Child's activity ring toy

A child's activity ring toy having first and second concentric ring portions, at least a part of at least one of the ring portions having thread segments along a multiple screw path with adjacent thread segments of adjacent screw paths overlapping in the axial direction. A figure is mounted on this threaded part of the ring with an opening therein configured for engaging a next thread segment in the axial direction as a previous thread segment is disengaged.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts: 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to children's toys, and more particularly to an 
activity ring toy having provision on the ring for causing rotation of a 
figure thereon under the force of gravity. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Toys for toddlers, or children of very tender years require some form of 
animation which does not necessitate a high degree of dexterity. One of 
the most popular of such toys is the rattle which can be gripped by the 
child and shaken to create a noise which provides a source of amusement. 
Other toys have been configured for attachment to the crib for rotation or 
vibration in response to movement of the crib. Some toys have been 
developed for producing spiral movement of an object along a threaded 
shaft or line of the toy. One such toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. 
No. 616,244, issued Dec. 20, 1898 to Meyer for "Game Apparatus", such 
device having a spiral threaded standard with a receptacle having a 
plurality of compartments configured for rotational descent on the 
standard, with provision for dropping disks into the compartments during 
the descent. 
Another such device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,756,608, 
issued Apr. 29, 1930 to Reider for "Machine for use as Mechanical Toys and 
Other Purposes", such device having a vertical threaded shaft engaged by a 
threaded block with a transverse arm having toy airplanes suspended at the 
ends therefof, the block and arms rotating during descent. 
Another device using a threaded shaft is shown and described in U.S. Pat. 
No. 2,799,587, issued July 16, 1957 to Schwartz for "Children's Amusement 
Toy", the toy being a spiral grooved handle for a lollipop, with a tubular 
member coacting with the slot to produce rotation of the candy as the 
tubular member is moved longitudinally on the handle. 
Another toy using a threaded member is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 
2,920,418, issued Jan. 12, 1960 to Britt for "Amusement Devices". This 
patent discloses a device having a spiral threaded shaft with a handle 
affixed to each end with a wheel member rotatably supported therebetween, 
the wheel member engaging the spiral thread, with springs provided so that 
upon rotation of the shaft by manipulation with the hands, the wheel 
rotates and moves axially along the shaft. 
A "Spin Pole Doll Accessory" is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 
3,713,251, issued to Marason on Jan. 30, 1973, the device including a 
vertically extending pole with a helical thread and a doll carrier 
mountable on the pole for rotational movement during descent. 
A device which simply uses a ring with other rings mounted thereon is shown 
in U.S. Pat. No. 2,817,184, issued Dec. 24, 1957 to Inouye for a "Hoop 
Toy", the toy including a rather large diameter closed hoop with small 
diameter closed rings assembled thereon, the object being to rotate the 
rings by manipulation of the hoop. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved toy 
having a threaded portion for rotation of a figure thereon. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved 
ring toy having activity devices assembled thereon. 
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a new and 
improved child's activity toy having devices assembled thereon for 
movement upon movement of the toy. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The foregoing and other objects are accomplished by providing an activity 
toy having first and second concentric ring portions, at least a part of 
at least one of the ring portions having thread segments along a multiple 
screw path with adjacent thread segments overlapping in the direction of 
the thread. A figure is mounted on this threaded part of the ring with 
provision for engaging the next thread segment as the previous thread 
segment is disengaged. 
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become 
apparent from a reading of the specification, when taken in conjunction 
with the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements 
in the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a 
child's activity ring toy, generally designated 10, having a main ring 
assembly with an outer ring portion 12 and an inner concentric, generally 
coplanar ring portion 14 interconnected by radially aligned spoke portions 
16 and 18, which may have equal or different diameters. 
The inner ring portion 14 has a central opening sufficient for receiving 
therein a rotatably supported activity device such as a ball member 20. 
Each of the spoke portions 16 and 18 may have mounted thereon a suitable 
smaller activity device 22, 24, respectively, each also being capable of 
axial movement thereon. 
On the outer ring portion 12, first and second larger activity devices, 
such as FIGS. 30 and 32 may be assembled thereon for movement relative 
thereto. As illustrated, the outer ring portion 12 is divided into several 
parts including first and second arcuate parts 12a and 12b, the part 12a 
is defined by annular shoulder members 33 and 34 fixed to or formed 
integrally with the outer ring portion 12. Similarly arcuate part 12b is 
defined by annular shoulder members 35 and 36 fixed to or formed 
integrally with the outer ring portion 12. As will be hereinafter 
described, each of the FIGS. 30 and 32 is movably mounted on the 
respective arcuate portion 12a and 12b. 
The central ball member 20 is formed as two hemispheres, either or both of 
which may be transparent, with a generally planar character 40, such as an 
animal, positioned for rotatable movement therein. 
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 5, the activity devices 22 and 24 are formed 
as a star and a bead, respectively, each of which is formed of two parts 
or half shells with circular openings formed at the midpoints thereof for 
encircling the spokes 16 and 18 respectively of the ring assembly of the 
ring toy 10. Specifically, the star device 22, as shown in FIG. 4 is 
formed of two halves 22a and 22b with semicircular cutaway portions 22c 
and 22d formed respectively therein to form an opening, when joined 
together, of a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of spoke 16. As 
shown in FIG. 2, the spoke 16 has a reduced diameter, and with the star 
activity device 22 assembled thereon, both rotation about sliding along 
the spoke 16 is premitted. The two halves 22a and 22b are joined together 
by mating coacting means such as the pair of aligned projections 22e of 
half 22a configured for engagement within aligned openings 22f of half 
22b. 
The bead activity device 24, as illustrated in FIG. 5 is formed of two 
halves 24a and 24b, with a similar coacting pair of projections 24c and 
openings 24d integrally formed in the respective halves. Semicircular 
cutaways 24e and 24f form a circular opening of a diameter slightly 
greater than the diameter of the spoke 18 of the ring toy 10, thus 
permitting rotatable movement as well as slight axial movement thereon. 
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 3, and 6, the ring assembly of the ring toy 10 
has integrally formed journal openings 42 and 44 formed in general 
alignment with the spokes 16 and 18. These openings are configured for 
rotatably receiving therein axially aligned outwardly extending 
projections 46 and 48 of the ball 20. These projections 46 and 48 are 
formed on two halves 46a and 46b, respectively, and 48a and 48b, 
respectively, thus forming the axis of rotation of the ball 20 within the 
inner ring portion 14. 
As shown in FIG. 6, the ball 20 is formed of two hemispherical halves 20a 
and 20b, one or both of which are preferably transparent. Assembled within 
the ball 20 prior to joining is a FIG. 40 which is generally planar with a 
pair of aligned projections 40a and 40b which form an axis having a length 
slightly less than the internal diameter of the ball 20, enabling off 
center rotation of the FIG. 40 within the ball 20 upon rotation of the 
ball 20 about its axis. 
Although not shown in detail, the activity device 32 could likewise be 
formed in a generally hollow configuration of two parts with 
longitudinally aligned openings for being received on the outer ring 
portion 12b, as shown in FIG. 1, for sliding and rotatable movement 
thereon. This construction is shown briefly in FIG. 8 as a cross-section 
of the device 32, which is formed of two halves 32a and 32b joined 
together by a projection and opening arrangement with aligned openings, 
only one of which opening 50 in the head is shown. The openings have a 
diameter sufficient for sliding and rotational movement on the portion 12b 
of the outer ring 12. 
Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 7, the details pertaining to the thread 
configuration on portion 12a will be described. In molded plastic devices, 
particularly molded plastic devices formed of two halves joined together 
on a line, the formation of a continuous thread which requires coacting 
portions on the two halves, is difficult to reproduce on a mass production 
basis. Any burr, aberration or misalignement renders the thread 
ineffective for use with a mating threaded part. 
In accordance with the present invention, the portion 12a of the outer ring 
12 is a rod-like member which includes a plurality of thread segments 
which are arranged on multiple screw paths, preferably three screw paths, 
with each thread segment on a given screw path overlapping an adjacent 
thread segment on an adjacent screw path. 
FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the portion 12a of outer ring 12. Shown 
thereon in dotted lines are the three screw paths designated 54, 55 and 
56. These three paths 54-56 are displaced about the circumference of the 
portion 12b at 120 degree intervals. Each screw path has thread segments 
which bear the same reference numeral with a letter suffix. That is, screw 
path 54 has thread segments 54a and 54b as illustrated; thread segment 54a 
is on screw path 54; and thread segment 55a is positioned along screw path 
55, with thread segments 56a and 56b positioned along screw path 56. 
Reference numeral 60 along the laterally extending solid line depicts the 
junction of the two halves from which the ring assembly of the ring toy 10 
is formed. 
Defining the centerline of the outer ring 12 as an axial direction, as 
shown, moving from right to left in FIG. 9, each thread segment along its 
screw path overlaps an adjacent thread segment, and none of the thread 
segments intersect the seam or junction 60. That is, by reference to the 
thread segments, segment 56a commences at the enlarged shoulder portion 
33, while thread segment 54a is displaced a distance therefrom, and thread 
segment 55a is displaced a greater distance therefrom with all thread 
segments having approximately the same axial length. Each thread segment 
along a given screw path is spaced end-to-end in the axial direction along 
this path. 
By referring now to FIGS. 1 and 7, the activity FIG. 30 which coacts with 
the ring portion 12a is formed of two halves 30a and 30b which are joined 
with the projection and opening arrangement common to the other activity 
devices. In other words, all of the thread segments along a given screw 
path are in alignment along the screw path, with spacing between adjacent 
ends of adjacent thread segments on the path. Formed in the head portion 
of the FIG. 30 is an opening 61, with three equiangularly disposed slotted 
portions 61a, 61b and 61c, with each slotted portion configured for 
passage therethrough of one set of the thread segments for one of the 
screw paths 54-56. 
As the FIG. 30 moves along the axial length of the ring portion 12a, the 
slotted portions 61a, 61b and 61c, each, in turn, sequentially engage a 
thread segment next in the path of travel, and due to the axial 
overlapping of the thread segments along the screw paths 54-56, at least 
one of the thread segments is always in engagement with one of the slots 
61a-61c, thus enabling the rotational movement of the FIG. 30 in the axial 
direction under the force of gravity as the ring toy 10 is manipulated. 
In accordance with the present invention there has been shown and described 
a child's activity ring toy 10 with a plurality of activity devices 
capable of slidable and rotational movement thereon. Although the 
segmented thread arrangement has been illustrated on ring portion 12a 
only, it is to be understood that such an arrangement may be conveniently 
employed on the other ring portion 12b; and further such a thread and 
device arrangement may be likewise formed and utilized on a straight shaft 
arrangement for causing helical rotation of an object during descent 
thereof. 
While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment, it is to 
be understood that various other adaptations and modifications may be made 
within the spirit and scope of the invention.