Technica I Field

The invention relates to a tumbl ing toy for a ski l l- demanding game, in which one or more puppets should be moved along one or more paths formed on the toy-surface in accordance with pre-determined motion of the puppets, wherein the puppet(s) is (are) formed as sleeves with a ba I I therein .

Background Art

Several toys for developing ski lfulness are known, where¬ in the conrmon aim l ies in to move puppets along a given path according to a pre-determined principle. Different mechanical labyrinth toys belong to this scope. Common char¬ acteristic of known mechanical labyrinth toys is, that the puppets are bal ls, which are to be led along a system of trajectory paths to a pre-determined place or places.

In more compl icated toys with a higher degree of diffi¬ culty the game used to be rendered more difficult and chang¬ ed at random - representing the hazardous feature - by setting trape instead of increasing the dimensions of the paths or rendering them more complex. Such solutions are wel l known with toys "BRIO Kugel" and "JOKER-LABYRINTH" , in which an erroneous step results in the fal l of the bal l into a hoI e. Funny puppets - serving as physical visual aids - are also known which are starting to more downwards along a slope util izing their potential energy, a part of them per¬ forming a somersault motion; the conrmon characteristic of said puppets l ies in that a bal l of relatively considerable weight or mercury placed in a sleeve is performing the

"somersault" motion along the slope. Said means are mostly home-made.

Disclosure of Invention

The aim of the present invention l ies in to develop a new fami ly of toys for a sk i I I -demandi ng game involving sev¬ eral possibi l ities of variation.

The invention is based on the recognition that by the combination of known funny means for developing ski l lful- ness and the toys consisting of a sleeve and a bal l therein, a new toy for ski I I -demand i ng game can be developed, with which by changing the formation of the path, games with dif¬ ferent degrees of difficulty can be provided for.

With the toy according to the invention the long-shaped puppet - when properly positioned - wi l l be able to overlap a hole, a gap or a groove, whi le - when positioned inproper- ly - it may fal l into the aforementioned traps. In dependen¬ ce of position the same path is passable or impassable, by means of the interrelation of the holes or grooves, function¬ ing as a counter or as a memory becomes possible. The aim set for the invention can be real ized with a tunbl ing toy, particulary suitable for a ski I I -demandi ng game, which has a base plate including the play-field with positioning sections with a considerably indented surface with grooves and holes, putting the puppets into a tumbl ing motion and positioning the same, the base plate is also provided with a starting and an ending place. in a preferred embodiment of the toy according to the invention being most suitable for a ski I I -demanding game, in a distance from the theoretical centre of the puppet(s) - corresponding to the diameter of the bal l -cups for the ba I I ( s ) are provided for,- whi le the lenght of the somer-'

saulting motion of the puppet performing somersault is dimensioned in proportion to the lenght of the path sections.

In another preferred embodiment of the toy according to the invention for a sk i I I -demandi ng game the base-plate is provided with at least one tumbl ing bed.

With a further preferred embodiment of the toy accord¬ ing to the invention on the base-plate thereof there are traps formed as holes, throughbores and/or bl indbores and/or special bores with an elongated shape. With a preferred embodiment of the toy according to the invention the puppets are provided with one, two, three or four ba I I -cups .

With another preferred embodiment of the toy according to the invention the grooves having been formed on the base plate are bending and forming loope, they are crossing one another and themselves at angles in the range between 0 to 180°.

Brief Description of Drawings

The toy according to the invention being suitable for a sk i I I -demand i ng game wi l l be described in detai l with refe¬ rence to the accompanying drawings in which

Fig. 1 is a persepctive view of a preferred embodiment of the toy according to the invention for a ski l l-de¬ manding game, in particular a tumbl ing toy; Fig. 2 is a top view of the toy of Fig. 1 with a puppet tend¬ ing to a given ho I e ; Fig. 3 i l lustrates a top view of the toy of Fig. 1, wherein the puppet is overlapping a given hole; Fig. k is a sectional view of the play-field with a puppet fal len into a hole,,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the play-field with a puppet overlapping the hole; Fig. 6 shows a sectional view of the puppet of the toy ac-

cording to the invention; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of another possible embodϊ- mend of the toy according to the invention for a sk ϊ I I -demandi ng game, Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another possible embodi ^¬ ment of the toy according to the invention.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Fig. 1 i l lustrates an embodiment of the toy according to the invention, wel l suitable for a ski I I -demand i ng game, the base-plate 1 carrying the play-field and the puppet 2 to be moved in the groove 8 of the base-plate 1. The groove 8 is composed of straight sections of different length, the curves or turns 6 , of T-shaped connection places 5, and of crossings. In the grooves 8 here and there holes 4 as traps are to be found. In course of playing positioning sections 7 yield the possibi l ity of avoiding resp. overlapping the holes. In course of playing it becomes necessary to ti lt the base-plate 1 forming a slope in order to be able to move the puppets 2. For this purpose the tumbl ing bed 3 is form- ed.

Fig. 2 i l lustrates a top view of the toy according to the invention; in course of the game on the play-field - in the groove 8 - the puppet 2 is positioned so, that in course of its motion, i .e. somersault, it fal ls into the hole 4. Occupied position of the puppet in the hole 4 is to be seen in Fig. 4. in contrast to this case, in Fig. 3 the puppet 2 occupies a position, in which, fol lowing the "somersault" it over¬ laps the hole 4. This can be achieved by the aid of the po- s i t i on-mod i fy i ng sections 7. "Overlapping" position of the puppet 2 is to be seen in Fig. 5.

For the sake of order it should be mentioned that the

puppets 2 are sleeve-shaped l ight-weight elements and so thin that when placed onto a slope with an inconsiderable incl ination, they are tumbl ing easi ly upon the effect of the bal l contained therein. On the base-plate 1 the grooves 8 are formed so, that between the curves or turns 6 and the straight sections there is always a distance provided for, which equals to the integral multiple of the somersau 11- I ength of the puppet appl ied, furtheron, the holes are arranged so, that compared to certain sections of the path the integral mul¬ tiple of somersaulting length is somewhat displaced. On the play-field sections of the shape of different loops may be found, among said sections of path position-modifying sec¬ tions 7 are also to be found. For the sake of order it should be mentioned that with a preferred embodiment of the invention the ending-place is formed as a large-dimensioned indentation having been form¬ ed in a given point of the base-plate 1, which serves simul¬ taneously as the tumbl ing point of the play-field. Fig. 6 gives an example for the puppet of the toy accord¬ ing to the invention for a sk i I I -demand i ng game, in a sec¬ tional view the formation of the bal l-cup can be wel l seen. Bal l-cups 10 are arranged around the theoretical centre 9 of the puppet 2, in a distance corresponding at least to the diameter of the bal l 11.

Fig. 7 i l lustrates another possible embodiment of the toy according to the invention, the base-plate carrying the play-field and the puppet 2 moved in the groove 8 of the base-plate 1 can be we I I seen. The groove 8 is composed of straight sections of different length, curves or turns 6 diverging into bends and the hole 4, formed in the centre, as a target. In course of the game hitting the hole 4 wi I I

be promoted by the position-modifying section 7.

Fig. 8 i l lustrates a further possible embodiment of the toy according to the invention, the base-plate 1 carrying the play-field and the puppet 2 moving in the groove 8 of the base-plate 1 can be wel l seen. With this embodiment the grooves 8 - formed with curves or turns 6 and T-shaped con ^¬ nection places 5- are simultaneously position-modifying sec ^¬ tions 7 too, as an end point the hole 4 can be formed, too.

The toy according to the invention for a ski I I -demand i ng game can be used, as fol lows:

Prior to beginning the game, the puppet 2 is placed on the starting point, thereafter, by tilting the base-plate 1 the groove 8 lying before the puppet 2 is brought into an incl ined position. Now the puppet 2 - upon the effect of the bal l 11 contained therein - begins to rol l down on the slope and as soon as the bal l 11 in the inside of the puppet 2 arrives at the bal l-cup 10, the enclosing sleeve is l ift and it is forced to the somersault motion, so the puppet is somersaulting along the slope as long as it hits the hole 4 ^or stops resp. impacts on a relatively low point.

Simultaneously the motion of the puppet 2 can be control¬ led, too. Control may take place by putting the base-plate 1 into motion, by the fine change of the direction of slop¬ ing resp. changing and timely modifying the incl ined state, as the puppet is able to turn the direction in the cross¬ ings. With some ski l lfulness and some practicing we may move the puppet 2 according to our wishes.

With the embodiment of Fig. 1 considerable attention is to be paid to the traps, the holes 4, as the aim l ies in to avoid the traps. As a consequence of the we I I organized guide of the puppet 2 the puppet 2 gets in the position

for overlapping the holes 4 (see Fig. 5) whi le in case of unski l lful movements the puppet 2 drops into the hole (see Fig. 4).

In course of the game the puppet 2 being in an unfavour- able position can be brought - e.g. by a half-step - in¬ to a good position by leading it along the position-mo¬ difying section. In case, if we succeeded to avoid the holes 4, the puppet 2 arrives at the target bed-ending p I ace. With the toy - as to be seen in Fig. 8 - in addition to ski l lfulness good luck is playing a role too, as by using a dice the length of the corresponding sections of path can be partly determined.

The advantage of the toy according to the invention for a sk i I I -demand i ng game l ies in that partly it yields an en¬ joyable game, simultaneously it develops manual ski l l and abi l ity of combination.