GB2322564A

GB2322564A - Toy for babies

Info

Publication number: GB2322564A
Application number: GB9626870A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kelly Hadfield-Hyde
Original assignee: HADFIELD HYDE KELLY
Current assignee: HADFIELD HYDE KELLY
Priority date: 1996-12-24
Filing date: 1996-12-24
Publication date: 1998-09-02
Also published as: GB9626870D0

Abstract

A toy is provided which is suitable for use as a plaything by the baby. Items (1) for care of the baby, such as feeding utensils, nappy changing accessories, and articles of clothing, are removably mounted on the toy. Items are stored within the toy, which is adapted so that it cannot be opened by a baby but can be opened by a carer to remove the items, for example by the use of zip fasteners or mutually adherant fabric strips. The toy can include a carrying strap.

Description

TOY FOR BABIES The invention relates to a toy suitable for use as a plaything by a baby.

Care of a baby requires ready availability of a number of items. Such items are feeding utensils, spare nappies and nappy changing accessories, and also spare articles of clothing. This renders travelling with babies difficult, particularly for a single carer travelling alone, as it is desirable to carry all these necessary items and also convey the baby.

It is therefore desirable to find a way of carrying efficiently all the items needed for care of the baby.

Accordingly, the invention provides a toy suitable for use as a plaything by a baby, the toy comprising one or more items for care of a baby removably mounted thereon.

It is particularly appropriate for the toy to be in the form of a toy animal, such as a teddy bear. It may be appropriate for certain of the items to be carried on the outside of the toy (for example, a bib and dummy), but it will in general be advantageous if other items are concealed within the toy when it is in a first, closed, position but such that these items can be removed when the toy is in a second, opened, position. It is particularly desirable that the toy is adapted such that a baby is not able to open the toy from the first position to the second position.

A specific embodiment of the invention is described below, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG 1 shows an embodiment of the invention in a closed position; FIG 2 shows a back view of the embodiment of Figure 1 in an opened position; FIG 3 shows a detail of a back view of the embodiment of Figure 1 in a closed position; and FIG 4 shows items suitable for mounting on the outside of the toy of Figure 1. Figure 1 shows a toy suitable for use as a plaything by a baby. In the embodiment of Figure 1, the toy is a teddy bear. The toy can be designed to comply with all the safety standards applying to such toys for use as a plaything by a baby, and can be made to be washable.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the toy comprises one or more items for the care of a baby removably mounted thereon. In Figure 2, the toy is shown in an opened position: Figure 3 shows a detail of the toy illustrated in a closed position. The toy has two flaps 11,12 which are fixed on one edge to the body 13 of the toy. On another edge (see Figure 3), as zip fastener connection 2 is provided between the two flaps. The zip fastener 2 is adapted such that when it is closed, flaps 11 and 12 are held together and the head of the zip fastener 2 is concealable by a mutually adherent pair of fabric strips 3. Advantageously, such mutually adherent fabric strips are of Velcro (Velcro is a Registered Trade Mark). With this arrangement, a baby using the toy will not be able to open the toy from the closed position to the opened position, thus rendering the toy safe for use as a plaything by baby.

Items are attached to the flaps 11,12 or the body 13 of the toy by elasticated bands 4. The bands are preferably of fabric with elastic threads stretching in the direction between two attachment points to the flaps or body. Further area to which items can be attached can be made available by providing a roll out strip 14 attached at one end to either one of the flaps 11,12 or the body of the toy 13. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, it is advantageous that the roll out strip 14 is used for attachment of articles of clothing. Also attached to the toy are nappy changing materials and accessories and feeding utensils.

Included among these nappy changing accessories is a roll out changing mat 5. This is preferably waterproof and foam filled: it is advantageously provided with an outer layer of polyurethane (or similar material).

An advantageous feature is a pocket 6 comprising a fabric layer with insulating properties. A bottle can be kept warm when placed in this pocket 6, so that warm milk can be provided for feeding even some distance into a journey.

While the Figure 2 arrangement shows attachment of baby care items to the toy with elasticated bands, alternative means are available, particularly mutually adhesive fabric strips (such as Velcro) or press studs.

Figure 4 shows examples of baby care items which can be mounted on the outside of the toy. These include a bib 21 and a baby's dummy 22 attached to the bib. These can be in effect "worn" by the teddy bear.

Additionally, as is shown in Figure 2, a carrying strap 21 is provided. This is attached to the body of the toy by press studs, so that when the strap 21 is removed, the toy can still be safely handled by a baby.

As can be seen, the invention provides a particularly effective solution to carrying baby care items by removably mounted on a toy, which can be used as a plaything by the baby. As in any event the baby is likely to require a plaything during travel the invention is extremely convenient for a carer using it, as it obviates the need for carrying, separately, a toy, feeding utensils, nappy changing accessories, and spare items of clothing.

Claims

1. Toy suitable for use as a plaything by a baby, the toy comprising one or more items for care of a baby removably mounted thereon.

2. Toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein one or more of said items are concealed within the toy in a first, closed, position, wherein said one or more items can be removed when the toy is in a second, opened, position.

3. Toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein the toy is adapted so that a baby is not able to open the toy from the first position to the second position.

4. Toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein means to change the toy between the first and second positions comprise a zip fastener.

5. Toy as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4, wherein means to change the toy between the first and second positions comprise mutually adherent fabric strips.

6. Toy as claimed in claim 5 where dependent on claim 4, wherein when in the closed position, a head of the zip fastener is concealed from the outside of the toy by one of said one or more mutually adherent fabric strips.

7. Toy as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6, wherein the toy comprises one or more flaps which are fixed to a body of the toy on one or more edges of the one or more flaps and which are removably attached to the remainder of the toy on other edges of the one or more flaps.

8. Toy as claimed in any of claims 2 to 7, wherein the toy comprises one or more rollout strips which can be rolled out when the toy is in the second position.

9. Toy as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least some of said items are mounted on the toy by means of elasticated bands.

10. Toy as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least some items are mounted on the toy by means of mutually adherent fabric strips.

11. Toy as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least some of said items are mounted on the toy by means of press studs.

12. Toy as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein at least some of said items are mounted on the outside of the toy.

13. Toy as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said items comprise one or more of feeding utensils, nappy changing accessories, and articles of clothing.

14. Toy as claimed in claim 13, wherein said items comprise a changing mat.

15. Toy as claimed in claim 13, wherein said items comprise a feeding bottle, and wherein the feeding bottle is retained in the toy at least partially within a layer of insulating fabric.

16. Toy as claimed in any preceding claim, further comprising a carrying strap removably attached thereto.

17. Toy as claimed in any preceding claim in the form of a teddy bear or other toy animal.

18. Toy substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.