Field of the Invention

This invention relates to the toy art, and, more particularly, to an improved roll toy of the type mounted on a plurality of wheels, and which may be rolled upon a surface.

Description of the Prior Art

Many varieties of rolling type toys for children of all ages have heretofore been utilized. However, as with all toys, it is often desirable to provide an enhancement to the play value of the toy. This is particularly applicable for very small children, that is, those who are in the stage of their development where tactile and auditory stimulation provides increased learning experiences. For example, the tactile and auditory sen- sation of a rattle is attractive to a certain stage of development of comparatively young babies. As they grow older and their manipulative abilities increase, the toys should find a corresponding increase in manipulative techniques which may be applied thereto. Therefore, an improved rolling toy, which can pro- vide an increase in the manipulations which may be per- formed upon it during play, as well as, if desired, an auditory stimulus emanating from the toy during play, has long been desirable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present inven-

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tion to provide an improved toy arrangement. It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved rolling toy arrangement. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an improved rolling toy which allows a greater amount of manipulation to be applied thereto for the enhanced enjoyment of the user. The above, and other objects of the present inven- tion are provided, in a preferred embodiment thereof, by providing a body member having a plurality of axle accepting apertures therein. The axles, according to the preferred embodiment, are fabricated in two separate portions: a male axle member, and a female axle member. The male and female axle members are insertable in axle accepting apertures of the body member, and the male axle member fits into the female axle member and is retained therein. Coupling portions of the male and female axle member frictionally engage each other for relative rotary motion. The male axle member is retained by a predeter- mined force within the female axle member. Both the male and female axle members have bearing portions for engaging the axle accepting aperture in the body member and the axle is capable of rotational move- ment with respect to the body member. The male axle member and female axle member may rotate unitarily, or, alternatively, the male axle member may rotate in an opposite direction to the female axle member. Each of the male and female axle members have aper- tures in their outer ends in which wheel means may be inserted. If desired, the wheel means may be coupled, for example, by bonding or the like, to the male or female axle member in which it is inserted, so that each wheel rotates with the male or female axle member to

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which it is coupled. Alternatively, if desired, there may be a predetermined frictional fit between the wheel means and its respective axle member to allow relative rotary motion between the axle member and the wheel means. In such an embodiment, the wheel means may be selectively selectively removable from the axle means for independent play therewith. The wheel means may, if desired, be fabricated to define a cavity in which noisemaking structures, such as, for example, beads or the like, may be inserted. Thus, when moving, the beads or the like provide a sound ema- nating from the toy during movement thereof. If the wheel means are detachable from the axle, then the wheel means may be utilized separately to provide the same play value as a rattle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The above and other embodiments of the present invention are more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters refer to similar elements throughout ^' and in which: Figure 1 is a side elevational view of one embodi- ment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, with a detachably mounted figurine removed therefrom for clarity; Figure 3 is an exploded view of the embodiment shown in Figure 2; Figure 4 is a sectional view along the line 4—4 of Figure 1; Figure 5 is a sectional view of a male axle member useful in the practice of the present invention;

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Figure 6 is a sectional view along the line 6—6 of Figure 5; Figure 7 is a partial sectional view similar to Figure 5, of another embodiment of a male axle member useful in the practice of the present invention; Figure 8 is a sectional view along the line 8—8 of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a sectional view of a female axle member useful in the practice of the present invention; and Figure 10 is a partial, sectional view of another embodiment of a female axle member useful in the practice of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawing, and, in particular, to Figures 1 and 2 thereof, there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the present invention generally designated 100. In the embodiment 100, there is provided a body member 4, mounted on four wheels 3 by two axle means 102. The body member 4 may be any desired shape or configura- tion. In the embodiment 100 there is provided, for example, three apertures 41 therein, in which, for example, a mounting member 5, having a prong 50, which may be detachably retained within one of the apertures 41, together with, for example, a face member 6, which may be mounted on the mounting member 5. The mounting member 5 and face member 6 do not, per se, form a part of the present invention. Each of the axle means 102 is comprised of a male axle member 1, which fits into a female axle member 2. The body member 4 is provided with walls 40a defining axle member receiving apertures 40 in which the male axle

member 1 and female axle member 2 may be inserted, and supported for rotational movement. As illustrated in greater detail in Figures 4, 5, and 6, the male axle member 1 has a male axis 104 and has an outer end 106 and an inner end 108. At the outer end 106 there is provided a male shoulder portion 101, having a preselected outer diameter. A bearing portion 10 is coupled to the male shoulder portion 101, and extends axially therefrom a first preselected distance as indi- cated by D _j _ from the outer end 106 toward the inner end 108. The bearing portion 10 has a predetermined outer diameter defining an outer surface 10a and the predeter- mined outer diameter of the bearing surface 10 is smaller than the predetermined outer diameter of the shoulder portion 37. When inserted in an axle receiving aperture 40 of a body member 4, the walls 40a engage the outer surface 10a for the rotating support of the axle means 107. A coupling portion 12 is coupled to the bearing por- tion 10 and extends axially therefrom a second predeter- mined axial distance indicated at D2 toward the inner end 108. The coupling portion 12 has a predetermined outer diameter defining an outer surface 12a and the predeter- mined outer diameter of the coupling portion 12 is smaller than the preselected outer diameter of the bearing portion 10 to define an inner bearing portion shoulder 11. A headed engagement portion 14 is coupled to the coupling portion 12 and extends axially therefrom a third predetermined axial distance as indicated at 03 headed engagement portion 14 has a shank section 110 having a first end 112 adjacent the coupling portion 12 and a second end 114 spaced axially toward the inner end

108 from the first end 112. The shank section 14 has a preselected diameter at the first end 112 smaller than the preselected diameter of the coupling portion 12 to define a coupling portion shoulder 13. The shank section 101 has an outer surface 14a extending between the first end 112 and the second end 114 thereof. The headed engagement portion 14 also has a head section 19 coupled to the second end 114 of the shank section and the head section has an engagement part 18, which is provided with an outer dimension greater than the outer diameter of the shank section 110 at the second end 114 thereof, and the outer dimension of the engage- ment part 18 of the head section 19 is, in embodiment 100, smaller than the predetermined outer diameter of the coupling portion 12. The head section 19 is radially, resiliently defor- mable between an engagement condition as illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6 and an insertion condition as described below in greater detail. The head section 19 has the abutment surface 17 adjacent the shank section 110 for purposes hereinafter described. In crder to provide the radial, resilient defor a- tion, the headed engagement portion 14 is provided with first walls 116, defining a slot extending axially from the inner end 108 to the coupling portion 112. Further, if desired, there may be provided second walls 118 defining a generally circular aperture coaxial with the male axis 104 also extending from the inner end 108 toward the coupling portion 12. In the embodiment 100, the axial aperture defined by the second walls 118 extends from the outer end 108 to the plane containing the shoulder 13. The slot defined by the first walls 116 divide the headed engagement portion 14 into a first part

1 14* and a second part 14", which, as described below in

2 greater detail, during insertion into the female axle ⁴ 3 member 2, the first part 14' and second part 14" move

4 toward each other as indicated by the arrows 120 to the

5 insertion condition thereof, and then resiliently return

6 to the engagement condition illustrated when the inser-

7 tion of the male axle member 1 into the female axle

8 member 2 is complete.

9 In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3, 4, 5,

10 and 6, the head section 19 is generally oval in shape and

11 has a major diameter and a minor diameter, as seen most

12 clearly in Figure 6. The minor diameter of the oval

13 shaped head section 18 lies in the plane of the slot

14 defined by the first walls 116 and the minor diameter is

15 substantially equal to the diameter of the shank section

16 110 at the second end 112 thereof. The major diameter of 17 the head section 19 is, of course, larger than the minor 18 diameter to provide the engagement part 18 and the abut- 19 ment shoulder 17.

20 To aid in the insertion of the male axle member 1

21 into the female axle member 2, it has been found to be

22 advantageous to provide a curved or chamfered edge as

23 indicated at 120 on the head section 19.

24 The shank section 110 of the headed engagement por-

25 tion 14 of the male axle member 1 is generally frustro-

26 conical, having its larger diameter at the first end 112

27 and its smaller diameter at the second end 114.

28 Figures 7 and 8 illustrate an alternative embodiment < 29 generally designated 1' of a male axle member useful in

30 the practice of the present invention. In the embodiment

31 1' there is provided a headed engagement portion 122,

32 coupled to the coupling portion 112, and the headed

33 ^p nσagement portion 122 has a shank section 110" and a

1 head section 19'. The shank section 110' has a substan-

2 tially constant outer diameter smaller than the outer

3 diameter of the coupling portion 12' and smaller than the

4 outer diameter of the head section 19' . The head section

5 19' is generally circular in cross-section as is the

6 shank section 110' . The head section 19' may have a

7 rounded portion as indicated at 121' to aid in insertion

8 thereof and is provided with an abutment shoulder 17'.

9 First walls 116' define an axially aligned slot similar

10 to the slot defined by the first walls 116 described

11 above and second walls 118' define a generally circular

12 aperture similar to the circular aperture defined by the

13 second walls 118 described above. The head section 19'

14 is radially deformable in the same manner as the head

15 section 19 described above.

16 As noted above, the axle means 102 also comprises a

17 female axle member 2, as illustrated in Figures 3, 4, and

18 9. The female axle member 2 has a female axis 103 and is

19 provided with a female shoulder portion 22 having a pre-

20 determined outer diameter. For example, the outer

21 diameter of the female shoulder portion 22 may be the

22 same as the outer diameter of the male shoulder portion

23 101 of the male axle member 1 as described above. The

24 female axle member 2 extends from an outer end 130 t- ^*1 an

25 inner end 132. The female axle member 2 has an inner

26 section 20 extending axially from the shoulder portion 22

27 to the inner end 132. The inner section 20 has a bearing

28 portion 134, coupled to the female shoulder portion 22

29 and extending axially therefrom a fourth preselected

30 axial distance, as indicated at D4. The bearing portion

31 134 has a predetermined outer diameter smaller than the

32 preselected outer diameter of the female shoulder portion

33 22, and the outer diameter of the bearing portion 134 of

1 the female axle member 2 is, in the preferred embodiment

2 of the present invention, substantially the same as the

3 preselected outer diameter of the bearing portion 10 of

4 the male axle member 1. The bearing portion 134 of the

5 female axle member 2 has an outer surface 134a extending

6 the fourth preselected axial distance D .

7 The inner section 20 of the female axle member 2 is

8 also provided with a compression portion 136 coupled to

9 the bearing portion 134 and extending axially there-from

10 a fifth preselected distance as indicated by D5. The

11 compression portion 136 has an outer diameter sub-

12 stantially the same as the outer diameter of the bearing

13 portion 134 in the preferred embodiments of the present

14 invention. The compression portion 136 has an outer sur-

15 face 136a extending the fifth preselected axial distance

16 D5. The inner portion 20 of the female axle member 2 is

17 also provided with a coupling portion 138, coupled to the

18 compression portion 136 and extending axially therefrom

19 a sixth preselected axial distance as indicated by Dg to

20 the inner end 132. In the preferred embodiments of the

21 present invention, the coupling portion 138 has an outer

22 diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of

23 the compression portion 136 and bearing portion 134.

24 The female axle member 2 is also provided with

25 internal walls 23 defining an aperture extending

26 therethrough from the first end 130 to the second end

27 132. The internal walls 23 define a first internal sur-

28 face 134b, having a substantially constant diameter and

29 extending from the outer end 130 through the shoulder

30 portion 22 and through the bearing portion 134 to the 1 compression portion 136. The first internal diameter 2 defined by the walls 23 of the female axle member 2 in 3 the female shoulder portion 22 and in regions of the

1 bearing portion 134 adjacent the female shoulder 22

2 define a boss receivign aperture which,in the preferred

3 embodiment of the present invention, is the same as the

4 diameter of the boss receiving aperture defined by the

5 internal walls 16 in the shoulder portion 101 and bearing

6 portion 10 of the male axle member 1.

7 The internal walls 23 also define a second internal

8 surface 21 in the compression portion 136 and internal

9 surface 21 has a second internal diameter adjacent the

10 bearing portion 134, smaller than the first internal

11 diameter of the bearing portion 134. Internal surface 21

12 also has a third internal diameter adjacent the coupling

13 portion 138. In the preferred embodiment of the present

14 invention, as illustrated in detail in Figure 9, the

15 third internal diameter, adjacent the bearing portion 138

16 is larger than the second internal diameter adjacent the

17 coupling portion 134, whereby the internal surface 21

18 defines a frustro-conical surface. As illustrated in

19 detail in Figure 9, the internal walls 23 also define a

20 first shoulder 27, between the bearing portion 134 and

21 compression portion 136 and a second shoulder 29, which,

22 in the preferred embodiments of the present invention, is

23 chamfered as illustrated between the compression portion

24 136 and coupling portion 138. The internal walls 23 also

25 define a third internal surface 138a in the coupling por-

26 tion 138, having a fourth internal diameter greater than

27 the third internal diameter in the compression portion

28 136.

29 In the preferred embodiment as illustrated in detail

30 in Figure 9, the internal surface 138a is a cylindrical

31 surface and the internal surface 134b is also a cylindri-

32 cal surface. The fourth internal diameter of the cou- 33 pling portion 138 is selected so that the internal

1 surface 138a provides a frictional fit with a predeter-

2 mined frictional force with the cylindrical outer surface

3 12a of the coupling portion 12 of the male axle member 1.

4 The frustro-conical internal surface 21 of the

5 female axle member 2, in the preferred embodiments of the

6 present invention, matches the frustro-conical outer sur-

7 face 14a of the male axle member 1.

8 Figure 10 illustrates another embodiment of a female

9 axle member generally designated 2' useful in the prac-

10 tice of the present invention. As illustrated in Figure

11 10, the internal walls 23' define a generally cylindrical

12 internal surface 21' in the compression portion 136'.

13 The second shoulder 29' is rounded for purposes as here-

14 inafter described. The female axle member 2' may be uti-

15 lized, for example, with the male axle member 1' described

16 above.

17 As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the present

18 invention is provided with a plurality of wheel means 3.

19 As illustrated, four such wheel means 3 are provided.

20 Each of the wheel means 3 are fabricated in two halves: a

21 first half 31 and a second half 32, joined together as

22 indicated at 33, in an overlapping configuration. They

23 may, for example, when fabricated of plastic, be bonded

24 together to define a smooth outer surface 3a and a smooth

25 internal surface 34. Positioned within the internal sur-

26 face 34 there may be provided a plurality of beads 38, or

27 similar items, which, when the wheels 3 move, rattle

28 therein to provide an auditory stimulus. The first half

29 31 of each of the wheel means 3 is provided with a

30 shoulder 35 and a boss 37.

31 Referring particularly to Figure 3, the assembly of 32 the above described components may be achieved to provide 33 the improved rolling toy arrangement of the present

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1 invention. A male axle member 1 and female axle member 2

2 are inserted into the oppositely aligned apertures 40 of

3 the body member 4. As the head section 19 of the male

4 axle member 1 engages the second shoulder 29 of the

5 compression portion 136 of the female axle member 2, the

6 headed engagement portion 14 is radially deformed from

7 the engagement condition illustrated in Figure 5, in the

8 direction of the arrow 120 to the insertion condition,

9 and as the male axle member 1 is pushed further into the

10 compression portion 136, the head section 19 of the male

11 axle member 1 continually engages the internal surface 21

12 of the compression portion 136 of the female axle member

13 2, causing further radial deformation thereof until the

14 engagement part 18 of the head section 19 of the male

15 axle member 1 passes beyond the shoulder 27, so that the

16 abutment surface 17 is in engagement therewith. This

17 releases the compression on the headed engagement portion

18 14 of the male axle member 1 and the headed engagement

19 portion 14 of the male axle member 1 resiliently returns

20 to the engagement condition thereof, with the head sec-

21 tion 18 positioned in bearing portion 134 of the female

22 axle member 2. The mutual engagement of the engagement

23 part 18 with the shoulder 27 prevents withdrawal of the

24 male axle member 1 from the female axle member 2. The

25 configuration of the frustro-conical surface 21 of the

26 compression portion 136 of the female axle member 2 may

27 be selected to provide a predetermined amount of radial

28 compression on the headed engagement portion 14 of the

29 male axle member 1 when in the engagement condition as

30 illustrated in Figure 4, or, alternatively, may be sized

31 to provide that there is substantially no radial

32 compression. In the preferred embodiments of the present 33 invention, the second axial length D ₂ of the coupling

portion 12 is selected to be substantially the same as the sixth axial distance D _{6 of the} coupling portion 138 of the female axle member 2, so that the inner end 132 of the female axle member 2 abuts against the shoulder 11 of the male axle member 1 in the engagement condition as illustrated in Figure 4. Further, in the preferred embo- diments of the present invention, the shoulder 13 of the male axle member 1 abuts against the shoulder 29 of the female axle member 2 in the engaged condition, as shown in Figure 4. Wheel means 3 are then inserted into the axle means 102. The boss 37 is inserted into the male axle member 1 from the first end 106, extends through the male shoulder 101 into the bearing portion 10 a predeter- mined axial distance. The outer surface of the boss 37 is in engagement with the internal surface 16 of the male axle member 1. Similarly, a boss 37 of a wheel means 3 is inserted into the aperture defined by the internal walls 23 of the female axle member 2, and extends through the female shoulder 22 into the bearing portion 134 a predetermined axial distance, with the external surface of the boss 37 in engagement with the internal surface 134b. In order to enhance the play value of the toy vehicle as described above, it is preferred that each of the wheel means three be independently rotatable. Thus, for example, if desired, the wheel means 3 may be bonded or otherwise fixedly coupled to the axle 102 and indepen- dent rotary motion of each pair of wheel means 3 inserted into an axle means 102 may be achieved by relative rotary motion of the male axle member 1 with respect to the

1 desired degree of ease of such relative rotary motion.

2 Alternatively, if desired, the male axle member 1 may be

3 bonded or otherwise fixedly coupled to the female axle

4 member 2 and the relative rotary motion of the wheels 3

5 may be provided by the engagement of the outer surfaces

6 of the boss 37 of each wheel means 3 with the corre-

7 sponding surfaces of the axle means 102 with which they

8 are in engagement.

9 A ¹ ternatively, there may be no bonding between the

10 male axle member 1 and female axle member 2 of axle

11 means 102, and no bonding of a wheel 3 into an axle means

12 102. In such an embodiment, the male axle member 1 is

13 retained by the above described engagement of the engage-

14 ent part 18 of the male axle member 1 with the shoulder

15 27 of the female axle member 2, and the wheel means 3 may

16 be pulled out of engagement with the axle means 102 and

17 may be utilized as, for example, a conventional rattle.

18 The diameters of the various components are selected to

19 provide any degree of frictional engagement therebetween

20 to allow, for example, the above described removal of the

21 wheel means 3 from the axle means 102 in such an embodi-

22 ment.

23 In preferred embodiments of the present invention,

24 the male axle member 1 is unitarily fabricated, for

25 example, by molding, and the female axle member 2 is uni—

26 tarily fabricated, for example, by molding, and both may

27 be molded from plastic or any other desired material.

28 The apertures 40 in the body member 4 provide a

29 bearing surface for rotary motion of the axle means 102

30 by engagement with the respective bearing portions 10 and

31 134 of the male and female axle members 1 and 2. It will

32 be appreciated that while the body means 4 is illustrated,

33 as shown in Figure 4, as comprised of a hollow construc-

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tion, a solid body means 4 may equally well be utilized in other embodiments of the present invention. The axle means 102 is equally adaptable to either a hollow or solid body means. When the present invention is assembled as described above, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, an improved roll toy is provided which has independently rotatable wheels as well as providing an auditory stimulus when the wheels are moved. Having thus described an improved roll toy arrange- ment according to the present invention, those skilled in the art may find many variations and adaptations thereof, and all such variations and adaptations falling within the true scope and spirit of the present invention are intended to be covered by the appended claims.