Interconvertible soft articles

Abstract

Rugged, soft, interconvertible articles constructed from soft, resilient members, which articles adopt a substantially different geometry upon an interior to exterior interconversion. The articles of the invention provide a significant visual effect and are useful as educational aids, magician's props, and toys.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An article comprising a first stable geometry, comprising a plurality of soft, resilient rotatable members, interconnected by hinge-type connections, the rotatable members having an interior surface area, wherein the article adopts a second stable geometry upon interconverting one or more of the rotatable members.  
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the article interconverts upon the interconverting of the one or more rotatable members.  
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein two or more of the rotatable members are rotated concomitantly.  
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein one half or more of the rotatable members are rotated.  
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein all of the rotatable members are rotated.  
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , where the one or more rotatable members in the second geometry have substantially the same shape as in the first geometry.  
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 1 , comprising an interconversion opening.  
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the interior surface area of the second stable geometry comprises a hollow space of about the same volume as the volume of the first geometry.  
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein two or more of the rotatable member are interrelated through a fabric covering and one or more of the hinge-type connections comprises intersection of the fabric covering.  
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first geometry is cube, building shaped, disk, or icosahedron.  
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the second geometry is stellated cube, car shaped, sun shaped, or stellated icosahedron.  
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first geometry is cube and the second geometry is stellated cube; the first geometry is building shaped and the second geometry is car shaped; the first geometry is disk shaped and the second geometry is sun shaped; or the first geometry is icosahedron and the second geometry is stellated icosahedron.  
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more rotatable members comprises a plastic foam or an air-filled balloon.  
     
     
         14 . A method of interconverting an article from a first stable geometry to a second stable geometry comprising interconverting two or more of a plurality of soft, resilient rotatable members, interconnected by hinge-type connections.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the two or more rotatable members are rotated concomitantly.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein one half or more of the rotatable members are rotated.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein all the rotatable members are rotated.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the article comprises an interconversion opening.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the interior of the second geometry comprises a hollow space of about the same volume as the volume of the first geometry.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the two or more rotatable members are interrelated through a fabric covering and one or more of the hinge-type connections comprises intersection of the fabric covering.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first geometry is cube, building shaped, disk, or icosahedron.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the second geometry is stellated cube, car shaped, sun shaped, or stellated icosahedron.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the first geometry is cube and the second geometry is stellated cube; the first geometry is building shaped and the second geometry is car shaped; the first geometry is disk shaped and the second geometry is sun shaped; or the first geometry is icosahedron and the second geometry is stellated icosahedron.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein one or more of the rotatable members comprises a plastic foam or an air-filled balloon.