Patent Document

RELATED APPLICATION 
   This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/434,339 filed on Dec. 18, 2002. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to toy figures and more particularly to toy figures that can be used for playing a game. 
   2. Background Art 
   Figures of characters have long been used in the play of various games. For example, in chess, figures of characters are the actual playing pieces, each of which is movable and imbued with certain characteristics and powers. As a less structured example, toy soldiers have been used to play mock war games. Toy figures have also been used as tokens to mark a player&#39;s progress around the path of a board game. Many games also involve the use of a chance determiner, such as a overturned card, a thrown die, or a spinner. 
   The use of figures in playing a game involving a spinner as a chance determiner is shown in Trump, U.S. Pat. No. 88,756 issued Apr. 6, 1869, Wells et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,772 issued Dec. 21, 1965, and Kraus, U.S. Pat. No. 5,390,933 issued Feb. 21, 1995. The Trump patent discloses a parlor game involving the use of an upright figure on the center of a cylindrical base with a rotatable card or plate received on the base, around the bottom of the figure. A lever extending out the side of a disk is moved to engage a gear within the base, causing rotation of the card or plate. Atop the card or plate are a number of sectors having indicia of various outcomes. The figure mounted atop the base holds a pointer. Ideally, when the rotating card comes to a stop, the figure points to one of the outcome sectors. However, all of the sectors on the rotatable card of the Trump parlor game are always exposed to view, and there is nothing to avoid “liners”. 
   The Wells et al. patent discloses a baseball game having a number of figures representing the batter, pitcher, catcher and fielders, each of which is attached to a disk. On the upper surface of each disk are a number of radial sectors containing indicia for determining outcome in the game. In addition to some of the other mechanical aspects, manual rotation of a pointer relative to the sectors on a particular player&#39;s disk is used to determine outcome. 
   The Kraus patent discloses collectible cards on which various game results are displayed in sectors in a ring around a two dimensional representation of a baseball player. The card is then inserted into a transparent sleeve having a rotatable pointer, which is then manually spun to determine an outcome in the play of a baseball game. There remains a need for a three dimensional toy figure with a spinner chance determiner that can be used in the play of various games and which avoids indeterminate positions, or “liners,” and may obscure at least some of the selections available prior to operation of the spinner. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is concerned with providing a toy figure for use in playing a game comprising a figure representing a character appropriate to the game to be played. The figure is mounted upon a base having an upper surface, an opposed bottom wall, and at least one side wall extending at least partially between the upper surface and the bottom wall, which has an upper inside surface. There is an access opening in the side wall of the base. A rotatable disk is substantially contained within the base. The disk has an upper face, as the disk is disposed in the base, an opposed underside, and an outer peripheral wall extending at least partially between the upper face and the underside. A segment of at least the peripheral wall is exposed in the access opening in the side wall facilitating spinning or rotation of the disk by the user&#39;s thumb or finger. There are a number of sectors on the upper face of the disk; at least some of the sectors having indicia for determining an outcome in the play of the game. A viewing opening or window in the upper surface of the base permits viewing of the entirety of only a single sector on the disk. The underside of the disk has a face ratchet, and an upwardly biased pawl on the upper, inside surface of the bottom wall of the base cooperates with the face ratchet to provide for the viewing of the entirety of only one of the sectors of the disk through the viewing opening in the upper surface of the base. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is an exploded, perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , rotated approximately ninety (90°) degrees; 
       FIG. 3  is a top view of an upper decal on a disk or spinner according to the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial enlarged, fragmentary top view of the portion of the base designated by the broken line circle and reference  4  in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 5  is a bottom view of the disk or spinner shown in FIG.  2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention relates to the field of games, and in particular to games which simulate an activity, sport, or game in which recognizable characters participate. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the toy  figure 10  is representative of a pitcher in a baseball game, and may further represent a particular, identifiable pitcher by various indicia such as the style and coloration of the uniform worn by the figure, an identifying number and/or name on the uniform, and/or a name or other identifying indicia on the base  20  on which the figure is mounted, or even upon an associated card (not shown). A number of similarly constructed, though differently styled and/or posed figures may be provided to simulate the various members of a side or team that normally participate in the real life activity, sport or game. Thus, in an example of a baseball game, an entire team of figures representing all nine of the defensive positions may be provided, along with corollary figures in the offensive batting position, as well as a tenth figure representing a designated hitter. It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that similar sets of figures may be provided for other sports, and even fantasy war games. 
   The basic rules of the game to be played may readily be based upon the rules of the actual game or sport, such as baseball. A game to be played using the toy figures of the present invention may also include a game board, a score sheet, and may also possibly include cards or tables providing for more advanced and complex play involving strategies and tactics pitting teams, and even individual players against each other. A game board or mat may reflect unique characteristics of a particular team&#39;s home field or stadium, and may itself have provisions for a scorecard/scoreboard, and various statistics and probabilities. Particularly where the toy figures are representative of a real life player, variations of the toy figure may be provided to reflect the player&#39;s performance at different positions, such as, for example, a utility baseball player&#39;s performance at different defensive positions or a football player&#39;s performance in the player&#39;s regular offensive or defensive position, as well as on a special team. Each such character&#39;s various skills, such as that of a baseball player&#39;s probability of hitting singles, doubles, triples, homeruns, pop-ups, long fly balls, or striking out, may be used to determine play of the game. For example, a homerun slugger could have more homeruns and strikeouts sectors, and less singles and pop-ups sectors. Variations of such a toy figure could also be provided to reflect the real life player&#39;s change in skill levels at different times in the player&#39;s career. 
   Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numerals are used for designating like parts throughout the several views, there is shown in  FIG. 1  a toy  figure 10  having a base  20  according to the present invention.  FIG. 2  is an exploded view of the toy  figure 10  according to the present invention. Base  20  of toy  figure 10  can comprise an upper shell  30  and a bottom wall or plate  40 , which is secured to the upper shell  30  by a friction fit, a suitable adhesive, or ultrasonic welding. A rotatable disk, dial, or spinner  60  is provided, in base  20  between upper shell  30  and bottom wall  40 . 
   An upper pin  62  on the disk  60  is received in an upper socket (not shown) on the underside of upper shell  30 . In addition, a lower pin  63  on the disk  60  is received in a lower socket  42  in bottom wall  40 . Pins  62  and  63  are substantially co-axial and serve as trunnions or stub axles. Thus disk  60  is carried in base  20  for rotation or spinning about the axis of pins  62  and  63 . 
   An upper decal  50  is affixed to the upper surface  64  of the disk  60 .  FIG. 3  shows an example of an upper decal  50  according to the present invention. Upper decal  50  includes a center opening  52  so that upper pin  62  of disk  60  can connect to the upper socket of upper shell  30 . Radial sectors  53 , of which there are nine in the example illustrated in  FIG. 3 , on upper decal  50  can be marked with various types of indices that may be determinative of the play of the game. In a game to be played with basic rules, there may only be a single ring of indices representing the possible outcomes that may result based on the particular character or player represented, the position of that character or player, and whether the character or player is represented to be on offense (batting in a baseball game) or on defense. Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , there may be an inner ring of indices  54 , and an outer ring of indices  56 . Each index of inner ring  54  of indices as shown in  FIG. 3  comprises a single number, while each index of outer ring  56  of indices as shown in  FIG. 3  comprises a combination of a single number and letter. However, an index of the outer ring  56  could comprise a single letter. 
     FIG. 4  shows an enlarged, partial, fragment of upper shell  30  of FIG.  1 . The upper surface  33  of upper shell  30  is provided with a radially elongated viewing opening or window  34  through which the entirety of only one inner index from the inner ring of indices  54  and the entirety only one outer index from the outer ring of indices  56  appear. The outer peripheral wall  35  of upper shell  30  is provided with an access opening  36  through which the player&#39;s finger or thumb (not shown) can spin disk  60 . 
   A figure of a character  32  is mounted on upper surface  33  of upper shell  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-2 . Character  32  can be made in the image of the particular recognizable character or player that the toy  figure 10  represents. The character may be pivotally mounted on base  20 , or it may be mounted in a fixed orientation, having a forward facing direction as illustrated. Viewing opening or window  34  is oriented in the same forward facing direction of  figure 32 , while access opening  36  is generally opposite. 
   A tactile or textured surface  62 , such as a surface having a plurality of grooves, serrations, or knurling is provided on the outer peripheral wall or surface  61  of disk  60 . Textured surface  62  facilitates a player&#39;s finger or thumb more easily gripping the outer peripheral wall surface of disk  60  for spinning. 
   On bottom plate  40  of base  20 , there is an upwardly biased pawl or detent  44  that cooperates with circumferential grooves  66  forming a face ratchet  68  on underside  65  of disk  60 , as shown in FIG.  5 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , pawl  44  is formed as an integral part of base  20 , or more particularly bottom wall  40 , which is made of plastic. However, pawl  44  could be a separate component mounted on the upper, inside surface  43  of bottom wall  40 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , pawl  44  is formed in a cut-out portion  45  of bottom wall  40 , and has a thin, upwardly canted, inverted V-shaped leaf  46 . On the top of the free end of leaf  46  is a radial rib or projection  48 . 
   Pawl  44  provides a positive stop of disk  60  in one of a preselected number of radial positions in order to show the entirety of only one of sectors  53  containing an inner index from the inner ring of indices  54  and an outer index from the outer ring of indices  56  appearing in window opening  34 , to facilitate the elimination of “liners”. A series of circumferential grooves  66  are provided at predetermined locations on the underside  65  of disk  60 , and correspond in number to the number of sectors  53 . The bottom of one of each of grooves  66  aligns with the radial center of one of sectors  53 . As an alternative, ridges rather than grooves  66  may be used to comprise face ratchet  68 . Rib or projection  48  of the pawl engages grooves  66  to bring disk  60  to a stop in a position such that the entirety of only one inner index from the inner ring of indices  54  and the entirety only one outer index from the outer ring of indices  56  appear in viewing opening or window  34 . 
   A lower decal  70  can be affixed to the underside of bottom wall  40 . Lower decal  70  can include additional information relating to a character or player such as a name, a position name, a position number, and a player cost. In a baseball game played using the present invention, each team could include a set of ten toy figures. Each team could include a toy figure for each of the nine positions: pitcher (1), catcher (2), first baseman (3), second baseman (4), third baseman (5), shortstop (6), left fielder (7), center fielder (8), and right fielder (9). A toy figure for a designated hitter (DH) may also be included. Each toy figure may have a player cost marked. The cost of the entire team may be required to equal, or be less than, some pre-selected amount. 
   After the particular toy figures have been selected to fill a team, and the batting line-ups have been determined, the toy figures may be placed at their positions on a game board. The home team begins the game on defense, and therefore, the home team places the pitcher toy figure on the pitcher&#39;s mound. In a very basic game the outcome of a pitch may simply be determined by the letters in outer index  56 , as for example:
         S for a single when the batter is moved to first base, and all of the runners that may be on base advance one base;   D for a double when the batter is moved to second base, and all of the runners that may be on base advance two bases;   T for a triple when the batter is moved to third base, and all of the runners that may be on base score;   H for a homerun when the batter and all of the runners that may be on base score;   K for a strike out when the batter spinner strikes out and none of the runners that may be on base advance;   W for a walk when the batter is moved to first base, and the runners that may be on base do not advance unless forced by the batter being moved to first;   F for a flyball out when the batter is out and the runners that may be on base do not advance;   P for a popup when the batter is out and the runners that may be on base do not advance; and   G for a ground out when the batter hits a ground ball; the batter is out and the runners that may be on base do not advance if no runner is on first base. If a runner is on first base, then that runner on first base is out at second base and the batter is safe at first base on a fielder&#39;s choice.
 
Normal baseball rules apply, and therefore, each team gets three outs per inning and the game lasts nine innings.
       

   In a more advanced game, the numbers forming part of the outer ring of indices may be taken into account to determine further variations of the outcome in combination with toy figures representing defensive players, or by some sort of chart or table. Thus, for example, “F9”, a fly out to the right fielder, may result in a runner on a base advancing, or even scoring from second base, depending on the skills of the right fielder. Even more advanced games, with further variations, may be played employing the inner ring  54  of indices. Thus, when a toy figure is used for the defensive player, such as a second baseman, and the batter hits a ground ball to the second baseman, a spin-off between the batter and the second baseman toy figures may be used to determine whether there is a double play or a runner on third scores. Alternatively, such inner ring indices may be used with a chart or table to determine other results. Even more possibilities and variations may result from color coding the indices. 
   While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, with some further suggested alternatives, further variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is intended in the appended claims to cover all such variations and modifications that come within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.

Technology Category: 1