WEARABLE TOY SYSTEM

Abstract

A wearable toy system comprising a wearable component, a toy housing and at least one replaceable toy; wherein the wearable component comprises at least one fastening member for securing the wearable component to a part of a user's body; wherein the toy housing comprises a toy-receiving base and a cover, the toy-receiving base being adapted to receive at least a base member of the replaceable toy, the toy-receiving base and the cover together defining a void for accommodating at least a part of the replaceable toy when the base member is received by the toy-receiving base and when the cover is in a closed state; wherein the toy housing defines at least one opening when the cover is in the closed state, the opening allowing one or more parts of the replaceable toy to extend out of the toy housing.

Claims

1. A wearable toy system comprising: a wearable component; a toy housing; and at least one replaceable toy; wherein the wearable component comprises at least one fastening member for securing the wearable component to a part of a user's body; wherein the toy housing comprises a toy-receiving base and a cover, the toy-receiving base being adapted to receive at least a base member of the replaceable toy, the toy-receiving base and the cover together defining a void for accommodating at least a part of the replaceable toy when the base member is received by the toy-receiving base and when the cover is in a closed state; and wherein the toy housing defines at least one opening when the cover is in the closed state, the opening allowing one or more parts of the replaceable toy to extend out of the toy housing.

2. A wearable toy system according to claim 1: wherein the wearable component comprises a mounting member defining a mounting face facing away from the part of the user's body when the wearable component is worn by the user; and wherein the mounting member and the toy housing comprise respective mating mounting elements configured for removable attachment of the toy housing to the mounting face in rotatable engagement wherein the toy housing is rotatable around an axis of rotation projecting out of the mounting face.

3. A wearable toy system according to claim 2, wherein the toy housing and the mounting member comprise cooperating indexing elements allowing the toy housing to be rotated between a plurality of discrete orientations of the toy housing relative to the mounting member and to selectively retain the toy housing in one of said discrete orientations.

4. A wearable toy system according to claim 1: wherein the toy-receiving base defines a support face facing away from the part of the user's body when the wearable component is worn by the user and wherein the cover comprises a transverse portion extending across at least a part of the support face at a distance from the support face; and wherein the opening is a lateral opening allowing one or more parts of the replaceable toy to extend out of the toy housing along a direction parallel to the support face.

5. A wearable toy system according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises at least one retaining member adapted to engage the replaceable toy when replaceable toy is received by the toy-receiving base and when the cover is in its closed state so as to retain the replaceable toy in engagement with the toy-receiving base.

6. A wearable toy system according to claim 1, wherein the cover comprises two side portions extending away from the support face and a transverse portion extending between the side portions at a distance from the mounting face.

7. A wearable toy system according to claim 1, wherein the base member and the toy-receiving base comprise respective indexing members adapted to allow the base member to be received by the toy-receiving base only in one of a set of one or more discrete relative orientations of the base member relative to the toy-receiving base.

8. A wearable toy system according to claim 1: wherein the replaceable toy comprises a user-operable activator and is operable to perform a user-activatable function responsive to an activation of the user-operable activator; and wherein the user operatable activator extends out of the housing through the opening or is activatable through the opening.

9. A wearable toy system according to claim 1, wherein the replaceable toy comprises a toy body and an ejectable component operable to be ejected by the toy body through the opening when the replaceable toy is positioned inside the toy housing.

10. A wearable toy system according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of toy construction elements each having coupling members for detachably connecting the toy construction elements with other toy construction elements of the toy system; and wherein the base member defines a top face and a bottom side, opposite the top face and adapted to face the mounting face when the base member is received by the toy-receiving base, the top face comprising one or more coupling members adapted to interengage with corresponding mating coupling members of one or more of said toy construction elements.

11. A wearable toy system comprising: a wearable component; a plurality of toy construction elements; and at least one replaceable base member; wherein the wearable component comprises a toy-receiving base and at least one fastening member for securing the wearable component to a part of a user's body; wherein the toy-receiving base defines a support face facing away from the part of the user's body when the wearable component is worn by the user and the toy-receiving base being adapted to receive the base member; wherein each of the toy construction elements comprises coupling members for detachably connecting the toy construction elements with other toy construction elements of the toy system; and wherein the base member defines a top side and a bottom side, opposite the top side and adapted to face the support face of the toy-receiving base when the base member is received by the toy-receiving base, wherein the top side comprises one or more coupling members adapted to inter-engage with corresponding mating coupling members of one or more of said toy construction elements.

12. A wearable toy system according to claim 11, wherein the base member and the toy-receiving base comprise respective indexing members adapted to allow the base member to be received by the toy-receiving base only in one of a set of one or more discrete relative orientations of the base member relative to the toy-receiving base.

13. A wearable toy system according to claim 12: wherein the coupling members are arranged in a two-dimensional grid, the two-dimensional grid defining a first and a second principle direction; and wherein at least one of the principle directions projects outward through said opening of the toy housing when the base member is received by the toy-receiving base.

14. A wearable toy system according to claim 11: wherein the wearable component comprises a mounting member defining a mounting face facing away from the part of the user's body when the wearable component is worn by the user; and wherein the mounting member and the toy-receiving base comprise respective mating mounting elements configured for removable attachment of the toy-receiving base to the mounting face in rotatable engagement wherein the toy-receiving base is rotatable around an axis of rotation projecting out of the mounting face.

15. A wearable toy system according to claim 14, wherein the toy-receiving base and the mounting member comprise cooperating indexing elements allowing the toy-receiving base to be rotated between a plurality of discrete orientations of the toy-receiving base relative to the mounting member and to selectively retain the toy-receiving base in one of said discrete orientations.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0039] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in more detail in connection with the appended drawings, where

[0040] FIG. 1 illustrates a partially exploded view of an embodiment of a wearable toy system.

[0041] FIGS. 2A-C illustrate the wearable toy system of FIG. 1 in different states.

[0042] FIGS. 3A-C illustrate the attachment of an accessory to the wearable component of the wearable toy system of FIG. 1.

[0043] FIGS. 4A-D illustrate the wearable toy system of FIGS. 1-3 having inserted therein respective examples of replaceable toys.

[0044] FIGS. 5A-B illustrate the selective attachment of an accessory to the wearable component of the wearable toy system of FIGS. 1-3.

[0045] FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of a wearable toy system.

[0046] FIG. 7 illustrates attachment of an accessory of the wearable toy system of FIGS. 1-3 to a toy construction model.

[0047] FIGS. 8-10 each show a prior art toy construction element.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] FIGS. 1, 2A-B and 3A-C illustrate an embodiment of a wearable toy system. The toy system comprises a wearable component, generally designated 100, a housing and a base plate 101. The wearable component comprises a mounting member in the form of a mounting plate 102. The wearable component further comprises fastening members, in this example two straps 103 that extend from opposite edges of the mounting plate and that together form a wrist band such that the wearable component can be worn around a user's wrist like a watch, e.g. with a bottom face of the mounting plate resting against the back of the wrist, i.e. against the side of the wrist extending from the back of the user's hand.

[0049] The mounting plate 102 comprises a bottom face operable to face the part of the user's body on which the wearable component is worn, and a mounting face 133, opposite the bottom face and facing away from the part of the user's body on which the wearable component is worn. The mounting plate 102 is configured for detachable attachment of the toy housing to the mounting plate, as will be described below.

[0050] The toy housing comprises a toy-receiving base 104 and a cover 112 that together form the toy housing. The toy-receiving base 104 is formed as a plate having a bottom side that is configured to face the mounting face 133 of the mounting plate when the toy housing is attached to the mounting plate. The toy-receiving base comprises a recess 131 into which the base plate 101 can be removably inserted. The recess is formed in a top face of the toy-receiving base, opposite the bottom face. The bottom of the recess defines a support face for the base plate 101. The base plate 101 comprises a disc-shaped central portion 126 and radial teeth 107 that extend radially outward from the outer edge of the disc-shaped central portion. The teeth 107 are distributed along the periphery of the disc-shaped central portion. In this particular example, the base plate comprises two such teeth located at opposite positions of the periphery of the disc-shaped central portion. In other embodiments, the base plate may comprise a single indexing element or more than two indexing elements which may be arranged equidistantly around the periphery of the disc-shaped central portion. The recess 131 of the toy-receiving base 104 is shaped such that the base plate 101 can be received by the recess 131. In particular, the recess comprises a side walls 111 that include slots 132 for receiving the teeth of the base plate, such that the base plate can be received by the recess in discrete orientations (in this embodiment two distinct orientations) and such that the teeth prevent the base plate from rotation relative to the toy-receiving base when the base plate is received in the recess. When the base plate 101 is received in the recess 131, a bottom side of the base plate faces the toy-receiving base and a top side of the base plate faces away from the toy-receiving base.

[0051] The base plate 101 comprises a number of coupling members 106 arranged on the top side of base plate, in this example on the top side of the disc-shaped central portion of the base plate. The coupling members are formed as protrusions that are configured to frictionally engage mating cavities of toy construction elements of a toy construction system. The coupling members are arranged in a regular 2D grid defined by principle directions 122 and 123. The teeth 107 are positioned on opposite sides of the disc-shaped central portion aligned with one of the principle directions. In other embodiments, the teeth may be aligned with respective ones of the principle directions.

[0052] The toy-receiving base 104 comprises hinges 108 positioned at the outer edge of the toy-receiving base on opposite sides of the recess. The hinges are aligned with the pair of slots 132 for receiving the teeth 107 of the base plate. Hence, when the base plate 101 is positioned in the recess 131 of the toy-receiving base 104, the hinges 108 are aligned with one of the principle directions 122, 123 of the grid that is defined by the coupling members 106.

[0053] The cover 112 comprises two side walls 124 and a transverse portion 125 extending between respective upper ends of the side walls 124. The lower ends of the side walls, opposite the upper ends, comprise rod-shaped hinge parts 109 that are configured to snap fit into the hinges 108 of the toy-receiving portion. Hence, when the rod-shaped hinge parts 109 are both pressed into the respective hinges 108, the side walls 124 extend upwards, relative to the top side of the toy-receiving base 104, on opposite sides of the recess 131 for receiving the base plate 101. The transverse portion 125 thus spans across the recess 131 at a height above the recess as defined by the height of the side walls 124. The transverse portion 125 is shaped and sized such that it extends across at least the disc-shaped central portion 126 of the base plate when the base plate is inserted in the recess 131, i.e. across the portion of the base plate that comprises the coupling members 106. When the cover 112 is closed, the cover and the toy-receiving base 104 define a space between the transverse portion 125 and the toy-receiving base 104. Access to the space along the direction 105 projecting out of the support face of the toy-receiving base 104 is blocked by the toy-receiving base 104 and by the transverse portion 125 of the cover. Along the direction 123, access to the space is blocked by the side walls 124 of the cover. However, the cover and the toy-receiving base define lateral openings that allow access to the space along the direction 122, i.e. along one of the principal directions defined by the grid of coupling members 106 of the base plate.

[0054] The cover 112 can be detached from the toy-receiving base 104 by detaching both side walls 124 from the hinges 108. Alternatively, when the cover is only attached to one of the hinges 108, the cover may be pivoted between an open and a closed position and secured in the closed position by snapping the other sidewall into the other hinge 108. FIG. 2C illustrates the cover 112 attached to one of the hinges 108 of the toy-receiving base 104 and pivoted open while FIGS. 2A-B illustrate the over in its closed state. The cover comprises retaining member 127 that extend inwards from the side walls 124, i.e. they project into the space defined between the cover 112 and the support face 132 of the toy-receiving base. The retaining members are configured to abut the teeth 107 of the base plate that are aligned with the hinges 108 when the cover is closed, i.e. when both hinge elements 109 engage the respective hinges 108. Hence, when the cover 112 is closed, the retaining members 127 lock the base plate 101 in position inside the recess 131 of the toy-receiving base. When one or both side walls are disengaged from the corresponding hinges 108, i.e. when the cover 112 is either pivoted open or detached entirely, the retaining members 127 no longer engage the teeth 107 of the base plate and the base plate 101 is free to slide out of the recess 131.

[0055] The toy-receiving base 104 is rotatably attached to the mounting plate 102 such that the toy-receiving base is rotatable about the axis 105 that extends out of the mounting plate, i.e. an axis projecting out of the back of the user's wrist when the wearable component is worn around the user's wrist. FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the toy-receiving base in two different angular positions. In particular, the toy-receiving base may be rotated between a number of predetermined angular positions, e.g. angular positions at predetermined intervals, e.g. at 1 intervals or other suitable intervals. To this end, the mounting plate 102 comprises a mounting element in the form of a circular elevated portion 116 comprising a central hole 134, and the toy-receiving base 104 comprises corresponding mounting elements (as can best be seen in FIG. 4A) in the form of an annular link member 136 that is configured to be inserted into the hole 134 in a snap-fit, rotatable engagement, a downwardly extending skirt 114 operable to surround the elevated portion 116 and downwardly extending resilient pins 118 operable to engage with the outer edge 115 of the elevated portion 116. The edge 115 of the elevated portion 116 comprises radial recesses that cooperate with the resilient pins 118 to provide a number of rest positions at respective angular positions where the toy-receiving member is retained. However, when the user applies a torque to the toy-receiving base relative to the mounting plate, the toy-receiving base is rotatable between the rest positions. In particular, FIG. 3A shows the mounting plate 102 and the toy-receiving base 104 detached from each other; FIG. 3B shows partial sections of the mounting plate 102 and the toy-receiving base 194 attached to each other; FIG. 3C shows the wearable component 100.

[0056] The straps 103 are hingedly attached to the mounting plate 102, e.g. by hinges 120. In some embodiments, the straps 103 are attached to the mounting plate 102 via a number of extension elements that can be hingedly connected to each other, to the mounting plate and/or to the straps, respectively. Hence, by inserting one or more of extension elements, the wearable component may be adapted to different wrist sizes.

[0057] The straps 103 can be connected with each other via a suitable 130 or other suitable fastener. In some embodiments, the straps may be connected with each other by a rack-and-pinion adjusting device or by other fastening members and/or another form of tightening mechanism.

[0058] FIGS. 4A-D illustrate the wearable toy system of FIGS. 1-3 with different replaceable toys inserted into the toy housing. To this end, the base plate 101 may be removed from the recess and a user may construct a toy from toy construction elements of a toy construction system compatible with the coupling members 106 on the top face of the base plate and attach the constructed toy to the base plate 101. For example, FIG. 4B shows the base plate 101 removed from the recess and two toy constructions elements 140 and 115 that may be connected to each other to form a toy construction model, in this case a toy canon. The user may then place the constructed toy with the base plate attached to it on the toy-receiving base 104 such that the base plate is loosely received in the recess 131. For example, FIG. 4A shows the constructed toy 137 attached to the base plate and inserted into the toy housing.

[0059] When the user closes the cover 112, as illustrated in FIGS. 4A, C and D, the teeth 127 of the cover engage the corresponding teeth 107 of the base plate so as to lock the base plate, and thus the replaceable toy, in position. As can be seen in FIGS. 4A, C and D, the cover 112 limits the height of a toy that can be inserted and secured in the housing. However, parts of the toy may laterally extend through lateral openings 138 in the housing. In the example of FIG. 4A, the replaceable toy comprises a spring-powered launching pod 140 for an arrow-like projectile (not shown). The spring of the launching pod is energised by pushing the projectile into a tubular opening of the launching pod. The projectile can be released and ejected by actuating a button 139. The button 139 extends out of one of the lateral openings 138 of the housing thus allowing a user to reach and actuate the button even with the cover 112 being closed. Similarly, the projectile can be ejected through the opposite lateral opening of the housing.

[0060] FIGS. 4C-D illustrate further examples of replaceable toys, designated 237 and 337, respectively. As can be seen from FIGS. 4A-D, the user may construct different types of toys, e.g. for launching different types of projectiles or for performing other functions. The toys can be attached to the base plate 101 and inserted and fixated into the housing of the wearable component as described in connection with FIGS. 4A-C. FIG. 4C shows the wearable toy system having an electronic toy element 237 inserted into the housing. The electronic toy element 240 comprises a display 240 that is visible through the transparent cover 112. In some embodiments, the display may be a touch screen and the user may reach into the housing through one of the lateral openings 138 so as to interact with the touch screen (or with another interface or actuator of a toy).

[0061] FIGS. 5A-B illustrate the mating mounting members of the mounting plate 102 and the toy receiving base 104. In particular, FIG. 5A shows a cross-sectional view of the mounting plate 102 and the toy-receiving base 104 attached to each other, e.g. as described in connection with FIGS. 3A-C above. FIG. 5B shows a cross sectional view of the mounting plate 102 with another toy construction element 513, e.g. a toy construction element of the type shown in FIGS. 8-10 below placed on top of the mounting plate. As can be seen from FIG. 5B, the toy construction element 513 comprises downwardly extending walls 519 that form coupling members for engaging coupling protrusions 506 of another toy construction element of the toy construction system. The walls prevent the toy construction element to be connected to the mounting element of the mounting plate, as the elevated portion 116 provides a barrier that prevents the toy construction element to be lowered over the elevated element such that a pin can be inserted into the hole 134.

[0062] FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a wearable toy system. The toy of FIG. 5 is similar to the toy shown in FIG. 3A. However, in this example, the cover 112 comprises a push button 650 extending through the cover. The push button may e.g. be spring loaded. When a user presses the button as indicated by the arrow, the button moves towards the interior of the housing and can engage an actuator of the toy 137 positioned in the housing. It will be appreciated that the toy housing may comprise other types of actuator members, e.g. a lever. Similarly, the actuator member may be positioned at other positions of the cover or elsewhere on the housing.

[0063] FIG. 7 shows the housing 110 of the wearable toy system of FIGS. 1-3 detached from the mounting plate of the wearable component. As illustrated in FIG. 7, the housing 110 may be attached to a suitable mounting element 716, 734 of a toy construction element 714. In this example, the toy construction element 714 is a plate that can be attached to coupling members 706 of other toy construction elements of the toy construction system. The mounting element comprises an annular skirt 716 and a central hole 734 compatible with the mounting elements of the toy-receiving base 104 of the housing.

[0064] Various aspects and embodiments of wearable toy systems have been described with reference to toy construction elements in the form of toy construction elements having mating protrusions and cavities as coupling members. For example, FIG. 8 shows an example of a toy construction element with coupling studs on its top surface and a cavity extending into the brick from the bottom. The cavity has a central tube, and coupling studs on another brick can be received in the cavity in a frictional engagement as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,005,282. FIGS. 9 and 10 show other examples of such prior art construction elements. The coupling studs are arranged in a square planar grid, i.e. defining orthogonal directions along which sequences of coupling studs are arranged. The distance between neighbouring coupling studs is uniform and equal in both directions. This or similar arrangements of coupling members at coupling locations defining a regular planar grid allow the toy construction elements to be interconnected in a discrete number of positions and orientations relative two each other, in particular at right angles with respect to each other. The embodiments of wearable toy systems shown in the previous figures are configured to be used with this type of toy construction elements having coupling members in the form of cooperating studs and cavities. However, other types of coupling members may also be used in addition to or instead of the studs and cavities.

[0065] Although the invention has been described with reference to certain specific embodiments, various modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in claims appended hereto.