Abstract:
An action figure is provided having movable appendages. The action figure includes a body having a plurality of appendages including a first appendage configured to rotate about a first axis and a second appendage configured to rotate about a second axis. The action figure further includes a first movement assembly configured to drive movement of the first appendage and a second movement assembly configured to drive movement of the second appendage. At least one of the first and second movement assemblies is configured to delay movement of a corresponding appendage.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/813,110 entitled “ACTION FIGURE WITH MOVABLE ACCESSORY,” filed Jun. 12, 2006, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND 
   Children enjoy a variety of action figures that can be manipulated to simulate real life activities, such as martial arts. Children also typically prefer to play with toys that have several play options. It is therefore desirable to provide children with toys that both simulate activities the children are not yet able to participate in themselves while stimulating their imaginations with several play options. One way of increasing the available play options is to provide toys with movable components. 
   Examples of action figures having movable parts and/or accessories are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,206,564, 4,244,138, 4,601,672, 4,750,895, 4,750,900, 4,934,981, 5,019,007, 5,163,861, 5,580,296, 5,601,462, 5,941,755, 6,012,962, 6,152,799, 6,247,990, 6,726,523, and 6,729,933, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
   SUMMARY 
   The present disclosure relates generally to a movable action figure. More specifically, it relates to an action figure having other movable components, such as a weapon or other accessory. 
   The advantages of the present invention will be understood more readily after a consideration of the drawings and the Detailed Description. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exemplary movable action figure and associated accessory. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates actuation of an exemplary action figure showing movement of a first appendage about a first axis. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates the exemplary action figure of  FIG. 2  showing movement of a second appendage about a second axis. 
       FIG. 4  illustrates the exemplary action figure of  FIG. 3  showing return of the appendages to a neutral position. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates internal components of an exemplary action figure. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates further details of the internal components of  FIG. 5 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   An exemplary toy, such as an action figure,  10  is shown in  FIG. 1 . The action figure may include several movable components. For example the action figure may include a body  12  having several body segments  14 , such as a central segment or torso  16  and one or more appendages  18 . The body segments may be integrally formed or may be coupled together by joints  20 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the toy may include movable segments, such as a torso, a pelvis, a head, arms, and legs, depending on the form of the action figure and the desired play options. 
   To increase play value of toy  10 , the toy may include one or more accessories  100 , such as a weapon. The action figure and accessory may be permanently or removably coupled to one another. For example, the action figure may be joined to the accessory using glue, tapes, hook-and-loop closure material, snaps, and the like, or may be integrally formed with the accessory. In some configurations, the accessories and action figures are configured to be used interchangeably with other versions of accessories and action figures. In the examples shown, the action figure is associated with a martial arts style weapon. As illustrated, the accessory may be a toy nunchaku, also known as numchucks, which are a pair of sticks joined by a chain or cord and used as a weapon. 
     FIGS. 2-4  illustrate movement of an exemplary toy. A shown, appendages  18  include a first arm  22  and a second arm  24  that move relative to torso  16 . The first arm may move relative to a first axis, such as to rotate about a first axis A-A passing approximately through the shoulder joint of the first arm. The second arm may move relative to a second axis, such as to rotate about a second axis B-B passing approximately through the shoulder joint of the second arm. In some examples of toy  10 , the appendages may otherwise move relative to corresponding axes, such as to translate towards or away from a corresponding axis. The first and second axes may be oriented relative to one another in any desired manner, such as substantially perpendicularly. 
   Toy  10  and/or accessory  100  may include one or more movable portions. For example, the illustrated weapon may be configured to move relative to the action figure to simulate use of a martial arts weapon. The accessory may be manipulated by either the action figure or a portion of the accessory itself. For example, a user input device  26  may be manipulated to move the accessory and/or body segments. In the exemplary toy of  FIGS. 2-4 , the user input device takes the form of a button  28  positioned on the side of the action figure that may be pressed to trigger movement of the arms of the figure and/or movement of the weapon components. For example, when the button is pressed, the figure&#39;s arms may move to swing the numchucks. 
   The arms may move simultaneously or there may be an offset or time delay between movement of the arms, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2-4 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the toy&#39;s right arm is first raised upon pressing of button  28 . As the button is released, the left arm is rotated sideways away from the torso, as shown in  FIG. 3 . The arms then return to the neutral position as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
   Toy  10  may include a motor and/or gears, springs and other mechanical and/or electrical components suitable for providing the desired motion of the toy segments.  FIGS. 5 and 6  illustrate internal components of an exemplary action figure as viewed from the back of the toy. As shown in  FIG. 5 , button  28  is biased toward an unactuated, or “at-rest,” position by a spring  30 . The button is integrally formed with a first actuation member  32  for actuating movement of first arm  22  via a first movement assembly  34  and a second actuation member  36  for actuating movement of second arm  24  via a second movement assembly  38 . The first and second actuation members may be integrally formed with the user input device or may be coupled to the user input device using any suitable method. 
   The first and/or second movement assemblies may be configured to offset, interrupt, and/or delay various motions, such as to increase the complexity of the overall motion of the toy. Movement of one or more of the appendages may be delayed relative to actuation of the user input device, movement of the appendages may be offset from one another, or movement of one or more of the appendages may be temporarily interrupted during various stages of movement. For example as shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , when a user presses and releases the button, the right arm rotates in a single direction about axis B-B, the left arm then rotates in a single direction about axis A-A, momentarily “interrupting” the movement of the right arm, and then the right and left arms both return to their neutral positions. 
   As shown in  FIG. 6 , button  28  includes a first actuation member  32  and a second actuation member  36 . The first actuation member may include a toothed portion  40 , such as a rack or toothed bar, that engages the first movement assembly. The second actuation member may include an angled region  42  and a lip  44  that engage the second movement assembly. 
   First movement assembly  34  includes a gear cylinder  46  to transfer movement of toothed portion  40  to the first arm. The gear cylinder includes a gear  48  that engages the toothed portion. Therefore, as the button moves, the toothed portion moves, such as by sliding laterally, to rotate the gear cylinder. The opposing end of the gear cylinder includes a crown gear  50  that engages a gear  52  to rotate the first arm. The first movement assembly may include a clutch  54 , such as along gear cylinder  46 . For example, if button  28  is actuated when first arm  22  is not free to move, clutch  54  may allow the portions of gear cylinder  46  to rotate relative to one another to prevent damage to the first movement mechanism. The first movement assembly may include a spring  56  to bias the arm to its neutral position or provide resistance against gear  52  for a more controlled-looking movement of arm  22 , such as a snapping motion. 
   A delay mechanism  60  maintains the first arm in the actuated position (i.e., a raised position as shown in  FIG. 2 ) until the button is released. In the example shown, delay mechanism  60  is mounted adjacent toothed portion  40 . The delay mechanism may include opposing first and second extensions  62 ,  64  and be biased to a particular position, such as with extension  62  towards the toothed portion. When the button is pressed to slide the toothed portion, gear cylinder  46  rotates gear  52 , which in turn rotates a first anchor  66  to raise arm  22 . Protrusion  64  of the delay mechanism engages the anchor, such as at notch  68  to temporarily maintain the arm in a raised position. When the button is released, the toothed portion moves (rightward as shown in  FIG. 5 ) to engage protrusion  62  and rotate the delay mechanism in the opposite direction (counterclockwise in  FIG. 5 ) to disengage the anchor. The arm is returned to its neutral position by any suitable combination of reverse motion of gear cylinder  46  and/or bias from spring  56 . 
   In the exemplary toy of  FIG. 6 , the second movement assembly includes a transfer assembly  70  to couple movement of button  28  to second arm  24 . The transfer assembly includes a delay portion  72  that rotates about a first pivot  74  and a movement portion  76  that rotates about a second pivot  78 . As button  28  is depressed, delay portion  72  slides along angled portion  42  and rotates about pivot  74  until the delay portion passes over lip  44 . When button  28  is released, lip  44  urges the delay portion, and thereby movement portion  76 , to rotate (counterclockwise as shown in  FIG. 5 ). As transfer assembly  70  is rotated, the delay portion is urged to disengage with lip  44  by sliding along slanted edge  80  of the torso interior. Consequently, the delay portion forms a ratchet pawl. Rotation of movement portion  76  moves a rod  82  that is coupled to arm  24 , thereby urging the arm to rotate away from the torso (as illustrated in  FIG. 3 ). Arm  24  may include an anchor  84  to retain the arm within the torso and provide a support and/or pin to form axis B-B. 
   The toy and accessories may be fabricated from any suitable material, or combination of materials, such as plastic, foamed plastic, wood, cardboard, pressed paper, metal, or the like. A suitable material may be selected to provide a desirable combination of weight, strength, durability, cost, manufacturability, appearance, safety, and the like. Suitable plastics may include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene, or the like. Suitable foamed plastics may include expanded or extruded polystyrene, or the like. 
   Although the present invention has been shown and described with reference to the foregoing operational principles and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variances. The subject matter of the present invention includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Inventions embodied in various combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through presentation of claims in a subsequent application.