U.S. patent application number 17/497203 was filed with the patent office on 2022-04-14 for children's toys and accessories.
The applicant listed for this patent is JAY AT PLAY INTERNATIONAL HONG KONG LIMITED D/B/A JAY AT PLAY, JAY AT PLAY INTERNATIONAL HONG KONG LIMITED D/B/A JAY AT PLAY. Invention is credited to Joseph A. Sutton.
Application Number | 20220110464 17/497203 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-04-14 |
View All Diagrams
United States Patent
Application |
20220110464 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sutton; Joseph A. |
April 14, 2022 |
Children's Toys and Accessories
Abstract
A pillow case assembly includes a pillow case defining an
internal cavity accessible via an opening for removably receiving a
pillow, the pillow case having a perimeter. The pillow case
assembly also includes a pillow case accessory removably coupled to
the pillow case adjacent the perimeter of the pillow case and a
fastener removably coupling the pillow case accessory to the pillow
case.
Inventors: |
Sutton; Joseph A.; (Delray
Beach, FL) |
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Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
JAY AT PLAY INTERNATIONAL HONG KONG LIMITED D/B/A JAY AT
PLAY |
Kowloon |
|
HK |
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Appl. No.: |
17/497203 |
Filed: |
October 8, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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63089792 |
Oct 9, 2020 |
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International
Class: |
A47G 9/10 20060101
A47G009/10; A63H 3/00 20060101 A63H003/00; A63H 3/02 20060101
A63H003/02; A63H 3/12 20060101 A63H003/12; A47G 9/02 20060101
A47G009/02; B65D 81/36 20060101 B65D081/36; A45C 7/00 20060101
A45C007/00 |
Claims
1. A pillow case assembly comprising: a pillow case defining an
internal cavity accessible via an opening for removably receiving a
pillow, the pillow case having a perimeter; a pillow case accessory
configured to be removably coupled to the pillow case adjacent the
perimeter of the pillow case; and a fastener configured for
removably coupling the pillow case accessory to the pillow
case.
2. The pillow case assembly of claim 1, wherein the pillow case
accessory defines at least a portion of a head of a character
image, and wherein the pillow case defines a body of the character
image.
3. The pillow case assembly of claim 2, further comprising at least
one appendage coupled to the pillow case accessory to further add
to the likeness of the character image.
4. The pillow case assembly of claim 3, wherein the at least one
appendage includes one or more of a paw, a foot, a hoof, a leg, an
ear, an amount of hair, or a fin.
5. The pillow case assembly of claim 2, further comprising at least
one appendage coupled to the pillow case to further add to the
likeness of the character image, the at least one appendage
extending beyond the perimeter of the pillow case.
6. The pillow case assembly of claim 1, wherein the pillow case
accessory is a stuffed accessory filled with a foam, a fiber
stuffing, a plurality of beans, or a combination of the same.
7. The pillow case assembly of claim 1, wherein the pillow case
assembly includes a cavity therein, defining a storage space for
the pillow case.
8. The pillow case assembly of claim 1, wherein the pillow case
includes a front side and a rear side opposite the front side, the
front side coupled to the rear side at the perimeter of the pillow
case.
9. The pillow case assembly of claim 8, wherein the fastener is a
first fastener located on the pillow case accessory and further
comprising a second fastener configured to be removably coupled to
the first fastener and located on the front side of the pillow
case.
10. The pillow case assembly of claim 8, wherein the fastener is a
first fastener located on the pillow case accessory and further
comprising a second fastener configured to be removably coupled to
the first fastener and located on the rear side of the pillow
case.
11. The pillow case assembly of claim 1, wherein the pillow case
accessory defines a first portion of a first character image,
wherein the pillow case accessory includes a cavity, wherein the
pillow case accessory is reversible by opening the cavity and
turning the pillow case accessory inside out to display a first
portion of a second character image different than the first
portion of the first character image.
12. The pillow case assembly of claim 11, wherein the pillow case
defines a second portion of the first character image and is
reversible to display a second portion of the second character
image different than the second portion of the first character
image.
13. A pillow case assembly comprising: a pillow case defining an
internal cavity accessible via an opening for removably receiving a
pillow, the pillow case defining a body of a character image; a
pillow case accessory removably coupled to the pillow case, the
pillow case accessory defining a head of a character image; and a
first appendage coupled directly to the pillow case and defining a
first appendage of the character image.
14. The pillow case assembly of claim 13, further comprising a
second appendage coupled directly to the pillow case accessory and
defining a second appendage of the character image.
15. The pillow case assembly of claim 13, further comprising a
fastener removably coupling the pillow case accessory to the pillow
case.
16. The pillow case assembly of claim 15, wherein the fastener
includes one of a snap, a button, a hook and loop fastener, a hook,
a tie, a zipper, or a magnet.
17. The pillow case assembly of claim 13, wherein the pillow case
accessory is a stuffed accessory filled with a foam, a fiber
stuffing, a plurality of beans, or a combination of the same.
18. The pillow case assembly of claim 13, wherein the pillow case
assembly includes a cavity therein defining a storage space for the
pillow case.
19. The pillow case assembly of claim 1, wherein a first surface of
the head defined by the pillow case accessory displays an image of
a first head, wherein the pillow case accessory includes a cavity,
and wherein the pillow case accessory is reversible by opening the
cavity and turning the pillow case accessory inside out to present
a second surface that displays an image of a second head different
than the first head.
20. The pillow case assembly of claim 19, wherein the body defined
by the pillow case is a first body, wherein the pillow case is
reversible to display a second body different than the first
body.
21. A storage container comprising: a first portion having a first
interior volume including an insertion opening defined therein; a
collapsible extension passage coupled to the first portion, the
collapsible extension passage having a second interior volume in
communication with the first interior volume and insertion opening;
and a second portion coupled to the extension passage opposite the
first portion, the second portion removably coupled to the first
portion via the extension passage.
22. A wearable accessory comprising: a stuffed body; a first
opening defined in the stuffed body; and a second opening defined
in the stuffed body, the second opening opposite the first opening,
the second opening in communication with the first opening to
define a passage extending through the stuffed body, wherein the
first opening, second opening, and passage are configured to
receive a body of a wearer.
23. The wearable accessory of claim 22, further comprising at least
one pocket defined in the stuffed body.
24. A combination pillow and sheet member configurable between a
first configuration and a second configuration, the combination
pillow and sheet member comprising: a first pillow portion defining
a first cavity for removably receiving one or more items; a second
pillow portion detachably coupled to the first pillow portion, the
second pillow portion defining a second cavity; and a sheet member
having a first end coupled to the first pillow portion and a second
end coupled to the second pillow portion; wherein in the first
configuration, the first and second pillow portions are coupled
together and the sheet member is positioned within the second
cavity of the second pillow portion; and wherein in the second
configuration, the first and second pillow portions are detached
from one another and spaced apart such that the sheet member
extends between the first and second pillow portions.
25. The combination pillow and sheet member of claim 24, further
comprising: a padded speaker; a speaker housing having an actuator
coupled thereto for activating the padded speaker; and a layer of
padding material surrounding a majority of the speaker housing such
that sound produced by the padded speaker can pass through the
layer of padding material, wherein the speaker housing with the
layer of padding material are configured to be received within the
first cavity of the first pillow portion.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional
Patent Application No. 63/089,792 filed Oct. 9, 2020, the entire
content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present invention relates to children's toys and novelty
items, including, an interchangeable pillow case, a combination
pillow and sheet, such as a sleeping bag or blanket and the like,
an expandable storage container, a wearable accessory, and a
speaker that can be inserted into an opening of the combination
pillow and sheet.
SUMMARY
[0003] In one aspect, the disclosure provides a pillow case
assembly that includes a pillow case defining an internal cavity
accessible via an opening for removably receiving a pillow, the
pillow case having a perimeter. The pillow case assembly also
includes a pillow case accessory removably coupled to the pillow
case adjacent the perimeter of the pillow case and a fastener
removably coupling the pillow case accessory to the pillow
case.
[0004] In another aspect, the disclosure provides a pillow case
assembly including a pillow case defining an internal cavity
accessible via an opening for removably receiving a pillow, the
pillow defining a body of a character image. The pillow case
assembly further includes a pillow case accessory removably coupled
to the pillow case, the pillow case accessory defining a head of a
character image. The pillow case assembly also includes a first
appendage coupled directly to the pillow case and defining a first
appendage of the character image.
[0005] In another aspect, the disclosure provides a storage
container that includes a first portion, a collapsible extension
passage, and a second portion. The first portion includes an
insertion opening defined therein. The collapsible extension
passage is coupled to the first portion and communicates with the
insertion opening. The second portion is coupled to the extension
passage and can be selectively positioned adjacent to or spaced
apart from the first portion depending upon whether the extension
passage is extended or collapsed.
[0006] In yet another aspect, the disclosure provides a wearable
accessory that includes a stuffed body, a first opening, and a
second opening. The first opening and the second opening are
defined in the stuffed body. The second opening is opposite the
first opening and communicates with the first opening to define a
passage extending through the stuffed body.
[0007] In another aspect, the disclosure provides a combination
pillow and sheet member. The combination pillow and sheet member
changes between a first configuration and a second configuration.
The combination pillow and sheet member includes a first pillow
portion, a second pillow portion, and a sheet member. The first
pillow portion includes a first cavity defined therein for
removably receiving one or more items. The second pillow portion is
detachably coupled to the first pillow portion and includes a
second cavity defined therein. The sheet member has a first end and
a second end. The first end of the sheet member is coupled to the
first pillow portion and the second end of the sheet member is
coupled to the second pillow portion. In the first configuration,
the first and second pillow portions are coupled together and the
sheet member is positioned within the second cavity of the second
pillow portion. In the second configuration, the first and second
pillow portions are detached from one another and the first and
second pillow portions are spaced apart so the sheet member extends
between the first and second pillow portions.
[0008] In still another aspect, the disclosure provides a padded
speaker having a speaker housing and a layer of padding material.
The speaker housing has an actuator coupled thereto for operating
the padded speaker. The layer of padding material surrounds a
majority of the speaker housing such that the sound produced by the
padded speaker passes through the layer of padding material. The
speaker can be inserted into the opening of the combination pillow
and sheet member discussed above.
[0009] Other features and aspects of the invention will become
apparent by consideration of the following detailed description and
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 depicts a front view of interchangeable pillow cases
and pillow case accessories, according to embodiments disclosed
herein.
[0011] FIG. 2 depicts a rear perspective view of a pillow to be
inserted in a pillow case having a pillow case accessory attached
thereto, according to embodiments disclosed herein.
[0012] FIG. 3 depicts a side view of the pillow case and pillow
case accessory of FIG. 2 with the pillow received in the pillow
case.
[0013] FIG. 4 depicts a front view of interchangeable pillow cases
and pillow case accessories, according to embodiments disclosed
herein.
[0014] FIG. 5 depicts a perspective view of a storage container,
the storage container being in a collapsed configuration, according
to embodiments disclosed herein.
[0015] FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of the storage container
of FIG. 5 in an extended configuration.
[0016] FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of the storage container
of FIG. 5 in the collapsed configuration with portions of the
storage container shown in phantom lines for illustrative
purposes.
[0017] FIG. 8 depicts a perspective view of the storage container
of FIG. 5 in the extended configuration with portions of the
storage container shown in phantom lines for illustrative
purposes.
[0018] FIG. 9 depicts a front view of a wearable accessory,
according to embodiments disclosed herein.
[0019] FIG. 10 depicts a side view of the wearable accessory of
FIG. 9.
[0020] FIG. 11 depicts a top plan view of a combination pillow and
sheet member, according to embodiments disclosed herein.
[0021] FIG. 12 depicts a detailed perspective view of the
combination pillow and sheet member of FIG. 11 with a storage
cavity in an open configuration.
[0022] FIG. 13 depicts a front view of a children's toy sized to
fit in the storage cavity of the combination pillow and sheet
member of FIG. 11.
[0023] FIG. 14 depicts a rear view of the children's toy of FIG.
13.
[0024] FIG. 15 depicts a perspective view of a padded speaker
stored in box, according to embodiments described herein.
[0025] FIG. 16 depicts a perspective view of the padded speaker of
FIG. 15 with the padding removed.
[0026] FIG. 17 depicts a perspective view of the padded speaker of
FIG. 15.
[0027] FIG. 18 depicts a bottom plan view of the padded speaker of
FIG. 15.
[0028] FIG. 19 depicts a perspective view of the children's toy of
FIG. 13 ready to be inserted in the storage cavity of FIG. 12.
[0029] FIG. 20 depicts a perspective view of the padded speaker of
FIG. 17 ready to be inserted in the storage cavity of FIG. 12.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] Before any independent embodiments of the disclosure are
explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is
not limited in its application to the details of construction and
the arrangement of components set forth in the following
description or illustrated in the following drawings. The
disclosure is capable of other independent embodiments and of being
practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to
be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is
for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as
limiting.
[0031] With reference to FIG. 1, example embodiments of pillow
cases 100a, 100b and corresponding pillow case accessories 102a,
102b are shown. Each pillow case accessory 102a, 102b is removably
attachable to both of the pillow cases 100a, 100b as desired via
one or more fasteners 104.
[0032] Each pillow case accessory 102a, 102b can take a variety of
forms. In the illustrated embodiments, the pillow case accessories
102a, 102b are in the form of stuffed animals, such as an animal's
head, that are configured to be removably coupled to the pillow
cases 100a, 100b as selected by a user. In some embodiments the
pillow case 100a, 100b is designed with particular ornamentation to
correspond to and further convey attributes of a theme, design,
character, color pattern or the like of only one of the pillow case
accessories 102a or 102b. In other embodiments, the pillow cases
100a, 100b may be mixed and matched and interchanged for use with
both pillow cases accessories 102a and 102b. Embodiments may
resemble animals, vehicles, humans, buildings, plant life, fanciful
creatures or characters, or a variety of other objects, real or
imagined. The stuffed animal embodiments may include, for instance,
a cat (as illustrated), a ladybug, a bear, a dog, a wolf, a cow, a
mouse, a monkey, a frog, a unicorn, a horse, a dragon, a monster, a
lizard, a tiger, a giraffe, an elephant, a hippopotamus, a
hedgehog, a turtle, a panda, a rabbit, a shark, a dinosaur, a
whale, a koala, a gorilla, or the like. In the illustrated
embodiment, the pillow case accessories 102a, 102b are stuffed. The
stuffing may include, but is not limited to, a foam, a fiber
stuffing, beans, any combination thereof, or any other suitable
filling. In other embodiments, however, the pillow case accessories
102a, 102b may not include stuffing. These embodiments may include
a cavity therein for storage (e.g., for storing the associated
pillow case 100a, 100b) or may instead be generally flat. In some
embodiments, the pillow case 100a, 100b may be stored within the
cavity when the pillow is removed from the pillow case 100a, 100b
and in some embodiments may be stored when the pillow case 100a,
100b is decoupled from the pillow case accessory 102a, 102b. The
pillow case accessories 102a, 102b may further include one or more
appendages 106 coupled thereto that correspond to and further add
to the likeness of the character image of the pillow case accessory
102a, 102b. These appendages 106 may be permanently or removably
attached to the pillow case accessory 102a, 102b. The pillow cases
100a, 100b may also include one or more appendages 110 coupled
thereto that correspond to and further add to the likeness of the
character image of the pillow case 100a, 100b. The appendages 106,
110 may be, for instance, the paws, feet, hooves, legs, ears,
horns, hair, fins, etc. of the animal. The illustrated embodiments
of the pillow case accessories 102a, 102b form a head and
associated appendages of an animal. The illustrated embodiments of
the pillow case 100a, 100b form a body and associated appendages of
the animal. Additionally, other character image features (e.g.,
eyes, a nose, a mouth, etc.) may be provided on the pillow case
accessories 102a, 102b. In other embodiments, however, the pillow
case accessories 102a, 102b may form additional or alternative
portions of the animal, creature, or character.
[0033] As mentioned above, each pillow case accessory 102a, 102b is
configured to be removably attached to a corresponding pillow case
100a, 100b via one or more fasteners 104. In the illustrated
embodiments, the fasteners 104 are in the form of snaps. In other
embodiments, however, these fasteners 104 may instead include, for
instance, buttons, hook and loop material, hooks, ties, zippers,
magnets, some combination thereof, or the like. In the illustrated
embodiments, the fasteners 104 are located adjacent to an edge of
each respective pillow case accessory 102a, 102b. In other
embodiments, however, the fasteners 104 may be located on other
portions of the pillow case accessory 102a, 102b. In some
embodiments, the fasteners 104 may be located on the appendages106.
Any suitable number of fasteners 104 may be included, such as one,
two, four, or more.
[0034] Each pillow case 100a, 100b may include a construction
similar to any appropriate known pillow cases that are capable of
removably receiving a pillow 107 therein (as shown in FIG. 2).
These embodiments may include, for instance, a pillow case 100a,
100b having an opening with a zipper, overlapping flaps 208 (as
shown in FIGS. 2 and 3), hook and loop material, hooks, ties,
magnets, some combination thereof, or the like. If the opening that
receives the pillow 107 is closed with a fastener, then these
fasteners may also be positioned to function in some embodiments as
the fasteners 104 that connect the pillow case 100a, 100b to the
pillow case accessory 102a, 102b and thereby also serve to close
the cavity in pillow case 100a, 100b that is configured to receive
and hold the pillow 107. Such embodiments could reduce the overall
number of fasteners and could at least partially conceal the
opening of the pillow case 100a, 100b. The fasteners 104 that
removably couple the pillow case 100a, 100b to the corresponding
pillow case accessory 102a, 102b may be located in any appropriate
location on the pillow case 100a, 100b. In the illustrated
embodiment, the fasteners 104 are located on an edge of the
respective pillow case 100a, 100b (as shown in FIG. 1). Other
embodiments, however, may include the fasteners 104 in any other
appropriate location. The fasteners 104 are shown on a short edge
of the respective pillow case 100a, 100b, but other embodiments
could include additional or alternative fastener locations on a
long edge of the pillow case 100a, 100b.
[0035] An alternative embodiment of pillow cases 200a, 200b and
pillow case accessories 202a, 202b are shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
These pillow cases 200a, 200b and pillow case accessories 202a,
202b are similar in many ways to the pillow cases 100a, 100b and
pillow case accessories 102a, 102b discussed above. For the sake of
brevity, only differences will be discussed herein. Some features
that are substantially similar to those discussed above will have
the same number increased by a value of one hundred.
[0036] The pillow case accessories 202a, 202b illustrated in FIG. 4
each include a zipper 212 to open and close an internal cavity. In
some embodiments, the pillow case accessories 202a, 202b may be
configured to receive various items (discussed in more detail
below). In other embodiments, the pillow case accessories 202a,
202b may be reversible by opening the cavity via the zipper 212 and
turning the respective pillow case accessory 202a, 202b inside out
to display another design, character, color pattern, or the like.
In such embodiments, the pillow cases 200a, 200b may additionally
be reversible to match the theme, design, character, color pattern
or the like of the pillow cases accessories 202a, 202b.
[0037] Turning now to FIG. 5, an embodiment of a storage container
300 is shown. The storage container 300 may be any appropriate
shape and may have the appearance of an animal, a vehicle, a human,
a building, plant life, a fanciful creature, or a variety of other
shapes. Some embodiments may include, for instance, a cat, a
ladybug, a bear, a dog, a wolf, a cow, a mouse, a monkey, a frog, a
unicorn, a horse, a dragon, a monster, a lizard, a tiger, a
giraffe, an elephant, a hippopotamus, a hedgehog, a turtle, a
panda, a rabbit, a shark (as illustrated), a dinosaur, a whale, a
koala, a gorilla, or the like. The storage container 300 is capable
of changing from a collapsed configuration (FIG. 5) to an extended
or expanded configuration (FIG. 6) and vice versa.
[0038] The storage container 300 includes a first portion 302 and a
second portion 304. One or both of the first and second portions
302, 304 may be made of any appropriate material such as, for
example, plush material, fabric, cloth, paper products, leather,
some combination thereof, or the like. In some embodiments, the
portions 302, 304 are padded or at least partially stuffed.
[0039] In the collapsed configuration (FIG. 5), the first and
second portions 302, 304 can be adjacent to or connected to each
other, but in any event are nearer each other than they are in the
extended configuration (FIG. 6). As shown in FIG. 6, the first and
second portions 302, 304 are permanently or otherwise removably
inter-connected to each other via an extension passage 306. In the
illustrated embodiment, the extension passage 306 is made from a
flexible material, such as cloth, mesh, or the like. Other
appropriate embodiments may include an extension passage 306 formed
of a polymer, a paper product, leather, a combination of materials,
or the like. Some embodiments may include an extension passage 306
made of multiple rigid components capable of telescoping into and
out of one another.
[0040] Each of the first and second portions 302, 304 includes at
least one fastener 308, such that the first and second portions
302, 304 can be removably coupled to each other via the fasteners
308 when the container 300 is in the collapsed configuration. The
fasteners 308 may include, for instance, snaps, buttons, hook and
loop material, hooks, ties, zippers, magnets, some combination
thereof, or the like. In the illustrated embodiment, a fastener 308
is shown on the outer surface of the second portion 304 in FIG. 6.
Another fastener 308 provided on the inner surface of the first
portion 302, which corresponds to the fastener 308 on the second
portion 304, is shown in FIG. 8.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 7, the illustrated storage container 300 is
maintained in the collapsed configuration by the fasteners 308. In
such embodiments, an edge 310 of the second portion 304 that is
nearest the first portion 302 is received inside the first portion
302. In this manner, the first and second portions 302, 304 at
least partially overlap. The extension passage 306 also collapses
and is stored inside the storage container 300. In some
embodiments, the extension passage 306 simply bunches up within the
storage container 300. In other embodiments, however, the extension
passage 306 may be telescopic and may collapse on itself. In still
other embodiments, the extension passage 306 may have an accordion
shape such that the extension passage 306 folds over on itself
[0042] With reference to FIG. 8, the first portion 302 further
includes a rigid or semi-rigid tubular member 312 to help maintain
the shape of the container 300 when empty. In the illustrated
embodiment, the tubular member 312 is generally triangular. More
specifically, the illustrated tubular member 312 is generally a
hollow Reuleaux triangular prism. Of course, other shapes for the
tubular member 312 are contemplated herein and may include, for
instance, a hollow rectangular prism, a hollow circular prism, a
hollow elliptical prism, a hollow triangular prism, a hollow
pentagonal prism, a hollow hexagonal prism, or the like. In some
embodiments, the tubular member 312 may be made of any appropriate
material including, for instance, fabric, cloth, leather, paper
products, polymer, metal, wood, some combination thereof, or the
like. In some embodiments where the tubular member 312 includes a
core made from a relatively rigid material, the core may at least
be partially enveloped in a softer material and/or in padding. The
tubular member 312 in many embodiments is at least rigid enough to
maintain its shape under the force of gravity.
[0043] The inner passage of the tubular member 312 is in
communication with an insertion opening 314 of the storage
container 300 defined in the first portion 302. In the illustrated
embodiment, because the storage container 300 resembles an animal,
the insertion opening 314 resembles an open mouth of the animal. In
the illustrated embodiment, the insertion opening 314 is at least
partially open at all times, but other embodiments may include an
insertion opening 314 that can be selectively opened and closed. In
such embodiments, the insertion opening 314 may have a resting
position that is either open or closed. The insertion opening 314
could also be maintained in the closed position with one or more
fasteners in some embodiments.
[0044] The insertion opening 314 and the inner passage of the
tubular member 312 communicate with the interior of extension
passage 306. In the illustrated embodiment, the second portion 304
has a recess 316 defined therein (as shown in FIG. 8). This recess
316 communicates with the interior of extension passage 306. Other
embodiments, however, do not include the recess 316 and instead
form a stop wall in the interior of the storage container 300 at
the second portion 304.
[0045] The storage container 300 is compact and easy to transport
in the collapsed configuration (FIG. 5). This collapsed
configuration may also be configured for at least some storage of
toys or other articles. As mentioned, the storage container 300 is
readily adapted to change to the extended configuration (FIG. 6)
for greater storage capacity. Additionally, the storage container
is suitable for being played with as a toy.
[0046] With reference to FIG. 9, an embodiment of a wearable
accessory 400 is shown. The wearable accessory 400 may be any
appropriate shape and may have the appearance of an animal, a
vehicle, a human, a building, plant life, a fanciful creature or
character, or a variety of other shapes. Some embodiments may
include, for instance, a cat, a ladybug, a bear, a dog, a wolf, a
cow, a mouse, a monkey, a frog, a unicorn (as illustrated), a
horse, a dragon, a monster, a lizard, a tiger, a giraffe, an
elephant, a hippopotamus, a hedgehog, a turtle, a panda, a rabbit,
a shark, a dinosaur, a whale, a koala, a gorilla, or the like. The
wearable accessory 400 may be padded and/or stuffed. The stuffing
may include, but is not limited to, a foam, a fiber stuffing,
beans, any combination thereof, or any other suitable filling.
[0047] With reference to FIG. 10, the wearable accessory 400 has
multiple openings defined therein. These openings include at least
a top opening 402 and a bottom opening 404. The top and bottom
openings 402, 404 communicate with each other to form a passage
therebetween and through the wearable accessory 400 to accommodate
and be worn by a child. A child can step into the passage through
the top opening 402 and pull the wearable accessory 400 up above
the child's waist. Alternatively, a child may pull the wearable
accessory 400 down over his or her head and around them from above
through the bottom opening 404. The wearable accessory 400 is
similar to a pool/swimming inner tube in this sense. The material
of the accessory 400 (at least in the passage or at the openings
402, 404) can include a stretchable fabric, elastic insert(s),
and/or gripping material so as to help maintain the accessory 400
in place on the wearer's body.
[0048] The wearable accessory 400, in the illustrated embodiment,
further includes multiple pockets 406 defined therein. The pockets
406 may receive items for storage and/or may receive the child's
hands. In some embodiments, the child may place his or her hands in
the pockets 406 to help maintain the wearable accessory 400 in
place on them. Additional or alternative placements of the pockets
406 are also possible. In some embodiments, the pockets 406 are
recesses defined in the wearable accessory 400 (as illustrated),
but other embodiments may include flaps and/or fasteners to close
the pockets 406 when not in use.
[0049] Turning now to FIG. 11, an embodiment of a combination
pillow and sheet member 500 is shown. In the illustrated exemplary
embodiment, a sleeping bag portion is formed from the sheet member
502. Other embodiments may include a blanket, comforter, or other
sheet member 502 instead of a sleeping bag portion. The combination
pillow and sheet member 500 is transformable between a collapsed
configuration and an extended configuration. In the collapsed
configuration, the combination pillow and sheet member 500 forms a
pillow with the sheet member 502 stored away inside a portion of
the pillow. The pillow is formed by a first pillow portion 504 and
a second pillow portion 506. In the collapsed configuration, the
first and second pillow portions 504, 506 are coupled together and
cooperate to form a pillow having a generally continuous outer
periphery. The continuous outer periphery of the pillow in the
collapsed configuration forms a generally circularly-shaped pillow.
Each of the first and second pillow portions 504, 506 are
approximately the same size and shape. Alternatively, the first and
second pillow portions 504, 506 may be different sizes. For
example, the first pillow portion 504 may be significantly smaller
or larger than (i.e., half the size of, twice the size of) the
second pillow portion 506. In the illustrated example, each of the
first and second pillow portions 504, 506 is generally
semi-circular in shape. Alternatively, the first and second pillow
portions 504, 506 may each be a different shape, such as a square,
a rectangle, a triangle, etc.
[0050] An exterior of each of the first and second pillow portions
504, 506 is made from or includes a first fabric, which is
generally soft or plush to the touch. The first pillow portion 504
may be filled with one of a foam, a fiber stuffing, or beans, or
any other suitable filling for a pillow. The stuffing material of
the first pillow portion 504 gives the first pillow portion a
generally fixed shape. That is, the first pillow portion 504 does
not change shape when the combination pillow and sheet member 500
is transformed from the collapsed configuration to an extended
configuration. The first pillow portion 504 serves as a pillow that
may be used as a rest for a user's (e.g., a child's) head when the
combination pillow and sheet member 500 is in both configurations.
However, the shape of the first pillow portion 504 may be slightly
deformed when weight is placed on the first pillow portion 504, as
any pillow would be.
[0051] The sheet member 502 has a first end 516 coupled to the
first pillow portion 504 and a second end 518 coupled to the second
pillow portion 506. As shown in FIGS. 11 and 12, the first pillow
portion 504 includes a first cavity 508 defined therein. The first
cavity 508 may include an opening with a zipper, hook and loop
material 510, hooks, ties, magnets, some combination thereof, or
the like. In some embodiments, the first cavity 508 includes an
opening with no fasteners and may instead include overlapping flaps
or the like. This first cavity 508 may be used to store belongings
or other items (such as those described below).
[0052] The second pillow portion 506 may form a second cavity 512
in which the sheet member 502 of the combination pillow and sheet
member 500 is stored when the combination pillow and sheet member
500 is in the collapsed configuration. When the sheet member 502 is
positioned within the second cavity 512 in the collapsed
configuration, the sheet member 502 acts as a filling material for
the second pillow portion 506. In the collapsed configuration, the
second pillow portion 506 has a generally fixed shape that may be
slightly deformed when weight is placed on it, as any other pillow
would be. The second cavity 512 is sized such that the inserted
sheet member 502 fills the second cavity 512 so as to make the
fixed shape of the second pillow portion 506 generally correspond
to the fixed shape of the first pillow portion 504.
[0053] When in the collapsed configuration, the combination pillow
and sheet member 500 may resemble animals, vehicles, humans,
buildings, plant life, fanciful creatures or characters, or a
variety of other shapes. The animal embodiments may include, for
instance, a cat (as illustrated), a ladybug, a bear, a dog, a wolf,
a cow, a mouse, a monkey, a frog, a unicorn, a horse, a dragon, a
monster, a lizard, a tiger, a giraffe, an elephant, a hippopotamus,
a hedgehog, a turtle, a panda, a rabbit, a shark, a dinosaur, a
whale, a koala, a gorilla, or the like. The pillow portions 504,
506 may include a number of appendages 514, which may resemble
feet, paws, fins, wings, tails, hooves, arms, legs, and the like in
the case of an animal embodiment, for instance.
[0054] The second pillow portion 506 is detachably coupled to the
first pillow portion 504. To convert the combination pillow and
sheet member 500 from the collapsed configuration to the extended
configuration, which forms a sleeping bag with an attached pillow
(e.g., first pillow portion 504 acts as a pillow for the user's
head when the user is in the sleeping bag) (FIG. 11), the sheet
member 502 is removed from the second cavity 512 of the second
pillow portion 506 by pulling the first pillow portion 504 away
from the second pillow portion 506 until the sheet member 502 is
fully extended between the two pillow portions 504, 506. Thus, when
the combination pillow and sheet member 500 is in the second
configuration, the first and second pillow portions 504, 506 are
detached from one another and spaced apart such that the sheet
member 502 extends between the first and second pillow portions
504, 506.
[0055] To convert the combination pillow and sheet member 500 from
the extended configuration to the collapsed configuration, the
sheet member 502 is gathered and placed within the second cavity
512 of the second pillow portion 506 until the sheet member 502 is
fully stored within the second cavity 512 of the second pillow
portion 506.
[0056] With reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, a toy 520 is shown. This
toy 520 may be appropriately sized such that it fits in the first
cavity 508 described above. The illustrated embodiment of the toy
520 is a stuffed animal, although other toys are contemplated
herein. The illustrated embodiment has two opposing sides. The
first side (FIG. 13) includes the character with an appearance of
being asleep, while the second side (FIG. 14) includes the
character with an appearance of being awake. In such embodiments, a
child may be able to flip the toy 520 over to view one side or the
other depending on the child's preferences. When not in use, the
child may place the toy 520 in the first cavity 508 of the first
pillow portion 504 as shown in FIG. 19. In this manner, the toy 520
is not far from the child while the child uses the sheet member
502, which may afford the child comfort while still storing the toy
520. Further, the toy 520 may be stored in the first cavity 508
even with the pillow and sheet member 500 in the collapsed
configuration. In some embodiments, the toy 520 may provide at
least some cushioning for the first pillow portion 504. Other
embodiments, however, do not require additional cushioning due to
the first pillow portion 504 being stuffed.
[0057] Turning now to FIG. 15, a padded speaker 522 is shown. The
padded speaker 522 is sized and shaped to fit within the first
cavity 508 of the first pillow portion 504 as shown in FIG. 20. The
padded speaker 522 may be provided in a box 524 shaped like a book.
In some embodiments, the padded speaker 522 is capable of playing
one or more recordings of, for example, bedtime stories. The
stories may last anywhere from a short amount of time, such as 30
seconds, to a longer amount of time, such as five minutes. With
reference to FIG. 16, the padded speaker 522 includes a speaker
housing 526. As shown best in FIG. 18, the speaker housing 526 is
disposed in a sleeve of padding material 528 or otherwise enveloped
within the padding material 528. The speaker housing 526 may be
removably placed within the sleeve of padding material 528, or the
padding material 528 surrounding the speaker housing 526 may be
permanently fixed around the speaker housing 526 via, for instance,
sewn seams. The speaker housing 526 may be any appropriate shape,
but the illustrated embodiment shows a speaker housing 526 with at
least one curved surface to create a pillow shape for the padded
speaker 522.
[0058] In some embodiments, the padded speaker 522 may include an
actuator 530 (shown schematically in FIG. 18) that activates the
start of the recording. The actuator 530 may be in the form of a
press-button, an accelerometer, a material that detects deformation
(such as a piezo-electric material), or the like. In many
embodiments, the actuator 530 is configured to be activated by the
pressure and/or weight of the child's head when the child lies down
to go to sleep on the pillow within which the speaker 522 is
housed.
[0059] In some embodiments sufficient padding in the first pillow
portion 504 is present such that padding material 528 around the
speaker housing 526 is not necessary to provide a soft surface for
a child's head to rest upon. In the illustrated embodiment, when a
child lies down with his or her head on the first pillow portion
504, the weight of the child's head on first pillow portion 504
operates the actuator 530 of the padded speaker 522 to turn the
speaker on. The actuator 530 can sense if the child lifts his head
off of the first pillow portion 504, and can stop the recording. In
this manner, the padded speaker 522 assists with having a child lie
still and keep his or her head on the first pillow portion 504 for
falling asleep. As stated above, however, some embodiments may
instead include an actuator 530 in the form of an accelerometer
configured to detect motion of the padded speaker 522 and the first
pillow portion 504 due to the child getting ready to lie down
and/or lying down.
[0060] Some embodiments may include a control operation that delays
the start of the recording for a predetermined amount of time. This
way, the child may be on and/or covered by the sheet member 502 and
his or her head may be resting on the first pillow portion 504 by
the time the recording begins. The embodiments described above
allow a user to change or swap out different padded speakers 522 in
the first pillow portion 504, such that the child may listen to a
variety of recordings or sets of recordings with a number of
different padded speakers 522.
[0061] The padded speaker 522 may be arranged such that sound is
projected upward directly toward the child's head while the child
rests his or her head on the first pillow portion 504. Other
embodiments may include the padded speaker 522 projecting sound
downward or in some other direction to provide indirect sound
projection to the child.
[0062] Although the invention has been described in detail with
reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and
modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more
independent aspects of the invention as described.
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