Toy figure with articulating joints

Details Toy figure with articulating joints Toy figure with articulating joints

2000-04-17

2003-02-04

Banks, Derris H. (Department: 3712)

Amusement devices: toys

Figure toy or accessory therefor

Having movably joined body parts

Reexamination Certificate

active

06514119

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to jointed toy figures and more specifically relates to toy figures with an unusually large number of unique articulating parts which give the figures a particularly realistic look and feel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Toy figures with articulating limbs are generally known. Toy figures having a large number of articulating limbs are not widely available because of expenses associated with manufacturing and assembling the completed toy figure. Additionally, as the toy figures decrease in size below about 10-12 inches in overall length, the costs of manufacture and assembly increase considerably because of difficulty in constructing and attaching small limbs with multiple movable joints. A further problem in providing relatively small toy figures with multiple articulating parts concerns producing small joints that are durable and have the close tolerances necessary to provide sufficient friction between the moveable surfaces of the joints necessary for proper operation of the joints. Also, it has long been a goal to combine realistically articulating limbs with adjacent body parts in a manner which minimizes any undesirable gaps so that the outer surface of the articulating figure has a relatively continuous, life-like appearance.
It would therefore be very desirable to provide a toy figure with multiple articulating limbs having improved joint construction with increased durability for manipulation through a variety of realistic poses. It would also be desirable to provide methods which reduce the amount of time and labor needed for assembling toy figures of various sizes, including small sizes, having articulating limbs. It would also be very desirable to provide toy figures, especially toy figures with an overall length less than about 10 inches, that provide improved joint operation. Furthermore, it would be very desirable to enable the manufacture of toy figures with realistic articulating limb and torso parts having outer surfaces free of screws or other visible fasteners and having reduced gaps between the connected parts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides toy figures having articulating limbs with a large number of joints. The toy figures of the present invention include one or more pivotally connected parts having a first joint member made of a first material, preferably a first thermoplastic material, and a second joint member made of a second thermoplastic which has a melting point that is less than that of the first material. The first and second joint members are advantageously pivotally connected to one another in an in situ injection molding method of the invention. Thus, in another of its aspects, the present invention includes a method of connecting a first joint member and a second joint member in an in situ injection molding process, wherein the first joint member is formed of a first material and the second joint member is formed of a second material which is a thermoplastic material, wherein the first joint member is inserted in a predetermined position into an injection mold, as an insert part, and the second thermoplastic composition is injected to form the second joint member around the first joint member, pivotally connecting the two. In a presently preferred embodiment, the first thermoplastic composition is an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and the second thermoplastic composition is a polyvinylchloride (PVC) composition having a melting point of about 160° C. and the difference in melting points is at least about 70° C.


REFERENCES:
patent: 242210 (1881-05-01), Mason et al.
patent: 292919 (1884-02-01), Kihlgren
patent: 703899 (1902-07-01), Debes
patent: 1270781 (1918-07-01), Cabana
patent: 1359030 (1920-11-01), Cabana
patent: 1500921 (1924-07-01), Bramson et al.
patent: 1595203 (1926-08-01), Leathers
patent: 1909430 (1933-05-01), Skillman
patent: 1943631 (1934-01-01), Skillman
patent: 2007784 (1935-07-01), Wittmann
patent: 2027560 (1936-01-01), Skillman
patent: 2118677 (1938-05-01), Lower
patent: 2129421 (1938-09-01), Hales
patent: 2165473 (1939-07-01), Greneker
patent: 2285472 (1942-06-01), Tenenbaum
patent: 2460880 (1949-02-01), Geizer et al.
patent: 2807119 (1957-09-01), Beebe
patent: 2954992 (1960-10-01), Baker
patent: 3011219 (1961-12-01), Williams
patent: 3065566 (1962-11-01), Sugimoto
patent: 3094376 (1963-06-01), Thomas
patent: 3277601 (1966-10-01), Ryan
patent: 3319846 (1967-05-01), Wolf
patent: 3350812 (1967-11-01), Lindsay et al.
patent: 3361310 (1968-01-01), Ziegler et al.
patent: 3425155 (1969-02-01), Ryan et al.
patent: 3466793 (1969-09-01), Pugh et al.
patent: 3557471 (1971-01-01), Payne et al.
patent: 3591669 (1971-07-01), Memory
patent: 3609911 (1971-10-01), Hanf et al.
patent: 3628282 (1971-12-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 3699710 (1972-10-01), Glass et al.
patent: 3716942 (1973-02-01), Garcia et al.
patent: 3727343 (1973-04-01), Chiari
patent: 3740894 (1973-06-01), Howland et al.
patent: 3866350 (1975-02-01), Goldfarb et al.
patent: 3900992 (1975-08-01), Klamer
patent: 3938277 (1976-02-01), Goldfarb et al.
patent: 3940880 (1976-03-01), Kaelin et al.
patent: 3941495 (1976-03-01), Duncan
patent: 3955311 (1976-05-01), Lyons et al.
patent: 3988855 (1976-11-01), Crabtree et al.
patent: 4006555 (1977-02-01), England et al.
patent: 4242830 (1981-01-01), Hauser
patent: 4274224 (1981-06-01), Pugh et al.
patent: 4279099 (1981-07-01), Dyer et al.
patent: 4279419 (1981-07-01), Barnes et al.
patent: 4290181 (1981-09-01), Jackson
patent: 4439909 (1984-04-01), Borgen et al.
patent: 4470784 (1984-09-01), Piotrovsky
patent: 4579542 (1986-04-01), Mayer et al.
patent: 4619540 (1986-10-01), Day et al.
patent: 4643691 (1987-02-01), Keiji
patent: 4669998 (1987-06-01), Amici et al.
patent: 4673374 (1987-06-01), Kelley
patent: 4680019 (1987-07-01), Baerenwald et al.
patent: 4696656 (1987-09-01), Torres et al.
patent: 4708687 (1987-11-01), Goldberg et al.
patent: 4738649 (1988-04-01), Delli Bovi et al.
patent: 4790789 (1988-12-01), Mathis
patent: 4854911 (1989-08-01), Berliner et al.
patent: 4887486 (1989-12-01), Wood, Jr.
patent: 4902220 (1990-02-01), Nakagawa
patent: 4973372 (1990-11-01), Ditlinger
patent: 4995846 (1991-02-01), Mariol
patent: 5009538 (1991-04-01), Shirai et al.
patent: 5011320 (1991-04-01), Love et al.
patent: 5011321 (1991-04-01), Kidokoro
patent: 5078531 (1992-01-01), Sakai et al.
patent: 5140869 (1992-08-01), Mrdjenovich et al.
patent: 5150981 (1992-09-01), Miwa
patent: 5152628 (1992-10-01), Broszat et al.
patent: 5163769 (1992-11-01), Dresselhouse
patent: 5178482 (1993-01-01), Wood
patent: 5257873 (1993-11-01), Abbat
patent: 5267805 (1993-12-01), Ueno et al.
patent: 5277860 (1994-01-01), Sinclair
patent: 5334073 (1994-08-01), Tilbor et al.
patent: 5431554 (1995-07-01), Yoshida et al.
patent: 5588895 (1996-12-01), Larson
patent: 5615967 (1997-04-01), Hellon
patent: 5989658 (1999-11-01), Miura et al.
patent: 6033284 (2000-03-01), Ferre
patent: 6375536 (2002-04-01), Yang
patent: 0250063 (1987-11-01), None
patent: 62050112 (1987-03-01), None
patent: 2129076 (1987-06-01), None
patent: 62246392 (1987-10-01), None
“Skipper” doll (Exhibit A).
1994 “G.I. Joe” doll (Exhibit B).
1978 “G.I. Joe” doll (Exhibit C).
Babe Ruth figure.
G.I. Joe figure.
Barbie figure.
“He-Man” figure.
“Marshall Bravestarr” figure.
“Handle Bar” figure.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Toy figure with articulating joints does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Toy figure with articulating joints, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Toy figure with articulating joints will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3180761