Doll-type toy and joint structure

Abstract

To provide a mechanism achieving a further natural-looking external appearance, while realizing a rotational joint structure in a doll-type toy, for example.SOLUTION: A doll-type toy includes a first component having a ring-shaped connecting part at one part, and a second component forming a joint with the first component and having a recess part in which the ring-shaped connecting part is fitted. Further, the second component is formed as one component, and riding parts for rotatably holding the ring-shaped connecting part are formed on an inner lateral face of the recess part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a doll-type toy and an articulated structure. [Background technology]

[0002] Doll-type toys (doll bodies) are required to be able to move in natural ways and take a variety of poses. Therefore, doll-type toys include various joints and movable parts to allow for movements and poses similar to those of humans and animals. Patent Document 1 proposes a four-legged animal doll with a joint structure that allows for realistic movements similar to those of real animals. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-17264 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The above-mentioned conventional technology includes various joints to realize a wide range of movements, and each joint is made up of multiple parts. Therefore, joints have seams that appear when multiple parts are combined. Such seams do not exist in humans or animals, and give an unnatural impression compared to the appearance of humans or animals.

[0005] The present invention provides a mechanism for realizing a rotatable joint structure in a doll-type toy while realizing a more natural-looking appearance. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention is characterized in that, for example, a doll-type toy comprises a first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion on one part, and a second part that forms a joint with the first part and has a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted, the second part being formed as a single part, and the inner side of the recess being formed with a step-over portion that rotatably holds the ring-shaped connecting portion.

[0007] The present invention is also characterized in that, for example, it is an articulated structure comprising a first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion on one part, and a second part that forms a joint with the first part and has a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted, the second part being formed as a single part, and the inner side surface of the recess being formed with a crossover portion that rotatably holds the ring-shaped connecting portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to realize a rotatable joint structure in a doll-type toy, while also realizing an appearance that gives a more natural impression. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the external front view of a doll-type toy according to an embodiment. [Figure 1B] 1 is a diagram showing an example of an exterior side view of a doll-type toy according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and an exploded view, respectively, of an upper body including arms of a doll-type toy according to one embodiment. [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are exploded and plan views, respectively, of a shoulder joint of a doll-type toy according to one embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of an upper arm side shoulder part of a shoulder joint according to one embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a shoulder joint of a doll-type toy according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 1A is a diagram showing a shoulder joint of a comparative example, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing a shoulder joint according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiments do not limit the scope of the invention as claimed, and not all combinations of features described in the embodiments are necessarily essential to the invention. Two or more of the features described in the embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. Furthermore, the same reference numerals are used for the same or similar components, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0011] <External appearance of doll-type toy> First, an example of the external configuration of a doll-type toy 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1A and 1B. Figure 1A shows the external front view of the doll-type toy 100. Figure 1B shows the external side view of the doll-type toy 100. Note that up / down, left / right, and front / back arrows indicate the orientation of the doll-type toy in the figure, and this also applies to the other figures.

[0012] The doll toy (doll body) 100 includes a head 101, a chest 102, arms 103a and 103b, an abdomen 104, a waist 105, a skirt 106 as a clothing accessory, and legs 107a and 107b. The doll toy 100 is a movable doll toy such as a movable figure, and each part can be moved within a limited range created in relation to other members. The head 101 is connected to the chest 102 by a spherical connecting member (hereinafter also referred to as a ball joint). Arms 103 including a right arm 103a and a left arm 103b are further connected to the chest 102 by a spherical connecting member, and the abdomen 104 is connected at the bottom. The abdomen 104 is connected to the waist 105. The detailed configurations of the chest 102, abdomen 104, and waist 105 will be described later. Legs 107 including a right leg 107a and a left leg 107b are connected to the waist 105 and are covered with a skirt 106.

[0013] In the following, the upper body including the head 101, chest 102, and arms 103 will be referred to as the upper body. The lower body including the waist 105 and legs 107a and 107 will be referred to as the lower body. The upper body and lower body are connected via the abdomen 104. The chest 102, abdomen 104, and waist 105 will also be collectively referred to as the torso. In the following, as the joint structure according to this embodiment, a shoulder joint structure in which the arm 103b is connected to the chest 102 by a spherical connecting member (ball joint) will be described. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention, and the joint structure described below can be applied not only to the shoulder joint but also to other joints, such as hip joints, elbow joints, and knee joints that connect legs.

[0014] <Upper body structure including arms> Next, with reference to Fig. 2, the attachment of the arm 103b to the upper body of the doll-type toy 100 according to this embodiment will be described. Fig. 2(a) is a perspective view showing the chest 102, arm 103b, abdomen 104, and waist 105 of the upper body. Fig. 2(b) is an exploded view of the arm 103b including the shoulder joint. The arm 103b corresponds to the left arm of the doll-type toy 100, but the arm 103a corresponding to the right arm has the same configuration, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0015] As shown in Figure 2(a), the arm 103b is connected to the chest 102 by a spherical connecting portion (ball joint). That is, the shoulder joint according to this embodiment connects the arm 103b to the chest 102 rotatably by a ball joint. However, this is not intended to limit the present invention, and connecting portions of other shapes may be used instead of the spherical connecting portion.

[0016] 2(b), the arm 103b is composed of parts 201 to 204. Part 204 is further composed of multiple parts, but detailed description thereof will be omitted. The shoulder joint according to this embodiment is composed of an upper arm shoulder part 201 and a shoulder movable part 202. Part 204, which constitutes part of the arm 103b, is connected to one side of the upper arm shoulder part 201.

[0017] As shown in Figure 2(b), one side of shoulder movable part 202 included in the shoulder joint has a spherical connecting part 301 to form the ball joint, and the other side has a ring-shaped connecting part 302 that fits into upper arm shoulder part 201. The dotted line frame in Figure 2(b) shows an enlarged view of shoulder movable part 202. By having these two connecting parts, arm 103b including part 204 can rotate around the ring part of shoulder movable part 202 in addition to the rotational movement provided by the ball joint, allowing for a wider variety of movements and poses.

[0018] Furthermore, the upper arm shoulder part 201, into which the ring-shaped connecting portion 302 of the shoulder movable part 202 according to this embodiment is fitted, is formed from a single part (i.e., a single member). A shaft is generally inserted into the ring-shaped connecting portion to rotate the connected parts. In this case, the upper arm shoulder part having the shaft is generally formed from two parts. Parts formed from two parts will have a seam when assembled. For example, if such a structure is used in a shoulder joint, a seam will appear in part of the shoulder, giving an unnatural impression. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the upper arm shoulder part 201, into which the ring-shaped connecting portion 302 is fitted, is formed from a single part, thereby realizing a shoulder joint without such a seam. Detailed configuration, such as assembly, will be described later.

[0019] <Detailed structure of the joints> Next, the detailed configuration of the joint of the doll-type toy 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 3. Fig. 3(a) shows an exploded view of the shoulder joint according to this embodiment, and Fig. 3(b) shows the shoulder joint according to this embodiment in a state where two parts are combined.

[0020] As shown in Figure 3(a), the shoulder movable part 202 is formed with a spherical connecting part 301 and a ring-shaped connecting part 302. The spherical connecting part 301 is rotatably connected to the chest part 102. The ring-shaped connecting part 302 is rotatably fitted into and connected to the upper arm side shoulder part 201. A recess 303 having an opening for fitting the ring-shaped connecting part 302 of the shoulder movable part 202 is formed on one side of the upper arm side shoulder part 201. On the inner side surface of the recess 303, climbing parts 304a and 304b are formed into which the ring-shaped connecting part 302 is rotatably fitted.

[0021] The overhanging parts 304a and 304b are fitted into both sides of the ring (hole) of the ring-shaped connecting part 302, and when fitted into the ring-shaped connecting part 302, they are positioned along the inside (inner diameter) of the ring and function as a rotation axis that allows the arm part 103b to rotate up and down. The overhanging parts 304a and 304b also function to hold the connected shoulder movable part 202 to the upper arm side shoulder part 201. Figure 3(b) shows the shoulder movable part 202 fitted into the upper arm side shoulder part 201.

[0022] The upper arm side shoulder part 201 is formed to include a recess 303 and an upper arm side connecting part 305. The upper arm side connecting part 305 is formed at the end opposite the end where the recess 303 is formed, and is connected to a part 204 that is part of the arm part 103b. In this embodiment, the connecting part with the pearl 204 is configured to be fixed by fitting, but this is not intended to limit the invention, and for example, the part 204 may be configured to be connected so that it can rotate. This makes it possible to realize a wider variety of movements and poses.

[0023] <Upper arm shoulder part> Next, the detailed configuration of the upper arm shoulder part 201 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4(a) shows a perspective view of the upper arm shoulder part 201. Fig. 4(b) shows a plan view of the upper arm shoulder part 201.

[0024] As shown in FIG. 4(a), the overhanging portions 304a and 304b formed in the recess 303 of the upper arm shoulder part 201 are formed in a convex shape on the inner side surface of the recess 303, deep within the recess 303. The overhanging portions 304a and 304b are formed facing each other on the inner side surface of the recess 303. The overhanging portions 304a and 304b are also formed in a semicircular shape that matches the curvature of the ring of the ring-shaped connecting part 302. As a result, the overhanging portions 304a and 304b, together with the inner wall of the deepest part of the recess 303, can sandwich and rotatably hold the shoulder movable part 202, functioning as an axis of rotation when the shoulder movable part 202 rotates. Details will be explained with reference to FIG. 5(b).

[0025] 4(b), the overhanging portions 304a, 304b are formed with different widths. This is to ensure the strength of the mold used to form the upper arm shoulder part 201. In other words, the mold strength is ensured by providing flat surfaces on both sides of the overhanging portion 304a. However, although the overhanging portions 304a, 304b have different widths, they are formed in semicircular shapes with the same curvature, and this does not affect their function as rotation axes of the shoulder movable part 202.

[0026] <Cross-section of the joint> Below, a side cross-sectional view of the joint according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5(a) shows a cross section taken along line A-A' in Figure 3(b), and Figure 5(b) shows a cross section taken along line B-B' in Figure 3(b).

[0027] Figure 5(a) shows the shoulder movable part 202 climbing over the climbing parts 304a, 304b and fitting into the upper arm shoulder part 201. The climbing parts 304a, 304b are located deep inside the recess 303 of the upper arm shoulder part 201, on the lower side in Figure 5(a). By providing the climbing parts 304a, 304b deep inside the recess 303 in this way, the ring part of the ring-shaped connecting part 302 can be sandwiched and held between the climbing parts 304a, 304b and the inner wall of the upper arm shoulder part 201, preventing the shoulder movable part 202 from rattling in the vertical direction.

[0028] On the other hand, it is also possible to provide the overhanging portions on the opening side of the recess 303, or on the left and right sides of the upper side in Figure 5(a). However, if they are provided on the upper side, the ring portion of the ring-shaped connecting portion 302 cannot be sandwiched and held between the ring and the inner wall of the upper arm shoulder part 201, as compared to when they are provided on the lower side (rear side), and rattle occurs. Furthermore, if the overhanging portion is provided on the upper side of the recess 303, an undercut will occur when the mold is opened and closed, making it difficult to release the part in its original shape from the mold during the manufacturing process.

[0029] To avoid undercuts, instead of forming the overhanging portions only on the upper side, it is also possible to form them from the top to the bottom. By forming them in this way, undercuts can be prevented, and the rattle described above can also be prevented. However, if overhanging portions are formed on the top and bottom, the fit with the shoulder movable part 202 becomes too tight, making it difficult to easily fit the shoulder movable part 202 into the upper arm shoulder part. In this way, the overhanging portions 304a, 304b formed at the back of the recess 303 according to this embodiment can solve the problems that arise when overhanging portions are formed on the top or on the top and bottom.

[0030] FIG. 5(b) also shows how the overriding portion 304b fits along the inner diameter of the ring when the shoulder movable part 202 is fitted into the upper arm shoulder part 201. As shown, the overriding portion 304b is formed in a semicircular shape, and is formed to match the curvature of the ring of the ring-shaped connecting part 302. Therefore, the shoulder movable part 202 can be rotated in the direction of the arrow along the outer shape of the overriding portion 304b. Also, FIG. 5(b) shows how the ring portion of the shoulder movable part 202 is sandwiched and held between the overriding portion 304b and the inner wall of the upper arm shoulder part 201, as described above. This prevents rattling in the vertical direction.

[0031] <Joints made of multiple parts> Next, a comparison between a comparative example of a joint made up of multiple parts and the joint according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 6. Figure 6(a) shows the structure of the comparative example shoulder joint. Figure 6(b) shows the structure of the shoulder joint according to this embodiment.

[0032] As shown in Figure 6(a), in the comparative example, upper arm shoulder parts 601 and 603 are fitted into shoulder movable part 602, which has a ring-shaped connecting part, from the left and right sides of the ring. Upper arm shoulder part 601 is formed with a shaft 604 that serves as the axis of rotation for the arm connected to upper arm shoulder parts 601 and 603. Shaft 604 is inserted into the ring part of shoulder movable part 602 and fitted into a recess formed in upper arm shoulder part 603, thereby combining these three parts.

[0033] As described above, in the comparative example, the upper arm shoulder part is formed from two parts. Therefore, when the upper arm shoulder parts 601 and 603 are assembled, a seam 605 is formed. The seam 605 appears at the joint of the doll-type toy, in this case the shoulder joint, and gives an unnatural impression compared to a real person or animal. Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the seam that occurs when assembling multiple parts. However, as with the comparative example, a ring-shaped connecting part is generally connected by inserting a shaft, and in such cases, it is easier to form the part by constructing it from multiple parts. In other words, if an inserting shaft configuration is adopted, forming the upper arm shoulder part from a single part is not preferable because it makes the part manufacturing process more complicated.

[0034] Therefore, according to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 6(b), the upper arm shoulder part 201 is formed as a single part, and the shoulder movable part 202 is fitted over a bridging portion formed on the upper arm shoulder part 201. The bridging portion is formed in a semicircular shape that matches the curvature of the ring of the shoulder movable part 202, and functions as an axis that allows the parts to rotate relative to each other along its outer shape. By forming the upper arm shoulder part 201 as a single part in this way, it is possible to form a joint without a seam, as explained in the comparative example.

[0035] As described above, the doll-type toy according to this embodiment includes a first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion on one part, and a second part that forms a joint with the first part and has a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion fits. The second part is formed as a single part, and a bridge portion that rotatably holds the ring-shaped connecting portion is formed on the inner side surface of the recess. This allows the doll-type toy to have a rotatable joint structure while reducing the number of parts, resulting in a more natural-looking appearance.

[0036] <Modification> The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the gist of the invention. In the above-described embodiments, an example of applying the joint structure to a shoulder joint has been described, but this is not intended to limit the present invention, and the structure may be used in other parts. For example, the structure may also be used in joints such as a hip joint that connects legs, an elbow joint, or a knee joint. Furthermore, in the above-described embodiments, an example has been described in which one side of the connecting member has a spherical connecting portion (ball joint), but any connecting portion may be used as long as the connected parts are rotatable. It is desirable to configure a connecting portion suitable for the joint to which it is applied.

[0037] Furthermore, the shape of the doll-type toy (doll body) is not particularly limited, and includes various shapes such as people, animals, robots, insects, dinosaurs, and imaginary life forms. [Explanation of symbols]

[0038] 100: doll-type toy, 101: head, 102: chest, 103a, 103b: arms, 104: abdomen, 105: waist, 106: skirt, 107a, 107b: legs

Claims

1. A doll-type toy, a first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion at a portion thereof; a second part that forms a joint with the first part and has a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted; Equipped with the second part is formed as one piece; A doll-type toy characterized in that a climbing portion for rotatably holding the ring-shaped connecting portion is formed on the inner side surface of the recess.

2. 2. The doll-type toy according to claim 1, wherein the overhanging portion is formed at the innermost portion of the recess.

3. 3. The doll-type toy according to claim 1, wherein the climbing portion is formed in a semicircular shape to match the curvature of the ring shape.

4. 4. The doll-type toy according to claim 1, wherein the two overhanging portions are formed facing each other on the inner side surfaces of the recess so that they are fitted into holes in the ring-shaped connecting portion from both sides.

5. 5. The doll-type toy according to claim 4, wherein the two climbing portions are different in size from each other.

6. the first part has the ring-shaped connecting portion formed on one side and the spherical-shaped connecting portion formed on the other side; the spherical connecting portion is connected to the upper body of the doll-type toy, 6. The doll-type toy according to claim 1, wherein an upper arm of the doll-type toy is connected to an end of the second part opposite to the end where the recess is formed.

7. A joint structure, a first part having a ring-shaped connecting portion at a portion thereof; a second part that forms a joint with the first part and has a recess into which the ring-shaped connecting portion is fitted; Equipped with the second part is formed as one piece; A joint structure characterized in that a crossover portion that rotatably holds the ring-shaped connecting portion is formed on the inner side surface of the recess.

8. 8. The joint structure according to claim 7, wherein the joint structure forms a shoulder joint, a hip joint, an elbow joint, or a knee joint of a doll-type toy.

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