Patent Publication Number: US-5289916-A

Title: Animated toy in package

Description:
This is a continuation-in-part application of co-pending application Ser. No. 07/956,526, filed on Oct. 5, 1992, and now abandoned, which is in turn a continuation application of application Ser. No. 07/792,328, filed on Nov. 8, 1991, which has matured into U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,806, issued on Dec. 22, 1992. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to packages used for the shipment and display of toys, and more particularly to packaging for animated toys which can be activated while the toys are within the shipment display package at selling locations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a well known selling tool for toys that the chances of selling a toy are substantially enhanced if the purchaser can operate the toy and see how it operates at the point of sale. Thus, toys such as guns and rifles which incorporate flashing lights and the sounds of a firing weapon are now packaged so that the trigger of the gun can be operated while the gun is still in its display package. In this case, the gun is packaged in an open frame with one side missing so that a person can operate the trigger of the gun while it is still mounted in the package. 
     In addition, dolls are placed in packages with a ring and a pull string so that when the string is pulled the doll can emit sounds while it is still in the package. 
     Anten et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,925,025 discloses a toy within a point of sale package display which is activated while the toy is within the package. It uses two batteries, one is an inexpensive battery which is supplied for display operation only. After purchase, when the device is removed from the package, the temporary battery is removed from the battery compartment and two normal sized AA batteries placed therein for operation. 
     Although the prior art does disclose toys which can be operated while in their display packages, these toys are inanimate and the operation of the toy in the package comprises emitting lights or sound or the movement of inarticulated (non-jointed) parts only. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is the general object of this invention to provide a package for an animated toy which can be activated within its package which allows the purchaser to observe the movement of articulated (jointed) parts of the toy as well as to hear and observe sounds and lights emitted by the toy when the toy is activated. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide a shipment and display package for an animated toy which can be activated in its package which allows for access to the activating means while the toy is in the package. 
     It is yet a further object of this invention to provide a package for an animated toy which can be activated in its package which provides means for observing the movement of articulated parts of the toy when it is activated. 
     It is still yet a further object of this invention to provide a package for an animated toy which can be activated in its package which has the means to deactivate the toy after it has been activated for a pre-determined amount of time. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a package for an animated toy which can be activated in its package which does not require replacement of batteries after sale of the toy. 
     It is still another object of this invention to provide a package for an animated toy which can be activated in its package which has openings in the package for allowing access to the means to activate the toy while it is in the package. 
     It is still yet another object of this invention to provide a package for an animated toy which can be activated in its package which has openings in the package for the observation of the movement of articulated parts when a toy is activated. 
     It is an additional object of this invention to provide a package for an articulated toy which can be activated in its package which has transparent sections for the observation of the movement of the articulated parts of the toy when it is activated. 
     It is yet an additional object of this invention to provide a package for an articulated toy which has an open front for allowing access to activate the toy and for viewing the toy in motion. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     These and other objects of this invention are achieved by providing an animated toy with articulated parts which can be activated while it is in its display package so that a purchaser can hear the sounds emitted by the toy, see the lights emitted by the toy, and observe the movement of articulated parts of the toy when the toy is activated. The term &#34;articulated parts&#34;, as used herein, means jointed parts such as the limbs, head, legs, wings or tails of living beings (e.g. humans or animals, or representatives of living beings such as dolls, stuffed animals, robots, monsters, creatures, reptiles, birds, and the like) . The toy is packaged for transportation and for display purposes in a box which has openings for operating and means for activating a toy and openings for observing the motion of articulated parts while it is still within the box. 
     The toy is placed on an insert inside the package to properly position the toy and to allow for an ambulatory motion, e.g. walking, trotting, or running, in the package. 
     Alternatively, rather than an opening to allow one to activate the toy, a membrane-like section can be used to allow the purchaser to activate the toy by applying pressure to the means for activation of the toy such as an electric switch. Also, instead of providing openings for the observation of the movement of the articulated parts of the toy, the package can include transparent sections or blisters which will allow for the observation of the movement of the articulated parts. 
     In order to save battery power, the device times out and deactivates upon the passage of a pre-determined amount of time after activation. 
     In another embodiment, the front of the package is open and the toy is secured to the back allowing for access to the activating means and for viewing the toy in motion through the open side. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     Other objects of many of intended advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated when the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the animated toy in its package. 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric exploded view of the package, the insert placed in the package, and the animated toy positioned on the insert. 
     FIG. 3 is a top plane view of the unitary package prior to folding and gluing. 
     FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the package taken along the line 4--4 of FIG. 1. 
     FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the package taken along the line 5--5 of FIG. 4. 
     FIG. 6 is a front isometric view of an alternative embodiment of the package. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawing, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts, the package 10 for the animated toy is shown in FIG. 1.; The animated toy 12, in this case a puppy, is placed within the package 10. The toy is shipped as shown and placed on display at the selling location in the package 10. 
     As can be seen in FIGS. 1, 2, and 4, the package 10 comprises front wall 14, side walls 16 and 18, rear wall 20, and front opening 22. The front opening 22 allows visibility of the head 50 of the toy 12, which extends beyond front wall 14. The side walls 16 and 18 have openings 30 for observation of the paws 54 and 56 of the toy dog 12. Openings 26 in side walls 16 and 18 allow a person to reach within the package and, by petting the back of the toy 12, to depress electrical switch 13 which activates the toy. Instructions to operate the toy in the package are printed near openings 26. Openings 26 also allow visibility of the ears 53 of the toy 12. Rear wall 20 has an opening 24 through which the tail of the toy 12 extends. 
     When the electrical switch 13 is depressed, the toy 12 starts to walk, its tail 52 wags, its head 50 nods, and an annunciator emits the sound of barking. The movement of the head 50, the wagging of the tail 52, and the walking of the dog, i.e. the movement of its paws 54 and 56, can be observed through openings 22, 24, and 30 respectively. 
     FIG. 3 shows a plane view of the unitary package after it has been stamped and scored, prior to folding and gluing. As can be seen, in addition to the front wall 14, the rear wall 20, and the side walls 16 and 18, the package includes side flaps 46 and 48 and top flap 44. Also shown are interlocking lower tabs 58 which form the bottom wall of the package. 
     After the package has been formed, the insert 34 is placed into the package as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. The insert 32 has a forward section 36 and a rear section 38. The toy 12 is placed in the box on the insert 34 with its front paws 54 between forward section 36 and rear section 38, and with its rear paws 56 behind rear section 38. This allows the toy 12 to walk in place with his legs in motion on bottom surface 42 of the insert 34. Bottom surface 42 is raised from the bottom of package 10 by side panels 40. After the toy 12 has been placed within a package 10 on the insert 34, side flaps 46 and 48 are folded inward and top flap 44 is folded to close the package. 
     It should be kept in mind that although the toy 12 has been described herein as a puppy, any other kind of animated toy with articulated moving parts can be packaged in accordance with this invention so that the toy can be activated and be observed while it is still within its display package. 
     The operation of the mechanism to move the articulated parts, the annunciator to emit sounds, and the electrical switch are standard and well known to those familiar with the art. 
     Although the embodiment enclosed herein discloses openings in the package for observing the movement of articulated parts, alternatively, transparent sections can be used for such observation. Furthermore, rather than an opening to operate an electrical switch, a membrane-like material can be placed in the package so that pressure from outside the package can be used to activate the switch. Finally, although the tail of the toy 12 extends beyond the wall of the package 10, transparent blisters can be used to allow parts of the toy to extend beyond the surface of the package. 
     An alternative embodiment of the package is shown in FIG. 6. The package 60 comprises a front wall 62, a rear wall 64, a side wall 66, a top wall 67 and a bottom wall 69. It should be noted that one side of the package 60 is open. An opening 68 in the front wall 62 allows the head 70 of the animated toy 72 to protrude past the wall 62 when the animal is activated and the articulated parts are moving. 
     Because there is an open side, the toy is secured to the side wall 66 by the band 74. As in the first embodiment, the toy 72 is placed upon an insert 76, allowing the toy 72 to ambulate while it is in the package 60. 
     A strap 78 is connected to the electrical switch of the toy. This strap, or simulated leash, is accessible through the open wall and will activate the toy when it is pulled. Thus, the toy may be activated through the open wall and the motion of the articulated parts of the toy 72 may be observed while the toy is firmly secured to the package. 
     Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully illustrate my invention that others may by applying current or future knowledge readily adapt the same for use under the various conditions of service.