Abstract:
A toy set comprising a plurality of plush toys, each of which includes a plush character having a plush ring frictionally engageable thereto. An elongate rod is provided which is releasably attachable to a base. The rod and the plush rings are sized and configured relative to each other such that the plush rings are advanceable over the rod when detached from the corresponding plush characters. The plush toys may be releasably attached to and suspended from a support bar comprising part of a crib mobile or an activity arch.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    (Not Applicable)  
         STATEMENT RE: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH/DEVELOPMENT  
         [0002]    (Not Applicable)  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention relates generally to toys for infants and, more particularly, to a toy set, a portion of which may be configured as a mobile that may be interfaced to an infant&#39;s crib in a conventional manner, and the individual components of which may be quickly and easily removed so that the infant may play therewith.  
           [0004]    As is well known to many parents, mobiles including elongate arms from which a plurality of toys or characters is suspended may be removably attached to a portion of an infant&#39;s crib (e.g., a side rail). Such mobiles are typically provided with a wind-up musical element or music box component operative to play a melody while simultaneously rotating the arms and the toys suspended therefrom.  
           [0005]    Another item known to most parents is referred to as an activity arch. An activity arch typically comprises a bar from which detachable toys are suspended. The activity arch is attachable to and extensible over a portion of a car seat or stroller.  
           [0006]    It is generally accepted that mobiles should be removed from an infant&#39;s crib when the infant is physically capable of pushing up on his or her hands and knees so as to reduce the risk of injury due to the collapse of the mobile or any portion thereof as a result of the infant pulling on the suspended toys. Thus, such mobiles may only be provided for an infant for a short period of time.  
           [0007]    Typically, once an infant has reached an age by which the mobile should be removed from the crib, the infant is provided with toys with which he or she can interact directly. Particularly popular are plush toys or characters, the soft and sturdy nature of which typically precludes injury to the infant. Also popular, particularly with toddlers, are various kinds of puzzles. For example, toys are known which consist of a plurality of rings of differing diameters insertable onto a rod so that a toddler may stack the rings thereon in, for example, an order of progressively decreasing diameter.  
           [0008]    The present invention provides a mobile to which plush toys are removably attached. Each plush toy consists of a plush character to which a plush ring is removably attached. The mobile can be reconfigured into an activity arch removably attachable to a car seat or stroller. A base and a rod attachable to the base are additionally provided on which the plush rings may be stacked. Thus, the present invention provides the attributes of a crib mobile, an activity arch, a number of plush toys, and a stackable ring toy within a single product, thus providing an economical product which provides a relatively long time frame for use by the infant/toddler.  
         BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a toy set comprising a mobile which can be converted to an activity arch and to which a plurality of plush toys is removably attached. Also provided are a base and a rod attachable to the base. Each plush toy comprises a plush character and a plush ring removably attachable thereto. The opening at the center of each ring enables the rod to be inserted thereinto. The rod length is sufficient to allow all of the rings to be stacked simultaneously thereon.  
           [0010]    The plush rings have generally planar upper and lower surfaces so as to facilitate the stacking thereof. Each plush ring may be designed so that the perimeter thereof comprises a different geometric shape (e.g., a circle, a triangle, a square, a star, etc.). The configuration of the opening at the center of each plush ring is complementary to the configuration of the ring.  
           [0011]    Further in accordance with the present invention, the rod may comprise a plush ball attached to one end thereof. Such ball has a diameter greater than the rod diameter. The ball may contain a noisemaking device such as a squeaker. The rod itself may further comprise a rattle. One or more of the plush characters may also further comprise a noisemaking device such as a squeaker or a rattle.  
           [0012]    The present invention is best understood by reference to the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    These, as well as other features of the present invention, will become more apparent upon reference to the drawings wherein:  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-function mobile from which a plurality of plush toys is suspended;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 2 is a front view of the stackable ring toy of the present invention, showing the rings stacked upon the base and about the rod of the ring toy;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIGS. 3 a - 3   d  are perspective views of exemplary plush toys, each toy comprising a plush ring frictionally engaged to a plush character;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 4 is an assembly view of the rod, base, and rings of the stackable ring toy of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 5 a  is a cutaway view of the rod depicting a rattle therein;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 5 b  is a cutaway view of a ball which may be attached to the rod, further depicting a squeaker within the ball; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIGS. 6 a - 6   d  are cutaway views of the exemplary plush characters shown in FIGS. 3 a - 3   d , depicting various noisemaking devices within the interiors thereof. 
     
    
       [0021]    Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and detailed description to indicate like elements.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0022]    Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and not for purposes of limiting the same, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a multi-function mobile  8  from which a plurality of plush toys  9 , each comprising a plush character  10  and a plush ring  14 , is suspended. Each plush character  10  is removably attachable to a support bar  50  via an elongate strap  52 , one end of which is connected to the support bar  50  and the other end of which is releasably attachable to the plush character  10 . By way of example and not limitation, each elongate strap  52  may be releasably attached to a plush character  10  via a hook and loop system provided under the trademark VELCRO. Preferably, the loops are located on the elongate straps  52  and the hooks are located on the plush characters  10 . The multi-function mobile is described in more detail in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/970,062 entitled MULTI-FUNCTION MOBILE filed Oct. 3, 2001, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  
         [0023]    The plush characters  10  of the present invention may each comprise a plush animal, as shown in FIGS. 6 a - 6   d . However, it should be understood that one or more of the plush characters  10  may comprise a doll or other object without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The plush characters  10  are generally manufactured of a plush outer material (e.g., cotton or nylon) and a soft inner material (e.g., a low density material such as cotton, foam, or rubber). Both the inner and outer materials of the plush characters  10  must be sufficiently light to enable an infant or toddler to easily play with each plush character  10 . Further, the inner and outer materials of each plush character  10  must be sufficiently soft to ensure that the infant or toddler would not be physically injured if impacted thereby.  
         [0024]    A noisemaking device may be mounted within one or more of the plush characters  10 . The noisemaking device may comprise a squeaker  34  or a rattle  38 . The noisemaking device is covered by a soft, plush outer material and a soft, insulative inner material so that any hard materials used to manufacture the noisemaking device would not injure an infant or toddler if he or she were physically impacted by the plush character  10  within which the noisemaking device is located.  
         [0025]    The plush rings  14  are frictionally engagable to respective ones of the plush characters  10 . Each plush character  10  may be configured such that one end or either of both ends is insertable into a corresponding ring opening  36  of a ring  14 . For example, as shown in FIGS.  3   a - 3   d , the upper extremities (i.e., legs and hooves, or, alternatively, wings) of each plush character  10  may be sufficiently large to prevent the upper end, i.e., the head and upper extremities, of the plush character  10  from entering into the ring opening  36 . However, the lower extremities of the plush characters  10  are sized and configured so as to allow entry thereof into the ring opening  36 . Each plush character  10  may be sized and configured so as to be insertable into and frictionally attachable to only a plush ring  14  of a certain size and/or configuration.  
         [0026]    Each plush ring  14  has a generally planar upper surface  42  and a generally planar lower surface  46  disposed in opposed, generally parallel relation to each other. These upper and lower surfaces  42 ,  46  facilitate the stacking of the plush rings  14  one on top of another such that the stacked rings  14  are independently stable, that is, would not tip over if stacked upon each other without being stabilized by another device.  
         [0027]    As shown in FIG. 4, the perimeter of the opening  36  of each plush ring  14  may have a different geometric configuration (e.g., circular, triangular, or rectangular). The edges of each opening  36  are generally perpendicular to the planar upper and lower surfaces  42 ,  46  of the associated plush ring  14  so that, when stacked, the plush rings  14  are independently stable as well as stackable upon another device.  
         [0028]    As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the toy set of the present invention may be configured as a stacking ring toy  24  in which the rings  14  may be stacked on a base  22  and may circumvent a rod  18 . The rings  14  may be placed individually on the rod  18  or, alternatively, may be stacked simultaneously thereon. The rings  14  may be placed on the rod  18  in at least one logical order. By way of example and not limitation, the rings  14  may be stacked in an order of decreasing or of increasing diameter, in an order of decreasing or increasing number of peripheral sides, or in a sequentially numbered order.  
         [0029]    As shown in FIG. 4, the base  22  comprises a base aperture  54  disposed in the center of an upper surface  62  thereof. The rod  18  may be inserted into the base aperture  54  and frictionally attached to the base  22 . The edges of the base aperture  54  are generally perpendicular to the generally planar upper surface  62  and a generally planar lower surface  64  disposed in opposed relation to the upper surface  62 . The base  22  must be sufficiently heavy to stabilize the stacked rings  14 , yet sufficiently soft to prevent injury to an infant or toddler. As further shown in FIG. 4, the rod  18  is sized and configured so that a base end  32  thereof is frictionally engagable to the base  22  after being inserted into the base aperture  54 . Alternatively, the base end  32  of the rod  18  may be permanently attached to the base  22 .  
         [0030]    As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the rod  18  has an elongate, cylindrical configuration. The rod  18  comprises an outer material  68  and an inner material  70 . One or both of the outer and inner materials  68 ,  70  must be sufficiently rigid so as to allow the stacking of the rings  14  onto the rod  18  and the insertion of the rod  18  into the base aperture  54  of the base  22  and frictional attachment of the rod  18  to the base  22 . The inner material  68  may comprise two different materials. For example, a hard inner core may be surrounded by a layer of soft, insulative material (e.g., cotton, foam or rubber). In this regard, the soft material protects an infant or toddler from the hard inner core during use. Alternatively, the inner material  68  may comprise a single soft, rigid material, thus precluding the necessity of any soft insulative material. The outer material  70  comprises a soft material (e.g., cotton or nylon).  
         [0031]    As shown in FIG. 5 a , the rod may further comprise a rattle  38  contained therewithin. The rattle  38  mounted within the rod  18  is a noisemaking device that produces a sound or noise in response to a shaking or side-to-side movement of the rod  18 . More particularly, the rattle  38  may comprise a hard outer container  56  with hard individual objects  58  contained therein. The sound is produced when objects  58  strike other objects  58  or when objects  58  strike the container  56 , when the rod  18  is shaken. Alternatively, the container  56  of the rattle  38  may be manufactured from a soft material. In this case, the sound is produced solely by the hard individual objects  58  striking each other. The rattle  38  may alternatively be an electronic device with a motion sensor programmed to respond to a side-to-side motion by producing a sound. The sound may be pre-programmed by the manufacturer or it may be programable by the toy user. The rattle  38  is completely contained within the rod outer material  68  and a sufficient amount of inner material  70  to protect an infant or toddler from injury by any hard component of the rattle  38 .  
         [0032]    The rod  18  has an end  28  to which a ball  26  having a generally spherical configuration is permanently attached. The ball  26  may contain a squeaker  34 , as shown in FIG. 5 b . The squeaker  34  is a device that produces an audible sound in response to a compressive force. The squeaker  34  may comprise a flexible bellow  60  filled with air. When the flexible bellow  60  is compressed, air is forced out through an aperture of the bellow  60 , thus creating a sound. Alternatively, the squeaker  34  may comprise an electronic device programmed to produce a sound when the sensors of the electronic device sense a compressive force. The sound may be pre-programmed by the manufacturer or, alternatively, the sound may be programmed by the user. The squeaker  34  is completely circumvented by a soft, insulative inner material which protects an infant or toddler from injury by any hard component of the squeaker  34 . The soft inner material is itself circumvented by a soft outer material. Both the inner and outer materials of the ball  26  must be flexible so as to allow an infant or toddler to compress the squeaker  34  to activate the same. The size of the ball  26  is limited to the size of an infant&#39;s or toddler&#39;s hand so that he or she will be able to squeeze the ball  26  to activate the squeaker  34  contained therewithin.  
         [0033]    The diameter or maximum width (if non-circular) of the ring opening  36  of each plush ring  14  is dependent on the diameter of the rod  18  and the diameter of the ball  26  attached thereto. The diameter of the ring opening  36  may be less than the diameter of the ball  26  to prevent the insertion of the ball  26  through the ring opening  36  and, thus, to prevent the insertion of the rod  18  through the ring opening  36  via the end  28 . Alternatively, the diameter of the ring opening  36  may be greater than the diameter of the ball  26  to allow the insertion of the rod  18  through the ring opening  36  via the end  28 . In either event, the diameter of the ring opening  36  must be greater than the diameter of the rod  18  to allow the insertion of the rod  18  into the ring opening  36 .  
         [0034]    Additional modifications and improvements of the present invention may be apparent to those skilled in the art. Thus, the particular combination of parts described and illustrated herein is intended to represent only one embodiment of the present invention, and is not intended to serve as a limitation of alternative devices within the spirit and scope of the invention.