JP7830546B2 - toy - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a toy.

Conventionally, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a jewelry case comprising a box body having a storage compartment inside, composed of a bottom plate and an inner plate surrounding the bottom plate; and a lid that covers the box body so as to close the storage compartment, composed of a top plate and an outer plate surrounding the top plate. The lid is rotatably attached to the box body so as to wrap around to the bottom plate side via a fastening portion that supports it at one point on one of the outer plates.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-29449

Patent Document 1 describes an accessory case for storing and displaying articles, and is not a capsule toy that can be supplied by an article supply device. The capsule toys targeted by this invention require not only storage and display of articles, but also diversity in display forms and ways of enjoyment.

The present invention aims to provide a highly entertaining toy.

The toy according to the present invention is a toy that can be transformed between a first form, which is a sales form, and a second form, which is a play form. It comprises a first main component and a second main component that can be connected to the first main component. The first main component has an opening formed in a part thereof, and the second main component can take on a state with the opening closed and a state with the opening open.

According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a highly entertaining toy.

This is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a toy, which is one aspect of the present invention. This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a toy with items inside, cut vertically along the front-to-back direction. Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the toy shown. This is a perspective view of the toy in its second form, with the second main component closed. Figure 4 is a perspective view of the second form, seen from the bottom side. This is a side view of the second form. This is a front view of the second form. This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the second form of the toy, cut vertically along the front-to-back direction. This is a cross-sectional view of the second main component in the second embodiment, with the component opened. This is a perspective view of the toy in its second form, with the second main component opened.

Hereinafter, a toy 1, which is one embodiment of the present invention, will be described with reference to the figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the first form 1F of the toy 1, and Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the toy 1 with an item inside, cut vertically along the front-to-back direction.

As shown in Figure 1, the toy 1 in the first form (1F) comprises a first main component 11 that is roughly spherical with an opening 11h formed in a part of it, and a second main component 12 connected to the first main component 11 to close the opening 11h. The overall shape is also roughly spherical. Furthermore, in the second form (2F), which is used for play and display, it takes the shape of a stroller, for example, and wheels 21 of the running section 20 (see Figure 4) are attached.

The axle member 22 to which the wheel 21 can be attached has its tip portion slightly protruding from the outer surface 11us of the first main component 11. In its first form (1F), the toy 1 has an outer shell formed by the main components 10 (first main component 11 and second main component 12), and can be sold in this state. However, if necessary, the outer surfaces (11us, 12us) may be covered with a wrapping film 50, for example.

The main component 10 is formed from, for example, synthetic resin and possesses appropriate rigidity. In the first embodiment (1F) shown in Figure 1, it is configured to roll easily. Therefore, it can be supplied and sold from an article supply device. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the first space SP1, which is the internal space in the first embodiment (1F), houses an article 40 modeled after a specific character C and four wheels 21 of the running section 20.

The item supply device comprises a storage section capable of accommodating multiple toys 1 of the first form (1F) in a random arrangement, a supply section capable of randomly selecting and supplying toys 1 one by one from the storage section, a locking section for locking the supply section, an operating section that unlocks the locking section and allows the supply section to be rotated upon payment of a fee, and a passage section for rolling the toys 1 from the storage section to the supply opening. Because the toys 1 have a roughly spherical shape that makes them easy to roll, the item supply device can reliably supply the toys to the user while avoiding damage during supply.

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of toy 1 shown in Figure 1.
As shown in Figure 3, the first main component 11 is composed of a combination of left and right components 11a and 11b, which are divided into left and right halves. Therefore, when the left and right components 11a and 11b are assembled so that their joining surfaces are aligned, the second main component 12, the holding portion 30, and the pair of front and rear shaft members 22 are assembled in such a way that they cannot be removed. For example, the second main component 12 is assembled such that the rotating shaft portions 12a protruding from both its left and right ends are fitted into the left and right shaft support recesses 11d (only one is shown) provided on the inner surface 11is of the first main component 11. As a result, the second main component 12 can rotate with its outer surface 12us facing the inner surface 11is of the first main component 11.

Furthermore, the holding portion 30, which can hold the item 40 modeled after character C, has its front and rear ends fitted into front and rear support grooves 11g formed on the inner surface 11is of the first main component 11. The item 40 has an insertion piece 41 at its bottom, which can be fitted into the insertion hole 31 of the holding portion 30, allowing for detachable attachment.

Furthermore, the pair of front and rear shaft members 22 of the running section 20 have both of their longitudinal shaft ends 22a extending in a direction perpendicular to that longitudinal direction, and are mounted so that these shaft ends 22a are exposed through the shaft holes 11p formed in the first main component 11. These shaft members 22 are positioned by the guide wall 11e and are incorporated so as to be movable in the radial direction when viewed from the side of the first main component 11.

Furthermore, each axle end 22a is provided with a support shaft 22e having a slit 22es (see Figures 8 and 10) at the tip where the wheel 21 is mounted, and a U-shaped curved locking elastic piece 22b (see Figure 8). This locking elastic piece 22b extends in the opposite direction to the extension direction of the axle end 22a, and its free end is provided with a U-shaped claw portion 22d that protrudes outward.

In the first embodiment (1F), the shaft member 22 configured in this way is housed in such a state that the claw portion 22d is disengaged from the locking claw 11j on the inner surface 11is of the first main component 11 (pushed inward towards the main component 10), so that the shaft end portion 22a does not protrude from the outer surface 11us.

On the other hand, by pulling the axle end 22a so that it protrudes from the outer surface 11us, the claw portion 22d engages and locks into the inside of the locking claw 11j (see Figure 8), maintaining the extended state of the axle end 22a, allowing the wheel 21 to be attached. Note that when the axle end 22a is retracted from the outer surface 11us, the claw portion 22d is positioned above the tip of the locking claw 11j (closer to the center of the internal space in Figure 8), and its position is restricted by the tip of the locking claw 11j.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the second form (2F) of toy 1 with the second main component 12 closed. Figure 5 is a perspective view of the second form (2F) shown in Figure 4, viewed from the bottom.

The second form (2F) of toy 1, as shown in Figure 4, is the state in which the wheels 21 of the running section 20 are attached. In this state, the wheels 21 are rotatable, and the toy can be rolled around and played with as a stroller. It can also be displayed and enjoyed on the mounting section 60. When attaching the wheels 21, the axle end 22a is pulled out from the state shown in Figure 1 to the state shown in Figure 5, in the direction that protrudes from the outer surface 11us of the first main component 11 (indicated by the arrow). At this time, as previously mentioned, the claw portion 22d is locked inside the tip of the locking claw 11j by overriding the tip of the claw 11j. This maintains the extended state of the axle end 22a, making it possible to attach the wheels 21.

Figure 6 is a side view of the second form (2F). Figure 7 is a front view of the second form (2F).
As shown in Figure 6, the support shaft 22e is provided with a slit 22es (see Figure 3) that opens towards its tip, and further, at its very tip, it is provided with a hooking claw 22ef that protrudes radially outward from the support shaft 22e. With this configuration, when the shaft end 22a is extended, the wheel 21 can be easily attached to the support shaft 22e simply by pushing it into the hole in the center of the wheel 21. Also, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the wheel 21 is attached so that its upper end and inner side are contained within the recess 11c. Therefore, as shown in Figure 7, when viewed from the front, the wheel 21 does not protrude beyond the width of the first main component 11, and furthermore, when viewed from the side, it has a neat and tidy appearance.

Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the second form (2F) of toy 1, cut perpendicularly along the front-to-back direction.
In the second embodiment (2F), as shown in Figure 8, the article 40 is attached to the holding part 30 and housed in the first space SP1. However, since the opening 11h is closed by the second main part 12, the article 40 cannot be seen. When the second main part 12 is closed, the outer surface 12us of the second main part 12 is located inward from the outer surface 11us of the first main part 11 with a step (d) that is slightly larger than the thickness of the first main part 11. The second main part 12 is provided with an operating part 12d on one end in the rotational direction that protrudes outward from the outer surface 11us of the first main part 11. On the other end opposite to the operating part 12d, there is a second protrusion 12m that protrudes slightly from the outer surface 12us.

The inner surface 11is of the first main component 11 is provided with a first projection 11m that protrudes inward from the upper end of the main component. The first projection 11m is positioned to engage with the second projection 12m when the second main component 12 closes the opening 11h. This first projection 11m locks the second main component 12 in place, preventing it from opening.

Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of the second main component 12 in the second form (2F) with the component open, and Figure 10 is a perspective view of the second main component in the second form of the toy with the component open.

The second main component 12 is opened by applying force to the operating part 12d, causing the second protrusion 12m to move over the first protrusion 11m, thereby releasing the lock. This opening motion involves the outer surface 12us of the second main component 12 rotating approximately 90 degrees around the rotation axis 12a, so that it aligns with the inner surface 11is of the first main component 11. In the final stage of opening, as shown in Figure 9, the second protrusion 12m moves over the third protrusion 11n, which is located at the rear end of the inner surface 11is. This engagement between the second protrusion 12m and the third protrusion 11n locks the second main component 12 in place, maintaining its open state, and, as shown in Figure 10, creates the effect of character C being placed in a stroller. Furthermore, by preparing multiple character Cs, users can enjoy changing the character C.

As described above, in this embodiment of the toy 1, the opening 11h of the first main component 11 is configured to be openable and closable by the second main component 12. Therefore, in the first embodiment (1F), parts and articles 40 (character C) can be inserted into and removed from the first main component 11 through the opening 11h.

Furthermore, in this embodiment of toy 1, the first main component 11 and the second main component 12 are configured to be rotatable when the opening 11h is closed, thus enabling supply by an article supply device.

In this embodiment of toy 1, the second main component 12 can be in a closed state in the first embodiment (1F), allowing an article 40 to be stored in the internal space (first space SP1). Furthermore, in the second embodiment (2F), since the opening 11h can be closed or open, the article 40 can be enjoyed by making it visible or hidden from view.

Furthermore, in this embodiment of toy 1, the second main component 12 can open to an angle of, for example, 90 degrees or more, nearly 180 degrees, relative to the first main component 11. Moreover, it can open and close by rotating and sliding so that its open state aligns with the inner surface 11is of the first main component 11. As a result, the second main component 12 does not protrude significantly from the first main component 11 in an inconvenient way when open, and can be stored compactly.

Furthermore, in this embodiment of the toy 1, the second main component 12 is configured to be lockable relative to the first main component 11 when the opening 11h is closed, thus ensuring that the first space SP1 is securely closed. Additionally, the second main component 12 can be locked to maintain its open state, thus maintaining the ability to see the article 40 contained within the first space SP1.

In this embodiment of toy 1, the second main component 12 is configured such that the operating portion 12d at its end protrudes from the outer surface of the first main component 11, making it easier to grip with fingertips during opening and closing operations. Furthermore, by positioning the outer surface of the second main component 12 to form an inward step (d) relative to the outer surface 11us of the first main component 11, the amount of protrusion of the operating portion 12d can be increased, further improving operability (finger grip).

This embodiment of the toy 1 includes wheels 21, which are the running parts 20 that enable the main component 10 to move, allowing the toy to be played with by moving the main component 10.

According to this embodiment of toy 1, the outer surface 11us of the first main component 11 is provided with a plurality of recesses 11c corresponding to the running section 20. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the running section 20 and the shaft member 22 supporting the running section 20 that protrude from the outer surface 11us. This contributes to making the shape of the outer surface 11us more spherical in the first embodiment (1F).

According to this embodiment of toy 1, the first main component 11 is provided with a holding portion 30 for holding the article 40, so the article 40 can be held securely in the first space SP1 without wobbling. Furthermore, since the article 40 can be attached to and detached from the holding portion 30, the article 40 can be changed for added enjoyment.

In this embodiment of the toy 1, the holding section 30 is configured as a partition wall separating the internal space into a first space SP1 and a second space SP2. Therefore, the area of the first space SP1 that holds the article 40 and the second space SP2 that houses the support structure of the running section 20 are clearly separated. This allows the first space SP1, on the side where the article 40 is displayed, to have an aesthetically pleasing shape as a display area.

The above describes one aspect of the present invention, but the present invention can be modified as appropriate within the scope of its technical concept. For example, in the above embodiment, the rotation angle range of the second main component 12 is set to an angle of about 90 degrees, but the configuration is not limited to this, and it may be configured to open to a larger angle, for example, 180 degrees, where the upper half opens.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the insertion piece 41 for attaching the article 40 to the holding part 30 is configured as a plate, but it is not limited to this configuration. For example, it may be configured as an annular ring, and this ring portion may be designed to be worn on a finger.

As explained above, the following matters are disclosed in this specification:

(1)
A toy that can transform between a first form, which is a sales format, and a second form, which is a play format.
It comprises a first main component and a second main component that can be connected to the first main component,
The first main component described above has an opening formed in a part thereof.
The above-mentioned second main component is a toy that can take on both a closed and an open state for the opening.

(2)
(1) The toys described above,
A toy in which the first main component and the second main component are configured to be rotatable when the opening is closed.

(3)
(1) or (2) the toys described above,
A toy in which the second main component described above forms an outer shell together with the first main component described above when the opening is closed.

(4)
A toy described in any one of (1) to (3),
A toy in which the second main component described above is configured to be able to take a closed state of the opening in the first embodiment, and is configured to be able to take both a closed state and an open state of the opening in the second embodiment.

(5)
A toy described in any one of (1) to (4),
The toy is configured such that the second main component described above is rotatable relative to the first main component described above.

(6)
(5) The toys described above,
A toy in which the second main component described above is configured to be rotatable relative to the first main component within an angle range of 0 to 180 degrees.

(7)
A toy described in any one of (1) to (6),
A toy in which the second main component described above is configured to be inseparable from the first main component described above.

(8)
A toy described in any one of (1) to (7),
A toy in which the second main component is configured such that, when the opening is opened, its outer surface faces a part of the inner surface of the first main component.

(9)
A toy described in any one of (1) to (8),
The toy is configured such that the second main component can be locked to the first main component when the opening is closed.

(10)
A toy described in any one of (1) to (9),
A toy in which the first main component and the second main component are configured such that a step is formed at the boundary between the first main component and the second main component when the opening is closed.

(11)
A toy described in any one of (1) to (10),
The toy includes an operating part that allows the second main component to be opened and closed.

(12)
(11) The toys described above,
The above-mentioned operating part is configured as a protruding part that extends from the outer surface of the second main component, in a toy.

(13)
(11) or (12) the toys,
The above-mentioned operating part protrudes from the outer surface of the first main component when the opening is closed, in a toy.

(14)
A toy described in any one of (1) to (13),
A toy in which the first main component described above is configured to be capable of having a drive unit attached to it, which enables the first main component to move, in the second embodiment described above.

(15)
(14) The toys described above,
The first main component is a toy in which a plurality of recesses are formed on its outer surface, and in the second embodiment, the running part is positioned in the recesses.

(16)
(15) The toys described above,
The above-mentioned drive unit is a toy configured as a rotatable wheel.

(17)
(16) The toys described above,
A shaft member that rotatably supports the wheel is provided at a position corresponding to the above-mentioned recess.
The shaft member is provided so as to be movable relative to the first main component in this toy.

(18)
A toy described in any one of (1) to (17),
The above-mentioned first main component and the above-mentioned second main component form a first space and a second space when the opening is closed, respectively, in a toy.

(19)
(18) The toys described above,
The above-mentioned first main component includes a holding portion for holding an article,
A toy configured to hold the article in the first and second embodiments described above.

(20)
(19) The toys described above,
The above-mentioned holding part is configured to allow the above-mentioned article to be attached to and detached, and is a toy.

(21)
(19) or (20) the toys described above,
The above-mentioned holding part constitutes a partition wall separating the first space and the second space, in a toy.

(22)
A toy described in any one of (19) to (21),
The above-mentioned first main component and the above-mentioned second main component are toys in which the first space is configured as a storage compartment for the above-mentioned article, and the second space is not configured as a storage compartment for the above-mentioned article.

1 Toy 1F First form 2F Second form 11 First main part 11c Recess 11is Inner surface of first main part 11us Outer surface of first main part 12 Second main part 12d Operating part 12us Outer surface of second main part 20 Running part 21 Wheel 22 Axle member 30 Holding part 40 Item SP1 First space SP2 Second space

Claims (15)

A toy that can take on a first form and a second form ,
It comprises a substantially spherical first main component having an opening, a second main component rotatably connected to the first main component and capable of having the opening closed and open, a wheel, and a shaft member movably provided with respect to the first main component and capable of rotatably supporting the wheel ,
The first embodiment is configured such that the first main component and the second main component with the opening closed form a substantially spherical outer shell that can roll, and is in a state where it can be supplied from an article supply device.
The second embodiment is a state in which the shaft member provided within the outer shell is pulled out of the outer shell and the wheel housed within the outer shell is attached, and is able to stand on its own when the wheel is placed in contact with a flat surface, and can also be in a state in which the opening is open.
The item supply device comprises a storage section capable of accommodating multiple toys, a supply section capable of randomly selecting and supplying toys one by one from the storage section, a locking section for locking the supply section, an operating section that unlocks the locking section and allows the supply section to be rotated upon payment of a fee, and a passage section for allowing the toys to roll through from the storage section to the supply opening . The toy according to claim 1 ,
A toy in which the second main component is configured to be rotatable relative to the first main component within an angle range of 0 to 180 degrees. The toy according to claim 2 ,
A toy in which the second main component is configured to be inseparable from the first main component. The toy according to claim 3 ,
A toy in which the second main component is configured such that, when the opening is open, its outer surface faces a portion of the inner surface of the first main component. The toy according to claim 4 ,
The toy is configured such that the second main component can be locked to the first main component when the opening is closed. The toy according to claim 5 ,
A toy in which the first main component and the second main component are configured such that a step is formed at the boundary between the first main component and the second main component when the opening is closed. The toy according to claim 6 ,
The toy includes an operating part that allows the second main component to be opened and closed. The toy according to claim 7 ,
The operating part is configured as a protrusion that extends from the outer surface of the second main component, in this toy. The toy according to claim 8 ,
The operating part protrudes from the outer surface of the first main component when the opening is closed, in a toy. The toy according to claim 9 ,
A toy in which the first main component has a plurality of recesses formed on its outer surface, and in the second embodiment, the wheels are positioned in the recesses. The toy according to claim 10 ,
The first main component and the second main component form a first space and a second space when the opening is closed, respectively, in this toy. The toy according to claim 11 ,
The first main component includes a holding portion for holding an article,
A toy configured to hold the article in the first and second embodiments. The toy according to claim 12 ,
The holding part is configured to allow the article to be attached to and detached, and is a toy. The toy according to claim 13 ,
The holding part constitutes a partition wall separating the first space and the second space, in a toy. The toy according to claim 14 ,
A toy in which the first main component and the second main component are configured such that the first space is configured as a storage compartment for the article, and the second space is not configured as a storage compartment for the article.