Abstract:
An easy to manufacture toy figure ( 10 ) for throwing balls or other aerial projectiles by emulating a jump shot in simulated games such as basketball. Resilient means ( 12 ) may be bent or compressed and then released to rebound substantially to their original form and position with speed sufficient to throw an aerial projectile ( 15 ) placed upon a body of animate shape ( 13 ) linked or attached directly or via said resilient means to supporting base ( 11 ). Said resilient means may be provided by a coil, leaf or other type of spring, or by a resilient or elastic material forming a part of the body or the base. Said animate body ( 13 ) may be designed to resemble popular ballplayers or imaginary animate shapes for marketing purposes, including player numbers on club color uniforms, with fixed or rotatable arms.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is related to the utility patent application Ser. No. 10/384,515, filed Mar. 7, 2003, now abandoned. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not applicable. 
     SEQUENCE LISTINGS 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various types of simulated games using an aerial projectile, popular with children and adults alike, are known in the art. The projectile is usually propelled by a simple catapult or a spring launcher, which sometimes replace a simulated ballplayer figure at the time of shooting the projectile toward a goal. Neither the launchers nor their substitution for a player figure at a critical point in the game simulate the reality very convincingly. While figures used in simulated games using a surface projectile often mimic the live action fairly well, figures devised for games using an aerial projectile, such as basketball, were so far much less successful. 
     Many simulated game inventions propose a catapult or a launcher: U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,242 (Rudell et al., 1998) shows a TWO SIDED BASKETBALL GAME with two simple launchers. U.S. Pat. No. 2,878,801 to Patchin et al. (1959) discloses a vertical TOY CATAPULT DEVICE with a horizontal support for rectangular projectiles. U.S. Pat. No. 2,203,990 to R. J. Haynur (1940) proposes a multiplayer GAME APPARATUS using a molded spring launcher and a projectile with parallel faces indicating a play board position for the next player. U.S. Pat. No. 1,612,699 to C. de V. Cole (1926) for a BASKET-BALL GAME has multiple player pieces, moving to random positions on the play board determined by a roll of dice, replaced for attempts at scoring by a catapult resembling an artillery piece. U.S. Pat. No. 731,850 to R. S. Bradbury (1903) discloses a GAME whereby a blade-spring launcher shoots a ball toward multiple baskets. 
     LEGO Sports sells HUMAN-LIKE TOY FIGURES based on U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,769 to Skov et al. (2005) with a coil spring connecting torso to its legs part, allowing the figure to ‘chest-slam’ a ball. U.S. Pat. No. 6,171,169 to Saunders (2001) discloses an ARTICULATED TOY FIGURE SIMULATING BASKET-BALL PLAY using a spring-loaded mechanism with a trigger and latch to swing an arm forward and downward, flinging a ball toward a basket. U.S. Pat. No. 2,911,758 to F. D. Carson uses a human figure shaped BALL CATAPULTING DEVICE with arms propelled by an elastic strip pulled crank to throw balls either upward from around its knees, or overhead backwards. U.S. Pat. No. 1,433,335 to K. Bensch (1922) discloses a BASKET-BALL TOY using figures with spring-loaded arms holding a cup, pulled by strings to shoot a ball. Probably the most realistically acting prior art figure is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,330 to Ozawa (1997.) It shows a TOY BASKETBALL GAME WITH SELF-JUMPING PLAYER ejected from a stationary base and releasing the ball on contact with the basket rim, simulating a so-called ‘slam dunk.’ None of the known figures simulates a player executing a jump shot or a hook shot, perhaps the most common shooting actions in basketball, handball and other games using an aerial projectile. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides an easy to manufacture and inexpensive toy figure simulating a jump shot, a hook shot and a ball pass for simulated games using aerial projectiles, such as basketball and others. Several objects and advantages of the present invention are to provide such toy figure, more particularly:
         1. to provide a toy figure throwing serial projectiles using the energy supplied by resilient means in the form of a coil, leaf or other type of spring, or the energy of a resilient or elastic material forming a part of the figure or of its supporting base, said toy figure having either fixed or rotatable arms;   2. to provide said toy figure that may be made or decorated for marketing purposes to resemble real-life ball-players including club uniforms, or animals, imaginary literary, movie and other characters; and   3. to provide a method of playing a simulated basketball game using at least one said toy figure, where the figures in a game may be either all of the same type or the various designs described in the present invention can be used for different game positions.
 
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.
       

    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
       In the drawings, closely related figures or parts have the same number but different alphabetic suffixes. 
         FIG. 1A  shows a toy figure with fixed arms, energized by a leaf spring inclined from horizontal: 
         FIG. 1B  shows a similar figure with rotatable arms and connecting means to rotate them. 
         FIGS. 1C  to  1 E show various kinds of resilient means for use with e.g.  FIGS. 1A ,  1 B, and  5 . 
         FIG. 2  presents a similar figure with a curved leaf spring. 
         FIG. 3  shows another toy figure using a tension coil spring, with forearms rotated forward by a string. 
         FIG. 4  shows a similar toy figure with a compression coil spring and arms rotated by a shaft. 
         FIG. 5  presents a ‘executive toy’ version with a ball shooting hand on a leaf spring. 
         FIG. 6  shows a unified figure where resilient means=tentacle spring+resilient material of body section. 
         FIG. 7  shows a toy figure with both body and resilient means linked to the base. 
         FIG. 8  shows a version of a tabletop basketball game using the toy figures in  FIGS. 1 through 4 . 
         FIG. 9  shows a version of dice used to randomly select the next game action. 
       
         
           
                 
               
                 
                 
                 
                 
               
             
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   Reference numerals in drawings 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
               
                 
                     
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   10, 85 
                   Toy figure 
                   11, 21, 31, 
                   Base 
                 
                 
                   11p 
                   Posts housing the 
                   41, 51, 61, 71 
                 
                 
                     
                   axle 19 
                   12, 52 
                   Leaf spring 
                 
                 
                   12a 
                   Leaf spring - 
                   12b 
                   Rigid platform 
                 
                 
                     
                   deformed 
                   12c, 12f, 42, 
                   Compression coil spring 
                 
                 
                   12d 
                   Torsion coil spring 
                   62, 72 
                 
                 
                   12e, 22 
                   Curved leaf spring 
                   13, 23, 33, 
                   Body 
                 
                 
                   14, 24, 
                   Arms and Hands 
                   43a, 63, 73 
                 
                 
                   44 
                     
                   15, 25, 35, 45, 
                   Ball or aerial projectile 
                 
                 
                   16, 37 
                   Connecting means: 
                   55, 65 
                 
                 
                     
                   string 
                   17, 39 
                   Pin 
                 
                 
                   18, 34 
                   Forearm and hand 
                   19 
                   Axle 
                 
                 
                   20, 27, 
                   Anchoring means 
                   26, 83 
                   Directional marks 
                 
                 
                   74, 75 
                     
                   32 
                   Tension coil spring 
                 
                 
                   36 
                   Elbow pivot 
                   32b 
                   Coil spring: bent lower 
                 
                 
                   32a 
                   Coil spring: bent 
                   38 
                   Arm elbow 
                 
                 
                     
                   upper 
                   43b 
                   Compression flange 
                 
                 
                   32c 
                   As 32b, pushed 
                   47 
                   Connecting means: shaft 
                 
                 
                     
                   down 
                   49a 
                   Upper pin 
                 
                 
                   40, 64 
                   Flange 
                   54 
                   Hand 
                 
                 
                   46 
                   Arm pivot 
                   81 
                   Play board 
                 
                 
                   48 
                   Link 
                   84 
                   Basket, backboard, 
                 
                 
                   49b 
                   Lower pin 
                 
                 
                   66 
                   Resilient material 
                 
                 
                   82 
                   Positional marks 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
            
           
         
       
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS.  1 A—A Preferred Embodiment 
       FIG. 1A  shows a preferred embodiment of my invention—a toy  FIG. 10  simulating jump-shooting and ball passing in games using aerial projectiles. Said toy figure comprises a base  11 , resilient means in the form of a leaf spring  12 , and a body  13  in the shape of a ballplayer. Base  11  has a flat bottom surface large enough to provide stability. Spring  12  is attached toward one edge of base  11  and rising in a sharp angle to the horizontal plane over the center of said base, also for stability reasons. Body  13  is coupled to the opposite end of spring  12 . Arms and hands  14  of the figure are fixed in a typical raised jump-shooting position. A ball or other aerial projectile  15  is placed upon hands  14  formed to carry it. Base  11  and body  13  including arms and hands  14  are preferably cast of a plastic or metal material or a suitable equivalent, and are attached to spring  12  by any appropriate anchoring means like glue, screws or other comparable method or cast directly around the spring as shown here. Spring  12  is formed of at least one substantially flat piece of a resilient plastic, metal or other material strong enough to withstand repeated flexing and to impart enough force to propel the projectile  15 . The material, length, thickness and shape of the leaves, and angle of the spring will affect the trajectory of the projectile, as will the weight of the projectile and other factors. The projectile  15  may be made to the requirements of any particular purpose. 
     Operation of a Preferred Embodiment 
     A user places said toy  FIG. 10  on a suitable surface such as a play board with court markings and positional or directional indicia. Directional marks can be used to orient the figure toward a target. The user places ball  15  upon hands  14  and bends down spring  12  as indicated by phantom lines  12 a, estimating the force necessary to shoot ball  15  a desired distance. When spring  12  is released, it rebounds to its original position, carrying body  13 , hands  14  and ball  15  upward and forward on a curve. At the highest point of the curve the ball  15  is thrown in an arc indicated by the upper arrow. 
     Other Embodiments 
       FIGS. 1B  to  1 E offer some variations of the preferred embodiment:  FIG. 1B  shows a way of adding rotatable forearms  18 , here using a string  16  and pin  17  in a way described below in FIG.  3 . In  FIG. 1C  the leaf spring is replaced by a compression coil spring  12 c together with a rigid platform  12 b rotating around axle  19  terminated in posts  11 p. It is preferable to combine the up-down movement of a substantially vertical coil spring with the rotation of the platform (or of the arms, like in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) to better simulate the action of a ballplayer jumping up and pushing a ball away (shooting) at the same time, while a leaf spring simulates it well by itself since its free end moves on a complex curve. The spring ends and/or the axle may be anchored to the platform, the base or both by various means.  FIG. 1D  shows a similar platform energized by a torsion coil spring  12 d wound around axle  19 , with one end of the spring supporting the platform and the other end pressing against the base.  FIG. 1E  shows four other variations combined: (a) a curved leaf spring  12 e attached to base  11  by (b) anchoring means  20  (glue, weld, screw, pin, a groove etc.) can be (c) combined with another spring, here a compression coil spring  12 f springing (d) not against the base, but against the surface carrying the toy figure. 
       FIG. 2  presents a similar toy figure with a curved leaf spring  22  attached to base  21  by anchoring means  27  and glued to body  23  carrying ball  25  placed onto hands  24 . To shoot, a user bends spring  22  downward as indicated by phantom lines, while holding the base. When the spring is released, the ball will be thrown on a short, steep shooting arc. This type of toy figure may be positioned near basket in a simulated basketball game, shooting the ball in a way resembling the action of a center or a forward. Arms and hands may be formed to simulate a hook shot, with one arm blocking opponents while the other arm throws ball in a high overhead arc. Directional marks  26  may be placed on the base  21 . 
       FIG. 3  shows a partially sectioned view of another type of the figure. Tension coil spring  32  is anchored by its bent upper end  32 a to base  31  and by its bent lower end  32 b to body  33  (anchoring means and resilient means are identical.) Each forearm and hand  34  is attached rotatably to the body at an elbow pivot  36 . Connecting means (string  37 ) is attached at one end to base  31 , goes through a cavity in body  33  around a pin  39  located in the shoulder area, and attaches to one forearm and hand  34  at elbow  38 . 
     FIG.  4 : the toy figure uses a compression coil spring  42  deformable between a compression flange  43 b and base  41 . Arms and hands  44  rotate around an arm pivot  46  joining them through a hollow body  43  within shoulder area. A shaft  47  is attached to said arm pivot  46  by an upper pin  49 a and link  48 , and to base  41  by a lower pin  49 b; together they form the connecting means (here identical to anchoring means.) An optional flange  40  provides an easier hold for pushing down body  43 . Rack and pinion assembly could be also used to translate the vertical movement of the body into the rotation of the arms. 
       FIGS. 3 and 4  operate in a similar way (numbers for  FIG. 4  are in parentheses): the user presses down body  33  ( 43 ) deforming coil spring  32  ( 42 ) while steadying base  31  ( 41 ,) using flange  40  of provided. After forearms and hands  34  (arms and hands  44 ) rotate to a lower position indicated by phantom lines, the user places a ball  35  ( 45 ) upon the hands. When body  33  ( 43 ) is released, spring  32  ( 42 ) forces the body upward while string  37  (shaft  47 ) force forearms  34  (arms  44 ) to rotate forward. The combined motion pushes ball  35  ( 45 ) upward and forward in an arc indicated by the upper arrows. At the top of the arc the ball  35  ( 45 ) is thrown toward a goal. Both bodies  33  and  43  are preferably cast of a plastic or metal material or a suitable equivalent, with a cavity for connecting means. Rotatable arms or forearms including hands are preferably cast of the same material as the body, and attached to the body by said pivot  36  ( 46 ). Said coil spring  32  ( 42 ) is formed preferably of a spring metal wire capable of providing enough force to throw the ball without being too difficult to deform by an intended group of users. Shaft  47 , link  48 , pins  39 ,  49 a and  49 b are preferably made of metal for strength and wear resistance. 
       FIG. 5  shows an ‘executive toy’ similar in function to  FIG. 1. A  hand  54  replaces the ballplayer shaped body  13  of FIG.  1 . Base  51 , a leaf spring  52  and hand  54  can be all formed together of a clear, black or otherwise colored plastic material or metal, or made of a combination of materials. Spring  52  should be resilient enough to impart sufficient momentum to a ball  55 . A basket with a backward and a stand formed from a similar material may also be provided. Instead of one hand  54 , a pair of hands may be used. The spring can be replaced by any of the many possibilities suggested in  FIGS. 1C  to  1 E. 
       FIG. 6  shows one of the less obvious variants—a unified figurine of an imaginary creature resting on its tail/base  61  and using a two-part resilient means: (1) resilient material  66  forming a part of body  63  additionally energized by (2) twisted appendage  62  (a disguised coil or curved leaf spring) forming together said resilient means supplying energy to toss a planet (aerial projectile  65 .) A flange  64  (the ‘nose’) is pressed to deform the two-part resilient means ( 62  and  66 ) supplying the tossing energy. 
       FIG. 7  presents a toy figure where both body  73  and resilient means (compression coil spring  72 ) are anchored to base  71 , each by different anchoring means  74  and  75 . 
       FIGS. 1  to  7  show only a small number of the many possible arrangements of these basic components:
         body of animate shape (including fixed or rotatable extensions, e.g. arms, tentacles),   base, and   resilient means (various leaf, coil and other springs, resilient material, or combinations thereof;   linked together in various order by anchoring means limiting the movement of said body to correspond to the deformation of the resilient means. Said anchoring means can be either physically separate (which can be fixed like glue  20 , screws etc., or with at least one degree of freedom such as axle  19  and rigid platform  12 b, pins, joints etc.), or identical to any of the first three components (e.g. casting around the resilient means in  FIG. 1a , spring ends  32 a/ 32 b, all linked into one unit in  FIG. 6 , notches or bumps on one fitting into indentations in another etc.), and   supplemented, when desired, by connecting means for rotating an extension of said body, such as an arm or tentacle supporting chosen projectile(s), to aid throwing the projectiles.       
     Even the connecting means and anchoring means can be identical (e.g. string  37  or shaft  47 .) 
       FIG. 8  describes a version of a tabletop play board  81  for a simulated basketball game using the toy figures simulating a jump shot or a hook shot described in  FIGS. 1 through 6 . The board  81  can have either half-court game markings and one basket, backboard and stand assembly  84 , or full-court markings partially indicated by dashed lines, with two basket assemblies on opposite ends of board  81 . The game can use one toy figure of present invention  85  or a plurality of them per team, using either one type of figure or different designs for different positions. For example, the toy figure of  FIG. 1  could be used for both guard positions while toy figures shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  or  4  would be placed in forward and center positions, one of them based on  FIG. 2  simulating a hook shot. The toy figure(s)  85  are placed on positional marks  82  which may be replaced by directional marks  83  as shown in positions number  4 , 5 (under the toy  FIG. 85 ) and 6 on the board  81 . Directional marks  83  pointing to the center of the basket should be supplemented by matching directional marks  26  as shown on the toy figure in FIG.  2 . The positional and directional indicia could be variously combined on different sides of board  81 , for example to balance different skill levels of users. The game starts with a draw or a roll of standard dice to decide which user should start—the highest or the lowest roll starts the game as agreed by users. If only one toy  FIG. 85  is used per side, the starting user puts it on the marks  82  or  83  corresponding to the number on the dice. If 2 or more  FIGS. 85  are used per side (5 as in the real game of basketball etc.,) the user passes a ball to the figure place in the corresponding position before starting the game. Rolling number 6 on the dice could result in a foul shot from position number 6, or optionally in losing the turn to the next user. Users can take turns rolling the dice and shooting the ball, or can use the dice described in  FIG. 7  to determine the action to be taken next. Score can be kept according to the usual basketball rules with one, two or three points per shot. A game ends in any way agreed on—a time limit, certain score reached etc. 
       FIG. 9  shows a variant of an action die for random determination of the next action to be taken by a user. If a user rolls P (Pass), the ball shall pass to a position optionally determined by a roll of a standard die indicating positions 1 through 6. User that rolls S (Shoot) may attempt shooting at the goal from the position possessing the ball. Rolling T (Turn-over) means the loss of the ball to the next user. The 32S-2P-1T probabilities indicated in  FIG. 9  can be of course modified. 
     CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
     Accordingly, the reader will see that the toy figures of the present invention simulate more realistically the jump shot or hook shot action of such aerial projectile games as simulated basketball and others. The toy figures are inexpensive to manufacture and can be shaped and decorated to resemble popular live ballplayers and their game uniforms, animals, literary or other personages and other real or imaginary characters providing various marketing opportunities. 
     While the above description contains specific embodiments of the invention, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention. Many modifications obvious to those skilled in the art may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the toy figure body can be oriented sideways with one tentacle formed to shoot a so-called hook shot; the leaf spring can be variously shaped to generate different ball trajectories; a rack and pinion assembly can be used as connecting means in place of a string  37  or shaft  47  to rotate the arms; a spring type from one embodiment can be combined with an arm assembly from another; the body can be cast either solid or hollow or hand-carved from an exotic wood in any animate shape, such as an imaginary extraterrestrial being tossing a medium size galaxy and so on. 
     Therefore, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.