Abstract:
A toy with repositionable portions is disclosed. The toy may be stylized as a toy figure that may include a leg section and a torso section. The leg section includes legs pivotally coupled to a pelvic section. The pelvic section may also include an upward-extending connection post. The torso section, furthermore, may include a body cylinder that connects to the connection post. The body cylinder includes a series of resilient tabs that slidingly engage the post, securing the sections together while permitting the rotation of the torso section about the post. With this configuration, the toy figure possesses multiple degrees of motion, being adapted to move in bending and twisting motions.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a nonprovisional of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/824,305, filed 1 Sep. 2006 and entitled “Posable Toy and Method of Forming”, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed toward a posable/repositionable toy and, in particular, to a toy figure with posable/repositionable portions adapted to be repositionable along numerous degrees of freedom, including, but not limited to, rotation about vertical and horizontal axes. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The U.S. Government has issued “small parts” requirements for toys and products intended for use by children under three years of age. These requirements are published in the Code of Federal Regulations in Title 16, Parts 1501 and 1500.50, 51, 52 and 16 C.F.R. 1500.18(a)(9). This regulation is intended to prevent deaths and injuries to children under three from choking on, inhaling, or swallowing small objects they may “mouth”. It bans toys and other articles that are intended for use by children under three and that are or have small parts, or that produce small parts when broken. 
   A “small part” is any object that fits completely into a specially designed test cylinder (2.25 inches long by 1.25 inches wide) that approximates the size of the fully expanded throat of a child under three years old. This specialized definition applies to (1) a whole toy or article; (2) a separate part of a toy, game, or other article; and (3) a piece of a toy or article that breaks off during testing that simulates use or abuse by children. If a “small part” fits completely into the specially designed test cylinder, and the toy or product from which it came is intended for use by children under three years of age, the toy or product is banned because the small part presents a choking hazard. 
   Thus, toys and products intended for use by children under three years of age must not release pieces that fit completely into the small parts cylinder after impact, flexure, torque, tension, and compression testing. These tests simulate the forces that toys and products can/may experience during normal use and abuse by children under three years of age. If these forces cause parts to break off that fit in the small parts cylinder, those parts are deemed to present a risk of choking, aspiration, or ingestion to children under three years of age. 
   There are a number of commercially available toys having posable/repositionable portions. Generally, these toys are stylized as character figures designed for use by preschool children. One drawback to some of these pre-existing toy figures is that the various posable/repositionable portions (e.g., the legs, the arms, the head, the torso, etc.) are made of small parts that are connected in such manner that they are capable of being too easily separated. Due to safety concerns, there has been increased awareness regarding the safety of such toy figures (due to the fact that preschool children may be able separate the portions of the figure, which may result in injury to the child should one of the portions be swallowed). Thus, it is desirable to provide a toy, having posable/repositionable portions, with a generally integral structure that prevents the posable/repositionable portions from being too easily separated. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention generally is directed toward a posable/repositionable toy and, in particular, to a toy figure with posable/repositionable portions adapted to be repositionable along numerous degrees of freedom, including, but not limited to, rotation about vertical and horizontal axes. A toy figure in accordance with the present invention may include a lower or first assembly and an upper or second assembly. The lower assembly may include legs pivotally coupled to a pelvic section. The pelvic section may include an upward-extending connection post. The upper assembly may include a spine and body cylinder, both of which may be rotatably mounted on the upward-extending connection post. An external figure body may be secured to the spine and body cylinder. Thus, the external figure body, the spine, and the body cylinder may be rotated with respect to the lower assembly. With this configuration, a toy figure in accordance with the present invention possesses multiple degrees of freedom, being adapted to move in bending and twisting motions. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of a posable toy according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates an isolated, exploded view of the lower assembly of the posable toy of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2B  illustrates an isolated, perspective view of the lower assembly of the posable toy of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3A  illustrates an isolated, perspective view of the body cylinder shown  FIG. 1 . 
       FIGS. 3B and 3C  illustrate isolated views of the lower assembly, showing the connection of the body cylinder to the lower assembly. 
       FIG. 4A  illustrates an isolated, perspective view of the spine shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4B  illustrates the body cylinder of  FIG. 3A  coupled to the spine of  FIG. 4A . 
       FIG. 4C  illustrates an isolated view of the upper assembly shown in  FIG. 1 , with the spine/body cylinder illustrated in phantom. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an exploded view of the upper and lower assemblies of the posable/repositionable toy of  FIG. 1 , showing the connection of the upper assembly to the lower assembly. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of the assembled posable/repositionable toy of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an exploded view of a posable/repositionable toy according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIGS. 8A and 8B  illustrate front perspective views of the lower assembly of the posable/repositionable toy of  FIG. 7 , showing the connection of an accessory article of clothing to the lower assembly. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a front perspective view of the posable/repositionable toy of  FIG. 7 , showing the assembled figure and the capturing of the accessory article of clothing between the upper and lower assemblies. 
   

   Like reference numerals have been used to identify like elements throughout this disclosure. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with the present invention, a toy with posable/repositionable portions is disclosed.  FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a posable/repositionable toy in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the posable/repositionable toy may comprise a  FIG. 100  including a first or lower assembly  200  and a second or upper assembly  300 . The components of the lower assembly  200  and upper assembly  300  may be formed from materials including, but not limited to, plastics/thermoplastics such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and/or polyvinyl chloride (PVC), as well as natural materials such as wood. In one embodiment of the present invention described herein, the lower assembly  200  and the upper assembly  300  are formed utilizing a combination of ABS and PVC components. The components may be formed utilizing, e.g., conventional molding processes such as blow molding, injection molding, insert molding, over-molding, etc. 
   The lower assembly  200  may include a support or leg section  210  and a base or pelvic section  220 . The base section  220  may include a bore or channel (extending, e.g., generally horizontally through the pelvic section  220 ), as well as a connection post  260  extending, e.g., generally vertically from the base section  220 . The connection post  260  is configured to mate with the upper assembly  300 . In the illustrated embodiment, the upper (distal) end of the connection post  260  includes a flange or rim  262  and a recessed portion  264  extending about its periphery. The recessed portion  264 , in combination with the rim  262 , forms a shoulder or ledge  265  that serves as a stop, preventing the separation of the upper assembly  300  from the lower assembly  200 . With this configuration, the post  260  may rotatably capture the body cylinder  360  of the upper assembly  300  when mounted onto to the connection post  260  (described in greater detail below). 
     FIG. 2A  is an exploded view of the lower assembly of the posable/repositionable toy of  FIG. 1 . Referring to  FIG. 2A , the leg section  210  of the lower assembly  200  may include a first leg member  212  coupled to a second leg member  214  via a rod  216 . The base section  220  may include a front waist portion  230  and a rear waist portion  240 . The front  230  and rear  240  waist portions may each include a cut-out area  225  that form a bore or channel when the waist portions  230 ,  240  are connected. To form the lower assembly  200 , the cut-out areas  225  of the waist portions  230 ,  240  are aligned such that the rod  216  of the leg section  210  is positioned within the cut-out areas  225 .  FIG. 2B  is an isolated view of the lower assembly of the posable/repositionable toy of  FIG. 1 . As shown in  FIG. 2B , the waist portions  230 ,  240  may be permanently secured to each other (e.g., via solvent welding) by capturing the rod  216  of the leg section  210  in the newly-formed bore  250 . 
   Utilizing this construction, the rod  216  of the leg section  210  may be configured to move within the bore formed by the connected portions  230 ,  240  with the base section  220  pivoting about the rod  216 . The connection of the leg section  210  to the base section  220  is not limited to the embodiment illustrated herein. For example, in another embodiment, the base section  220  may be formed from a unitary structure (e.g., the base section  220  may be over-molded onto the leg section  210  (not illustrated)). Although any suitable materials may be utilized, in the illustrated embodiment, the base section  220  (including waist portions  230 ,  240 ) may be formed from ABS, while the leg section  210  may be formed from PVC. 
   Referring back to  FIG. 1 , the upper assembly  300  may include a figure upper body  310  including a torso  320 , arms  330 , and a head  340 . The upper assembly  300  may further include a core member or spine  350  and a body cylinder or cap  360  (also called a plug). The body cylinder  360  may include a structure configured to rotatably connect to the connection post  260  of the lower assembly  200 , securing the spine  350  of the upper assembly  300  to the lower assembly  200 .  FIG. 3A  is an isolated perspective view of the body cylinder  360 . In the embodiment illustrated, the body cylinder  360  includes a base  362  with a wall or flange  364  extending upward about the periphery of the base  362 . A channel or bore  366 , concentrically disposed with respect to the flange  364 , may be defined by a series of angularly spaced, resilient tabs  368 . 
   The dimensions of the channel  366  may be chosen such that the tabs  368  slidingly, yet securely engage the connection post  260  of the lower assembly  200 . Referring to  FIGS. 3B and 3C , the channel  366  of the body cylinder  360  receives the post  260  of the lower assembly  200 . Specifically, the connection post  260  of the lower assembly  200  may be axially urged into the channel  366  of the cylinder body  360 . The resilient tabs  368 , beginning in their normal position, initially flex outward to permit passage of the connection post  260  and/or rim  262 . However, once the tabs  368  become positioned below the rim  262  and within the recessed portion  264 , the tabs  368  return to their normal (un-flexed) position. In this position, the passage of the rim  262  back through the channel  366  is prevented—the rim  262  cannot pass back through the channel  366  without a very large force being applied to the two parts (i.e., a force larger than a child is capable of exerting during play or product abuse). When the tabs  368  return to their normal, un-flexed position, the shoulder  265  acts as a stop, preventing the passing of the post  260  through the channel  366 . This attachment arrangement prevents the removal of the body cylinder  360  from the connection post  260 . However, since the resilient tabs  368  slidingly engage the post  260 , the body cylinder  360  may be rotated about the post  260 . 
   The spine  350  supports the figure body. As seen best in  FIG. 4A , the spine  350  may include a cylindrical shaft  352  terminating in a socket  354  operable to mate with the body cylinder  360 . The socket includes a lip  356  extending about the perimeter of the socket opening. In operation (as illustrated in  FIG. 4B ), the spine  350  may be inserted axially onto the body cylinder  360  until the socket  354  of the spine  350  engages the flange  364  of the body cylinder  360 . The lip  356  becomes positioned between the gap existing between the wall  364  and the tabs  368  of the body cylinder  360  (see  FIG. 3A ). In this manner, when the socket  354  is seated on the cylinder  360 , the lip  356  may further compress the resilient tabs toward the connection post, which, in turn, makes separation of the lower assembly  200  from the upper assembly  300  more difficult. The body cylinder  360  may be permanently secured to the spine  350  using techniques such as solvent welding. The combined (connected) spine/cylinder structure is illustrated in  FIG. 4B . 
   Referring to  FIG. 4C , the figure body  310  is secured to the combined spine/cylinder structure (e.g., it may be formed over the spine  350  via molding). Since the body cylinder  360  rotatably engages the connection post  260 , the spine  350 , fixed to the figure body  310 , may also rotate about the axis defined by the connection post  260 . Although any suitable materials may be utilized, in the illustrated embodiment, the spine  350  (including the cylindrical shaft  352  and the socket  354 ) and the body cylinder  360  (including the base  362 , the flange  364 , and the tabs  368 ) may be formed from ABS, while the figure body  310  (including the torso  320 , the arms  330 , and the head  340 ) may be formed from PVC. 
   The method of forming the posable/repositionable toy  100  is explained with reference to  FIGS. 2-5 . Initially, as shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the leg section  210  may be coupled to the base section  220  as described above. Then, the spine  350  may be coupled to the body cylinder  360  as described above ( FIG. 4B ), and the figure body  310  may then be over-molded onto the combined spine/cylinder  350 / 360  structure, fixing the figure body  310  thereto ( FIG. 4C ). Finally, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the upper assembly  300  may be coupled to the lower assembly  200 . As explained above, the body cylinder  360  of the upper assembly  300  mates with the post  260  of the lower assembly  200 , with the tabs  368  engaging the post  260  as described above. This provides a substantially permanent connection between the upper assembly  300  and the lower assembly  200 , while enabling the movement (for example, rotation) of the upper assembly with respect to the lower assembly (and vice versa). 
   In this manner, the present invention allows for the production of a posable/repositionable toy  100  without the use of conventional fasteners (screws, bolts, rivets, etc., all of which may be categorized as “small parts” for a product designed for children under three years of age), while providing a toy  100  that may be posed/repositioned along plural degrees of freedom. Referring to  FIG. 6 , the leg section  210  is adapted to rotate about the base section  220  (e.g., about a horizontal axis) to create a bending motion of the toy  100  (indicated by arrow B). Additionally, as indicated by arrow R, the figure body  310  (and the entire upper assembly  300 ) is adapted to rotate with respect to the entire lower assembly  200  (e.g., about a generally vertical axis) to create a twisting motion of the toy  100 . 
   An accessory item may also be positioned onto the lower assembly  200  such that it becomes captured between the lower assembly  200  and the upper assembly  300 .  FIGS. 7-9  illustrate a posable toy  100  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. Referring to  FIG. 7 , the posable toy  100  includes a general structure similar to that described above with reference to  FIGS. 1-6 , having a lower assembly  200  and an upper assembly  300  overmolded with a figure body  310 . In addition, the posable toy  100  further includes an accessory  700  in the form of an article of clothing. The article of clothing may include any decorative or functional accessory including, but not limited to, dresses, pants, shorts, belts, skirts, weapons, bags, etc. The accessory may be formed from materials including, but not limited to, softgoods (e.g., cloth), plastic, wood, etc. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 8A and 8B , it can be seen the accessory  700  may include an aperture  710  with dimensions slightly larger than the dimensions (e.g., diameter) of the of the connection post  260 . The connection post  260  is inserted through the aperture, positioning the accessory  700  onto the lower assembly  200  as illustrated in  FIG. 8B . The upper assembly  300  may then be secured to the connection post  260  as described above, with the body cylinder  360  pressing the accessory  700  against the lower assembly  200 . In this manner the accessory  700  is non-removably trapped between the upper assembly  300  and the lower assembly  200 , securing it to the toy  100  ( FIG. 9 ). 
   While the invention has been described in detail and with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. For example, the posable/repositionable toy can be of any size and shape, and may be formed from any suitable materials. Though the connection structure has been illustrated with regard to waist/torso and leg/torso components, the structure may be easily adapted for other articulated portions such as head/torso, arm/torso, etc. In addition, the disclosed connection mechanism/method may be applied to other toy products (e.g., vehicles, animals, buildings, play sets etc.). Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention that come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. It is to be understood that terms such as “left”, “right” “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “rear”, “side”, “height”, “length”, “width”, “upper”, “lower”, “interior”, “exterior”, “inner”, “outer” and the like as may be used herein, merely describe points of reference and do not limit the present invention to any particular orientation or configuration.