The prior art includes numerous types of jumping and sliding toys set in motion by the tap of a finger of a player. Such toys are typically manufactured by injection molding of plastic, and some imitate the shape of jumping animals such as crickets or frogs. Some of such toys can jump, but not slide. Others only jump forwardly, not vertically, eliminating or reducing the possibility of catching the toy with the same hand. Because of imitation of shapes such as small animals, the toy has only a single jumping position. Because of the injection molding process and the concurrent need of printing logos and decorations, such toys are relatively expensive in the high volume promotional market. Because of the three-dimensional shape, not only is the printing expensive, but there is also high cost and difficulty in handling, packaging and storing of high volumes of such types of product.

The present invention addresses and solves the above-noted problems, and provides a low cost jumping and sliding promotional toy. The toy is provided by a semi-rigid, semi-flexible plastic disc printed flat at low cost, including desired logos, decorations or other graphics. The disc has an outer perimeter, an inner perimeter, and a central flat area. The outer perimeter is spaced outwardly of the inner perimeter by a plurality of flaps joined to the flat central area at respective living hinge bend lines along the inner perimeter. The disc is printed, handled, packaged, stored and shipped in a flat condition with the flat central area and the flaps all coplanar and defining a two-dimensional object facilitating the noted printing, and minimizing costs of handling, packaging and storing. In preferred form, the disc is die cut in various symmetrical shapes with cuts extending radially inwardly from the outer perimeter, although other flap formation techniques may be used. The construction allows the consumer to alternately partially fold the flaps in opposite directions about respective bend lines to provide a first set of upwardly bent upflaps and a second set of downwardly bent downflaps extending between the inner and outer perimeters. A finger tap on an upflap causes an upward flipping motion of the toy, and a finger tap on a downflap causes

horizontal sliding of the toy. The toy may be stood upright and used as a target for another toy. Two toys may be nested with each other.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a top elevation view of a toy constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation view of the toy of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the toy of Fig. 1 after flap folding.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing an upright position of the toy of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation view of the toy of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing nesting of toys.

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 6 showing the assembled nesting condition.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a portion of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view like Fig. 3 and illustrates jumping.

Fig. 10 is a view like Fig. 3 and illustrates sliding.

Fig. 11 is similar to Fig. 9 and further illustrates jumping and catching.

Fig. 12 is similar to Figs. 10 and 4 and illustrates a game.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a toy known in the prior art.

Fig. 14 is a top elevation view of the toy of Fig. 13.

Fig. 15 is a side elevation view of the toy of Fig. 13.

Fig. 16 is an end elevation view of the toy of Fig. 13.

Fig. 17 is a view like Fig. 15 and illustrates sliding.

Fig. 18 is a view like Fig. 15 and illustrates forward jumping.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Fig. 1 shows a toy 20 formed of a printed plastic disc 22 having an inner perimeter 24 and an outer perimeter 26. The inner perimeter extends around a flat central area 28. Outer perimeter 26 is spaced outwardly of inner perimeter 24 by a plurality of flaps 30,32,34,36,38,40 joined to flat central area 28 at respective living hinge bend lines 42,44,46,48,50,52 along inner perimeter 24. Disc 22 has a first condition as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 with flat central area 28 and flaps 30,32,34,36,38,

40 all coplanar and defining a two-dimensional object, Fig. 2, facilitating the noted printing. Disc 22 has a second condition, Fig. 3, with the flaps alternately partially folded in opposite directions about respective bend lines to provide a first set of upwardly bent upflaps 30,34,38 and a second set of downwardly bent downflaps 32, 36,40 extending between inner and outer perimeters 24 and 26.

Disc 22 in the noted second condition is supportable on a flat horizontal surface 54, Figs. 3,9,11, with downflaps 32,36,40 engaging surface 54, and flat central area 28 spaced above surface 54. Downflaps 32,36,40 are interdigitated with upflaps 30,34,38 such that a respective pair of downflaps such as 32 and 40 are spaced by an upflap such as 30 therebetween. Downflaps 32 and 40 engage surface 54 at respective spaced engagement points 56 and 58, Fig. 9, defining a fulcrum line 60 therebetween. Upflap 30 has an outer edge 62 spaced farther outwardly than and above fulcrum line 60 such that a downward tap as shown at arrow 63 by a player's finger 64 on outer edge 62 of upflap 30 causes an upward flipping motion of toy 20 due to the force couple between outer edge 62 and fulcrum line 60. The upward flipping motion is substantially vertically upward as shown at arrow 66, Fig. 9, and rotationally clockwise as shown at arrow 68. The upward flipping motion enables the toy to be caught by the player, Fig. 11, either with the same hand 70 used for downward tapping, or with the other hand 72.

Referring to Fig. 10, a downward tap as shown at arrow 63 by finger 64 of the player on downflap 32 causes a horizontal sliding motion of the toy as shown at arrow 74 along surface 54. Such motion is toward the other two downflaps 36,40.

Referring to Fig. 1, a plurality of cut lines 80,82,84,86,88,90 extend inwardly to the bend lines 42,44,46,48,50,52 and define flaps 30,32,34,36,38,40 between respective cut lines. Each flap has an outer edge at outer perimeter 26 and a pair of opposite side edges extending inwardly to inner perimeter 24 along and formed by respective cut lines. In the noted first condition, Figs. 1 and 2, the side edges of the flaps engage respective side edges of adjacent flaps along a common single plane, which plane is the face of the page in Fig. 1, and which plane extends into the page in Fig. 2.

In the noted second condition, Fig. 3, the side edges of the flaps diverge from respective side edges of adjacent flaps in different directions along different non-parallel lines. For

example, side edge 92 of flap 30 and side edge 94 of flap 32 diverge in different directions along different non-parallel lines.

Each cut line 80,82,84,86,88,90 terminates at an inner end at a respective bend line 42,44,46,48,50,52. Inner perimeter 24 is defined by the plurality of bend lines connected end-to-end. Each bend line extends between a respective pair of cut lines, e. g., bend line 42 extends between cut lines 80 and 82, bend line 44 extends between cut lines 82 and 84, etc. The junction such as 96 of a respective cut line and bend line defines a divergence point, Fig. 3, from which respective side edges such as 92 and 94 of adjacent flaps diverge in different directions in the noted second condition.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, disc 22 in the noted second condition is supportable on horizontal surface 54 with flat central area 28 extending substantially vertically. Flaps 32,34,36 engage surface 54. Flaps 32 and 36 are bent in the same direction from flat central area 28, and are spaced by flap 34 therebetween which is bent in the opposite direction from flat central 28. The upright condition as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 may be preferred where it is desired to display or view the graphics on the disc in such orientation. The condition of Figs. 4 and 5 is also suitable for a game, Fig. 12, wherein a first toy 20a is stood upright as a target for a second toy 20b upon horizontal sliding motion of the latter.

Various materials and constructions were attempted in developing toy 22.

The preferred material of disc 22 is plastic, preferably selected such that the flaps are re- bendable to different angles relative to flat central area 28. It is preferred that the flaps are bent at a 45° angle relative to flat central area 28 in the noted second condition, as shown at angle 98, Fig. 5. It is preferred that the toy be symmetrical in each of the noted first and second conditions. The radial length of cut lines 80,82,84,86,88,90 is preferably less than half the radius of disc 22, and preferably about 1/5 thereof. In the preferred embodiment, disc 22 is polyethylene and has a thickness of about 0.5 mm, a diameter of about 50 mm, a cut line length, i. e., the length of a cut line such as 80, of about 5 mm, and a bend line length, i. e., the length of a bend line such as 42, of about 18 mm. The ratio of the length of the outer perimeter 26 to the length of the inner perimeter 24 should be less than 5, and preferably about 1.5. Other types of cut lines may be used, for example, wherein the side edges of the flaps do not engage each other

in the noted first condition, but rather have a gap therebetween, e. g. a pie-shaped gap, or a gap with rounded flap side edges which diverge away from each other as they extend outwardly. The disc need not be round, and can have other shapes.

Referring to Figs. 6,7,8, two or more toys 20c, 20d, 20e may be nested together in the noted second condition. For example, the flat central area of toy 20d lays flat against the flat central area of toy 20e. The flaps have side edges extending outwardly from respective bend lines. The side edges of the downflaps of toy 20d cross and engage the side edges of the upflaps of toy 20e in interference fit to hold the toys nested together. Depending on the degree of bending of the flaps, additional toys such as 20c may also be nested.

Figs. 13-18 illustrate prior art, namely a three-dimensional injection molded plastic toy jumping and sliding frog 102. The frog rests on four legs 104,106, 108, 110 on surface 54. Upon light downward momentary taping by player finger 64 on rear edge 112 of rearwardly extending cantilever tab 114, Fig. 17, the toy frog 102 slides forwardly as shown at arrow 116. Upon a longer, slower and deeper depression of cantilever tab 114 by finger 64, and release thereof, the frog jumps forwardly at shown at arrow 118, Fig. 18, and flips as shown at arrow 120.

It is recognized that various equivalents, alternatives and modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claims.