Patent Publication Number: US-2003236050-A1

Title: Psychotherapeutic doll with a photographic reproduction for it&#39;s face

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] Application Ser. No.: 60/390,082 Filing Date: Jun. 20/2002 Applicant: Kimberly Lynn Landry Title: Psychotherapeutic Doll Confirmation Number: 8220 
    
    
     
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002] 1. Field of Invention  
       [0003] This invention pertains to a doll used as a psychotherapeutic aid and including a photographic likeness of a person assembled into it as an integral part of the face of the doll allowing the user to work through emotional trauma.  
       [0004] 2. Brief Description of Prior Art  
       [0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,710,145 (Hall Vandis) teaches a Therapeutic Doll Figure with a capability of recording speech and having changeable non-photographic facial expressions.  
       [0006] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,094,621 and 5,197,885 (Friedel) teaches a Therapeutic Doll with an illuminated heart area, a speech producing device, and a shelf inside its cavity for the placement of icons.  
       [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,266 (Frank, et al.) teaches a Therapy Method Using a Psychotherapeutic Doll comprising a featureless soft body and head, and disproportionately long arms and legs.  
       [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 4,993,987 (Hull, et al.) teaches a Doll having a personalized, photographic face impregnated into the construction fabric by using a dye sublimation transfer process.  
       [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,370 (Flint) teaches a Process for Producing a Doll that transfers an image from a video camera to a printer which creates a wax layered substrate for heat transfer process of the image to fabric.  
       [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 5,947,791 (Taylor) teaches a Gender Neutral Doll Body with Replaceable Photographic Face and with optional hands, feet, and ear trims.  
       [0011] U.S. Pat. No. 5,515,592 (Mills) teaches a Method of Making a Doll Having an Image Impregnated Thereon by using a heat transfer process of a photographic image.  
       [0012] U.S. Pat. No. 5,403,224 (Gintling) teaches a Photographic Face Doll with Removable Face Pocket that receives and retains a photograph in said pocket and may be selectively removed.  
       [0013] U.S. Pat. No. 5,382,187 (Wilson) teaches a Doll Having a Photograph for a Face using a heat transfer process of a photographic image.  
       [0014] U.S. Pat. No. 6,183,338 (Mallette) teaches a Plaything that comprises an appliance that is detachably affixed and the appliance comprises an image.  
       [0015] 3. Objects and Advantages  
       [0016] It is the embodiment of this invention to provide a personalized psychotherapeutic doll to aid the user with different types of emotional traumas that they are actively trying to resolve. It is another embodiment of this invention where a photographic facial image familiar to the user, is permanently affixed onto the head of the doll.  
       [0017] The prior art does not utilize a photographic image of a person for the face of the therapeutic doll. The prior art utilizes either a non-familiar face, a face that has been impregnated onto the construction fabric by a mirror image heat transfer process, or is a removable photograph of a face. The dolls disclosed in the prior art suffer in that they do not provide a personalized psychotherapeutic aid with a natural appearance and feel of a human being that is familiar to the user. The prior art suffers in that the mirror image transfer process used in the prior art encounters errors in the image heat transfer process that are eliminated in this invention by using the direct printing process of the facial image onto the fabric.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0018] A psychotherapeutic aid in the form of a doll, comprising of a non-gender, non-racially specific soft plush body, head, arms, and legs, which are assembled by sewing all pattern pieces into a one piece, hooded jump suit with mitten style hands and booty style feet. A photographic reproduction of a human face, of any age, gender, race, that is familiar to the user, is integrally assembled as the doll&#39;s face and then the psychotherapeutic aid becomes personalized for the user.  
       [0019] This invention replicates the look and feel of a human body in form and weight, albeit in the form of a doll. A psychotherapeutic aid is needed for therapy purposes that has a face on a doll body with all the facial features. The face on the doll should be as accurate as possible for users dealing with emotional trauma. This invention provides a psychotherapeutic aid that has a face chosen by the user and personalizes the psychotherapeutic doll because the chosen face is familiar to the user. Having the doll body weighted gives the user a sense of a human being when holding the psychotherapeutic aid, thereby creating a more realistic feel to the doll and allowing the user to evoke their true emotions while holding the doll. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
     [0020]FIGS. 1 a  &amp;  1   b , FIGS. 2 a  and  2   b  (see attached drawing) are respective front and rear views of dolls constructed according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention and shows a fully assembled doll, 23 inches in length, but not limited to this length, with all pattern pieces sewn into a one piece hooded jump suit with mitten style hands and booty style feet, stuffed with synthetic fiber batting and weight pellets, and it has a photographic reproduction of a human face integrally assembled as the doll&#39;s face.  
     [0021] FIGS.  5 A- 5 J (see attached drawing) are all of the defined pattern pieces required to construct the preferred embodiment. The doll jump suit is constructed by sewing together pattern pieces  5 A- 5 J. The doll jump suit pattern pieces are of soft cloth material, which can be stroked and hugged so as to provide a feeling of comfort to the user. The face section of the body is made of a solid color fabric and is blank when sewn into the jump suit body. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
     [0022] The psychotherapeutic application of this doll is as an aid for both professional counselors and individuals to assist an individual through emotional traumas of varying degrees, pertaining to ones self as well as that of a loved one. The feel of the psychotherapeutic doll to the user&#39;s touch is an integral part of this invention&#39;s embodiment. Having a tangible psychotherapeutic aid that fits perfectly into ones arms, that is weighted allowing for a sense of being, and with a face that is familiar to the user, is self healing and is the preferred embodiment of this invention.  
     [0023] Emotional trauma comes in many forms and the effects on the victim should not be underestimated. The following are ways in which one could utilize this invention, but not limited to these suggestions:  
     [0024] A) Inner Childhood Issues—in this situation the user would send us a photograph of themselves as a child. This can be of any age that the user chooses. Therapists often will ask a patient to find a doll that reminds them of themselves as children. They will then ask the patient to bring a picture of themselves at the age in question. This invention allows the user to work with a psychotherapeutic aid in the form of a doll that incorporates the therapist&#39;s requests.  
     [0025] B) Loving self—the user would have a psychotherapeutic aid that is personalized for them by having their face affixed to the doll. Examples for this use could be, but not limited to,  
     [0026] the user that has, but not limited to, birth defects, scarring, burns, or other marring physical traumas to the user&#39;s face. The user can show themselves love through the psychotherapeutic aid by holding and hugging their doll as needed. It is known that children, in particular, who believe they are different, find comfort in a doll that looks like them.  
     [0027] those who are facing medical conditions such as, but not limited to, those working through memory loss, Alzheimer&#39;s, Stroke, Cancer. It is known that Chemotherapy patients will hold stuffed items to comfort themselves during their treatments. One should love oneself during trying times and there is a tremendous amount of healing in a hug..  
     [0028] C) Separation Anxiety—the user would have a psychotherapeutic aid that is personalized for them by having the face of the one that they are separated from, affixed to the psychotherapeutic doll. The separation may be from, but not limited to, the user&#39;s parents, grandparents, guardians, spouse, loved one, child, and friend of the user who are gone for extended periods of time due to, but not limited to, career assignments, military duty, divorce, prison, foster care, hospital stays, adoption, missing children, inability to travel, still birth, SIDS, expected death, and unexpected death.  
     [0029] The doll face is created by scanning a photograph of a person, chosen by the user, using a highresolution flatbed scanner. The photograph is then imported into a software program capable of adjusting the sizes and color&#39;s of the scanned image. The scanned image&#39;s color and size is adjusted to properly fit the doll&#39;s face pattern. A digital image file of a face, chosen by the user for their doll, is another option and will eliminate the need for the previously described scanning process steps. The adjusted facial image is then printed onto a special commercially available