Polyurethane artificial holloween pumpkin

• US 6,555,188 B1
• Filed: 02/05/1998
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maureen A. Chapman Family Trust
• Original Assignee: Jeffrey A. Chapman
• Inventors: Chapman, Jeffrey A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuhns, Allan R.
• Application Number:
  US09/019,533
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• Field of Search: 428/17, 428/21, 428/36.5, 428/318.4, 446/385
• US Class Current: 428/17
• CPC Class Codes: A41G 1/005 luminous or luminescent
• CPC Class Codes: A41G 1/008 Artificial fruits or vegetables
• CPC Class Codes: A41G 1/02 Implements, apparatus, or machines for making artificial flowers, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/367 using spray nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/06 Natural ornaments; Imitations thereof artificial flowers, fruit, leaves A41G1/00; artificial feathers A41G11/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1376 Foam or porous material containing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249987 With nonvoid component of specified composition

Abstract

The invention is in the field of three-dimensional hollow novelty items and their manufacture, particularly items such as artificial pumpkins that the consumer desires to carve or alter after purchase. A carvable novelty article, such as an artificial Halloween pumpkin, comprises a polyurethane shell substantially surrounding an interior volume and having a thin coating, such as an acrylic elastomer, on the exterior surface of the shell. The carvable article can be formed by an inventive process in which polyurethane foam material, such as material having a nominal density of about 2.5-3.0 pounds per cubic foot, is sprayed from a nozzle rotating with respect to the inside of a mold. After the polyurethane foam article and the mold are separated, the article is coated with an elastomeric coating, such as an acrylic material that is applied as a liquid. Thus, the inventive articles, including those made in accordance with the inventive process, can be used as three-dimensional hollow novelty items of a variety of shapes. In addition, the inventive articles, such as Halloween pumpkins, are carvable, reusable, and can be used with a light source.

Claims

1. An article formed by a process comprising:

(a) placing a generally spherical, hollow mold and a spray nozzle so as to position the nozzle along a central axis of the mold;

(b) spraying components of a rigid polyurethane foam through the nozzle and directing said components radially at the inside surface of the mold, causing the components to form a foam material against portions of the inside surface at which the components are sprayed;

(c) moving the mold and the nozzle relative to each other so as to cause the mold to revolve axially with respect to the nozzle, so that the component material is sprayed at enough portions of the inside surface to form a hollow, generally spherical, rigid polyurethane foam shell;

(d) separating the mold and the formed polyurethane foam shell; and

(e) at some point in the process, forming holes extending through the material of the rigid polyurethane foam shell, which holes are shaped and positioned to visually represent a face.

2. The article of claim 1 wherein the article is formed by a process wherein spraying polyurethane components includes:

(a) passing the polyurethane components to the nozzle through a static mixing tube; and

(b) using polyurethane components having a slow reactive time.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein the article is formed by a process further comprising applying a mold-release agent to an interior surface of the hollow mold before spraying the polyurethane components.

4. The article of claim 1 wherein part (e) comprises using a pocketknife to carve the holes.

5. The article of claim 1 further comprising a source of light inside the shell.

6. The article of claim 1 wherein the mold is shaped to form a plurality of longitudinal depressions spaced around the external surface of the shell and a stem-shaped protrusion at an upper portion of the shell.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein the mold has a textured exterior surface.

8. The article of claim 1 further comprising applying a coating comprised of an acrylic material to an exterior surface of the polyurethane foam shell.

9. The article of claim 1 wherein the article is formed by a process wherein parts (b) and (c) are performed to create a shell having a substantially uniform thickness, which shell has an opening along the central axis of the mold.

10. The article of claim 1 wherein spraying polyurethane components further includes applying the components so as to form a polyurethane foam material having a nominal density of about 2.5-3.0 pounds per cubic foot.

11. The article of claim 8 wherein the coating on the shell is colored orange.

12. The article of claim 1 wherein the mold is shaped to form a plurality of longitudinal depressions spaced around the external surface of the shell.

13. The article of claim 1 wherein the mold is shaped to form a stem-shaped protrusion at an upper portion of the shell.

14. The article of claim 8 wherein the coating has a material composition and color that is substantially opaque to ultraviolet radiation.

15. The article of claim 1 further comprising forming a plurality of longitudinal depressions spaced around the external surface of the shell.

16. An article formed by a process comprising:

(a) placing a generally spherical, hollow mold and a spray nozzle so as to position the nozzle along a central axis of the mold;

(b) spraying components of a rigid polyurethane foam through the nozzle and directing said components radially at the inside surface of the mold, causing the components to form a foam material against portions of the inside surface at which the components are sprayed;

(c) moving the mold and the nozzle relative to each other so as to cause the mold to revolve axially with respect to the nozzle, so that the component material is sprayed at enough portions of the inside surface to form a hollow, generally spherical, rigid polyurethane foam shell;

(d) separating the mold and the formed polyurethane foam shell;

(e) painting the exterior of the rigid polyurethane foam shell; and

(f) forming holes extending through the material of the shell, which holes are shaped and positioned to visually represent a face.

17. The article of claim 16 wherein painting the exterior includes coloring at least substantial portions of the shell orange.

18. The article of claim 16 wherein the article is formed by a process wherein spraying polyurethane components includes:

(a) passing the polyurethane components to the nozzle through a static mixing tube; and

(b) using polyurethane components having a slow reactive time.

19. The article of claim 16 wherein the article is formed by a process further comprising applying a mold-release agent to an interior surface of the hollow mold before spraying the polyurethane components.

20. The article of claim 16 wherein the article is formed by a process:

(a) further comprising applying a mold-release agent to an interior surface of the hollow mold before spraying the polyurethane components; and

(b) wherein spraying polyurethane components further includes applying the components so as to form a polyurethane foam material having a nominal density of about 2.5-3.0 pounds per cubic foot.

21. The article of claim 16 wherein the mold is shaped to form a plurality of longitudinal depressions spaced around the external surface of the shell and a stem-shaped protrusion at an axial portion of the shell.

22. The article of claim 16 wherein forming holes comprises carving the holes using a pocketknife.

23. An article comprising a hollow, generally spherical shell comprised of rigid polyurethane foam and having holes extending therethrough, which holes are shaped and positioned to visually represent a face.

24. The article of claim 23 wherein the shell has an orange-colored coating and is irregularly shaped, thereby to resemble a pumpkin.

25. The article of claim 23 wherein the polyurethane foam has a nominal density of about 2.5-3.0 pounds per cubic foot.

26. The article of claim 23 wherein the polyurethane foam shell has a substantially circular hole extending therethrough that is located below the holes representing a face and further comprising a light source inside the hollow shell adjacent to the substantially circular hole.

27. The article of claim 23 wherein the rigid polyurethane foam is formed from an “

A”

component and a “

B”

component mixed together.