Patent Publication Number: US-2016228779-A1

Title: Stuffed Object with Device Keeping Apparatus

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to devices used to help locate other devices, and particularly to stuffed objects such as pillows or stuffed animals or stuffed toys where said stuffed object includes an attachment apparatus for attaching one or multiple stand-alone, hand held devices, such as remote controls or other devices so that attached devices may be located by locating said stuffed object. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Many stand-alone, hand held devices are used today. These devices often become lost and the user has to spend time searching for the device. For example, many electronic devices include remote control units which are used to operate said electronic device. After being used, these remote control units are often placed in locations where they can not be easily found to be used the next time the device is needed. Also, these remote control units are small and easily become lost under sofa cushions, chairs or other locations. What is needed is an attachment device for attaching to stand-alone, hand held devices so that said stand-alone, hand held devices may be easily located by locating said attachment device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is a stuffed object such as a pillow or a stuffed animal or a stuffed toy which includes one or multiple permanently attached or removable tethering devices for the purpose of attaching stand-alone, hand held devices to said stuffed object. Stuffed object may also include a retraction device inside of said stuffed object for the purpose of retracting said tethering device while attached stand-alone, hand held device is not in use. The said tethering device will be comprised of at least two ends. First end of said tethering device will be attached or attachable to said stuffed object by attachment means. The second end and any additional ends of said tethering device will be attachable to the stand-alone, hand held device which is desired to be kept with said stuffed object. Stuffed object may include a permanently attached point of attachment to facilitate the attachment or detachment of first end of said tethering device to stuffed object. Said point of attachment may be comprised of a grommet, a material loop, hook and loop fastener, snap fastener or other attached means to facilitate the attachment of said first end of said tethering device to said stuffed object. The first end of said tethering device may be permanently attached to said stuffed object by sewing or other permanent attachment means or may included a split ring fastener, hook and loop fastener, snap fastener or other means to connect to said stuffed object or said point of attachment. The second end or any additional ends of said tethering device may include different attachment mechanisms, such as an adhesive pad, hook and loop fastener, snap fastener, split ring fastener or other means to effectively connect to a stand-alone, hand held device. Tethering device may also include a detachable connector along said tethering device. The detachable connector may be used as a safety mechanism to detach said stand-alone, hand held device from stuffed object in the event that sufficient pressure is applied between stand-alone, hand held device and said stuffed object. The detachable connector may also be used as point of connection or disconnection on said tethering device to allow user of stuffed object to attach a different attachment mechanism that will more effectively connect to different stand-alone, hand held devices. Stuffed object may include a pocket or pockets to place attached stand-alone, hand held device while not in use. The point of attachment to stuffed object may be located on the inside of said pocket to facilitate the storage of stand-alone, hand held device while placed in said pocket. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view of present invention showing a stuffed animal for stuffed object; 
         FIG. 2  is a view of present invention showing a pillow for stuffed object; 
         FIG. 3  is a view showing tethering device of stuffed object with detachable device along tethering device; 
         FIG. 4  is a cutout view of stuffed object showing optional retractable device for tethering device; 
         FIG. 5  is a view of stuffed object showing optional point of attachment on stuffed object and optional split ring fastener on tethering device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Generally the present invention comprises a stuffed object such as a pillow or a stuffed animal or a stuffed toy, wherein said stuffed object comprises a tethering device or multiple tethering devices which are attached or attachable to said stuffed object, wherein said tethering device includes at least one attachment mechanism for the purpose of attaching to at least one stand-alone, hand held device, wherein when said stand-alone, handheld device device is attached to said attachment mechanism, said stand-alone, hand held device is also attached to said stuffed object by said tethering device and because of their attachment to one another, said stand-alone, hand held device may be located by locating said stuffed object. Prior art devices are suited for keeping and locating the devices to which they are attached, e.g. the tethering device (U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,347) and system and method for housing electronic devices (U.S. Pat. No. 6,525,268 B1). Such devices do not allow for both ease of use of the device to which they are attached and a movable object for attaching 
     Referring now to the invention in more detail, in  FIG. 1  there is shown a stuffed animal  1  having an attached tethering device  2  which is attached to stuffed object at first end of tethering device and has an adhesive pad  3  at the second end of tethering device to facilitate attachment to a stand-alone, hand held device. Adhesive pad  3  may be replaced by other attachment means such as a hook and loop fastener, snap fastener, split ring fastener or other means to more effectively attach to different stand-alone, hand held devices. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5  an optional point of attachment  7  is shown. In the current embodiment a grommet is shown as the point of attachment  7 . Point of attachment may also be a material loop, hook and loop fastener, snap fastener, or other attachment means which is attached to said stuffed object to facilitate the attachment of first end of tethering device to stuffed object. Also referring to  FIG. 5  an optional split ring fastener  8  is shown at the first end of tethering device to facilitate the attachment of first end of tethering device to stuffed object or point of attachment. First end of tethering device may also include, hook and loop fastener, snap fastener or other means in the place of split ring fastener  8  to facilitate attachment of the first end of tethering device to stuffed object or point of attachment. 
     In a different embodiment of this current invention, in  FIG. 2  there is shown a pillow  1 A as the stuffed object of the current invention. Also referring to  FIG. 2 , a pocket  6  is shown. The optional pocket  6  may be used to store stand-alone, hand held device which is attached to stuffed object while not in use. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3  an optional detachable device  4  is shown along tethering device  2 . Detachable device may be used as a mechanism to attach different attachment mechanisms other than the adhesive pad  3 . Detachable device may also be a safety mechanism to detach stand-alone, hand held devices when sufficient pressure is applied between stuffed object  1  or  1 A and stand-alone, hand held device which is attached to tethering device by attachment mechanism  3 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 4  an optional retraction device  5  is show. Retraction device  5  would be installed inside of stuffed object  1  or  1 A and is shown in cut out view in  FIG. 4 . The purpose of retraction device  5  is to retract tethering device  2  to the inside of stuffed object  1  or  1 A so that when the stand-alone, hand held device attached to said tethering device is not in use it may be more conveniently stored close to stuffed object  1  or  1 A and when stand-alone, hand held device is in use, it may be pulled out for more convenient use.