Abstract:
A doll is described which is soft and pliable for safe use as a toy by children which provides inter alia a closeable compartment within the body of the doll for the storage of accessories and clothing associated with the doll.

Description:
INTRODUCTION  
     RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is based upon my provisional application No. 60/197,645 filed Apr. 17, 2000 and entitled “Closet Doll”. 
     
    
     
       TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to children&#39;s toys and more particularly to dolls and stuffed animals which have removable clothing and accessories and which contain a storage space for storing such accessories and clothing when not in use.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Dolls have been popular toys for children for many years. Dolls which have removable accessories and clothing have also been popular. Many times such a doll has a number of sets of accessories and clothing available. During play a child can dress such a doll in one set of accessories and clothing, then remove the first set and replace it with a second set to give the doll a new look. One common problem with dolls which have removable accessories and clothing is preventing the loss of the various accessories and articles of doll clothing. Trunks and chests of drawers have been provided in which to store doll accessories and clothing. The net effect has always been the same. Once the accessories and articles of clothing are separated from the doll, they are frequently misplaced or permanently lost.  
           [0004]    The present invention provides a simple solution to the problem of missing accessories and articles of doll clothing. The accessories and clothing are simply stored inside the body cavity of the stuffed doll. A securable opening in the back of the doll allows accessories and clothing to be stored inside the doll until they are needed. Since the doll accessories and clothing are always contained within the doll itself when they are not in use, it is less likely that they will be misplaced or lost. As a further benefit of the present invention, a child does not have to gather up accessories and clothing to match the doll when it is time to play. The accessories and clothing are already present inside the doll. If a child wants to take the doll away from his or her room or the family residence, the doll&#39;s accessories and clothing are always available for play at the new location. When it is time for the child to return home, he or she merely returns all of the accessories and articles of clothing not being worn by the doll to the storage compartment inside the doll for the trip home. The present invention is also the perfect toy for an extended trip on public transportation. The extra accessories and clothing are safely stored inside the doll until the child decides to dress and undress the doll. The doll of the present invention is not restricted to a human form or shape but can take the form of stuffed animals, cartoon characters or other fanciful figures.  
           [0005]    In recent years, there has been an increasing public awareness of the need to make all children&#39;s toys safer. In the past, even dolls could become “weapons” if they were molded of a hard material. A child could hurt another child by striking the child with the doll. In some cases, injury could result when a child threw a doll formed or molded of a hard material at another child. The doll of the present invention is manufactured from a soft material such as cloth and filled with a soft stuffing. In the alternative, the doll is molded from a soft and pliable plastic material. In either case, the doll of the present invention is a safe toy for a small child.  
           [0006]    Thus, as will appear, the present invention fulfills a long time need for a stuffed doll which provides a simple arrangement for storing the accessories and clothing associated with such a doll to prevent the accessories and clothing from being misplaced or lost. Further, the present invention is a safe toy for a small child.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention, a doll with a built-in storage compartment for accessories and clothing, disclosed herein is a toy which, as will appear hereafter in a greater detail, is a stuffed doll with a compartment inside the doll and accessible through a closeable opening in the back of the doll. The doll is manufactured from a soft material so that it is a safe toy for small children. The skin of the doll may be formed of cloth or molded of soft plastic. The doll may take the form of a human, an animal, a cartoon character or other fanciful character. The head, limbs and a portion of the body of the doll have an exterior skin filled with a soft stuffing. A portion of the body has a compartment in which no stuffing material is present. The storage compartment so formed is accessible through an opening in the back of the doll. The opening in the back of the doll is provided with a cover manufactured from a soft material. The cover is held in a closed position through the use of buttons, snaps, zipper, VELCRO® tape or other means. It is this storage compartment into which the various accessory items or articles of clothing associated with the doll are placed when not in use. The storage compartment of the doll may be used to store the doll&#39;s clothing such as shirts, pants, dresses, undergarments and socks. The storage compartment may also be used to store the doll&#39;s accessories such as shoes, boots, hats, gloves, scarves, pipe, baseball bat, hockey stick and so on. The choice of the particular accessories associated with a given doll must be based upon the age of the child for which the doll is designed. For instance, accessories for a doll which represent a choking hazard would not be suitable for a doll for a very small child. The method for closing the opening to the storage compartment is also a function of the age of the child for which the doll is designed. For example, a button method of closure is not suitable for a child of an age where his or her manual dexterity is not developed sufficiently to allow him or her to open or close the cover to the storage compartment. In addition, the button on such a closure may represent a choking hazard for a small child.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, it is a primary object of the invention to provide a stuffed doll which provides a compartment for the storage of the doll&#39;s accessories and clothing. It is a further object of the invention to provide a doll which is safe for small children.  
           [0009]    These and further objects, as shall hereafter appear, are readily fulfilled by the present invention in a remarkably unexpected manner as will be readily discerned from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment thereof especially when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like parts bear like numerals throughout. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]    In the drawings:  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 1 is a representation of several forms the invention may take;  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 2 is a rear view of the invention showing various fastening arrangements for the opening to the storage compartment of the invention;  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 3 is a rear view of the invention showing two door arrangements as a closure to the storage compartment of the invention; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the invention showing the storage compartment of the invention with doll accessories and clothing located within the storage compartment. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0015]    A brief description of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is set forth herein in sufficient detail to allow a person skilled in the art to understand the operation and fully utilize the invention. The numbered parts of the description refer to the parts identified in the attached figures in which like parts bear like numerals throughout the invention.  
         [0016]    As shown in FIG. 1( a ), the doll of the present invention, identified by the general reference  10 , is comprised of a head portion  12  and a body portion  14 . FIG. 1( a ) is a representation of the doll as a human form. FIGS.  1 ( b ),  1 ( c ),  1 ( d ),  1 ( e ) and  1 ( f ) are further representations of the doll in animal and fanciful forms.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 shows the rear of doll  10  of the present invention where the body  14  of said invention is formed of a pliable material such as cloth or leather. Referring to FIG. 2 (a), the doll  10  of the present invention contains an opening  16  for ingress and egress to the interior portion of body  14  of said invention. Opening  16  of said doll  10  allows accessories and clothing associated with said doll  10  to be inserted and removed from the interior portion of body  14  of said doll  10 . Said opening  16  may be closed using VELCRO® tape  18  by pressing face  20  of said Velcro® tape  18  against second face  22  of said Velcro® tape  18 . In a similar manner, and referring to FIG. 2( b ), opening  16  may be closed using zipper  24  shown in a partially closed position. Referring to FIG. 2( c ), one or more buttons  26  may be inserted into one or more corresponding slots  28  in cover  30  to dose said opening  16 . Cover  30  is fabricated from a pliable material similar to the material used to fabricate body  14  of said doll  10 . Referring to FIG. 2( d ), opening  16  may be closed by engaging outer snap portion  32  in inner snap portion  34 .  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3, shows a rear view of doll  10  of said invention where the body  14  of said doll  10  is molded from a pliable material such as a soft plastic. Referring to FIG. 3( a ), a door  34  fabricated of a pliable material such as cloth or leather and attached to said body  14  may be used to cover opening  16  of said doll  10 . A latching device  38  (in this case VELCRO® tape) is used to secure said door  36  in a closed position. In a similar manner, any of the various latching methods shown in FIG. 2 could also be used to secure said door  36  in a closed position. Again referring to FIG. 3, clothing and accessories  40  are shown inside body  14  of said doll  10 . Referring to FIG. 3( b ), a door  42  attached to body  14  of said doll  10  using one or more hinges  44  is used to cover said opening  16 . Said door  42  is secured in a closed position by engaging outer latch portion  46  with inner latch portion  48 .  
         [0019]    Referring to FIG. 4, the body  14  of doll  10  of said invention is partially filled with soft stuffing material  50 . A storage compartment  52  is created in the middle of said body  14  and the accessories and clothing of said doll  10  serve as the stuffing material in this portion of said body  14 .  
         [0020]    From the forgoing, it is readily apparent that a useful embodiment of the present invention has been herein described and illustrated which fulfills all of the aforestated objectives in a remarkably unexpected fashion. It is of course understood that such modifications, alterations and adaptations as may readily occur to the artisan confronted with this disclosure are intended within the spirit of this disclosure which is limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.