Toys and toys with containers

Abstract

To provide a toy and a toy with a contained object that can present novelty and enjoyment different from the conventional ones.SOLUTION: A toy 50A is rectangular in shape that has eight blocks 1 to 8 each having three first surfaces and three second surfaces, and eight connected bodies 9 to 16 being bendable and connecting one side of blocks 1 to 8 to one side of other blocks 1 to 8. The toy can be developed in: a frontal form in which four blocks are arranged in two tiers and the first side in each block appears all outside and the second side is all hidden inside; a form of eight blocks arranged in a single tier; and a backside form in which four blocks are arranged in two tiers and the second side in each block appears all on the outside and the first side is all hidden on the inside. The connecting bodies 9 to 16 have an elastic force that energizes blocks 1 to 8 to deploy in the frontal form.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a toy that includes eight blocks and eight connectors that connect these blocks and that can be deployed into a predetermined shape, and to a toy with a container. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, as shown in Patent Document 1 below, a toy has been known in which eight cube-shaped blocks are connected by eight bendable connectors and can be deployed into a predetermined shape. As shown in Figure 3 of Patent Document 1, this toy has adjacent blocks connected to one side by connectors. Two of the eight connectors are connected to one block, and the two connectors are arranged in a twisted relationship with respect to each other (the connectors are not adjacent to each other but are arranged in a perpendicular positional relationship).

[0003] In this way, a toy made of eight blocks connected by eight connecting members can be expanded from the configuration shown in Figure 4 of Patent Document 1, in which four blocks are arranged in two layers to form a large cube (at this time, three white faces of each block are visible on the outside and three black faces, described below, are hidden inside), through the state shown in Figure 5, to the configuration shown in Figure 6, in which eight blocks are arranged in one layer to form a large rectangular parallelepiped.Then, by bending the connecting members as shown by the arrows from the configuration shown in Figure 6, it can be expanded into the configuration shown in Figure 7, and by further bending the connecting members as shown by the arrows, it can be expanded into the configuration shown in Figure 8, in which all white faces of each block are hidden inside and three black faces are visible on the outside. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 58-22185 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] With this type of conventional toy, players can enjoy the changes in shape as the blocks unfold, and the changes in color on the front and back of the blocks as they are swapped. However, this type of toy has been around for many years, and it has lost its originality.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a toy and a toy with a container that can provide novelty and enjoyment different from conventional toys. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention provides a device comprising eight rectangular parallelepiped blocks, each having three first faces and three second faces, and eight bendable connectors that connect one side of one of the blocks to one side of another of the blocks, wherein four of the blocks are arranged in two stages. Each stage a front side form in which eight blocks are arranged in one row, and the first faces of each block are all visible on the outside and the second faces are all hidden inside; a form in which eight blocks are arranged in one row; and a form in which four blocks are arranged in two rows. Each stage and a reverse configuration in which the second faces of each of the blocks are all visible on the front side and the first faces are all hidden inside, and the connecting body has an elastic force that urges the blocks to expand into the front configuration.

[0008] In the toy described above, it is preferable that one of the opposing second surfaces in the front side form has a first magnetic body, and the other has a second magnetic body that is attracted to the first magnetic body.

[0009] Furthermore, the above-mentioned toy may be configured such that, when two adjacent connecting bodies are positioned downward in the front side form and two sets of two adjacent connecting bodies are positioned to the sides, the heights of the four blocks positioned in the upper row are different from the heights of the four blocks positioned in the lower row, and / or the widths of the four blocks positioned in the upper row are different from the widths of the four blocks positioned in the lower row.

[0010] Furthermore, when the above-mentioned toy is in a position in which one set of two adjacent connecting bodies is located below and two sets of two adjacent connecting bodies are located to the sides in the front side form, it is preferable that the four blocks located in the lower row have protrusions on the outer edge of the lower surface.

[0011] Furthermore, when the above-mentioned toy is in a position in which one pair of two adjacent connecting bodies is positioned downward and two pairs of two adjacent connecting bodies are positioned laterally in the front side form, it is preferable that the toy has a concave portion on the top surface of adjacent blocks in the four blocks positioned in the upper tier and / or on the bottom surface of adjacent blocks in the four blocks positioned in the lower tier.

[0012] The present invention also provides a toy with a storage object, comprising any of the above-mentioned toys and a storage object stored in the toy, wherein the second surface has a recess that forms a storage space inside the eight blocks in the front side form, and the storage object is also a toy with a storage object having an article portion that can be stored in the storage space. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The toy of the present invention is constructed by connecting eight blocks and eight connecting members in the same manner as conventional toys, allowing it to change shape when unfolded, and the first and second faces of each block that appear on the outside can be swapped, allowing for changes in color and pattern. Furthermore, the connecting members have an elastic force that urges the blocks to unfold into their face-up form. When the pressure on the blocks is released (or the fingers are released) during unfolding, the toy automatically returns to its face-up form. This allows for a novelty that differs from conventional toys. Furthermore, since the toy is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, it is possible to change the shape of the toy using only one hand, and it can automatically return to its original form by releasing the pressure on the blocks, making it suitable for use as a fidget toy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] 1A is a perspective view of a first form (front side form) of one embodiment of a toy according to the present invention, and FIG. 1B is a diagram showing the arrangement of connectors in this embodiment. [Figure 2] 1, (a) is a perspective view of the block 1, (b) is a plan view of the block 1, and (c) is a right side view of the block 1. In FIG. [Figure 3] Regarding the connector 9 shown in FIG. 1, (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. [Figure 4] 1, (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view of the blocks 1 and 2 and the connector 9 shown in FIG. [Figure 5] Regarding the toy shown in Figure 1, (a) is a perspective view when it is unfolded into the second form, (b) is a perspective view when it is unfolded into the third form, and (c) is a perspective view when it is unfolded into the fourth form (reverse form). [Figure 6] 2A and 2B are perspective views of the toy shown in FIG. 1 when it is unfolded into a fifth form, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the toy when it is unfolded into a sixth form. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the toy shown in FIG. [Figure 8] 1. FIG. 5(a) is a perspective view of a further modified example of the toy shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. 5(b) is a plan view of the toy when unfolded into a fifth form. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing an example of a toy provided with a recessed portion. [Figure 10] FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the toy shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 11] FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the toy shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a modified example of the toy shown in FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] A toy 50A, which is one embodiment of a toy according to the present invention, will be described below. As shown in Fig. 1, the toy 50A includes eight blocks 1-8 and eight connecting bodies 9-16.

[0016] In this embodiment, blocks 1 to 8 are cubic as shown in the figure. In the state shown in FIG. 1(a), blocks 1 to 8 are arranged such that four blocks (blocks 1 to 4) are arranged on top of four blocks (blocks 5 to 8). The state in which four blocks (blocks 5 to 8) and four blocks (blocks 1 to 4) are arranged in two layers as shown in FIG. 1 is referred to as the first form of toy 50A (corresponding to the "front side form" in this specification, etc.). In this embodiment, toy 50A is cubic as a whole in the first form as shown in the figure, with the length of each side being approximately 30 mm to 40 mm, making it small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

[0017] Block 1 has six faces that form a square. Here, the faces located on the upper, front, right, rear, left, and lower sides from the viewpoint shown in FIG. 1(a) are referred to as faces 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, and 1f, respectively. Similarly, the faces of blocks 2 to 8 are referred to as faces 2a to 2f, faces 3a to 3f, and so on, 8a to 8f. Of the six faces of each of blocks 1 to 8, the three faces that appear on the outside in the first form (faces 1a to 1c in block 1) are referred to as first faces, and the faces hidden inside (faces 1d to 1f in block 1) are referred to as second faces. To distinguish between the first and second faces, the first faces are not hatched in the drawings, and the second faces are hatched.

[0018] In this embodiment, the block 1 also has grooves 1g and 1h, as shown in FIG. 2(a). Groove 1g extends linearly from the edge located at the boundary between surfaces 1c and 1d toward the edge located at the boundary between surfaces 1b and 1e (extending at a 45-degree angle with respect to surface 1c), and its end located inside the block 1 is circular when viewed from surface 1a. Groove 1g also penetrates at least one side of surfaces 1a and 1f. Groove 1h also extends linearly from the edge located at the boundary between surfaces 1b and 1f toward the edge located at the boundary between surfaces 1a and 1d, and its end located inside the block 1 is circular when viewed from surface 1c. Groove 1h also penetrates at least one side of surfaces 1c and 1e.

[0019] Although not shown, blocks 2 to 8 are also provided with grooves such as grooves 1g and 1h.

[0020] The connectors 9 to 16 connect one side of one of the blocks 1 to 8 to one side of any other block except that one. The connectors 9 to 16 are made of a flexible and elastic material (thermoplastic polyurethane, for example). In the toy 50A, the connectors 9 to 16 are provided in the hatched areas in FIG. 1(b). Explaining this in more detail, the connector 9 is provided between the face 1c of the block 1 and the face 2c of the block 2, and connects the edge located at the boundary between the face 1c and the face 1d to the edge located at the boundary between the face 2b and the face 2c. Connector 10 is provided between surfaces 3e and 4e, connector 11 is provided between surfaces 4b and 8b, connector 12 is provided between surfaces 1b and 5b, connector 13 is provided between surfaces 2d and 6d, connector 14 is provided between surfaces 3d and 7d, connector 15 is provided between surfaces 5f and 8f, and connector 16 is provided between surfaces 6f and 7f.

[0021] In Figure 1, toy 50A in the first form is shown in a position in which one pair of adjacent connecting bodies (the pair of connecting bodies 15 and 16) is positioned below and two pairs of adjacent connecting bodies (the pair of connecting bodies 11 and 12 and the pair of connecting bodies 13 and 14) are positioned to the side.

[0022] In this embodiment, the connectors 9 to 16 are shaped like a thin plate in a V-shape with circular ends, as shown in FIG. 3. The inner angle of the V-shaped portion of the connectors 9 to 16 is 90 degrees in the illustrated example, but is preferably less than that in order to prevent the blocks 1 to 8 from opening in the first configuration, as described below. The connectors 9 to 16 are formed from an elastic material (thermoplastic polyurethane, for example) and can be bent so that the angle of the V-shaped portion increases. When the connectors 9 to 16 are bent so that the angle of the V-shaped portion increases, an elastic force acts on the connectors 9 to 16, returning them to their original angle.

[0023] In this embodiment, the connectors 9 to 16 are held by the blocks 1 to 8 by being inserted into the grooves 1g, 1h, etc. described above. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, the connector 9 is held by the blocks 1 and 2 by being inserted into groove 1g of block 1 and groove 2g of block 2. Similarly, the connectors 10 to 16 can be assembled as shown in FIG. 1(a) by being inserted into groove 1h, etc. In this embodiment, the connectors 9 to 16 have circular portions at both ends, which prevents the connectors 9 to 16 from slipping out of the blocks 1 to 8. To prevent the connectors 9 to 16 from sliding out of the blocks 1 to 8 by sliding along the grooves, the connectors 9 to 16 may be glued to the blocks 1 to 8, or the connectors 9 to 16 may be fixed to the blocks 1 to 8 by driving pins to prevent sliding. In addition, slippage due to sliding can also be prevented by applying an anti-slip treatment to the surfaces of the connecting bodies 9 to 16 or the grooves of the blocks 1 to 8, or by making the thickness of the connecting bodies 9 to 16 thicker than the width of the grooves of the blocks 1 to 8 and then using an instrument to press them in when inserting them.

[0024] Toy 50A configured as described above can be deployed from the first configuration shown in FIG. 1 to the second configuration shown in FIG. 5(a) by opening connecting members 15 and 16 so that blocks 1, 2, 5, and 6 fall to the right and blocks 3, 4, 7, and 8 fall to the left. In the second configuration, blocks 1 to 8 are arranged in a single layer, as shown in the figure. In the second configuration, one second face of blocks 1 to 8 appears on the outside (blocks 1, 2, 3, and 4 have three first faces and one second face on the outside, and blocks 5, 6, 7, and 8 have two first faces and one second face on the outside).

[0025] Next, by opening the connecting members 9 and 10 so that blocks 1, 5, 8, and 4 fall forward and blocks 2, 6, 7, and 3 fall backward, the device can be deployed into the third configuration shown in Figure 5(b). In the third configuration, blocks 1 to 8 are arranged in a single layer, as shown in the figure. In addition, in the third configuration, two second faces of blocks 1 to 8 appear on the outside (blocks 1, 2, 3, and 4 have two first faces and two second faces on the outside, and blocks 5, 6, 7, and 8 have one first face and two second faces on the outside).

[0026] Thereafter, by opening connecting members 12 and 13 so that blocks 1 and 2 fall to the right, and by opening connecting members 11 and 14 so that blocks 3 and 4 fall to the left, the fourth configuration shown in FIG. 5(c) (corresponding to the "reverse configuration" in this specification) can be achieved. In the fourth configuration, as shown in the figure, blocks 5 to 8 are arranged in two layers on top of blocks 1 to 4. In addition, in the fourth configuration, the first faces of blocks 1 to 8 are all hidden inside, and three second faces are exposed on the outside.

[0027] In the second, third, and fourth configurations, the connectors 9 to 16 are in an open state (the inner angle of the V-shaped portion of the connectors 9 to 16 was 90 degrees in the first configuration, but it is 270 degrees in the open configuration). Therefore, in the second, third, and fourth configurations, an elastic force is generated in the connectors 9 to 16, which tries to return them to their original state.

[0028] That is, when the grip of the hand holding toy 50A is released while toy 50A is in the second configuration, toy 50A automatically transitions to the first configuration due to the elastic force of connectors 15 and 16. When the grip of the hand holding toy 50A is released while toy 50A is in the third configuration, toy 50A automatically transitions to the second configuration due to the elastic force of connectors 9 and 10, and further automatically transitions to the first configuration due to the elastic force of connectors 15 and 16.

[0029] Furthermore, when toy 50A is released from the fourth configuration, two different configuration changes are possible. In one case, the release of the grip allows the elastic forces of connectors 11-14 to act before the elastic forces of connectors 9 and 10. In this case, the elastic forces of connectors 11-14 first cause the toy to transition to the third configuration, and then, as described in paragraph 0028, it transitions to the first configuration via the second configuration. In the second case, the release of the grip allows the elastic forces of connectors 9 and 10 to act before the elastic forces of connectors 11-14. In this case, the elastic forces of connectors 9 and 10 first cause blocks 5, 8, 1, and 4 to tip forward, and blocks 6, 7, 2, and 3 to tip backward, and toy 50A automatically deploys to the fifth configuration shown in FIG. 6(a). In the fifth configuration, blocks 1-8 are arranged in a single layer, as shown in the figure. In the fifth form, the first faces of blocks 1 to 8 appear one on the outside (blocks 1, 2, 3, and 4 have one first face and two second faces on the outside, and blocks 5, 6, 7, and 8 have one first face and three second faces on the outside).

[0030] Furthermore, due to the elastic force of connectors 15 and 16, blocks 5, 1, 2, and 6 fall to the right and blocks 8, 4, 3, and 7 fall to the left, so that toy 50A automatically unfolds into the sixth configuration shown in FIG. 6(b). In the sixth configuration, blocks 1 to 8 are arranged in a single layer, as shown in the figure. In addition, in the sixth configuration, two first faces of blocks 1 to 8 appear on the outside (blocks 1, 2, 3, and 4 have two first faces on the outside and one second face on the outside, and blocks 5, 6, 7, and 8 have two first faces on the outside and two second faces on the outside).

[0031] Furthermore, due to the elastic force of connectors 11-14, blocks 5 and 8 fall forward and blocks 6 and 7 fall backward, so that toy 50A automatically deploys to the first form shown in FIG. 1. For convenience of explanation, the deployment from the fourth form to the first form is described in stages. However, when toy 50A automatically deploys due to the elastic force of connectors 9-16, it deploys continuously from the fourth form to the first form without stopping at each stage. Although two deployment patterns from the fourth form to the first form have been described, deploying to the fourth form while holding it down with your hands requires pushing against the elastic force of connectors 11-14. Therefore, when toy 50A deploys to the fourth form, the elastic force of connectors 9 and 10 often begins to act before the elastic force of connectors 11-14 acts, and the toy is already approaching the fifth form. As a result, the toy often automatically transitions to the first form via the fifth and sixth forms, as described in paragraph 0029.

[0032] As described above, according to toy 50A of this embodiment, even if toy 50A is in one of the second to sixth forms, when the user releases the grip of the hand holding toy 50A, toy 50A automatically unfolds into the first form. This provides a novelty different from conventional toys. Even if the user manually unfolds toy 50A from the first form to the sixth form, fifth form, and fourth form, in the reverse order of the procedure described in paragraphs 0024 to 0031 above, toy 50A automatically transitions to the first form in the same manner as described above. Furthermore, because toy 50A is small enough to fit in the palm of one's hand, it can be changed into different forms with one hand, and it can automatically return to the first form by releasing the grip of the fingers holding blocks 1 to 8. This allows it to be used as a fidget toy.

[0033] The toy described above may be provided with a recessed portion (recessed portion 21D) as shown in FIG. 9(a). In FIG. 9(a), toy 50D is shown in the first configuration, as in FIG. 1, with one pair of adjacent linked bodies (the pair of linked bodies 15 and 16) positioned below and two pairs of adjacent linked bodies (the pair of linked bodies 11 and 12 and the pair of linked bodies 13 and 14) positioned to the sides. In this configuration, recessed portions 21D are provided on the top surfaces of adjacent blocks among the four blocks (blocks 1 to 4) positioned in the upper tier (in this embodiment, hemispherical recessed portions 21D are provided so as to span the top surfaces of all of blocks 1 to 4). When such recessed portions 21D are provided, pressing a finger against recessed portions 21D makes it easier for blocks 1 and 2 to fall to the right and blocks 3 and 4 to fall to the left, thereby facilitating the unfolding from the first configuration to the second configuration. The recessed portion may be a groove-like portion, like recessed portion 21E provided in toy 50E shown in Fig. 9(b). In this embodiment, recessed portion 21E is provided so as to straddle the upper surfaces of adjacent blocks 1 and 4 and the upper surfaces of adjacent blocks 2 and 3. Even in such recessed portion 21E, the toy can be easily deployed from the first form to the second form by pressing a finger against recessed portion 21E.

[0034] The recessed portions are also effective when expanding a toy from the first form into the sixth form. In this case, the recessed portions may be provided on the undersides of adjacent blocks among the four blocks (blocks 5 to 8) located in the lower tier. One example is the recessed portion 21F provided on the toy 50F shown in FIG. 9(c). The toy 50F shown in FIG. 9(c) is the toy 50D and 50E shown in FIGS. 9(a) and 9(b) turned upside down, with the recessed portions 21F provided on the undersides (top surfaces in FIG. 9(c)) of adjacent blocks 5 and 6 and adjacent blocks 7 and 8, respectively. In this embodiment, the two recessed portions 21F are triangular, tapering inward from the outer edge of the toy 50F when viewed from the perspective of facing the undersides (top surfaces in FIG. 9(c)) of blocks 5 to 8. When such a triangular recess 21F is provided, the recess 21F is positioned away from the center of the toy 50F, which is easily noticeable, and therefore does not impair the appearance.

[0035] Next, a modified example of the toy 50A will be described. Fig. 7 shows a toy with a container, which is composed of a toy 50B and a container 60.

[0036] Toy 50B includes blocks 1 to 8 and connectors 9 to 16 arranged in the same manner as toy 50A described above. In addition, toy 50B has a first magnetic body 17 on one of the opposing second surfaces in the first embodiment described above, and a second magnetic body 18 that is attracted to first magnetic body 17 on the other. In this embodiment, for opposing surfaces 1e of block 1 and 4c of block 4, first magnetic body 17 is provided on surface 1e and second magnetic body 18 is provided on surface 4c, and further, for opposing surfaces 2e of block 2 and 3c of block 3, first magnetic body 17 is provided on surface 2e and second magnetic body 18 is provided on surface 3c.

[0037] The first magnetic body 17 and the second magnetic body 18 may both be hard magnetic bodies, or one may be a hard magnetic body and the other a soft magnetic body. Here, a hard magnetic body refers to a body whose magnetic poles do not easily disappear or reverse once magnetized (i.e., a permanent magnet). A soft magnetic body refers to a body whose magnetic poles disappear or reverse relatively easily (e.g., a piece of iron).

[0038] In this way, toy 50B can maintain its cubic shape as a whole because the attractive force between first magnetic body 17 and second magnetic body 18 acts to hold blocks 1 to 8 together in the first form, preventing them from opening up. In toy 50B in the first form, connecting bodies 15 and 16 support blocks 1, 2, 5, and 6 so that they do not tip to the right and blocks 3, 4, 7, and 8 so that they do not tip to the left (see FIG. 1(b)). However, repeated bending of connecting bodies 15 and 16 can cause temporary (or permanent due to deterioration over time) settling depending on the material of the connecting bodies, which can cause blocks 1, 2, 5, and 6 to tend to open up from blocks 3, 4, 7, and 8. However, toy 50B, which includes first magnetic body 17 and second magnetic body 18, can prevent blocks 1, 2, 5, and 6 from opening up from blocks 3, 4, 7, and 8 even in such cases. The first magnetic body 17 and the second magnetic body 18 may be provided at any location on the opposing second surfaces in the first configuration where gaps are noticeable, or at multiple locations. However, since blocks 1 to 4 are positioned at the top in the position shown in FIG. 1(b), gaps between blocks 1 and 4 and between blocks 2 and 3 are easily noticeable, the configuration shown in this embodiment is preferable. Also, in FIG. 7, two pairs of first magnetic body 17 and second magnetic body 18 are provided, one pair per pair. However, one of these pairs may be omitted in some cases. In the state shown in FIG. 7, blocks 1 and 2 operate as a unit, and blocks 3 and 4 also operate as a unit. Therefore, when blocks 1 and 4 are attracted to each other by magnetic force, a force in the same direction acts on blocks 2 and 3. If the closure of blocks 2 and 3 is sufficient, the magnetic bodies provided for blocks 2 and 3 may be omitted.

[0039] 7, toy 50B has recesses 19 on the second faces of blocks 1 to 8 (in this embodiment, faces 1e, 2e, 5e, and 6e of blocks 1, 2, 5, and 6, and faces 3c, 4c, 7c, and 8c of blocks 3, 4, 7, and 8). In this embodiment, each recess 19 has a shape like a cylinder divided into eight parts, and when toy 50B is deployed into the first form, a cylindrical storage space S is formed inside blocks 1 to 8.

[0040] The storage item 60 includes an article portion 61 that is stored in the storage space S, and a string portion 62 that is attached to the article portion 61. In this embodiment, the article portion 61 is cylindrical, and the string portions 62 are attached to both ends of the article portion 61.

[0041] With such a toy with a container comprising toy 50B and container 60, as shown in FIG. 7 , when toy 50B is open, item portion 61 can be placed inside recess 19, and then toy 50B can be closed to fit item portion 61 into storage space S. Furthermore, by associating the shapes and colors of toy 50B and item portion 61 with each other (for example, toy 50B being shaped and colored like a peach fruit, and item portion 61 being shaped and colored like a peach seed), a novelty different from conventional toys can be presented. Furthermore, when placing item portion 61 inside recess 19, one end of string 62 attached to item portion 61 can pass through the gap surrounded by blocks 1, 4, 5, and 8, and the other end of string 62 can pass through the gap surrounded by blocks 2, 3, 6, and 7. When toy 50B is closed, string 62 is pulled out from toy 50B. Therefore, toy 50B can be hung using string 62. The string portion 62 may have a hook such as a key holder at one end and the other end attached to one side of the article portion 61 .

[0042] The toy with a storage object described above may be configured with a toy 50B' and a storage object 60' as shown in FIG. 10. The storage object 60' includes an item portion 61' shaped like a T-shape formed by combining cylindrical portions 61a' and 61b', and a string portion 62' attached to the cylindrical portion 61b'. The recess 19' provided in the toy 50B' is shaped so that the item portion 61' fits into the storage space S' formed when the toy 50B is deployed into the first form. When the item portion 61' is stored in the storage space S', one end of the cylindrical portion 60b' is exposed from the toy 50B'. That is, in the toy with container contents shown in Fig. 7, when the article section 61 is stored in the storage space S, the string section 62 is pulled out to the outside of the toy 50B through the gaps between the blocks 1 to 8, but in the case of the toy with container contents configured as shown in Fig. 10, when the article section 61' is stored in the storage space S', the string section 62' can be pulled out directly from the article section 61' to the outside of the toy 50B. Note that the string sections 62, 62' do not necessarily have to be provided on the container contents 60, 60', and container contents 60, 60' without the string sections 62, 62' may be used.

[0043] Next, toy 50C, which is a further variation of toy 50A described above, will be described with reference to FIG. 8. Toy 50C includes blocks 1'-8' and connecting members 9'-16'. Blocks 1'-8' are generally rectangular parallelepipeds with rounded outer corners. While connecting members 9-16 described above were approximately the same length as each side of blocks 1-8, connecting members 9'-16' are long enough so that they do not extend too far beyond the rounded blocks 1'-8'. Toy 50C of this example is modeled after a persimmon.

[0044] 1 (the first form in which the pair of connecting bodies 15', 16' is positioned downward and the pair of connecting bodies 11', 12' and the pair of connecting bodies 13', 14' are positioned to the side), the height of blocks 1'-4' located in the upper tier is lower than the height of blocks 5'-8' located in the lower tier. That is, when toy 50C is configured in this manner, when toy 50C of this embodiment is unfolded into the above-mentioned fifth form (see FIG. 6(a)), the heights of blocks 1'-4' are low, so that the gaps between block 1' and block 4' and between block 2' and block 3' are large, as shown in FIG. 8(b). Therefore, when the fifth form is deployed to the sixth form by the elastic force of the connecting bodies 15 and 16 (i.e., when blocks 5', 1', 2', and 6' fall to the right and blocks 8', 4', 3', and 7' fall to the left), interference between blocks 1' and 4' and between blocks 2' and 3' is avoided, allowing for a smooth transition when automatically deployed from the fifth form to the sixth form, and also a smooth transition to the first form.

[0045] The function of smoothly transitioning from the fifth form to the sixth form described above is also realized in toy 50G shown in FIG. 11(a). Toy 50G includes blocks 1G to 8G instead of blocks 1 to 8 of toy 50A. Here, blocks 1 to 8 of toy 50A are all cubic, but blocks 1G to 4G are shorter than blocks 1 to 8, and blocks 5G to 8G are narrower than blocks 1 to 8. In other words, in toy 50G, blocks 1G to 4G are shorter than blocks 5G to 8G, and blocks 5G to 8G are narrower than blocks 1G to 4G. That is, in toy 50G, blocks 1G to 4G are shorter than blocks 5G to 8G, and therefore, when toy 50G is unfolded into the fifth form described above (see FIG. 6(a)), the gaps between blocks 1G and 4G and between blocks 2G and 3G are large, as shown in FIG. 11(b). Therefore, when the toy 50G is deployed from the fifth form to the sixth form by the elastic force of the connectors 15 and 16, interference between blocks 1G and 4G and between blocks 2G and 3G is avoided, allowing for a smooth transition when automatically deploying from the fifth form to the sixth form. Furthermore, in the toy 50G, the widths of blocks 5G to 8G are smaller than those of blocks 1G to 4G. Therefore, when the toy 50G is deployed from the first form to the sixth form, the fifth form, and the fourth form, the gaps between blocks 5G and 6G and between blocks 7G and 8G become larger in the third form (see FIG. 5(b)), as shown in FIG. 11(c). Therefore, interference between blocks 5G and 6G and between blocks 7G and 8G is avoided when the toy 50G is deployed from the third form to the second form by the elastic force of the connectors 9 and 10, allowing for a smooth transition when automatically deploying from the third form to the second form.

[0046] Contrary to the function of allowing a smooth transition when unfolding as described above, it is also possible to provide a toy with a function that creates a "pause" when unfolding (creating a slight catchy feeling). In this case, for example, a configuration like toy 50H shown in FIG. 12(a) may be used. Toy 50H includes blocks 1H to 8H instead of blocks 1 to 8 of toy 50A. Here, blocks 1H to 4H are narrower than blocks 1 to 8, and blocks 5H to 8H are shorter than blocks 1 to 8. In other words, in toy 50H, blocks 1H to 4H are narrower than blocks 5H to 8H, and blocks 5H to 8H are shorter than blocks 1H to 4H. That is, in toy 50H, blocks 1H-4H are narrower than blocks 5H-8H. Therefore, when toy 50H is unfolded into the fifth configuration, as shown in FIG. 12(b), the gaps between blocks 2G and 3G and between blocks 1G and 4G are smaller than the gaps between blocks 6G and 7G and between blocks 5G and 8G. Therefore, when toy 50H is unfolded from the fifth configuration to the sixth configuration due to the elastic force of connectors 15 and 16, blocks 2G and 3G and blocks 1G and 4G come into contact with each other, creating a gap between blocks 5G and 6G and between blocks 7G and 8G. Furthermore, in toy 50H, blocks 5H-8H are shorter than blocks 1H-4H. Therefore, when toy 50H is unfolded from the first configuration to the sixth configuration, fifth configuration, and fourth configuration, the gaps between blocks 5G and 6G and between blocks 7G and 8G are smaller than the gaps between blocks 1G and 2G and between blocks 3G and 4G. Therefore, when the third configuration is expanded to the second configuration by the elastic force of the connectors 9 and 10, the blocks 5G and 6G and the blocks 7G and 8G come into contact with each other, creating a "hold" at that time.

[0047] In this way, when one pair of two adjacent connecting bodies (the pair of connecting bodies 15 and 16 in the illustrated example) is positioned below and two pairs of two adjacent connecting bodies (the pair of connecting bodies 11 and 12 and the pair of connecting bodies 13 and 14) are positioned to the side, if the height of the four blocks located on the upper tier (blocks 1 to 4) differs from the height of the four blocks located on the lower tier (blocks 5 to 8) and / or the width of the four blocks located on the upper tier differs from the width of the four blocks located on the lower tier, the toy can be given the function of allowing smooth transitions when unfolded and the function of creating a ``reservoir'' when unfolded.

[0048] It is also possible to configure a block that combines the smooth rotation function shown in FIG. 11 with the ability to create a "build-up" function shown in FIG. 12. That is, while retaining the characteristic that blocks 1G-4G are shorter in height than blocks 5G-8G in FIG. 11, blocks 5G-8G may be configured with a wider width than blocks 1G-4G. In this case, in a pattern in which blocks are deployed from the first form to the second form to the third form to the fourth form, a smooth transition from the fifth form to the sixth form can be achieved. In a pattern in which blocks are deployed from the first form to the sixth form to the fifth form to the fourth form, a "build-up" can be achieved when the blocks are deployed from the third form to the second form. Conversely, while retaining the characteristic that blocks 5G-8G are shorter in width than blocks 1G-4G in FIG. 11, blocks 1G-4G may be configured with a higher height than blocks 5G-8G. In this case, if the pattern is to develop from the first form to the second form, third form, fourth form, etc., it is possible to create a "pause" when developing from the fifth form to the sixth form, and if the pattern is to develop from the first form to the sixth form, fifth form, fourth form, etc., it is possible to make a smooth transition when developing from the third form to the second form.

[0049] Furthermore, toy 50C shown in FIG. 8 has protrusions 20 on the outer edges of the lower surfaces of blocks 5'-8' located in the lower row. As described above, when toy 50C is in the first configuration shown in the figure (i.e., the pair of connecting members 15' and 16' is positioned downward and the pair of connecting members 11' and 12' and the pair of connecting members 13' and 14' are positioned to the side), if connecting members 15 and 16 begin to sag, blocks 1', 2', 5', and 6' may become slightly spaced apart from blocks 3', 4', 7', and 8'. This problem can be solved by using magnetic materials, as explained in paragraphs 0035-0038, but this increases the cost of materials and assembly. On the other hand, in the case of toy 50C, which is designed to resemble a specific object, most aesthetic issues can be resolved if the spacing between blocks is not noticeable when the object is placed in the most typical way (in the case of toy 50C, the stem of the persimmon is placed at the top). Therefore, by providing protrusions 20, blocks 1', 2', 5', and 6' can be tilted to the left and blocks 3', 4', 7', and 8' can be tilted to the right due to the effect of gravity, thereby preventing the above-mentioned opening. Note that the location where protrusions 20 are provided may be outside the center of gravity of the two upper and lower blocks (for example, in the case of protrusion 20 provided on block 5, it may be outside the center of gravity of blocks 1 and 5). Furthermore, protrusions 20 do not have to have a clearly recognizable protrusion shape as shown in Figure 8(a), and may have a shape that bulges out from the periphery as long as it has the effect of causing gravity to act in a direction that prevents the above-mentioned opening.

[0050] Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to this specific embodiment. Unless otherwise specified in the above description, various modifications and variations are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims. Furthermore, the effects of the above embodiment are merely illustrative of the effects of the present invention and do not necessarily mean that the effects of the present invention are limited to these. For example, the feature of being able to see the inside by unfolding the blocks is similar to that of conventional toys. It goes without saying that the internal state may be expressed by printing directly on the blocks, by attaching stickers, or by using bumps and grooves. Furthermore, the blocks may be rectangular, and the lengths of the three sides extending from one vertex may all be equal, as shown in FIG. 1, or two sides may be equal and one side may be different, or all three sides may be different. [Explanation of symbols]

[0051] 1~8: Block 1'~ 8': Block 1a-1c: First side in Block 1 1d~1e: Second face in Block 1 9~16: Connector 9'~ 16': Concatenation 17: First magnetic material 18:Second magnetic material 19: Recess 20: Protrusion 50A~50H: Toys 60, 60': Contents 61, 61': Articles Department 62, 62': String section S, S': Storage space

Claims

1. Eight blocks each having a rectangular parallelepiped shape and three first faces and three second faces; eight bendable connectors that connect one side of each block to one side of another block; a front side configuration in which four of the blocks are arranged in two tiers, with all of the first faces of the blocks appearing on the outside and all of the second faces hidden inside; a configuration in which eight of the blocks are arranged in one tier; and a back side configuration in which four of the blocks are arranged in two tiers, with all of the second faces of the blocks appearing on the outside and all of the first faces hidden inside, The connecting body has an elastic force that urges the blocks to deploy into the front side configuration.

2. The toy according to claim 1 , wherein one of the second surfaces facing each other in the front-side configuration has a first magnetic body, and the other has a second magnetic body that is attracted to the first magnetic body.

3. 2. The toy of claim 1, wherein, in the front side form, when two adjacent connecting bodies are positioned downward and two sets of two adjacent connecting bodies are positioned laterally, the heights of the four blocks positioned in the upper row are different from the heights of the four blocks positioned in the lower row, and / or the widths of the four blocks positioned in the upper row are different from the widths of the four blocks positioned in the lower row.

4. 2. The toy according to claim 1, wherein, in the front side configuration, when one set of two adjacent connecting bodies is positioned below and two sets of two adjacent connecting bodies are positioned to the sides, the four blocks positioned in the lower row have protrusions on the outer edges of their lower surfaces.

5. 2. The toy according to claim 1, wherein, when the toy is in the front-side configuration in which one set of two adjacent connecting bodies is positioned downward and two sets of two adjacent connecting bodies are positioned laterally, the top surfaces of adjacent blocks among the four blocks positioned in the upper tier and / or the bottom surfaces of adjacent blocks among the four blocks positioned in the lower tier have concave portions.

6. A toy with a container comprising the toy according to any one of claims 1 to 5 and a container contained in the toy, the second surface has recesses that form storage spaces inside the eight blocks in the front side configuration, The container is a toy with a container having an item part that can be stored in the storage space.

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