US20080045120A1

US20080045120A1 - Stuffed toys

Info

Publication number: US20080045120A1
Application number: US11/528,372
Authority: US
Inventors: Sung Joo Moon; Jung Hyun Shin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-08-17
Filing date: 2006-09-28
Publication date: 2008-02-21

Abstract

Disclosed is a stuffed toy including a cover made of fabrics, such as artificial mink, woolen fabric, or stuffed toys sewn in various animals, and a stuffing, such as cotton, cashmilon or foaming substance, filled in the cover, thereby forming a head portion and a body. The stuffed toy includes a heating element, interposed between the cover and the stuffing, which corresponds to an abdomen of the body, for transferring to a user, a power source, installed in a proper position of the cover, for supplying a power to the heating element, and a control unit, installed in a proper position of the cover, for controlling temperature of the heating element and turning the power source on or off. It gives an intimate response to the child when the child carries it in her his arms, so that the child feels a psychical reliance during carrying.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a stuffed toy which can be carried a user in user's arms or on a user's back, and more particularly, to a stuffed toy including a heating means for generating heat, so that it gives an intimate, secure feeling to a user due to good psychological response.
2. Background of the Related Art
Rag dolls made of fabrics, such as artificial mink, woolen fabric, or stuffed toys sewn in various animals and filled with stuffing, such as cotton, cashmilon or foaming substance, accentuates various unique shapes, rather than reality. The rag doll or stuffed toy is one of playing tool capable of giving a preference and aesthetic sentiment to children of tender age.
Such a stuffed toy is generally carried in child's arms or carried on a child's back in or outside a room, so that children can obtain a secure feeling through the carrying or holding.
A variety of stuffed toys have been proposed with an audio-visual function as the central figure. That is, designs of the stuffed toys are changed to express a unique character or personality. Also, the stuffed toys are equipped with a sound output unit for generating a message previously input by manipulation.
As described above, the stuffed toy is an object giving a psychical reliance to children of tender age, as well as playing tool. Therefore, considering that children always carry the stuffed toy with them in or outside a room, that is, children carry it in their arms or carry it on their back, there is needed for a sensory medium to give an intimate response to the children during the carrying.
Further, children put on insulated clothing or are enclosed with a blanket to protect the children against cold environment. The warm effect is provided by the stuffed toys which are always carried by the children.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a stuffed toy that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a stuffed toy equipped with a heating element which is used as a sensory medium to transfer heat to the stuffed toy, so that children feel a psychical reliance during carrying.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a stuffed toy capable of transferring heat to children, so that the children obtain a protecting effect against the cold in winter.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a stuffed toy equipped with a sound generating unit for storing various data such as voice or sound and reproducing it to give an intimate, secure feeling to children.
To achieve the object and other advantages, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a stuffed toy including a cover made of fabrics, such as artificial mink, woolen fabric, or stuffed toys sewn in various animals, and a stuffing, such as cotton, cashmilon or foaming substance, filled in the cover, thereby forming a head portion and a body, according to the present invention, which includes a heating element, interposed between the cover and the stuffing, which corresponds to an abdomen of the body, for transferring to a user, a power source, installed in a proper position of the cover, for supplying a power to the heating element;, and a control unit, installed in a proper position of the cover, for controlling temperature of the heating element and turning the power source on or off.
It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a stuffed toy according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a stuffed toy according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a temperature control of a heating unit and a sound generating unit in a stuffed toy according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A preferred embodiment according to the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show a stuffed toy according an embodiment of the present invention.
The present invention is to provide a stuffed toy formed in various animals as a playing tool of children. The stuffed toy includes a head portion 10 and a body 20.
The stuffed toy composed of the head portion 10 and the body 20 includes a cover 30 made of fabrics, such as artificial mink, woolen fabric, or stuffed toys sewn in various animals and filled with a stuffing, such as cotton, cashmilon or foaming substance.
The gist of the present invention is to provide the stuffed toy equipped with a heating medium capable of allowing children to feel a psychical reliance through a psychological response and protecting the children against the cold in winter.
The stuffed toy is provided with a heating element 50 in the body 20. More specifically, the heating element 50 is interposed between the cover 30 and a stuffing 40, which corresponds to an abdomen of the body 20. Therefore, when a child carries the stuffed toy in her or his arms, the heat generated from the heat element 50 can be transferred to the child.
The heating element 50 is supplied with a power from a battery BA described hereinafter. Further, the heating element 50 is controlled by a timer or temperature detecting sensor 52 to prevent the overheating thereof.
The heating element 50 may be installed in both cheeks of the head portion 10 to transfer the heat, as well as the body 20.
The heating element 50 built in the body 20 includes a heating wire. Preferably, a flat-type heating element is used as the heating element 50.
Further, the stuffed toy according to the present invention is provided in the body 20 with the battery BA for supplying a power to the heating element 50, a switch SW for turning the battery ON/OFF, a pair of loudspeaker SP installed in both sides of the head 10, a sound generating unit for generating a desired sound, a memory ME for storing voice and music data to help the development of child's brain and sensitivity, and a control unit 60 for controlling the above components.
With the above description, according to the stuffed toy of the present invention, since the stuffed toy is equipped with the heating element which is used as a sensory medium, it gives an intimate response to the child when the child carries it in her his arms. Therefore, the child feels a psychical reliance during carrying.
Also, the stuffed toy transfers the heat to the child, when the child carries it in her his arms. Therefore, the child can obtain a protecting effect against the cold in winter.
Further, since the stuffed toy is provided with a sound generating means for reproducing various sounds to stimulate the cerebral nerve of the child, it can help the development of child's brain and sensitivity, and can give an intimate, secure feeling to children.
The forgoing embodiments are merely exemplary and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention. The present teachings can be readily applied to other types of apparatus. The description of the present invention is intended to be illustrative, and not to limit the scope of the claims. Many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A stuffed toy including a cover made of fabric or stuffed toys sewn in various animal forms, and a stuffing filled in the cover, thereby forming a head portion and a body, comprising:

a heating element, interposed between the cover and the stuffing, which corresponds to an abdomen of the body, for transferring heat to a user;

a power source, installed in a proper position of the cover, for supplying a power to the heating element; and

a control unit, installed in a proper position of the cover, for controlling temperature of the heating element and turning the power source on or off.

2. The stuffed toy as claimed in claim 1, in which the heating element includes a flat-type heating element.

3. A stuffed toy including a cover made of fabric or stuffed toys sewn in various animal forms, and a stuffing filled in the cover, thereby forming a head portion and a body, comprising:

a power source, installed in a proper position of the cover, for supplying a power to the heating element;

a pair of loudspeakers installed in both sides of the head portion; and

a control unit installed in a proper position of the cover, and having a temperature controller controlling temperature of the heating element, a switch for turning the battery on or off, and a memory for storing sound/music data.

4. A stuffed toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fabric is one of artificial mink and woolen fabric.

5. A stuffed toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stuffing is one of cotton, cashmilon and foaming substance.

6. A stuffed toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein the fabric is one of artificial mink and woolen fabric.

7. A stuffed toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein the stuffing is one of cotton, cashmilon and foaming substance.