Bath toy with thermally erasable drawing surface

• US 6,346,024 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2000
• Issued: 02/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert W. Engel
• Original Assignee: Robert W. Engel
• Inventors: Engel, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Muir, D Neal
• Application Number:
  US09/505,452
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 446/14, 446/146, 446/475, 446/482, 401/1, 401/2, 401/3
• US Class Current: 446/14
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2009/0643 erasable
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 9/0641 using a marker or means for drawing, e.g. pen, pencil, chalk
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 23/00 Toy boats; Floating toys; Other aquatic toy devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/22 Optical, colour, or shadow toys puzzles with optical elements A63F9/0613; kaleidoscopes G02B27/08
• CPC Class Codes: B43L 1/002 chemical details

Abstract

A thermally erasable bath toy for enabling a user to create and erase drawing figures in a wet environment. The bath toy includes a drawing desk with a drawing surface that incorporates thermochromic material. A user can draw on the drawing surface by inducing the thermochromic material to enter its active temperature range, and the user can erase the drawing surface by inducing the thermochromic material to leave its active temperature range. The drawing desk can be caused to float atop a volume of water by incorporating or being formed of buoyant material or by housing an open inner volume. The color change in the thermochromic material can be induced by a temperature-operated drawing implement with a temperature applicator of heat transmissible material. The temperature applicator can include an elongate shaft that will act as a skeleton for a volume of insulative material. A weight at a proximal end of the shaft can help maintain a given temperature condition and cause a drawing tip to point out of a volume of water. Heat transmissible material can be retained in an open inner volume of the drawing implement. The heat transmissible material can be sealed within the drawing implement, retained within a removable hollow sheath, or inserted and evacuated through an opening in the open inner volume.

Claims

1. A thermally erasable bath toy for enabling a user to create and erase drawing figures in a wet environment, the bath toy comprising:

a drawing desk;

a non-electrical drawing surface disposed on the drawing desk;

a thermochromic material disposed over at least a portion of the drawing surface wherein the thermochromic material has an active temperature range wherein the thermochromic material will demonstrate a change in color at least from a first color to a second color; and

a means for enabling the drawing desk to float atop a volume of water;

whereby a user can induce a change in color in the thermochromic material at least from a first color to a second color by inducing the thermochromic material to enter its active temperature range so that a user can create drawing figures on the drawing surface and whereby the thermochromic material will exhibit a change in color at least from the second color back to the first color as the thermochromic material leaves its active temperature range whereby the drawing figures can be erased from the drawing surface by a submersion of the drawing surface in the volume of water.

2. The bath toy of claim 1 wherein the means for enabling the drawing desk to float atop a volume of water comprises a volume of buoyant material operably associated with the drawing desk.

3. The bath toy of claim 2 wherein the means for enabling the drawing desk to float atop a volume of water comprises a floating base that is formed substantially entirely from a buoyant material.

4. The bath toy of claim 1 wherein the means for enabling the drawing desk to float atop a volume of water comprises a watertight open inner volume operably associated with the drawing desk.

5. The bath toy of claim 1 further comprising a temperature-operated drawing implement of heat transmissible material for selectively inducing the thermochromic material on the drawing surface to enter the active temperature range of the thermochromic material.

6. The bath toy of claim 5 wherein the drawing implement comprises a temperature applicator for being brought into a given temperature condition and for being applied to the thermochromic material on the drawing surface to induce the thermochromic material to enter the active temperature range of the thermochromic material wherein the temperature applicator has a body portion and a drawing tip.

7. The bath toy of claim 6 wherein the drawing implement further comprises a handle portion for retaining the body portion of the temperature applicator wherein the handle portion has a distal end adjacent to the drawing tip of the temperature applicator and a proximal end.

8. The bath toy of claim 7 wherein the handle portion comprises a volume of insulative material surrounding the body portion of the temperature applicator but leaving the drawing tip of the temperature applicator exposed.

9. The bath toy of claim 8 wherein the handle portion further comprises a rigid sheath that surrounds and retains the temperature applicator wherein the volume of insulative material surrounds the sheath.

10. The bath toy of claim 8 wherein the body portion of the temperature applicator comprises an elongate shaft with a distal end comprising the drawing tip and a proximal end whereby the elongate shaft functions as a skeleton structure for the volume of insulative material.

11. The bath toy of claim 7 further comprising an open inner volume with a given shape and size within the drawing implement for retaining a volume of heat transmissible material in heat transmittable association with the temperature applicator.

12. The bath toy of claim 11 wherein the open inner volume within the drawing implement is watertight and further comprising a volume of heat transmissible liquid retained in the open inner volume within the drawing implement whereby the temperature applicator can be retained in a desired temperature condition for a given period of time by a bringing of the heat transmissible liquid into a desired temperature condition.

13. The bath toy of claim 12 wherein the body portion of the temperature applicator comprises an elongate shaft with a distal end comprising the drawing tip and a proximal end and wherein the elongate shaft is disposed within the volume of heat transmissible material.

14. The bath toy of claim 6 wherein the drawing implement further comprises a sheath of heat transmissible material removably engagable with the temperature applicator.

15. The bath toy of claim 14 wherein the sheath comprises a hollow shell with a volume of heat transmissible material retained therein.

16. The bath toy of claim 15 further comprising a volume of insulative material surrounding the sheath of heat transmissible material.

17. The bath toy of claim 11 further comprising a closure device for selectively sealing the open inner volume whereby the open inner volume can be selectively filled with and evacuated of heat transmissible material.

18. The bath toy of claim 17 wherein the closure device comprises an end cap removably couplable with the proximal end of the handle of the drawing implement whereby a volume of heat transmissible material can be selectively inserted into and evacuated from the open inner volume through the proximal end of the handle.

19. The bath toy of claim 18 further comprising a mold with a volume defining a size and shape that approximates the size and shape of the open inner volume within the drawing implement whereby a specially formed insert can be molded in the mold from a heat transmissible liquid for insertion into the open inner volume of the drawing implement.

20. The bath toy of claim 1 further comprising a spray erasing device operably associated with the drawing surface for erasing drawing figures from the drawing surface by spraying liquid onto the drawing surface.

21. The bath toy of claim 20 wherein the spray erasing device comprises a hand-operated pump and an inlet tube operably associated with the hand-operated pump for drawing liquid from a volume of liquid and spraying the liquid onto the drawing surface.

24. The bath toy of claim 18 wherein the handle portion of the drawing implement is conical with a narrow end adjacent to the distal end of the handle portion and a wide end adjacent to the proximal end of the handle portion, wherein the temperature applicator has a body portion that is conical with a narrow end adjacent to the distal end of the handle portion and a proximal end at a mid-portion of the handle portion, wherein the open inner volume is frusta-conical with a distal end adjacent to the proximal end of the temperature applicator and a proximal end adjacent to the proximal end of the handle portion whereby the end cap can be removed from the proximal end of the handle portion to allow heat transmissible material to be inserted into and removed from the frusta-conical open inner volume.

25. The bath toy of claim 18 wherein the temperature applicator has a body portion a proximal end at a mid-portion of the handle portion and wherein the open inner volume has a distal end adjacent to the proximal end of the temperature applicator and a proximal end adjacent to the proximal end of the handle portion whereby the end cap can be removed from the proximal end of the handle portion to allow heat transmissible material to be inserted into and removed from the open inner volume.

22. A thermally erasable bath toy for enabling a user to create and erase drawing figures in a wet environment, the bath toy comprising:

a drawing desk;

a drawing surface disposed on the drawing desk; and

a thermochromic material disposed over at least a portion of the drawing surface wherein the thermochromic material has an active temperature range wherein the thermochromic material will demonstrate a change in color at least from a first color to a second color;

a temperature-operated drawing implement of heat transmissible material for selectively inducing the thermochromic material to enter its active temperature range wherein the drawing implement comprises a temperature applicator for being brought into a given temperature condition and for being applied to the thermochromic material on the drawing surface to induce the thermochromic material to enter its active temperature range wherein the temperature applicator has a body portion and a drawing tip and wherein the drawing implement further comprises a handle portion for retaining the body portion of the temperature applicator wherein the handle portion has a distal end adjacent to the drawing tip of the temperature applicator and a proximal end, wherein the handle portion comprises a volume of insulative material surrounding the body portion of the temperature applicator but leaving the drawing tip of the temperature applicator exposed, and wherein the body portion of the temperature applicator comprises an elongate shaft with a distal end comprising the drawing tip, a proximal end, and an enlarged weight portion disposed adjacent to the proximal end of the elongate shaft whereby the elongate shaft functions as a skeleton structure for the volume of insulative material;

whereby a user can induce a change in color in the thermochromic material at least from a first color to a second color by inducing the thermochromic material to enter its active temperature range so that a user can create drawing figures on the drawing surface and whereby the thermochromic material will exhibit a change in color at least from the second color back to the first color as the thermochromic material leaves its active temperature range whereby the drawing figures can be erased from the drawing surface.

23. A thermally erasable bath toy for enabling a user to create and erase drawing figures in a wet environment, the bath toy comprising:

a drawing desk;

a drawing surface disposed on the drawing desk; and

a thermochromic material disposed over at least a portion of the drawing surface wherein the thermochromic material has an active temperature range wherein the thermochromic material will demonstrate a change in color at least from a first color to a second color;

whereby a user can induce a change in color in the thermochromic material at least from a first color to a second color by inducing the thermochromic material to enter its active temperature range so that a user can create drawing figures on the drawing surface and whereby the thermochromic material will exhibit a change in color at least from the second color back to the first color as the thermochromic material leaves its active temperature range whereby the drawing figures can be erased from the drawing surface;

a temperature-operated drawing implement of heat transmissible material for selectively inducing the thermochromic material on the drawing surface to enter its active temperature range wherein the drawing implement comprises a temperature applicator for being brought into a given temperature condition and for being applied to the thermochromic material on the drawing surface to induce the thermochromic material to enter its active temperature range wherein the temperature applicator has a body portion and a drawing tip and wherein the drawing implement further comprises a handle portion for retaining the body portion of the temperature applicator wherein the handle portion has a distal end adjacent to the drawing tip of the temperature applicator and a proximal end;

an open inner volume with a given shape and size whithin the drawing implement for retaining a volume of heat transmissible material in heat transmittable association with the temperature applicator;

a closure device for selectively sealing the open inner volume whereby the open inner volume can be selectively filed with and evacuated of heat transmissible material; and

a collapsible member operably associated with the open inner volume of the drawing implement whereby the open inner volume can be filled with a volume of heat transmissible liquid and the liquid can be frozen without causing damage to the drawing implement.

26. A temperature-operated drawing implement comprising:

a temperature applicator of heat transmissible material with a body portion and a drawing tip;

a handle portion for retaining the body portion of the temperature applicator wherein the handle portion has a distal end adjacent to the drawing tip of the temperature applicator and a proximal end;

wherein the body portion of the temperature applicator comprises an elongate shaft with a distal end comprising the drawing tip and a proximal end and further comprising a volume of insulative material surrounding the elongate shaft whereby the elongate shaft functions as a skeleton structure for the volume of insulative material; and

wherein the body portion of the temperature applicator further comprises an enlarged weight portion disposed adjacent to the proximal end of the elongate shaft.

27. The drawing implement of claim 26 further comprising an open inner volume with a given shape and size with the handle portion of the drawing implement for retaining a volume of heat transmissible material in heat transmittable association with the temperature applicator.

28. The drawing implement of claim 27 wherein the open inner volume is watertight and further comprising a volume of heat transmissible liquid retained in the open inner volume whereby the temperature applicator can be retained in a desired temperature condition for an extended period of time by a bringing of the heat transmissible liquid into a desired temperature condition.

29. The drawing implement of claim 26 further comprising a sheath of heat transmissible material removably engagable with the temperature applicator.

30. The drawing implement of claim 27 further comprising a closure device for selectively sealing the open inner volume whereby the open inner volume can be selectively filled with and evacuated of heat transmissible material.

31. The drawing implement of claim 30 wherein the closure device comprises an end cap removably couplable with the proximal end of the handle of the drawing implement whereby a volume of heat transmissible material can be selectively inserted into and evacuated from the open inner volume through the proximal end of the handle.

32. A temperature-operated drawing implement comprising:

a temperature applicator of heat transmissible material with a body portion and a drawing tip

a handle portion for retaining the body portion of the temperature applicator wherein the handle portion has a distal end adjacent to the drawing tip of the temperature applicator and a proximal end;

an open inner volume with a given shape and size within the handle portion of the drawing implement for retaining a volume of heat transmissible material in heat transmittable association with the temperature applicator;

a closure device for selectively sealing the open inner volume whereby the open inner volume can be selectively filled with and evacuated of heat transmissible material wherein the closure device comprises an end cap removably couplable with the proximal end of the handle of the drawing implement whereby a volume of heat transmissible material can be selectively inserted into and evacuated from the open inner volume through the proximal end of the handle; and

a mold with a volume defining a size and shape that approximates the size and shape of the open inner volume whereby a specially formed insert can be molded in the mold from a heat transmissible liquid for insertion into the open inner volume.

33. A temperature-operated drawing implement comprising:

a temperature applicator of heat transmissible material with a body portion and a drawing tip;

a handle portion for retaining the body portion of the temperature applicator wherein the handle portion has a distal end adjacent to the drawing tip of the temperature applicator and a proximal end;

an open inner volume with a given shape and size within the handle portion of the drawing implement for retaining a volume of heat transmissible material in heat transmittable association with the temperature applicator;

a closure device for selectively sealing the open inner volume whereby the open inner volume can be selectively filled with and evacuated of heat transmissible material wherein the closure device comprises an end cap removably couplable with the proximal end of the handle of the drawing implement whereby a volume of heat transmissible material can be selectively inserted into and evacuated from the open inner volume through the proximal end of the handle; and

wherein the handle portion is conical with a narrow end adjacent to the distal end of the handle portion and a wide end adjacent to the proximal end of the handle portion, wherein the temperature applicator has a body portion that is conical with a narrow end adjacent to the distal end of the handle portion and a proximal end at a mid-portion of the handle portion, wherein the open inner volume is frusta-conical with a distal end adjacent to the proximal end of the temperature applicator and a proximal end adjacent to the proximal end of the handle portion whereby the end cap can be removed from the proximal end of the handle portion to allow heat transmissible material to be inserted into and removed from the frusta-conical open inner volume.

34. A temperature-operated drawing implement comprising:

a temperature applicator of heat transmissible material with a body portion and a drawing tip;

a handle portion for retaining the body portion of the temperature applicator wherein the handle portion has a distal end adjacent to the drawing tip of the temperature applicator and a proximal end;

an open inner volume with a given shape and size within the handle portion of the drawing implement for retaining a volume of heat transmissible material in heat transmittable association with the temperature applicator;

a closure device for selectively sealing the open inner volume whereby the open inner volume can be selectively filled with and evacuated of heat transmissible material wherein the closure device comprises an end cap removably couplable with the proximal end of the handle of the drawing implement whereby a volume of heat transmissible material can be selectively inserted into and evacuated from the open inner volume through the proximal end of the handle; and

wherein the temperature applicator has a body portion with a proximal end at a mid-portion of the handle portion and wherein the open inner volume has a distal end adjacent to the proximal end of the temperature applicator and a proximal end adjacent to the proximal end of the handle portion whereby the end cap can be removed from the proximal end of the handle portion to allow heat transmissible material to be inserted into and removed from the open inner volume.