US3816957A

US3816957A - Connecting means for connecting relatively soft parts of a doll

Info

Publication number: US3816957A
Application number: US00340315A
Authority: US
Inventors: K Nakajima
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-10-06
Filing date: 1973-03-12
Publication date: 1974-06-18
Anticipated expiration: 1991-06-18
Also published as: JPS5134376Y2; CH563789A5; JPS4972394U; FR2202445A5; GB1402235A

Abstract

A doll comprising parts formed of relatively soft flexible synthetic resin hollow parts which are connected together by connecting means formed of relatively hard less flexible synthetic resin. The connecting means connect the doll parts in such a manner that the parts are prevented from inadvertently separating from each other while being used but allowed to be moved relative to each other by the user. The connecting means also serve to prevent water and the like from invading into the hollow parts through their connected portions.

Description

United States Patent [191 Nakajima June 18, 1974 CONNECTING MEANS FOR CONNECTING RELATIVELY SOFT PARTS OF A DOLL [76] Inventor: Koichi Nakajima, No. 7-8 Chuo l-Chome, Edogawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan [22] Filed: Mar. 12, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 340,315

[ 30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct. 6, 1972 Japan ..47-l 15488 [52] US. Cl. 46/173 [51] Int. Cl B63h 3/46 [58] Field of Search 46/173 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,938,865 12/1933 Schaef fer 46/173 Primary Examiner- Antonio F. Guida Assistant'Examiner-J. O. Lever Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Hammond & Littell [5 7] ABSTRACT A doll comprising parts formed of relatively soft flexible synthetic resin hollow parts'which are connected together by connecting means formed of relatively hard less" flexible synthetic resin. The connecting means connect the doll parts in such a manner that the parts are prevented from inadvertently separating from each other while being used but allowed to be moved relative to each other by the user. The connecting means also serve to prevent water and the like from invading into the hollow parts through their connected portions.

1 Claim. 7 Drawing Figures CONNECTING MEANS FOR CONNECTING RELATIVELY SOFT PARTS OF A DOLL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a synthetic resin doll andmore particularly, to synthetic connecting means for connecting the parts of the doll against inadvertent separation of the parts while allowing the parts being moved relative to each other by the user.

There have been proposed a great variety of connecting means for connecting parts of synthetic resin dolls together. However, any of the prior art connecting means cannotsatisfactorily connect the parts of dolls together and while being used, the doll parts connected together by such connecting means frequently separate from each other to give the user inconvenience. In order to prevent the doll parts from inadvertently separating from each other, some improvements have been made on the connecting means for synthetic resin doll parts. However, such improvements inevitably add further steps to the process for producing such connecting means resulting in increasement of cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide improved and novel connecting means for con necting the parts of a synthetic resin doll which can effectively eliminate the disadvantages inherent in the priorart connecting means.

Another object of the present invention is to provide relatively hard less flexible synthetic resin connecting means for connecting relatively soft flexible synthetic resin parts of a doll.

According to the present invention, there have been provided connecting means for connecting the relatively soft flexible synthetic resin parts of a doll together comprising a relatively hard less flexible unitary insert assembly which includes a first pan-shaped insert member adapted to be connected to one of two doll parts to be connected together and a larger diameter second pan-shaped insert member to be connected to the other part of said parts to be connected together and receiving said first insert member-having a circular bottom adapted to fit on the associated doll part and provided with a center opening and an upright peripheral wall and said second insert member having a center circular bottom the diameter of which is smaller than that of the associated insert member, an inner upright peripheral wall extending upwardly from the periphery of said bottom and an outer upright peripheral wall spaced from and connected to said inner wall so as to define an annular opening there between'for-receiving said peripheral wall of the first insert member, said outer peripheral wall of the second insert member being adapted to fit in the associated doll part.

The above and other objects and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which show a preferred embodiment of the invention for illustration purpose only, but not for limiting the scope of the same in any way.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective elevational view of a doll having parts connected together by connecting means made in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary exploded perspective view of said doll of FIG. 1 especially showing the connecting portions of the body and arm parts and related connecting means of the doll;

FIG. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing connecting means which connect one arm part to the body part;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the manner in which one arm part is connected to the body part;

FIG. 5 is an exploded cross-sectional view showing connection means which connect the head part to the body part;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing the manner in which the head part is connected to the body part; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the manner in which one leg part is connected to the body part.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION The present invention will be now described in detail referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one preferred form of connecting means. The doll is shown in the form of a child and generally comprises the hollow body part 1, the hollow head parts 2, the hollow arm parts 3 and the hollow leg parts 4 as its principal parts which are connected together by means of connecting means of the invention as will be described in detail hereinafter. All the body, head, arm and

leg parts

1, 2, 3 and 4 of the doll are formed of the same relatively soft flexible synthetic resin and the connecting means are formed of relatively hard lessflexible synthetic resin.

The body part 1 has an integral cervical part 5 in the open upper portion of circular cross section and the cervical part is provided in the outer periphery with an annular recess 6 between the lower end which curves downwardly and outwardly and merges in the rest of the body part 1 and the enlarged diameter upper end which forms an annular flange 7 for the, purpose to be described hereinbelow. The open lower portion of the head part 2 has a reduced diameter opening 8 which is in communication with the hollow interior of the rest of the head part 2 and opens downwardly and an annular recess 9 in a midpoint of the height of the opening for the purpose to be described hereinbelow. The connecting means which connect the lheadpart 2 to the body part 1 comprise a first pan-shaped insert member 10 which includes a circular bottom 11 provided with a center opening 13 which hasthe diameter substan- I tially the same as that of the annular recess 6 in the cervical part 5 and an upright peripheral wall 12 and a second pan-shaped insert member 20 which has the outer diameter substantially. the same as that of the annular recess 9 and includes a-circular bottom 21, an inner upright peripheral wall 22 extending upwardly from the peripheral edge of the bottom and an outer peripheral wall 23 connected at the upper end to the upper end of the inner peripheral wall 22 bymeans of a horizontal annular portion 24. The diameter of the bottom 21 is made smaller than the inner diameter of the outer peripheral wall 23 so as to define an annular opening 25 which opens downwardly for the purpose to be described hereinbelow. The diameter of the bottom 21 of the second insert member 20 is also smaller than that of the opening 13 in the bottom 11 of the first insert member 10 for the purpose as will be described hereinbelow. The outer diameter of the upright peripheral wall 12 of the first insert member 10 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the outer peripheral wall 23 of the second insert member 20. The first and

second insert members

10 and 20 are assembled together by fitting the outer peripheral wall 23 of the second insert member 20 on the peripheral wall 12 of the first insert member 10 and securing the walls together employing any suitable adhesive so as to form a unitary insert assembly. In connecting the body part 1 and heat part 2 together employing the thus formed insert assembly, the first insert member portion 10 of the insert assembly is first forcibly fitted on the cervical part 5 until the bottom 11 of the insert member seats in the annular recess 6 in the cervical part and thereafter, the second insert member portion 20 of the insert assembly is forcibly fitted in the annular recess 9 in the lower portion of the head part 2 or vice versa thereby to connect the head part 2 to the body part 1. Such connecting operation can be simply and efficiently effected by virtue of the fact that the material of the body and head parts] and 2 is more flexible than the material of the insert members 10 and and yields under the force required to fit the

insert members

10 and 20 on and in the body and

head parts

1 and 2, respectively. Nevertheless, once the body and head body parts have been connected together in the manner mentioned above, these parts will not inadvertently separate from each other while being used.

The arm parts 3 are connected to the body part 1 in the same manner as described hereinabove in connection with the connection of the head part 2 to the body part 1 employing similar insert members. For the purpose, each of the shoulder portions of the body part 1 is provided with a vertically disposed first circular opening and a second reduced diameter opening 31 in communication on the inner side with the first opening 30 and opening on the outer side. The upper end portion of each of the shoulder parts 3 is formed with an annular recess 32 and a flange 33. In connecting each of the arm parts 3 to the body part I, an insert assembly identical with that as described in connection with the connection of the head part 2 to the body part 1 can be employed. Therefore, the diameter of the openings 30 in the body part 1 is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the second insert member 20 and the outer diameter of the flange 33 is substantially the same as the diameter of the hollow interior of the second insert member 20. When it is desired to connect the arm part 3 to the body part I, the first insert member 10 is first forcibly fitted on the arm part 3 until the bottom 13 of the insert member seats in the recess 32 in the arm part 3 and the second insert member 20 is then forcibly fitted in the opening 30 of the body part 1 until the second insert member is completely received in the opening 30 or vice versa. Thus, the arm part 3 can be connected to the body part 1 against inad? vertent separation from the latter.

For connecting the leg parts 4 to the body part 1, the lower portion the body part 1 is provided with a pair of annular recesses 34 (only one of the recesses is shown in FIG. 7) in diametrically opposite positions thereof and a pair of reduced diameter openings (not shown) in communication on the inner side with the associated recesses 34 and opening on the outer side and the upper end portion'of each of the leg parts 4 is provided with an annular flange 35 at the extreme end and an annular recess (not shown) positioned inwardly of the flange. The connecting means for connecting each of the leg parts 4 to the body part 1 is also identical with that described in connection with the connection of the head part 2 to the body part 1 and accordingly, the diameter of the openings 34 is substantially the same as that of the second insert member 34 and the diameter of the annular recesses in the leg parts 4 is substantially the same as that of the center opening in the first insert member 10. In connecting each of the leg parts 4 to the body part 1, the first insert member portion of the insert assembly is first forcibly fitted on the leg part 4 until the bottom 11 of the first insert member 10 seats in the recess in the leg part and the second insert member portion of the insert-assembly is then forcibly fitted in the body part until the insert member seats in the opening 34 of the'body part 1. In this way, the body part 1, the head part 2, the arm parts 3 and the leg parts 4 are connected together against inadvertent separation from each other while allowing the parts to move relative to each other to obtain a complete doll in the form of a child as shown in FIG. 1.

Since the novel connecting means connect the various parts of the doll together against inadvertent separation from each other, but still allow the user to move the parts relative to each other, in playing at the doll, the user can move the doll parts in any desired manner at will. Furthermore, since the connecting means seal off the openings in the connected portions of the doll parts, the connecting means concurrently serve as means for preventing water and the like from invading into the hollow interiors of the connected doll parts. Although description has been made in connection with an instance in which the connecting means of the invention is employed for connecting the parts of a simulated human doll together, the connecting means can be also widely employed for connecting various parts of simulated animal and other shape dolls. Furthermore, since the connecting means of the invention are simple in construction and can be produced on a mass production scale, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention will contribute to the industry to which the invention pertains.

In the foregoing, the invention has been described with reference to a specific illustrative embodiment. It will be evident, however, that variations and modifications as well as the substitution of equivalent parts or elements for those shown herein for illustration, may be made without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Connecting means in combination with at least two relatively soft flexible synthetic resin parts of a doll, said connecting means comprising a relatively hard less flexible unitary insert assembly which includes a first pan-shaped insert member adapted to be connected to one of two doll parts to be connected together and a larger diameter second pan-shaped insert member to be connected to the other part of said parts to be connected together and receiving said first insert member, said first insert member having a circular bottom and provided with a center opening and an upright peripheral wall; said second insert member having a center circular bottom the diameter of which is smaller than that of said first insert member, an inner upright peripheral wall extending upwardly from the periphery of said bottom and an outer upright peripheral wall spaced from and connected to said inner wall so as to define an annular opening therebetween for receiving said peripheral wall of the first insert member; the first of said doll parts having an upper end forming an annular flange, said annular flange connected to and mounted upon said upper end to provide an annular recess between said flange and said upper end, said center opening of said first insert member having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of said annular recess of said first of said doll parts; the second of said doll parts having a circular opening at one end thereof and said opening communicating with a circular hollow interior portion of said second of said doll parts, said circular hollow interior portion having an inner diameter greater than the diameter of said circular opening and said circular hollow interior portion having an inner diameter substantially the same as the upright peripheral walls of said second insert member. k

Claims

1. Connecting means in combination with at least two relatively soft flexible synthetic resin parts of a doll, said connecting means comprising a relatively hard less flexible unitary insert assembly which includes a first pan-shaped insert member adapted to be connected to one of two doll parts to be connected together and a larger diameter second pan-shaped insert member to be connected to the other part of said parts to be connected together and receiving said first insert member, said first insert member having a circular bottom and provided with a center opening and an upright peripheral wall; said second insert member having a center circular bottom the diameter of which is smaller than that of said first insert member, an inner upright peripheral wall extending upwardly from the periphery of said bottom and an outer upright peripheral wall spaced from and connected to said inner wall so as to define an annular opening therebetween for receiving said peripheral wall of the first insert member; the first of said doll parts having an upper end forming an annular flange, said annular flange connected to and mounted upon said upper end to provide an annular recess between said flange and said upper end, said center opening of said first insert member having a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of said annular recess of said first of said doll parts; the second of said doll parts having a circular opening at one end thereof and said opening communicating with a circular hollow interior portion of said second of said doll parts, said circular hollow interior portion having an inner diameter greater than the diameter of said circular opening and said circular hollow interior portion having an inner diameter substantially the same as the outer diameter of said outer peripheral wall of said second insert member; such that said first insert member is adapted to be fitted into said annular recess of said first of said doll parts and said outer peripheral wall of the second insert member being adapted to enable said second insert member to fit into said circular hollow interior portion of said second doll part; whereby the two doll parts are connected to each other when saId peripheral wall of said first insert member is inserted into said annular opening between said inner and outer upright peripheral walls of said second insert member.