Plush toy with inner bladder that contains materials such as liquids, gels, powders or gasses

Abstract

A plush toy having a spherical fabric shell defining a substantially enclosed cavity with an opening forming a mouth. A normally spherical elastic bladder filled with fluid is located within the enclosed cavity. When the spherical fabric shell is squeezed by a user, the elastic bladder elastically deforms forming a generally spherical bubble projecting out of the mouth opening. When the spherical fabric shell is released the bladder retracts into the fabric shell.

Claims

1. A toy comprising: a spherical fabric shell defining a substantially enclosed cavity, the fabric shell having an opening forming a mouth of the plush toy extending through and in communication with the enclosed cavity; a normally spherical elastic bladder filled with fluid, with the elastic bladder located within and filling the enclosed cavity; and a flexible nose flap affixed to the spherical fabric shell adjacent the mouth; wherein the nose flap at least partially covers the mouth opening and deflects out of the way when the spherical fabric shell is squeezed by a user and is directly visible by the user.

2. The plush toy of claim 1, wherein the spherical fabric shell is provided with a resealable opening enabling the elastic bladder to be installed or removed.

3. The plush toy of claim 2, wherein the resealable opening is provided with a flap having a hook and loop closure.

4. The plush toy of claim 2, wherein, when the spherical fabric shell is squeezed by a user, the elastic bladder elastically deforms projecting out of the mouth opening forming a generally spherical bubble tangent to the mouth, the spherical bubble having a diameter D.sub.b which is over 2.0 times the diameter of the mouth D.sub.m.

5. The plush toy of claim 4, wherein the spherical fabric shell is formed of an inner shell layer and on outer plush layer which are sew together in a hidden hemmed seam surrounding the mouth opening.

6. The plush toy of claim 4, wherein diameter D.sub.b is over 2.0 times the diameter of the mouth D.sub.m.

7. A plush toy comprising: a spherical fabric shell defining a substantially enclosed cavity, the fabric shell having an opening forming a circular mouth opening of the plush toy having a diameter D.sub.m extending through and in communication with the enclosed cavity; a normally spherical elastic bladder filled with liquid, with the elastic bladder located within and filling the enclosed cavity and having a diameter D; and a flexible nose flap affixed to the spherical fabric shell adjacent the mouth, wherein the nose flap at least partially covers the mouth opening and deflects out of the way when the spherical fabric shell is squeezed by a user; wherein, when the spherical fabric shell is squeezed by a user, the elastic bladder elastically deforms projecting out of the mouth opening forming a generally spherical bubble which is directly visible by the user and is tangent to the mouth, the spherical bubble capable of having a diameter D.sub.b which is greater then D/2, when the spherical fabric shell is released the bladder retracts into the fabric shell.

8. The plush toy of claim 7, wherein the liquid contains a plurality of reflective particles which float about the spherical bubble when the fabric shell is squeezed, and the bubble formed.

9. The plush toy of claim 7, wherein the spherical fabric shell is provided with a resealable opening enabling the elastic bladder to be installed or removed.

10. The plush toy of claim 9, wherein the resealable opening is provided with a flap having a hook and loop closure.

11. The plush toy of claim 7, wherein the bladder is formed of transparent plastic and the liquid stored therein contains a plurality of reflective particles which float about the spherical bubble when the shell is squeezed forming the bubble.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is a side view of a fluid-filled bladder;

(2) FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the plush toy;

(3) FIG. 3 is an embodiment of the plush toy of FIG. 2 with a portion of the nose-flap removed to expose the mouth opening;

(4) FIG. 4 illustrates the plush toy being squeezed by the hand of a user causing a bubble to be projected from the plush toys' mouth;

(5) FIG. 5 is a side-elevational view of the bladder in an unsqueezed state in phantom outline, and the fully squeezed state in which a bubble is formed;

(6) FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side-elevational view of a portion of the spherical fabric shell having the mouth opening; and

(7) FIG. 7 is a side-elevational view of the plush toy of FIG. 2 in the unsqueezed state illustrating the flap which closes a resealable opening in the shell.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.

(9) A normally spherical elastic bladder 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1. This bladder 10 has an elastic bladder skin 12 which is preferably formed of a transparent latex material, however other elastic polymers may be used, such as neoprene or nitrile. The elastic bladder 10 is filled with a fluid 14, preferably a liquid such as water. Water is the preferred, since in the event of a bladder rupture the resulting mess is easy to clean up. The elastic bladder or the liquid container therein may be provided with a color for aesthetic purposes. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the fluid contains a plurality of particles 16, which freely float within the fluid in a snow-globe fashion. Preferably the particles 16 have a specific gravity close to, 5% of the liquid so that the particles can remain in suspension for a long time when the bladder is shaken or deformed. Bladder 10 in the free unsqueezed state takes on a spherical form as illustrated in FIG. 1, having a diameter D.

(10) Filled bladder 10 fits within a spherical fabric shell 18 of plush toy 20 shown in FIG. 2. The spherical fabric shell 18 defines a substantially enclosed interior cavity, also having a diameter D. The fabric shell 18 has a mouth opening 22 which extends through the fabric shell in communication with the enclosed interior cavity. The exterior surface of the spherical fabric shell 18 can be decorated in the form of a number of different toys. Along the lines of an animal theme, the FIG. 2 plush toy 20 has cat like features: a pair of ears 24, a pair of eyes 26, feet 28 and a tail 30. A nose flap 32 is affixed to the fabric shell 18 and partially overlaps mouth 22. The nose flap 32 is stitched to the fabric shell 18 along its upper marginal edge to allow the nose flap to be able to flex, exposing the mouth opening 22.

(11) FIG. 3 illustrates the plush toy 20 with a portion of the nose flap 32 removed, exposing the mouth opening 22. The mouth opening is preferably circular and less than one inch in diameter, preferably about 0.7 inches in diameter. The user playing with the plush toy 20 may squeeze the body of the plush toy causing the fluid within the bladder to pressurize due to the fluids incompressible nature causing the bladder to extend outward through the mouth opening, forming a bubble shape form.

(12) Plush toy 20 in the squeezed state is illustrated in FIG. 4. As the user squeezes the spherical fabric shell 18 of plush toy 20 as illustrated, a portion of the bladder forms a bubble 33 which extends out of the mouth opening 22 as shown. The more the shell is squeezed, the more liquid is displaced, and the larger bubble 33 becomes. The mouth opening has a diameter D.sub.m. The bubble 33 has a normal diameter of D.sub.b when squeezed by a user with one hand. Preferably D.sub.b is capable of exceeding 2 times D.sub.m when the spherical plastic shell is squeezed with one hand between the user's finger and thumb. The mouth opening relative to the bubble size is further quantifiable by angle shown in FIG. 4, where is less than 90 and preferably less than 60.

(13) The forming of bubble 33 is further illustrated in FIG. 5. When the elastic bladder 12 is in the unsqueezed spherical state, it has a diameter D represented by the dotted outline. When squeezed in one hand, between the user's fingers and thumb, the bladder takes on a flattened shape with a portion of the bladder extending through the mouth opening D.sub.m, forming bubble 33, having a diameter of D.sub.b. D.sub.b is preferably over two times the diameter of the mouth D.sub.m. When a bladder is squeezed the bubble diameter D.sub.b can be formed preferably having a diameter greater than D/2, i.e. greater than of the free bladder diameter D.

(14) Fabric shell 18 is preferably formed of two layers of fabric. An inner layer 34 and an outer plush layer 36. The inner and outer fabric layers 34 and 36 are sewn together with a hidden seam 38, illustrated in FIG. 6. This structure forms a simple clean mouth opening 22 through which the bladder 12 may extend when the fabric shell is squeezed by a user.

(15) FIG. 7 illustrates a side-elevation of the exemplary plush toy 20. The spherical fabric shell 18 is made up of a series of panels sewn together, base panel 40, main panel 42, rear panel 44 and top panel 46. An opening is formed between main panel 46 and 42 which is a sufficient size to enable the filled bladder 10 to be installed or removed from the interior sphere. This opening in the enclosed cavity is resealably closed by a flap 48 connected to top panel 46. Flap 48 is releasably connected to the main panel 42 by a strip of hook and loop fasteners 50 such as VELCRO. Of course, a zipper or other releasable seam closure may be used. The resealable flap 48 enables the flexible bladder 10 to be removed from the spherical fabric shell 18 so that the shell can be washed when dirty or if the bladder replaced if ruptured.

(16) Of course, a variety of other animal, human or other mythical character decorations can be applied to the exterior surface of the spherical fabric shell. While a spherical bladder and spherical fabric shell are shown in the illustrated embodiment, the bladder shape may deviate slightly from spherical taking on an elliptical shape for an elongated animal body or a flattened toroidal shape to form a body of a tropical fish. However, a general spherical shape is preferred as it allows for the largest bubble size which is achieved when squeezing the toy with one hand.

(17) While exemplary embodiments are described above, it is not intended that these embodiments describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, the features of various implementing embodiments may be combined to form further embodiments of the invention.