Reconfigurable Doll

Abstract

A reconfigurable doll is disclosed. The reconfigurable doll includes a body, an accessory, and a movement mechanism. The body including a torso and hip portion that is movably coupled to the torso. The accessory is coupled to the body and movable between a first position and a second position. The movement mechanism is configured to move the torso with respect to the hip portion and simultaneously move the accessory between the first position and the second position.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/459,488, filed Feb. 15, 2017, entitled “Reconfigurable Doll,” the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention is directed generally to toy dolls and, more particularly, to reconfigurable toy dolls with one or more movable components that may be actuated through user manipulation so as to reconfigure the doll.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Dolls and figurines have been and continue to be a stable source of entertainment for children. Some conventional figurines or dolls have movable components, but these movements are typically conventional movements of one or more parts. Generally, any enhancements, accessories, and features that spark a child's imagination and provide continued engagement of the toy doll with the child add to a doll's play value and build a bond between the child and the toy doll. Consequently, dolls with new and interesting movements, as well as accessories that move in new and interesting manners, are continually desired to provide entertaining dolls.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to at least one embodiment, a reconfigurable doll includes a body, an accessory, and a movement mechanism. The body includes a torso and a hip portion that is movably coupled to the torso. The accessory is coupled to the body and movable between a first position and a second position. The movement mechanism is configured to move the torso with respect to the hip portion and simultaneously move the accessory between the first position and the second position.

In some of these embodiments the accessory is coupled to the torso and configured to rotate relative to the torso. The accessory may also include a first part and a second part that are configured to rotate relative to the torso in sync. Additionally or alternatively, the torso is configured to move from a rest position to an extended position as the accessory moves from the first position to the second position. Still further, in some embodiments, the torso is configured to move vertically with respect to the hip portion so that the overall height of the body can be selectively extended.

According to at least one other embodiment, a reconfigurable doll includes a lower assembly, an upper assembly, and an accessory. The upper assembly is configured to move vertically with respect to the lower assembly. The accessory is coupled to the upper assembly and configured to rotate relative to the upper assembly as the upper assembly moves vertically with respect to the lower assembly. In at least some of these embodiments, the upper assembly includes a torso with shoulders and a bottom surface. The torso may be coupled to the lower assembly via a connector configured to allow the bottom surface of the torso to move vertically with respect to the lower assembly. Additionally or alternatively, the reconfigurable doll may include a movement mechanism and an actuator. The actuator is configured to be actuated by user manipulation and actuation of the actuator causes the movement mechanism to move the upper assembly vertically with respect to the lower assembly while simultaneously rotating the accessory about the upper assembly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a doll, including a body and an accessory, configured in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of another exemplary embodiment of a doll, including a body and an accessory, configured in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of the doll of FIG. 1 including clothing or apparel while the doll is in a first position or configuration.

FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of the doll of FIG. 1 including clothing or apparel while the doll is in a second position or configuration.

FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate front views of the doll of FIG. 2 including clothing or apparel, while the doll is in the first position the second position, respectively.

FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of the doll of FIG. 1 including clothing or apparel, but with the accessory removed for clarity.

FIG. 8 illustrates a back view of the doll of FIG. 1 including clothing or apparel while in the first position or configuration.

FIG. 9 illustrates a back view of the doll of FIG. 2 including clothing or apparel while in the first position or configuration.

FIG. 10 illustrates a back view of the accessory included in the doll of FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 illustrates a back view of a mechanism included in the doll of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 illustrates a side view of a component included in the mechanism of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 illustrates an exploded perspective view of a portion of the doll of FIG. 2.

FIG. 14 illustrates a front view of a portion of the accessory included in the doll of FIG. 2.

FIG. 15 illustrates a front view of a portion of the movement mechanism of FIG. 13.

FIG. 16 illustrates a front view of another portion of the movement mechanism of FIG. 13.

FIG. 17 illustrates a side view of at least a part of each of the portions of the movement mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16.

Like reference numerals have been used to identify like elements throughout this disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A toy doll or figurine with a movable torso and accessory is presented herein. Generally, the torso is movable or expandable with respect to a lower portion of the body of the doll. That is, the torso of the doll is movable with respect to the hips and legs of the doll. More specifically, the torso expands (i.e., telescopes or moves) upwards with respect to the hip portion of the doll so that the doll appears to grow in height. Meanwhile, the accessory is mounted to the torso, such as on the back of the torso, and is configured to move (i.e., rotate) around or about the torso. For example, the accessory may rotate about an axis (i.e., an axis extending through a front and back of the doll) from a first position in which the accessory is substantially adjacent and/or parallel to the body to a second position in which the accessory extends away and/or around the body. Put another way, the accessory may rotate or move from a first position in which the accessory extends (or appears to extend) downwards from shoulders of the torso to a second position in which the accessory extends above and outwards from the shoulders of the torso.

The torso and the accessory may each be individually movable, but in at least some embodiments, the torso and the accessory may be synchronized to move together. More specifically, the accessory may be configured to move to its second position (also referred to as an expanded, extended, or actuated position) as the torso moves upwards, to its extended or actuated position. Similarly, the accessory may be configured to move to its first position (also referred to as rest position or unactuated position) as the torso moves downwards, to its rest or unactuated position. In at least some embodiments, the accessory comprises branches or branch-like structures and, thus, as the torso and accessory move, in sync, to their expanded positions, the doll may simulate the growth of a tree-like humanoid. Synchronizing these movements allows the doll to transform in multiple ways in response to a single actuation. This new and interesting movement may engage a child's imagination and increase the play or entertainment value of the doll.

Now referring to the Figures, generally FIGS. 1-9 illustrate examples of toy dolls that may be configured to represent human-like characters, licensed characters, copyrighted characters, or any other suitable fantasy or real-life characters. The terms “character,” “figurine,” “figure,” and “doll” can be used interchangeably herein. To simplify the description of this toy doll, the various embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1-9 are described with the same reference numbers. Moreover, features of doll 10 illustrated in FIGS. 10-17 are given reference numbers that correspond to the examples illustrated in FIGS. 1-9.

Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, doll 10 includes a body 100 and an accessory 200 that is movably coupled or mounted to the body 100, as is discussed in further detail below. The body 100 includes a neck 108, a torso 110, a hip portion 120 (which may also be referred to as hips 120 or lower torso 120), a pair of arms 140 and 145, and a pair of legs 150 and 155. As shown in FIG. 2, the body 100 may also include a head 118 (mounted on neck 108) that depicts facial features of any desired characters. The head 118 may also include any desirable hair extending therefrom.

The torso 110 and hip portion 120 may be partially or substantially hollow and may each include a front section and a back section joined together by appropriate means, such as a connector or screw or a press fit connection of components of the sections (one example of this construction is illustrated in FIG. 10). In some embodiments, the back and the front sections of each of the torso 110 and the hip portion 120 may be permanently joined together at one or more points. Alternatively, the back and the front sections may not be permanently joined together for the purposes of repair and/or replacements of component parts of doll 10, if necessary.

Arm 140 and arm 145 extend from a shoulder section 112 of the torso 110 (i.e., at ball joints included in the shoulder section 112) and may be movably attached to torso 110 so as to enable each of arm 140 and arm 145 to pivot independently about respective shoulder joints included in shoulder section 112. Similarly, legs 150 and 155 extend from the hip portion 120 (i.e., at ball joints included in the hips 120) and may be movably attached to hip portion 120 so as to enable each of leg 150 and leg 155 to pivot independently. Each of arm 140, arm 145, leg 150, and leg 155 can be referred to as an appendage for the doll 10. In different embodiments, the arms 140, 145 and legs 150, 155 may include different aesthetic or decorative features, as desired. For example, in the example embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, the arms 140, 145 include branch-like decorative extensions.

Collectively, neck 108, torso 110, arm 140, and arm 145 (as well as any head mounted on neck 108, such as head 118, or other such features included above a connector 130) may be referred to as the upper assembly or portion 102 of the body 100. Similarly, leg 150, leg 155 and hips 130 (and any other features included below the connector 130) may be collectively referred to as the lower assembly or portion 104 of the body 100. The upper assembly 102 is movably coupled to the lower assembly 104 via a connector 130 so that the upper assembly 102 can be selectively, vertically separated from the lower assembly 104. That is, the upper assembly 102 can be selectively moved upwards, in direction D1, away from the lower assembly 104 and/or the lower assembly 104 can be selectively moved downwards, in direction D2, away from the upper assembly 102. Consequently, the body 100 can selectively expand (in a telescoping-like manner). After expanding the body 100, the body 100 can be shrunk or contracted back to its original or rest position by moving the assemblies in an opposite direction (i.e., moving the upper assembly 102 in direction D2 and/or moving the lower assembly 104 in direction D1).

More specifically, in the depicted embodiments, the connector 130 extends between a bottom surface 114 of the torso 110 and a top surface 122 of the hips 120. The hips 120 are fixedly coupled to the connector 130, at least with respect to vertical movement (i.e., the hips 12 may rotate around the connector 130 if desired). Consequently, the hips 120 cannot move in direction D1 or D2 with respect to the connector 130. By comparison, the torso 110 is movably mounted (i.e., slidably mounted) on the connector 130 (as is explained in further detail below in connection with FIGS. 10-17). Consequently, upon actuation of a movement mechanism included in the doll 10, the torso 110 can move upwards, in direction D1, on the connector 130, expanding (i.e., increasing the height or length) of the body 100. However, in other embodiments, the movable connection between the torso 110 and the hips 120 may be provided in any manner. For example, the connector 130 may be movable and/or the hips 120 may be movably coupled to the connector 130.

Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, doll 10 also includes an accessory 200 that may be shaped like branches of a tree. The accessory 200 includes a first part of portion 202 and a second part or portion 222. The first part 202 includes one or more main branches 204 that each include secondary branches 206 (which in turn may also include sub-branches, but, for simplicity, any sub-branches off of main branches 204 are collectively referred to as secondary branches 206). The main branches 204 and secondary branches 206 of the first part 202 are configured to selectively extend away from a first side S1 of doll 10. Similarly, the second part 222 includes main branches 224 and secondary branches 226 that are configured to selectively extend away from a second side S2 of doll 10 (secondary branches 226 may also include sub-branches, but, again, for simplicity, any sub-branches off of main branches 224 are collectively referred to as secondary branches 226).

In alternative embodiments, the accessory 200 or parts thereof, may have different configurations or shapes. For example, in the embodiments depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, parts 202 and 222 include a different number of branches that are also shaped or sized differently. More specifically, in FIG. 1, part 202 includes two main branches 204 and part 222 includes two main branches 224. By comparison, in FIG. 2, part 202 includes three main branches 204 and part 222 includes three main branches 224. In particular, in FIG. 2, part 202 includes main branches 204(1), 204(2), and 204(3), while part 222 includes main branches 224(1), 224(2), and 224(3). As will be explained in further detail below, in at least some embodiments, only some of the main branches included in the accessory may move. For example, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2, only main branches 204(2), 204(3), 224(2), and 224(3) may move (while branches 204(1) and 224(1) remain stationary). By comparison, in FIG. 1, all branches included in each of part 202 and part 222 may move (i.e., rotate).

Still further, in some embodiments, the accessory 200 may have any overall shape or configuration. For example, the accessory 200 may be configured as wings and may not include branches at all. Alternatively, the accessory 200 may comprise wings that are formed by mounting one or more layers of material over the branches (which may provide a support).

Now referring to FIGS. 3-6, the doll 10 includes clothing or apparel 160 that covers a majority of the body 100. More specifically, in the depicted embodiment, the apparel 160 covers a majority of the torso 110 and all of the hips 120, leaving the appendages of the body 100, as well as the shoulders 112 exposed. However, in alternative embodiments, the apparel 160 may cover any part or portion of body 100 (i.e., the appendages and shoulders may be covered and/or the midriff may be uncovered if desired) provided that the apparel 160 allows for movement of the upper assembly 102 with respect to the lower assembly 104.

In the depicted embodiment, the apparel 160 includes a first or upper dress portion 162, a second or lower dress portion 172, and a bodice 180. The bodice 180 covers a majority of the torso 110 while the dress portions 162 and 172 are configured to provide the appearance of a single garment (or garment portion) that collectively covers portions of the body 100 disposed beneath the bodice 180, whether the doll is a rest position P1 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) or an extended position P2 (see FIGS. 4 and 6). More specifically, the first dress portion 162 is configured to substantially extend between the bodice 180 and the lower dress portion 172, whether the doll is a rest position P1 (see FIGS. 3 and 5) or an extended position P2 (see FIGS. 4 and 6).

Still referring to FIGS. 3-6, but now with reference to FIG. 7 as well, the top edge 164 (see FIG. 7) of the first dress portion 162 is secured around a portion of the torso between the shoulders 112 and the bottom 114 (see FIG. 1), such as at a midpoint of the torso 110. The bottom edge 163 of the first dress portion 162 hangs free (i.e., it is not coupled or secured to the body) and thus, can hang over portions of the second dress portion 172 (and/or the connector 130). This allows the first assembly 102 to move upwards with respect to the second assembly 104 while also providing the doll with realistic apparel 160. The second dress portion 172 may also be coupled to the body 100 in a similar manner to the first dress portion 162. That is, a top edge 174 (see FIG. 7) of the second dress portion 172 may be secured to the body 100. However, the top edge 174 may be secured around the hips 120 adjacent the top surface 122 (see FIG. 1) of the hips 120. This may ensure that the hips 120 remain covered during movement or actuation of assemblies 102 and 104.

Now referring again to FIGS. 3-6, in FIGS. 3 and 5, the doll 10 is illustrated in a first position P1, which may also be referred to as rest position P1 or unactuated position P1, but in FIGS. 4 and 6, the doll 10 is illustrated in a second position P2, which may also be referred to as an extended position P2 or an actuated position P2. When the doll 10 is in the first position P1, the upper assembly 102 is substantially adjacent to the lower assembly 104 (and, thus, the torso 110 is substantially adjacent to the hips 120). That is, the body 100 is in a non-extended position BP1 (which may also be referred to as a first body position). Additionally, when the doll 10 is in the first position P1, the accessory 200 is substantially adjacent to the upper assembly 102 (and, thus, the accessory 200 is substantially adjacent to the torso 110). Put another way, the accessory 200 is in a non-extended position AP1 (which may also be referred to as a first accessory position) where the accessory 200 extends downwards from the shoulder 112 (see FIG. 1). In the non-extended position AP1, the main branches 204 on the first part 202 of the accessory 200 and the main branches 224 on the second part 222 of the accessory 200 may be condensed or compressed together so that the accessory 200 is tight or close to the body 100.

By comparison, when the doll 10 is in the second position P2, the upper assembly 102 is separated or moved away from the lower assembly 104 (and, thus, the torso 110 is spaced from the hips 120) so that the doll 10 appears taller or longer. That is, the body 100 is in an extended position BP2 (which may also be referred to as a second body position). Additionally, when the doll 10 is in the second position P2, the accessory 200 extends substantially outwards or away from the upper assembly 102 (and, thus, the accessory 200 extends substantially outwards or away from the torso 110). Put another way, the accessory 200 is in an extended position AP2 (which may also be referred to as a second accessory position) where the accessory 200 extends upwards and outwards from the shoulder 112 (see FIG. 1). In the extended position AP2, the main branches 204 on the first part 202 of the accessory 200 and the main branches 224 on the second part 222 of the accessory 200 may spread or move apart so that the accessory 200 spans a wide area around the body 100 (on both sides S1 and S2). Consequently, various attachments 300 can be attached or hung from the accessory 200 when the accessory is in the extend position AP2, as shown in FIG. 6.

In some embodiments, it may be easier to move the doll 10 between position P1 and position P2 when the doll 10 is secured in or on a base (as it may allow for a one-handed manipulation). An example base 20 is depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6. The base 20 includes a platform 22 that is surrounded by doors 24, 26 and a rear panel 28. The doors 24, 26 may be selectively secured together (e.g., via a snap connection or lock) and may be opened or closed when the doll 10 is reconfigured between position P1 and position P2. The rear panel 28 may include features configured to secure the doll 10 to the base 20 so that the doll 10 does not tip or fall over when the doll 10 is reconfigured between position P1 and position P2.

Now turning to FIGS. 7-9, but with continued reference to FIGS. 3-6, the doll 10 can be moved between its first position P1 and its second position P2 when an actuator 230 is actuated. In the depicted embodiment, the actuator 230 is a rotatable actuator that is included on a rear portion of the torso 110. When the actuator 230 is rotated in a clockwise direction D3, the doll moves from its first position P1 to its second position P2. Then, to move the doll 10 from position P2 back to position P1, the actuator 230 can be rotated counter-clockwise, in direction D4. In the depicted embodiment, the actuator 230 may lock the doll in position P1, position P2, or any position therebetween. For example, the actuator 230 may be frictionally secured in any position (i.e., when a user releases the actuator 230) and, thus, may frictionally secure the assembly 200 and body 100 in any desired position. However, in other embodiments, the actuator may be only be lockable in certain positions (i.e., positions associated with positions P1 and P2) and/or may be biased in a certain direction so that the doll 10 is biased to a certain position (i.e., biased in direction D4 to bias the doll 10 towards position P1). Moreover, in alternative embodiments, the actuator 230 may be any type of actuator and may actuate the doll to move between positions P1 and P2 in any manner (i.e., push button, lever, etc.).

Still referring to 7-9, the accessory 200 is mounted to the torso 110 of the body 100 via a mounting 240. For clarity, the mounting 240 is shown with the accessory 200 in FIGS. 8 and 9, but without the accessory 200 in FIG. 7. In the depicted embodiment, the mounting 240 is disposed above the actuator 230, but is separated from the actuator 230 by enough space to allow a user to easily grasp and manipulate the actuator 230. As will be discussed in detail below, the accessory 200 extends from either side of the mounting 240. In particular, the first part 202 and the second part 222 extend from opposite sides of the mounting 240. Part 202 and part 222, or at least portions thereof, may each be configured to rotate about an axis extending through a connection point within the mounting 240 so that the accessory can move between its rest position AP1 and its extended position AP2.

Two example movement mechanisms 250 that are configured to move the accessory 200 as the upper assembly 102 of the doll moves with respect to the lower assembly 104 of the doll 10 (i.e., as the torso 110 moves with respect to the hops 120) are depicted in FIGS. 10-17 and described in detail below. The mechanism 250 shown in FIGS. 10-12 is included in the example embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 7, and 8. Meanwhile, the mechanism 250 shown in FIGS. 13-17 is included in the example embodiment shown in FIGS. 2, 5, 6, and 9. Since these mechanisms provide substantially the same movements, the mechanisms are labeled with like reference numbers. The labeling with like reference numbers is also appropriate because either of the depicted embodiments, as well any other embodiments of the present invention, could incorporate any desirable movement.

Generally, the movement mechanisms 250 are configured to respond to an actuation of the actuator 230 by moving (i.e., rotating) the accessory 200 from its rest position AP1 to its extended position AP2 while simultaneously moving (i.e., vertically move or slide) the body 100 from its rest position BP1 to its extended position BP2 (see FIGS. 3-6 for the positions). Alternatively, the movement mechanism 250 can respond to an actuation of the actuator by moving (i.e., rotating) the accessory 200 from its extended position AP2 to its rest position AP1 while simultaneously moving (i.e., vertically move or slide) the body from its extended position BP2 to its rest position BP1 (see FIGS. 2 and 3 for the positions). That is, the drive mechanism 250 is configured to move the doll 10 from its first position P1 to its second position P2, or vice versa, in response to a single actuation (i.e., at the actuator 230).

First turning to FIGS. 10-12, in this particular embodiment, the first part 202 and the second part 222 of the accessory extend away from opposite sides of a cylindrical casing 242. In particular, the first part 202 of the accessory 200 is secured within a rotational coupler 252 included on a first side of the cylindrical casing 242 and the second part 222 of the accessory 200 is secured within a rotational coupler 262 included on a second, opposite side of the cylindrical casing 242. Part 202 and part 222 may each be configured to rotate about an axis extending through its respective coupler 252, 262 (i.e., an axis extending through the front and back of the doll 10).

Although not shown, couplers 252 and 262 may each extend interiorly into the body 100 of the doll to interact with a movement mechanism 250 (see FIG. 11) that may be substantially embedded or encapsulated within an interior cavity of the torso 110 (i.e., as is shown in FIG. 13). As will be explained, the movement mechanism 250 may connect the mounting 240 (and/or the accessory 200) with the actuator 230 so that actuation of the actuator 230 actuates the accessory 200 (i.e., via the mounting 240). The mounting 240 may allow this interaction by providing access to an interior cavity of the body 100. For example, the surface or face of the mounting 240 adjacent the body 100 may be or include an opening or aperture that provides access to the interior of the body 100. Alternatively, the mounting 240 may be configured in any manner that allows the accessory 200 to be mechanically coupled to the actuator 230 and the movement mechanism 250 included in the body 100. For example, the mounting 240 could be disposed within the body 100 and the accessory 200 could access the mounting 240 via apertures included in the body 100.

In FIG. 11, the movement mechanism 250 included in the example embodiment shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 7, and 8 is shown from a back view (i.e., from the back of the doll 10, but with the body 100 and accessory 200 removed). In this depicted embodiment, the movement mechanism 250 includes a rack 270 that extends between follower gears 234(1) and 234(2) (which may be pinions and are collectively referred to herein as follower gears 232) and driving gears 232(1) and 232(2) (which may also be pinions and are collectively referred to herein as driving gears 232). In the depicted embodiment, the follower gears 234(1) and 234(2) are mechanically coupled to couplers 252 and 262, respectively, and the driving gears 232(1) and 232(2) are mechanically coupled to the actuator 230. Meanwhile, although not shown, the rack 270 is fixedly coupled to the torso 110 so that any vertical movement of the rack 270 imparts vertical movement to the torso 270 (i.e., in either direction D1 or D2 to move the body between positions BP1 and BP2 (see FIGS. 1-6)). For example, the rack 270 may be fixedly coupled to the torso 110 and slidingly coupled to the connector 130 (which may be fixedly coupled to the actuator 230 and associated driving gears 232) so that movement of the rack 270 slides the torso 110 vertically along the connector 130.

Still referring to FIG. 11, in the depicted embodiment, at least one of the actuating gears 232 is mechanically coupled to the actuator 230 (see FIGS. 7-9) so that at least one of the driving gears 232 drives the rack 270 when the actuator 230 is actuated (i.e., as the actuator 230 is rotated clockwise or counter-clockwise). Meanwhile, follower gears 234(1) and 234(2) are mechanically coupled to gears 254 and 264 that are included in couplers 252 and 264, respectively, and, thus, when the rack 270 is driven upwards by the driving gears 232, the follower gears 234 rotate the couplers 252 and 262. As is explained below in connection with FIG. 12, rotation of couplers 252 and 262 rotates the accessory 200 between its rest position AP1 and its extended position AP2.

In embodiments where both of the driving gears 232 are coupled to the actuator 230, at least one of the actuating gears 232 is coupled to the actuator 230 through a gear train to ensure that the actuating gears 232 rotate in opposite directions upon actuation of the actuator 230. This may ensure that the actuating gears 232 drive the rack 270 in the same direction. For example, upon actuation of the actuator 230 in direction D3 (see FIGS. 8 and 9), actuating gear 232(1) may rotate in direction D5 and actuating gear 232(2) may rotate in direction D6 to drive the rack 270 upwards in direction D1 (which, in turn, may move the body to position BP2, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6). Then, in the same example, upon actuation of the actuator 230 in direction D4 (see FIGS. 8 and 9), actuating gear 232(1) may rotate in direction D6 and actuating gear 232(2) may rotate in direction D5 to drive the rack 270 downwards in direction D2 (which, in turn, may move the body to position BP1, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5). By comparison, if only one of the driving gears 232 is mechanically coupled to the actuator 230, the non-driven gear of the driving gears 232 may act as a support and spin freely so as to not interfere with the interplay between the actuator 230 and the rack 270.

Now referring to FIG. 12, but with continued reference to FIG. 11, a coupler 252 is shown from a side perspective view and it is to be understood to be representative of both coupler 252 and coupler 262. Thus, any description of the components of coupler 252 may also apply to the components of coupler 262. However, since the coupler 262 may rotate or move in a different manner than coupler 252 to provide movements that mirror the movements of coupler 252 the functions or movements of coupler 252 and coupler 262 may be described individually. With that being said, coupler 252 includes a gear 254, a post 256, and a receiving component 258 with receptacles 259. As mentioned, the gear 254 is configured and positioned to rotate in response to movement of the rack 270. The post 256 has one end fixed to the gear 254 and another end fixed to the receiving component 258. Consequently, the receiving component 258 rotates with the gear 254. The receptacles 259 included in the receiving component 258 are configured to receive and secure main branches of a part of the accessory 200 therein.

Due to this configuration, regardless of how the driving gears 232 drive the rack 270, upward movement of the rack 270 (i.e., movement in direction D1) causes couplers 252 and 262 to rotate the accessory 200 to its extended position AP2 (see FIGS. 4 and 6). More specifically, as the rack 270 moves in direction D1, the rack 270 rotates follower gear 234(1) in direction D6 and rotates follower gear 234(2) in direction D5. In turn, follower gear 234(1) rotates gear 254 of coupler 252 in direction D5 and follower gear 234(2) rotates gear 264 of coupler 262 in direction D6. The causes both coupler 252 and coupler 262 to rotate the accessory 200 upwards, towards its extended position AP2 (see FIGS. 4 and 6).

In the embodiment depicted in FIG. 12, the receptacles 259 are fixed or stationary within the receiving component 258. Although not shown, receptacles included in a receiving component of coupler 262 are also fixed or stationary. Consequently, rotation of the coupler 252 and coupler 262 simply rotates the accessory between different positions. However, in other embodiments, the receptacles (i.e., receptacles 259) may rotate, shift, or otherwise become reconfigured as couplers 252 and 262 rotate to move the accessory 200 between its rest position AP1 and its extended position AP2. This reconfiguration may cause main branches 204 and 224 of part 202 and 212 to each expand or spread apart from as the accessory 200 moves to its expanded position AP2 and condense as the accessory 200 moves to its rest position AP1. This may exaggerate the growth movement that occurs when the doll 10 moves its first position P1 to its second position P2.

Now referring to FIGS. 13-17 for a description of a movement mechanism 250 included in the body 100 of the doll 10 depicted in FIGS. 2, 5, 6, and 9. As mentioned, the torso 110 and hips 120 may each be hollow and formed from two parts. In FIG. 10, these parts are split apart: the torso 110 is split into a first torso part 110(A) and a second torso part 110(B) while the hips 120 are split into a first hip part 120(A) and a second hip part 120(B). The connector 130 may also be formed from two parts (in any of the manners described above with respect to torso 110 and hip portion 120) and is also split into a first connector portion 130(A) and a second connector portion 130(B) in FIG. 10. The movement mechanism 250, which generally includes a rack 270, a pinion 232, and various couplers and levers (such as lever 251, which is described below) is generally disposed within the torso 110 and/or the connector 130, but also extends into the mounting 140.

More specifically, the movement mechanism 250 includes a rack 270 with a first rack portion 270(a) and a second rack portion 270(B). As is shown in FIG. 15, the first rack portion 270(a) and the second rack portion 270(B) are disposed on either side of a pinion 232. In the depicted embodiment, the pinion 232 is coupled directly to the actuator 230 and, thus rotates as the actuator 230 is rotated. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, in this embodiment, the actuator 230 includes a handle 231 that is secured, with a first fastener 231, to an axle 233 which, in turn, is secured to the pinion 232 via a second fastener 232. Consequently, as the handle 231 is rotated, the axle 233 rotates the pinion 232. As the pinion 232 rotates, the pinion 232 drives the first rack portion 270(a) and the second rack portion 270(B) in opposite directions. That being said, in other embodiments, the actuator 230 could also be configured to drive the pinion 232, the first rack portion 270(a) and/or the second rack portion 270(B) via any mechanical coupling to cause the first rack portion 270(a) and the second rack portion 270(B) to move in opposite direction.

Although not shown, in the particular embodiment depicted in FIGS. 13-17, the connector 130 may be fixedly coupled to the hips 120 and movably coupled to the torso 110. In at least some embodiments, the connector 130 may be free to move within the torso 110 (or the torso 110 may move on or around the connector 130), but the connector 130 may prevented from exiting the torso 110 (i.e., a top of the connector 130 may be larger than a receptacle included at a bottom 114 of the torso 11). Moreover, the particular embodiment depicted in FIGS. 13-17, the second rack portion 270(B) may be fixedly secured to the hip portion 120 and the first rack portion 270(A) may be fixedly secured to the torso 110 (i.e., via fastener 1110). Consequently, as the pinion 232 is rotated and drives the first rack portion 270(a) and the second rack portion 270(B) in opposite directions, the first rack portion 270(a) will move the torso 110 upwards (in direction D1), away from the hips 120. In some embodiments, the pinion 232 may also move upwards. The second connector portion 130(B) may include a slot to accommodate this movement.

As the rack 270 moves within (and above and/or below) the connector 130, the rack 270 also drives the accessory 200 to move from its rest position AP1 to its extended position AP2. Generally, the rack 270 engages a lever 251 (or a series of levers) that are configured to engage flanges that are included on the main branches 204, 224 of the accessory 200 in this particular embodiment. To illustrate these flanges, one main branch 204 is illustrated in FIG. 14 and is to be understood to be representative of each movable main branch 204 (i.e., main branches 204(1), 204(2), 224(1), and 224(2)) included in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2 and related Figures. In FIG. 14, the example branch 204 includes a decorative or aesthetic portion 2043 that is coupled to a flange 2041 via a pivot point 2042. The pivot points 2042 are each configured to rotate about an axle 243 that is secured in the mounting 240 (at a receiver 241) when the flange is driven by lever 251 that extends between the rack 270 and the mounting, as is shown in FIGS. 13 and 16.

More specifically, as is shown in FIGS. 14 and 17, the movement mechanism 250 includes a fulcrum 2512 that is coupled to the connector 130 (at the second connector portion 130(B)) and extends through second torso part 110(B) into mounting 140. The fulcrum 2512 supports an axle 2513 and the lever 251 is pivotally mounted to the fulcrum 2512 on the axle 2512 (via a coupler 2511). Since the connector 130 is fixed with respect to the torso 110 and hips 120 (i.e., the connector 130 does not move when the torso 110 is separated from the hips 120 in response to actuation of the actuator 230, but, instead, is exposed), the fulcrum 2512 and a pivot 251(C) (see FIG. 16) of the lever 251 that is secured to the fulcrum 2512 do not move vertically as the torso 110 moves vertically with respect to the hips 120. The lever 251, meanwhile, includes a first end 251(A) (see FIG. 16) that is coupled to the first rack portion 270(A) (via a connector 2514) and a second end 251(B) that extends into the mounting 240. Consequently, as first rack portion 270(A) is driven upwards (i.e., in direction D1), the lever 251 may rotate clockwise (generally shown as direction D7), around its fixed pivot point 251(C), driving the second end 251(B) downwards (in direction D2).

Now turning to FIGS. 16 and 17, but with continued reference to FIG. 14, the flanges 2041 (see FIG. 14) of the movable main branches 204, 224 (i.e., branches 204(1), 204(2), 224(1), and 224(2)) are disposed beneath the second end 251(B) of the lever 251. Consequently, when the second end 251(B) of the lever 251 is driven downwards, the flanges 2041 (see FIG. 14) of the movable main branches are driven downwards, causing the aesthetic portions 2043 (see FIG. 14) to move upwards. This moves the accessory 200 towards its extended position AP1 (see FIGS. 4 and 6). However, since the flanges 2041 (see FIG. 14) of the movable main branches 204(1), 204(2), 224(1), and 224(2) are aligned with different portions of the second end 251(B) of the lever 251, the branches may be displaced different amounts, causing different amounts of rotation.

For example, movable main branches 204(2) and 224(2) may, by virtue of being disposed further from pivot point 251(C), be displaced the most and, thus, may move to the highest position when the accessory is in its extended position (see FIG. 2). For example, branches 204(2) and 224(2) may rotate approximately 90 degrees when the accessory 200 moves from its rest position AP1 to its extended position AP2. By comparison, branches 204(1) and 224(1) may only rotate approximately 45 degrees when the accessory 200 moves from its rest position AP1 to its extended position AP2. In contrast with movable branches 204(1), 204(2), 224(1), and 224(2), branches 204(3) and 224(3) may be positioned out of alignment with lever 251 and, thus, may remain stationary during actuation of lever 251. Generally, these alignments cause main branches 204 and 224 of part 202 and 212 to each expand or spread apart from as the accessory 200 moves to its expanded position AP2 and condense as the accessory 200 moves to its rest position AP1.

As mentioned above, the movement mechanisms 250 described herein are merely examples and either movement mechanism 250 may be included in dolls of various shapes and sizes. Moreover, in other embodiments, other movement mechanisms utilizing a levered or geared connection between vertical movement of the body 100 and rotational movement of the accessory 200 (i.e., about an axis extending through the body 100) may be utilized (provided that the drive mechanism is configured to move the doll 10 from its first position P1 to its second position P2, or vice versa, in response to a single actuation). For example, in other embodiments, each main branch 204, 224 (or set of main branches, such as branches 204(1) and 224(1); branches 204(2) and 224(2), etc.) may be associated with its own lever or gear.

That being said, the mechanisms provided herein may be advantageous due to the relatively small number of parts utilized in these mechanisms. For example, the small number of parts may limit the chances of the doll malfunctioning (i.e., since there are fewer parts in the doll, there are fewer parts that can break) and also makes the mechanisms relatively inexpensive to manufacture. The mechanisms also utilize well-known mechanical linkages that can be easily manufactured and easily fixed or replaced.

The various components of doll 10 and the accessories may be fabricated from any suitable material, such as plastic, foamed plastic, flexible plastic, one or more layers of fabric, wood, cardboard, pressed paper, metal, or any combination of materials. A suitable material or combination of materials may be selected to provide a desirable synergy of weight, strength, durability, cost, and/or manufacturability.

Although the disclosed inventions are illustrated and described herein as embodied in one or more specific examples, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the inventions. In addition, various features from one of the embodiments may be incorporated into another of the embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the invention be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the disclosure.

Additionally, it is to be understood that terms such as “left,” “right,” “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “end,” “rear,” “side,” “height,” “length,” “width,” “upper,” “lower,” “interior,” “exterior,” “inner,” “outer” and the like as may be used herein, merely describe points or portions of reference and do not limit the present invention to any particular orientation or configuration. Further, terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., merely identify one of a number of portions, components and/or points of reference as disclosed herein, and do not limit the present invention to any particular configuration or orientation.

Claims

1. A reconfigurable doll, comprising:

a body including a torso and a hip portion that is movably coupled to the torso;

an accessory that is coupled to the body and movable between a first position and a second position; and

a movement mechanism configured to move the torso with respect to the hip portion and simultaneously move the accessory between the first position and the second position.

2. The reconfigurable doll of claim 1, wherein the accessory is coupled to the torso and configured to rotate relative to the torso.

3. The reconfigurable doll of claim 2, wherein the accessory comprises:

a first part and a second part that are configured to rotate relative to the torso in sync.

4. The reconfigurable doll of claim 1, wherein the torso is configured to move from a rest position to an extended position as the accessory moves from the first position to the second position.

5. The reconfigurable doll of claim 1, wherein the torso is configured to move vertically with respect to the hip portion so that the overall height of the body can be selectively extended.

6. The reconfigurable doll of claim 1, wherein the torso includes shoulders and a bottom surface.

7. The reconfigurable doll of claim 6, wherein the hip portion is coupled to the torso via a connector configured to allow the bottom surface of the torso to move vertically with respect to the hip portion.

8. The reconfigurable doll of claim 1, further comprising:

an actuator configured to be actuated by user manipulation; wherein actuation of the actuator causes the movement mechanism to move the torso vertically with respect to the hip portion when the doll is in a substantially vertical direction while simultaneously rotating the accessory about the upper assembly.

9. The reconfigurable doll of claim 1, wherein the torso moves linearly simultaneously with the accessory rotating between the first position and the second position.

10. A reconfigurable doll comprising:

a lower assembly;

an upper assembly configured to move vertically with respect to the lower assembly; and

an accessory coupled to the upper assembly and configured to rotate relative to the upper assembly as the upper assembly moves vertically with respect to the lower assembly.

11. The reconfigurable doll of claim 10, wherein the upper assembly includes a torso including shoulders and a bottom surface.

12. The reconfigurable doll of claim 11, wherein the torso is coupled to the lower assembly via a connector configured to allow the bottom surface of the torso to move vertically with respect to the lower assembly.

13. The reconfigurable doll of claim 10, further comprising:

a movement mechanism; and

an actuator configured to be actuated by user manipulation; wherein actuation of the actuator causes the movement mechanism to move the upper assembly vertically with respect to the lower assembly while simultaneously rotating the accessory about the upper assembly.

14. The reconfigurable doll of claim 10, wherein the accessory is coupled to the upper assembly and configured to rotate relative to the upper assembly.

15. The reconfigurable doll of claim 14, wherein the accessory comprises:

a first part and a second part spaced apart from the first part, each of the first part and the second part being rotatable relative to the upper assembly simultaneously.

16. The reconfigurable doll of claim 14, wherein the upper assembly is configured to move from a lowered position to an extended position as the accessory moves from the first position to the second position.

17. The reconfigurable doll of claim 10, wherein the upper assembly is configured to move vertically with respect to the lower assembly so that the overall height of the doll is extended.

18. The reconfigurable doll of claim 10, wherein the upper assembly includes shoulders and a bottom surface, and the lower assembly is coupled to the upper assembly via a connector that allows the bottom surface of the upper assembly to move vertically with respect to the lower assembly.

19. The reconfigurable doll of claim 10, wherein the upper assembly moves linearly simultaneously with the rotation of the accessory.

20. A reconfigurable doll, comprising:

a body including a hip portion and a torso that is movably coupled to the hip portion;

an accessory that is coupled to the body, the accessory including a first accessory portion and a second accessory portion spaced from the first accessory portion, each of the first accessory portion and the second accessory portion being pivotally coupled to the body and movable between a first position and a second position; and

a movement mechanism coupled to the body and movable to cause the torso to move linearly with respect to the hip portion and simultaneously cause the accessory portions to rotate between their first positions and their second positions.