Patent Publication Number: US-2015065008-A1

Title: Nature rattle

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority under 35 USC §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/812494 filed on Apr. 16, 2013. The entire disclosure of this provisional patent application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     A rattle toy typically comprises a container defining a hollow compartment and items enclosed within in this compartment. When the container is grasped by a baby, the items move within the compartment to create a rattling sound. Older children, adolescents, and adults also often enjoy rattles for fiddling or other purposes. 
     SUMMARY 
     A rattle is provided wherein the sound-creating items within the compartment comprise naturally occurring objects such as rocks, plant parts, and/or animal accoutrements. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1-4  show an infant, an older child, an adolescent, and an adult, respectfully, holding the nature rattle. 
         FIG. 5  shows the nature rattle in more detail. 
         FIG. 6  shows the nature rattle with an informational paper. 
         FIG. 7  shows the rattle&#39;s container part in more detail. 
         FIGS. 8-12  show other versions of the nature rattle. 
         FIG. 13  shows the nature rattle with an informational paper. 
         FIG. 14  shows a station for assembling the nature rattle. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and initially to  FIGS. 1-4 , a nature rattle  10  according to the present invention is shown. In  FIG. 1 , a baby is playing with the nature rattle  10  as he/she would with a conventional rattle toy. In  FIG. 2 , an older child is enjoying the nature rattle  10 . In  FIG. 3 , an adolescent is appreciating the anti-fidget features of the nature rattle  10  as an anti-fidget device. And, in  FIG. 4 , an adult is fiddling with the nature rattle  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the nature rattle  10  comprises a container  20  defining a hollow compartment  21  and items  30  contained therewithin. When the container  20  is shaken or otherwise moved, the items  30  are shifted within the compartment  21  to create a rattling sound. The items  30  include naturally occurring objects such as rocks  41  (e.g., minerals, mineraloids, stones, pebbles, crystals, granite, limestone, etc.), plant parts  42  (e.g., nuts, seeds, seed or spore carrying pods, twigs, branches, roots, etc.), and/or animal accouterments  43  (e.g., coral, shells, horns, teeth, etc.). 
     The naturally occurring objects  41 - 43  can be associated with a particular locale (e.g., a favorite vacation spot). And as shown in 
       FIG. 6 , the nature rattle  10  can be provided along with a pamphlet, a postcard, a picture, or other informational paper  70  about this locale. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the container  20  can comprise a receptacle  50  defining the compartment  21  and having at least one access opening  51  into the compartment  21 . When making the nature rattle  10 , the access opening  51  can be used for insertion of the items  30  into the compartment  21 . The container  20  can further comprise a lid  60  for each access opening  51  which seals the compartment  21  after item insertion. 
     The illustrated container  20  has a generally cylindrical wall  52  with a diameter sized for gripping by an infant&#39;s hand (e.g., about one to about three inches). In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the receptacle  50  has one access opening  51  at one axial end of its cylindrical wall  52 , with an end wall  53  closing its opposite axial end. 
     Mating features  54  (e.g., external screw threads) are associated with the access opening  51 . 
     The lid  60  comprises an end wall  61  and a rim  62  extending approximately perpendicular therefrom. Mating features  64  (e.g., internal screw threads) are provided to coordinate with the receptacle&#39;s mating features  54  so that the lid  60  may be used to selectively by an adult to open and close the compartment  21 . 
     While the container  20  shown in  FIG. 7  has one access opening  51  and a removable lid  60 , this need not be the case. For example, as shown in  FIG. 8 , the receptacle  20  can have two access openings  51  (one at each end of a cylindrical wall  52 ) and a lid  60  for each opening. As shown in  FIGS. 9-10 , the lids  60  can be permanently secured to the receptacle  50 . And as is shown in  FIG. 11 , if the receptacle  20  is formed around the items  30 , an access opening  51  and/or lid  60  may not be necessary to form the container  20 . 
     The container  20  and/or the receptacle  50  can be made of a transparent or translucent material so that the baby can view the items  30  moving within the compartment. A suitable candidate for the receptacle material would be, for example, cellulose acetate butyrate. The lid  60  can be made of a similar plastic material or of another suitable material such as metal. Additionally or alternatively, the receptacle  50  and/or the lid  60  can be recycled products furthering the environmental appeal of the nature rattle  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 12 , the items  30  can additionally comprise processed naturally occurring objects  46  (gemstones, carved wood, braided twine, etc.), nature-influenced manufactured objects  47  (sea glass, weathered metal, worn plastic, etc.), and/or strictly manmade objects  48  (e.g., trinkets, ornaments, knickknacks, etc.). 
     These objects  46 - 48  can be associated with a particular locale (e.g., a favorite vacation spot) and, as shown in  FIG. 13 , a pamphlet, a postcard, a picture, or other informational paper  70  about this locale can be provided with the nature rattle  10 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 14 , an assembly station  80  can be provided for making a customized rattle  10 . The station  80  can comprise a platform  81  with shelves or other storage racks for the containers  20  and the items  30 . The items  30  can be gathered or associated with the same locate as the residence of the assembly station  80 . And pamphlets, postcards, or other informational papers  70  can be provided at the station  80 . 
     Although the nature rattle  10 , the container  20 , the items  30 , the receptacle  50 , the lid  60 , and/or the assembly station  70  have been shown and described with respect to a certain embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings.