Toy Apparatus And Methods Of Manufacture And Use Thereof

Abstract

A toy or game apparatus including a figure or character member and a trigger means. User actuation of the trigger means causes at least part of the figure or character member to vibrate and/or shake. The vibrating or shaking occurring occasionally and/or after a period of time has elapsed.

Claims

1. A toy or game apparatus, said apparatus including a figure or character member and a trigger means, wherein user actuation of the trigger means causes at least part of the figure or character member to vibrate and/or shake, said vibrating or shaking occurring occasionally and/or after a period of time has elapsed characterised in that the figure or character is an animal figure or character which includes substantially flexible material portions that move when the animal character member shakes or vibrates, such that said material portions cause any water or other liquid added to the character or figure member to be flung about when the character or figure member shakes or vibrates.

2. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein user actuation of the trigger means occasionally causes at least part of the figure or character member to vibrate and/or shake occasionally and/or after a period of time has elapsed.

3. (canceled)

4. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 2 wherein each and/or every actuation of the trigger means does not result in the figure or character member shaking or shaking or vibrating only occurs on some of the actuations.

5. (canceled)

6. (canceled)

7. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the trigger means includes a timer and actuation of the trigger means initiates, sets or actuates the timer to start timing a predetermined amount of time.

8. (canceled)

9. (canceled)

10. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the character or figure member starts to vibrate and/or shake after a predetermined or set amount of time has passed and the user subsequently actuates the trigger means.

11. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the trigger means includes a latched engagement mechanism.

12. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 11 wherein the latched engagement mechanism is biased and/or balanced such that relatively light contact and/or small movements of the trigger means and/or the figure or character member can actuate or start the shaking and/or vibration.

13. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the trigger means includes a rotatable member and rotation or partial rotation of the rotatable member can occasionally cause or actuate the vibration and/or shaking of a at least part of the character or figure member.

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the trigger means includes an actuating or shaking mechanism.

17. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 16 wherein actuation of the trigger means coils and/or creates more tension in a spring associated with the shaking mechanism and further actuation or turns, creates more tension in said spring which continues periodically until sufficient tension is reached to trigger a vibrating or oscillating member thereby generating vibrating and/or shaking movement in at least part of the figure or character.

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a microprocessor programmed with a random or apparently random series which actuates the trigger means and/or shaking mechanism.

22. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a container portion in which at least part of the character of figure member is located or positioned said container portion can hold liquid.

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the character or figure member is a dog, or in the form of a canine like character and at least the ears and/or fur of the dog is formed from substantially flexible material.

27. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes or is associated with a board portion including one or more markings indicating portions or places of the board where game counters, tokens, pieces and/or the like should be positioned or placed in use.

28. (canceled)

29. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 27 wherein the board portion includes a plurality of markings at least some of which designate the number of times the trigger means should be actuated by a user or player.

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)

33. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a brush member used to comb or brush the figure or character member and/or the flexible material portions depending therefrom and brushing the figure or character member can actuate and/or trigger the trigger means.

34. (canceled)

35. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the apparatus includes a liquid dispenser and a user dispenses water from the dispenser on to the character or figure member and/or into the container portion.

36. A method of manufacturing a toy apparatus according to claim 1, said apparatus including a figure or character member and a trigger means, wherein user actuation of the trigger means causes at least part of the figure or character member to vibrate and/or shake, said vibrating or shaking occurring occasionally and/or after a period of time has elapsed wherein said method includes the step of engaging a vibrating or shaking mechanism with at least part of said figure or character member.

37. A method of using or playing with a toy apparatus according to claim 1, said apparatus including a figure or character member and a trigger means, wherein user actuation of the trigger means causes at least part of the figure or character member to vibrate and/or shake, said vibrating or shaking occurring occasionally and/or after a period of time has elapsed.

38. A toy or game apparatus according to claim 37 wherein typically where there are two or more users or players, each player takes it in turns to actuate the trigger means at least once.

Description

[0044] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, wherein:

[0045] FIGS. 1-10 illustrates perspectives view of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] The present invention concerns a toy or game apparatus wherein a user actuates a trigger, in the present example by turning a tap, which turn may, or may not, actuate or otherwise cause a figure to begin shaking or oscillating.

[0047] Referring to FIG. 1 there is illustrated an apparatus 2 which includes a character FIG. 4, in this example a dog, although the skilled person will appreciate that other figures or animals could be employed. The premise behind the game is that the users take turns in performing bathing activities on the character, any one of which could cause the character to start shaking. The dog 4 in this example is positioned inside a bath tub 6 which is not essential but can hold water such that when the dog does start shaking water can be sprayed or flicked around (in part on to the users) thus increasing the appeal of the game.

[0048] The dog 4 and bath 6 are placed on a board 8 on which there are a number of squares. In use the players take it in turns to roll a die 10 to determine which square the players counter is moved forward to. In FIG. 2 the die has landed with the colour blue face up and therefore the user moves the counter to the next available blue square on the board. The square denotes that the player must actuate the trigger or actuation means, in this example in the form of a tap 12, three times. In this example an actuation is a quarter () rotation of the tap 12 as shown in FIG. 3.

[0049] The three actuations or quarter turns of the tap 12 do not result in the dog 4 shaking or vibrating and therefore it is the second users turn to throw the die 10 and move their counter as shown in FIG. 4. The die indicates that the second player must move to a yellow square whereby it is denoted that the user must brush the dog using the brush 14 supplied and after this actuate or turn the tap 12 once (one quarter turn), as shown in FIGS. 5-7.

[0050] On the actuation this occasions or starts the dog shaking or vibrating as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. This shaking sends droplets of water over the player and indicating that they must go back to the start and/or pick up one of the cards 16 associated with the game indicating that the player has caused the dog to shake. In this example the dog 4 includes flexible material making up at least part of the fur and ears. On vibration the fur and ears flail around depositing any water on the dog and/or in the bath. The material may comprise or consist of substantially absorbent material so that if water is used some of it will be taken up by the character. The skilled person will appreciate that the game is effective and entertaining whether water is used or not and is an option to the players.

[0051] In this embodiment the game is equipped with a spray bottle to which water can be sprayed onto the dog and/or added to the bath when a square which is landed instructs the player to do so. The skilled person will appreciate that other equipment and liquids could be incorporated, including sponges, soaps and/or the like.