Abstract:
A plush toy comprises a malleable outer covering and a malleable inner filler. One or more sensors are configured to detect folding and unfolding of the plush toy. A speaker is provided. A controller causes the speaker to produce context sensitive sounds depending on the folding and unfolding of the plush toy.

Description:
COPYRIGHT NOTICE 
       [0001]    A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Disclosed and described is a collapsible plush pillow toy with sound trigger. Specifically, a plush toy includes a system and method for triggering optional or pre-determined sounds upon folding and unfolding. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Prior art systems have tried and failed to provide for enjoyable personality traits in the form of a plush toy for children and the like. 
         [0004]    For example, the famed Tickle Me Elmo® doll produces predetermined sounds upon actuation of one or more buttons located on the doll&#39;s stomach and ear. Other toys provide for randomized sounds in an attempt to simulate behaviour, such as a baby crying or the like. 
         [0005]    None of these or other prior art systems provide more context sensitive sounds according to a child&#39;s manipulation of the toy, as shown and described in the instant invention as claimed. Thus, such a system for solving the aforementioned problems is desired. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In order to solve the problems and shortcomings of the prior art, a collapsible plush toy with a sound trigger is disclosed. According to one preferred embodiment, a plush toy comprises: a malleable outer covering; a malleable inner filler; one or more sensors configured to detect folding and unfolding of the plush toy; a speaker; and a controller for causing the speaker to produce context sensitive sounds depending on the folding and unfolding of the plush toy. 
         [0007]    According to another preferred embodiment, a plush toy comprises: a malleable outer covering; a malleable inner filler; one or more sensors configured to detect folding of the plush toy; a speaker; and a controller for causing the speaker to produce context sensitive sounds depending on the folding of the plush toy. 
         [0008]    According to yet another preferred embodiment, a plush toy comprises: a malleable outer covering; a malleable inner filler; one or more sensors configured to detect unfolding of the plush toy; a speaker; and a controller for causing the speaker to produce context sensitive sounds depending on the unfolding of the plush toy. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of a plush toy according to one embodiment; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a back elevational view of the plush toy according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a partial side elevational view of the plush toy according to the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0012]    For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the accompanying drawings several embodiments of the invention. However, it should be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown therein and described below. 
         [0013]    The collapsible plush toy with sound trigger in accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3  wherein like reference numerals are used throughout to designate like elements. 
         [0014]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , a front elevational view of a plush toy  10  is shown according to one embodiment. In one embodiment, the plush toy  10  may comprise a flexible material on the outside rendering the toy foldable, collapsible, or otherwise malleable. In one embodiment, the inside contents of the plush toy may comprise a resiliently compressible synthetic foam material inserted in an envelope made of airtight, pliable sheet material. The envelope may have an air-bleeding aperture  4 . The core may be made from an open-cell polyurethane. In one embodiment, a polyether type of foam may be preferred because of its low compression set and low cost. The foam material can be an open-cell type where air can circulate from one pore to another. 
         [0015]    One embodiment of this inner structure is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,814. Therein is described an inner pillow structure that is resiliently compressible and has contents of a foam material that may be used with the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . A similar structure that may be used for the inner structure of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  is also described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,242, which describes a self-inflating foam structure. 
         [0016]    However, in one embodiment, the plush toy  10  may comprise a standard foam or pillow stuffing, including, by way of example, and not by way of limitation, a feather, down or hypoallergenic down substitute. The only requirement is that the stuffing is malleable so as to allow the plush toy  10  to be collapsed or folded, preferably by the hand of a child. 
         [0017]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , a back elevational view of the plush toy  10  embodiment of  FIG. 1  is shown. In  FIG. 2 , a cutaway portion  14  is shown in phantom. Through the cutaway  14 , a group of sensors  100  (individually  100   a,    100   b,    100   c,    100   d,    100   e,    100   f,    100   g  and  100   h ) may be exposed. In one embodiment, each sensor  10  may comprise a pressure sensitive button or detector that detects pressure caused by folding or collapsing of the plush toy  10 . When a button-type sensor  100  is pressed, or depressed (extended), a signal may be sent to a controller  120  indicating the status of the button  120 . The controller  120  may be programmed, in firmware or the like, to produce a signal to a speaker  122 , depending on the button and the state of the button (pressed or depressed). 
         [0018]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , a partial side elevational view of the plush toy  10  of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  is shown. When the plush toy is folded the button-type sensors  100  may be successively pressed,  100   a,  then  100   b,  then  100   c  ( FIG. 1 ), then  100   d,  then  100   e,  then  100   f , then  100   g,  and then  100   h,  each producing a different sound. For example, a child may find the interaction with the plush toy  10  is enhanced if, when the sensor  100   a  is pressed, then the controller  120  causes the speaker  122  to exclaim, in an animated character voice, “Please don&#39;t fold me!” As the sensor  100   b  is pressed, the controller  120  may cause the speaker  122  to exclaim, “I asked you not to fold me!” The sensor  100   c  ( FIG. 1 ) may cause the controller  120  to cause the speaker  122  to further exclaim “No, no, stop folding me!”, and so on with different sounds for each successive sensor  100   e,    100   f,    100   g,  and  100   h.  Those of skill in the art may contemplate other sounds that may be produced. 
         [0019]    Similarly, as the plush toy  10  is unfolded, and each successive button-type sensor  100  is depressed. Such depressing may cause the controller  120  to cause the speaker  122  to make different noises, such as noises of satisfaction from the plush toy  10  as it is being unfolded. 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, instead of comprising pressure sensitive buttons, the sensors  100  may comprise magnetic or electrical sensors arranged in pairs along the back and/or front of the plush toy, or on the side. For example, when a pair of sensors  100   a  and  100   b  become arranged in close contact or proximity, a circuit is completed by magnetic detection to cause the controller  120  to cause the speaker  122  to make the context-sensitive sounds. Such electrical and magnetic sensors are described and shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,390,282, 8,305,07 and 8,363,457, and are widely commercially available. 
         [0021]    The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the invention. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made to the claimed invention without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein, and without departing from the true spirit and scope of the claimed invention, which is set forth in the following claims.