Technical Field

The present invention relates to a toy figure.

Background Art

The need is particularly felt, in many sectors of industrial and commercial activities, to renew the manufactured products and always to find new ones in order to better distinguish these from those offered by the competition.

This need is particularly felt in the field of collection articles and/or articles for the recreational entertainment consisting of figures representing a character. The subjects depicted in these figures are varied: football players, celebrities, stars of cartoons, films, television films or television programs, or animals. This variety of subjects makes these figures collection objects, which increases the interest of users over time.

Playful objects of known type, such as figures, are however susceptible of further improvements aimed at obtaining original products with new shapes, which have innovative characteristics intended to increase the aesthetic perception of the product and to be more appealing to customers.

Furthermore, today there is a strong need to have products for recreational entertainment in which the child-play interaction is not static and can be used as long as possible.

Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to provide a toy figure which allows increasing the child-play interaction, thus creating a playful device that can have several forms of use.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a toy figure which can be customized and diversified for being inserted in collection lines.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a toy figure which allows overcoming the mentioned drawbacks of the prior art within the ambit of a simple, rational, easy, effective to use and affordable solution.

The above mentioned objects are achieved by the present toy figure according to claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become better evident from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of a toy figure, illustrated by way of an indicative, but non-limiting, example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front view of the toy figure according to the invention in the assembly configuration;

Figure 2 is an axonometric view of the toy figure according to the invention in the disassembly configuration;

Figures 3, 4 and 5 illustrate, in a sequence of axonometric views, the operation of the toy figure according to the invention.

Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to such figures, reference number 1 globally indicates a toy figure.

The toy figure 1 comprises at least a head element 2 and at least a body element 3 reproducing the features of a character.

The head element 2 and the body element 3 comprise removable mutual union means 6 through which the head element 2 and the body element 3 are alternately placeable between an assembly configuration, wherein the head element 2 and the body element 3 are joined together and define the character, and a disassembly configuration, wherein the head element 2 is separated from the body element 3 and defines a spinning top.

In the context of the present discussion, the term "character" refers to any representation of a person, a humanized subject or an animal.

Usefully, the head element 2 is colored so as to reproduce the features of the head of the character, in fact elements such as eyes, mouth, ears, nose, etc. are reproduced.

Similarly, the body element 3 is shaped and colored so as to reproduce the features of the body of the character, by inserting elements such as arms, legs, feet, etc.

The head element 2 has the center of gravity B and comprises:

at least a main portion 4 having a shape at least partly spherical with center C; and at least a stem 5 which extends along an axis A passing through the center C and which comprises a first ending part 7 associated with the main portion 4 and a second ending part 8 opposite the first ending part 7.

Conveniently, the second ending part 8 is convex and rounded.

Advantageously, the position, along the axis A, of the center of gravity B and of the center C is different; in particular, the distance between the center C and the second ending part 8 is shorter than the distance between the center of gravity B and the second ending part 8.

The removable mutual union means 6 comprise the stem 5 and at least a seat 9 formed in the body element 3, in which the stem itself is insertable.

The cross section of the seat 9 has a shape substantially equal to the shape of the cross section of the stem 5.

In the particular embodiment shown in the illustrations, the stem 5 has a circular cross section, but it cannot be ruled that it can be manufactured with a section having a different shape to that shown.

With reference to the particular embodiment shown in the illustrations, the coupling of the stem 5 to the seat 9 is made with a certain play, so that in the assembly configuration the head element 2 is simply resting and remains in position for its own weight.

The possibility that the coupling can be made with a slight interference cannot however be ruled out: in this case the toy figure 1 can be turned upside down without the head element 2 separating from the body element 3.

The playful interest of the invention is increased by the fact that, as said, the head element 2, in the disassembly configuration, defines a spinning top.

In particular, according to the invention, such spinning top is of the "tippe top" type.

The particular feature of this type of spinning top lies in the fact that, when it is made to rotate rapidly with the main portion 4 into contact with a surface, the stem 5, which initially is oriented with the second ending part 8 upwards, tilts more and more downwards.

The position of the center of gravity B with respect to the center C causes that, when the second ending part 8 skims the surface, the point of contact D of the main portion 4 on the surface is displaced with respect to the axis of rotation E; this generates a friction force which causes the spinning top to tip over, and this begins to rotate around the second ending part 8 itself.

Examples of spinning tops of this type can be found in the patent documents DE 63261, US 2 332 507, US 2 700 246.

It has in practice been ascertained that the described invention achieves the intended objects.

In this regard, it is emphasized that the particular expedient of providing a toy figure having a head element which can be used as a spinning top in the disassembly configuration allows greatly increasing the child-play interaction. The present invention also meets the need of children to interact with games as long as possible.

The diversity of feasible characters, moreover, allows customizing and diversifying the toy figure for being added to the collection lines.