Abstract:
A toy is provided employing moldable material and three-dimensional structures having recessed regions for receiving and retaining quantities of the moldable material. The moldable material is releasably attachable to the structure to give the structure a decorative coating. If, after initial attachment, the appearance of moldable material on the structure is unsatisfactory, the moldable material may be removed and reapplied to the same structure or to another structure.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a toy that can be decorated using a moldable material. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The use of moldable materials in toys and crafts is known in the art. The use of a structure as a base for the application of a moldable material is also known. 
         [0003]    For example, International Application No. WO2005/018953, of Cassidy Brothers PLC, discloses an apparatus for creating a sculpture, which includes a base structure. Pegs protrude from the base structure to guide the application of modeling medium to the structure. 
         [0004]    U.S. Pat. No. 2,831,286, of J. Eisner, discloses an apparatus for sculpturing that provides a mould for forming facial features, noses, ears, etc., and a base structure designed to receive the molded features. Facial features are first molded and are then attached to the base structure. 
         [0005]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,647 to Renger et al., discloses a toy where one first forms a toy monster figure by shaping a plastic molding material mixed with sodium bicarbonate powder around a toy skeleton. The molded figure is then dissolved by immersing the monster figure in a diluted citric acid solution. 
         [0006]    The above mentioned references disclose the use of a moldable material to create new structures, e.g. figures, faces, etc. However, the final three-dimensional structures contemplated in these patents are formed by a user. The appearance and shape of the final structures will vary based on the skill and imagination of individual users. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    Accordingly, there is a need to provide a toy which allows the use of a moldable material to decorate structures representing recognizable articles. 
         [0008]    There is another need to provide a toy which guides the application of adjustable, moldable decoration to replicas of real and imaginary articles. 
         [0009]    There is a further need to provide a structure and a moldable material that can be applied to the structure and then made configurationally stable. 
         [0010]    To address these needs, herein is describe a novel decorative molding toy apparatus and method of use wherein a moldable material is used to add decoration to a recognizable three-dimensional structure, for example, a house, an animal, or human figure. 
         [0011]    The decorative molding toy employs moldable material and three-dimensional structures having recessed regions for receiving and retaining quantities of the moldable material. The moldable material is releasably attached to the structure to give the structure a decorative coating with a unique texture. If, after initial attachment, the appearance of moldable material on the structure is unsatisfactory, the moldable material may be removed and reapplied to the same structure or to another structure. In one embodiment, when the appearance of moldable material on the structure is satisfactory, the structure may be heated to harden the moldable material into a configurationally stable phase. 
         [0012]    According to one aspect, there is provided an apparatus for a decorative molding toy comprising: a three-dimensional structure representing a predetermined object and comprising an external surface; and a moldable material, the moldable material capable of releasable attachment to the external surface; wherein the moldable material is usable to decorate the structure. 
         [0013]    According to another aspect, there is provided a method for decorating a structure comprising the step of applying a moldable material to the structure, the moldable material capable of releasable attachment to the structure. 
         [0014]    Other objects and features will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the decorative molding toy, for which reference should be made to the appended claims. It should be further understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale and that, unless otherwise indicated, they are merely intended to conceptually illustrate the structures and procedures described herein. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a decorative molding toy according to one embodiment; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the decorative molding toy of  FIG. 1  in a different configuration; and 
           [0017]      FIGS. 3   a  and  3   b  are front and back views of a decorative molding toy according to another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]    The decorative molding toy  100  generally comprises at least one structure and a quantity of moldable material. With reference to  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment, structure  200  comprises three solid plastic sections: two side sections  210 ,  220  and one center section  230 . In alternate embodiments, the structure may be formed of any material including plastic, wood, metal, etc. The material used to make structure  200  may be rigid or non-rigid, or any combination thereof. 
         [0019]    Center section  230  comprises a vertical portion  232  with doorway  234  and door  236  pivotably attached to the doorway. Side sections  210 ,  220  are pivotably attached by attachment means  212 ,  222  to opposite sides of center section  230 . First side section  210  comprises first vertical portion  214  and first angled portion  216  that extends from the top of first vertical portion. Similarly, second side section  220  (best shown in  FIG. 2 ) comprises second vertical portion  224  and second angled portion  226  that extends from the top of second vertical portion. Side sections  210 ,  220  may be pivoted around attachment means  212 ,  222 , such that angled portions  216 ,  226  meet at their highest vertical extent. In this configuration, the side sections  210 ,  220  and center section  230  form a structure with the appearance of a house, the angled portions  216 ,  226  of the side sections  210 ,  220  forming the roof of the house. Side sections  210 ,  220  may be pivoted around attachment means  212 ,  224  to form alternate configurations (best shown in  FIG. 2 ) in order to, for example, facilitate storage of structure  200 . 
         [0020]    Each of side sections  210 ,  220  and center section  230  of structure  200  include an external surface with integral ridge-like formations that define recessed regions. Generally, the ridge-like formations trace features appropriate to the structure on which they appear. On first vertical portion  214  of first side section  210 , the ridge-like formations delineate elements common to the side of a house, for example window ridge  250 , window shutter ridge  252 , plant ridge  254  and siding panel ridge  256 . These ridge-like formations circumscribe corresponding recessed regions, for example window recess  258 , window shutter recess  260 , plant recess  262  and siding panel recess  264 . On first angled portion  216  of side section  210 , the ridge-like formations delineate elements common to the roof of a house, for example, roof tile ridge  260 . 
         [0021]    The second major component of decorative molding toy  100  is a quantity of molding material  280 , shown in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3  as being applied into the recessed regions circumscribed by the ridge-like formations. The quantity of moldable material comprises any material that can be moulded by hand and is capable of releasable attachment to structure  200 . Moldable material  280  may be applied to external surface of structure  200  to add color and texture. In the present embodiment, moldable material comprises portions of different colors. In alternate embodiments, moldable material may comprise portions with several different physical characteristics, e.g. color, consistency, etc. 
         [0022]    The moldable material  280  may comprise a composition of a sand-like material and a binding agent with formability properties comparable to wet sand, such as the materials disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,795 to Browning, and WO 98/41408 to Modell. Advantageously, the moldable material is a material which is of moderate softness for direct use and which maintains approximately the same softness throughout its entire service life, but which also may successfully be hardened in order to maintain the achieved shape. Moreover the moldable material should be suitable to be handled by children. In one embodiment, the moldable material comprises a particulate or granular material and a binder that has two solid phases: a harder, configurationally stable phase and a softer, moldable phase being plastic and readily deformable at temperatures below the melting point of the binder. The binder may have a first component that is synthetic rubber and a second component that is a polymer or a wax. The grain size of the particulate or granular material may be between 0.02 mm and 0.5 mm and preferably between 0.05 and 0.15. 
         [0023]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , in another embodiment, decorative molding toy  100  is a stylized human  figure 300 , comprising a head  320  and a body  330 . The external surface of body  330  has ridge-like formations delineating articles of clothing, for example, shirt ridge  332  and pants ridge  334 . The external surface of head  320  has integrated design elements, for example, eyes  324  and hair  326 , which are not delineated by ridge-like formations. 
         [0024]    As described above with respect to  FIG. 1 , the ridge-like formations shown in  FIG. 3  also circumscribe corresponding recessed regions, for example shirt recess  340 , and pants recess  344 . The recess  340  and  344  are shown in  FIG. 3  to be filled with moldable material  280 . 
         [0025]    In alternate embodiments, the decorative molding toy  100  may be constructed differently, for example, as a solid block of material. In further alternate embodiments, the decorative molding toy  100  may be a replica of any article, real or imaginary, and the may have any number of integrated design elements, ridge-like formations and recesses. 
         [0026]    A description of the operation of the decorative molding toy  100  according to the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1  follows. First, a user selects a portion of moldable material  280  to apply to the structure  200 . Next, the user presses the portion of moldable material against external surface of the structure  200 , attaching the moldable material to the external surface. The moldable material  280  may be pressed against and attached to any part of the external surface of structure  200  or the ridge-like formations on external surface of the structure  200  may be used to guide the application of moldable material. For example, a user may press a portion of green moldable material into plant recess  262  such that plant recess is filled with moldable material, i.e., the surface of green moldable material is level with the top of plant ridge  254  circumscribing plant recess  262 . As a result, plant recess  262  would resemble filled recess  266 . Other recessed regions of structure  200  may similarly be filled with moldable material of the same or different colors, depending on the desired effect that one wishes to create. For example, yellow moldable material may be applied to window shutter recess  260 . Generally, the decorative molding toy  100  as described herein by the applicant is analogous to a three dimensional coloring book, with the advantage, however, that the colors can be changed and revised as desired. 
         [0027]    Moldable material applied to structure  200  gives the structure a decorative coating with a unique texture. If the user finds the appearance of moldable material on the structure unsatisfactory for any reason, for example, unappealing color or thickness, moldable material  280  may be removed and reapplied to the structure or replaced with moldable material of a different color. 
         [0028]    In one embodiment, when the user is satisfied with the decoration of the structure, the structure and the moldable material may be heated and cooled to harden the moldable material into a configurationally stable phase. In another embodiment, the moldable material may be hardened by the application of a fixing agent on the surface thereof. 
         [0029]    Although only a small number of embodiments have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the decorative molding toy, the scope of which is defined in the claims and their equivalents.