Temperature sensitive color changing water toy

• US 20030077976A1
• Filed: 10/18/2001
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Easebon Services Limited
• Original Assignee: Prime Time Toys Limited
• Inventors: Wong, Veronica, Chia, Francis
• Granted Patent: US 6,585,555 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/153
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/0421 dumping water on a player
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2250/1031 using colour indicators
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 23/00 Toy boats; Floating toys; Other aquatic toy devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 37/00 Jokes; Confetti, streamers, or other dance favours ; Cracker bonbons or the like

Abstract

A color changing water toy generally includes a porous absorbent core that absorbs water, typically made from a soft open cell foam. The porous core is covered with colorful graphics, at least some of which are printed with thermochromically sensitive paint or dye. The absorbent core is preferably covered with a porous skin typically made with fabric that has been printed with the colorful graphics. At least some of the graphics are printed with thermochromically sensitive paint or dye. Thus, the color changing water toy absorbs water that is readily released upon the water toy striking an object and also changes color depending upon the temperature of its environment.

Claims

1. A temperature sensitive color changing water toy, comprising:

a soft, porous, liquid absorbent core whereby the toy may absorb and releasably retain a quantity of liquid; and

a thermochromically sensitive material operably associated with an exterior surface of the toy such that the water toy changes color in response to the temperature of its environment.

2. The toy as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a thin flexible porous outer shell substantially surrounding said core and presenting said exterior surface such that said quantity of liquid may pass through said outer shell.

3. The toy as claimed in claim 2, in which said core comprises a material selected from a group consisting of open cell foam, sponge material, fabric, cotton, cellulose fibers, synthetic fibers and any combination thereof.

4. The toy as claimed in claim 2, in which said outer shell comprises a material selected from a group consisting of fabric, synthetic fiber fabric, fabric impregnated with thermochromically sensitive material, mesh fabric and any combination thereof.

5. The toy as claimed in claim 2, in which said thermochromic material is applied to said outer shell by a process selected from a group consisting of screen printing and dyeing.

6. The toy as claimed in claim 1, in which said thermochromically sensitive material is a thermochromic paint which changes from one color to another color at a temperature between about 20°

C. and about 30°

C.

7. The toy as claimed in claim 6, in which said thermochromically sensitive material is a thermochromic paint which changes from one color to another at about 27°

C.

8. The toy as claimed in claim 1, in which a plurality of different colors of thermochromically sensitive material are utilized.

9. The toy as claimed in claim 1, in which said core comprises material selected from a group consisting of a unitary piece of material, a plurality of separate pieces of material, a plurality of separate pieces of material that are operably interconnected to one another and any combination thereof.

10. The toy as claimed in claim 2, in which said toy is a shape selected from a group consisting of a spheroid, a cube, a football, a disk, an annulus and a boomerang.

11. A temperature sensitive color changing water toy, comprising:

a soft, porous, liquid absorbent open cell foam core whereby the toy may absorb and releasably retain a quantity of water;

a flexible porous fabric substantially covering said core;

a thermochromically sensitive material screen printed on said fabric covering whereby the water toy changes color in response to the temperature of its environment.

12. The toy as claimed in claim 11, in which said thermochromically sensitive material is a thermochromic paint which changes from one color to another color at a temperature between about 20°

C. and about 30°

C.

13. The toy as claimed in claim 11, in which a plurality of different colors of thermochromically sensitive material are utilized.

14. The toy as claimed in claim 11, in which said toy is a shape selected from a set consisting of a spheroid, a cube, a football, a disk, an annulus and a boomerang.

15. A method for manufacturing a temperature sensitive color changing water toy, comprising the steps of:

forming a soft porous liquid absorbent core;

printing a thin flexible outer shell material with thermochromic material in a graphical pattern;

applying said outer shell material to at least a portion of an exterior of said core.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, in which the step of applying said shell material comprises the steps of:

cutting said outer shell material to a desired shape to cover said core;

interconnecting the edges of said outer shell material into a covering to cover said core while leaving an non-interconnected opening in said outer shell material;

compressing said core;

inserting said core into said covering through said opening; and

interconnecting the edges of said opening to complete said covering.

17. A temperature sensitive color changing water toy, comprising:

means for absorbing and releasably retaining a quantity of liquid; and

means for changing the color of a surface of said toy in response to environmental temperature.

18. The toy as claimed in claim 17, further comprising means for substantially enclosing said liquid absorbing and releasing means such that liquid may be absorbed and released by said absorbing and releasing means through said enclosing means.

19. The toy as claimed in claim 17, in which said means for changing the color of a surface of said toy in response to environmental temperature changes from one color to another color at a temperature between about 2−

°

C. and about 30°

C.

20. The toy as claimed in claim 17, in which said toy is a shape selected from a set consisting of a spheroid, a cube, a football, a disk, an annulus and a boomerang.