Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
This invention relates to a device suitable for
supporting, storing and displaying animate-like toys
such as teddy bears and dolls.
Various display, storing and supporting devices exist
for toys and in pa.rticular animate-like toys. One
type comprises a mesh shelf hung in the corner of a
room to display a multitude of animate-liXe toys.
This device has the d~sadvantage of being inefficient
for displaying or storing a single toy. A toy box
would also have a similar disadvantage and poor
utilization of space. Another type comprises a
wheeled buggy used to transport animate-like toys.
This device has the disadvantage of being cumbersome
and not supporting the animate-like toy near the
carrier to be hugged and adorned.
It is desired by young children to emulate the
actions of adults and most young children desire the
accompaniment of a favorite toy, often, an
animate-like toy.
Articles for use by a mother to carry a baby exist
and the mother carrying a baby with this type of
device acts as a role model for the young child.
Examples of such items are U.S. Patent No.4467945
U.S. classisification 224/160, 297/467 filed Dec. 23,
1983 by J. A. Schaapveld, Minn and U.S. Patent No.
4,903,873 which describes a device for carrying
children in an aqueous environment, granted in 1990
to A. Poole of Florida. These devices are generally
unsuitable for use by children as they are too
elaborate even if downsized to fit a child and
expensive to manufacture.
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According to one aspect the invention consists of:
A body when in flat stretched position is an
hourglass shape having a first concave side, a second
concave side, two parallel sides of approximate equal
length. A first flexible binding attached to the
first concave side and a second flexible binding
attached to the second concave side. An endless
waist-band like binding within which the edges of the
parallel sides are spaced and sewn to form a support
and define openings. The first binding, the second
binding and the waist-band like binding consist of
strips of material longitudinaly folded over and sewn
to the peripheral edge of the body. At the ends of
the first binding approximately equal length
extensions, extend beyond the natural periphery of
the body, the approximately equal length extensions
are joined near their ends and engage a first means
of attachment comprising two rings.
At the ends of the second binding unequal length
extensions extend beyond the natural periphery of the
body. The shorter of the unequal length extensions
terminates and attaches to the longer of the unequal
length extensions along the length of and before the
end of the longer of the unequal length extensions.
The balance of the longer of the unequal length
extension provides a means of suspension to engage a
person's neck or shoulder or device or object such as
a hook for hanging. The end of the longer of the
unequal length bindings removably attaches to the
first means of attachment.
A second means of attachment consisting of a piece of
material and rings attaches to the waistband-like
binding. A strap of which one end is attached to the
waistband-like binding and the balance of the strap
provides a means to encompass a person's torso or
other body part or object. The free end of the strap
removably engages the second means of attachment.
Resulting in:
A support able to accommodate the extremities of an
animate-like toy and suitable to attach to a person
or means of suspension to display or carry an
animate-like toy.
The extensions of bindings attached to the first and
second concave sides have a portion immediately
adjacent to the body that doubles onto itself, is
sewn within the waistband-like binding and is then
doubled back onto the outside of the waistband-like
binding and sewn.
The hourglass shaped body is comprised of a flexible
material such as knitted mesh or netting.
According to another aspect, the invention when in a
flat stretched position has a four sided body with
first and second pairs of opposite approximately
parallel sides
According to an additional aspect the present
invention when in a flat stretched position has a
three sided body with two adjoining sides and a side
opposite the apex of the two adjoining sides. Said
side opposite the apex and said apex are sewn within
a waistband-like binding.
According to another aspect, the invention may be
constructed without the use of an hourglass, square
or triangle shaped body. The arrangement of the
bindings creates a support suitable for an
animate-like toy.
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The invention, as exemplified by a preferred embodiment, is
described with reference to the drawings below.
Figure No. 1
Shape of the mesh body when in a flat position.
Figure No. 2
Side elevation showing two short extensions of bindings,
means of attachment and waistband.
Figure No. 3
Side elevation of device showing one long and one short
extension, torso and neck strap.
Figure No. 4
Position of legholes, waistband and binding prior to
assembly.
Figure No. 5
A view of how the binding is folded and attached to the
body.
Figure No. 6
General shape of the support and location of straps,
legholes and means of attachment.
Figure No. 7
Sideview of means of attachment and how free ends of
extensions are threaded through them.
Referring to the drawings the embodiment of the invention
shown, a support for animate-like toys, figure 1. comprises
an hourglass shaped body W made from a flexible material
such as mesh A with strips of flexible material folded
over and sewn to the concave sides to form an edge binding
P & Q. The edge bindings P & Q have extensions at each
end with extension G at one end of binding P being long
enough to loop around a person's neck and engage a means of
attachment.
In reference to figure 2: The extensions E ~ F of
binding Q are joined at their ends and encompass a means
of attachment e.g., rings R & S. A piece of material T
is looped through a second means of attachment e.g., rings
U & V and secured to itself and waistband B at a point
near leghole C.l.
In reference to figure 3: The extensions G & D of
binding P are joined at a point along the length of
extension G. The free end of extension G is of
sufficient length to be looped around a person's neck or
means of suspension and engage means of attachment R & S
as shown in Figure 2.
Strap H is attached at one end to waistband B near
leghole C, the free end of strap H is long enough to
encircle a person's torso and engage means of attachment U
& V shown in figure 2.
In reference to figure 4: Waistband B is made from a
strip of flexible material, folded over and sewn as
illustrated in figure 5. The waistband B is attached to
the body W to form a pouch shape with legholes C and
C.1
In reference to figure 5: A strip of material
longitudinally folded over and sewn to the edge of mesh A
forms the waistband B and the edge bindings P & Q
illustrated in figure 1.
In reference to figure 6: A preferred embodiment of the
device is illustrated detailing means of suspension G
engaging means of attachment R & S and strap H engaging
means of attachment U and V. The general shape of body W
is well shown detailing the spacing when attached to
wais~band B to create legholes C and C.1.
Figure 7 illustrates how the free ends of extensions G &
H engage means of attachment R & S and U & V
respectively.
