Deformable toy
OwnerJohn Hinnen, IIIinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide a toy deformable to several structural configurations. The toy includes two endcaps connected by a plurality of pliable ribs. The toy may be deformed into a low-profile configuration by pressing the endcaps together, the ribs bending outward to accommodate the deformation. The toy may be deformed into a high-profile configuration by squeezing the ribs together, the endcaps being pushed apart to accommodate the deformation. While pressure is not applied to the toy, the toy may enter a non-deformed configuration wherein the ribs and the toy as a whole take on a substantially spherical form. A retention device may also be utilized to confine the toy to a specific configuration.
Claims7
A deformable toy, comprising:
- a. a first solid endcap;
- b. a second solid endcap;
- c. a removeable retainer;
- d. a plurality of ribs, wherein at least one rib connects the first solid endcap and the second solid endcap and at least one rib comprises an outer face having an uneven texture;
- e. an equator spanning across at least one rib of the plurality of ribs, the equator having a first circumferential ridge and a second circumferential ridge each spanning the plurality of ribs to respective sides of the equator;
- f. at least one gap configured to separate at least one rib from another adjacent rib;
- g. wherein at least one rib of the plurality of ribs is bendable outward away from a central axis of the toy;
- h. wherein the toy is capable of comprising, at a given time, one of either a non-deformed configuration, a low-profile configuration, and a high-profile configuration;
- the high-profile configuration defined by decreasing the gap via compression of the toy along a horizontal axis and the low-profile configuration defined by widening the gap via compression of the toy along a vertical axis;
- and
- i. wherein the removeable retainer is configured to couple and hold taut the equator, such that the toy is retained in the high-profile configuration.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.