Doll Package

Abstract

A doll package comprising a heart-shaped doll case for holding a boy and girl doll in related clothes and a book member with an aperture in the front cover for displaying the case, the book member having inner pages that contain a romance story about the boy and girl dolls.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to toy packaging and more particularly to a novel doll package.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Interesting dolls are provided by those dressed as historical or legendary figures. This is particularly true of dolls representing romantic characters, inasmuch as the collecting of dolls is often performed at a preteen age when girls are often also interested in legendary romance stories. However, such children are often only vaguely aware of the events or legends connected with romantic figures. A doll package which presented dolls representing romantic figures in a setting which related a legend about the dolls would prove especially entertaining by virtue by combining the preexisting interest in the legend with the natural interest in the doll figures.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and entertaining doll package.

Another object is to provide a pair of romantic doll figures and a package for displaying them which tells a story of their romance.

In accordance with the present invention, a doll package is provided for holding a pair of dolls which relates a story about the dolls. The package is in the form of a booklet with front and back surfaces and inner surfaces. A doll container holding a pair of dolls protrudes from the front surface, the container having a transparent cover to display the dolls. The inner surfaces of the booklet are printed with a story about the pair of dolls in the container. The booklet can be manipulated to remove the doll container to permit handling of the dolls. Thus, a child first views the front of the package to examine the dolls, then opens the booklet to read a story about the dolls, and then removes the doll container to handle and play with the dolls.

The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a doll package constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the doll package of FIG. 1, showing the inner surfaces thereof;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the doll package of FIG. 1 with the booklet portion thereof in a disassembled configuration;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the doll container of the doll package of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a doll container constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates a doll package comprising a booklet 10 with two leaves 12 and 14, the booklet holding a doll container 16. The doll container has two dolls 18 and 20 that are dressed in Renaissance costumes to represent the famous romantic characters Romeo and Juliet, respectively. The doll container has a transparent cover 22 that allows the dolls to be seen when viewing the front surface 24 of the front leaf 12. Markings 25 at the top and left side of the front surface, which represent the binding and pages of a thick book, tend to simulate a book appearance such as one containing a set of fairy tales. The booklet can be pivoted open, as to the position of FIG. 2. The inner leaf surfaces 26, 28 contain printing and illustrations that relate the story of Romeo and Juliet (though in a modified form with a happier ending). Thus, a child first observes the dolls 18 and 20, and then can open the booklet and read a love story about the characters represented by the dolls.

The booklet can be further opened to permit removal of the doll container, so that a child can play with the dolls therein. The front leaf means 12 is composed of a front sheet 30 and rear sheet 32, and the rear sheet can be pivoted open about a crease 34. As shown in FIG. 3, this exposes the doll container 16 to permit its removal from the booklet, so it can be opened and the dolls removed. As shown in FIG. 4, the doll container includes a receptacle 36 which holds the dolls. A necklace or locket 38 and a pair of doll stands 40, 42 are also included in the package. The transparent cover 22 fits over the receptacle 36 to hold the dolls, locket, and stands therein. The cover 22 is held to the receptacle by four clips 44. Removal of the clips and lifting up on the cover 22 exposes the items in the receptacle for removal.

The booklet is formed by an L-shaped piece of cardboard, whose back surface is shown in FIG. 3, the back surface generally being unmarked. The booklet includes the front and rear sheets 30 and 32 which are to form the front leaf 12 of the booklet, and another pair of sheets 46 and 48 that form a two-ply rear leaf 14. The booklet is assembled by folding over the sheet 32 onto the sheet 30, so they are in facewise adjacency, and slipping a front tab 50 of the sheet 32 into a slot 52 at the crease intersection 54 of the sheets 30, 46. Also, the sheet 48 is folded over onto the sheet 46, and a tab 56 on sheet 48 is inserted into the slot 52. Prior to assembling the booklet in the above described manner, the doll container 16 is inserted into the front sheet 30 of the front leaf. The front sheet 30 has a heart-shaped aperture 58 which is designed to receive a heart-shaped portion of the doll container. When the sheet 32 is folded onto the front sheet 30, the doll container 16 is held securely in place in the booklet.

As shown in FIG. 4, the receptacle 36 of the doll container comprises a heart-shaped portion 60 that protrudes from a flat perimeter portion 62. The heart-shaped portion has a pair of depressions 64, 66 for holding the dolls, a pair of depressions 68, 70 for holding the doll stands, a central depression 72 for holding the necklace, and a peripheral depression 74 for holding the necklace chain. A pair of protuberances 76 are provided in the peripheral depression to keep the chain in place. The cover 22 similarly comprises a heart-shaped portion 78 that protrudes from a flat peripheral portion 80. The heart portion 78 can fit over the heart portion 60 of the receptacle to retain the dolls, stand and necklace. A peripheral depression 82 in the cover helps to retain the necklace chain in place. When the cover 22 is placed on the receptacle 36, the clips 44 are used to fasten the flat portions 62 and 80 of the receptacle and cover. Both the receptacle 36 and cover 22 can be constructed by vacuum forming thin sheets of plastic over suitable forms.

The doll package can be disassembled and the dolls played with, and the necklace can be placed on the child's neck, so it is worn. After such play, the doll and stand, and perhaps also the necklace, can be replaced in the receptacle and the cover 22 can be placed over it and clipped thereto. The heart-shaped portion of the doll container 16 can then be reinserted through the aperture 58 in the front sheet, and the sheet 32 can be folded over to complete the reassembly of the package. The booklike package is then compact for easy storage, while it continues to display the dolls and story about them.

FIG. 5 illustrates a receptacle 90 and cover 92 constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, which can be received in the booklet 10 described above. The receptacle 90 has a heart-shaped projection 94 which projects from a flat perimeter portion 96. The upper surface 98 of the projecting portion is concave, with a lower portion along the centerline 100 of the receptacle. A pair of depressions 102, 104 on either side of the centerline hold dolls 106, 108. A trough 110 extending along a central area holds the chain 112 of a pendant accessory 114, the pendant lying in another depression 116. A pair of stand depressions 118 hold stands 120 that can support the dolls in an upright position.

The cover 92, which is transparent, includes a flat peripheral portion 122 and a projecting portion 124 that can fit over the projecting portion of the receptacle. The projecting portion 124 has a concave top surface 126 matching the concavity of the receptacle upper surface, and has a trough-shaped depression 128 for reception in the receptacle trough 110. A pair of mounds 130, 132 formed in the top surface of the cover on either side of the centerline receive part of the dolls 106, 108. The tops of the mounds are at a level even with the highest portions of the concave top surface at 126H, so these later portions 126H protect against crushing of the dolls when booklets are laid in stacks for storage.

A separate transparent retainer member 134 which has the same shape as part of the chain trough 110, lies in the trough over the chain 112. It is held therein by the trough depression 128 in the cover. The retainer member holds the chain within the retainer trough 110 during extensive handling of the package.

The cover 92 is held on the receptacle 90 by a sonic weld 136 that joins a central area of these members. The weld holds the cover close to the receptacle during handling, so the dolls, pendant, and stands cannot fall out of place. However, the weld can be easily broken by a child by lifting up the cover after the booklet has been opened to remove the doll holding assembly. Such a lifting force is unlikely to be encountered during handling when the booklet is closed. The weld, which could also be formed by heat and/or pressure, can be easily and economically applied.

The invention provides a unique doll package which is simple and economical. Yet, the package provides increased pleasure to a child by displaying the dolls even when they are stored, and by displaying them in a book setting that emphasizes the fact that the dolls represent characters in a book or story. The setting of the dolls, and their seeming emergence from the front of the simulated book tends to give the impression that the dolls lie in the book which tells their story, to thereby add to the romantic aura of the package.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in the art, and consequently, it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.

Claims

What we claim: is:

1. A doll package for holding at least one doll comprising:

front and back leaf means having inner surfaces in facewise adjacency for forming the front and back leaves of a booklet, said inner surfaces having a story printed thereon, said front leaf means having an aperture therein, said front leaf means comprising forward and rearward sheets in facewise adjacency, said aperture being formed in only said forward sheet; and

a doll container including a flat portion for placement behind the walls of said aperture and a protruding portion of approximately the same shape as said aperture for protruding forwardly through said aperture, said protruding portion including receptacle means for holding said doll and a transparent cover over it for protecting and displaying said doll, said flat portion of said doll container being positioned between said sheets to hold said container in place.

2. The doll package described in claim 1 wherein:

said aperture in said front leaf means and said protruding portion of said doll container are each in a heart shape; and including

a pair of dolls disposed in said container, said dolls constructed to represent a pair of legendary romantic figures; and wherein

said story relates to said legendary figures.

3. The doll package described in claim 1 wherein:

said receptacle means has opposite side portions with depressions for holding a pair of dolls; and

said cover has a portion welded to said receptacle means at a region between said depressions.

4. The doll package described in claim 1 wherein:

said receptacle means and cover have generally concave upper surfaces forming raised side portions; and

said cover has mound portions over said dolls in said receptacle to receive part of said dolls, said mound portions extending to a height no greater than said raised side portions of said cover.

5. The doll package described in claim 1 wherein:

said receptacle means includes a depression for holding an accessory; and

said cover has a depression for reception in said receptacle depression; and including

a transparent retainer member disposed in said receptacle depression under said cover depression for holding said accessory in place.

6. The doll package described in claim 1 wherein:

said receptacle means includes a trough for holding a necklace chain; and

said cover has a trough portion for reception in said receptacle trough; and including

a retainer member disposed in said receptacle trough under said cover trough portion to hold a chain therein.

7. The doll package described in claim 1 wherein:

said booklet comprises an L-shaped piece of material with creases forming four substantially rectangular portions, two of said rectangular portions forming said forward and rearward sheets, respectively, of said front leaf means, and the other two rectangular portions forming said back leaf means in two flies when folded together along one of said creases.