Toy Apparatus And Methods Of Manufacture And Use Thereof

Abstract

A toy or game apparatus including a figure or character member and a trigger means. User actuation of the trigger means causes at least part of the figure or character member to vibrate and/or shake. The vibrating or shaking occurring occasionally and/or after a period of time has elapsed.

1 . A toy or game apparatus, said apparatus including a figure or character member and a trigger means, wherein user actuation of the trigger means causes at least part of the figure or character member to vibrate and/or shake, said vibrating or shaking occurring occasionally and/or after a period of time has elapsed characterised in that the figure or character is an animal figure or character which includes substantially flexible material portions that move when the animal character member shakes or vibrates, such that said material portions cause any water or other liquid added to the character or figure member to be flung about when the character or figure member shakes or vibrates. 
     
     
         2 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein user actuation of the trigger means occasionally causes at least part of the figure or character member to vibrate and/or shake occasionally and/or after a period of time has elapsed. 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein each and/or every actuation of the trigger means does not result in the figure or character member shaking or shaking or vibrating only occurs on some of the actuations. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the trigger means includes a timer and actuation of the trigger means initiates, sets or actuates the timer to start timing a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the character or figure member starts to vibrate and/or shake after a predetermined or set amount of time has passed and the user subsequently actuates the trigger means. 
     
     
         11 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the trigger means includes a latched engagement mechanism. 
     
     
         12 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the latched engagement mechanism is biased and/or balanced such that relatively light contact and/or small movements of the trigger means and/or the figure or character member can actuate or start the shaking and/or vibration. 
     
     
         13 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the trigger means includes a rotatable member and rotation or partial rotation of the rotatable member can occasionally cause or actuate the vibration and/or shaking of a at least part of the character or figure member. 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the trigger means includes an actuating or shaking mechanism. 
     
     
         17 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein actuation of the trigger means coils and/or creates more tension in a spring associated with the shaking mechanism and further actuation or turns, creates more tension in said spring which continues periodically until sufficient tension is reached to trigger a vibrating or oscillating member thereby generating vibrating and/or shaking movement in at least part of the figure or character. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes a microprocessor programmed with a random or apparently random series which actuates the trigger means and/or shaking mechanism. 
     
     
         22 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes a container portion in which at least part of the character of figure member is located or positioned said container portion can hold liquid. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the character or figure member is a dog, or in the form of a canine like character and at least the ears and/or fur of the dog is formed from substantially flexible material. 
     
     
         27 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes or is associated with a board portion including one or more markings indicating portions or places of the board where game counters, tokens, pieces and/or the like should be positioned or placed in use. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 27  wherein the board portion includes a plurality of markings at least some of which designate the number of times the trigger means should be actuated by a user or player. 
     
     
         30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes a brush member used to comb or brush the figure or character member and/or the flexible material portions depending therefrom and brushing the figure or character member can actuate and/or trigger the trigger means. 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the apparatus includes a liquid dispenser and a user dispenses water from the dispenser on to the character or figure member and/or into the container portion. 
     
     
         36 . A method of manufacturing a toy apparatus according to  claim 1 , said apparatus including a figure or character member and a trigger means, wherein user actuation of the trigger means causes at least part of the figure or character member to vibrate and/or shake, said vibrating or shaking occurring occasionally and/or after a period of time has elapsed wherein said method includes the step of engaging a vibrating or shaking mechanism with at least part of said figure or character member. 
     
     
         37 . A method of using or playing with a toy apparatus according to  claim 1 , said apparatus including a figure or character member and a trigger means, wherein user actuation of the trigger means causes at least part of the figure or character member to vibrate and/or shake, said vibrating or shaking occurring occasionally and/or after a period of time has elapsed. 
     
     
         38 . A toy or game apparatus according to  claim 37  wherein typically where there are two or more users or players, each player takes it in turns to actuate the trigger means at least once.