Abstract:
A vehicle-shaped book of foam-based pages includes a center chassis page and at least one body page, each page being constructed of a panel of a semi-flexible foam material. The center chassis page and the body pages are bound to adjacent pages thereof in a book format. Front and rear ground-engaging wheels are rotatably mounted on the center chassis page whereby the vehicle-shaped book is rollable on the front and rear ground-engaging wheels.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED FOREIGN PATENT 
       [0001]    This application claims priority based on a foreign patent, specifically on the French Patent Application Serial No. 06/02595 filed Mar. 24, 2006. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention is directed to books having foam-based pages and, more particularly, to a vehicle-shaped book of foam-based pages which includes a center chassis page and at least one body page, each page including a middle foam plate and front and back semi-rigid paper plates mounted on and sandwiching the middle foam plate, the center chassis page and body pages bound to adjacent pages thereof in a book format, a lower chassis body on which is mounted the center chassis page and front and rear ground-engaging wheels rotatably mounted on the lower chassis body whereby the vehicle-shaped book is rollable on the front and rear ground-engaging wheels. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0005]    There are many different kinds of books and book bindings which are currently used in the publishing industry. While the majority of books are constructed of paper and paper products, there are many different types of children&#39;s books which are constructed of different materials such as cloth, foam, or other such materials, in order to provide additional tactile sensations for the children reading the books. Recently, one of the more popular types of manufacturing materials used in connection with children&#39;s books are thin plates of foam which constitute the pages and front and rear covers of the children&#39;s books. These are bound together in many different ways and assembled to form many different shapes and sizes of children&#39;s books, but in general, these function only as books and not as toys which can be played with. Of course, this is not a disadvantage when there is no intent to use the books as toys, but it would significantly add to the enjoyment of the book if it could also be used as a toy and not just as a book. 
         [0006]    One of the most popular subjects for children&#39;s books involve vehicles of many different sizes and shapes. For example, books about the many different types of trucks are very popular with boys and girls of ages two to ten, and this is why there are numerous children&#39;s books on this subject. However, it is also true that the level of excitement and interest generated by such books is limited in that the child cannot physically experience what it is like when a vehicle is in motion. To experience this, the child must play with various kinds of vehicular toys which replicate the much-larger versions which travel on our streets and highways. It is believed, however, that it would be truly exciting and interesting for a child if he or she were not only able to read about various types of vehicles in a book, but also play with the book as a toy which replicates at least one of the vehicles which are displayed within the book. There is therefore a need for such a vehicle-shaped book which also functions as a toy. 
         [0007]    Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle-shaped book made of foam pages which includes wheels to allow the book to function both as a book and a toy. 
         [0008]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle-shaped book of foam-based pages which includes a center chassis page and at least one body page, each page including a middle foam plate and front and back semi-rigid paper plates mounted on and sandwiching the middle foam plate, the center chassis page and body pages bound to adjacent pages thereof in a book format, a lower chassis body on which is mounted the center chassis page and front and rear ground-engaging wheels rotatably mounted on the lower chassis body whereby the vehicle-shaped book is rollable on the front and rear ground-engaging wheels. 
         [0009]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle-shaped book of foam-based pages which visually resembles a selected vehicle such as a truck, car, airplane, or other such vehicle so that the child playing with the book may both learn about the vehicles displayed within the book and also play with the vehicle thereby increasing their enjoyment and interest in the vehicle-shaped book. 
         [0010]    Another object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle-shaped book of foam-based pages which includes two front wheels and two rear wheels, with the rear wheels being powered by a mechanical or electric motor device to drive the vehicle-shaped book forwards. 
         [0011]    Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide a vehicle-shaped book of foam-based pages which is relatively simple and economical to manufacture and which is safe, effective, and efficient in use. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention provides a vehicle-shaped book of foam-based pages which includes a center chassis page and at least one body page, each page including a middle foam plate and front and back semi-rigid paper plates mounted on and sandwiching the middle foam plate. The center chassis page and the body pages are bound to adjacent pages thereof in a book format. A lower chassis body is included on which the center chassis page is mounted and extends upwards therefrom. Finally, front and rear ground-engaging wheels are rotatably mounted on the lower chassis body whereby the vehicle-shaped book is rollable on the front and rear ground-engaging wheels. 
         [0013]    The present invention thus provides a substantial improvement over those books currently being manufactured and sold for use by children. For example, because the foam-based pages are safe and soft, it is unlikely that children playing with the present invention will be injured through contact with the invention. Furthermore, because the present invention not only can be used as a book but also can be played with by the child as a toy, it is far more likely that the child&#39;s interest will be maintained for a greater period of time than with those single use books and toys found in the prior art. Finally, it is believed that the combination of the book and toy features of the present invention will make reading and learning more enjoyable for the child, which is clearly the goal of educational toys and books. It is therefore seen that the vehicle-shaped book of the present invention provides a substantial improvement over those books found in the prior art. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the vehicle-shaped book of the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the book; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of the book; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the book showing the pages and central chassis page thereof; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the book showing the pages and central chassis page thereof and the mounting of the wheels on the lower chassis body. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    The vehicle-shaped book  10  of the present invention is shown best in  FIGS. 1-5  as including a center chassis page  12  and a plurality of body pages  13 , each of which would be constructed of a foam material in substantially the same manner. Specifically, each of the pages  12  and  13  would include a middle foam plate  14  and front and back semi-rigid paper plates  16  and  18 , the front and back paper plates  16  and  18  secured to the middle foam plate  14  by an adhesive material or the like to ensure that the front and back paper plates  16  and  18  remain attached to the middle foam plate  14 . In the preferred embodiment the middle foam plate  14  would preferably be constructed of a foam material, specifically the foam marketed under the common name “Eva Foam,” which is a polymer foam made of ethyl-vinyl acetate and which is non-toxic and resilient to tearing, and thus is quite safe for use with children. One of the advantages of Eva Foam is that it is pliable and thus is safe for use by children, but in the present invention, however, it is preferable to combine the foam plate with material more conducive for printing indicia and pictures thereon, and it is for this reason that the front and back paper plates  16  and  18  are mounted on the middle foam plate  14 . 
         [0020]    In the preferred embodiment, the front and back paper plates  16  and  18  would be constructed of a semi-rigid paper material such as cardstock or the like which would readily receive printed indicia thereon for printing of the book pages, and will also provide additional rigidity for the middle foam plate  14 . Furthermore, it is important that the front and back paper plates  16  and  18  have dimensions slightly smaller than the middle foam plate  14  such that the middle foam plate  14  extends beyond the edges of the front and back paper plates  16  and  18 , as shown best in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , thus ensuring that the edges of the pages  12  are foam, thus preventing paper cuts or other injuries to children using the present invention. A final important consideration for the pages  12  is that they may be constructed of virtually any size, shape, and thickness via die cut or other cutting method, which means that the vehicle-shaped book  10  may be constructed to replicate the shape of almost any vehicle, thereby greatly increasing the potential audience for the present invention. Therefore, the particular vehicle shape shown in  FIGS. 1-5  should be understood to be only illustrative of the types of vehicles which may be replicated by the present invention, which are only limited by the economic, manufacturing, and purchasing restrictions set by the manufacturer and the marketplace. 
         [0021]    In the preferred embodiment, the central chassis page  12  and plurality of body pages  13  would each be of approximately the same shape on the top and rear surfaces, specifically that the pages are shaped like a vehicle, such as a truck, automobile, or other such vehicle. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the vehicle-shaped book  10  is of a standard truck configuration, although it should be noted, as was stated previously, that many different sizes and shapes of vehicles may be represented by the vehicle-shaped book  10  of the present invention merely by cutting the central chassis page  12  and body pages  13  to the appropriate shape. 
         [0022]    A binder  30  extends across and connects the rear edges of the central chassis page  12  and each of the body pages  13 , as shown best in  FIGS. 1 and 5 , and in the preferred embodiment, the binder  30  would be a reinforced paper sheet which is connected to the pages by an adhesive such as glue or the like. Of course, other types of binders may be used in connection with the vehicle-shaped book  10  of the present invention so long as the central chassis page  12  and body pages  13  are secured in a book format as shown in  FIGS. 1-5  and the pages are free to be opened from their closed position shown best in  FIG. 1  to the open position shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 . 
         [0023]    The key structural feature of the present invention, however, is clearly the lower chassis body  24  on which is mounted central chassis page  12  which extends generally perpendicularly upwards from the lower chassis body  24 . The lower chassis body  24  would preferably be constructed as a molded plastic generally rectangular box, although the precise construction material used in connection with the lower chassis body  24  is not critical so long as the lower chassis body  24  provides a stable, sturdy mounting chassis body for the central chassis page  12 . 
         [0024]    Rotatably mounted on opposite sides of lower chassis body  24  are front wheels  40   a  and  40   b  and rear wheels  42   a  and  42   b  which, in the preferred embodiment, would be small plastic or rubber wheels which are mounted on axles extending through the lower chassis body  24  or mounted beneath lower chassis body  24  as the manufacturer may see fit. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the front and rear wheels  40   a  and  40   b  and  42   a  and  42   b  permit the vehicle-shaped book  10  of the present invention to be rolled forward or backwards for use as a toy truck or other such toy vehicle, a feature which is not found in the prior art. This means that not only can the user of the present invention peruse the contents printed on the body pages  13  and central chassis page  12 , but here he or she may also play with the vehicle-shaped book  10  by rolling the book  10  over a ground surface via front and rear wheels  40   a,    40   b,    42   a  and  42   b.  Clearly, this will significantly increase the enjoyment and excitement in reading and playing with the vehicle-shaped book  10  of the present invention, and it is believed that this increase in enjoyment will likely lead to an increased interest in reading. 
         [0025]    In an alternative embodiment, the rear wheels  42   a  and  42   b  would be connected to a mechanical or electric motor device  50  which would be mounted within the lower chassis body  24  or directly underneath the lower chassis body  24 , the motor  50  operative to propel the vehicle-shaped book  10  forward over a ground surface. Numerous different types of motors  50  may be used in connection with the present invention, although it has been found that a simple mechanical motor using a flywheel, coil spring or the like would provide sufficient power to propel the vehicle-shaped book  10  of the present invention. 
         [0026]    The vehicle-shaped book  10  of the present invention as shown in  FIGS. 1-5  may also include additional elements such as the front bumper  44  which is mounted on the lower chassis body  24  and also the page securement strap  46  which extends between and releasably connects the outer body pages  13  as shown best in  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 . In the preferred embodiment, the page securement strap  46  would be a fabric strap which is affixed to one of the outer body pages  13  and is releasably connected via hook-and-loop fasteners to the opposite outer body page  13  to releasably secure the vehicle-shaped book  10  in its closed position as shown best in  FIG. 1 . Of course, many different types of securement devices may be used in connection with the present invention to secure the pages in closed position, any of which may be substituted for the page securement strap  46  described herein. 
         [0027]    Finally, it should be noted that because the central chassis page  12  and body pages  13  each include front and rear paper plates  16  and  18 , as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , it is a relatively simple matter to print virtually any kind of pictures, words, or other indicia on the central chassis page  12  and body pages  13  which will be shown in the vehicle-shaped book  10 . Also, it should be noted that the same holds true if the central chassis page  12  and body pages  13  are constructed of just the foam material and do not include the front or rear paper plates  16  and  18 , as the foam material may be printed on by many different commercial printing methods, any of which would be understood by one skilled in the art of printing on alternative page construction materials. The important consideration, however, is that the vehicle-shaped book  10  may be constructed in many different sizes and shapes, and the printed materials which are printed on central chassis page  12  and body pages  13  may tie into and enhance the selected shape of the vehicle-shaped book  10 . 
         [0028]    It is to be understood that numerous additions, substitutions and modifications may be made to the vehicle-shaped book  10  of the present invention which fall within the intended broad scope of the appended claims. For example, the central chassis page  12  and body pages  13  may be constructed of various types of foam materials, both including front and rear paper plates  16  and  18 , or not including the paper plates, and such modifications and changes should be understood to be a part of this disclosure. Furthermore, the specific number of wheels used in connection with the present invention may be modified or changed if the vehicle intended to be replicated includes more or fewer wheels than described previously. For example, should the present invention be used to replicate a tractor-trailer truck, the vehicle-shaped book  10  could potentially include up to eighteen wheels to properly replicate the tractor-trailer truck. Likewise, if the vehicle-shaped book  10  of the present invention were constructed to replicate a motorcycle or the like, the book would have only two wheels mounted thereon, and the appropriate connections and mountings for the selected number of wheels on the lower chassis body  24  would be understood by one skilled in the art of toy vehicle manufacturing. Finally, it should be noted that the size, shape and colors used in connection with the vehicle-shaped book  10  of the present invention may be modified or changed depending on the intended audience for the vehicle-shaped book  10 , and such modifications should be understood to be a part of this disclosure. 
         [0029]    There has therefore been shown and described a vehicle-shaped book  10  of foam-based pages which accomplishes at least all of its intended objectives.