Patent Publication Number: US-5421765-A

Title: Toy tattoo playset

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Actual tattoos are indelible designs, legends and/or pictures applied by pigments just beneath the skin by puncturing the skin. As such they are notably improper for children&#39;s use. Designs, pictures and/or legends applied to children for play or educational purposes must be safe, removable, non-toxic and of course utilize no puncturing of the skin. The term tattoo as used herein should not be taken as referring to the technically accurate definition for the word tattoo. 
     While most toys are meant to be played with by children, and while some toys are more interactive than others, inviting an increased interaction between the child and the toy, many of the present interactive toys are of the electronic or computer game type which, while they have some play value, are costly, noisy, require some power source and at times force themselves on a child rather than provide the child with the means to play quietly and imaginatively. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention utilizes a simple doll or stuffed animal for a toy playset which encourages quiet interaction between child and toy, imagination and in some versions may be educational or provide role-model support. 
     The present invention utilizes a combination of a (a) toy such as a doll, (b) designs, pictures and/or legends (&#34;simulated tattoos&#34;), and (c) a handset which has at least storage and applicator functions for the simulated tattoos, to allow the child to apply the simulated tattoos to the toy or to the child him/herself. The combination allows the simulated tattoos to be transposed between child and toy or removed from both. In a preferred embodiment, the simulated tattoos are intended for placement in the child&#39;s and doll&#39;s hair, and the handset has a child&#39;s haircare appliance such as a hairbrush. The haircare appliance stores the simulated tattoos, has an atomizer to moisten the water soluble adhesive on the backs of the simulated tattoos and accordingly permits the child to dress up the doll and the child with hair designs and brush the hair of both. 
     In educational or training versions, the simulated tattoos may have alphabet characters or simple words and picture their corresponding meanings (e.g.--cow with a picture of a cow) for elementary reading comprehension and reinforcement, or simple color match or shape match type designs to assist the learning impaired or for the very young. In role model versions, the designs may be, for example, of police badges and the doll a representation of a policeman or policewoman. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In the drawing: 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial representation of a child and a doll, each with illustrative examples of the simulated tattoos of the inventor. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the handset means of the invention showing illustrative examples of the simulated tattoos of the invention being dispensed. 
     FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged illustrative examples of designs of the simulated tattoos of the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is a pictorial representation of a police doll of the invention showing an illustrative example of a police badge version of the simulated tattoo of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the simulated tattoo of FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 7 is a pictorial representation of a child wearing the simulated tattoo of FIG. 5. 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken across line 8--8 of FIG. 7. 
     FIG. 9 is a front view of the handset means of the invention. 
     FIG. 10 is a side view of the handset means of FIG. 9. 
     FIG. 11 is an exploded fragmentary view of the handset means of the invention showing a roll of simulated tattoos partly dispensed. 
     FIG. 12 is a plan view of illustrative simulated tattoos on a strip of paper release means of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference to the drawing, the toy tattoo playset means of the invention comprises handset means 10 and toy element means 12 such as a doll. Handset means 10, generally shaped to be held by a child, comprises dispenser means 14, moisturizer means 16 and hair appliance means 18 such as a hairbrush having a brush head 20 and attached handle means 22. 
     Handle means 22 is substantially hollow, having recess or cavity 23, and is adapted to receive all or part of moisturizer means 16, which comprises a pump spray head 24 and which screws onto handle means 22. Preferably an atomizer, spraying as little water as will serve its purpose without dripping or mess, moisturizer means 16 is washable and refillable so that the water supply is kept clean and fresh. Recess 23 of handle means 22 can hold water when pump spray head 24 is screwed onto handle means 22. An aperture portion 28 removably attaches to and becomes a removable part of handle means 22. Aperture portion 28 holds dispenser means 14 in position in handle means 22 and an opening 30 in aperture portion 28 exposes pump spray head 24 to access by a child&#39;s finger. 
     Dispenser means 14 removably attaches to aperture portion 28 on the side opposite brush head 20 and becomes a removable part of handle means 22. Dispenser means 14 is adapted to accommodate a plurality of simulated tattoos 32 in dispensable form, preferably on roll of release paper 34. Dispenser means 14 retains or contains the roll of release paper 34 for dispensing. In the preferred embodiment, release paper is 3/4 of an inch wide and 20 inches long, in a roll contained within dispenser means 14, and withdrawable by pulling the roll end 36 out of an access port or slot 38 as shown in FIG. 11. 
     If too much release paper 34 is pulled out, the exterior of dispenser means 14 may be contoured to receive and hold the excess if wrapped around its periphery as shown in FIG. 2. Such contouring may be formed by a pair of end caps 40 or a pair of circumferential ribs 42 on opposite ends of dispenser means 14. The distance between each of the pair of endcaps 40, or between each of the pair of circumferential ribs 42, is substantially equal to the width of release paper 34 to removably hold it in position on dispenser means 14. Release paper 14 is designed to hold simulated tattoos 32 until needed, and then to allow them to be selectively removed as by peeling off. 
     Each simulated tattoo 32 comprises a front image surface 32a which carries (or itself is, as in a die-cut design) the visible design of the simulated tattoo, and an adhesive backing means 32b adapted to be removably secured to either or both toy element means 12 and the child, although not at the same time for a single tattoo. By providing adhesive backing means 32b adapted to place the tattoos on and removed from the hair or the surface or clothing of toy element means 12, and on or removed from the hair or on the skin or clothing of the child, there are created attachable, removable and transferrable simulated tattoos of enhanced child interest, interaction and play value. Adhesive backing means 32b is non-toxic, non-permanent and preferably water-soluble, with moistening for application to and removal from toy or child being by atomized water spray from moisturizer means 16. The atomized water spray in combination with hairbrush 20 also encourages child grooming. 
     Toy element means 12 may be a doll of conventional baby or young child design as shown schematically in FIG. 1, or of a role model design as shown in FIG. 5 wherein toy element means 12a is a representation of a policeman or policewoman or state trooper and the simulated tattoo 32 design is that of a simulated police-type badge. The illustrations in the drawing are not intended to be gender-specific. 
     Toy tattoo playset means of the type indicated is being marketed to the retail trade under the name TATTOODLES™ by All Star Toys of New York or another licensee of the inventors.