Patent Description:
Document <CIT> discloses a breakable shell comprising all the technical features set out in the preamble of claim <NUM>.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novelty breakable shell that at least provides the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly in a first aspect the present invention is directed to a breakable shell according to claim <NUM>.

In a further aspect the present invention is directed to a method of packaging a toy by providing the toy inside of the breakable shell according to claim <NUM>.

Subsidiary aspects of the invention are provided in the dependent claims.

A preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which,.

With reference to <FIG> there is shown a breakable shell <NUM> in its assembled condition. The shell <NUM> is preferably spherical in perimeter shape. It is preferably of a spherical shape with a diameter preferably between <NUM> and <NUM>. In the preferred form its diameter is <NUM>. It will be appreciated that other shapes are also envisaged within the scope of the invention. Egg shape or rugby ball shape shells are envisaged as examples.

The shell <NUM> comprises of a plurality of shell pieces <NUM>. For a spherical shell there are preferably the six shell pieces <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> as seen in Figure Ic and Id. Preferably there are only <NUM> shell pieces that make up the shell. Each shell piece is substantially of a similar shape although certain features may differ. <FIG> show a preferred form of a shell piece that can be used to help create the assembled form of the breakable shell <NUM>. <FIG> show a second form of shell piece that may be used with the shell piece form shown in <FIG> to create the shell.

The shell pieces are preferably of a similar shape. Each shell piece <NUM>, as for example seen with reference to <FIG>, comprises of a shell piece exterior surface <NUM>. The shell piece exterior surface <NUM> is provided by each shell piece <NUM>, when the shell <NUM> is in its assembled condition, to define a part of the exterior surface of the assembled shell <NUM>. In the preferred form the shell piece exterior surface <NUM> of a shell piece is identical to the others in boundary perimeter shape <NUM>. The surfaces are also preferably identically curved to correspond to part of the peripheral shape of a spherical version of the shell <NUM>. It will be appreciated that embossing or graphics or colour variations may be provided on each shell piece exterior surface <NUM> that may differentiate at least one shell piece from the other(s). As can be seen shell piece <NUM> of <FIG>, has no surface detailing at exterior surface <NUM> whereas shell piece <NUM> of <FIG> has the words 'smashers' embossed on its exterior surface <NUM>.

The shape of the shell piece exterior surface <NUM> of each shell piece is such that when the shell pieces to define the breakable shell <NUM> are assembled together, the exterior surfaces <NUM> are in a tessellated condition relative to each other. The boundary perimeter shape <NUM> of each shell piece can hence be located contiguous a part of the boundary perimeter shape of another shell piece. This can be seen with reference to Figures la-d. Preferably no holes into the interior of the shell exist. Preferably only the shell pieces herein described go to making up the breakable shell. Adhesive or fasteners are preferably not used.

The shell surface <NUM> of each shell piece is presented by a shell body such as shell body <NUM> as for example seen in <FIG>. The shell body <NUM> effectively provides the substrate carrying or presenting the shell surface <NUM>. Whilst the shell surface <NUM> of each shell piece is preferably identical, the shell body of each or some of the shell pieces may be different.

In the preferred form there are two configurations of shell pieces. The first configuration is shown in <FIG> and the second configuration is shown in <FIG>. The configuration of the shell piece shown in <FIG> is identical for shell pieces <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> as seen in Figures la-d. The shell piece configuration shown in <FIG> is identical for shell pieces <NUM> and <NUM> as seen in Figures la-d.

The shell body of the shell piece shown in <FIG> acts as a substrate to the surface <NUM> of the shell piece and preferably is coextensive with the surface save preferably for two lips <NUM> and <NUM> that project beyond the boundary <NUM> of the surface <NUM>. In a preferred form the lips are provided at opposed peripheral regions <NUM> and <NUM> of the shell piece <NUM> and likewise for all the other pieces as seen in the drawings. The two lips sit below the surface <NUM> of the shell piece and provide a ledge for an adjacent shell piece to contact in an overlying manner. At two other opposed peripheral regions <NUM> and <NUM> the boundary <NUM> of the surface <NUM> is coextensive with the underlying (substrate providing) shell piece body <NUM>. When assembled the shell piece <NUM> for example has the peripheral region <NUM> overlap a lip of an adjacent shell piece. Likewise the peripheral region <NUM> overlaps a lip of another adjacent shell piece. Similarly the other shell pieces are constructed with adjacent shell pieces to define the assembled shell. This lets adjacent shell pieces be held together in a radial direction relative each other, at these regions.

The over/underlapping construction of shell pieces of an assembled shell results in self-retention of shell pieces to define an assembled shell that is stable yet can be broken. The shell pieces self-retain to provide a stable assembled shell. The configuration of the shell pieces is such that once the last shell piece is assembled with the already connected and appropriately configured shell pieces, it will consolidate the shell pieces to become a stable shell construction self-retaining itself to for example a spherical shape. No adhesive of magnetic force or separate fasteners are required. Without the last shell piece in its assembled position, the breakable shell will not be self-retaining of its final assembled shape.

In the preferred form each shell piece is of a weight that is within a range of <NUM> percent of each other. So whilst there may be some slight constructional differences in the shell pieces (in the preferred form there are two types of shell pieces to define the preferred six shell pieces in total) the shell pieces are still substantially similar in shape. In the preferred form the weight range is within <NUM> percent.

The shell once assembled defines an enclosure that is preferably able to retain an item. The item may be a toy for example. It may be some other novelty item or an edible item or fashion item. The shell pieces are preferably opaque. This means that the item is hence preferably a surprise item only revealed to a person when the shell is broken. Breaking of the shell can occur when the shell is dropped onto a surface such as a floor to impact the floor at a sufficient speed to cause the shell pieces to separate from each other.

In the preferred form as already described with reference to numbering annotations on <FIG>, each shell piece is able to be positioned relative to adjacent shell pieces in both an overlapping and underlapping condition. In the preferred form there are two regions where a shell piece is in an underlapping condition, by virtue of its lips <NUM> and <NUM> being located underneath a free edge at regions <NUM> and <NUM> of an adjacent shell piece and in an overlapping condition at the free edges <NUM> and <NUM>, overlapping the lips of respective adjacent shell pieces.

Provided at each lip of a piece may be a clipping feature <NUM> that can interact with a clipping feature <NUM> at a free edge of another piece. The clipping feature <NUM> may be an upstand projecting from a lip that can engage with clipping feature <NUM> in the form of a ledge of the free edge. The upstand and ledge can cooperate with each other to help resist a slipping off of the free edge from the lip by being hooked over the edge in an interference style manner. This can help keep the shell in it assembled condition. The clipping features may be of a configuration to still allow a slipping off to occur under sufficient force being applied.

In the preferred form each shell piece is resiliently flexible. The shell pieces are preferably made from a plastics material. The shell pieces are preferably of an elongate nature as seen in for example in <FIG>. Each shell piece in the elongate direction LL is longer than the width in the width-wise direction WW. In the preferred form the surface <NUM> is substantially symmetrical about both an elongate direction centreline and a width-wise direction centreline.

Being of a resiliently flexible nature means that the shell piece is able to bend yet return to its natural shape by itself. it can flex. It preferably bends away from its natural shape in the elongate direction more easily than in its width-wise direction.

The shape and configuration of each of the shell pieces is such that when the shell pieces are assembled together the shell pieces are inherently outwardly bent/flexed. That is, the peripheral regions <NUM> and <NUM> are displaced away from their natural position and apply a force onto the respective lips of adjacent shell pieces. The flexing is in direction XX as shown in <FIG>. The shell pieces are substantially curved in their side profile as seen in <FIG> but when they are in an assembled condition they are less curved. This is by virtue of the shell pieces having been bent slightly out of its natural shape due to the shape and configuration of each shell piece when assembled, forcing the shell pieces to such a flexed condition.

This means that the shell in its assembled condition has each piece in a flexed condition. When the shell is for example dropped on the ground or on a solid surface and hits the surface with sufficient force the shell can break. Breaking results in the shell pieces from springing back to their natural more curved form as they separate from each other. This can cause the shell to break in an explosive like manner as they return to their natural shape. The pieces may hence push each other away or act/react with each other to cause larger separation of the pieces after being dropped and the shell being broken, than may otherwise occur if the pieces were not self-retaining in a flexed manner. The shell pieces may hence not just drop onto the surface on which the shell is dropped but have a tendency to also outwardly or radially spread from each other.

In the preferred form each shell piece is generally arcuate in shape as can for example be seen in <FIG> and <FIG>. As has been mentioned the shell pieces are preferably elongate and in general it can be said that it has two end peripheral regions (e.g. <NUM> and <NUM>) and two side peripheral regions (e.g. <NUM> and <NUM>) extending between the two end peripheral regions. When the shell pieces are assembled to define the shell <NUM>, a plurality of borders are established between adjacent shell pieces. The borders are at boundaries of the shell piece exterior surfaces. The borders are typically between two shell surfaces and at a plurality of locations tri-points are defined by the boundaries of the shell surfaces of three shell pieces. In the preferred form a tri-point <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. The tri-point is where the surfaces of three shell pieces meet. In the preferred form where there are six shell pieces, eight tri-points are established when the shell pieces are assembled together. Each tri-point preferably has a diametrically opposed tri-point.

A squeezing of the shell by applying forces directed towards each other at the two diametrically opposed tri-points will cause a flexing of some of the shell pieces in a manner to more easily cause a separation of the shell pieces from each other than if a squeezing occurred at other locations of the shell. As such when a shell is dropped onto a surface from a height, in some instances the shell may not break apart whereas in other instances the shell, being dropped from the same height may break apart. A dropping of the shell onto a surface may cause, in some instances, a tri-point to make first contact with the surface and therefore is likely to cause disassociation of shell pieces more readily than if the shell is dropped to make contact with another part of the shell with the solid surface. This therefore can create a randomness of the breaking apart of the shell. This can be entertaining for a user who drops a shell onto a surface and who may be expecting the shell to break apart (or vice versa) and this does not happen.

Claim 1:
A breakable shell (<NUM>) defining an enclosure within which a toy is contained, the breakable shell comprising of a plurality of plastic shell pieces (<NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>) able to self-retain together to define the enclosure yet when dropped from a sufficient height on a solid surface the shell pieces all disconnect from each other thereby revealing the toy, characterised in that each shell piece is in an underlapping condition with two adjacent shell pieces at two opposed peripheral regions of the shell piece, and in an overlapping condition with another two adjacent shell pieces at two other opposed peripheral regions of the shell piece, and wherein each shell piece is resiliently flexible, and when the shell is in its assembled condition each of the shell pieces is outwardly flexed and is in a more flexed state compared to when the shell is in the broken condition.