Abstract:
Deformable foam toys and puzzles. Novel resilient foam puzzles can be removed from puzzle form and converted into a three dimensional objects, such as toy foam animals. The objects preferably include interchangeable parts, and more preferably include articulating appendages which are interchangeably attachable to a body portion at pivot structures that are affixed to, or which extend thru, the body portions. Preferably, pivot structures are formed by resilient foam pivot pins having deformable retaining caps at opposing ends thereof, which, in the case of foam animals, serve to retain articulating limbs. Alternately, a hex-shaped socket aperture defined by a wall edge portion is provided as a joint socket in one or more of the limbs, and a parallepiped, and preferably an elongated rectangular shoulder pin or hip pin is provided for displaceable frictional engagement with the hex shaped socket to articulate the limbs to desired positions. In animal form, such foam articles provide an interesting, attention focusing toy for children. Various designs can be used to increase the variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. The toys can be made in the shape and size appropriate to suggest any desired objects or animal species. The design provides an interesting novel structure for assembling toy animals.

Description:
This appln claims the benefit of Provisional No. 60/081,352 filed Apr. 10, 1998. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     My invention relates to a toy, and more generally, to ornamental objects which may be crushed or otherwise deformed without damage, and which are capable of returning to their original shape after the deforming forces are removed from the object. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A wide variety of children&#39;s toys and various ornamental objects are made of rubber compounds which are formulated for resiliency, elasticity, strength, and other important properties. 
     I am aware of various attempts in which an effort has been made to provide an improved toy which has retarded resiliency. Such designs are largely characterized by the use of rubber compounding formulations which result in designs that have a “slow motion” return to the undistorted shape. One such design is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,830,402, issued Apr. 15, 1958, to J. A. Jones for ORNAMENTAL TOYS POSSESSING RETARDED RESILIENCY. In one embodiment, his invention provides a solid elongated body of substantial thickness that is made of a resilient material of essentially low molecular weight polyvinyl chloride, and a resiliency retarding ingredient so that the return to the original shape, after deformation, will be relatively slow. 
     OBJECTS, ADVANTAGES, AND NOVEL FEATURES 
     I have now invented, and disclose herein, a novel, design for flexible, resilient foam animals which may be packaged in the form of puzzle parts, and which can be assembled into characters or animals having interchangeable, moveable limbs. When animals are provided, the foam objects are adapted to being interchangeably assembled, and to having limbs articulated about pivot assembly points. My resilient foam objects are simple, lightweight, relatively inexpensive and easy to manufacture, and otherwise superior to those designs heretofore used or proposed, in so far as I am aware. 
     From the foregoing, it will be apparent to the reader that one important and primary object of the present invention resides in the provision of a novel foam toy susceptible of being manually assembled. 
     Other important but more specific objects of the invention reside in the provision of a novel foam toy as described herein which: 
     can be manufactured in a simple, straightforward manner with commonly available manufacturing procedures such as water jet cutting techniques, or with die stamping techniques from commonly available foam materials; 
     in conjunction with the preceding object, have the advantage that they can be easily left in position in the material from which they are formed, in order to provide a “puzzle” having insert shapes corresponding to various body portions for the selected object; 
     which in a relatively inexpensive manner can be provided in a variety of shapes and sizes to produce animals or other objects of any imaginable shape, size, or color. 
     Other important objects, features, and additional advantages of my invention will become apparent to the reader from the foregoing and the appended claims and as the ensuing detailed description and discussion proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawing. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     I have now invented and disclose herein a novel puzzle which can be removed from the puzzle form and converted into a three dimensional object such as a toy foam animal. Such a foam animal preferably includes interchangeable body parts, and more preferably includes articulating appendages which are interchangeably attachable to the body at pivot structures that are affixed to, or which extend thru, the body portions of the foam animal. In one embodiment, pivot structures are formed by resilient foam pivot pins having deformable retaining caps at opposing ends thereof, which, after attachment of articulating limbs, serve to retain the limbs. In another embodiment, the pivot pins act against hex-socket shaped apertures (defined by wall edge portions) that are located on each limb. 
     The novel foam animal provides a simple, interesting, attention focusing toy for children. Various designs can be used to increase the variety of shapes and sizes of the animals, and the toys can be made in the shape and size appropriate to suggest any desired species, whether it be dinosaurs, turtles, farm animals, pets, reptiles or any other selected design. This design provides a most interesting novel structure for assembling toy objects, and especially toy animals, compared to previous designs known to me. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a foam animal, prepared according to the present invention, shown with all parts located in “puzzle” form in a form block from which the object is formed, and indicating in broken lines the removal of an integrally formed animal body section from the foam base. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view which illustrates one method of assembly of a foam animal, where first and second body portions are assembled at an interlocking joint, and where front and rear pairs of flexible legs are attached on either side of a fixed type pin which extends through, and protrudes transversly from, the first and second body portions, respectively. 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of the foam animal, similar to that first depicted in FIG. 2, with now illustrating a one-piece body for the animal, and also illustrating front and rear limb pairs fixedly attached at hip and shoulder locations. 
     FIG. 4 is a side view a foam animal similar to that first depicted in FIG. 3 above, but now showing a one-piece body for the animal with front and rear pairs of articulating limbs that are attached to round pivot dowels that are inserted in the body at hip and shoulder locations. 
     FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of an animal body at a joint location, taken through a pivot dowel, showing the flexible integral end cap on each end of the pivot dowel which releasably secures the limbs to the pivot. 
     FIG. 6 is a an exploded perspective view which illustrates one method of assembly of a foam animal, where first and second body portions are assembled at a substantially horizontally oriented interlocking joint, and where front and rear pairs of flexible legs are attached on either side of an articulating pivot pin which extends through, and protrudes transversly from, the first and second body portions, respectively. 
     FIG. 7 is side view of the assembled foam animal just depicted in FIG. 6, now showing the animal with all parts fully assembled, and indicating in broken lines the alternate position, after movement by pivoting, of the front and rear legs. 
     FIG. 8A is yet another embodiment for a foam animal cow, shown in the unassembled puzzle form, where parts are provided in multiple colors. 
     FIG. 8B is the embodiment just illustrated in FIG. 8A above, now showing a perspective view of a fully assembled foam cow. 
     FIG. 8C again illustrates the embodiment first shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, now showing a side view of a fully assembled foam cow, more clearly illustrating the provision of various color foam parts. 
     FIG. 8D is yet another view of the foam animal cow in the unassembled puzzle form. 
     FIG. 9A is yet another embodiment for a foam animal dog, shown in the unassembled puzzle form, where parts are provided in multiple colors. 
     FIG. 9B is the embodiment just illustrated in FIG. 9A above, now showing a perspective view of a fully assembled foam dog. 
     FIG. 9C again illustrates the embodiment first shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, now showing a side view of a fully assembled foam dog, more clearly illustrating the provision of various color foam parts. 
     FIG. 9D is yet another view of the foam animal dog in the unassembled puzzle form. 
     FIG. 10A is yet another embodiment for a foam frog, shown in the unassembled puzzle form, where parts are provided in multiple colors. 
     FIG. 10B is the embodiment just illustrated in FIG. 10A above, now showing a perspective view of a fully assembled foam frog. 
     FIG. 10C again illustrates the embodiment first shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B now showing a side view of a fully assembled foam frog, more clearly illustrating the provision of various color foam parts. 
     FIG. 10D is yet another view of the foam animal frog in the unassembled puzzle form. 
     FIG. 11 again illustrates another embodiment, similar to that shown in FIGS. 8D,  9 D, and  10 D, now showing an elephant in the unassembled puzzle form. 
     FIG. 12 illustrates the embodiment first shown in FIG. 11, now illustrating the side view of a fully assembled foam elephant, also illustrating the use of hexagonal or hex-socket shaped cutouts in leg members to allow adjustable positioning of leg members. 
     FIG. 13 illustrates yet another embodiment, similar to that shown in FIGS. 8D,  9 D,  10 D, and  11 , now showing a gorilla in the unassembled puzzle form. 
     FIG. 14 illustrates the embodiment first shown in FIG. 13, now illustrating the side view of a fully assembled foam gorilla, and also illustrating the use of hexagonal or hex-socket shaped cutouts in leg members to allow adjustable positioning of leg members. 
     FIG. 15 shows a universal adaptor, designed for joining any selected pair of first parts (which have male dove tail joints) together. 
     FIG. 16 shows the use of the universal adaptor (just illustrated in FIG. 15 above) for joining a pair of gorilla head portions together to form a “double gorilla” foam animal toy. 
     FIG. 17 shows the use of extended shoulder pins and hip pins to assemble foam animals into multiple animal groups; here, the length of extended shoulder and hip pins allows a triple dinosaur group to be assembled on a pair of common hip and shoulder pins. 
     FIGS. 18A,  18 D,  18 C,  18 D,  18 E,  18 F,  18 G,  18 H, and  18 I represent alternate colors for various parts of the foam toys of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Attention is directed to FIG. 1 of the drawing, where a resilient foam puzzle block  10  is shown. Block  10 , nominally of about one-half inch in thickness T, has a plurality of parts removably located therein. As shown, such parts include an elongated, flexible animal body  12 , a pair of flexible animal arms  14  and  16 , a pair of flexible animal legs  18  and  20 , a fixed type shoulder pin  22 , and a fixed type hip pin  24 . Assembly of the parts into a foam animal is started by detaching the body  12  from block  10  as shown in hidden lines in FIG. 1 as body  12 ′. Then, the fixed type hip pin  24  is detached from block  10  and inserted in the body  12  at complementary sized hip aperture H, in a manner similar to that indicated in FIG.  2 . Next, the fixed type shoulder pin  22  is removed from block  10  and inserted into body  12  at complementary sized shoulder aperture S. Finally, flexible animal legs  18  and  20  are attached to hip pin  24  on laterally opposing sides of body  12 . Similarly, flexible animal arms  14  and  16  are attached to shoulder pin  22  on laterally opposing sides of body  12 . Where fixed type hip pins  24  and fixed type shoulder pins  22  are utilized, I prefer to utilize a parallepiped type shape for each of pins  22  and  24 . More preferably, an elongated, rectangular shape is utilized for such pins. Regardless, it is important that the hip socket aperture H and the shoulder socket aperture S in body  12  are of complementary size and shape to the shoulder pin  22  and the hip pin  24 , respectively, Likewise, apertures  14   S  and  16   S  are provided in arms  14  and  16 , respectively, and apertures  18   H  and  20   H  are provided in legs  18  and  20 , respectively, each of size and shape to accommodate the respective shoulder pin  22  or hip pin  24 . One embodiment of a final, fully assembled animal  30  is shown in FIG. 3, where a fully assembled dinosaur is provided. 
     Kids often find it fun to “mix-and-match” animal body portions, and one structure which lends itself to such practices is illustrated in FIG. 2. A first body portion  32  and a second body portion  34  are provided. An interlocking joint  36  is provided between first body portion  32  and second body portion  34 , preferably utilizing a “dove-tail” type of interlocking pattern, where an outwardly expanding wedge shaped tail  38  is provided at the rear  40  of first body portion  32 , and where a complementary outwardly expanding receiving aperture  42  is provided at the front portion  44  of the second body portion  34 . However, any convenient detachably interlocking joint would be suitable for interlocking the first body portion  32  and the second body portion  34 . 
     To increase enjoyment and “action” potential in interactive use of my resilient foam animal designs, I have found it desirable to provide a resilient foam animal  50  which has pivotable front limbs  52  and  54 , and pivotable rear limbs  56  and  58 , as is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. In such a design, it can seen that, for example, a rear limb  58  could be pivoted by an angle alpha (α) to the position indicated as  58 ′. Likewise, front limbs  52  and  54  could be pivoted by an angle beta (β), such as the angle shown between front limb  52  and front limb  54 . Preferably, there is no limit on either angle alpha (α) or on angle beta (β), and either of front limbs  52  and  54 , and either of rear limbs  56  and  58 , can be rotated a full three hundred sixty (360) degrees. 
     As better understood from study of FIG. 5, for securing front limbs  52  and  54  or for securing rear limbs  56  and  58  to the body  60 , I have found it advantageous to use round foam dowels with integral caps as hip pins  66 , as well as for the similar shoulder pins  64 . In FIG. 5, an integrally capped round dowel pin, such as hip pin  66 , is illustrated in cross-section. Both of the integrally provided caps  70  and  71  extend radially outward from the cylindrical surface  72  of pin  66  by a small pre-selected distance L, so that an inward surface  74  of cap  70  or  71  provides a retaining force against the outer surface face F of a selected limb, whether it be rear limbs  56  and  58  as shown in FIG. 5, or the front limbs  52  and  54 . 
     Turning now to FIG. 6, a foam turtle  80  with a two-piece body is provided. A first body portion  82  and a second body or shell portion  84  are interlocked at a substantially horizontally oriented joint, using a dove-tail wedge  86  and a complementary wedge shaped aperture  88 , similar that described in FIG. 2 above. A shoulder pivot pin  90  is placed through shoulder socket aperture  92  (defined by wall  93 ), and a first pair of limbs  94  and  96  are attached thereto, and retained thereon, in the manner depicted in FIG.  5  and just described above. Similarly, a hip pivot pin  98  is placed through hip socket aperture  100  (defined by wall  101 ), and second pair of limbs  102  and  104  are attached thereto, and retained thereon in the manner depicted in FIG.  5 . Motion is allowed in the front limbs  94  and  96 , and in the rear limbs  102  and  104 , as indicated in FIG.  7 . In FIG. 7, a repositioned front limb  94  is shown in broken lines displaced by an angle epsilon (ε) to a position  94 ′, and where a repositioned rear limb  102  is shown in broken lines displaced by an angle delta (Δ) to a position  102 ′. In each of the limbs  94 ,  96 ,  102 , and  104 , joint apertures J are provided for attachment of the relevant shoulder or hip pivot pins  90  and  98 , respectively. Also, in this embodiment, flat foot portions  108  are provided for each of limbs. Additionally, to provide a surface pattern for shell  110 , interlocking shell portions  112  and  114  are provided to interfittingly lock into the second body or shell portion  84 . 
     Turning now to FIGS. 8A,  8 B,  8 C, and  8 D, yet another embodiment of my invention is depicted. Here, a foam cow is  120  is shown in unassembled form in a foam block puzzle  122 , in FIGS. 8A and 8D. In FIG. 8B, a perspective view of an assembled foam cow  120  is provided. In FIG. 8C, a side view of a fully assembled cow  120  is provided, and this figure is shaded for color of one preferred version of the foam cow  120 . As is evident in FIG. 8D, front legs  124  and  126 , and rear legs  128  and  130  are provided. A head portion  132  is provided, and a rear body portion  134  is provided. Front legs  124  and  126  are affixed to head portion  132  via shoulder pin  136 . Rear legs  128  and  130  are affixed to the rear body portion  134  via hip pin  138 , in the manner described above. Subscripts “S” and “H” are used in conjunction with numbering for front and rear legs to denote apertures for shoulder and hip joints, respectively, in the applicable front and rear legs. In addition, color patches  140   a ,  140   b , and  140   c  are provided to enhance the visual appearance of the foam cow  120 . 
     FIGS. 9A,  9 B,  9 C, and  9 D, depict yet another embodiment of my invention, similar in concept to that just described in FIGS. 8A,  8 B,  8 C, and  8 D. Now, a foam dog is  150  is shown in unassembled form in a foam block puzzle  152 , in FIGS. 9A and 9D. In FIG. 9B, a perspective view of dog  150  is provided. In FIG. 9C, a side view of a fully assembled dog is provided, and this figure is shaded for color of one preferred version of the foam dog. As is evident in FIG. 9D, front legs  154  and  156 , and rear legs  158  and  160  are provided. A head portion  162  is provided, and a rear body portion  164  is provided. Front legs  154  and  156  are affixed to head portion  162  via shoulder pin  166 . Rear legs  158  and  160  are affixed to the rear body portion  164  via hip pin  168 , in the manner described above. Subscripts “S” and “H” are used in conjunction with numbering for front and rear legs to denote apertures for shoulder and hip joints, respectively, in the applicable front and rear legs. 
     FIGS. 10A,  10 B,  10 C, and  10 D, depict yet another embodiment of my invention, similar in concept to that just described in FIGS. 9A,  9 B,  9 C, and  9 D. Now, a foam frog is  170  is shown in unassembled form in a foam block puzzle  172 , in FIGS. 10A and 10D. In FIG. 10B, a perspective view of frog  170  is provided. In FIG. 10C, a side view of a fully assembled dog is provided, and this figure is shaded for color of one preferred version of the foam dog. As is evident in FIG. 10D, front legs  174  and  176 , and rear legs  178  and  180  are provided. A head portion  182  is provided, and a rear body portion  184  is provided. Front legs  174  and  176  are affixed to head portion  182  via shoulder pin  186 . Rear legs  178  and  180  are affixed to the rear body portion  184  via hip pin  188 , in the manner described above. Subscripts “S” and “H” are used in conjunction with numbering for front and rear legs to denote apertures for shoulder and hip joints, respectively, in the applicable front and rear legs. In addition, color patches  190   a , and  190   b  are provided to enhance the visual appearance of the foam frog  170 . 
     As illustrated, the animals shown in FIGS. 8C,  9 C,  10 C and related figures utilize fixed limbs similar to the structure first set forth in FIGS. 1 and 2 above, however, it should be understood that these foam animal designs can also be fabricated using the articulating limb structures, either as earlier described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, or as described below with reference to the use of differential friction cutout joint sockets to allow repositionable articulation of limbs. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 11-14, two additional embodiments are provided to illustrate the use of a differential friction cutout joint socket that allows the repositionable articulation of a rotatable part such as a limb. First, in FIG. 11, a foam elephant  200  is shown in unassembled form in a foam block puzzle  202 . In FIG. 12, a side view of a fully assembled foam elephant  200  is provided. As is evident in FIG. 12, front legs  204  and  206 , and rear legs  208  and  210  are provided. A head portion  212  is provided, and a rear body portion  214  is provided. Front legs  204  and  206  are affixed to head portion  212  via shoulder pin  216 . Rear legs  208  and  210  are affixed to the rear body portion  214  via hip pin  218 . Subscripts “SAF” and “HAF” are used in conjunction with numbering for front and rear legs to denote the unique articulating friction apertures for shoulder and hip joints, respectively, in the applicable front and rear legs. Note that the front leg aperture  204   SAF  is defined by an interior, hex-socket shaped wall  220  against which the rectangular end  222  of shoulder pin  216  frictionally engages. Both the wall  220  and the shoulder pin  216  are sufficiently deformable that the front leg  204  may be turned, and then repositioned at a new location corresponding to new, preferably opposing wall portions  220   x-1  and  220   x-2  of the interior socket-shaped wall of the front leg aperture  204   SAF . Similarly, interior, hex-socket shaped wall  224  is provided in the other front leg  206 , and hex-socket shaped walls  226  and  228  are provided in the rear legs  208  and  210 , respectively. 
     Although the elephant  200  shown in FIGS. 11 and 12 is not shaded for color, any of the parts may be manufactured in any desired and available color foam, as indicated by the reference to FIGS. 18A through 18I, which represent alternate colors for the body of the foam elephant  200 , as shown in FIG.  11 . Moreover, any one of the parts of the embodiments illustrated herein, or alternate embodiments built in accord with the teachings hereof, or the legal equivalents thereof, may be manufactured in any of the alternate colors selected from those illustrated in FIGS. 18A through 18I. 
     The differential friction cutout joint socket that allows the repositionable articulation of a rotatable part such as a limb is further depicted in FIGS. 13 and 14, where a foam gorilla  240  is depicted. In FIG. 13, the foam gorilla  240  is shown in unassembled form in a foam block puzzle  242 . In FIG. 14, a side view of a fully assembled foam gorilla  240  is provided. As is evident in FIG. 13, front legs  244  and  246 , and rear legs  248  and  250  are provided. A head portion  252  is provided, and a rear body portion  254  is provided. Front legs  244  and  246  are affixed to head portion  252  via shoulder pin  256 . Rear legs  248  and  250  are affixed to the rear body portion  254  via hip pin  258 . Subscripts “SAF” and “HAF” are used in conjunction with numbering for front and rear legs to denote the unique articulating friction apertures for shoulder and hip joints, respectively, in the applicable front and rear legs. Note that the front leg aperture  244   SAF  is defined by an interior, hex-socket shaped wall  260  against which the rectangular end  262  of shoulder pin  256  frictionally engages. Both the wall  260  and the shoulder pin  256  are sufficiently deformable that the front leg  244  may be turned, and then repositioned at a new location corresponding to new, preferably opposing wall portions  260   x-1  and  260   x-2  of the interior socket-shaped wall of the front leg aperture  244   SAF . To turn front leg  244  by an angle A, the rectangular end  266  of shoulder pin  256  is brought to bear against interior wall portion  260   x-1  of front leg  244 . Likewise, to turn front leg  244  by an angle B, the rectangular end  266  of shoulder pin  256  is brought to bear against interior wall portion  260   x-2  of of front leg  244 . Similarly, interior, hex-socket shaped wall  264  is provided in the other front leg  246 , and hex-socket shaped walls  266  and  268  are provided in the rear legs  248  and  250 , respectively. As now thoroughly illustrated, appendages such as legs  244  and  248  can be articulated about a shoulder pin  256 , for easy manipulation. Similar structures are provided in other appendages. 
     Turning now to FIG. 15, a unique mating joint  300  is illustrated. The joint is preferably generally H-shaped, and configured with angular wing portions to lockingly accept, on each of opposing sides  310  and  312 , a wedged shaped or dove tail element DT. Thus, a first element (here gorilla head portion  252 ) which includes a dove tail DT, can be joined by the use of mating joint  300  with a second element (here a second gorilla head portion  252 ) which includes a dove tail DT. Generally, this type of interlocking joint has been already described above. 
     Finally, it is interesting to children to join a plurality of “n” foam animals A in a series A 1 , A (n−1) , through A n . As shown in FIG. 17, n=3, and extended shoulder pins  408  and extended hip pins  410  are provided to extend through the preselected number n of animals A, in order to hold the plurality of animals A together, as well as allow attachment of front legs thereto, in either a fixed or an articulating manner. When fully assembled, as illustrated, a triple dinosaur  420  results. 
     I prefer to build the foam animals or other resilient foam objects in a high strength foam, such as an EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) or neoprene type foam. However, a variety of suitable materials may be selected for particular designs, without departing from the spirit and details of my invention. It is a fundamental and important quality of my invention that in the preferred embodiment, the foam animals are composed of material which provides a resilient, springing return to the original shape and size after being crushed by hand. Also, the combination of the materials of construction and the long, flexible limb design lends itself to allowing the animal to “jump” when the limbs, particularly rear limbs  56  and  58 , for example, are deformed against a flat surface and then released. 
     It is to be appreciated that the novel puzzles, and the resilient foam animals provided by the present invention are a novel and interesting development in the toy manufacturing industry. My novel foam products are relatively simple, and without much cost and complexity, a unique educational toy is provided. 
     It is thus clear from the heretofore provided description that my novel resilient foam toys, as described and disclosed herein, are an appreciable improvement in the state of the art of resilient toys. Although only a few exemplary embodiments of this invention have been described in detail, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the my novel resilient foam toy animals, or other foam toy objects, may be modified from those embodiments provided without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages provided by this invention, and may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. Therefore, the embodiments presented herein are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. As such, the claims are intended to cover the structures described herein, and not only structural equivalents thereof, but also equivalent structures. Thus, the scope of the invention is intended to include variations from the embodiments provided which are nevertheless described by the broad meaning and range properly afforded to the language set forth herein, or to the equivalents thereof.