Abstract:
A stuffed, soft body scent-emitting character ( 10 ) formed from a fabric material ( 12 ) and filled with a stuffing material to provide volumetric definition of the character with a chamber that receives scent-emittive materials sensible exterior thereof and defining a scent indicia. At least one visual indicia correlated with the scent emittive material attaches to the fabric material and is selected from a group comprising a name indicia and a coloring indicia. The character, receiving the scent emittive material in the chamber, provides a soft toy that emits the scent correlated with the visual indicia.

Description:
The present application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending patent application Ser. No. 09/971,356 filed Oct. 4, 2001. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates to toys. More particularly, the present invention relates to soft, stuffed toys having characteristic indicies for play while emitting desirable scenting of the air. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Stuffed, soft bodied animal and personage characters have long been a favorite toy for young children. Rarely are a group of young children seen, such as at airports, camps, and the like, where at least some of the children are carrying stuffed animals or characters. These play toys are readily huggable and have a comforting effect on the children. These toys typically are manufactured from fabric materials that is cut and attached together to define bodies with various appropriate appendages. The bodies are then filled with various stuffing materials, typically soft, but firm materials are used as well. The characters often are popularly known cartoon or other characters, as well as replicas of animals and the like. 
     These stuffed animal and personage characters are held, played with, and otherwise used in many different locations, but generally at the home of the owner of the toy. It is to be appreciated that these various environments have differing smells and odors. Often persons attempt to modify or control the odors, and there are a variety of devices directed to such. Further, it is believed that persons may be helped in attitude and comfort if the odors in their environment are pleasing and satisfactory rather than unpleasant or disturbing. 
     The scenting devices heretofore known have, while providing for the scenting of air typically in bathrooms or in heating and ventilation systems, have not been entirely successful in being incorporated with articles used by children to provide a favorable fragrance in their various environments. 
     Further, play articles often provide learning opportunities which extend from the particular toy to cross-related concepts. These cross-related concepts enhance the play and educational value of the toy. The enhancement occurs by the user of the toy conceptualizing from ideas and features of the toy to the cross-related concepts. 
     Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved soft stuffed toys for entertaining children while providing desirable scenting and enhancing cross-related conceptualizing. It to such that the present invention is directed. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     The present invention meets the need in the art for an improved toy for entertaining children while providing desirable scenting with a stuffed, soft body scent-emitting character formed from a fabric material that defines an exterior form for a body of a character and a body cavity defined thereby filled with a stuffing material to provide volumetric definition of the character. A chamber within the body cavity receives scent-emittive materials and communicates a scent sensible exterior of the body cavity, the scent-emittive materials defining a scent indicia. The exterior surface includes a color indicia correlated with the scent indicia by including at least one visual characteristic indicative of the scent. A name indicia incorporates at least one symbol indicative of the scent indicia or the coloring indicia. The figurine, receiving the scent emittive material in the chamber, provides a soft toy having correlated scent, coloring, and name indicia. 
     In another aspect, the present invention provides a stuffed, soft body scent-emitting character, comprising a fabric material defining an exterior form for a body of a character and a body cavity defined thereby filled with a stuffing material to provide volumetric definition of the character. A chamber having a bottom and side wall extending in a first direction therefrom is received within the body cavity. The chamber receives scent-emittive materials and communicates a scent [sensible exterior of the body cavity, which defines a scent indicia. A cap defining a plurality of openings allows communicating air and is sized for removably engaging the chamber. The area of the openings in the plate is changable, for changing the volume of scented air communicated through the openings. A visual indicia attaches to the fabric material. The visual indicia is selected from a group consisting of a name indicia and a coloring indicia and correlates with the scent of the scent emittive material. The character, receiving the scent emittive material in the chamber, provides a soft toy that emits the scent correlated with the visual indicia. 
     Objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the following detailed description of the invention and claims in view of the appended drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 illustrates in perspective view an embodiment of a stuffed, soft body scent-emitting toy according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  in FIG. 1, to illustrate features of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a chamber received in the soft body toy illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the cap for closing the chamber in the toy illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a stuffed, soft body scent-emitting toy  10  according to the present invention. The toy  10  includes a scent indicia generally  9  and at least one visual indicia of a name indicia generally  13  and a coloring indicia generally  15 , which indicia  9 ,  13 , and  15  correlate as indicative of the characteristics of the toy. The toy  10  comprises a character-ornamented figurine, and by this is meant that the toy has character attributes such as arms, legs, head, and the like associated with a character. In the illustrated embodiment, the character is a bear-like creature, but the toy can be any number of configurations based on artistic inclination. Thus, the character can take the likeness of a conventional known animal or personality, a conventional known animal or personality with artistic interpretations such as changing colorings, shapes, body features, and the like, or an imaginary character. 
     A fabric material generally  12  defines an exterior surface which is cut and attached together, such as by sewing, sonic welding, or the like to define a body or volumetric definition of the toy  10 . The fabric material  12  incorporates the coloring indicia  15 . The coloring indicia  15  denotes or relates to an object having a name or term that is related to the name indicia  13 , a scent or fragrance related to the scent indicia  9 , or both. The coloring indicia  15  is generally a color, a first or primary color and a plurality of secondary colors, and patterns or shading such as skin texturing (for example, an alligator). The coloring indicia  15  is perceived visually. Upon perception, the coloring indicia brings into thought of the user of the toy  10  the correlated name indicia  13  and the scent indicia  9 . The body defines an internal cavity which is filled with a conventional stuffing material  11  (see FIG. 2) to define volumetric dimensions of the body of the toy  10 . A portion  14  of the fabric material  12  defines an opening which receives a chamber  16 . 
     The chamber  16  is better illustrated in cross-sectional view in FIG.  2 . The chamber  16  includes a bottom  18  and side wall  20  extending in a first direction. A flange  22  illustrated in partial cut-away view extends laterally about a perimeter of the chamber. The flange  22  is disposed spaced apart and remote from the bottom  18  but recessed relative to a distal edge  24  of the side wall  20 . The chamber  16  receives and holds articles, such as scent materials  25  that comprise the scent indicia  9 . The scent indicia  9  denotes or relates to an object having a scent or fragrance that is related to the name indicia  13 , to the coloring indicia  15 , or to both. The scent indicia  9  is perceived by smelling (ofactorily), which upon perception, brings into thought of the user of the toy  10  the correlated name indicia  13  and the coloring indicia  15 . The scent materials  25  can be a plurality of conventional scent beads, provided to the chamber  16  either a group of loose beads or contained within a package, or other scent material conventional in the trade. 
     A cap  26  includes a plate  28  and a skirt  30  that extend a predetermined distance from a perimeter edge of the plate  28 . The cap  26  is sized for removably engaging the distal edge portion of the side wall  20  of the chamber  16 . As best illustrated in FIG. 1, the plate  28  defines a plurality of spaced-apart openings  32  for communicating air from the chamber  16 . The openings  32  are illustrated as substantially rectangular cut-outs, but other patterns can be employed, such circular (see the embodiment in FIG. 3, curvilinear (see the embodiment in FIG.  4 ), or other pattern. In the illustrated embodiment, the interior surface of the skirt  30  defines a thread  33 . 
     The flange  22  and the fabric material  12  around the opening in the portion  14  connect together, whereby the chamber  16  is held in the body of the toy  10 . The fabric material  12  connects to the flange  22  preferably by an adhesive, although the flange  22  can be sown to the fabric material with a cord or thread, connected with rivets, secured with sonic welding, or other similar engagement mechanism. 
     A distal edge portion  34  of the side wall  20  extends slightly outwardly of the body of the toy  10 . The distal end portion  34  defines a thread  36  on the exterior surface. The thread  36  engages the thread  33  of the cap to secure the cap to the chamber  16 . 
     The cap  26  includes a rotatable disk  38  that defines openings  39  (see FIG. 4) corresponding substantially to the openings  32  in the plate  28 . FIG. 4 illustrates an alternate embodiment in exploded view with a different configuration of openings  32 ,  39  to suggest the possible variations. The disk  38  connects by a pin  40  extending from a central portion of the plate  28 . The openings  39  in the disk  38  selectively register with the openings  32 , so that the effective cross-sectional area of the openings through the cap can be changed to adjust the volume of air communicated through the openings. 
     With continued reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, the plate  38  further defines an arcuate slot  42  in a side portion. The disk  38  includes a tab  44  that projects through the arcuate slot  42 . The tab  44  permits the disk  38  to be rotated between between a first position at a first end of the arcuate slot  42  and a second position at an opposing end of the arcuate slot. Stopping the tab  44  at an intermediate position brings the openings in the disk  38  into at least partial registration with the openings in the plate  28 , for varying selectively the communication of air from the chamber  16 . 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a chamber  46  received in the soft body toy  10  illustrated in FIG.  1 . In this embodiment, a cap  47  connects by a hinge  48  at an edge of a side wall  50  of the chamber  46 . A pin  52  extends radially from an inner wall surface near the distal edge of the side wall  50 . The cap  47  defines a slot  54  in the skirt in alignment with the pin  52 . The cap  47  pivots closed on the hinge  48  and is secured closed by engaging the pin  52  in the slot  54  of the cap. It is to be appreciated that other fastening mechanisms can be gainfully used to hold the cap to the chamber, such as a groove and projecting ring that interlock, a flap extending laterally from the sidewall  50  which flap overlaps a side edge of the cap  47  and locks to a tab protruding from an exterior surface of the cap, and other such latching structures. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, a flange  56  extends laterally at a distal edge of the side wall  50 , for engaging the chamber  46  to the fabric material  12 , as discussed above. 
     The name indicia  13  in the illustrated embodiment comprises a tag  58  bearing printed letters  60  of the name of the toy  10 . It is to be appreciated that the name indicia may also comprise symbols, names, words, numbering, or other indicators of identity of the toy. However, within the scope of the present invention, the name indicia  13  denotes or relates to an object having a color, to a scent or fragrance, or to both. The name indicia  13  is perceived visually and also audibly when the name indicia  13  is spoken. Upon perception, the name indicia  13  brings into thought the correlated scent indicia  9  and the coloring indicia  15 . 
     The toy  10  is used as plaything, such as by children. The chamber  16  receives the scent material  25 , and the cap  26  is closed. In the illustrated embodiment, the cap  26  threadingly engages the thread  36  on the side wall  20 . The scent material  25  volatilizes, and scent vapors communicate through the openings  32  in the cap  26 . The strength of the scent emitted by the toy  10  can be adjusted. This is accomplished by moving the tab  44  in the slot  42 . To reduce the scent, the openings in the disk  38  are taken out of registration with the openings in the plate  38 . This reduces the cross-sectional area of the openings, which allows a smaller volume of scent to be communicated. Conversely, to increase the effect of the scent, the openings are brought into registration to increase the cross-sectional area for communication of the scent. It is to be appreciated that other control mechanisms such as louvers, sliding covers, and the like, can be used. Upon expiration of the effectiveness of the scent material  25 , the cap  26  is opened and the scent material replaced. A variety of fragrances are commercially available from fragrance suppliers to meet the various personal preferences of persons using the toy  10 . 
     The toy  10  of the present invention accordingly provides a character having the correlated scent indicia  9 , name indicia  13 , and coloring indicia  15 . Various illustrative embodiments are described below. 
     Character 1 
     Name indicia: HONEY BEAR 
     Scent indicia: Honey 
     Coloring indicia: Golden brown 
     The embodiment of character 1 having golden brown coloring indicia includes the three correlated name, scent, and coloring indicias. An embodiment of a different color or color pattern would have only the two correlated indicia. 
     Character 2 
     Name indicia: PEPPERMINT PANDA soft toy 
     Scent indicia: peppermint 
     Coloring indicia: red and white 
     The embodiment of character 2 having red and white coloring indicia includes the three correlated name, scent, and coloring indicias while an embodiment of a different color or color pattern would have only the two correlated indicia. 
     Character 3 
     Name indicia: WATERMELON WALUS soft toy 
     Scent indicia: watermelon 
     Coloring indicia: red 
     The embodiment of character 3 having red coloring indicia includes the three correlated name, scent, and coloring indicias while an embodiment of a different color or color pattern would have only the two correlated indicia. 
     Character 4 
     Name indicia: CHOCO RABBIT soft toy 
     Scent indicia: chocolate 
     Coloring indicia: brown 
     The embodiment of character 4 having brown coloring indicia includes the three correlated name, scent, and coloring indicias while an embodiment of a different color would have only the two correlated indicia. 
     Character 5 
     Name indicia: ORANGE PENGUIN soft toy 
     Scent indicia: orange 
     This embodiment of character 5 includes the correlated scent indicia and name indicia. In an embodiment of character  5  having orange coloring, the color indicia would be correlated. 
     Character 6 
     Name indicia: LEMON LION soft toy 
     Scent indicia: lemon 
     Coloring indicia: yellow 
     The embodiment of character 6 having yellow coloring indicia includes the three correlated name, scent, and coloring indicias while an embodiment of a different color or color pattern would have only the two correlated indicia. 
     The present invention accordingly provides the stuffed, soft body scent-emitting toy having correlated scent, name, and/or coloring indicia suitable for comfort and play while selectively scenting the air and enhancing cross-relational conceptualizing by the user of the toy. The principles, preferred embodiments, and modes of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. The invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed because these are regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Moreover, variations and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departure from the spirit of the invention as described by the following claims.