Amusement devices: toys – Including unattached gravity-fed rolling – tumbling – or... – For moving figure or figure portion
Reexamination Certificate
2000-04-30
2001-08-14
Ackun, Jr., Jacob K. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices: toys
Including unattached gravity-fed rolling, tumbling, or...
For moving figure or figure portion
C446S324000, C446S325000, C446S431000, C446S351000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06273779
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to toys and, more specifically, to a rolling toy including of a lightweight hollow cylindrical shaped head having a moveable weighted ball therein attached to a flat flexible body including a spring extending therethrough causing the toy to complete a flip when the head falls forward.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous self-righting toys have been provided in prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,585,780 to Johnson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,942,379 to Oman et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,444 to Adickes and U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,096 to Smith all are illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,585,780
Issued: Feb. 12, 1952
Inventor: Keith Whitaker Johnson
A toy comprising a tube of relatively light weight. Two outwardly convex caps of substantially equal diameter and of relatively light weight closes respectively the opposite two ends of the tube and extends laterally and rearwardly therefrom. The inner surfaces of the caps and the bore of the tube form a tubular chamber. A relatively heavy ball enclosed within the tubular chamber provides a toy adapted to balance upon one of the outwardly convex caps when placed upon a level supporting surface. The tube increases in bore diameter toward at least one end from any point along its length other than the last mentioned end. When the longitudinal axis of the tube is substantially horizontal, the gradient of the lower inner surface of the tube will cause the ball to roll to and come to rest in the last mentioned end of the tube, whereby the weight of the ball will cause the toy to rise to a substantially upright position upon the outwardly convex cap at the end containing the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,942,379
Issued: Jun. 28, 1960
Inventor: Richard W. Oman et al.
A toy comprising a rockable body including a base having a convexly contoured under surface. A partition carried by the base is in position for viewing from a position above the base. The partition has fixedly positioned thereon formations which are positioned relative to one another, so as to present a variable picture image when seen from different angles. A weight is located in the base in a plane which includes a line extending perpendicularly through the center of the partition and has an arcuate line of intersection with the under surface. The weight is located below the partition and in spaced lateral relation from the line extending perpendicularly to the partition to thereby locate the center of gravity of the body, so as to position the partition at an angle with respect to the vertical when the body is at rest. Rocking motion of the body relative to its position of rest will result in a change in the angle of view with respect to the formations with consequent different visual images being produced.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,805,444
Issued: Apr. 23, 1974
Inventor: Cecil F. Adickes
A toy article having a body formed in an egg-like configuration and defined by a base portion in which a weight is located. A central portion having a preselected design is formed thereon. A top portion having a downwardly extending shaft joined thereto engages the base portion for securing the body portions together in a unitary construction. The weight in the base portion cooperating with a rounded bottom wall thereof is to insure that the body will always return to an upright position regardless of exterior forces applied thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,096
Issued: Oct. 25, 1983
Inventor: Samuel C. Smith
There is disclosed in the present application a toy in the form of a doll or statue representing a human figure, including a body and a head which is completely separable from the body. The head is contoured and balanced in such a way that when displaced downwardly from its normal at rest position atop the body, it rolls back upwardly to its normal position, seemingly in defiance of gravity. The movement of the head toward its normal position is accomplished by one or more weights embedded in the head, which provide the necessary torque to cause it to move upwardly to its position on the shoulders.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to toys and, more specifically, to a rolling toy including a lightweight hollow cylindrical shaped head having a moveable weighted ball therein attached to a flat flexible body including a spring extending therethrough causing the toy to complete a flip when the head falls forward.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a rolling toy that will overcome the shortcomings of the prior art devices.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rolling toy able to flip a body section thereof in the manner of a summersault when the head portion is caused to fall forward.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a rolling toy including a lightweight hollow cylindrical shaped head having a moveable weighted ball therein whereby, when the head is allowed to fall forward, movement of the weighted ball therein causes the body to tumble over.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a rolling toy including a spring extending through the body thereby aiding the body in flipping over when uncoiled by the falling over of the head.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a rolling toy whereby the body is caused to do a back flip when the head is caused to fall backwards.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a rolling toy able to entertain both children and adults.
A yet further object of the present invention is to provide a rolling toy that is simple and easy to use.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a rolling toy that is economical in cost to manufacture.
Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.
A toy for amusing people of all ages by flipping along a surface is disclosed by the present invention. The rolling toy includes a cylindrical tube having a first sealed end and a second sealed end and a weighted ball enclosed within the cylindrical shaped tube and having a circumference smaller than a circumference of said cylindrical tube allowing said weighted ball to roll along a length of said cylindrical tube. A flexible body portion is secured to the first sealed end of the cylindrical tube and a spring extends through the body portion. The body portion able to maintain the rolling toy in an upright position with the cylindrical tube positioned atop the body portion. When the cylindrical tube is tiled, the weighted ball is caused to roll along the length of the cylindrical tube from the first end to the second end. This causes the cylindrical tube to move towards the surface, the body portion to bend as the cylindrical tube moves towards the surface and the spring to uncoil. Upon the cylindrical tube contacting the surface, the weighted ball contacts the second surface and the spring begins to recoil causing the body portion to flip over the head portion. Momentum of the body portion rotates the head portion and the body portion to return to an upright position. The spring is preferably connected between an end of the body portion opposite the cylindrical tube and the weighted ball.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described within the scope of the appended claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 669498 (1901-03-01), Aiken
patent: 1155692 (1915-10-01), Vie-theer
patent: 1214454 (1917-01-01), Gowdey
patent: 1538704 (1925-05-01), Kay
patent: 1672242 (1928-06-01), Bennett
patent: 2751707 (1956-06-01), Kask
patent: 4952191 (1990-08-01), Martinez
patent: 5928055 (1999-07-01),
Ackun Jr. Jacob K.
Fernstrom Kurt
Kroll Michael I.
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