Abstract:
Doll&#39;s garments made from an elastomeric material or rubber. The garments are particularly useful with articulated dolls and can be fitted to or removed from dolls in a life-like manner.

Description:
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a doll&#39;s garment, a method for the manufacture thereof and to a set comprising a doll and at least one garment therefor. 
     Traditionally, doll&#39;s clothes are stitched from fabric, but this is impracticable for making clothes for dolls smaller than about 8 cm in height, due to the difficulty experienced in forming the stitches. 
     Various proposals have therefore been advanced for making articles simulating doll&#39;s clothing from alternative materials. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,774 describes fabricating such articles from plastics materials. The articles are said to be “semi-rigid or flexible” but in practice their degree of rigidity is such that they lack realism and appear bulky, cannot be fitted or removed in a life-like manner and are restricted to dolls of a particular shape. In addition, once the doll is clothed, its limbs cannot be moved so that the articles are unsuitable for dolls with articulated limbs. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In order to overcome at least some of these disadvantages, from a first aspect, the present invention provides a removable doll&#39;s garment made from an elastomeric material or rubber. 
     The material may in particular be selected from ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) and any of the polymers sold under the registered trade mark “Kraton” by Shell Chemical Co (such as (optionally hydrogenated) styrene-butadiene-styrene, styrene-isoprene-styrene, styrene-diene, styrene-isoprene and styrene-butadiene block copolymers, styrene-ethylene-butylene block copolymer containing mineral oil, branched styrene copolymer, styrene-butadiene rubber, styrene-butadiene triblock rubber, styrene-isoprene-styrene linear block polymer, styrene-butadiene radial block copolymer, butadiene-styrene copolymer rubber, or synthetic rubber). Preferably, the average modulus of elasticity of the material is less than 1 MNm −2 . More preferably, the 100% modulus of elasticity, measured at a standard test speed of 500 mm/min, is between 120 and 350 kNm −2 , and still more preferably between 240 and 280 kNm −2 . The 300% modulus of elasticity may lie between 440 and 490 kNm −2 . Such values provide a material from which garments with sufficient realism can be molded, whilst avoiding increased difficulty in molding detail and in removal of the molded garments from the mold which the inventors have found to occur with highly elastic polymers. 
     Advantageously, the wall thickness of the garment is from 1 to 3 mm. 
     From a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a doll&#39;s garment, comprising molding an elastomeric material or rubber. Preferably, the garment is injection molded, but it may alternatively be dip molded. The material may in particular be selected from those listed above. 
     From a third aspect, the invention provides a play set comprising a doll having articulated limbs and at least one garment for the doll, the or each garment being made from an elastomeric material or rubber. 
     The doll is preferably articulated at the shoulders and hips and may additionally be articulated at the elbows and/or the knees. The doll may be less than 8 cm in height and in a particular embodiment, the doll is approximately 4 cm in height. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIGS. 1 a  to  1   g  show doll&#39;s garments according to embodiments of the invention; 
     FIGS. 2 a  to  2   f  show a doll according to an embodiment of the invention in various different positions; and 
     FIGS. 3 a  to  3   f  show the doll of FIGS. 2 a  to  2   f  dressed in the garments of FIGS. 1 a  to  1   f  respectively. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIGS. 1 a  to  1   g  show various injection-molded (i.e., seamlessly integral) garments for a doll approximately 4 cm in height. More specifically, FIG. 1 a  shows a dress, FIG. 1 b  a pair of dungarees, FIG. 1 c  a gown, FIG. 1 d  a jacket and skirt, FIG. 1 e  a vest and skirt, FIG. 1 f  a jacket and a pair of slacks and FIG. 1 g  a hat and coat. The garments are molded from elastomeric materials or rubber and are therefore noticeably flexible and elastic, which provides a high degree of realism as compared with prior art garment-simulating articles. The realism is further enhanced by decorating the garment using paint, varnish, glitter etc. 
     Additionally details such as belts, buttons, and collars are provided by the molding process. In a particular example, the garments are molded from clear Kraton and painted with a paint of which the modulus of elasticity is compatible with that of the Kraton. 
     FIGS. 2 a  to  2   f  show a three-dimensional doll which is approximately 4 cm in height. The doll is assembled from injection-molded plastics components and is articulated at the shoulders, hips and knees. 
     FIGS. 3 a  to  3   f  show the doll of FIGS. 2 a  to  2   f  after fitting of the garments shown in FIGS. 1 a  to  1   f  respectively. Due to their elasticity, the garments can be fitted in a life-like way, i.e., jackets are donned “arms first” and dresses, trousers and skirts are stepped into. However, upper garments may more easily be donned over the feet due to the diameter of the doll&#39;s head and the usual positioning of the arms. Once clothed, the doll&#39;s limbs can still be moved. The garments are easily interchanged, even by younger children. One garment can be donned over another, e.g. a jacket over a dress. 
     Whilst particular embodiments have been described, the invention is not limited thereto. For example, dolls according to the invention can comprise male figures or figurines and non-human figures as well as female dolls. 
     The garments can include suits, shirts, coats, shorts, cloaks, capes, uniforms, hats, shoes, helmets, armour and scarfs. In addition, the term “garment” as used in this specification should be understood to include any flexible article which can be fitted to the external surface of a doll, including second skins, outfits resembling other animals or creatures and molded surfaces resembling rock, flames, bones or the like. 
     Whilst the invention is particularly apt for miniature dolls, it is applicable to dolls of any shape and size.