Amusement devices: toys – Figure toy or accessory therefor – Fabric-covered stuffed figure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-23
2001-04-17
Hafer, Robert A. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices: toys
Figure toy or accessory therefor
Fabric-covered stuffed figure
C446S373000, C446S385000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217406
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire skeleton for a soft sculptured doll that allows the doll to be moved and positioned similar to the movement and poses that would be possible for a small child. The wire skeleton is provided with a flexible backbone member that extends into the head of the doll, thereby allowing the chest and neck of the doll to be moved and positioned. The lower end of the flexible backbone member secures into an inverted t-shaped connector at the doll's waistline, and a unshaped wire extends through the remaining two sleeves in the horizontal portion of the t-shaped connector. The u-shaped wire forms the leg members of the doll's skeleton. The u-shaped wire freely rotates within the t-shaped connector, allowing the leg members to rotate forward and backward on the doll. Also, each of the leg members can be bent to form a foot for the doll and to simulate movement of the legs of a child so that the doll can be posed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Dolls and other animal toys have employed wire within the toy to provide movable support for the toy. However, none of the prior toys have combined the flexibility of wire for the backbone and legs of a doll with the free and coordinated movement of the dolls legs, similar to the flexibility that is found in a small child.
The present invention improves over prior toys in that it provides a movable wire backbone that extends from the doll's waistline to the doll's head and combines the backbone to an inverted t-shaped connector through which a u-shaped wire extends to form the movable and rotatable leg members of the doll.
The leg members rotate within the horizontal portion of the t-shaped connector and thereby move in conjunction with each other to the front or to the back of the doll. Also, because both the backbone and the leg member are made of flexible wire, the entire doll can be moved and posed to simulate the movement and positions that a young child would be able to achieve. This combined range of movement allows a soft sculptured doll that is made with this skeleton to be moved and posed in more realistic ways than previous dolls.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a wire skeleton for a soft sculptured doll. The wire skeleton is provided with a flexible backbone member that extends into the head of the doll, thereby allowing the chest and neck of the doll to be moved and positioned. The backbone is provided with an upper end that extends into the head of the doll and with an opposite lower end that secures within the upward extending sleeve of an inverted t-shaped connector. The inverted t-shaped connector is located at the doll's waistline. The t-shaped connector is provided with two additional sleeves that are located at either end of a horizontal portion of the t-shaped connector. Another piece of wire that is formed into a u-shape is inserted through the horizontal portion of the t-shaped connector so that the u-shaped wire extends through the two sleeves in the horizontal portion of the t-shaped connector. The ends of the u-shaped wire form the leg members of the doll's skeleton. The unshaped wire freely rotates within the t-shaped connector, allowing the leg members to rotate forward and backward on the doll. Also, each of the leg members can be bent to form a foot for the doll and to simulate movement of the legs of a child so that the doll can be posed. The upper end of the backbone and the ends of the unshaped wire are preferably wrapped with tape to prevent the wires from poking through the padding around the skeleton of the doll and reaching the covering material of the body of the doll.
The dolls are formed employing this flexible skeleton by first placing soft pillow type padding material, such as for example polyester fiberfill, Dacron®, etc., around the skeleton of the doll. Second, a child's leotard is pulled over the bottom half of the skeleton, adding additional stuffing as needed in order to form the legs and chest of the doll. Next, a lady's knee-high stocking is pulled over the top half of the skeleton while adding additional stuffing as needed in order to form the head and neck of the doll. The lady's knee-high is inserted into the open end of the leotards and the two are secured together by sewing, gluing, or any other suitable method of attachment. Finally, two additional lady's knee-highs are filled with stuffing in order to form the arms of the doll. The open ends of the knee-highs that form the arms are secured at approximately right angles, to the neck of the doll so that the upper portion of the arms forms the doll's shoulders. The arms are secured to the neck of the doll by sewing, gluing or any other suitable means of attachment.
The doll is then dressed in children's clothing, hair or other suitable covering is applied to the head of the doll, and the arms of the doll are secured in a desired position. One preferred position for securing the doll's arms is to secure the ends of the arms to the chin of the doll to simulate a child in prayer. However, the ends of the arms may be secured within the pockets of the doll's clothing, to accessories, etc.
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patent: 4954118 (1990-09-01), Rafabert
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patent: 5017173 (1991-05-01), Shapero et al.
patent: 5288257 (1994-02-01), Zacherl
patent: 382589 (1923-10-01), None
patent: 1244459 (1960-09-01), None
Fossom Laura
Hafer Robert A.
McKay Molly D.
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