FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The claimed invention belongs to the field of games and entertainment, and it relates to an elastic toy figure that is transformable inside out, thereby changing an appearance and/or a function of the toy, and it may be used as a finger toy or as a figure for board games.

PRIOR ART

Finger toys are known from the prior art, they are used for puppet-type games and facilitate development of imagination and motor skills of a child, as, for example, an elastic toy which is disclosed in a pat. CN86202814U as of May 27, 1987 and made in a form of a head of a certain character. However, this toy has only a front part, and its use is limited by one character only. Double-sided toys which take various gaming or visual states by turning it out are also known and used, particularly, in puppet dolls, which are put on a hand and demonstrate characters in puppet shows as disclosed, for example, in a pat. US8444451B2 dated May 21, 2013. However, a size of these dolls is rather large to meet a size of an actor’s hand, they are often made of a textile to enable easy taking off and turning out, while their scaling down to a small size is impossible.

The prior art teaches more bulky double-sided toys.

For example, a pat. GB2215226A dated September 20, 1989 described an elastic deformable toy that comprises a hollow elastic body that is turnable inside out. The body of the toy has an inner portion and an outer portion of a different configuration, which are formed by patterns and colors that differ between each other. The body of the toy is made of an elastic material that mainly consists of a block-copolymer (ethylene, styrene and butylene) and a plasticizer (liquid paraffin), and it has a small opening that emables to turn the toy inside out.

Also, a pat. US6645101B1 as of November 11, 2003 is known, which teaches a transformable ball that is capable of turning out through an opening and has a different configuration on outer and inner surfaces. The ball has a diameter of about 50 mm and a thickness of at least 4 mm, and it is made of an elastic jelly-like material that is a mixture of a copolymer and a plasticizer.

A jelly-like material is also used to manufacture a figure according to a pat. GB2267443B as of December 8, 1993, the toy is particularly characterized in that it is manufactured by an injection molding method or by casting; it has an inner cavity that can be turned out through a small opening that is provided on the figure and located on its lower side; the cavity substantially has a spherical, ellipsoidal or egg-like shape.

Said solutions concern toys having a rolling shape, and their use is caused by entertainment mostly related to ball games, while since they are made of the jelly- like material, they further have a stretching effect that is also may be used for games, and for turning out their relatively small opening that is capable of stretching due to making the body as jelly-like. Making these toys of a denser elastic material will cause difficulties in either shaping or further turning out as caused by the limited deformation of the material. Moreover, these toys are not intended to simulate many game situations and to develop motor skills by putting them on hand fingers and using them as imaginary “live” puppets, and their instability prevents them from placing on a horizontal surface and using in board games or for decorative purposes, for example, as collectible figures.

A possibility of making the toys, which are transformable by turning them out, of a denser elastic material such as a rubber-like synthetic plastic is resolved in a pat. GB2406061B dated June 27, 2007 that teaches a hollow toy or figure that has different profiles of inner and outer surfaces, the profiles are formed by three- dimensional elements in a form of protrusions and recesses, and it may be turned inside out in order to emerge, on its outer surface, one of two different profiles that depict a character, a scene, a shape or an item. Due to the hollow nature and extension towards the opening, this toy may be used both as a finger toy and as a board toy, however, in order to achieve these properties, its body has a two-layered shape with a cavity that is provided between the layers and filled with oil in order to facilitate the turning.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A task of the claimed invention is to provide an elastic two-sided child's toy figure that has different contours on both surfaces, is capable of being easily turned inside out, while preserving initial dimensions, and may be used both as a finger toy and as a board toy.

Except for the design features, such toy must have a number of technical characteristics which provide it with tensile strength and elasticity properties, as well as verified geometrical parameters that enable easy turning out of the toy without damaging thereof, create a sufficient space in its inner portion for a possible putting on a child’s finger and respective taking off without causing any discomfort, as well as provide structural stability for its capability to stand straight and balance for a possible board application.

The posed task is resolved by providing an elastic toy figure having a hollow body having walls that comprise two surfaces with three-dimensional elements provided thereon, the elements form a shape of various game characters, and the surfaces of the body are coupled to form an opening that enables to change gaming and visual appearances of the toy by turning it out and changing the surface from a first one to a second one and vice versa. According to the claimed invention, the body of the elastic toy figure is single-layered and has a shape of a cylinder that is closed from one end by a semi-spherical portion having an inner radius that equals to an inner radius of the cylinder and opened from another end to form an opening having an edge with a radial rounding provided thereon that is symmetrically distributed relative to a wall of the body. A height of the figure in an axial section of the body is ranged from 20 mm to 23 mm and, along the turned-out surface, correlates with a diameter of the body on a turned-in surface in a ratio of 1 :1-1.5. Said geometrical parameters enable to easily turn the toy out using two methods: directly through the opening by rolling it along the outer surface of the body or indirectly by pushing the semi-spherical portion of the body and pushing through the opening. Furthermore, the provision of the radial rounding that is symmetrical relative to the wall of the body along the opening provides the figure with stability when placing it on a horizontal surface. Therewith, a main thickness of the wall of the body is from 0.9 to 1.1 mm, and the three-dimensional elements are made integrally with the body in a form of textured nubs having a height of from 0.3 to 2.5 mm relative to the wall. Together with other features of the claimed invention, this provides the sufficient space in the inner portion of the body in order to enable putting the figure on any finger of the child over 5 years old and even on a fingertip of an adult without any discomfort caused by compression, while at the same time avoiding any damage of the three-dimensional elements.

According to a preferable exemplary embodiment, at least a part of the textured nubs on the first and the second surfaces of the body is paired and arranged opposite relative to an axis of symmetry of the body and exactly opposite one to another relative to the wall of the body, thereby enabling to arrange certain elements of the game characters on both surfaces of the figure within the same spatial representation and further facilitating balancing the figure and providing its balance.

According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, the radial rounding along the edge of the opening is made as a toroidal thickening with a circle diameter thereof being from 1.5 to 2.0 of the main thickness of the wall of the body. This thickening functions as a bandage that additionally holds the figure on the finger and reinforces the edge of the opening to avoid its early destruction in an area of the highest loads, and its size is selected and matched to the sizes of the body in order not to cause any physical damage or pain during use.

A molding hypoallergenic silicone having a Shore A hardness of 30 - 40 units may be used as the material for making the elastic game figure. The material having said hardness is selected, since the figure having these particular characteristics may be turned out without any additional physical effort, and during its transformation the shape of the figure remains whole, in particular, without deformations and ruptures of the body, and the vertical stability of the figure is achieved.

A dye may be added to the material in an amount of maximum 0.5% based on a mass of the main material. Use of the components in said ratio allows to obtain a required shade of a color scheme of the elastic figure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to provide more complete understanding of the claimed invention and advantages thereof, the following description provides an explanation of possible exemplary embodiments thereof with a reference to figures of the appended drawings, wherein identical designations denote identical parts, and which illustrate the following:

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates a longitudinal section of the elastic figure;

Fig. 2 schematically illustrates a cross section of the elastic figure;

Fig. 3a illustrates a visual appearance of the elastic figure when one surface is turned out;

Fig. 3b illustrates a visual appearance of the elastic figure when another surface is turned out;

Fig. 4a illustrates a longitudinal section of the elastic figure when one surface is turned out;

Fig. 4b illustrates a longitudinal section of the elastic figure when another surface is turned out. POSSIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

An elastic figure comprises a hollow body (1) that has a shape of a cylinder that is closed from one end by a semi-spherical portion (2) and opened from another end to form an opening (3), the body of the figure is generally U-shaped.

The body (1) is single-layered, and a first (5) and a second (6) surfaces of its wall (4) having a certain thickness are provided with three-dimensional elements (7) in a form of textured nubs which form different profiles on each of the surfaces (5, 6) of the wall (4). A radial rounding (8) is provided along an edge of the opening (3), the rounding provides a stability of the figure when placing it on a horizontal surface and it may be made as beveled edges which are symmetrical to the wall (4) or, as stated in the preferable exemplary embodiment, it also may be made as a toroidal thickening that is symmetrical to the wall (4), i.e., that goes beyond the main wall and adds a function of additional holding the figure on a finger, besides the stability of the figure, as well as reinforces the edge of the opening.

In order to allow use of the figure both for putting on fingers and to enable easy turning out, a ratio of its main parameters has been determined experimentally with consideration of elasticity of the used material and anthropometric characteristics of fingers of children aged from 5 to 12. In order to minimize a size of the body (1) to provide a sufficient space for the child’s finger, while at the same time providing an easy turning out of the body, a calculation of a minimum required value of an inner diameter d as a function of a height H of the product and of a thickness h of its wall (4) has been taken as a basis, and after calculation of the minimum required inner diameter, its value has been 5% increased additionally in order to reduce a pressure exerted by the figure to the finger. It has been established that the ratio H/d must be within 1 :1-1.5, while H ranged from 20 mm to 23 mm along an axial section of the body (1) that also defines an optimal thickness h of the main wall (4) of the body (1) from 0.9 to 1.1 mm. In order to provide various profiles of the inner and outer surfaces, while preserving the internal hollow nature, a height of the three-dimensional elements (7) has been selected such that their total volume must be not more than a half of the inner volume of the cavity of the body (1), and it is defined as from 0.3 to 2.5 mm that is necessary and sufficient to enable formation of textured nubs in various shape and number on the surfaces (5, 6) of the wall (4) without overlapping the cavity of the body (1) by them.

Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 show cross and longitudinal sections of the claimed figure, while preserving said ratios between their parameters, and Fig. 3a - Fig. 4b illustrate a specific exemplary embodiment of the elastic figure which depicts various characters. As it can be seen from the provided drawings, the textured nubs (7) on the first and second surfaces of the body are paired, in this case they form paws, ears and eyes of the characters, and they are arranged directly opposite one to another relative to the wall of the body, thereby enabling to arrange certain elements of the game characters on both surfaces of the figure in the same spatial representation.

A molding hypoallergenic silicone having a Shore A hardness of 30 - 40 units may be used as the material for manufacturing the elastic figure. A dye may be added to the material in an amount of maximum 0.5% based on the mass of the main material, thereby enabling to bring further variability of its visual appearance and customization.

Therewith, it is obvious for a skilled person that it is allowable to manufacture the figure from other elastic materials which provide rigidity and elasticity of this product, as well as meet sanitary requirements which is important when making products for children, without falling beyond the principles of the present invention. Said material is one of possible compounds that has been tested during manufacturing the claimed invention by injection molding. This manufacturing method is the most widespread and the most advanced method for forming plastics, since it enables to obtain products of a complex configuration at low labor and energy costs, and it comprises filling a forming cavity of a mold with a melt followed by its compaction due to pressure and cooling. Therewith, the injection molding process is relatively easy to automate using the simplest serial devices and enables to manufacture the elastic double-sided figure both in mass production and in small batches.

The above-mentioned characteristics enable to provide a product that is both rigid and elastic, capable of being turned out without any significant deformation and, thus, any damage, and stable. The elastic double-sided figure may be made in various designs, for example, it may represent models of humans, animals or characters which appear in all mass media, including movies, prints, television, music, sport, cartoons, comic materials etc.

The claimed double-sided elastic figure may be used as a finger toy, facilitate development of the child’s motor skills and imagination, and find its use for putting on mini-performances and playing various roles by it, or it may be used for providing a contact between fingers and various surfaces, thereby addressing today’s sanitary needs, or it even may serve as a decoration. Also, the elastic figure may be used for board games or it may be a part of a collection set, a decorative element etc.