Abstract:
A joint for fixing movable elements to a doll&#39;s torso or for interconnecting individual elements, especially a doll&#39;s arm sections and/or leg sections. A rotating element is rotatably inserted into the doll&#39;s torso and/or into one element and/or into another element while a final area (5,500) of said element or an element that is inserted thereinto is rotatably connected to said rotating element.

Description:
[0001]     The invention relates to a joint for securing movable elements to a doll&#39;s body or for connecting individual elements, in particular doll&#39;s arm parts and/or doll&#39;s leg parts, to one another.  
       PRIOR ART  
       [0002]     Dolls of many shapes and designs are known. The present document is concerned primarily with extremely high-quality dolls which are extremely valuable not only because of their design, but also because of the material used. These dolls are intended to be as lifelike as possible, some of them being of a size corresponding to actual life size. Each type of doll is manufactured only in a small number and is in most cases made of a special plastic imitating the body, for example a vinyl. They are cast in special molds. To connect the individual movable elements, such as the head, arms and legs, joints are known, such as the ones that are described in DE  40   37   962  or DE  296   02   347 .  
         [0003]     DE 40 37 962 describes a connecting piece composed of a textile material which is filled with filler. Although this allows each limb of a doll to be brought into a lifelike position, this position cannot be maintained without assistance.  
         [0004]     DE 296 02 347 discloses a joint which brings the movable elements of the doll permanently into a desired position. As before, however, the doll does not have a lifelike appearance, on the one hand because the joint is covered by a textile sleeve. On the other hand, the lifelike effect of the doll is compromised by the fact that, when the doll is taken hold of at the joint, an impression is formed in the textile sleeve, since the latter is not designed to be shape-stable, but instead serves only for covering the joint.  
         [0005]     Moreover, it has hitherto not been possible to move or rotate individual parts, for example of a doll&#39;s arm or of a doll&#39;s leg.  
         [0000]     Object  
         [0006]     Therefore, the object of the present invention is, on the one hand, to bring the movable elements of the doll permanently into a desired position that is as lifelike as possible, and, on the other hand, to ensure a lifelike effect when the doll is taken hold of. In addition, individual parts of the doll&#39;s arm or of the doll&#39;s leg should be able to be moved. Moreover, the useful life of the joints and their ability to withstand stresses are also to be improved, and assembly is to be made simpler. Manufacturing costs are also to be reduced.  
         [0000]     Solution  
         [0007]     The object is achieved by the fact that a rotary element is inserted rotatably in the doll&#39;s body and/or in the element and/or in the element and is connected rotatably to an end area of the element or to an element fitted therein.  
         [0008]     The rotary element and the respective end area of the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part and the additional element inserted into the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part are in this case designed in such a way that, in the position of use, they form a kind of ball, as is also present in the human body. This permits a better positioning of the movable elements, similarly to the human body. Moreover, because of this design, the doll also acts in a lifelike manner when taken hold of, since the user&#39;s fingers do not press into the textile sleeve in this area of the doll, as was hitherto the case, and come up against the joint made from metal or the like.  
         [0009]     In the position of use, the joint is composed of a rotary element and of the spherical end area of the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part or of the rotary element and the spherical element, in which case the rotary element is inserted into a slit of the spherical end area or of the spherical element, and the respective elements are connected to one another by a securing means, preferably in the form of a conventional screw and a nut. Other kinds of securing means are conceivable and are intended to be covered by the present invention. It is likewise conceivable to use not just one securing means, but several and/or different securing means. This possibility too is intended to be covered by the present invention.  
         [0010]     The rotary element is preferably shaped in particular as a disk and thus fits into the slit provided for it in the spherical end area of the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part or of the spherical element. Moreover, the diameter of the rotary element preferably corresponds approximately to the diameter of the spherical end area or of the spherical element, so that no transitions are present here between the rotary element and the spherical end area of the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part or of the spherical element, and instead the respective elements lie in approximately a common plane and rest flush on one another.  
         [0011]     However, it is possible, for example, to make the diameter of the rotary element smaller than the diameter of the spherical end area of the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part or of the spherical element. It is also conceivable for the rotary element, and thus also the slit provided for it in the spherical end area of the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part or of the spherical element, to be configured in any other conceivable form. The various possible ways of designing the rotary element and the spherical end area of the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part and the spherical element are intended to be covered by the present invention, however.  
         [0012]     The rotary element is moreover assigned a holding element which is inserted into a correspondingly shaped recess in the doll&#39;s body or in the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part. A constriction in the recess engages behind the holding element and secures the latter, and thus also the rotary element, in the recess, as a result of which it is possible to prevent the whole joint connection from slipping out.  
         [0013]     The spherical element is also assigned a holding element which is inserted into a recess provided for it in the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part and is secured there by means of a constriction. Release of the spherical element from its connection to the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part is thus avoided.  
         [0014]     Other possible ways of securing the holding element in the doll&#39;s body or in the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part are conceivable and are intended to be covered by the present invention too.  
         [0015]     The rotary element and the holding element are preferably designed in one piece, in which case both the rotary element and the holding element are arranged rotatably in the recess and in the doll&#39;s body. However, it is also possible for the holding element and the rotary element to be produced in two pieces, in which case the holding element is inserted fixedly into the recess and only the rotary element is connected rotatably to it. The connection between the holding element and the rotary element can be any desired conceivable connection. It is important, simply, that the rotary element is able to rotate relative to the holding element.  
         [0016]     The spherical element and the associated holding element are also preferably made in one piece, in which case the spherical element and also the holding element are arranged rotatably in the recess or in the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part. However, the possibility of a two-piece design of the spherical element and of the holding element is intended to be covered by the present invention.  
         [0017]     At least the visible parts of the joint, the rotary element and the spherical end area of the doll&#39;s arm part or doll&#39;s leg part and of the spherical element are made from the same material as the rest of the doll&#39;s body, so that the doll&#39;s body also looks almost lifelike without clothes and as such can be taken hold of or can be displayed. Of course, it is nevertheless possible to produce the rotary element and the spherical end area of the doll&#39;s body from other materials.  
         [0018]     The joint serves, on the one hand, for connecting and securing the doll&#39;s arms to an upper part of the doll&#39;s body. However, it is also conceivable to use a connection of this kind for the doll&#39;s legs or other parts of the doll&#39;s body and also for a head, so that in this case it would be possible not only for the head to turn, but also for it to nod. These possibilities concerning the design and application of the joint are intended to be covered by the present invention.  
         [0019]     Moreover, the joint is used for connecting individual parts of the doll&#39;s arms or doll&#39;s legs to one another. It is also conceivable, however, to use such a connection for the whole of the doll&#39;s body. In this way, it would be possible to bend the doll or to turn the doll&#39;s upper body. In this respect too, no limits are placed on the invention.  
         [0020]     With the present joint, it is possible, for example, to turn a doll&#39;s arms or doll&#39;s legs in any imaginable direction, without the doll losing any of its lifelike quality when looked at or when taken hold of. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0021]     Further advantages, features and details will become evident from the description of the following illustrative embodiments and by reference to the drawing, in which:  
         [0022]      FIG. 1  shows a schematic front view of an upper region of a doll&#39;s body, with doll&#39;s arm parts connected via joints;  
         [0023]      FIG. 2   a  shows a simplified exploded view of the individual elements forming the respective joints;  
         [0024]      FIG. 2   b  shows the exploded view according to  FIG. 2   a,  with some of the elements turned through 90°;  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows a longitudinal section through the joint inserted into the doll&#39;s body, and the joint between two doll&#39;s arm parts in accordance with one illustrative embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 4  shows a longitudinal section through a further illustrative embodiment of the joints according to  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 5  shows a plan view of the joints according to  FIGS. 3 and 4 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 6  shows the plan view of the joints in  FIG. 5  when turned through 90°;  
         [0029]      FIG. 7  shows a schematic side view of a doll&#39;s leg with a knee joint as a further illustrative embodiment of a joint according to the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  shows a rear view of the doll&#39;s leg with the knee joint according to  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 9   a  shows a simplified exploded view of the individual elements forming the knee joint;  
         [0032]      FIG. 9   b  shows the exploded view according to  FIG. 9   a,  with some of the elements turned through 90°;  
         [0033]      FIG. 10  shows a longitudinal section through the knee joint according to one illustrative embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0034]      FIG. 11  shows a longitudinal section through a further illustrative embodiment of the knee joint according to  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0035]      FIG. 1  depicts the upper region of a doll&#39;s body  1  to which a doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  or  3 . 2  is secured via a respective joint  2 . At the other end, a further doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 3  is secured on the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  via a further joint  20 .  
         [0036]     The joints  2  and  20  are composed, as shown in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b,  of a rotary element  4 ,  40 , preferably in the form of a disk, and of a spherical end area  5  of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  itself or a spherical element  50 . A diameter d 1 , d 3  of the rotary element  4 ,  40 , respectively, corresponds to a diameter d 2 , d 4  of the spherical end area  5  of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  and the spherical element  50 , so that outer faces  6 ,  7  of the rotary element  4  and of the spherical end area  5  or outer faces  41 ,  51  of the rotary element  40  or of the spherical end  50  lie almost in one plane in the position of use and rest flush on one another.  
         [0037]     The rotary element  4 ,  40  is also assigned a holding element  8 ,  42 , respectively, which is assigned a guide  9 ,  43 , respectively, which in turn is concavely shaped in order to be able to guide a part of the spherical end area  5  of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  or the spherical element  50 .  
         [0038]     The spherical element  50  is also assigned a holding element  52 , which is assigned a guide  53 . However, the guide  53  is in this case only partially concave, in order to guide a part of the outer face  41  of the rotary element  40  in the position of use. Both the holding element  52  and the guide  53  are preferably formed in one piece with the spherical element  50 , as is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0039]     As is shown in  FIG. 3 , the holding element  8 ,  42  and the guide  9 ,  43  are preferably formed in one piece with the rotary element  4 ,  40 , respectively. However, as is shown in  FIG. 4 , they can also be connected via a connection element  10 ,  44  to the rotary element  4 ,  40 , respectively, and can thus be formed in two pieces. The rotary element  4 ,  40  is preferably rotatable in a free and endless manner.  
         [0040]     In the position of use, the holding element  8 ,  42 ,  52  and the guide  9 ,  43 ,  53  are inserted into a correspondingly shaped recess  11 ,  45 ,  55 , respectively, in the doll&#39;s body  1 , in the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 3  and the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1 , and a constriction  12 ,  46 ,  56  of the recess  11 ,  45 ,  55  engages behind the holding element  8 ,  42 ,  52  and secures this in the recess  11 ,  45 ,  55 , respectively.  
         [0041]     In the illustrative embodiment according to  FIG. 3 , the recess  11 ,  45 ,  55  and the constriction  12 ,  46 ,  56  lie around the holding element  8 ,  42 ,  52 , respectively, in such a way that a rotation of the holding element  8 ,  42 ,  52  is still possible in the recess  11 ,  45 ,  55 , respectively.  
         [0042]     In the illustrative embodiment according to  FIG. 4 , the recess  11 ,  45  and the constriction  12 ,  46  are injected solidly around the holding element  8 ,  42 , respectively, so that a rotation of the holding element  8 ,  42  is no longer possible. Only the rotary element  4 ,  40  is still rotatable via the connection element  10 ,  44 , respectively.  
         [0043]     For assembling the joint  2 ,  20 , the rotary element  4 ,  40 , respectively, is inserted into a correspondingly shaped slit  13 ,  54 , respectively, of the spherical end area  5  of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  and of the spherical element  50 . The concave part of the guide  9 ,  43  rests on a part of the outer face  7 ,  51 , respectively, of the spherical end area  5  of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  and of the spherical element  50 . At the same time, the concave part of the guide  53  rests on the outer face  41  of the rotary element  40 .  
         [0044]     Both respective elements are secured to one another by a securing means  14 ,  21 , which is preferably a screw with an associated nut. For this purpose, bores  15 . 1 ,  15 . 2  and  15 . 3 ,  15 . 4  for receiving the screw  14 ,  21  with nut are provided both in the spherical end area  5  of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  and of the spherical element  50  and also in the rotary element  4 ,  40 .  
         [0045]     The way in which the present illustrative embodiment functions is as follows:  
         [0046]     After insertion of the rotary element  4  and the holding element  8  into the recess  11  in the doll&#39;s body  1 , the spherical end area  5  of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  is pushed onto the rotary element  4 , so that the rotary element  4  can move into the slit  13  provided for it in the spherical end area  5 . The screw  14  is then introduced into the bores  15 . 1  and  15 . 2  provided for it in the rotary element  4  and spherical end area  5  of the doll&#39;s arm  3 . The nut is introduced from the other side and comes into engagement with the screw  14 . The doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  or its spherical end area  5  is thus connected fixedly to the rotary element  4 , which is in turn secured by means of the holding element  8  in the doll&#39;s body  1 .  
         [0047]     The spherical element  50  and the holding element  52  are then inserted into the recess  55  of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1 . The rotary element  40  and holding element  42  are also inserted into the recess  45  of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 3 . After insertion of both elements into the recesses provided for this purpose, the spherical element  50  is pushed onto the rotary element  40 , so that the rotary element  40  can move into the slit  54  provided for it in the spherical element  50 .  
         [0048]     The screw  21  is then introduced into the bores  15 . 3  and  15 . 4  provided for it in the rotary element  40  and spherical element  50 . The nut is introduced from the other side and comes into engagement with the screw  21 . The spherical element  50 , and with it the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1 , is thus connected fixedly to the rotary element  40  and consequently to the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 3 .  
         [0049]     The illustrative embodiment of the joint  2  permits movement of the doll&#39;s arm parts  3 . 1  in a wide variety of directions. For example, as is shown in  FIG. 5 , the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  can be moved or pivoted up or down in the direction of the arrows  16  and  17 , corresponding to a rotation of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 1  about an axis C in  FIG. 6 . However, it can also be moved at the same time about an axis A.  
         [0050]     Moreover, the joint  20  permits a movement of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 3  in a wide variety of directions. For example, as is shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 3  can be moved or pivoted up or down in the direction of the arrows  22  and  23 , corresponding to a rotation of the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 3  about an axis B in  FIG. 6 . Moreover, the doll&#39;s arm part  3 . 3  can be rotated either with the joint  20  about an axis D, or without the joint  20  about an axis E.  
         [0051]     A further illustrative embodiment of a joint is shown in  FIGS. 7 through 11 . Here, a joint  200  is used for rotatable and pivotable connection of two doll&#39;s leg parts  30 . 1  and  30 . 2 .  
         [0052]     The joint  200  is composed, as shown in  FIGS. 9   a  and  9   b,  of a rotary element  400 , preferably in the form of a disk, and of a spherical end area  500  of the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 1  itself. A diameter d 5  of the rotary element  400  corresponds to a diameter d 6  of the spherical end area  500  of the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 1 , so that outer faces  410 ,  510  of the rotary element  400  and of the spherical end area  500  lie almost in one plane in the position of use and rest flush on one another.  
         [0053]     The rotary element  400  is also assigned a holding element  420 , which is assigned a guide  430 , which is concavely shaped at one end in order to be able to guide a part of the spherical end area  500  of the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 1  in the position of use.  
         [0054]     As is shown in  FIG. 10 , the holding element  420  and the guide  430  are preferably formed in one piece with the rotary element  400 . However, as is shown in  FIG. 11 , they can also be connected via a connection element  440  to the rotary element  400  and can thus be formed in two pieces. The rotary element  400  is preferably rotatable in a free and endless manner.  
         [0055]     In the position of use, the holding element  420  and the guide  430  are inserted into a correspondingly shaped recess  450  in the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 2 , and a constriction  460  of the recess  450  engages behind the holding element  420  and secures this in the recess  450 .  
         [0056]     In the illustrative embodiment according to  FIG. 10 , the recess  450  and the constriction  460  lie around the holding element  420  in such a way that a rotation of the holding element  420  is still possible in the recess  450 .  
         [0057]     In the illustrative embodiment according to  FIG. 11 , the recess  450  and the constriction  460  are injected solidly around the holding element  420 , so that a rotation of the holding element  420  is no longer possible. Only the rotary element  400  is still rotatable via the connection element  440 .  
         [0058]     For assembling the joint  200 , the rotary element  400  is inserted into a correspondingly shaped slit  540  of the spherical end area  500  of the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 1 . The concave part of the guide  430  rests on a part of the outer face  510  of the spherical end area  500  of the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 1 .  
         [0059]     Both elements are secured to one another by a securing means  210 , which is preferably a screw with an associated nut. For this purpose, bores  15 . 5  and  15 . 6  for receiving the screw  210  with nut are provided both in the spherical end area  500  of the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 1  and also in the rotary element  400 .  
         [0060]     The way in which the present illustrative embodiment functions is as follows:  
         [0061]     After insertion of the rotary element  400  and the holding element  420  into the recess  450  in the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 2 , the spherical end area  500  of the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 1  is pushed onto the rotary element  400 , so that the rotary element  400  can move into the slit  540  provided for it in the spherical end area  500 . The screw  210  is then introduced into the bores  15 . 5  and  15 . 6  provided for it in the rotary element  400  and spherical end area  500  of the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 1 . The nut is introduced from the other side and comes into engagement with the screw  210 . The doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 1  or its spherical end area  500  is thus connected fixedly to the rotary element  400 , which is in turn secured by means of the holding element  420  in the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 2 .  
         [0062]     The illustrative embodiment of the joint  200  permits movement of the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 2  in a wide variety of directions. For example, as is shown in  FIG. 7 , the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 2  can be moved or pivoted up or down in the direction of the arrows  220  and  230 , corresponding to a rotation of the doll&#39;s leg part  30 . 2  about an axis F in  FIG. 8 . However, it can also be moved at the same time about an axis G.