Illuminated sparkling pumpkin

• US 20030156415A1
• Filed: 02/20/2002
• Published: 08/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SEASONS 4 Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Seasons (HK) Ltd.
• Inventors: Blatherwick, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 6,629,770 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/293
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/22 Optical, colour, or shadow toys puzzles with optical elements A63F9/0613; kaleidoscopes G02B27/08
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/26 Magnetic or electric toys electric drives A63H29/22 ; indoor games played with small balls using magnetic power A63F7/0088, A63F7/068
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/0033 constructed for making articles provided with holes
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/003 characterised by the choice of material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/04 Rotational or centrifugal casting, i.e. coating the inside of a mould by rotating the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/386 for undercut articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2031/04 Polymers of vinyl acetate, e.g. PVAc, i.e. polyvinyl acetate
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/747 Lightning equipment
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/808 Figure

Abstract

Disclosed is a decorative novelty illuminated sparkling pumpkin device having a main body shell made of pelletized ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers bonded in a molding process, and a light source providing illumination within the hollow interior space of the main body shell whereby the pelletized ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers impart an enhanced sparkling/glowing effect upon illumination from the light source. A method of manufacturing such an illuminated sparkling pumpkin device is also disclosed.

Claims

1. An illuminated sparkling pumpkin, comprising:

a main body shell made of pelletized materials having an exterior surface forming a pumpkin-like shape, said exterior surface defining a hollow interior space; and

a light source for providing illumination within said hollow interior space, wherein said main body shell imparts an enhanced glowing effect upon illumination from said light source.

2. The illuminated sparkling pumpkin of claim 1, said main body shell further comprising:

a front face having characterizing depressions;

a pumpkin stem-shaped protrusion positioned at a top portion of said main body shell; and

a plurality of generally vertically extending grooves segmenting said main body shell, said main body shell further defining an aperture at a bottom portion of said main body shell.

3. The illuminated sparkling pumpkin of claim 1, said main body shell further comprising pelletized ethylene vinyl acetate copolymers (EVAs) having soft and rough surfaces, wherein said pelletized EVAs define gaps therebetween.

4. The illuminated sparkling pumpkin of claim 3, wherein said pelletized EVAs having soft and rough surfaces create a varying degree of light dispersion effect when illuminated.

5. The illuminated sparkling pumpkin of claim 1, said light source comprising:

an on-off switch; and

a base member having a battery receiving chamber connected to a socket for receiving a threaded electrical connector of a light bulb.

6. The illuminated sparkling pumpkin of claim 5, wherein eyes, a nose, and a mouth are attached to said depressions.

7. A decorative pumpkin, comprising:

a main body shell made of rotationally molded pelletized copolymers and a coloring agent, said main body shell having an exterior surface forming a pumpkin-like shape, said exterior surface defining a hollow interior space; and

8. The decorative pumpkin of claim 7, said main body shell further comprising:

a face section having characterizing depressions;

a pumpkin stem-shaped protrusion positioned at a top portion of said main body shell; and

a plurality of generally vertically extending grooves segmenting said main body shell.

9. The decorative pumpkin of claim 8, wherein fabric eyes, nose, and mouth are attached in said depressions.

10. The decorative pumpkin of claim 7, wherein said pelletized copolymers are formed from ethylene vinyl acetate.

11. The decorative pumpkin of claim 7, wherein said pelletized copolymers have soft and rough surfaces, and wherein said pelletized parts define gaps therebetween.

12. The decorative pumpkin of claim 11, wherein said pelletized parts having soft and rough surfaces create a varying degree of light dispersion effect when illuminated by a light source providing illumination within said hollow interior space.

13. A method of manufacturing a synthetic pumpkin, comprising the steps of:

providing a pelletized raw material in a mold;

placing said mold in a processing machine;

rotating said mold while heating said mold to a pre-selected operating temperature;

maintaining said mold at said pre-selected operating temperature to form a main body shell having an exterior surface forming a pumpkin shape, said exterior surface defining a hollow interior space; and

removing said formed main body shell from said processing machine.

14. The method of manufacturing the pumpkin of claim 13, further comprising adding a coloring agent to said mold.

15. The method of manufacturing the pumpkin of claim 13, wherein said pelletized raw material is ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA).

16. The method of manufacturing the pumpkin of claim 13, wherein said main body shell further comprises:

a face section having depressions forming Jack-o-lantern eyes, nose and mouth;

a pumpkin stem-shaped protrusion positioned at a top portion of said main body shell; and

a plurality of generally vertically extending grooves segmenting said main body shell, wherein said main body shell further defining an aperture at a bottom portion of said main body shell.

17. The method of manufacturing the pumpkin of claim 16, further comprising the step of affixing eyes, nose, and mouth shaped elements in said depressions.

18. The method of manufacturing the pumpkin of claim 13, further comprising:

providing a light source within said hollow interior space, wherein said light source includes an on-off switch and a base member having a battery chamber and socket for receiving a light bulb.