Toy Apparatus With Rattle

• US 20090170646A1
• Filed: 12/31/2008
• Published: 07/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/01/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Got II LLC
• Original Assignee: Rhino Toys Incorporated
• Inventors: Silvergate, David E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,052,552 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 473/612
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0633 without electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/12 specially adapted for children
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 39/00 Hollow non-inflatable balls , i.e. having no valves rigid balls A63B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 43/00 Balls with special arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 5/00 Musical or noise- producing devices for additional toy effects other than acoustical musical tops A63H1/28; sound-producing dolls A63H3/28; musical toy vehicles A63H17/268; acoustical vehicle-signalling devices A63H17/32; whistling toy locomotive arrangements A63H19/14; music, sound or noise production in general G10

Abstract

A toy apparatus having a surface is provided. The toy apparatus may include a mesh including a plurality of loop structures having cooperative mating surfaces disposed at least partially around an outer perimeter of each loop structure. The plurality of loop structures may have curved inside perimeter surfaces, and the cooperative mating surfaces of adjacent loop structures may be configured to couple together for a distance along their lengths. The loop structures form the surface of the toy when the cooperative mating surfaces are coupled with each other. The toy apparatus may further include a rattle positioned in a loop structure in the mesh, the rattle having a body with a mounting structure having an outer perimeter sized to conform to the curved inside perimeter surface of the loop structure in which the rattle is mounted.

Claims

1. A toy apparatus having a surface, the toy apparatus comprising:

a mesh including a plurality of loop structures having cooperative mating surfaces disposed at least partially around an outer perimeter of each loop structure, wherein the plurality of loop structures have curved inside perimeter surfaces, and wherein the cooperative mating surfaces of adjacent loop structures are configured to couple together for a distance along their lengths, wherein the loop structures form the surface of the toy when the cooperative mating surfaces are coupled with each other; and

a rattle positioned in one of the loop structures in the mesh, the rattle having a body with a mounting structure having an outer perimeter sized to conform to the curved inside perimeter surface of the loop structure in which the rattle is mounted.

2. The toy apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mesh is formed as a resiliently deformable ball.

3. The toy apparatus of claim 2, wherein the outer perimeter of mounting structure is circular, and wherein the inside perimeter surface of the loop structure in which the rattle is mounted is circular.

4. The toy apparatus of claim 3, wherein the outer perimeter of mounting structure has a concave radius formed in the edge thereof, as viewed in cross section, to accommodate a round cross section of the loop structure in which the rattle is mounted.

5. The toy apparatus of claim 4, wherein the body of the rattle includes a bottom half and a top half, each of which is domed outward, the top half and bottom half defining a central void.

6. The toy apparatus of claim 5, wherein each of the top half and bottom half of the body of the rattle are joined to each other in an interior of the loop structure in which the rattle is mounted.

7. The toy apparatus of claim 6, wherein the top half and bottom half are adhered to each other.

8. The toy apparatus of claim 5, wherein the bottom half and top half of the dome are at least partially transparent.

9. The toy apparatus of claim 5, wherein objects are positioned within the void defined by the top half and the bottom half.

10. The toy apparatus of claim 5, wherein the mounting structure is plastically welded to the insider perimeter surface of the loop structure in which the rattle is mounted.

11. The toy apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rattle is one of a plurality of rattles positioned in corresponding loop structures of the mesh.

12. The toy apparatus of claim 11, wherein the plurality of rattles are positioned at symmetric locations in the mesh.

13. A toy apparatus comprising:

a mesh including a plurality of loop structures having curved inside perimeter surfaces; and

a rattle positioned in one of the loop structures in the mesh, the rattle having a body formed of a bottom half and a top half defining a void, one or more objects being positioned within the void, the body further including a mounting structure formed by portions of one or more of the top half and bottom half, the mounting structure having an outer perimeter edge with a concave radius formed therein, as viewed in cross section, the radius of the edge being sized to conform to the curved inside perimeter surface of the loop structure in which the rattle is mounted.

14. The toy apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mesh is formed as a resiliently deformable ball.

15. The toy apparatus of claim 14, wherein the outer perimeter of mounting structure is circular, and wherein the inside perimeter surface of the mesh is circular.

16. The toy apparatus of claim 15, wherein the bottom half and top half of the dome are at least partially transparent.

17. The toy apparatus of claim 13, wherein the objects positioned in the void of the rattle are balls;

and

wherein the balls are positioned within the void defined by the top half and the bottom half.

18. The toy apparatus of claim 13, wherein the mounting structure is plastically welded to the insider perimeter surface of the loop structure in which the rattle is mounted.

19. The toy apparatus of claim 14, wherein the rattle is one of a plurality of rattles positioned in corresponding loop structures of the mesh, and the plurality of rattles are positioned at symmetric locations in the mesh.

20. The toy apparatus of claim 13, further comprising:

an accessory connected with the mesh, wherein the accessory is connected with a rim of a loop structure of the mesh.