Abstract:
An educational kit for children to encourage reading through the play value of the kit and which may also improve hand-eye coordination. The kit includes a miniature comic book having very small printing, a magnifying lens which facilitates the reading of the small printing, a stand and a case for the comic book. The kit may also include a mirror for reading backwards text printed on the comic book, micro stickers and micro trading cards.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to an educational kit for children, and more particularly to a miniature comic book kit which encourages reading through the play value of the kit.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Comic books are well known, but as a general rule they are printed in at least 12 point text. There is no inherent play value in a comic book per se.  
         [0003]     It is also well know that small text can be produced which requires the use of a magnifying lens or glass. Thus, it has been reported that biblical passages have been engraved on the head of a pin, which required the use of a magnifying glass to read them. However, such an item was not designed for children to use.  
         [0004]     It is also believed that Cracker Jacks™ used to offer mini books. However, a magnifier was not provided nor required.  
         [0005]     Marvel Comics™ has had free mini-comic book inserts in cereals, etc. as premiums. One measured 2.25 inches by 3.5 inches and was called “Marvel Mini Comic Book Keychain Ultimate Spiderman”.  
         [0006]     Where&#39;s Waldo in Hollywood was sold in a Mini hardcover edition with a free Magnifying Lens The purpose was to locate mini images of Waldo with the magnifier. Each page is 6¼ inches long by 4¼ inches wide. The pages are primarily mini illustrations of people with various backgrounds. The text that does appear is small but is a size that can be read by most children or reading age without the need of a magnifying glass.  
         [0007]     It has also been reported that in the 1960&#39;s there were mini comic books in gum ball machines. However, none came with magnifying glasses.  
         [0008]     Finally, mini Bibles have been sold.  
       OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     It is an object of the present invention to provide a kit which will, through it play value, encourage children to read.  
         [0010]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a kit which will, through it play value, develop a child&#39;s hand-eye coordination.  
         [0011]     The foregoing objects are achieved by providing a kit which includes a magnifying glass, a miniature comic book with micro text which requires the use of the magnifying glass to read. In a preferred embodiment the comic book comes in a small plastic case, which only receives the comic book. The case with the enclosed comic book may be worn about the neck as each case has a small hole though which a bead chain may pass. In addition, a stand is provided to facilitate the reading of the comic book. The kit may also include a mirror for reading text which has been printed backwards on the comic books. Other items which may be included in the kit are micro-trading cards and micro stickers.  
         [0012]     The foregoing objects and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be become more apparent after a consideration of the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  is an overall view of a preferred form of the kit of this invention, the components of the kit having been removed from their initial packaging.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the miniature comic book of the present invention, the book being shown open to facing pages.  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  is a view of a magnifying glass which may be used with the miniature comic book shown in  FIG. 2 , this glass differing from the glass shown in  FIG. 1  in that it has a handle which may resemble a character in the comic book.  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  is a view of a case in which the comic book is normally stored when not in use, the case being closed in this view whereas it is open in  FIG. 1 . While the case is transparent, interior lines have not been shown for purposes of clarity.  
         [0017]      FIG. 4A  is a section taken generally along the lines  4 A- 4 A in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is a view of a stand or base which may receive the comic book.  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the comic book, the case which receives the comic book, the key chain by which the comic book and case may be carried, and also the stand which receives the case and comic book.  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a view of accessory items which may be included in the kit of this invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]     With reference initially to  FIG. 1  it can be seen that a preferred form of the kit of this invention includes miniature comic book indicated generally at  10 , a magnifying glass indicated generally at  20 , a case for the miniature comic book, the case being indicated generally at  30 , a stand or base indicated generally at  40 , and a key chain indicated generally at  50 . When the kit is sold it will be packaged together, for example in a blister back. As the packaging of this invention is conventional, it is not illustrated. In this FIG. the cover of the comic book is illustrated. The comic book has a size of about 1 inch in width by about 1.4 inches in height. The writing  12  on the cover is fairly large and may be read without a magnifying glass.  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows inside facing pages of the mini-comic book of this invention. As can be seen the text  14  of the inside pages is quite small and most children will require a magnifying glass to read it.  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  shows a suitable magnifying glass  20  for use with the comic book shown in  FIG. 2 . As can be seen the glass includes a frame  22 , a magnifying lens  24 , and a handle  26 . The handle may be in any form, and differing forms are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . The gens may be made of glass, plastic, or any other suitable material.  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  shows the comic book case  30  of this invention in a closed position. The case is made from transparent polypropylene or the like and includes a living integral hinges  31  (best shown in  FIG. 1 ) between a front cover  32 , a spine  33 , and a back cover  34 . Each of the covers have inwardly extending sides  32 . 1  and  34 . 1  which are used to retain a comic book within the case. The sides  32 . 1  of the front cover  32  are provided with lips  35  which are adapted to extend into the sides  34 . 1  of the back cover  34 . The lips are further provided with detents  36  which are adapted to pass over cooperating detents (not shown) on the sides  34 . 1 , all detents being on the inside. Thus, when the front cover is brought into its closed position shown in  FIG. 4  the detents will hold the case closed. However, the front and back sides are provided with cooperating recessed portions  32 . 2  and  34 . 2  which may be engages by fingers to cause the covers to be opened. The top of each of the covers  32  and  34  is provided with a suitable aperture  32 . 3  or  34 . 3  for the reception of a key chain  50 . Stops  32 . 4  and  34 . 4  are provided on the inside of each of the covers  32 ,  34  to hold the comic book below the key chain apertures  32 . 3  and  34 . 4  so that a key chain  50  may easily be inserted into the apertures without interference from the mini comic book. The inner portion of the recess  32 . 2  or  34 . 2  serves the same purpose.  
         [0025]     The stand or base  40  is best shown in  FIGS. 1, 5 , and  6 . This base may receive the case  30  or it may receive the mini comic book  10 . Thus the user of the comic book may place it directly in the stand and read it when in the stand. Alternatively, the user may place the comic book in the case  30  and read it through the transparent material of the case.  
         [0026]      FIG. 7  shows various accessory items which may be sold with the kit of this invention, or which may be sold separately. These accessories include a mirror  60 , micro trading cards indicated generally at  64 , which cards which feature characters found in the miniature comic books, and also micro stickers indicated generally at  66 . The mirror may be used to read text which has been printed backwards.  
         [0027]     While the books  10  shown in the drawings are typically conventionally printed, other forms of printing may be employed. Some books may be printed in 3D. Others may be printed with secret messages in red reveal ink for example. If this is done, the kit may also include as an accessory an appropriately colored reading glass.  
         [0028]     Various games may be played with the miniature comic book kit of this invention. Thus, children may place the micro comic books into the small cases  30 , and then play games such as throwing them against a wall. The display stands  40  are also used for displaying the comics on a shelf or to stand the comic book up to allow other children to try and knock over the book and stand. The winner of the game would be rewarded with the comic book that was on the stand. There are a number of games like this too numerous to mention.  
         [0029]     While a preferred form of this invention has been described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that applicant does not intend to be limited to the particular details described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but intends to be limited only to the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. In this regard, the term “means for” as used in the claims is intended to include not only the designs illustrated in the drawings of this application and the equivalent designs discussed in the text, but it is also intended to cover other equivalents now known to those skilled in the art, or those equivalents which may become known to those skilled in the art in the future.