Toy Convertible Between a Character and a High-Bounce Ball

Abstract

A toy that is selectively convertible between a first configuration and a ball configuration. The toy assembly includes a body mass of resilient material having an external shape with a top surface and an opposite bottom surface. A head mass is provided that defines an internal cavity. The internal cavity is sized and shaped to receive and retain the body mass within said internal cavity with a friction fit. The internal cavity is accessible through both a top opening and a bottom opening in the head mass. The top surface of the body mass closes the top opening of the internal cavity when the body mass is fully inserted into the internal cavity. Likewise, the bottom surface of the body mass closes the bottom opening when the body mass is fully inserted into the internal cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A toy assembly selectively convertible between a first configuration and a second configuration, said toy comprising:
 a body mass of resilient material having an external shape with a top surface and an opposite bottom surface; and   a head mass that defines an internal cavity, said internal cavity being sized and shaped to receive and retain said body mass within said internal cavity with a friction fit, wherein said internal cavity is accessible through both a top opening and a bottom opening in said head mass, and wherein said top surface of said body mass closes said top opening of said internal cavity and said bottom surface of said body mass closes said bottom opening of said body mass when said body mass is fully inserted into said internal cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The toy assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said head mass is spherically shaped. 
     
     
         3 . The toy assembly according to  claim 2 , further including facial features on said head mass that provide said head mass with the appearance of a character head. 
     
     
         4 . The toy assembly according to  claim 3 , wherein said external shape of said body mass has the shape of a character body. 
     
     
         5 . The toy assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said toy assembly has a mass to volume ratio of at least eighty percent when said body mass is fully inserted into said internal cavity of said head mass. 
     
     
         6 . The toy assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said head mass and said body mass are fabricated from the same resilient material. 
     
     
         7 . The toy assembly according to  claim 1 , further including slots in said body mass that radially extend from said internal cavity into said head mass, wherein said slots enable said internal cavity to better elastically deform to receive said body mass therein. 
     
     
         8 . The toy assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said head mass has a contoured exterior surface and said top surface of said body mass conforms to said contoured exterior surface so as to appear to be part of said contoured exterior surface when said body mass is fully inserted into said head mass. 
     
     
         9 . The toy assembly according to  claim 2 , wherein said bottom surface of said body mass has a flat section for supporting said body mass on a flat surface. 
     
     
         10 . The toy assembly according to  claim 1 , further including a strap that is affixed to said body mass. 
     
     
         11 . The toy assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein said body mass has a neck section, an upper torso section and a lower torso section. 
     
     
         12 . The toy assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein said neck section is sized to engage said internal cavity with a friction fit proximate said bottom opening of said internal cavity, therein enabling said body mass to be engaged with said internal cavity as said upper torso section and said lower torso section extend from said internal cavity. 
     
     
         13 . A toy assembly comprising:
 a generally spherical mass having an exterior surface, wherein said generally spherical body defines an internal cavity that is accessible through an opening in said generally spherical body, and wherein said generally spherical body is fabricated from a resilient polymer; and   a body-shaped mass pressed into said internal cavity, wherein said body-shaped mass is retained in said internal cavity with a friction fit, said body-shaped mass having a bottom surface that closes said opening in said generally spherical body along said exterior surface.   
     
     
         14 . The toy assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said body-shaped mass has a neck section that is sized to engage said internal cavity with a friction fit proximate said opening. 
     
     
         15 . The toy assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein said generally spherical mass and said body-shaped mass are both molded from a resilient polymer that enables said toy assembly to bounce. 
     
     
         16 . The toy assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein said toy assembly is capable of bouncing with a drop-bounce ratio of at least as great as 3:1. 
     
     
         17 . The toy assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein said toy assembly has a mass-to-volume ratio of at least eighty percent when said body-shaped mass is fully inserted into said internal cavity of said generally spherical mass. 
     
     
         18 . The toy assembly according to  claim 13 , further including slots in said generally spherical mass that radially extend from said internal cavity into said generally spherical mass, wherein said slots enable said internal cavity to better elastically deform to receive said body-shaped mass therein. 
     
     
         19 . A toy assembly that is selectively convertible between a character configuration and a ball configuration, said toy assembly comprising:
 a body mass of resilient material having a character body shape;   a head mass of resilient material having a character head shape, said head mass defining an internal cavity, said internal cavity being sized and shaped to receive and retain said body mass within said internal cavity with a friction fit, wherein said internal cavity is accessible through an opening in said head mass, and wherein said body mass can be selectively inserted into or extended from said internal cavity.   
     
     
         20 . The toy assembly according to  claim 19 , wherein said toy assembly has a mass-to-volume ratio of at least eighty percent when said body mass is fully inserted into said internal cavity of said head mass.