Abstract:
A tumbling toy that permits children to be received and supported within a central tube. The tumbling toy includes a pair of wheels that support the tube. A pull is connected to the tumbling toy, allowing the tumbling toy to be pulled over the ground or other support surface. As the tumbling toy is moved over the ground or support surface, it follows that children supported within the tube will be subjected to a tumbling action.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to toys and more particularly to a pull-type tumbling toy. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention entails a tumbling toy including a tumbling tube and a pair of spaced apart wheels for supporting the tumbling tube. A pull is connected to the tumbling toy such that as the tumbling toy is pulled the tumbling tube and wheels rotate relative to the pull. 
     In one particular embodiment of the present invention, the wheels are constructed of a pliable inflatable material while the tumbling tube is constructed of a rigid material. While the tumbling toy is packaged and during shipment, the wheels are deflated, reducing the package size and generally reducing the cost of shipping and storage. 
     In another particular embodiment of the present invention, the wheels are constructed of a pliable inflatable material. When the wheels are inflated, they extend around opposed end portions of the tumbling tube such that the tumbling tube itself projects through the inflated wheels. The wheels may be retained on the tumbling tube in various ways. In one exemplary embodiment there is provided a series of straps that extend from the tumbling tube over the wheels so as to secure the wheels to the tumbling tube. 
    
    
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent and obvious from a study of the following description and the accompanying drawings which are merely illustrative of such invention. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the tumbling toy of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one particular embodiment of the tumbling toy. 
     FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the tumbling toy shown in FIG.  2 . 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the tumbling toy. 
     FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the tumbling toy shown in FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     With further reference to the drawings, the tumbling toy of the present invention is shown therein and indicated generally by the numeral  10 . As will be appreciated from subsequent portions of this disclosure, the tumbling toy  10  is designed and adapted to enable children or even adults to be supported within the tumbling toy. By pulling the tumbling toy over the ground or other support surface, or even over water, children or other individuals supported within the tumbling toy will be subjected to a tumbling action. 
     Now turning to a description of the tumbling toy  10 , it is seen from the drawings that the tumbling toy  10  comprises an elongated tube indicated generally by the numeral  12 . In the embodiments illustrated herein, the tube  12  is generally rigid. While the tube may be constructed of various materials, it is contemplated that in a number of embodiments that the tube would be constructed of a generally rigid plastic material. As seen in the drawings, tube  12  includes an outer cylindrical surface  14  and an inner cylindrical surface  16 . Formed about each side of the tube  12  is a circumferential flange  18 . Circumferential flange  18  is simply an extension of the cylindrical wall of the tube  12  and is turned down about opposed ends of the tube  12 . Further, as seen in the drawings, the circumferential flange  18  extends in a circular or annular fashion around the outer end portions of the tube  12 . Also, formed on the tube  12  is a pair of guide structures. Each guide structure includes a pair of guide rails or ridges  20  that extend upwardly from the outer surface  14  of the tube  12 . Defined between the guide rails or ridges  20  is a space and as will be appreciated from subsequent portions of the disclosure, the space between the guide rails  20  serve to receive and confine a part of the pull structure. 
     Disposed interiorly within the tube  12  is a series of handholds  26 . The hand holds  26  can be provided and spaced at various locations interiorly of the tube  12 . However, it is contemplated that in some embodiments, there would be a series of hand holds  26  provided about each end portion of the tube  12 . Various types of hand hold structures can be provided but it is contemplated that a typical hand hold device or structure would be in the form of a flexible and pliable loop secured to the inner surface  16  of the tube. 
     Supporting the tube  12  is a pair of wheels, each wheel being indicated generally by the numeral  30 . In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, wheels  30  are inflatable. More particularly, each wheel  30  is constructed of a pliable inflatable material. Note that the wheels  30  when inflated extend around outer portions of the tube  12 . In fact, the tube  12  projects through each of the wheels  30  and thereby support the wheels. Various means can be provided for securing the inflatable wheels  30  to the tube. For example, an inner portion or segment of each wheel can be glued or secured by an adhesive to the outer surface  14  of the tube. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the inflatable wheels  30  are, secured about outer end portions of the tube  14  by a series of straps  32 . The straps  32  are positioned in pairs and include hook and loop fasteners that permit the strap pairs to be secured together. One strap of each pair, as shown in FIG. 3, is secured to the adjacent flange  18  of the tube. The other strap of the pair is secured just outwardly of the guide rails or ridges  20 . When a wheel  32  is inflated, the pair of straps is extended transversely around the wheel  32  and is secured together in such a fashion that the wheel is retained about the outer portion of the tube  12 . Note in the drawings that the straps  32  are circumferentially spaced around each wheel  32 . 
     In the case of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the wheels  32  can assume a deflated mode for purposes of packaging, storage and shipment. This will effectively reduce the size of the packaging for the tumbling toy  10  and will in the end reduce storage and shipment costs. 
     A second embodiment of the tumbling toy  10  is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In this embodiment, the wheels  30  are integrally formed with the tube  12 . More particularly, in the case of this embodiment, the wheels  30  are molded along with the tube  12  to form an integral molded plastic structure. As seen in FIG. 5, each wheel  30  extends outwardly from the tube  12  and includes a pair of opposed sides  42  and a periphery  44  extending between the sides. 
     It is contemplated that in one embodiment of the present invention, the tumbling toy  10  would be provided with a pull, indicated generally by the numeral  50 . Pull  50  includes a flexible and pliable rope-like structure that includes a pair of loops  52 . Each loop is adapted to extend around tube  12  adjacent the inside of a respective wheel  30 . More particularly, each loop is confined within the guide structure formed by the guide rails  20 . The loops  52  are extended around and between the guide rails  20  in such a fashion that the tube can rotate with respect to the loops  52 . In any event, extending from the loops, is a transverse handle  54  that effectively connects the loops  52 . Again, handle  54  and loops  52  are designed such that the tube  12 , and consequently the wheels  30 , can rotate with respect to the loops  52  as the tumbling toy is pulled over the ground or other support surface. 
     To reduce the size of the tumbling toy  10  for purposes of shipping, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the tube  12  and even the tube  12  and associated wheels of the integral construction of FIGS. 4 and 5 can be made in sections. These sections can be designed to nest together for compact storage and shipment, and can further be adapted to easily connect together to form an assembled tumbling toy  10 . 
     The present invention may, of course, be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the scope and the essential characteristics of the invention. The present embodiments are therefore to be construed in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.