EP0316158A1

EP0316158A1 - Compressible toy characters

Info

Publication number: EP0316158A1
Application number: EP88310552A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Dennis John O' Patka; Sandra Alene Levin; Wayne Albert Kuna
Original assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
Current assignee: Glass Marvin and Associates
Priority date: 1987-11-09
Filing date: 1988-11-09
Publication date: 1989-05-17
Also published as: KR890007771A; CN2043891U; JPH01190384A; AU2477988A

Abstract

A toy character (11) has a collapsible outer fabric shell (16) and a compressible inner stuffing (20) forming an in the round sculpture when the stuffing is in its normal expanded state. The outer shell is made of a tightly knit or woven material, such as nylon tricot or nylon ripstop, having a crisp, slippery feel which defines a maximum inner volume. An amount of compressible inner stuffing, less than the maximum inner volume, fills enough of the shell so that the character does not collapse while permitting the character to be compressed to at least one-half of its normal expanded size. An appropriately themed container (50) formed of a relatively rigid material, such as vinyl, has a volume of half, or less, than the volume of the character in its normal expanded state. More than one such character may be combined in a set with a container having a volume that is half, or less, than the total volume of the set of characters with the stuffing in the normal expanded state.

Description

This invention relates generally to stuffed toy characters and more particularly to in the round toy characters that are not fully stuffed so that the toy characters may be compressed to half or less of their normal expanded volume.
Toy stuffed characters, dating back to at least the original teddy bear, have long been favorite childhood playthings. U.S. Patent Specification Nos. 511111, 1308432, 1543351, 3279121, 4094093, and 4296567 exemplify the prior art three dimensional toy dolls or characters made of an outer flexible fabric material and an inner soft stuffing material. In all of these prior art toys, the outer covering is substantially filled with the inner stuffing material so that while the toy is soft, the toy maintains substantially the same volume when squeezed or compressed.
Silhouette pieces fabricated from thin sheet material such as foam or sponge rubber or synthetic plastics that may be suitably folded or compressed and packed into a container are disclosed in U.S. Patent Specification No. 2760302. German Patent Specification No. 389223 shows a toy character having a generally rigid torso with pivotally attached generally rigid appendages that fold from an outwardly extended position into a position in alignment with the length of the torso so that the entire character may be pulled into an elongated container.
In one aspect, the invention provides a toy comprising: a stuffed character having: a collapsible shell comprising a slippery fabric which defines a maximum volume for the character; a resilient stuffing material within the shell, the stuffing material in an effective amount large enough to fill the shell to an expanded volume at least the proportion of the maximum volume of the character required to produce in the character a rounded, three-dimensional shape and also in an effective amount small enough to allow the character to be compressed manually from the expanded volume to a compressed volume of less than half the expanded volume; and a substantially rigid container having an interior cavity therein and an exterior opening extending into the cavity, the cavity having a volume that is substantially less than the expanded volume of the character and the opening having dimensions at least large enough to allow the character to be inserted manually through the opening into the cavity while the character is compressed and also withdrawn manually from the cavity through the opening while the character is compressed; wherein the character may be inserted manually through the opening into the cavity and then withdrawn manually from the cavity through the opening.
In another aspect, the invention provides a toy comprising: a plurality of stuffed characters, each of which has: a collapsible shell comprising a slippery fabric which defines a maximum volume for the character; a resilient stuffing material within the shell, the stuffing material in an effective amount large enough to fill the shell to an expanded volume at at least the proportion of the maximum volume of the character required to produce in the character a rounded, three-dimensional shape and also in an effective amount small enough to allow the character to be compressed manually from the expanded volume to a compressed volume of less than half the expanded volume; and a substantially rigid container having an interior cavity therein and an exterior opening extending into the cavity, the cavity having a volume that is substantially less than the expanded volume of the plurality of characters and the opening having dimensions at least large enough to allow the plurality of characters to be inserted manually through the opening into the cavity while each character is compressed and also withdrawn manually from the cavity through the opening while each character is compressed; wherein the plurality of characters may be inserted manually through the opening into the cavity and then withdrawn manually from the cavity through the opening.
In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a sectional view through the container shown in Figure 1 with all of the characters shown in Figure 1 stuffed into the container;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the container;
Figure 4 is an enlarged scale, sectional view through the container shown in Figure 3 with a number of the characters illustrated in Figure 1 stuffed into the container;
Figure 5 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of a container;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of yet another container embodiment;
Figure 7 is a perspective view showing a toy character partially stuffed into the container of Figure 6;
Figure 8 is a perspective view showing the toy character of Figure 7 extracted from the container; and
Figure 9 is a sectional view taken generally along line 9-9 of Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings in which like parts are designated by like reference numerals throughout the several views, Figure 1 shows a set or family of toy characters 10 including an adult female character 11 having a head 12, torso 13, arms 14 and legs 15. As is best shown in the sectional view of Figure 9, toy character 11 has a collapsible, flexible outer shell 16 formed of a lightweight tightly knit or tightly woven fabric, such as nylon tricot or a nylon ripstop, having a crisp, slippery feel. Preferably, the fabric resists wrinkling and quickly recovers from actual wrinkling. Outer shell 16, which defines the maximum size or volume of the character, is by itself collapsible.
Again, as is best illustrated in Figure 9, the outer shell may consist of two or more parts that are sewn together along a seam 17 and then turned inside out to form head 12 and torso 13 along with arms 14 and legs 15. An opening may be left along the seam for turning the sewn shell inside out. Alternatively, as illustrated in Figure 9, an opening in the covering may be made in some other area such as the neck area that is later closed with a stitch 18 that pinches in the fabric between the head and the torso to better sculpturally define the neck. Additional stitching such as 19 may be used to further define the contour of a hat or the like covering head 12 of character 11.
Before closing the shell opening with stitch 18, the head, torso and appendages of toy character 11 are filled with a quantity of stuffing material such as Dupont Certified QUALLOFIL pillow stuffing material which entraps enough air so that the stuffing can be quickly and easily compressed, manually or mechanically, down to at least one-third the volume of its normal expanded state. The quantity of stuffing material 20 used for each character is less than the maximum volume defined by the outer shell 16 of the character so that the entire character may readily be compressed to at least one half of its normal expanded volume. However, enough of the stuffing is used so that with the stuffing in its normal expanded state, enough of the maximum inner volume of the character is filled to form the in the round, full sculptured form of the character having variations in all three dimensions. Although compression of the character may be achieved using an implement (not shown), it is primarily intended to be done by manual manipulation and the crisp, slippery feel of the fabric forming shell 16 provides a pleasing tactile sensation during such manipulation.
Set 10 also includes a male adult character 21 having a head 22, torso 23, arms 24 and legs 25; a child character 31 having a head 32, torso 33, arms 34 and legs 35; plus an animal or dog character 41 having a head 42, torso 43, legs 44, ears 45 and a tail 46. Similar to character 11, each of the characters 21, 31 and 41 have an outer fabric shell and an inner stuffing material. The outer shell for all of the characters is sewn so as to provide relief or detail in all three dimensions. When stuffed, each of the characters is formed in the round, that is in full three dimensional sculptured form, as opposed to a diecut or silhouette form having a substantially uniform thickness.
A container 50 is provided for the family 10 of toy characters. The container is appropriately themed as a home for the family and has an internal volume less than half the total volume of characters 11, 21, 31 and 41 with their stuffing in the normal expanded state. However, as illustrated in Figure 2, all of the figures, when each is compressed down to its reduced size, fit within container 50.
For insertion of the characters into the container, at least one opening is required and home 50 is provided with a door opening 51, window openings 52 and 53 plus a chimney opening 54. The size of each opening is less than the cross sectional size of the torso or head or of any of the characters 11, 21, 31 or 41 in their normal expanded state. Thus, the illusion of the apparent impossibility or implausibility of stuffing any of the characters through any of the openings into the container, let alone all of the characters, is heightened. Compression of the characters into home 50 may be accomplished by manual or digital manipulation or a closure for an opening such as a door (not shown) may be employed.
In Figures 3 and 4, an alternative form of container 60 themed as a grocery store is shown having openings 61, 62 and 63. While, as with container 50, all of the characters of family 10 may be stuffed into container 60, parts of the character such as the head 22 and the arms 24 of character 21 may be left outside, or pulled outside, of container 60 through opening 61. Similarly, while character 11 is illustrated as fully contained within grocery store 60, tail 46 and part of torso 43 of character 41 are shown as extending out of an opening 64.
The form of the container is not restricted to a static one but may instead be a vehicle such as container 65 which includes rotatable wheels 66. Again, while the entire character could be stuffed within vehicular container 65, it is amusing to leave the heads 22 and 32 extending out through openings 67 and 68, respectively.
Figures 6-8 show yet another embodiment in which a container 70 is themed as a wedge of Swiss cheese having a number of openings 71 plus smaller openings 72. In combination with container 70, there is a toy mouse character 75 having a head 76, torso 77, ears 78, arms 79, legs 80 an a tail 81. Toy mouse 75, as the characters forming the set or family 10, is a fully sculptured, in the round, form having detail in all three dimensions. The mouse may be inserted within the simulated cheese container 70 with the head and ears, legs and tail extended out through openings. Alternatively, mouse 75 may be fully compressed so as to fit entirely within container 70.
Many other variations of in the round characters and appropriately themed containers may be made with the present invention.

Claims

1. A toy comprising a stuffed character having:
a collapsible shell comprising a slippery fabric which defines a maximum volume for the character;
a resilient stuffing material within the shell, the stuffing material in an effective amount large enough to fill the shell to an expanded volume at least the proportion of the maximum volume of the character required to produce in the character a rounded, three-dimensional shape and also in an effective amount small enough to allow the character to be compressed manually from the expanded volume to a compressed volume of less than half the expanded volume; and
a substantially rigid container having an interior cavity therein and an exterior opening extending into the cavity, the cavity having a volume that is substantially less than the expanded volume of the character and the opening having dimensions at least large enough to allow the character to be inserted manually through the opening into the cavity while the character is compressed and also withdrawn manually from the cavity through the opening while the character is compressed;
wherein the character may be inserted manually through the opening into the cavity and then withdrawn manually from the cavity through the opening.

2. A toy as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the container cavity is less than half the expanded volume of the character.

3. A toy as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the slippery fabric is a nylon fabric.

4. A toy as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the character comprises a torso, a head and a plurality of appendages projecting from the torso.

5. A toy as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the opening in the container is smaller than the head of the character at the expanded volume.

6. A toy as claimed in Claim 4 or 5, wherein the opening in the container is smaller than the torso of the character at the expanded volume.

7. A toy as claimed in Claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the container has an exterior opening extending into the cavity through which the head of the character projects from the container.

8. A toy as claimed in Claim 4, 5, 6 or 7 wherein the container has a plurality of exterior openings extending into the cavity through which a plurality of appendages of the character project from the container.

9. A toy comprising a plurality of stuffed characters, each of which has:
a collapsible shell comprising a slippery fabric which defines a maximum volume for the character;
a resilient stuffing material within the shell, the stuffing material in an effective amount large enough to fill the shell to an expanded volume at at least the proportion of the maximum volume of the character required to produce in the character a rounded, three-dimensional shape and also in an effective amount small enough to allow the character to be compressed manually from the expanded volume to a compressed volume of less than half the expanded volume; and
a substantially rigid container having an interior cavity therein and an exterior opening extending into the cavity, the cavity having a volume that is substantially less than the expanded volume of the plurality of characters and the opening having dimensions at least large enough to allow the plurality of characters to be inserted manually through the opening into the cavity while each character is compressed and also withdrawn manually from the cavity through the opening while each character is compressed;
wherein the plurality of characters may be inserted manually through the opening into the cavity and then withdrawn manually from the cavity through the opening.

10. A toy as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the container cavity is less than half the expanded volume of the plurality of characters.

11. A toy as claimed in Claim 9 or 10, wherein the slippery fabric is a nylon fabric.

12. A toy as claimed in Claim 9, 10 or 11, wherein each character comprises a torso and a head.

13. A toy as claimed in Claim 9, 10, 11 or 12 wherein the container is a wheeled vehicle.

14. A toy comprising a resiliently compressible figure and a rigid container with an opening through which the figure can be manually inserted and withdrawn when compressed.