Patent Publication Number: US-2012028533-A1

Title: Baby toy with baby care items

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority from provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/131,598 filed Jun. 10, 2008 titled COVER WITH TOY. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to a baby distraction item and, more particularly, to a baby toy and/or a baby toy comprising a container for baby care items with the baby toy suitable for attracting and maintaining the attention of a baby while a diaper is being changed. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     None 
     REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     None 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Young children have difficulty in being still and quiet during social interactions or engagements during which the child is expected to be still and quiet (i.e., riding in a car, bus train or airplane, in a store during shopping trips, at a place of worship, at the doctor&#39;s office, at a restaurant, during clean up, etc.). Parents often resort to distracting a child wherein the child&#39;s attention is redirected to a toy with which he or she can play with. The typical result of using a distraction item, such as a toy, is that the child becomes content, still and quiet. One of the more challenging parental tasks is simultaneously changing a baby&#39;s diaper and distracting a baby while the parent and the baby are away from home and no toys are available to distract the baby. 
     Examples of toy items parents used in attracting and maintaining a baby&#39;s attention are toys with distinct patterns, colors, shapes or textures. For example, newborn babies respond well to bold, contrasting colors and graphics. The high-contrast colors of black, white and red can captivate and hold a baby&#39;s attention and can encourage visual development as well as physical activity such as wiggling, kicking, and arm waving. In addition to maintaining a babies attention babies learn about their environment through touching and handling different shapes and textures. Another example of a baby toy that distracts a baby which also helps a baby learn is a mirror which teaches cause and effect. Consequently, toys which distract may also be learning tools for the baby. 
     When a baby toy for distracting a baby is not readily available but would be helpful if it were available is when a parent is away from home and needs to change a diaper or clean a baby&#39;s face or hands. Unfortunately, the need to change a diaper or clean a baby on-the-go can take place in inopportune places where a baby toy to distract the baby may not be available. Even though a parent usually carries a diaper changing kit, the kit is often used to hold only essential items such as diapers and a container of towelettes for cleaning a baby when a diaper is changed. Consequently, a parent may struggle to both change a diaper and distract the baby, particularly if the parent is in a public place and feels a crying baby creates a disturbance to those present. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is a baby toy integrated with a container or the cover where the container or cover not only holds baby care items but also provides a toy for distracting the baby. In one example the container comprises a carrier for holding cleaning items such as towelettes so that a parent who is on-the-go has both a source of readily available cleaning items but also a toy to temporarily distract the attention of a baby when the baby&#39;s diaper is being changed. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a baby toy in an open condition; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a baby toy of  FIG. 1  in a closed condition; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a baby toy comprising a cover; 
         FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the baby toy cover of  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a baby toy container and cover in the shape of a boat; 
         FIG. 6  is a front view of a baby toy container and cover in the shape of a duck; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of another example of a baby toy cover in the shape of a crab; 
         FIG. 8  is a front view of a baby toy container and cover in the shape of a rabbit; 
         FIG. 9  is a front view of a baby toy container and cover in the shape of a cartoon character; and 
         FIG. 10  is a front view of a baby toy cover in the shape of a seahorse. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     It is advantageous to temporarily attract and maintain a baby&#39;s attention in order to make diapering or clean up a pleasant experience for the baby as well as less stressful for the parent.  FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a baby distraction item, such as a baby toy, where the container and a baby distraction item are integrated so that a parent always has a readily available baby toy that can be used to both distract a baby as well as carry baby care items such as cleaning items. Baby toy  10  is shown in an open condition and comprises a container base  14  and a hinged cover  25  that extends over a chamber  15  for holding a baby care item  19  such as a baby clean-up cloth, for example a towelette or the like. In the example shown, base  14  has a triangular shape, however other shapes are within the scope of the invention. To distract a baby the base  14  may be decorated with a pattern, color, shape, texture or contain a reflector such as a mirror. The pattern or design on base  14  may be solid colors which the baby responds to such as be black, white and red. 
     Centrally located in base  14  is a chamber or compartment  15  for holding baby clean-up items such as a towelette  19 , baby powder (not shown) or diaper cream (not shown). Bottom member  15   a  and sidewalls  15   b,    15   c,    15   d,    15   e,    15   f  and  15   g  cooperate to form a hexagonal shaped compartment for receiving and dispensing baby care items. While a hexagonal shaped compartment  15  is shown other shape compartments may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 
     Baby toy  10  includes a cover  25  that pivots about hinge  16  with the cover extending over the open compartment  15  to maintain items in the compartment. Hinge  16  allows cover  25  to easily open and close while chamber  15  provides a storage compartment for clean-up items as well as to provide adult accessibility to the contents in chamber  15 . Cover  25 , when open, allows adult access to the items stored in chamber  15  and when closed provides a childproof container that keeps items securely stored in chamber  15 . For example, one can store towelettes in chamber  15  as cover  25  keeps the towelette in a moist condition by protecting the towelettes from exposure to air, which causes them to dry out. 
     Baby toy  10  includes a set of curved handles  11  and  12  that extend outward from base  14 . Handles  11  and  12  are sufficiently small such that a baby may easily grasp, manipulate and release the handles with his or her hands. While  FIG. 1  shows baby toy  10  having two handles, fewer or more handles may be used to permit a baby to grasp the toy. For example, the invention may include one handle or the handle may be formed as an integral component of the baby toy since the purpose of a handle is provide a region that permits a baby to grasp and play with the baby toy  10  while the parent changes the baby&#39;s diaper. 
       FIG. 1  shows an opening  11   a  located between base  14  and handles  11  and an opening  12   a  located between base  14  and handle  12 . The openings  11   a  and  12   a  are sufficiently large to prevent a baby from lodging his or her hands, feet or other body part in the opening and causing injury. 
     Extending perpendicularly outward from cover  25  are two elongated resilient latching members,  26  and  27  that are integral with cover  25 . On the proximal end of each of the resilient members is a lip. That is, resilient member  26  includes a lip  26   a  and resilient member  27  includes a lip  27   a.  In a closed condition lip  27   a  engages with an edge  18   a  on sidewall  15   c  to latch cover  25  to base  14  and similarly lip  26  engages with a lip (not shown) on sidewall  15   e  to latch cover  25  to base  14  to form a child proof closed compartment for holding baby care items therein. A retractable button  17 , which is axially slideable but retained within base  14 , permits engagement with strip  26  and a further button  18  which is axially slideable but retained within base  14  permits engagement with strip  27  to permit opening the cover on the container. 
       FIG. 2  shows baby toy  10  in a closed condition to prevent a baby from opening cover  25  and pinching his or her fingers in cover  25  while holding or playing with the baby toy in his or her hands. Baby toy  10  includes a triangular shaped design  32  with a bright color therein or a mirror on one corner of base  14 . Similarly, base  14  also includes a second triangular shaped design  33  with a bright color or a mirror and a third triangular shaped design  34  with a bright color or a mirror therein. The purpose of the design and color or a mirror is to provide an attraction for the baby. Although three identical shapes and colors or mirrors are shown various combinations of surface shapes colors or textures may be used to maintain a baby&#39;s interest. 
     To obtain access to compartment  15 , a parent disengages lips  26   a  and  27   a  by simultaneously pushing inward on buttons  17  and  18  ( FIG. 1 ) which disengages the lips  26   a  and  27   a  from the respective edges. The use of two buttons that are spaced apart and require simultaneously engagement makes the cover  25  baby proof since a baby cannot readily perform the function of simultaneously compressing two remotely positioned buttons. Once the parent disengages lips  26   a  and  27   a  the parent can insert a finger in a curved recess  28  in base  14  to enable the parent to pivot cover  25  about hinges  16  in order to obtain access to an item in the chamber. 
     When the clean-up items contained in the baby toy have been depleted, replacement items can be placed in the container/toy. Thus the baby toy is reusable. 
     Referring to the drawings,  FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate an example of a baby toy cover  20 , which may be used with a container to temporarily distract a baby. The container, for example, is a readily available towelette container having a cover to maintain the moisture of the towelettes. The towelette container may be replaced or refilled once the towelettes have been depleted while the baby toy cover  20  is reusable and may be placed on the replacement or refilled towelette container. 
       FIG. 3  shows another example of a baby toy wherein the toy comprises a cover or lid  40  that can be fitted over an open top container. Cover  40  include a set of three handles  41 ,  42  and  43  with each of the handles extending outward and integral to cover  40  to enable a baby to grasp one or more handles. Curved handles  41 ,  42  and  43  extend outward. Handles  41 ,  42  and  43  are sufficiently small such that a baby could easily grasp, manipulate and release the handles with his or her hands. The space between cover  40  and handles  41 ,  42  and  43  are openings  41   a,    42   a  and  43   a  are sufficiently large to prevent a baby from lodging his or her hands, feet or other body part in the openings and causing injury. In the examples shown the baby toy is made from a polymer plastic and any sharp edges have been removed so as avoid injury to the baby. 
       FIG. 4  shows a cross-sectional view of baby toy comprising a cover  20  that is frictional fitted over a top of a container  51  by an annular lip  47  that engages the outer cylindrical surface of container  51 . Cover  44  is shown in section to reveal an internal compartment  44   a  formed by a chamber wall  44   a.  Located within compartment is a noisemaker  50 , such as a plurality of hard beads or balls which can impact against the walls  44   a  when a baby shakes or moves the cover  44  to generate a noise. Alternatively, a squeaker or other noise-making device may be contained in compartment  44   a.  Regardless of which noisemaker is employed, compartment  44   a  is permanently sealed to prevent a baby from choking on small items in noisemaker  30 . 
     Thus a noisemaker, such as a rattle, could be included in the baby toy to keep the attention of a baby. More specifically, a plurality of hard plastic beads or balls could be housed in either the handles or the cover so that the baby toy makes noise when a baby shakes or moves the baby toy. 
       FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2  illustrate examples of how the baby toy can be integrated with a container to provide a distraction item that can be carried in the baby supplies and  FIGS. 3 and 4  illustrate examples of how a removable cover can provide a baby toy for distracting and entertaining a baby as diaper is changed. 
       FIGS. 5-9  show examples of baby toys wherein a cover is either provide with a shape of an object or is part of an object while  FIG. 5  shows a baby toy  60  in the shape of a boat with a cover  61  extending over a compartment (not shown) for holding baby care items. 
     Similarly,  FIG. 6  shows a baby toy in the shape of a bird  65  with a compartment located blow a cover  62 . In this example the baby handle comprises the animal appendages such as the head  63  or the feet  64 . Baby toy  65  may be plush toy or a flat member in the shape of a bird head  63  . The cover  62  which extends over a chamber (not shown) may contain baby care items such as a towelette package. Although a cover  62  is shown for removal of baby care items it is envisioned that the towelette or other baby care items may be dispensed from baby toy  65  through an opening in cover  62 . 
       FIG. 7  and  FIG. 10  illustrate varies covers or containers in the shape of sea animals.  FIG. 7  shows a cover in the shape of a crab  70  and  FIG. 10  shows a cover in the shape of a sea horse  72 . While a sea animal is shown as part of a cover it can be incorporated into the baby toy to have an integral compartment cover or both a cover and a container. In these examples of sea animals  70  and  72  a baby can use the appendages as a handle. 
       FIG. 8  shows a baby toy  75  in the shape of a rabbet with appendages including rabbit ears  76  and  77  which can be used as a baby handle. A cover  73  that can be opened or closed allows a person access to a compartment in the body of the baby toy. Similarly,  FIG. 9  shows a baby toy  75  in the shape of a cartoon character with appendages including head and ears  82  and feet  81  which a baby can use as handle. A cover  80  that can be opened or closed allows a person access to a compartment in the body of the baby toy. 
     As illustrated by  FIGS. 5-9  the baby toys can take a variety of shapes and the baby toys can be ether a cover or a container and either the cover or the container can be used to distract a baby as the diaper is being changed including but not limited to animals, fish, vehicles or other forms of transportation and popular characters. It is noted that components of the baby toys described herein are composed of a non-toxic material such as a polymer plastic and have smooth edges to protect a baby from injury. 
     In summary, when a parent changes a baby&#39;s diaper, the parent takes the diapering supplies, including moist towelettes, diaper and other diapering supplies such as ointment or powder. The parent then places the baby on the changing pad. The moist towelettes are removed from the baby toy or the baby toy cover is removed from the container. The baby toy or baby toy cover is then given to the baby to play with during diapering. The baby holds onto the handles with his or her hands and looks at and plays with the baby toy while the caregiver undresses the baby, cleans the baby&#39;s bottom, puts a clean diaper on him or her and redresses him or her.