Patent Abstract:
A particulate-filled article and method of creating the article is disclosed. The article includes a flexible container and is filled with at least one type of particulate material. Other materials such as pliable solid materials and sponge-like materials may be arranged within a cavity of the article along with the particulate material. The particulate materials may be various colored sands or other particulate materials. A method of fabricating the article is also disclosed.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to the use of sand art techniques for fabricating novelty items, amusement devices, craft kits, toys and other artistic and decorative products, items and devices. More particularly, the invention relates to articles and products using shaped and sized flexible resilient containers in which colored sand is placed.  
           [0002]    Sand art has become a popular craft enjoyed by both children and adults. It requires placing sand, preferably of various colors, in a translucent container. Thus, flowable small particulate matter, such as colored sand or other particles of material for creating and fashioning visible patterns within an object such as a bottle, a bowl, a lamp base and other translucent objects, are known in the prior art.  
           [0003]    It is also known in the prior art to utilize small particulate media or materials such as beads, crystals and beans to fill flexible bags such as bean bags, as lounging spots or for tossing toys, etc.  
           [0004]    However, the prior art does not disclose the use of sand art, or a similar craft, for placing particulate material, such as sand of the like, having a plurality of colors within a flexible container made of a translucent material. The prior art also fails to disclose a sand art system, or similar craft, where sand is placed within a flexible translucent container along with other fill materials, such as sponges, clay, pipe cleaners, and the like.  
           [0005]    The present invention addresses the shortcomings of the prior art by providing a sand art system and method where a particulate material having multiple colors is placed within a flexible translucent container.  
           [0006]    The prior art also does not disclose a sand art system including support materials such as flexible elongate support members (e.g., pipe cleaners or the like), or materials such as clay positioned in a flexible container along with particulate material to maintain the shape of the flexible container. Further, the prior art does not disclose a sand art system including fillers such as sponges or polyurethane foam inserted along with sand within a flexible container.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    In a preferred embodiment, an article comprising a flexible container defining a cavity is provided. The flexible container includes a translucent material. Particulate material having a plurality of colors is arranged within the cavity of the flexible container whereby the flexible container displays a desired design and has a desired three-dimensional size and shape.  
           [0008]    Preferably, the particulate material comprises a first sand having a first color and a second sand having a second color. Other particulate materials, include, but are not limited to, beads and the like. In addition, the particulate material may comprise a combination of materials made of different colors. Other fill materials may be arranged within the flexible container along with the particulate material. Examples of other fill materials include sponge material and pliable material (such as clay, pipe cleaners or any other type of flexible elongated member and the like).  
           [0009]    In a preferred embodiment, the cavity of the flexible container may have a first section and one or more additional sections. Preferably, the first section includes a larger volume than any one of the other sections. While the specific shape of the flexible container is not intended to be limited, examples of preferred shapes include that of a hand, various animals, and an infinite variety of other objects and things.  
           [0010]    The flexible container may have at least one sealable opening in communication with the cavity. Preferably, an object is arranged within the at least one sealable opening after all desirable fill materials have been arranged within the cavity. Thus, the fill materials would be precluded from being easily removed from the flexible container. The object arranged within the sealable opening may form a base on which the flexible container rests. In a preferred embodiment, the base may comprise a piggy-bank. In other embodiments, the base may comprise a cup. It should be understood that the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited by the type of object used to seal the flexible container after the particulate material, or any other fill material, is placed therein.  
           [0011]    Thus, one aspect of the present invention relates to a shaped and sized flexible resilient container made of a translucent material, in which relatively small or fine particulate colored materials, such as colored sand or beads, are placed.  
           [0012]    It is another aspect of the present invention to utilize a flexible plastic container which can be filled by a sand art technique using particulate matter to form a desired three-dimensional object or thing.  
           [0013]    It is another aspect of the present invention to provide a method utilizing a sand art technique for creating a filled and formed flexible container having an artistic and decorative design.  
           [0014]    Additional objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description which follows below, taken together with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention illustrating a translucent flexible container in the shape of a hand filled with various colored sand and other materials.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the present invention taken along line  2 - 2  of FIG. 1.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 3 is a perspective partially cut-away view of a second embodiment of the present invention illustrating a translucent flexible container in the shape of an animal having accessories thereon. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0018]    [0018]FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention as an article generally designated  10  comprising a flexible resilient container  12  having a cavity defined by inner wall  14 . The flexible container  12  is in the shape of a human hand, in which the cavity  16  defined by inner wall  14  has been filled with materials to give the flexible container  12  the three-dimensional shape as shown. The hand-like shape of the flexible container  12  has only been selected for purposes of illustration. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the flexible container  12  can take any desired shape, form or size. For example, the shape of an animal, an automobile, a person, a toy, a building, and an indefinite number of other objects, without departing from the scope, purpose and objects of the present invention.  
         [0019]    The flexible container  12  is preferably a translucent material made from polymer, copolymer, block-copolymer, resin, rubber, glass or the like. Vinyl is one of many suitable materials. Such materials are well known, and shaped articles made of these materials, such as vinyl or rubber gloves, are easily purchasable in the commercial marketplace. Alternatively, the flexible translucent container  12  made of these materials can be fabricated into any desired shape, form and size by methods which are also well known to those skilled in the art. In the present invention, the flexible container  12  is made of a translucent material in order to enable any design formed within the cavity  16  to be visible in the finished product. The design may be as simple as a combination of colored sand  34 , or may be more complex by forming a recognizable pattern or the like.  
         [0020]    The flexible container  12  has at least one opening  18  which communicates with the cavity  16 . This provides means for filling the cavity  16  with the various materials for imparting the three-dimensional appearance to the particular shape or forms selected for the flexible container  12 . When all of the spaces and areas of cavity  16  are filled, a closure object  20  is inserted into the opening  18  to seal or to prevent the materials within the cavity  16  from escaping.  
         [0021]    Filling of the cavity  16  is preferably accomplished by positioning the opening  18  above, or at a higher point, than the remaining portions of the flexible container member  12 . The desired materials are then placed through the opening  18  for expanding the flexible container  12  into its three-dimensional form. Thus, in the illustrated hand-shape form of the flexible container  12  shown in FIG. 1, the flexible container  12  may be placed in an inverted position where the opening  18  is readily accessible for facilitating placement of fill materials into cavity  16 .  
         [0022]    The materials to be placed through the opening  18  may vary depending on the size, shape and other factors selected for the flexible container  12 . Preferably, such materials will include particulate materials such as sand  34 , beads or the like. The sand  34  or beads are preferably colored as one more aspect of the invention relates to filling of the translucent flexible container  12  with multiple colors of sand  34 , beads or the like. Clay  36  will have the effect of providing additional pliability and stability to the finished product  10 , as will be described below.  
         [0023]    The filling of the colored sands  34  or colored regularly or irregularly shaped beads or crystalline materials may be done in accordance with sand art techniques depending on the desired design. Thus, the fill materials can be selected to provide different colored layers or using different colors in various sections. Accordingly the fill materials will not only provide the desired three-dimensional shape of the flexible container  12  but will also provide a desired design, which will be visible by reasons of the translucent material from which the flexible container  12  is made.  
         [0024]    Additionally, clay  36  or other pliable material such as pipe-cleaner  38  like structures may be used to fill the flexible container  12 . For example, clay  36  may be placed within the finger sections of the flexible container  12 .  
         [0025]    Particulate materials, such as colored sand  34  or colored shaped beads or crystals are also used to fill the main cavity chamber (i.e., a palm portion  22  of the hand) and the sub-chambers (i.e., the finger portions  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  of the hand). The main chamber may be considered a first section of the cavity  16  and the sub-chambers may be considered second sections thereof. The multiple colored sand  34  enables designs to be formed, which will be visible through the translucent three-dimensional form of the shaped flexible container  12 .  
         [0026]    Where the size of the main or sub-chambers of the cavity  16  permits, fillers such as sponges  40  may be added so that smaller quantities of particulate materials such as colored sands  34  or regularly or irregularly shaped beads or crystals will be used to fill the cavity  16  of the flexible container  12 .  
         [0027]    By reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, the cavity  16  formed in the hand-shaped flexible container  12  has the palm section  22  and a plurality of elongated finger sections as at  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32 , continuous with and in communication with the palm section  22 . When the flexible container  12  is in the inverted position so that the opening  18  is accessible, the desired fill materials can be readily placed into the respective finger sections  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32 . Thus, as shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, clay  36  is arranged within one of the finger sections  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32 .  
         [0028]    Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, after the finger sections  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  have been filled to expand the finger portions into their three-dimensional form, the palm section  22  may be partially filled in the center section with a filler member, such as a sponge  40  or a piece of polyurethane foam, and then particulate matter such as colored sand  34  or beads.  
         [0029]    As also shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the completed article  10  may include an elongated and pliable pipe cleaner  38 . In particular, the pipe cleaner  38  may be arranged within the finger sections  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32  along with the various types of colored sand  34  and clay (or other pliable material)  36 . The pipe cleaner  38  and clay  36 , may add the desired degree of stability or pliability to the completed sand art article  10 .  
         [0030]    When all of the filling materials are arranged within the cavity  16  including the palm section  22  and the associated finger sections  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30  and  32 , the closure object  20  is placed into the opening  18  so as to close and seal the opening  18  and prevent the filling materials from escaping out of cavity  16  when the flexible container  12  is placed in the upright position to provide the completed appearance of the hand shape or other selected shape.  
         [0031]    The closure object  20  can be so formed that it will act as a base, which supports the associated flexible container  12 .  
         [0032]    By reference to FIG. 1 showing the three-dimensional form of the hand-shaped flexible container  12 , designs as at  42 ,  44  and  46  are printed, stamped or adhesively attached to the exterior surface of the container  12 . Such designs are clearly visible as well as the designs formed within the container  12 , which are visible through the translucent material of which the flexible container  12  is formed.  
         [0033]    An alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG. 3. The particulate filled article  110  of FIG. 3 is similar to the article  10  of FIGS. 1 and 2. The only differences are in the shape of the article and the base member. In particular, the article  110  of FIG. 3 is in the shape of a dog. The accessories such as eyes  150 , a nose  152 , and a mouth  154 , have been pasted or printed thereon to complete the face of the dog. This embodiment is intended to provide an example how the flexible container  112  of the present invention can assume the shape of substantially any animal, object, etc.  
         [0034]    It should be appreciated in alternate embodiments, that the opening into the flexible container may be arranged at various locations, and may comprise multiple openings. Thus, the opening need not be arranged in the vicinity of base  120 .  
         [0035]    As also illustrated in FIG. 3, a base member  120  is arranged within what would have otherwise been an opening in the flexible container  112 . The base member  120  serves the dual purpose of closure to prevent fill materials within flexible container  112  from escaping from the associated cavity (not shown), and performing a stable base on which the flexible container  112  can rest. The base member  120  of FIG. 3 is shown in the form of a piggy bank.  
         [0036]    Although the invention herein has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and applications of the present invention. It is therefore to be understood that numerous modifications may be made to the illustrative embodiments and that other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 6