Patent Publication Number: US-2023147198-A1

Title: Plush toy including snow globe eyes

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/277,632, filed on Nov. 10, 2021, the entire content of which being incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates generally to a toy, and more specifically, to a plush toy figure or animal including eyes that are snow globes. 
     Children use their senses to develop motor skills and gain knowledge of their surroundings. Therefore, toys that stimulate a child&#39;s senses may improve neurological development. Moreover, toys that encourage the child to move that toy can offer a stimulating playtime experience. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present disclosure relates to a plush toy including a body and a face. The face is connected to the body and includes an eye assembly having a snow globe and a gasket. The snow globe includes a dome, a socket, and a heterogenous mixture. The dome is affixed to the socket. The heterogenous mixture includes transparent oil and is disposed within a cavity defined by the dome. The gasket affixed to the face. The snow globe is configured to removably engage the gasket. 
     In disclosed embodiments, the transparent oil includes a viscosity of between about 8 cSt and about 12 cSt, or equal to about 10 cSt. 
     In disclosed embodiments, the heterogenous mixture includes glitter. 
     In disclosed embodiments, the socket includes a finger having a flange. In embodiments, the finger of the socket is configured to extend partially through an aperture of the gasket when the snow globe is engaged with the gasket. In embodiments, a diameter of the finger of the socket is larger than a diameter of the aperture of the gasket. 
     In disclosed embodiments, the socket includes art imprinted thereon, and the art depicts a feature of an eye. 
     In disclosed embodiments, the socket includes a groove configured to receive a lip of the dome. 
     The present disclosure also relates to a plush toy including a face having an eye assembly which includes a snow globe and a gasket. The snow globe includes a dome, a socket, and a heterogenous mixture. The dome is affixed to the socket. The heterogenous mixture is disposed within a cavity defined by the dome and includes a liquid having a viscosity of between about 8 cSt and about 12 cSt. The gasket is affixed to the face. The snow glove is configured to engage the gasket. 
     In disclosed embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid is about 10 cSt. 
     In disclosed embodiments, the heterogenous mixture includes oil, such as a transparent oil. 
     In disclosed embodiments, the heterogenous mixture includes glitter. 
     In disclosed embodiments, the socket includes a body portion and two fingers extending from the body portion. In embodiments, the gasket defines two apertures, and each finger of the socket is configured to extend partially through one of the apertures of the gasket when the snow globe is engaged with the gasket. 
     In disclosed embodiments, the socket includes art depicting a feature of an eye imprinted thereon. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various embodiments of the present disclosure are illustrated herein with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG.  1 A  is a front view of a plush toy in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  1 B  is a right-side view of the plush toy of  FIG.  1 A , the left side is a mirror image or a substantial mirror image of the right side; 
         FIG.  1 C  is a rear view of the plush toy of  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B   
         FIG.  2    is a perspective view of a pair of eye assemblies of the plush toy of  FIGS.  1 A- 1 C ; 
         FIG.  3    is a cross-section of an eye assembly taken along line  3 - 3  of  FIG.  2   ; 
         FIG.  4    is a front perspective view of the eye assembly of  FIG.  3   ; 
         FIG.  5    is a rear perspective view of the eye assembly of  FIGS.  3  and  4   ; and 
         FIG.  6    is a perspective, assembly view of the eye assembly of  FIGS.  3 - 5   . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Embodiments of the presently disclosed plush toy having snow globe eyes are described in detail with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding elements in each of the several views. 
     A plush toy of the present disclosure is indicated as reference numeral  100  in  FIG.  1 A- 1 C . Generally, and with reference to  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B , the plush toy  100  includes a body  110 , a face  120 , and a pair of eye assemblies  200   a ,  200   b , collectively referred to herein as eye assembly  200 . While the plush toy  100  is depicted as a dog in the accompanying figures, the plush toy  100  of the present disclosure is not limited to a dog or even to an animal. For instance, the plush toy  100  may be in the form of a bear, rabbit, cat, koala, unicorn, etc. without departing from the scope of the disclosure. 
     The body  110  of the plush toy  100  may include a plurality of appendages (e.g., arms, legs, ears, tails, wings, etc.), and may be made from one or more of a variety of materials including faux fur, silk, velour, long pile faux fur, or any combination thereof. Further, the materials can be one or more color and may include at least one pattern. Additionally, the body  110  of the plush toy  100  may include slip-resistant features (e.g., on the bottom of feet) to facilitate self-standing of the plush toy  100 , or to help a child use the plush toy  100  to mimic a walking motion. 
     The face  120  of the plush toy  100  includes the eye assembly  200 , and may also include eyelids  125 , eyelashes  130 , a nose  140  (e.g., heart-shaped), a mouth  150 , and ears  160 . While these facial features are shown in particular shapes and sizes in the accompanying figures, facial features having other shapes and sizes are contemplated by the present disclosure. 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  2 - 6   , further details of the eye assembly  200  are shown. In general, each eye assembly  200  includes a transparent or translucent dome  220 , a socket  240 , and a gasket  260 . The dome  220  is affixed to the socket  240 , the gasket  260  is affixed to the plush toy  100  (e.g., at least partially within the face  120  of the plush toy  100 ), and the socket  240  is configured and dimensioned to selectively engage the gasket  260 . In embodiments, each of the dome  220 , the socket  240 , and the gasket  260  is made from plastic. 
     The dome  220  of the eye assembly is generally oval-shaped or egg-shaped, and may also be or resemble another three-dimensional shape such as spherical, triangular, cubical, etc. Further, the size of the dome  220  may vary, but an example of one particular size is shown with reference to  FIGS.  2  and  3   , where the length “1” is between about 50 mm and about 70 mm (e.g., equal to about 61 mm), the width “w” is between about 35 mm and about 55 mm (e.g., equal to about 46 mm), and the height “h” is between about 10 mm and about 20 mm (e.g., equal to about 15.5 mm). Additionally, and with particular reference to  FIGS.  3  and  6   , the dome  220  includes a lip  222  extending along its perimeter for engagement with the socket  240 , as discussed below. The lip  222  may be one continuous lip or may include more than one non-continuous lip. 
     With particular reference to  FIGS.  3 - 6   , details of the socket  240  are shown. The socket  240  includes a body portion  242 , a first finger  244   a  extending from the body portion  242 , and a second finger  244   b  extending from the body portion  242 . Collectively, the first finger  244   a  and the second finger  244   b  are referred to as fingers  244 . The body portion  242  is shaped and sized the same or similarly to a perimeter of the dome  220  (e.g., generally oval-shaped or egg-shaped). 
     The body portion  242  defines a first, upper surface  246  and a second, lower surface  247 . The upper surface  246  includes a groove  248  defined therein and disposed adjacent an outer edge  249  of the body portion  242 . The groove  248  is configured and dimensioned to receive the lip  222  of the dome  220 . While a continuous groove  248  is shown, it is contemplated that the groove  248  is made up of more than one non-continuous groove. In embodiments, the dome  220  and the socket  240  are configured to be permanently affixed to each other (e.g., via ultrasonic welding). 
     In embodiments, the upper surface  246  of the body portion  242  of the socket  240  includes indicia, art and/or an artistic design  250  included or imprinted thereon (see  FIGS.  1 A and  1 B ). The art  250  may include circles, ovals, etc. such that the art  250  helps the eye assembly  200  appear to include features (e.g., pupils, reflections, etc.) of an actual human eye, an actual animal eye, and/or an artistic representation of an eye, for example. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  2 - 4   , a heterogenous mixture  280  is shown encapsulated between the dome  220  and the socket  240  (i.e., in a cavity  221  ( FIG.  6   ) defined by the dome  220 ). The heterogenous mixture  280  may include, but is not limited to, a liquid mixture, glitter, gems, charms, sand, metallic foil, flakes, dyes, or the like. The liquid mixture may include oil, transparent oil, glycerol, distilled water, salt water, or any combination thereof, for instance. The liquid mixture is transparent or translucent, thereby allowing the art  250  to be seen through the dome  220  and through the liquid mixture. 
     In embodiments, the viscosity of the liquid mixture is between about 8 cSt (centistokes) and about 12 cSt, and may be equal to about 10 cSt. Such a viscosity enables the items (e.g., glitter) in the liquid mixture to appear to be floating or slowly falling, which may help keep the attention of children. 
     In embodiments where the plush toy  100  includes relatively small eye assemblies  200 , the amount of liquid mixture may be about 1.5 grams, and in embodiments where the plush toy  100  includes relatively large eye assemblies  200 , the amount of liquid mixture may be about 15 grams. 
     The assembled unit of the dome  220 , the socket  240 , and the heterogenous mixture  280  therein is referred to herein as a snow globe  300 . 
     With reference to  FIG.  3   , further details of the fingers  244  of the socket  240  are shown. The fingers  244  extend from the second, lower surface  247  of the body portion  242 , and are configured to releasably engage a portion of the gasket  260 , as discussed below. While two fingers  244  are shown, it is envisioned that the socket  240  includes more or fewer fingers  244 . Each finger  244  includes at least one flange  245  extending therefrom, which is configured to engage a portion of the gasket  260 , as discussed in further detail below. The flange  245  includes a ramped or angled portion  245   a  and a wall  245   b , which form an acute angle therebetween. In embodiments, the angled portion  245   a  forms an angle of between about 15° and about 30° relative to a finger axis “F-F” defined by the finger  244 , and the wall  245   b  forms an angle of between about 90° and about 105° relative to the finger axis “F-F.” The flange  245  is configured to allow the finger  244  to engage the gasket  260  is a ratchet-type manner. While two flanges  245  are shown, it is envisioned that each finger  244  includes more or fewer than two flanges  245 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS.  3 - 6   , details of the gasket  260  are shown. The gasket  260  includes a body portion  262 , and an annular lip  266  extending along a periphery of the body portion  262 . Additionally, apertures  270  ( FIG.  6   ) are defined within the body portion  262 , and a lip  272  surrounds each aperture  270 . Each aperture  270  is configured to releasably accept one finger  244  of the socket  240 . The engagement between the flanges  245  on the fingers  244  and the lips  272  enable or facilitate the releasable engagement therebetween, for example. Additionally, it is envisioned that the lips  272  have a sufficient amount of flexibility relative to the body portion  262  to provide a more robust engagement between the fingers  244  of the socket  240  and the apertures  270  of the gasket  260 . More particularly, as the fingers  244  are entering the apertures  270  in the general direction of arrow “A” ( FIG.  6   ), it is envisioned that the lips  272  flex in the general direction of arrow “A” to accommodate the flanges  245  on the fingers  244 . After the widest part of the flange  245  passes the lip  272 , the lip  272  flexes back in the general direction of arrow “B” ( FIG.  6   ) toward its original position. That is, in such an embodiment, a diameter “da” of the aperture  270  is smaller than the largest diameter “Df” of the finger  244  ( FIG.  6   ). This engagement between the flanges  245  on the fingers  244  and the lips  272  adjacent the apertures  270  helps ensure the snow globe  300  remains engaged with the gasket  260 . 
     While two apertures  270  are shown, it is contemplated that the gasket  260  includes more or fewer apertures  270 . Additionally, eye assembly  200  may include the same amount of fingers  244  and apertures  270 , or may include more apertures  270  than fingers  244  (e.g., to allow for the snow globe  300  to be inserted into the gasket  260  in various orientations). 
     With reference to  FIGS.  3  and  4   , the annular lip  266  of the gasket  260  extends beyond the upper surface  246  of the body portion  242  of the socket  240   
     While the above description contains many specifics, these specifics should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the present disclosure, but merely as illustrations of various embodiments thereof. Therefore, the above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of various embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.