Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
3 Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the toy art and more
6 particularly to an improved articulated doll arrangement
7 having simulated anthropomorphic movements.
g Description o the Prior Art
l 0
ll Toys in the form of dolls simulating the human
2 shape have been ~nown in prehistory times. Such dolls in
13 the forms of humans or animals have been utilized for
14 millenia not only as toys for the amusemen~ and education of
15 children but also in many mystical and/or semi-religious
16 activities.
17 Articulated dolls~ tha~ is dolls having portions
l8 theraof movable with respect to each other, have also long
l9 been known and long utilized. Further, articulated dolls
20 having anthropomorphic movement, that is movement simulating
~1 the movem~nt of the various por~ion~ of ~he human and/or
22 animal anatomy which the doll simula~es, have also long been
23 known and such articulated dolls provide, when utilized a
24 toys, even greater enjoyment and pleasure for childran since
25 the various portions o the body can be moved in various
26 ways to simulate the actual movements of the human body.
27 Such simulation, of course, enhances the play value of toys
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1 as well as aiding in ~he de~elopment of manual dexterity of
2 the children-
3 In addition to anthropomorphic movement in such
4 dolls, it has been found that additional movements which may
5 not necessarily correspond to allowable movement of the
6 actual entity which the doll simulates tends to increase the
7 enjoyment and play value of the doll. Such additional
8 movements may comprise, for example, the ability to rotate a
9 head 3~0 degrees with respect to the body. While such
10 movements of the head or other portions of the anatomy which
11 are not found in the corresponding entity which the doll
12 simulates are often termed "silly" movements, it has been
13 found that children in the learning stages find greatly
14 enhanced play value when!such movements can be achieved.
Dolls simulating human and/or animal forms, of
16 course, come in many sizes. One such doll is shown in
17 United States Patent ~,103,451 which provides some form of
18 simulated anthropomorphic movementsO However, in even
19 smaller dolls than shown therein, such as a doll simulating
20 a human but having an overall length of, for example, an
21 inch and a half, is often desired for utilization with, for
22 example, other toys and games of the child's. In such small
23 or miniaturized dolls, it has heretofore been found extremely
24 difficult to provide the desired anthropomorphic and/or
25 silly movements desired in such dolls to provide the increased
26 enjoyment and pla~ value of the doll. Further, in such
27 miniaturized or small dolls, the ability to join together
28 and~or disassemble some of the components making up the doll
29 has also been found to enhance the play value by allowing
30 the child to utilize imagination in combining various
31 portions in interesting and/or amusing combinations. Such
32 detachable coupling of the components of the doll, particu-
33 larly in the miniaturized dolls as above described, further
34 aid in the development of the manual dexterity of the child~
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1 Summary of the Invention
3 Accordingly, it is an object of the present
4 invention to provide an improved articulated doll arrange-
5 ment.
6 It is another object of the present invention to
7 provide an improved miniaturized articulated doll arrange-
8 ment having at least some anthropomorphic movements associ-
9 ated with the components thereof.
It is yet another object of the present invention
11 to provide an improved articulated doll having mo~ements
12 between the parts thereof not associated with the actual
13 ~igure which the doll represents.
14 It is yet another object of the present invention
to provide an improved miniaturized articulated doll arrange-
16 ment having a high degree of play value and capable of
17 comparatively rapid manufac~ure and assembly to provide an
18 inexpensive toy.
19 The above, and other objects of the present
invention, are achieved, according to a preferred embodiment
21 o~ the present invention by providing a miniaturized articu-
22 lated doll comprising a body means, a head means with a
23 simulated neck portion pivotally mounted on the body means,
24 a pair of arm means mounted on the body means at simulated
shoulder joints thereof, a pair of hand means connected to
26 the remote ends of the arm means and the connection of the
27 hand means may be pivotal and detachable. Upper leg means
28 are mounted on the body means and are pivotally movable in a
29 simulated hip movement and lower leg means are pivotally
mounted to the upper leg means at a simulated knee joint for
31 simulated knee movement.
32 In the preferred embodiment of the present invention,
33 a detachable head covering which may simulate hair, helmet,
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1 cap or any other desired covering is detachably mounted on
2 the head means.
3 A central connecting member ext~nds through the
4 hollow body member and has a portion extending from the top
thereof upon which the neck portion of ~he head means is
6 pivotally mounted. The lower end of the central connecting
7 member provides the simulated hip joint and the upper leg
8 portions are pivotally mounted on the lower end of the
9 central connecting member. The upper leg means has limited
rotational movement with respect to the body means to
11 simulate at least partially the anthropomorphic movement of
12 the upper legs and, as such, are pivotally movable to a
13 position extending substantially in from of and at right
14 angles to the body means and pivotally movable rearwardly
lS toward the rear of the body to approximately a 45 degree
16 angle with the body means. The lower leg means are pivotally
17 mounted on the upper leg means at the simulated knee joint
18 and are movable toward the back of the body means similar to
19 the anthropomorphic movement of the human leg, but stops are
provided to prevent pivotal movement toward the front of the
21 body means beyond an aligned condition of the lower leg .
22 means and upper leg means.
~3 The hand simulating means are pivotally mounted in
24 the arm means and are preferably de~achable therefrom so
that different types of hand simulating portions such as
2~ those simulating a hook, those simulating fingers, or the
27 like, may be interchanged in the doll. The shoulder mounting
28 means provides rotational movement of ~he arm means with
29 respect to the body means about three mutually perpendicular
axes. One of the pivotal movements is 360 degrees about a
31 first of the axes to simulate the anthropomorphic movement
32 of the arm and a limited pivotal movement is provided about
33 the other two of the three mutually perpendicular axes to
34 simulate the anthropomorphic movement of the human arm.
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1 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE _RAWINGS
3 The above, and other objects of the present
4 invention, may be more fully understood from the following
5 detailed description taken together with the accompanying
6 drawings wherein similar reference characters refer to
7 similar elements throughout, and in which:
9 Figure 1 is a perspective view of an articulated
10 doll according to the principles of the present invention:
11
1~ Figure 2 is a sectional view through the body
13 means of the articulated doll of Figure l;
14
Figure 3 is a sectional view illustrating the
16 sim~lated neck connec~ion of the doll of Figure l;
17
18 Figure 4 illustrates, partially in section, an arm
19 means of the doll of Figure l;
21 Figure 5 is a sectional view along the line 5--5
22 of Figure 4;
23
24 Figure 6 is a sectional view illustrating the hip
joint of the doll of Figure l;
26
~7 Figure 7 is a partial sectional view illustrating
28 the knee joint of the doll of Figure l;
29
Figure 8 illustrates a hand means of the doll of
31 Figure l;
32
33 Figure 9 illustrates another embodiment of a hand
34 means useful in the practice of the present invention; and
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1 Figure 10 is a partial sectional view of a head
2 covering of the doll of Figure 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
7 Referring now to Figure 1~ there is illustrated a
~ miniature articulated doll arrangement generally designated
9 10 according to the principles of the present invention.
10 The articulated doll arrangement 10 generally comprises a
11 body means 12 having a front wall 14, a back wall 16 spaced
12 from the front wall 14, a top wall 18 and spaced apart side
13 walls 20 and 22. As described below, in connection with
14 Figure 2, the front wall 14, back wall 16, top wall 18 and
15 side walls 20 and 22 define an open bottom body cavity
16 generally designated, in Figure 2, as 24. Each of the front
17 wall 14, back wall 16 and side walls 20 and 22 have lower
18 edges shown on Figure 2 as 14a, 16a, 20a and 22a spaced from
19 the top wall 18. The lower edge 16a of the back wall 16 and
the lower edges 20a and 22a of the side walls 20 and 22,
21 respectively, are spaced a greater preselected distance from
22 the top wall 18 than the lower edge 14a of the front wall
23 14.
24
The miniature articulated doll 10 further comprises
26 a head means 26 having a head simulating portion 28 and a
27 neck simulating portion 30. The neck simulating portion 30
28 extends from the head simulating portion 28. The head means
29 26 is pivotally mounted for rotation about a longitudinal
30 axis generally designed 32 andr in preferred embodiments of
31 the present invention, the head means 26 rotates 360 degrees
32 about the longitudinal axis 32. This type of pivotal
33 movement is a "silly" movement and, thus, is not truly
34 anthropomorphic. A head covering means generally designed
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1 34 is mounted on the head me~ns 26 a~d, preferably, is
2 detachably mounted thereon.
4 A pair of arm means generally designated 36 and 38
5 are pivotally mounted on the body means 12 for rotation
6 about three mutually perpendicular axes. As shown on Figure
7 1, the three mutually perpendicular axes for arm means 36
8 are generally designa~ed 40, 42 and 44. It will be appre~i-
9 ated, of course, that arm means 38 is similarly mounted.
11 A pair of hand means ~enerally designat~d 46 and
12 48 are pivotally mounted, preferably detachably pivotal-ly
13 mounted, in the arm means 36 and 38, respectively~ As shown
14 on Figure 1, the hand means 46 and 48 have hand simulating
15 portions simulating a hook. As described below in greater
16 detail, other simulations in the hand simula~ing portions
17 thereof may also be provided.
18
19 A central connector means generally designated 50
is mounted in the open bottom body cavity 24 as illustrated
21 in Figure 2. The central connector means 50 has an upper
22 leg connecting portion 52 extending a third preselected
23 distance from the top wall 14 of the body means 12. The
24 upper leg connecting portion 52 is utilized to provide a
simulated hip joint and a pair of upper leg means 54 and 56
26 are mounted in the upper leg connecting portion 52 of the
~7 central connector means 50 for pivotal movement about a hip
2R axis generally designated 58. The pivotal movement of the
29 upper leg means 54 and 56 about the hip axis 58 is limited
to provide a simulation of the anthropomorphic movement of
31 the upper leg of the human body. This limited pivotal
32 movement is provided by the structure of the upper leg means
33 54 and 56 interacting with the structure of the body means
34 12. The pivotal mounting of each of upper leg means 54 and
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1 56 is similar. As illustrated for upper leg means 54, upper
2 leg means 5~ has a first stop means comprising a forward
3 wall 60 that during rotation about the hip axis 58 toward
4 the front wall 14 engages the lower edge 14a of the front
5 wall 14 to limit the pivotal motion o~ the upper leg means
6 54 to a posi~ion where i~ extends substantially at right
7 angles outwardly from the front wall 14. Similarly, the
8 back wall 62 of the upper leg means 54 engages the lower
9 edge 16a of the back wall 16 of the body means 12 during
10 rotational movement of the upper leg 54 about the hip axis
11 58 toward the back wall 16 to limit the pivotal motion to an
12 angle of approximately 45 degrees from the back wall 16.
13
14 Lower leg means 64 and 66 are pivotally mounted on
the upper leg means 54 and 56, respectively, for limited
16 rotational movement about a ~nee axis generally designated
17 68 and 68a. The limited rot tional movement about the knee
18 axis 68 (and 68a) of the leg means 64 and 66, respectively,
19 is provided to simulate the anthropomorphic movement of the
20 knee of a human being. This is achieved by having a lower
21 lip 70 on the upper leg portion S4 engage a ledge 72 on the
22 lower leg means 64 to limit the pivotal motion of the lower
23 leg means 64 to an aligned condition with the upper leg
24 means 54. Pivotal movement of the lower leg means 64 about
the knee axis 68 ~oward the back wall 16 of the body means
26 12 is limited by engagement of the back wall 64a of the
27 lower leg means 64 engaging the edge 74 of the upper leg
28 means 54. The engagement limits the pivotal motion of the
29 lower leg means 64 about the knee axis 68 toward the back
wall 16 of the body means 12 to a position where it extends
31 at substantially right angles rearwardly from the upper leg
32 means 54. It will be appreciated, of course, that the lower
33 leg means 66 is similarly mounted for limited pivotal
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1 rotation about the knee axis 68a with respect to the upper
2 leg means 56.
4 Referring now to Figure 2 and Figure 3, as noted
5 above the central connector means 50 extends through the
6 open bottom body cavity 24. The central connec~or means 50
7 has a neck connecting portion 80 extending through an
8 aperture 82 defined by walls 84 and the top wall 18 to
9 regions external the body cavity 24. The head means 26 is
10 pivotally mounted on the neck connecting portion 80 with
11 respect to the body means 12 about the next axis 32. The
12 neck portion 30 of the head means has walls 86 defining an
13 aperture 88 therethrough and the neck connecting portion 80
14 of the central connector.means 50 extends through the
15 aperture 88. The tabs 80a and 80b of the neck connecting
16 portion 80 engage an internal ledge 26a of the head means 26
17 to retain the head means 26 adjacent the top wall 18 and
18 permitting the above described pivotal motion, preferably
19 360 degrees, about the neck axis 32. The head portion 28 of
20 the head means 26 is also provided with walls 90 defining an
21 aperture 92 therethrough for mounting of certain of the head
22 covers 34 on the head means 26, as described below in
23 greater detail.
24
The body means 12 is also provided with shoulder
26 joint connecting portions 94 and 96 extending outwardly from
27 the side walls 20 and 22, respectively. As illustrated in
28 Figure 2, the shoulder joint connectins portions 94 and 96
29 are generally mushroom shaped, having a ball shaped end 94a
30 and 96a and a stem portion 94b and 96b. ~s described below
31 in greater detail, the arm means 36 and 38 are pivotally
32 mounted on the shoulder joint connecting portions 94 and 96,
33 respectively.
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1 Figures 4 and 5 illustrate arm means 36, and it
2 will be appreciated that arm means 38 is identical to arm
3 means 36 except that it is a mirror image thereof. Arm
4 means 36 has a shoulder end generally designated 100 in
5 ~hich there is provided walls 102 defining a slot 104
6 extending therein and walls 106 defining a ball cavity 108
7 therein. The ball shaped end 94a of the shoulder joint
8 connecting portion 94 is mounted in the ball cavity 108 and
9 the stem 94b extends through the slot 10~. The walls 102
10 defining the slot 104 engage the stem portion 94b to limit
11 the pivotal movement of the arm means 36 with respect to the
12 body means 12 about the axes 40 and 42 so that 360 degrees
13 rotation of these axes is not permitted. It will be appre-
14 ciated, of course, that portions of the inner wall 36a of
the arm means 36 may also engage the side wall 20 to limit
16 such pivotal motion. However, rotation about the axis 42 is
17 360 degrees as provided by the ball end 94a in the ball
18 cavity 108. It will be appreciated that the above described
19 mounting of the arm means 36 and 38 on the body means 12
20 provides for independent movement of each of the arm means
21 36 and 38. That is, each arm means 36 and 38 may be moved
22 independently of movement of the other arm means. Similarly,
23 this mounting also provides for independent movement of each
24 of the arm means 36 and 38 about each of the three axes such
as 40, 42 and 44, so tha~ movement about each of the axes
26 may be obtained regardless of the position of the arm means
27 with respect to the body means.
28
29 Figure 6 illustrates a sectional view through the
upper leg connecting portion 52 of the central connector
31 means 50 and hip end connecting portions 110 and 112 of the
32 upper leg means 54 and 56, respectively. To achieve the
33 above described limite~ pivotal motion of the upper leg
34 means 54 and 56, there is provided walls 114 in the upper
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1 leg conr.ecting portion 52 of the cen~ral connecting portion
2 50 defining an aperture 116 therethrough. A boss 118 of the
3 upper leg 54 extends through ~nd is frictionally mounted in
4 the aperture 116 and is provided with walls 120 defining an
S aperture 122 through the boss means 118. A rod portion 124
6 of the upper leg means 56 extends through the aperture 122
7 and the boss means 118 and is provided with a tab section
8 126 that engages inner wall 128 of the upper leg means 54 to
9 retain the upper leg means 56 in alignment. A frictional
10 fit is provided to allow independent rotational movement of
11 each of the upper leg means 54 and 56. Thus, Figure 6
12 illustrates a simulated hip joint of the articulated doll
13 10.
14
lS Figure 7 illustrates the simulated knee joint of
16 the articulated doll 10 for the rotation of the lower leg
17 means 64 about the knee axis 68 with respect to the upper
18 leg portion 54. The upper leg portion 54 is provided with a
19 ~nee end portion 130 in which there are provided walls 132
20 defining a pair of opposed circular cavities 134 and 136.
~1 Cylindrical tab portions 138 and 140 are provided on the
22 lower leg portion 64 and are positioned in the cavities 134
23 and 136 to allow the limited pivotal movement of the lower
24 leg means 64 with respect to the upper leg means 54 about
25 the ~nee axis 68.
26
27 Referring now to Figure 8 and Figure 4, the hand
28 means 46 is pivotally mounted on wrist end 150 of arm means
29 36. It will be appreciated, of course, that hand means 48
is similarly mounted in arm means 38. Wrist end 150 of arm
31 means 36 has walls 152 defining a hand connecting portion
32 aperture 154 into which the hand connecting portion 156 of
33 the hand means 46 is positioned to allow rotation about a
34 wrist axis 158. Hand connecting portion 156 extends from
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l the hand simulating portion 160 of the hand means 46 which,
2 as illustrated in Figures 1 and 8, simulates a hook. The
3 hand connecting portion 156 has tabs 162 which engage a
4 shoulder 164 in the wrist end 150 of the arm means 36 for
the detachable retention of the hand means 46 on the arm
6 means 36.
8 Figure 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment of
9 a hand means generally designated 170 in which the hand
simulating portion 172 thereof is provided with f inger
ll simulating means 174. The attachment of the hand means 170
12 to an arm means of the articulated doll of the present
13 invention is the same as described above in connection with
14 Figures 4 and 8.
16 Figure 10 illustrates a head covering means 34
17 and, as shown, the head covering means 34 has a head covering
18 means connector portion 34a which projects into the cavity
l9 92 (Figure 2) for retention of the head covering means 34
thereon. It will be appreciated, of course, that head
21 covering means may be made in a variety of shapes and sizes
22 to simulate various types of hair, hats, helmets or other-
23 wise. Similarly, it may be desirable in some such head
24 covering means to eliminate the head connecting portion 34a
and have such head covering means frictionally retained on
26 the head means 26.
27
28 This concludes the description of the preferred
29 embodiment of the present invention. It will be appreciated
that many variations and adaptations of the present invention
31 may be made and all such variations and adaptations are
32 intended to be covered by the appended claims.
