Doll and case having features that simulate seed bearing plants

A doll having body portion(s) indicative of the structural features of a dicotyledonous seed is disclosed. The doll has a head wherein the structural features of the head duplicates the structural features of a dicotyledonous seed. Moreover, the head contains indicia indicative of the coloring and coloring patterns of the seed emulated. Structural features of the seed such as the raphe, the strophiole, and the hilum are used to form various facial features such as the nose and mouth. Eyes are added to the structural features of the head to give the doll a lifelike appearance. Hair may be added to the head so that the doll incorporates the characteristics of age and gender. The doll includes a specific carrying/display case having substantially the same markings and shape of the head of the doll. The case may be displayed on an advertising stand having the shape of a vine or other bean carrying stalk.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to the construction of dolls. More 
specifically, the present invention relates to the construction of the 
physical features of dolls. The present invention incorporates structural 
features that emulate the physical appearance of a dicotyledonous seed. 
Moreover, the present invention incorporates a carrying and display case 
for a doll wherein the case is in the shape of a dicotyledonous seed coat 
or seed pod. The case and the doll itself are of the same specific variety 
and have the same color markings. The carrying/display case is designed so 
that it can hang from an advertising stand in the shape of a vine. 
Specifically, the advertising display takes the form of a vine or other 
bean producing flora. The seeds or beans are disposed thereon by a series 
of hook means. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
The prior art discloses many types of dolls having a large variety of 
constructions. However, as vast as the prior art is, it does not disclose 
the specific structure of the dolls of the present invention. Moreover, 
the prior art does not disclose specific display means having a thematic 
relationship to the items displayed thereon. The dolls of the present 
invention may be encapsulated in a seed coat or seed pod shaped carrying 
and display case whereupon they may be displayed on the advertising stand. 
Within the prior art, there are some dolls and display figurines which 
utilize the bean or seed as a body part of the invention. U.S. Pat. No. 
Des. 198,856 issued to A. R. Rossi on Aug. 11, 1964 is such an example. 
Rossi discloses a doll in the shape of a bipedal insect. Though not 
disclosed, it appears that the Rossi insect utilizes actual beans at least 
for the head and feet. The body may also be created from a bean. 
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 205,713 issued to E. C. Wilson on Sept. 13, 1966 
discloses a doll in the shape of a goat preparing to ram an unseen object. 
The body of the goat is comprised of a peanut shell. Legs, a tail, and a 
head have been added to define the shape of the goat's features. 
Cursorily, these examples may seem to disclose some of the concepts of the 
present invention. However, this is not the case. The present invention 
actually uses the structural features of a bean to create the body 
features of the doll. No structure is deleted or wasted. The bean is 
simulated to the last detail in order to generate the doll of the present 
invention. The actual bean is not used. 
Advertising displays have also been disclosed in the past having at least a 
plant like shape. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 250,615 issued to R. M. DeWeese on 
Dec. 19, 1978 discloses the shape of an advertising stand. The stand has 
the appearance of a potted plant having a single stalk. Three bulbous 
portions adorn the top portion of the stand. Apparently, these bulbous 
sections are representative of foliage or floral plumage. 
U.S. Pat. No. Des. 291,545 issued to F. J. Falco on Aug. 25, 1987 discloses 
another advertising stand in the shape of a plant. In this example, the 
display incorporates a flower like structure at its top most portion. A 
plate is provided along the central shaft. Supposedly, this plate may be 
used to display pertinent information. Branches including leaves are 
disposed thereon to give a botanical appearance. 
These examples of plant like advertising displays are far afield the 
present invention. The present invention utilizes a stalk like advertising 
display means to display the dolls in their respective cases. As such, 
there is a direct thematic relationship between the advertising display 
and the item displayed thereon. Moreover, the home display of the present 
invention incorporates a unique method of attaching the dolls to the 
display surface. A Velcro.TM. surface on the case and dolls mates with the 
respective mating surface on the home display surface. 
The case for the doll is not specifically addressed by the prior art. 
However, U.S. Pat. No. 1,536,125 issued to C. A. Moorman on May 5, 1925 
discloses a display case having the anatomical features of livestock. The 
display case of the Moorman invention is designed for educational 
purposes. In this manner, the Moorman invention does relate to the present 
invention. 
The present invention is designed both for education and enjoyment. The 
present invention is designed so that each of the individual dolls may 
duplicate almost exactly the complete structure of a dicotyledonous seed. 
As such, each doll may copy a different bean. Each bean will bear the 
color markings and the surface features of the naturally occurring seed. 
Each doll, therefore, is a means to teach about the particular bean. For 
example, were the doll to duplicate a coffee bean, the structure of the 
bean and its history could be disclosed in accompanying material. 
Extending the present example, the bean's origin could be discussed. The 
manner in which the bean supplements the economy of the country in which 
the bean is grown could be explained. There are unlimited possible 
directions in which the present invention could be drawn. Regardless of 
all of them, the present invention is also designed to be a child's toy. 
The total scope of the present invention will become more apparent as the 
present discussion unfolds. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a doll 
whose features duplicate the structural features of a dicotyledonous seed, 
part of the family Leguminosae. 
It is another object of the present invention to utilize the surface 
feature of the dicotyledonous seed known as the hilum as a body feature of 
the doll. 
It is still another object of the present invention to utilize the surface 
feature of the dicotyledonous seed known as the raphe as a body feature of 
the doll. 
It is still another object of the present invention to utilize the surface 
feature of the dicotyledonous seed known as the micropyle as a body 
feature of the doll. 
It is still another object of the present invention to utilize the surface 
feature of the dicotyledonous seed known as the strophiole as a body 
feature of the doll. 
It is still another object of the present invention to utilize the surface 
feature of the dicotyledonous seed known as the seed coat as a body 
feature of the doll. 
It is still another object of the present invention to utilize the surface 
feature of the dicotyledonous seed known as the colored markings as a body 
feature of the doll. 
It is still another object of the present invention to utilize the shape of 
the dicotyledonous seed to define various body features of the doll. 
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an advertising 
display means in the shape of a vine for display of the bean shaped doll. 
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a carrying case 
that duplicates the structural features of a dicotyledonous seed coat or 
seed pod. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a carrying case 
for the doll that duplicates the structural features of the bean type 
after which the doll is patterned. 
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a means to 
hang the carrying case from the advertising display. 
With these and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the 
nature of the invention is better understood, the invention resides in the 
novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully 
described and illustrated, with reference being made to the accompanying 
drawings.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the 
various figures of the drawings. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
In order to fully comprehend the scope of the present invention, it is 
necessary to describe the structural features of a dicotyledonous seed. 
This discussion will utilize FIG. 1 for reference. The discussion falls 
under the heading of "Botanical Background". The invention will be 
discussed under the heading "Invention". 
BOTANICAL BACKGROUND 
Dicotyledonous seeds are included within the family Leguminosae. They are a 
sub category of the more general descriptive heading of seeds which are 
produced from two main categories of plant life, angiosperms and 
gymnosperms. Angiosperms are plant such as trees, shrubs, and soft stemmed 
plants which produce seeds from flowers. Gymnosperms comprise a much 
smaller category of plants. Gymnosperms, such as pine trees, produce cones 
instead of flowers. 
Angiosperms comprise the vast majority of the more than 250,000 kinds of 
plants known. Gymnosperms comprise about 700 varieties of the 250,000 
mentioned. Angiosperms produce seeds having either one or two cotyledons. 
Gymnosperms produce seeds having from two to eight cotyledons. Cotyledons 
are leaf like structures that absorb and digest nutrients from the food 
storage tissue of the seed. In angiosperms, the food storage tissue is 
called the endosperm. In gymnosperms, the food storage tissue is called 
the megagametophyte. In dicotyledonous seeds, the cotyledons themselves 
serve as the food storage tissue. 
The present invention duplicates the structure of a dicotyledonous 
angiosperm seed. Therefore, this discussion will hereinafter be limited 
solely to the structure and function of the various parts of a 
dicotyledon. However, it should be noted at this point that there are 
seeds called monocotyledons which are differentiated from dicotyledons. 
Monocotyledons are seeds having only one cotyledon. These seeds also 
incorporate an endosperm. An example of a monocotyledon is the corn 
kernel. 
Beans and pods such as the ones shown by the dolls in FIGS. 1-3 and 6 are 
dicotyledonous seeds. Usually, they are produced within a seed pod. The 
seed SD attaches to the interior of the seed pod via the funiculus. The 
scar that remains when the seed SD is removed from the funiculus is the 
hilum HM. The cotyledons CN of the seed are encapsulated by a protective 
seed coat SC. The funiculus supplies nutrients and water to the seed SD as 
it develops within the seed pod SP. The seed pod SP acts as a protective 
cover around the seed. 
FIGS. 1-3 dolls illustrate a bean shaped seed SD shown along the 
longitudinal axis. A small pore in the seed coat called the micropyle MP 
allows air to enter the seed SD. The micropyle MP is disposed at one of 
the longitudinal ends of the hilum HM. The seed SD may include a raphe RF 
and strophiole SF at the other end of the hilum HM. The raphe RF is the 
ridge extending longitudinally from the hilum HM. The strophiole SF is a 
bulbous structure at the end of the raphe RF disposed adjacent the hilum 
HM. 
Beans have many uses and applications within today's society. Both the seed 
SD and the seed pod SP are usually edible and supply a wide variety of 
nutrients to humans and animals alike. Beans SD may also be used as 
fertilizer to enrich the nitrogen content of the soil. Due to their wide 
application, beans SD are a very important legume. 
Perhaps the most widely used bean is the soy bean. The soy bean is composed 
of about 40% protein and 21% oil. As such, the soy bean seed is very 
valuable. It provides a protein rich food staple which is processed into 
various food products for human consumption. The oils can be used for 
cooking, as a lubricant, and even in ink for printing presses. 
INVENTION 
All of the structural features of the seed SD (bean) are essential to the 
construction of the present invention. The hilum HM, the raphe RF, the 
strophiole SF, the seed coat SC, seed pod SP and micropyle MP each serve a 
separate function in the present invention which is generally designated 
as 10 in FIGS. 1 and 4. 
FIG. 1 is most illustrative of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the 
construction of the face of a doll 10 of the present invention patterned 
after a Black bean. FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 5 are interrelated and 
will be discussed together. 
The doll 10 has a face 11. The face 11 copies the structural features of 
the longitudinal axis of the bean SD having the hilum HM. The mouth 12 of 
the doll 10 is a duplication of the hilum HM of the seed SD. Below the 
mouth 12 is a dimple 13 in the chin. The dimple 13 is patterned after the 
location and structure of the micropyle MP. The tip of the nose 14 
duplicates the structural features of the strophiole SF. The bridge of the 
nose 15 is patterned after the raphe RF. 
Eyes 16 have been added to the face 11 to give the head of the doll 10 
pleasing and attractive characteristics. Thus, the eyes 16 are one of the 
two features not present on the beans SD after which the doll 10 is 
patterned. Hair 17 has also been added to the face 11. The hair 17 is the 
second feature added to the doll 10 that may not be found on the seed coat 
SC on the seed SD. A third feature is the addition of ears 11a to the side 
of the face 11. 
The body 18 of the doll 10 is made to match the same color markings and 
shape as the face 11 of the doll 10. As such, the marking of the brown 
pinto bean is duplicated on the body 18 of the doll 10 of the present 
example. 
FIG. 2 shows the doll 10 with the body 18 attached. The torso 19 of the 
doll 10 is of particular importance. The torso 19 is designed such that it 
duplicates a majority of the structural features of the bean SD. In the 
present example, the hilum HM forms the bellybutton 20 of the doll 10. The 
micropyle MP is also utilized again as an extension of the bellybutton 20. 
The raphe RF and the strophiole SF are not duplicated on the torso 19 of 
the doll 10 as they have no corresponding component on the human body. 
However, this does not preclude their inclusion on the doll 10. 
The body 18 of the doll 10 also includes the attachment of arms 21 and legs 
22 thereto. The arms 22 are attached just below the neck 23 to simulate 
the placement of arms on human beings. The legs 22 are similarly situated. 
Overall, the shape of the doll takes the form of a bipedal humanoid. 
However, the doll 10 need not have a body 18 as such. FIG. 3 shows the 
possible construction of a doll 10 in the form of an infant. In this 
example, the doll 10 has arms 21 and legs 22 attached directly to the bean 
structure which is defined as the face 11. The arms 21 and legs 22 are 
attached so that they simulate the appearance of an human infant. Hair 17 
is sparingly attached to simulate the appearance of an infant. Thus, in 
this example, the face 11 and the body 18 are the same structural 
component. The arms 21 and legs 22 of the dolls 10 can be collapsable in 
that they fold inward. This would aid in the storage of the dolls 10 in 
their respective storage cases 50. 
The carrying/display case 50 for the doll 10 is shown in FIG. 5. The 
carrying case 50 is designed so that it also duplicates the structural 
features of the seed coat SC of the bean SD. As such, the case 50 also 
duplicates the features of the face 11 save the features added such as the 
eyes 16 and the hair 17. The case 50 has an additional feature of handles 
51 attached to the top most portion thereof. The handles 51 are inverted 
U-shaped loops attached to the case 50. The handles 51 allow a person to 
carry the case 50. The handles are also used to removably attache the case 
50 to the display apparatus 70. 
An alternative doll form is Shown in FIG. 4 where the seed pod SP itself is 
used to provide both the head and torso of the doll 10. The arms 21, legs 
22 and hair 17 can be attached as before to lend an anthropomorphic shape 
to the doll 10. The carrying case 50 shown in FIG. 6 for this seed pod 
shaped doll would also utilize the shape and coloration of the seed pod 
SP. 
The hilum HM of the seed SD is used on the case 50 as well. However, the 
hilum HM is duplicated as a latch 52. The latch 52 is attached to the left 
side 53 of the case 50. The latch 52 attaches removably to the right side 
54 of the case 50 to provide a securing means to lock the case 50 closed. 
The latch 52 may be composed of a material having hook and loop fastening 
means 55 attached to one side. The hook and loop fastening means 55 is 
also known as Velcro.TM. . The hook portion of the hook and loop fastening 
means may be attached to the right side 54 of the case 50. As a result, 
the loop portion of the hook and loop fastening means 55 is attached to 
the latch 52 on the underside. Of course, the location of the hook or the 
loop portions of the hook and loop fastening means 55 may be juxtaposed, 
and the function of the latch 52 is not altered. Moreover, the latch may 
be attached to the right side 54 of the case 50 and engage the left side 
53. Again, the function of the case 50 is not altered. 
A zipper is another possible latch mechanism. Regardless of the type of 
latch 52, the function of the latch 52 is to provide a means to 
semipermanently close the case 50. Moreover, the latch 52 will appear as a 
duplication of the hilum HM whichever latch 52 and whatever material is 
used. 
The advertising display stand 70 shown in FIG. 7 takes the physical 
appearance of a vine or other suitable bean bearing plant. The stand 70 is 
comprised of a central stalk 71. The stalk 71 contains branches 72 and 
leaves 73 to simulate a particular type of plant. Hooks 74 are provided 
about the periphery of the stalk 71 so that cases 50 containing the dolls 
10 may be disposed thereon. The hooks 74 may also extend from the branches 
72. A widened base portion 75 allows the display to stand upright on the 
floor. 
An alternate embodiment of the advertising display 70 is the home display. 
The home display is a miniaturized version of the advertising display 70. 
The home display will also take the form of a bean bearing plant. 
Moreover, it may contain the hooks 74 that the advertising display 70 
does. The home display is provided so that the individual has a place to 
display his or her dolls 10 at home. 
An alternative of the home advertising display 80 is also offered. The 
alternative design is a sheet of material 81 that may be attached to a 
wall such as shown in FIG. 8. The material would need to be a material to 
which one half of hook and loop fastening means 55 may be attached. The 
material could be shaped and printed with indicia indicative of a vine or 
bean bearing plant. The handles 51 of the case 50 or the hilum HM may be 
provided with hook and loop fastening means 55 so that the case 50 may 
removably attach to the home display device 80. 
It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the 
sole embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments 
within the scope of the following claims.