US 4,738,649 AGranted

Figure toy with punching arm mechanism

AssigneeColeco Industries, Inc.

InventorsRobert Delli Bovi, Brian Fontaine

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An action toy figure has a spring-powered rotatable arm which is capable of simulating a pummelling action. It employs a spring motor, with a pawl-activated ratchet-clutch arrangement which permits full winding while protecting the mechanism against damage due to excessive rotation of the "puncher arm" in either direction.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An action toy figure having a spring-powered rotatable appendage, including:

a figure body;
a spring motor mounted within said body and having a mounting piece with an end portion thereon;
an appendage affixed upon said end portion of said mounting piece;
and means for actuating said spring motor from externally of said body, said spring motor comprising:
a housing having an elongated chamber therein;
a rotor having a cylindrical barrel portion and a ratchet wheel portion thereon, said rotor being mounted with said barrel portion disposed within said chamber of said housing and coaxial with the longitudinal axis thereof for rotation thereabout, and said wheel portion having its axis of rotation aligned therewith;
a pawl member mounted within said body for reciprocal movement into and out of engagement with said wheel portion, said pawl member permitting rotation of said rotor in only one direction when engaged with said wheel portion, and permitting rotation in both directions when disengaged therefrom, said pawl member being operatively connected to said actuating means to enable manual disengagement from said wheel portion;
a coiled torsion spring disposed within said chamber and about said barrel portion of said rotor with one end attached thereto and with the opposite end attached to said housing, said spring being adapted to wind in said one direction of rotor rotation;
and
clutch means operatively interposed between said mounting piece and said rotor, said clutch means interengaging said mounting piece and rotor for conjoint movement in said one direction, to enable winding of said torsion spring by rotation of said appendage, and permitting relative rotation therebetween in said one direction when said spring is in a fully wound condition, and said clutch means interengaging said mounting piece and rotor for conjoint movement in the opposite direction to rotate said appendage when said spring unwinds, and permitting relative rotation therebetween when said mounting piece is rotated in said opposite direction at a point therebeyond.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An action toy figure having a spring-powered rotatable appendage, including:

a figure body;
a spring motor mounted within said body and having a mounting piece with an end portion thereon;
an appendage affixed upon said end portion of said mounting piece;
and means for actuating said spring motor from externally of said body, said spring motor comprising:
a housing having an elongated chamber therein;
a rotor having a cylindrical barrel portion and a ratchet wheel portion thereon, said rotor being mounted with said barrel portion disposed within said chamber of said housing and coaxial with the longitudinal axis thereof for rotation thereabout, and said wheel portion having its axis of rotation aligned therewith;
a pawl member mounted within said body for reciprocal movement into and out of engagement with said wheel portion, said pawl member permitting rotation of said rotor in only one direction when engaged with said wheel portion, and permitting rotation in both directions when disengaged therefrom, said pawl member being operatively connected to said actuating means to enable manual disengagement from said wheel portion;
a coiled torsion spring disposed within said chamber and about said barrel portion of said rotor with one end attached thereto and with the opposite end attached to said housing, said spring being adapted to wind in said one direction of rotor rotation;
and
clutch means operatively interposed between said mounting piece and said rotor, said clutch means interengaging said mounting piece and rotor for conjoint movement in said one direction, to enable winding of said torsion spring by rotation of said appendage, and permitting relative rotation therebetween in said one direction when said spring is in a fully wound condition, and said clutch means interengaging said mounting piece and rotor for conjoint movement in the opposite direction to rotate said appendage when said spring unwinds, and permitting relative rotation therebetween when said mounting piece is rotated in said opposite direction at a point therebeyond.

7 more elements