EP3685897B1

EP3685897B1 - Constructive arrangement introduced in interactive toy

Info

Publication number: EP3685897B1
Application number: EP20153673.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Ana Paula Cansanção de Paula dos Santos Lima
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2019-01-28
Filing date: 2020-01-24
Publication date: 2021-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 2040-01-24
Also published as: CN111481945A; US20200238194A1; ES2907137T3; PT3685897T; CN111481945B; EP3685897A1; BR202019001751U2

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention refers to an interactive toy. In particular, the interactive toy of the present invention comprises a housing especially adapted to allow the narration and interpretation of stories by users.

Background of the invention

In the technical field of children's games and toys, there is growing interest from industry, based on market demand, to develop more expensive and sophisticated equipment, such as those containing electronic components, as well as toys that children can play with alone, or where there is little incentive to interact with parents or even with other children.
Excessive attraction to such toys and difficulty interacting with people are a challenge for modern education.
In this sense, the revival of children's storybooks is proving to be an increasingly interesting option for parents and educators, particularly as it involves an interactive activity to be developed together with the child.
As a way to increase the attractiveness of the children's short story book, some prior art solutions bring illustrative elements in the form of toys or games to be used together with reading the book.
This is the case of document GB2134396A , which reveals a toy box comprising a children's tale book, as well as puppets that allow the narration and interpretation of the story told by the book.
Nevertheless, however interactive and illustrative in general, books are not perceived as toys by children and are considered unattractive.
Thus, solutions are also found in the state of the art in which the story of a particular book relates to the toy or game box itself which, when disassembled or opened, forms part of a flat or raised scenario.
Examples of such solutions can be found in CN103623597A and US20090246742A1 . The existence of a scenario certainly increases the appeal of the toy and the story for children. However, it is also possible to verify in these solutions a constructiveness that hinders the interpretation of the story itself, besides limiting the eventual adaptation of the scenario to different stories.
US4075780A discloses a marionette show. The marionette assemblies may be placed in four positions on the stage. The marionettes can be moved via a keyboard on the stage.
US5261849A discloses a mechanical toy with figures, which are caused to dance or vibrate on a platform.
In this sense, it is clear that the state of the art lacks sufficiently playful solutions, mainly provided with constructiveness and adequate technical structures, practical operation and easy storage of its components, for children's toys that allow interactivity with it and involving narration and storytelling in various scenarios.
It is in this context that the present invention arises.

Brief Description of the invention

To this end, the present invention proposes an interactive toy, comprising a housing provided with an upper wall, a lower wall, two side walls, and a back wall; wherein said housing comprises: a first longitudinal cutout provided on said upper wall; and a second longitudinal cutout provided in said upper wall or a side wall.
Said interactive toy further comprises: at least one movable support element, which cooperates with said upper housing wall and connects to a character element and together moves along the first longitudinal cutout. Said movable support member comprises radially cut disc shaped structure that engages by interference with the character element. Additionally, there is at least one removable stage element traversing the second longitudinal cutout.
In a preferred embodiment, the movable support member connects to the middle portion of the character element, so that the lower portion of the character element traverses the first longitudinal cut, and the upper portion of the character element remains above the first longitudinal cut.
In another preferred embodiment, the housing further comprises "L" shaped fastening elements, which individually connect to the bottom wall or side walls, and secure said removable stage element in front of the back wall.
In another preferred embodiment, said removable stage element comprises tabs.
In another preferred embodiment, the second longitudinal cutout is disposed on the upper wall.
In an alternative embodiment, the second longitudinal cutout is disposed in a sidewall.
In another preferred embodiment, more than one displaceable support element and character element may be used at the same time.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the interactive toy housing according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of a variant of the interactive toy housing according to the present invention.
Figure 3 is a front view of the character element.
Figure 4A is a top view of the movable support element comprising the radial cutout.
Figure 4B illustrates in perspective the character element and the movable support element, as well as their interference interaction, in accordance with the present invention.
Figures 5A to 5D illustrate removable stage elements comprising tabs, in different configurations, in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 6 is a front view of the interactive toy housing with a character element and removable stage elements assembled in accordance with the present invention.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the interactive toy housing with the character and stage elements assembled according to the present invention.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the top wall of the interactive toy housing, with a character element and removable stage elements mounted in accordance with the present invention.

Detailed Description of the invention

As noted, the present invention refers to an interactive toy provided with a housing specially adapted for storytelling and interpretation.
In particular, the housing comprises means to allow, while a story is narrated from a book, character elements to move in front of an interchangeable stage or scenario, ensuring an enhanced experience of story interpretation in relation to the constructions proposed in the prior art.
To this end, and as illustrated in Figure 1, the present invention proposes an interactive toy, comprising a housing 1 provided with an upper wall 2, a lower wall 3, two side walls 4, and a back wall 5.
Said housing 1 further comprises a first longitudinal cutout 22, provided on said upper wall 2, in addition to a second longitudinal cutout 23, which is preferably provided on said upper wall 2 but, in a constructive variant, may also be provided in a side wall 4 as shown in Figure 2.
Said interactive toy further comprises at least one movable support element 6, illustrated in Figure 4A, which cooperates with said upper wall 2 of the housing 1 and connects to a character element 61, illustrated in Figure 3.
This allows the movable support element 6 and character element 61 to move together along the first longitudinal cutout 22, ensuring a practical and efficient solution for the interpretation of a story narrated by a user.
Said movable support element 6 comprises a radially cut disc-shaped structure 62 which fits by interference to the character element 61 as shown in Figure 4B.
Preferably, the movable support element 6 connects to a middle portion of the character element 61, so that a lower portion of the character element 61 passes through the first longitudinal cutout 22, and an upper portion of the element of character 61 remains above the first longitudinal cutout 22.
This facilitates the displacement of character element 61 by a user, who may use the upper portion of character element 61 as a fulcrum for movement along the first longitudinal cutout 22.
The lower portion of character element 61 can be given an appropriate art or design that matches the story told by a user and assists in interpretation.
In particular, more than one displaceable support element 6 and character element 61 may be used at the same time to adapt to the storytelling of the user.
The interactive toy, according to the present invention, also comprises at least one removable stage element 7, which passes through said second longitudinal cutout 23. Said removable stage element 7 is interchangeable, being removed and inserted from the second longitudinal cutout 23, in order to adapt the narrative of a story told by a user. It is evident that various stage or scenery elements, with different arts or designs, can be used to adapt to the storytelling.
Preferably, said removable stage element 7 comprises tabs 71, in different configurations, as illustrated in Figures 5A to 5D, which facilitate their insertion and removal from the second longitudinal cutout 23.
In addition, tabs 71 may aid narration and interpretation itself, following an order of removal and insertion corresponding to the story being told by the user.
Also preferably, the housing 1 may further comprise fastening elements 31 securing said removable stage element 7 in front of the back wall 5. Preferably, the securing elements 31 have an "L" shape, and connect individually to the bottom wall 3 or side walls 4, helping to hold the removable stage element 7 in position as shown in Figure 6.
Thus, and as particularly shown in Figures 7 and 8, the displacement of the character element 61 along the first longitudinal cutout 22 in front of the removable stage element 7 allows for an storytelling and interpretation experience that is not available in the constructions disclosed in the prior art.
It is important to note that the description of examples and preferred embodiments given above and by way of the drawings is not limiting or exclusive, and the person skilled in the art will be able to identify appropriate variations that remain within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

An interactive toy comprising:
a housing (1) provided with an upper wall (2), a lower wall (3), two side walls (4), and a back wall (5); wherein a first longitudinal cutout (22) is provided on said upper wall (2) and a second longitudinal cutout (23) is provided on said upper wall (2) or a side wall (4); and

at least one removable stage element (7) traversing said second longitudinal cutout (23);

characterized by further comprising:
at least one movable support element (6) cooperating with said upper wall (2) of the housing (1) and connecting to a character element (61), and together moving along the first longitudinal cutout (22), wherein said movable support element (6) comprises a radially cut disc-shaped structure (62), which fits by interference in the character element (61).
The interactive toy according to claim 1, characterized in that the movable support element (6) connects to a middle portion of the character element (61), so that a lower portion of the character element (61) traverses the first longitudinal cutout (22), and an upper portion of the character element (61) remains above the first longitudinal cutout (22).
The interactive toy according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises "L" shaped fastening elements (31) which individually connect to the lower wall (3) or the side walls (4), and secure said removable stage element (7) in front of the back wall (5).
The interactive toy according to claim 1, characterized in that said removable stage element (7) comprises a tab (71).
The interactive toy according to claim 1, characterized in that the second longitudinal cut-out (23) is provided in the upper wall (2).
The interactive toy according to claim 1, characterized in that the second longitudinal cut-out (23) is provided in a side wall (4).
The interactive toy according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises more than one movable support element (6) and character element (61).