the inner wall of the upper arm shoulder part 201, preventing the shoulder movable part 202 from rattling in the vertical direction.

On the other hand, it is also possible to provide the climbing-over parts on the opening side of the recess 303, on the upper left and right sides in FIG. 5(a). However, if they are provided on the upper side, the ring part of the ring-shaped connecting part 302 cannot be sandwiched and held between the inner wall of the upper arm shoulder part 201, as compared to providing them on the lower side (rear side), and rattling occurs. Furthermore, if the climbing-over part is provided on the upper side of the recess 303, an undercut will be created when the mold is opened and closed, making it difficult to release the part in its original shape when it is removed from the mold during the manufacturing process.

In order to avoid undercuts, instead of forming the overhanging parts only on the upper side, it is also possible to form them from the upper side to the lower side. By forming them in this way, it is possible to prevent undercuts and also to prevent the rattling described above. However, if the overhanging parts are formed on the top and bottom, the fit with the shoulder movable part 202 becomes too tight, and the shoulder movable part 202 cannot be easily fitted into the upper arm shoulder part. In this way, the overhanging parts 304a, 304b formed at the back of the recess 303 in this embodiment can solve the problems that arise when overhanging parts are formed on the upper side or on the top and bottom.

Figure 5(b) also shows how the overhanging part 304b is fitted along the inner diameter of the ring when the shoulder movable part 202 is fitted into the upper arm shoulder part 201. As such, the overhanging part 304b is formed in a semicircular shape, and is formed to match the curvature of the ring of the ring-shaped connecting part 302. Therefore, the shoulder movable part 202 can be rotated in the direction of the arrow along the outer shape of the overhanging part 304b. Figure 5(b) also shows how, as mentioned above, the ring part of the shoulder movable part 202 is held by being sandwiched between the overhanging part 304b and the inner wall of the upper arm shoulder part 201. This makes it possible to prevent rattling in the vertical direction.

<Joints made of multiple parts>
Next, a comparison between a comparative example of a joint made of multiple parts and the joint according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6(a) shows the structure of a comparative example of a shoulder joint. Fig. 6(b) shows the structure of a shoulder joint according to this embodiment.

As shown in FIG. 6(a), in the comparative example, upper arm shoulder parts 601, 603 are fitted into shoulder movable part 602, which has a ring-shaped connecting part, from the left and right of the ring. Upper arm shoulder part 601 is formed with shaft 604, which serves as the axis of rotation of the arm part connected to upper arm shoulder parts 601, 603. Shaft 604 is inserted into the ring part of shoulder movable part 602 and fitted into a recess formed in upper arm shoulder part 603, thereby combining these three parts.

In this way, in the comparative example, the upper arm shoulder part is formed from two parts. Therefore, when the upper arm shoulder parts 601, 603 are assembled, a seam 605 is formed. The seam 605 appears at the joint of the doll-type toy, in this case the shoulder joint, and gives an unnatural impression compared to a real person or animal. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the seam that occurs when assembling multiple parts like this as much as possible. However, as with the comparative example, a connection by inserting an axis is generally used for the ring-shaped connecting part, and in that case, it is easier to form the part by constructing it from multiple parts. In other words, when a configuration by inserting an axis is adopted, forming the upper arm shoulder part from a single part is not preferable because it makes the manufacturing process of the part more complicated.

Therefore, according to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the upper arm shoulder part 201 is formed as a single part, and the shoulder movable part 202 is fitted over a crossover portion formed on the upper arm shoulder part 201. The crossover portion is formed in a semicircular shape that matches the curvature of the ring of the shoulder movable part 202, and functions as an axis that allows the parts to rotate relative to each other along its outer shape. By forming the upper arm shoulder part 201 as a single part in this way, it is possible to form a joint that does not have a seam as explained in the comparative example.

As described above, the doll-type toy according to this embodiment comprises a first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion on one part, and a second part that forms a joint with the first part and has a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted. The second part is formed as a single part, and a crossover portion that rotatably holds the ring-shaped connecting portion is formed on the inner side surface of the recess. This allows the doll-type toy to have a rotatable joint structure while reducing the number of parts, resulting in a more natural-looking appearance.

<Modification>
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications and changes are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. In the above embodiment, an example of applying the joint structure to a shoulder joint has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the joint structure may be used in other parts. For example, the joint structure may be used in joints such as a hip joint that connects legs, an elbow joint, and a knee joint. In addition, an example has been described in which a spherical connecting portion (ball joint) is provided on one side of the connecting member according to the above embodiment, but any connecting portion may be used as long as the parts to be connected are rotatable. It is desirable to configure a connecting portion suitable for the joint to which the joint is applied.

In addition, the shape of the doll-type toy (doll body) is not particularly limited, and includes a variety of shapes such as people, animals, robots, insects, dinosaurs, and virtual life forms.

100: doll-type toy, 101: head, 102: chest, 103a, 103b: arms, 104: abdomen, 105: waist, 106: skirt, 107a, 107b: legs

Claims (8)

A doll-type toy,
A first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion at a part thereof;
a second part that forms a joint with the first part and has a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted;
the second part is formed as one piece;
A semicircular bridge portion is formed on an inner side surface of the recess for rotatably holding the ring-shaped connecting portion ,
A doll-type toy, characterized in that when the ring-shaped connecting part is inserted into the second part, an inner side of the ring at a front part of the connecting part in the insertion direction comes into contact with the climbing-over part . The doll-type toy according to claim 1, characterized in that the climbing portion is formed at the back of the recess. The doll-type toy according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the climbing part is formed in a semicircular shape to match the curvature of the ring shape. The doll-type toy according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the two overhanging parts are formed facing each other on the inner side surface of the recess so that each is fitted into the hole of the ring-shaped connecting part from both sides. The doll-type toy according to claim 4, characterized in that the two climbing parts are different in size from each other. The first part has the ring-shaped connecting portion formed on one side and the spherical connecting portion formed on the other side,
The spherical connecting portion is connected to an upper body portion of the doll-type toy,
6. The doll-type toy according to claim 1, wherein an upper arm of the doll-type toy is connected to an end of the second part opposite to the end where the recess is formed. A joint structure,
A first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion at a part thereof;
a second part that forms a joint with the first part and has a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted;
the second part is formed as one piece;
A semicircular bridge portion is formed on an inner side surface of the recess for rotatably holding the ring-shaped connecting portion ,
A joint structure characterized in that, when the ring-shaped connecting portion is inserted into the second part, the inner side of the ring at the front portion of the connecting portion in the insertion direction comes into contact with the overpassing portion . The joint structure according to claim 7, characterized in that the joint structure forms a shoulder joint, a hip joint, an elbow joint, or a knee joint of a doll-type toy.

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