Rotating structures and toys

Abstract

It optimally converts linear forces into rotational forces. [Solution] A rotational structure comprising: a first member having a support portion; a second member that is rotatable relative to the first member on a rotational centerline and movable along the rotational centerline; and a drive member, at least a portion of which is located between the first member and the second member and is supported by the support portion when it comes into contact with the support portion, wherein the drive member rotates the second member relative to the first member when the first member and the second member move in a direction that brings them relatively closer together.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a rotating structure and a toy.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, structures for converting a linear force into a rotational force and structures for converting a rotational force into a linear force have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a structure in which an adjustment gear rotates in response to an operation of an operation unit in a linear direction.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in the structure described in Patent Document 1, when increasing the rotational speed of a rotating object that rotates by a linear force, there is a risk that the structure becomes complicated.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a rotating structure capable of suitably converting a linear force into a rotational force.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] To achieve the above object, the rotating structure of the present invention includes a first member having a support portion, a second member that is relatively rotatable on the rotation center line with respect to the first member and is movable along the rotation center line, and a drive member at least a part of which is located between the first member and the second member and is supported by the support portion when contacting the support portion. When the drive member moves in a direction that brings the first member and the second member closer together, it rotates the second member relative to the first member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the rotational structure of the present invention, linear forces can be suitably converted into rotational forces.

[0008] The effects described above are merely illustrative for the sake of explanation and are not limiting. In addition to, or in lieu of, any other effects described herein or that would be obvious to those skilled in the art may be achieved. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0009] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of toy 1. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view of toy 1 cut along the dashed line A in Figure 1. [Figure 3] Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of toy 1, cut along the dashed line A in Figure 1. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the support member 15. [Figure 5] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the drive member 43 located at the front. [Figure 6] Figure 3 is a front view of the drive member 43 located at the front. [Figure 7] Figure 3 is a side view of the drive member 43, located at the front, as seen from the right side. [Figure 8] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the arrangement of the support member 15 and the rotating device 17 when the rotating device 17 is in the first position. [Figure 9] This is a cross-sectional view of Stage 5, cut along a virtual plane containing the rotation centerline C1. [Figure 10] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the arrangement of the support member 15 and the rotating device 17 when the rotating device 17 is in the second position. [Figure 11] This is an explanatory diagram illustrating the arrangement of the support member 15 and the rotating device 17 when the rotating device 17 is in the third position. [Figure 12] It is an explanatory view for explaining the arrangement of the support member 15 and the rotating device 17 when the rotating device 17 is in the fourth position.

Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. For convenience of explanation, rotation about a virtual axis extending in a predetermined direction as a rotation axis may sometimes be simply expressed as rotation about a predetermined direction as an axis.

[0011] Referring to FIG. 1, a perspective view of the toy 1 is shown. The toy 1 is a toy in which, for example, a figure 100 imitating a character is placed on the field 3 and the stage 5 and played with. Hereinafter, the direction in which the field 3 is located as viewed from the stage 5 is taken as the front, the right hand direction when facing the front from the stage 5 is taken as the right, and the direction of gravity is taken as the downward.

[0012] The stage 5 is provided with a mounting table 7 and a design body 9. For example, when the user places the figure 100 on the mounting table 7 and presses it downward, the design body 9 rotates around the rotation center line C1. In this way, the toy 1 can perform a suitable effect in accordance with the play using the toy 1 by the user.

[0013] Referring to FIG. 2, a perspective view of the toy 1 cut along the dashed-dotted line A in FIG. 1 is shown. Also, referring to FIG. 3, an exploded perspective view of the toy 1 cut along the dashed-dotted line A in FIG. 1 is shown. For convenience of explanation, in FIG. 3, the part Z (see FIG. 2) is not shown.

[0014] In addition to the above-described mounting table 7 and design body 9, the stage 5 includes a base 11, a biasing device 13, a support member 15 (first member), a pressing member 16, and a rotating device 17. The base 11 is a member fixed to the frame of the toy 1. The biasing device 13 is a substantially cylindrical member supported by the base 11 so as to be movable in the vertical direction. This biasing device 13 has a hollow portion 21, a bearing 23, and a sensor arm 25.

[0015] The hollow portion 21 is a cylindrical portion that opens downward. Inside this hollow portion 21, a spring 21a (see FIG. 9 described later) is provided. The lower end of the spring 21a is supported by the base 11, and the upper end abuts against the upper inner wall inside the hollow portion 21. That is, the biasing device 13 is biased upward in a direction away from the base 11 by utilizing the biasing force of the spring 21a. Also, when the hollow portion 21 moves downward against the biasing force of the spring 21a, the lower end contacts the base 11. That is, the downward movement of the biasing device 13 is restricted by the base 11.

[0016] The bearing 23 is a cylindrical portion that extends upward along the rotation center line C1 from the horizontal center of the upper end of the hollow portion 21. The sensor arm 25 is a flat plate portion that extends leftward from the left side portion of the hollow portion 21. This sensor arm 25 is formed at a position where it can contact the contact sensor 27. When the biasing device 13 moves downward, the sensor arm 25 contacts the contact sensor 27. The contact sensor 27 turns ON when contacted by the sensor arm 25. On the other hand, when the biasing device 13 moves upward, the sensor arm 25 separates from the contact sensor 27. Since the contact sensor 27 is not contacted by the sensor arm 25, it turns OFF. That is, the sensor arm 25 and the contact sensor 27 can detect that the biasing device 13 has moved in the vertical direction. The contact sensor 27 whose ON / OFF has been switched in this way can transmit an ON / OFF signal to a circuit board (not shown). That is, by using the sensor arm 25 and the contact sensor 27, the circuit board can detect the position of the biasing device 13. Therefore, by receiving the ON / OFF of the contact sensor 27, the circuit board can control the effects using sound, light, etc. of the toy 1.

[0017] Referring to FIG. 4, a perspective view of the support member 15 is shown. The support member 15 is a substantially cylindrical member fixed to the base 11. This support member 15 has a body portion 31, a sensor slit 33, a shaft hole 35, and a support portion 37.

[0018] The body portion 31 is a cylindrical section that opens downwards. The biasing device 13 is housed inside this body portion 31. The sensor slit 33 is formed on the side of the body portion 31 and extends vertically. The sensor arm 25 passes through this sensor slit 33. In other words, the sensor slit 33 can guide the vertical movement of the sensor arm 25. The shaft hole 35 is a circular hole formed in the horizontal center of the upper end 31a of the body portion 31. The bearing 23 of the biasing device 13 passes through this shaft hole 35 and extends upwards. The shaft hole 35 is also a hole with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the hollow portion 21 of the biasing device 13. In other words, the body portion 31 guides the biasing device 13 so that it can move vertically, while the upper end 31a restricts the upward movement of the biasing device 13.

[0019] The support portion 37 has protrusions 37a arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the rotation centerline C1. The protrusions 37a project upward and extend radially from the shaft hole 35. These protrusions 37a have an isosceles triangular cross-section, and the base portion of the isosceles triangle is formed on the upper surface of the support portion. In other words, the protrusions 37a include a first inclined portion 37b that slopes downward toward one side in the circumferential direction of a circle with the center of the shaft hole 35 as the axis, and a second inclined portion 37c that slopes downward toward the other side in the circumferential direction.

[0020] Returning to Figure 3, the pressing member 16 is a cylindrical member located between the mounting base 7 and the rotating device 17. The mounting base 7 is fixed to the upper part of the pressing member 16. This pressing member 16 has a pressing shaft 16a and a rotating shaft 16b that extend along the rotation centerline C1. The pressing shaft 16a is a cylindrical part that extends downward from the center of the pressing member 16. The rotating shaft 16b is a cylindrical part that extends downward from the lower end of the pressing shaft 16a. This rotating shaft 16b is a thinner cylinder than the pressing shaft 16a, and its axis center is the same as that of the pressing shaft 16a. The lower end of the rotating shaft 16b is attached to the bearing 23 of the biasing device 13.

[0021] The rotating device 17 is a rotating body that can rotate around the rotation centerline C1 relative to the support member 15. This rotating device 17 has a rotating member 41 (second member) and a driving member 43. The rotating member 41 is a substantially cylindrical member that rotates relative to the support member 15. This rotating member 41 includes an outer edge portion 51, a hollow shaft portion 53, and a driven portion 55.

[0022] The outer edge portion 51 is part of the periphery of the rotating member 41, and the design element 9 is fixed to it. In other words, when the rotating member 41 rotates, the design element 9 fixed to the outer edge portion 51 rotates around the rotation centerline C1. The hollow shaft portion 53 is a cylindrical portion that extends downward from the center of the rotating member 41 and is open in the vertical direction. The inner diameter of this hollow shaft portion 53 is smaller than the outer diameter of the pressing shaft 16a. The hollow shaft portion 53 also rotatably passes through the rotating shaft 16b of the pressing member 16. The lower end of the hollow shaft portion 53 rotatably abuts against the upper end of the bearing 23 of the biasing device 13. The upper end of the hollow shaft portion 53 also rotatably abuts against the lower end of the pressing shaft 16a. In other words, the rotating device 17 is supported in the vertical direction by the bearing 23 and the pressing shaft 16a. As a result, the rotating device 17 moves up and down in conjunction with the support member 15 and the pressing member 16. The driven part 55 is the part that rotatably supports the drive member 43. The detailed configuration of the driven part 55 will be described later.

[0023] The drive member 43 is a member made of, for example, resin, that transmits the force generated by the relative approach of the support member 15 and the rotating member 41 to the support portion 37 of the support member 15. Multiple drive members 43 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotation centerline C1. In the rotating device 17 according to this embodiment, two drive members 43 are arranged. For the sake of explanation, the drive member 43 located on the front side in the state shown in Figure 3 may be denoted as 43A, and the drive member 43 located on the rear side may be denoted as 43B. The drive member 43B has the same shape as the drive member 43A. The drive member 43B is located at a position where the drive member 43A is rotated 180° around the rotation centerline C1.

[0024] Referring to Figure 5, a perspective view of the drive member 43A is shown. Referring to Figure 6, a front view of the drive member 43A is shown. Furthermore, referring to Figure 7, a side view of the drive member 43A as seen from the right side is shown. The drive member 43A will be described below, and the drive member 43B will not be described as it has a similar configuration.

[0025] According to Figure 5, the drive member 43 includes a shaft portion 61, a leg portion 63, and a guide portion 65. The shaft portion 61 is a cylindrical portion pivotally supported by the shaft pin 55c of the driven portion 55. The shaft pin 55c is a cylindrical member extending along the rotation centerline C1 or the rotation centerline C2 intersecting a line parallel to the rotation centerline C1. A stopper portion 61a is formed on this shaft portion 61 at a position corresponding to the stopper 55b. The stopper portion 61a is a horizontally extending surface formed by cutting out the right side of the shaft portion 61. This driven hole 55a is capable of rotatably supporting the shaft pin 55c. Here, the shaft pin 55c extends along the rotation centerline C1 or the rotation centerline C2 intersecting a line parallel to the rotation centerline C1.

[0026] According to Figure 6, the first arc portion 63a is a part in which one end is located on the shaft portion 61, extends downward from that end, and extends in a circular arc in the first circumferential direction (counterclockwise in Figure 6) around an axis that extends in the front-to-back direction (depth direction in Figure 6), with the other end being the left end of the arc. The second arc portion 63b is a part in which one end is located on the other end of the first arc portion 63a, extends upward from that end, and extends in a circular arc in the second circumferential direction (clockwise in Figure 6) around an axis that extends in the front-to-back direction, with the other end being the lower end of the arc. The third arc portion 63c is a part in which one end is located on the other end of the second arc portion 63b, extends to the right from that end, and extends in a circular arc in the first circumferential direction around an axis that extends in the front-to-back direction, with the other end being the right end of the arc. As a result, the leg portion 63 is formed such that the first arc portion 63a protrudes to the right (second direction) and the second arc portion 63b protrudes to the left (first direction), thereby enabling it to have elasticity in the left-right direction.

[0027] According to Figure 7, the leg portion 63 is formed to extend towards the rear as it extends downward from the shaft portion 61. Here, according to Figure 2, the rotation centerline C1 is located behind the drive member 43. In other words, the leg portion 63 is formed to extend towards the rear (i.e., towards the rotation centerline C1) as it extends downward from the shaft portion 61. The guide portion 65 is a claw that extends downward from the lower end of the leg portion 63. This guide portion 65 is notched at the front (i.e., the side away from the rotation centerline C1). The guide portion 65 is also located between the support member 15 and the rotating member 41. The guide portion 65 is supported by the support portion 37 by bringing its lower end 65a (supported portion) into contact with the support portion 37. In other words, the guide portion 65 is guided to move radially along the convex portion 37a of the support portion 37 while transmitting force to the convex portion 37a of the support portion 37.

[0028] Referring to Figure 8, an explanatory diagram is shown illustrating the arrangement of the support member 15 and the rotating device 17 when the rotating device 17 is in the first position. Hereinafter, the direction counterclockwise when viewed from above along a virtual circle around the rotation centerline C1 will be referred to as the "direction of rotation". Furthermore, among the tangents in the virtual circle around the rotation centerline C1, one direction along the line perpendicular to the rotation centerline C2 (for example, the right-hand direction when viewed from the front of the page in Figure 8) will be referred to as the "first direction", and the opposite direction to the first direction will be referred to as the "second direction".

[0029] The driven portion 55 of the rotating member 41 rotatably supports the shaft portion 61 of the driving member 43. This driven portion 55 has a driven hole 55a, a stopper 55b, and a shaft pin 55c. The driven hole 55a is a hole capable of accommodating the shaft portion 61 of the driving member 43. This driven hole 55a is capable of rotatably supporting the shaft pin 55c. Here, the shaft pin 55c extends along the rotation centerline C1 or a rotation centerline C2 that intersects a line parallel to the rotation centerline C1. Specifically, the shaft pin 55c is pivotally supported by the driven hole 55a in a position along the front-rear direction. Furthermore, the shaft pin 55c is positioned at a predetermined distance Ld offset in the second direction with respect to the radial direction relative to the rotation axis 16b.

[0030] The stopper 55b is a flat plate-shaped portion that extends downward from the second-direction edge of the driven hole 55a. This stopper 55b supports the stopped portion 61a formed on the second-direction side of the shaft portion 61 of the drive member 43. In other words, the stopper 55b restricts the rotation of the drive member 43 around the shaft pin 55c. Here, the shaft portion 61 is located above the support portion 37. That is, the guide portion 65 is located below the shaft portion 61. As a result, the rotation of the drive member 43 is restricted by the stopper 55b with the guide portion 65 positioned downward by gravity.

[0031] Returning to Figure 6, the guide portion 65 is positioned at a predetermined distance Ld in the first direction (perpendicular to the virtual plane S1) from the virtual plane S1 formed by the rotation centerline C2 and a line intersecting the rotation centerline C2 and parallel to the rotation centerline C1. Specifically, when the drive member 43 is supported by the stopper 55b, the guide portion 65 is closest to the virtual plane S1. That is, when the drive member 43 is supported by the stopper 55b, the guide portion 65 is positioned at a predetermined distance Ld in the first direction from the virtual plane S1.

[0032] As described above, the shaft pin 55c is positioned at a predetermined distance Ld offset in the second direction with respect to the axis along the radial direction of the rotation axis 16b parallel to the rotation center line C2, and the guide portion 65 is positioned at a predetermined distance Ld away from the virtual plane S1 in the first direction. In other words, the guide portion 65 is located on the tangent to the virtual circle around the rotation axis 16b.

[0033] Referring to Figure 9, a cross-sectional view of Stage 5 is shown, cut along a virtual plane containing the axis of rotation axis 16b. As described above, the biasing device 13 is biased upward by a spring 21a located in the hollow portion 21. As a result, the pressing member 16 is biased upward by the biasing device 13. The rotating device 17 is also biased upward by the biasing device 13. Here, as described above, the body portion 31 of the support member 15 guides the biasing device 13 so that it can move in the vertical direction, while its upper end 31a restricts the upward movement of the biasing device 13. In other words, when the upper end of the hollow portion 21 of the biasing device 13 contacts the inner surface (lower surface) of the upper end 31a of the body portion 31, the biasing device 13, the pressing member 16, and the rotating device 17 are located at their highest position on Stage 5.

[0034] When the mounting base 7 is pressed downward, for example by a user's pressing operation, the biasing device 13, the pressing member 16, and the rotating device 17 move downward. Specifically, when the mounting base 7 is pressed downward against the spring 21a, the pressing member 16 moves downward, pressing the biasing device 13 downward. As the biasing device 13 moves downward, the bearing 23 supporting the hollow shaft portion 53 moves downward, and the pressing shaft 16a of the pressing member 16 also moves downward, so the rotating device 17 moves while being pressed downward by the pressing shaft 16a. Here, as described above, the downward movement of the biasing device 13 is restricted by the base 11. In other words, when the lower end of the biasing device 13 contacts the base 11, the biasing device 13, the pressing member 16, and the rotating device 17 are in their lowest position on the stage 5.

[0035] Referring to Figure 10, an explanatory diagram is shown illustrating the arrangement of the support member 15 and the rotating device 17 when the rotating device 17 is in the second position. Referring to Figure 11, an explanatory diagram is shown illustrating the arrangement of the support member 15 and the rotating device 17 when the rotating device 17 is in the third position. Furthermore, referring to Figure 12, an explanatory diagram is shown illustrating the arrangement of the support member 15 and the rotating device 17 when the rotating device 17 is in the fourth position. Here, Figures 10 to 12 are diagrams in which the viewpoint is fixed at the posture of the rotating device 17 in Figure 8, and the support member 15 rotates relative to it. Also, the "direction of rotation" described in Figures 8 and 10 to 12 indicates the direction of rotation of the support member 15 relative to the rotating device 17. However, in this embodiment, since the support member 15 is fixed to the base 11, in reality the rotating device 17 rotates in the opposite direction to the direction of rotation shown in Figures 10 to 12.

[0036] Hereinafter, the position of the rotating device 17 when the stage 5 is in its highest position will be defined as the first position. The position of the rotating device 17 when it is below the first position and the guide portion 65 reaches a position where it can contact the support portion 37 of the support member 15 will be defined as the second position. The position of the rotating device 17 when the guide portion 65 is located radially outward from the support portion 37 will be defined as the fourth position. The position of the rotating device 17 when it is below the second position and above the fourth position will be defined as the third position.

[0037] According to Figure 10, when the rotating device 17 moves downward from the first position to the second position, the guide portion 65 contacts the support portion 37 of the support member 15. When the rotating device 17 is in the second position, the guide portion 65 contacts the radially inward side of the support portion 37 (i.e., the side of the rotation axis 16b). When the rotating device 17 is in the second position, the distance between the rotation centerline C2 and the upper end of the support portion 37 of the support member 15 is the first distance L1. Here, according to Figure 6, the distance between the rotation centerline C2 and the guide portion 65 is the first distance L1. In other words, by moving the rotating device 17 further away from the support member 15 than when it is in the second position, the distance between the rotation centerline C2 and the upper end of the support portion 37 of the support member 15 becomes greater than or equal to the first distance L1, and the guide portion 65 can be prevented from contacting the support portion 37.

[0038] As shown in Figure 11, when the rotating device 17 moves downward from the second position to the third position, the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 of the drive member 43 is guided by the support portion 37 of the support member 15. Specifically, when the rotating device 17 is in the second position, the guide portion 65 is supported so as to be able to move radially on the support portion 37. Subsequently, when the rotating device 17 moves further downward, the drive member 43 is pressed in the vertical direction. The legs 63 of the drive member 43 contract vertically due to this pressing. As described above, the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 is positioned at a distance from the virtual plane S1 in the first direction. As a result, the force accumulated by the contraction of the legs 63 is converted into a force that presses the guide portion 65 relatively against the support portion 37 in the first direction.

[0039] More specifically, when the guide portion 65 is positioned below the shaft portion 61 (Figure 10), the rotational speed of the rotating member 41 is relatively small. Also, at this time, the force applied to the drive member 43 in the first direction is small compared to the force applied in the vertical direction. As a result, the force applied to the drive member 43 in the vertical direction is stored in the leg portion 63 as an elastic force by compressing the leg portion 63. The force applied to the drive member 43 in the first direction is transmitted from the guide portion 65 to the support portion 37. In other words, the force applied in the first direction becomes the force that rotates the rotating member 41. Furthermore, as the rotating member 41 rotates, the guide portion 65 moves from a position below the shaft portion 61 to the first direction.

[0040] Subsequently, as the guide portion 65 moves from a position closer to the bottom of the shaft portion 61 to the first direction (Figure 11), the force applied to the drive member 43 in the first direction increases, while the force applied in the vertical direction decreases. In other words, as the force applied to the drive member 43 in the first direction increases, the force transmitted from the guide portion 65 to the support portion 37 increases. On the other hand, as the force applied to the drive member 43 in the vertical direction decreases, the force that retracts the leg portion 63 also decreases.

[0041] Subsequently, as the guide portion 65 moves further in the first direction, the elastic force of the legs 63 of the guide portion 65 becomes greater than the vertical force applied to the drive member 43. In other words, the force accumulated as elastic force in the legs 63 is converted into a force that moves the guide portion 65 away from the shaft portion 61 in the first direction. Therefore, when the guide portion 65 is positioned lower than the shaft portion 61, the legs 63 are retracted and elastic force is accumulated in the legs 63, and as the guide portion 65 moves in the first direction, the elastic force accumulated in the legs 63 can be converted into a force that separates the shaft portion 61 and the guide portion 65.

[0042] Here, the downward force applied to the shaft portion 61 is approximately constant. Also, the rotational speed of the rotating member 41 increases as the guide portion 65 moves in the first direction. Therefore, the drive member 43 can transmit the approximately constant downward force applied to the shaft portion 61 to the support portion 37 in accordance with the rotational speed of the rotating device 17.

[0043] As shown in Figure 12, when the rotating device 17 moves further downward to the fourth position, the guide portion 65 is positioned radially outward of the support portion 37. When the rotating device 17 is in the fourth position, the distance between the rotation centerline C2 and the upper end of the support portion 37 of the support member 15 is the second distance L2. In other words, when the distance between the rotation centerline C2 and the support portion 37 of the support member 15 is the second distance L2, the guide portion 65 is positioned radially outward from the outer edge of the support portion 37. By positioning the guide portion 65 radially outward from the outer edge of the support portion 37 in this way, the contact between the guide portion 65 and the support portion 37 is eliminated.

[0044] Here, while the rotating device 17 is in the third position, the drive member 43 presses the support portion 37 in the first direction. As described above, the support portion 15 is fixed to the base 11 and maintains its position. In other words, the rotating device 17 rotates in the opposite direction to the rotation direction shown in the figure by utilizing the force with which the drive member 43 presses the support portion 37 relatively in the first direction. Furthermore, the drive member 43 continues to press the support portion 37 relatively in the first direction until just before the rotating device 17 reaches the fourth position. In other words, when the rotating device 17 reaches the fourth position, it rotates by inertia in the opposite direction to the rotation direction shown in the figure.

[0045] Subsequently, when the user's pressing operation is released, the rotating device 17 is biased upward by the spring 21a and moves from the fourth position to the first position. Having moved to the first position in this way, the rotating device 17 rotates by inertia. Therefore, when the rotating device 17 moves to the first position and the guide portion 65 separates from the support portion 37, the resistance to the rotation of the rotating device 17 by inertia can be reduced.

[0046] Next, we will explain what happens when the rotating device 17 rotates unintentionally. As shown in Figure 2, the rotating structure provided in Stage 5 is designed with the understanding that the design body 9 and the rotating device 17 rotate when the mounting base 7 is pressed downward by the user, as described above. On the other hand, there is a possibility that the design body 9 and the rotating device 17 may be rotated manually (by external force) by the user without the mounting base 7 being pressed downward by the user (an irregular case). In particular, since Stage 5 is provided in toy 1 and the user is assumed to be a child, the above irregular case may occur.

[0047] As shown in Figures 10-12, when the rotating device 17 is positioned between the second and fourth positions, the guide portion 65 of the drive member 43 may come into contact with the support portion 37 of the support member 15. When the rotating device 17 rotates due to an external force while the guide portion 65 is in contact with the support portion 37 in this manner, the elastic leg portion 63 of the drive member 43 bends. As a result of the bending of the leg portion 63, the vertical distance between the rotation centerline C2 and the guide portion 65 becomes smaller than the distance between the rotation centerline C2 and the upper end of the support portion 37 of the support member 15. This eliminates the contact between the guide portion 65 and the support portion 37, allowing the rotating device 17 to rotate according to the external force. Therefore, even when the rotating device 17 rotates due to an external force, as in the irregular case described above, the rotating device 17 can eliminate the contact between the guide portion 65 and the support portion 37 because the leg portion 63 of the drive member 43 is elastic. Thus, the rotating device 17 can be rotated according to the external force. In particular, the legs 63 of the drive member 43 are formed in an S-shape, allowing them to flex without becoming rigid regardless of the direction in which the rotating device 17 rotates. Therefore, when the rotating device 17 rotates due to an external force, the force applied to the drive member 43 can be reduced.

[0048] As described above, the rotating structure according to the present invention comprises a support member 15 having a support portion 37, a rotating member 41 that is rotatable relative to the support member 15 on the rotation centerline C1 and movable along the rotation centerline C1, and a drive member 43 whose leg portion 63 and guide portion 65 are located between the support member 15 and the rotating member 41, and which is supported by the support portion 37 when it comes into contact with the support portion 37. When the support member 15 and the rotating member 41 move in a direction that brings them relatively closer together, the drive member 43 rotates the rotating member 41 relative to the support member 15.

[0049] As a result, when the rotating member 41 moves toward the support member 15 along the rotation axis 16b, it rotates the support member 15 and the rotating member 41 relative to each other. With this configuration, the force that moves the rotating member 41 toward the support member 15 can be converted into a force that rotates the support member 15 and the rotating member 41 relative to each other. Consequently, the rotating structure according to the present invention can suitably convert linear forces into rotational forces.

[0050] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the drive member 43 is supported by the rotating member 41 so as to be rotatable around the rotation centerline C2, and the rotation centerline C2 extends in a direction (horizontal direction) that intersects the direction in which the rotation centerline C1 extends (vertical direction).

[0051] As a result, when the rotating member 41 moves toward the support member 15 along the rotation axis 16b, the drive member 43 is pressed against the support part 37. The drive member 43 is also supported so as to be rotatable around a rotation centerline C2 that intersects the rotation centerline C1, etc. Therefore, the drive member 43 can rotate around the rotation centerline C2 as its axis.

[0052] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the drive member 43 has a shaft portion 61 that is supported by the rotating member 41 so as to be rotatable around the rotation centerline C2, a leg portion 63 extending from the shaft portion 61, and a lower end 65a of a guide portion 65 formed at the end of the leg portion 63 on the side different from the shaft portion 61 side, and which is supported by the support portion 37 when it comes into contact with the support portion 37. The lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 is spaced away from the rotation centerline C1 or the virtual plane S1 formed by the rotation centerline C2 and a line parallel to the rotation centerline C1.

[0053] As a result, the shaft portion 61 is rotatably supported on the shaft pin 55c extending along the rotation centerline C2. In addition, the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 is positioned away from the virtual plane S1 in the first direction. As a result, the force in the direction of movement is converted into the first direction. Furthermore, since the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 is supported by the support portion 37, the force converted into the first direction is transmitted as a force that moves the support portion 37 in the first direction when viewed from the shaft portion 61. Therefore, the rotation structure according to the present invention can rotate the support portion 37 in the direction of the force that moves it in the first direction relative to the rotating member 41. Thus, the rotation structure according to the present invention can give directionality to the relative rotation between the support member 15 and the rotating member 41.

[0054] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 comes closest to the virtual plane S1 and, when it contacts the support portion 37, it contacts the rotation axis 16b side of the support portion 37. This makes it possible to increase the time that the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 is supported by the support portion 37 compared to the case where the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 contacts a position on the support portion 37 that is spaced away from the rotation axis 16b.

[0055] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the rotating member 41 is provided with a plurality of drive members 43, and the plurality of drive members 43 are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotating shaft 16b. This makes it possible to evenly distribute the force in the direction of movement to the plurality of drive members 43.

[0056] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the distance from the rotation centerline C2 to the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 is a first distance L1, and the rotation centerline C2 can be separated from the support portion 37 by a distance of L1 or more. This prevents the support portion 37 and the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 from coming into contact when, for example, the rotating device 17 moves from the third position to above the second position.

[0057] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, when the distance between the rotation center line C2 and the support portion 37 is the second distance L2, the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 is located outside the outer edge 37d of the support portion 37. This prevents the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 from contacting the support portion 37 when, for example, the rotating device 17 moves from the second position to the fourth position and the rotating member 41 rotates relative to the support member 15.

[0058] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the support portion 37 protrudes toward the rotating member 41 and has a plurality of protrusions 37a extending radially from the rotation axis 16b, and the guide portion 65 has claws that are guided by the protrusions 37a.

[0059] This restricts the movement of the guide portion 65 in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the protrusion 37a extends, while allowing movement in the direction in which the protrusion 37a extends. Therefore, the support portion 37 receives a rotational force from the guide portion 65 about the rotation axis 16b, while deflecting the radial force, allowing the guide portion 65 to move towards the outer edge of the support portion 37.

[0060] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the protrusion 37a includes a first inclined portion 37b that moves away from the rotating member 41 as it moves in one direction (direction of rotation) around the rotation centerline, and a second inclined portion 37c that moves away from the rotating member 41 as it moves in the other direction around the rotation centerline. This makes it possible to release the force applied to the drive member 43 and prevent the drive member 43 from being damaged, even when the rotating member 41 is rotated in the direction of rotation or in the opposite direction of rotation while the guide portion 65 is in contact with the protrusion 37a.

[0061] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the guide portion 65 is notched on the side that is separated from the rotation centerline C1. This reduces the number of contact points between the support portion 37 and the guide portion 65 when the rotating device 17 is in the third position.

[0062] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the leg portion 63 is elastic. As a result, when the rotating device 17 moves from the second position to the fourth position, it temporarily accumulates force in the direction from the shaft portion 61 toward the guide portion 65, and then releases the accumulated force so as the relative rotation between the support member 15 and the rotating member 41 increases in speed, pressing the guide portion 65 toward the shaft portion 61. Consequently, the conversion efficiency of converting linear force into rotational force can be increased.

[0063] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, at least a portion of the leg portion 63 is formed to form an arc that is perpendicular to the rotation center line C2 and protrudes in a direction perpendicular to the rotation center line C2. As a result, even when the rotating member 41 is rotated in the rotational direction or in the opposite direction to the rotational direction while the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 is supported by the support portion 37, the leg portion 63 can be bent to relieve the support.

[0064] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the rotating member 41 is formed with a stopper 55b that restricts the rotation of the drive member 43, and the stopper 55b restricts the guide portion 65 from moving in the direction opposite to the first direction from the virtual plane S1. This makes it possible to position the guide portion 65 at a position separated from the virtual plane S1 in the first direction with a simple configuration. In particular, as described above, by arranging a plurality of drive members 43 at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotation axis 16b, the posture of at least one drive member 43 can be set to a posture along the direction of movement. A specific example is when the toy 1 is placed on an inclined ground, so that the rotation axis 16b is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the direction of gravity. In such a case, even when the rotating device 17 is in the second position, the guide portion 65 of some of the drive members 43 may move in the first direction due to gravity and may not contact the support portion 37. On the other hand, the stopper 55b of at least one drive member 43 abuts against the stoppered portion 61a. Therefore, when the rotating device 17 is in the second position, the guide portion 65 of at least one drive member 43 can be brought into contact with the support portion 37.

[0065] Furthermore, in the rotating structure according to the present invention, the direction of movement is the direction of gravity, and the shaft portion 61 is located above the support portion 37. This allows gravity to be used to cause the guide portion 65 to hang downward from the shaft portion 61, so that the guide portion 65 faces the support portion 37.

[0066] Furthermore, by employing the rotational structure in the toy 1 according to the present invention, it is possible to suitably perform effects such as converting linear force into rotational force.

[0067] Although embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments and various modifications are possible. For example, in this embodiment, a protrusion 37a that projects toward the rotating member 41 and extends radially from the shaft hole 35 has been described, but the base portion may extend as it extends radially, or it may be a so-called spiral gear that draws an arc toward the radially outward direction.

[0068] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the biasing device 13 is fixed to the base 11 and the rotating member 41 rotates around the rotation axis 16b. However, the rotating member 41 may be fixed to the frame of the toy 1 by the base 11 or the like, and the biasing device 13 may rotate around the rotation axis 16b. Alternatively, both the biasing device 13 and the rotating member 41 may rotate around the rotation axis 16b.

[0069] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes the shaft pin 55c being supported by the driven hole 55a in a position along the front-rear direction, it is sufficient that the biasing device 13 and the rotating member 41 be on an axis that intersects the direction in which they move relatively closer together or further apart. For example, they may be supported by the driven hole 55a in a position along an axis that extends downward as it moves away from the rotation axis. Also, in this embodiment, it was described that the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 is separated from the rotation centerline C1 or the virtual plane S1 formed by the rotation centerline C2 and a line parallel to the rotation centerline C1. Alternatively, the lower end 65a of the guide portion 65 may be separated from the rotation centerline C2 when viewed from the rotation centerline C1.

[0070] Furthermore, although this embodiment describes the biasing device 13 and the rotating member 41 rotating relative to each other around the rotation axis 16b, a cylindrical object that rotates relative to the outer edges of the biasing device 13 and the rotating member 41 may also be used, as long as the biasing device 13 and the rotating member 41 can rotate relative to each other around a predetermined axis.

[0071] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a shaft pin 55c is provided at the center P of the shaft portion 61, but it is sufficient that the guide portion 65 can be rotated around the center P, and a hinge pivotably attached to the driven portion 55 may be used as the pivot axis. Also, in this embodiment, a claw-shaped guide portion 65 and a protrusion 37a were described as an example of how the guide portion 65 is supported by the support portion 37, but support may also be provided by friction or by magnetic force. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0072] 1 toy 11 Base (Regulatory Section) 15. Support member (first member) 16b Rotation axis 31a Upper end (regulating part) 37 Support part 37a Convex part 37b 1st slope 37c 2nd slope 37d Outer edge 41 Rotating member (second member) 43 Drive Member 55b Stopper 55c Axle pin (rotating axis) 61 Shaft 63 Legs 65 Guide section 65a Lower end (supported part)

Claims

1. A first member having a support portion, A second member is rotatable relative to the first member on the rotational centerline and movable along the rotational centerline, The device comprises a drive member, at least a portion of which is located between the first member and the second member, and which is supported by the support when it comes into contact with the support, When the first member and the second member move in a direction that brings them relatively closer together, the drive member rotates the second member relative to the first member. Rotating structure.

2. The drive member is supported by the second member so as to be rotatable around the pivot centerline, The aforementioned rotational centerline extends in a direction intersecting the direction in which the rotational centerline extends. The rotating structure according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned drive member is The second member includes a shaft portion that is rotatably supported around the pivot center line, Leg portion extending from the aforementioned shaft portion, The leg portion has a supported portion formed at the end on the side different from the shaft portion, which, when it comes into contact with the support portion, is supported by the support portion. The supported portion is separated from the virtual plane formed by the rotation centerline or a line parallel to the rotation centerline and the rotation centerline. The rotating structure according to claim 2.

4. The supported portion is closest to the virtual plane and, when it contacts the support portion, contacts the support portion on the side of its rotational centerline. The rotating structure according to claim 3.

5. The second member is provided with a plurality of the drive members, The plurality of drive members are arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotation centerline, The rotating structure according to claim 1.

6. The drive member has a supported portion that, when it comes into contact with the support portion, is supported by the support portion. The distance from the pivot center line to the supported part is the first distance. The rotation centerline can be separated from the support portion by a distance greater than or equal to the first distance. The rotating structure according to claim 2.

7. The drive member has a supported portion that, when it comes into contact with the support portion, is supported by the support portion. When the distance between the pivot center line and the support portion is the second distance, the supported portion is located outside the outer edge of the support portion. The rotating structure according to claim 2.

8. The drive member has a supported portion that, when it comes into contact with the support portion, is supported by the support portion. The support portion has a plurality of protrusions that project toward the second member and extend radially from the rotational centerline, The supported portion has a claw that is guided by the protrusion. The rotating structure according to claim 1.

9. The aforementioned protrusion is, A first inclined portion that moves away from the second member as it moves in one direction around the rotational centerline, Includes a second inclined portion that moves away from the second member as it moves in the other direction around the rotational centerline. The rotating structure according to claim 8.

10. The aforementioned claw is notched on the side that is separated from the rotational centerline, The rotating structure according to claim 7.

11. The aforementioned leg portion has elasticity, The rotating structure according to claim 3.

12. The leg portion is formed such that at least a part of it traces an arc projecting from the virtual plane in at least one direction perpendicular to the vertical and in the direction opposite to the vertical. The rotating structure according to claim 11.

13. The second member has a stopper formed thereon that restricts the rotation of the drive member. The stopper restricts the supported portion from moving in the direction opposite to the vertical direction from the virtual plane. The rotating structure according to claim 3.

14. A toy having a rotating structure as described in claim 1.

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