Model toy and structure

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a novel system for a movable mechanism in a model toy, for example. [Solution] A model toy comprises a first portion having a first part, a second part rotatably connected to the first part, and a third part that holds the second part therein and connects the second part to the first part, the second part having a grip part having the shape of the upper half or lower half of a C-shape.

Description

Model toys and structures

[0001] The present invention relates to model toys and structures.

[0002] To realize movements and poses similar to those of humans and animals, doll toys (model toys) include various joints and movable parts. Some model toys can be transformed into multiple forms, and in this case, they have mechanisms related to transformation in addition to movable mechanisms such as joints. Patent Document 1 proposes a transformable toy that can be combined with a model toy.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-109108

[0004] Transformable model toys like those in the above-mentioned conventional technology require a mechanism for transformation in addition to moving mechanisms such as various joints. Even for model toys that do not have a transformation mechanism, when they have a moving function, conventional moving mechanisms may not be suitable depending on the shape and size of the model toy, and so proposals for new moving mechanisms have been sought.

[0005] The present invention provides a novel mechanism for a moving mechanism in, for example, a model toy.

[0006] The present invention is characterized in that, for example, a first portion includes a first part, a second part rotatably connected to the first part, and a third part that sandwiches the second part and connects to the first part, and the second part has a gripping portion shaped like the upper or lower half of a C-shape.

[0007] Furthermore, the present invention is, for example, a model toy structure comprising a first portion having a first part, a second part rotatably connected to the first part, and a third part that sandwiches the second part and connects to the first part, and is characterized in that the second part has a gripping portion shaped like the upper or lower half of a C-shape.

[0008] According to the present invention, a novel mechanism of a movable mechanism can be provided in a model toy.

[0009] (a) Perspective views showing the appearance of a first form, (b) second form, and (c) third form of a model toy according to one embodiment. (a) Appearance of a first form of a model toy according to one embodiment, and (b) an exploded view of the left arm. (a) Exploded perspective view of a forearm of a model toy according to one embodiment. A diagram showing the configuration of each part that makes up a portion of a forearm of a model toy according to one embodiment. (a) A portion of a forearm of a model toy according to one embodiment, (b) an exploded view of a portion of the forearm, and (c) a diagram showing symmetrical parts. A cross-sectional view of a forearm of a model toy according to one embodiment.

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

[0011] <Appearance of the Model Toy> First, a model toy that can be transformed into multiple forms according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 1. Fig. 1(a) shows a perspective view of the appearance of the model toy 100 in a first form, Fig. 1(b) shows the model toy 100 in a second form, and Fig. 1(c) shows the model toy 100 in a third form. Note that the x, y, and z arrows indicate the upward, left, and forward directions of the model toy, respectively, and this also applies to the other figures.

[0012] The model toy 100 includes a head 101, a chest 102, arms 103a and 103b, a waist 104, legs 105a and 105b, and wings 106, which constitute a main body. In this embodiment, a humanoid robot is used as an example of a model toy, but this is not intended to be limiting, and the present invention can be applied to various models such as humans, animals, robots, insects, dinosaurs, weapons, and ornaments. Furthermore, the model toy 100 according to this embodiment can transform from a first form, which is a robot form, to a second form, which is an intermediate form, shown in FIG. 1(b), and further to a third form, which is a flying form, shown in FIG. 1(c).

[0013] The head 101 is connected to a chest 102. A right arm 103b and a left arm 103a are further connected to the sides of the chest 102 by connecting members, and a waist 104 is connected to the lower part. A right leg 105b and a left leg 105a are connected to the waist 104. Furthermore, wing sections 105 are connected to the backs of the chest 102 and waist 104, and serve as wings when the robot transforms into a second form, which is an intermediate form, or a third form, which is a flying form.

[0014] 1(b), the model toy 100 according to this embodiment can be transformed from the robot form (first form) into an intermediate form (second form) by pushing the head 101 downward, while pushing the parts near the waist 104 upward, and rotating the arms 103, legs 105, etc. In the second form, as shown in FIG. 1(b), the wings 106 that were located on the back in the robot form are positioned at the top, and the chest 102 and waist 104 are positioned below them.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 1( c), the model toy 100 can be transformed from the second form into a flying form (third form) by further folding the arms 103 and legs 105 so that they fit into the wings 106.

[0016] As described above, the model toy 100 according to this embodiment requires a movable mechanism to move each part in order to transform from the robot form to the intermediate form and then to the flying form. This requires more parts than a model toy without a transformation mechanism. Manufacturing many parts requires corresponding molds, and the increased number of molds required increases costs and reduces productivity. Therefore, in the model toy 100 according to this embodiment, for example, some of the parts that make up the right arm 103a and the left arm 103b are molded using the same mold for the left and right gimmicks. By constructing the model toy 100 in this way, including parts that share a common mold, molding the parts becomes easier.

[0017] <Arm Configuration> Next, the configuration of the arms of the model toy 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2(a) shows the first form of the model toy 100, similar to Figure 1(a). Figure 2(b) shows the exploded configuration of the left arm 103b. Here, the configuration of the left arm 103b will be described, but the configuration of the right arm 103a will not be described because it has the same configuration as the left arm 103b.

[0018] The left arm 103b is composed of parts 201 to 206. Each part is composed of one or more members. Part 201 constitutes the shoulder joint of the model toy 100 and is rotatably connected to the chest 102, and is also connected to part 202 that constitutes the upper arm. Furthermore, part 202 is connected at its lower part to part 203 that constitutes the elbow joint. Part 203 has a rotation mechanism in the center, allowing the upper arm and forearm to rotate relative to each other.

[0019] Part 203 is further connected to part 204 that constitutes the forearm. Part 205 that constitutes the hand is connected to the bottom of part 204, and part 206 that constitutes the tail is connected to the side. Tail part 206 rotates in conjunction with a rotation mechanism included in part 204, and rotates in response to the transformation of model toy 100 from the first form to the third form.

[0020] FIG. 3 shows the exploded structure of forearm part 204. The forearm is composed of parts 301 to 305. Furthermore, as described above, part 206 constituting the tail is connected to part 204 to form the forearm. Part 302 is the base part of the forearm. Part 304 is rotatably inserted into part 302, and part 302 is sandwiched between parts 301 and 303, which are exterior parts. Furthermore, part 305, which is connected to part 205 constituting the hand, is fitted into these parts. Furthermore, part 206 constituting the tail is connected to rotatable part 304.

[0021] <Configuration of Each Part> Next, the configuration of each part that constitutes a part of the forearm according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4(a) shows the exploded configuration of a part of the forearm, and Fig. 4(b) shows the configuration after assembly.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 4A , part 302, which serves as the base of the forearm, includes a rotation axis 401, an insertion hole 402, and connection portions 403 and 404. The rotation axis 401 serves as the axis along which part 304 rotates. The insertion hole 402 is an opening for inserting part 304. The insertion hole 402 is formed as a through-hole so that part 304 can be received from both sides of part 302. In FIG. 4A , which shows an example of the forearm of left arm 103b, part 304 is inserted into insertion hole 402 from a first direction, as indicated by the dotted arrow. On the other hand, when constructing right arm 103a (not shown), part 304 is inserted into insertion hole 402 from a second direction opposite to the first direction. This allows left and right gimmicks (both arms) to be formed using the same part. Details will be described later with reference to FIG. 5 . Part 303 is connected to connection portion 403, and part 305 shown in FIG. 3 is connected to connection portion 404.

[0023] The part 304, which is a rotating part, includes a gripping portion 421 and a connecting portion 422. The gripping portion 421 is inserted into the insertion hole 402 and is formed in a shape that rotates along the rotation axis 401. Specifically, the gripping portion 421 is formed in an arched shape. This arched shape is the lower half of a C-shape. Note that in this embodiment, the lower half of a C-shape is described as an example, but the gripping portion 421 may be formed in the upper half of a C-shape depending on the location where the present invention is applied. By forming the gripping portion 4221 in this way as half of a C-shape, a movable mechanism can be realized in a small space and the part can be prevented from becoming large. The connecting portion 422 is connected to the part 206 that constitutes the tail. Therefore, the part 206 can rotate in conjunction with the rotation of the part 304.

[0024] Part 303 is formed as an exterior part on the dorsal side of the forearm. Part 303 has a rotation groove 411 and a connection portion 412. As indicated by the dashed arrow, part 303 is connected to part 302, into which part 304 has been inserted, by sandwiching part 304 from below in the figure. At this time, connection portion 412 engages with connection portion 403 of part 302 for connection. This prevents part 304 from falling off part 302. As described above, part 304 has a gripping portion 421, which is inserted into part 302, that is not C-shaped, but is formed as the upper or lower half of a C-shape. While this prevents the model toy from becoming larger, it also weakens the gripping force on part 302. Therefore, according to this embodiment, sandwiching part 304 between parts 303, which constitute the exterior parts, has the effect of compensating for the reduced gripping force. This allows for an optimal rotation mechanism to be realized without increasing the size of the parts.

[0025] The rotation groove 411 is a groove that exposes the connecting portion 422 of the part 304 to the outside from the part 303, and is formed along the rotation range of the part 304. As a result, the part 206 that constitutes the tail is connected to the connecting portion 422 outside the part 303. FIG. 4(b) shows the assembled state of the parts 302 to 304. As shown by the arrow direction in FIG. 4(b), after the parts 302 to 304 are assembled, the part 304 can rotate along the rotation groove 411 formed in the part 303. The connecting portion 422 is exposed to the outside from the part 303, and the part 206 that constitutes the tail can be connected.

[0026] The part 302 of the left arm 103b corresponds to the first part, the part 304 corresponds to the second part, and the part 303 corresponds to the third part. Furthermore, the parts (not shown) corresponding to the parts 302, 304, and 303 of the right arm 103a correspond to the fourth part, the fifth part, and the sixth part, respectively.

[0027] <Configuration of the left and right gimmicks> Next, the configuration of the left and right gimmicks (forearm parts) in the model toy 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5(a) shows a part of the left and right forearms. Fig. 5(b) shows an exploded view of Fig. 5(a). Fig. 5(c) shows the left and right parts 303.

[0028] As shown in Figure 5(a), the rotating parts 304a and 304b of the left and right forearms are connected to the outside, because the tail parts 206a and 206b are attached to the connecting parts 422a and 422b, respectively.

[0029] FIG. 5(b) shows the assembly configuration of parts 302-304 to FIG. 5(a). Parts 302a and 302b used for the forearms of the left and right gimmicks have the same shape. Parts 304a and 304b also have the same shape for the same left and right gimmicks. However, in the forearm of the right arm 103a, part 304a is inserted into part 302a from the right side in the figure (first direction). On the other hand, in the forearm of the left arm 103b, part 304b is inserted into part 302b from the left side in the figure (second direction opposite the first direction). Thus, according to this embodiment, parts having the same shape are used for the left and right gimmicks. This allows the mold for molding these parts to be shared.

[0030] Furthermore, in the left and right forearms, parts 303a and 303b are connected to the combined parts group of parts 302 and 304 from below in the figure, sandwiching parts 304a and 304b. Here, as shown in FIG. 5C , unlike parts 302 and 304, parts 303a and 303b do not have the same shape on the left and right, but are formed with a symmetrical shape. This allows rotation spaces to be formed on the respective side surfaces of parts 304a and 304b, which are inserted from the opposite direction relative to parts 302a and 302b. The reason parts 303a and 303b are formed symmetrically is that rotation grooves 411a and 411b are formed on the side surfaces opposite each other, while no such grooves are formed on the side surfaces of parts 303a and 303b opposite rotation grooves 411a and 411b.

[0031] Thus, according to this embodiment, when configuring the left and right gimmicks, the number of parts with symmetrical shapes is minimized, and the remaining parts are formed so that the left and right gimmicks have the same shape. This allows for efficient manufacturing of the model toy 100. Note that, although some parts have been described as having symmetrical shapes, this is not intended to limit the present invention, and parts with symmetrical shapes in the up and down directions, for example, may also be used.

[0032] <Rotational Operation of Part 304> Next, the rotational operation of the part 304 of the arm 103 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6(a) shows a cross-sectional view of the left arm 103a taken along line A-A' in Fig. 5(a). Fig. 6(b) shows a cross-sectional view of the right arm 103b taken along line B-B' in Fig. 5(a).

[0033] As shown in Figure 6(a), part 304a rotates in the direction of the arrow around rotation axis 401a of part 302a, and can rotate to the position of part 304a shown by the dotted line. The rotation range and direction are restricted by rotation groove 411a formed in part 303a. On the other hand, as shown in Figure 6(b), part 304b rotates in the direction of the arrow around rotation axis 401b of part 302b, and can rotate to the position of part 304b shown by the dotted line. Parts 206a and 206b that constitute the tail fins are connected to parts 304a and 304b, respectively, and as a result of the above-mentioned rotation, the connected parts 206a and 206b also rotate in the same manner.

[0034] As described above, the model toy according to this embodiment includes a first section including a first part, a second part rotatably connected to the first part, and a third part connected to the first part by sandwiching the second part. The second part has a gripping portion shaped like the upper or lower half of a C-shape. This embodiment provides a novel movable mechanism for model toys. The model toy according to this embodiment also includes a second section including a fourth part having the same shape as the first part, a fifth part having the same shape as the second part, and a sixth part having a shape symmetrical to the third part, the sixth part being connected to the fourth part by sandwiching the fifth part rotatably connected to the fourth part. Thus, this embodiment provides a novel mechanism for model toys in which the same parts can be applied to different parts. Therefore, a single mold can be used to mold the parts used for both the left and right gimmicks, reducing molding costs and molding load.

[0035] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the invention. For example, the shape of the model toy is not particularly limited, and includes various shapes such as people, animals, robots, insects, dinosaurs, etc.

[0036] Summary of the Embodiments The above embodiments disclose at least the following model toys and structures: (1) A model toy comprising a first portion including a first part, a second part rotatably connected to the first part, and a third part connected to the first part by sandwiching the second part, wherein the second part has a gripping portion shaped like the upper or lower half of a C. (2) The model toy described in (1) further comprising a second portion including a fourth part having the same shape as the first part, a fifth part having the same shape as the second part, and a sixth part having a shape symmetrical to the third part and connected to the fourth part by sandwiching the fifth part rotatably connected to the fourth part. (3) The model toy described in (2) above, wherein the second part is inserted into the first part from a first direction, and the fifth part is inserted into the fourth part from a second direction opposite to the first direction. (4) The model toy described in (2) or (3) above, wherein other parts are connected to the second part and the fifth part. (5) The model toy described in any one of (2) to (4), characterized in that the third part and the sixth part have bilaterally symmetrical shapes. (6) The model toy described in any one of (2) to (5), characterized in that the third part and the sixth part restrict the rotation range of the second part or the fifth part. (7) The model toy described in (4), characterized in that the first part is the right arm of the model toy, and the second part is the left arm of the model toy. (8) The model toy described in (7), characterized in that the other part is a wing connected to the arm of the model toy, and rotates in accordance with the rotation of the second part and the fifth part in each of the multiple forms of the model toy. (9) The model toy described in any one of (2) to (8), characterized in that a common mold is used to mold the first part and the fourth part, and a common mold is used to mold the second part and the fifth part.(10) A structure for a model toy, comprising a first portion having a first part, a second part rotatably connected to the first part, and a third part connected to the first part by sandwiching the second part, wherein the second part has a gripping portion shaped as the upper or lower half of a C-shape.

[0037] 100: Model toy, 101: Head, 102: Chest, 103a, 103b: Arms, 104: Waist, 105a, 105b: Legs, 106: Wings

Claims

1. A first part, a second part rotatably connected to the first part, and a third part that sandwiches the second part and is connected to the first part, the first part having a first portion, wherein the second part has a gripping portion having a shape of an upper or lower half of a C shape, a model toy characterized by this.

2. The model toy according to claim 1, further comprising a second portion including a fourth part having the same shape as the first part, a fifth part having the same shape as the second part, and a sixth part having a shape symmetrical to the third part, the sixth part sandwiching the fifth part rotatably connected to the fourth part and connecting to the fourth part.

3. The model toy according to claim 2, wherein the second part is inserted into the first part from a first direction, and the fifth part is inserted into the fourth part from a second direction opposite to the first direction.

4. The model toy according to claim 2, wherein other parts are connected to the second part and the fifth part.

5. The model toy according to claim 2, wherein the third part and the sixth part have a bilaterally symmetrical shape.

6. The model toy according to claim 5, wherein the third part and the sixth part regulate the rotation range of the second part or the fifth part.

7. The model toy according to claim 4, wherein the first part is the right arm part of the model toy, and the second part is the left arm part of the model toy.

8. The model toy according to claim 7, wherein the other part is a wing connected to the arm part of the model toy, and is rotated as the second part and the fifth part rotate in each of a plurality of forms of the model toy.

9. The model toy according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein the molds for molding the first part and the fourth part are shared, and the molds for molding the second part and the fifth part are shared.

10. A structure of a model toy, comprising a first part, a second part rotatably connected to the first part, and a third part that sandwiches the second part and is connected to the first part, the first part having a first portion, wherein the second part has a gripping portion having a shape of an upper or lower half of a C shape, a structure characterized by this.

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