Toy, doll or mannequin with dimensionally varible exterior surface

• US 5,419,729 A
• Filed: 02/07/1992
• Issued: 05/30/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Flora G. Gross, Harvey Levy, James T. Fitzgibbon
• Original Assignee: Flora G. Gross
• Inventors: Gross, Flora G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MUIR, DAVID N
• Application Number:
  US07/832,704
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 446/176, 446/180, 446/183, 446/184, 446/197, 446/185, 446/198, 446/199, 446/268, 446/295, 446/296, 446/320, 446/321, 446/330, 446/337, 446/339, 446/340, 446/359, 446/373 , 446/380, 446/381, 446/385, 446/26, 446/27, 446/28, 446/221, 446/226
• US Class Current: 446/183
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/06 Air-filled or inflatable toy figures connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00

Abstract

This doll, or mannequin, features a relatively rigid core with an expandable flexible covering and inflation mechanism in order to expand the flexible covering to simulate weight gain or muscular development. The inflation mechanism may include a valve to slowly release accumulated pressure to simulate weight loss. The flexible covering, simulating a person'"'"'s skin, may be formed integrally upon the core or may be placed upon the core as a close-fitting enclosure. The muscle gain doll features nonexpanding bands attached to the flexible covering to simulate muscular definition. Such a doll may be used with essentially non-stretchable clothing to simulate a person growing larger relative to their clothing and the unseemly appearance resulting therefrom.

Claims

1. A composite toy, doll or mannequin figure of a living creature capable of undergoing visible changes of exterior bodily contour, said figure comprising an inner body portion having an outer surface portion occupying a predetermined, substantially fixed volume, an elastic exterior layer overlying a major portion of at least the torso of said outer surface of said inner body, and being separated therefrom by an expansible space lying between the interior surface of said elastic exterior layer and at least some of said outer surface portions of said inner body portion, and means for permitting a fluid to flow from outside said expansible space into said expansible space to increase the pressure in said space, and thereby cause said exterior elastic layer to move from an initial position closely overlying said torso outer surface through a plurality of intermediate positions in which said expansible space gradually becomes greater, and to a final position wherein said space has expanded sufficiently to position portions of said exterior elastic layer a substantial distance apart from said torso outer surface of said inner body to create the appearances of a figure with a torso contour visibly different from that presented by said figure prior to expansion of said space, said figure also including means for permitting said pressurized fluid to flow out of said expansible space to permit said exterior layer to return to at least one of its initial and intermediate positions.

2. A toy, doll or mannequin having body parts including a torso and arm and leg portions respectively attached to said torso with at least portions of said body parts being defined by incompressible exterior body part walls, at least said torso, arms and legs being hollow and internally interconnected with one another so as to form a common interior pressurizable space, a form-fitting covering made from a fluid-impermeable elastic material overlying at least the major portions of said walls of said torso, arms and legs, with the inner surface of said covering being secured in fluid-tight relation to said exterior torso walls at least about the neck of said torso and to the exterior walls of said arms and legs to form marginal cuffs in said covering at least in areas at least as remote from said torso as the respective elbows and knees of said arms and legs, said covering being substantially free from adhesion to said exterior walls of said torso, arms and legs throughout most of the remainder of said covering inner surface, whereby at least one expansible space is defined between said covering inner surface and said exterior body part walls, with at least one of said torso, arm and leg exterior walls having at least one pressure equalizing passage extending therethrough to provide a path of fluid communication between said common interior pressurizable space and said expansible space, said toy, doll, or mannequin also having a second pressure supply and relief passage extending from the region outside one of said body parts into at least one of common interior and said expansible spaces, and valve means associated with said pressure supply and relief passage to alternately permit and prevent flow of a pressurizing fluid into and out of said interior and expansible spaces.

3. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin figure of a living creature having plural body parts, at least one of said parts being adapted to undergo visible changes of exterior bodily contour in selected regions of said part, said part of said toy or doll being adapted to undergo expansion having a substantially incompressible exterior body wall, an inflatable bladder overlying said body wall, said bladder having its inner surface supported by said incompressible exterior body wall, a patterned confinement cuff having open areas positioned over said bladder whereby portions of said bladder are restrained by contact with said confinement cuff and other portions of said bladder are unconfined by reason of at least one opening in said confinement cuff, an elastic exterior skin extending over and covering the entirety of said bladder and said confinement cuff, said elastic skin, in its relaxed position closely overlying said confinement cuff, said bladder, and said body part, means communicating with the interior of said bladder for connection to a source of pressurized fluid, and means for controlling the flow of fluid into and out of said bladder, whereby, upon inflation of said bladder, said bladder will contact the surface of said confinement cuff to limit bladder expansion and will expand further in those areas confined only by said elastic skin, thereby simulating change of exterior bodily contour in substantially only those areas defined by said openings in said confinement cuff.

4. A toy, doll, or mannequin product capable of change of exterior bodily contour, said product comprising, in combination, a body portion including a torso and arm and leg portions, each defined by relatively incompressible exterior walls combining to comprise a toy, doll, or mannequin body core, an exterior elastic skin covering at least the majority of the outer surface portions of said core to form an expansible space between the outer surfaces of said core and said outer covering, said expansible space thereby having a surface area of not less than one half of the total surface area of said torso portion, a fluid pump forming a portion of said toy or doll and including an enclosed pump chamber, said pump chamber being defined by at least one moveable wall, means biasing said moveable wall to an expanded position of said chamber, an inlet check valve arranged to permit flow into said chamber but not out of said chamber;

a passage from a portion from said inlet valve communicating with the exterior atmosphere, an outlet valve normally biased closed and permitting flow of fluid from said chamber to said expansible space, means establishing a path of communication between the outlet side of said outlet valve and the interior of said expansible space, whereby repeated deformation and release of said movable wall will pump fluid from the exterior atmosphere through said chamber and into said expansible space to create visible enlargement of at least most of the exterior dimensions of the torso of said toy, doll, or mannequin.

5. A composite toy, doll or mannequin figure of a living creature capable of undergoing visible changes of exterior bodily contour, to simulate change in the appearance of at least one of a change of bodily muscle bulk and a change of bodily fatty tissue, said figure comprising an inner body portion having an outer surface occupying a predetermined, substantially fixed volume and including at least upper and lower body front surfaces, a body rear surface, and a hip area surface, an elastic exterior layer including an inner surface positioned in facing relation to at least one of said upper and lower body front surfaces, said body rear surface and said hip area surface, with said elastic exterior layer inner surface being separated from said outer surface of said inner body portion by an expansible space, at least one passage permitting fluid communication between said expansible space and a region outside said figure, valve means and means for connection to a fluid pump, said valve means permitting a fluid to flow through said passage and into end out of said expansible space, and to be retained within said expansible space for an indefinite period, whereby, when fluid is caused to flow into said expansible space, said expansible space will increase in volume and cause said exterior elastic layer to move from an initial position closely overlying said at least one upper and lower body front surface, said body rear surface and said hip surface, through a plurality of intermediate positions in which the volume of said expansible space gradually becomes greater, and to a final position wherein said space has expanded sufficiently to position said portions of said exterior elastic layer a substantial distance apart from their counterpart outer surfaces on said inner body portion to create the appearance of a gain of at least one of said bodily muscle bulk end bodily fatty tissue, and whereby, when said valve means permits said fluid to remain in said expansible space, said volume of said space wall remain unchanged, and when said valve means releases said fluid to flow out of said expansible space, said volume of said space will decrease to create an appearance of loss of said at least one of said bodily muscle bulk and fatty tissue.

6. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 5 wherein said elastic exterior layer is made from an air-impermeable cloth material adhered about its outer margins to the neck, shoulder and leg attachment portions of said inner body.

7. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 5 wherein said inner body portion further includes arm and leg portions, and wherein said elastic exterior layer also covers the outer surfaces of a major part of said arm and leg portions.

8. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 5 wherein said inner body further includes arm and leg portions, and wherein said elastic exterior layer also covers the outer surfaces of said arm and leg portions of said inner body.

9. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 5 wherein said elastic exterior layer is in facing relation to both said upper and lower body front surfaces.

10. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 5 wherein said elastic exterior layer is in facing relation to said upper and lower body front surfaces, and said body rear surface.

11. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 5 wherein said elastic exterior layer is in facing relation to all of said upper and lower body front surfaces, said body rear surfaces, and said hip area surfaces.

12. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 5 wherein said expansible space is further defined by a bladder made from a non-elastic material and wherein said elastic exterior layer overlies said bladder and is made from an elasticized cloth material.

13. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 5 wherein said elastic exterior layer is made from an unreinforced latex material.

14. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 5 wherein at least a portion of said expansible space is occupied by a normally compressed, resilient, open cell foam biasing said exterior layer to an expanded position, said expansible space further including a normally closed valve controlling flow of air into said expansible space.

15. A toy, doll or mannequin having body parts including chest, stomach, back and hip area surfaces forming a torso and having arm and leg portions respectively attached to said torso, with said torso and at least portions of said body parts being defined by relatively incompressible exterior body part walls, and said torso and portions of said arms and legs being hollow and internally interconnected with one another so as to form a common interior pressurizable space, a form-fitting covering having an inner surface and being made from a fluid impermeable elastic material overlying at least major portions of said walls of said torso, arms and legs, with the inner surface of said covering being secured in fluid-tight relation to said exterior torso walls about a neck of said torso and to the exterior walls of said arms and legs to form marginal cuffs in said covering in areas at least as remote from said torso as the respective elbow and knee portions of said arms and legs, said covering being substantially free from adhesion to said body part walls in those parts of said covering overlying portions of at least said chest, stomach and back areas, whereby an expansible space is defined between said covering inner surface and said exterior body part walls, at least one of said exterior body part walls having at least one pressure equalizing passage extending therethrough to provide a path of fluid communication between said common interior pressurizable space and said expansible space, a second fluid communication passage extending from the region outside of said body into one of said spaces, and valve means and means for connection to a fluid pump, said valve means being associated with said second passage, whereby pump operation causes a quantity of fluid to flow into said interior and expansible spaces, and to remain indefinitely within one of said spaces, whereby said toy, doll, or mannequin can present the appearance of visible change to at least one of bodily muscle bulk and bodily fatty tissue, with said valve means being arranged to release fluid from said spaces as desired.

16. A toy, doll or mannequin as defined in claim 15 wherein said fluid is air.

17. A toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 15 wherein said at least one pressure equalizing passage comprises at least one pressure equalizing passage in each of said chest and back areas.

18. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 15 wherein said at least one pressure equalizing passage comprises at least one pressure equalizing passage in each of said chest, stomach and back areas.

19. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 15 wherein said at least one pressure equalizing passage comprises at least one pressure equalizing passage in each of said chest, arm and leg areas.

20. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 15 wherein said at least one pressure equalizing passage comprises plural passages, with said form-fitting covering being adhered to at least said chest, arm, and leg portions in areas of fluid-tight attachment so as to surround said passages in said areas and to divide said expansible space inside said form-fitting covering into individual expansible spaces separated from each other by said attachment areas.

21. A toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 15 wherein said form-fitting covering is an unreinforced latex rubber material.

22. A toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 15 wherein said form-fitting covering is an impermeable elastic fabric.

23. A toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 15 wherein said fluid is air.

24. A composite toy, doll, or mannequin figure of a living creature having plural body parts, at least one of said parts being adapted to undergo visible changes of exterior bodily contour in selected regions of said part, said part of said toy or doll being adapted to undergo visible contour changes having a substantially incompressible body wall, an inflatable bladder overlying said body wall, said bladder having its inner surface supported by said incompressible body wall, a patterned confinement cuff positioned over said bladder, said cuff having at least one continuous confining area and at least one open area, whereby at least one portion of said bladder is restrained by confining with said cuff and other portions of said bladder are unconfined by reason of said at least one opening in said confinement cuff, an elastic exterior skin extending over and covering the entirety of said bladder and said confinement cuff, said elastic skin, in its relaxed position closely overlying said confinement cuff, said bladder, and said body part, at least one fluid passage extending between the interior of said bladder and the exterior thereof, and at least one valve means and means for connection to a fluid pump, said valve means being operable to establish a path of fluid flow into said passage to permit expansion of said bladder, being operable to provide for indefinite retention of fluid within said bladder and being operable to release fluid from said bladder, whereby, upon inflation of said bladder, said bladder expansion will be limited by contact with said confinement cuff and whereby bladder expansion will be permitted in those areas confined only by said elastic skin, thereby simulating substantial change of exterior bodily contour only in those areas defined by said openings in said confinement cuff.

28. A toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 24 wherein said valve means for releasing fluid pressure is operable from the exterior of said toy, doll, or mannequin.

25. A toy, doll, or mannequin product capable of change of exterior bodily contour to simulate gain or loss of at least one of bodily muscle mass and bodily fatty tissue, said product comprising, in combination, a body portion including a torso portion having chest, stomach, back and hip area portions and further comprising arm and leg portions, each of said portions being defined by relatively incompressible exterior walls combining to comprise a toy, doll, or mannequin body core, an exterior elastic skin covering at least one of said chest, stomach, back portions of said torso to form an expansible space between the outer surfaces of said at least one core portion and said exterior elastic skin, a fluid pump forming a portion of said toy, doll, or mannequin, said fluid pump including an enclosed pump chamber being defined in part by at least one movable wall, means biasing said movable wall to an expanded position of said pump chamber, an inlet check valve arranged to permit fluid flow from outside said product into said chamber but not out of said chamber;

means defining a passage between the interior of said chamber and said expansible space, a pump outlet valve for controlling flow through said passage with said pump outlet valve being biased to a normally closed position and being constructed so as to permit flow of fluid from said chamber to said expansible space when the pressure in said chamber rises, whereby repeated deformation and release of said movable wall will pump fluid from the exterior atmosphere through said pump chamber and into said expansible space to create visible enlargement of at least one of said chest, stomach, back and hip area portions of said body, and valve means for releasing fluid pressure in said space, whereby an enlarged appearance resulting from expansion of said expansible space may be retained indefinitely until intentionally released.

26. A toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 25 wherein said exterior elastic skin is made from an unreinforced rubber latex material.

27. A toy, doll, or mannequin as defined in claim 25 wherein said exterior elastic skin is made from a fabric-reinforced material.