US20080102730A1

US20080102730A1 - Novelty device

Info

Publication number: US20080102730A1
Application number: US11/731,664
Authority: US
Inventors: Ronald G. Ploog; Joelle M. Ploog
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-10-27
Filing date: 2007-03-30
Publication date: 2008-05-01

Abstract

A novelty device including a figurine having a pair of breasts attached to a torso by springs thereby creating a “jiggling” effect to the breasts.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is based on and claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/855,062, filed Oct. 27, 2006, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to novelty devices, and in particular to a novelty device having a figurine.
Recently, a novelty item commonly referred to as the bobble head doll has become quite popular in the sports world. In a bobble head doll, the body of the doll stays stationary and the head is attached to the body of the doll above the shoulders by a spring that connects the neck area of the doll to the head. The head moves independently from the body by touching the head or by shaking the body. The movement is a side-to-side somewhat circular motion or what is commonly referred to as a “bobbling” motion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention includes a doll or a figurine having a pair of breasts attached to a torso by springs such that the breasts are set in motion in a “jiggling” effect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a doll of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side diagrammatical view of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is yet another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention includes a jiggling breast feature 10 on a doll or figurine 12. Like reference characters will be used to indicate like elements throughout the Figures. In the doll 12 illustrated in FIG. 1, a pair of breasts 14 and 16 are attached to a figurine torso 18 via a spring mechanism 20. The breasts 14 and 16 are preferably made of a silicone rubber although other materials having the characteristics of silicone rubber are included within this invention. The preferred silicone rubber is of a type that can be molded and is soft to the touch.
As further illustrated in FIG. 2, the spring 20 is embedded at a proximal end 22 within the torso 18. The spring 20 is embedded in the silicone breasts 14 and 16 (only one of which is illustrated in FIG. 2) at a distal end 24. The distal end 24 includes a plurality of spring coils 26. At least one coil and preferably more than one coil is embedded in the silicone breast 14 by molding the silicone rubber around the coils 26. A sufficient number of coils 26 are embedded in the silicone rubber, such that the silicone rubber breast is firmly attached to the spring 20 so that the breast 14 is not easily detached from the spring 20 due to constant jiggling or touching. The spring 20 at the proximal end 22 is embedded in the torso 18 of the figurine preferably during molding of the torso. Similarly, at least one coil is embedded and preferably more than one coil is embedded. A sufficient number of coils are embedded to firmly secure the spring 20 to the torso.
A mid portion 28 of the spring is neither embedded in the breast 16 or in the torso 18. The portion 28 is exposed and unrestrained which results in the breasts moving. In one embodiment, the mid portion included 10 to 14 unrestrained spring coils. A sufficient number of unrestrained coils in the portion 28 are needed for the breasts to move in a jiggling fashion. The number of coils needed will depend on the frequency of movement desired, the thickness of the spring wire and the weight of the breasts. For higher frequency, the weight (size) of the breasts may be increased, the number of coils in the mid section increased (length of mid section) or the thickness of the spring wire decreased or any combination.
A desired jiggle effect should occur by a simple touching of the breast or by a slight movement of the device. In one embodiment of the device, at least 10 movements per second occurred which gave the breasts a jiggle effect. Although coil springs are specifically discussed, the invention also includes other spring configurations or mechanisms such as a leaf spring.
Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 3, generally indicated at 40. In the embodiment 40, a figurine 42 is secured to a beverage can cooler 44. The beverage can cooler is a typical can cooler that is made of an insulating material, typically of a foamed elastic material that commonly has a fabric secured on the inner and outer surfaces. The cooler 44 has a bottom (not shown) and thereby accepts a beverage can in an interior chamber 46. The FIG. 42, just as the doll described with reference to FIG. 1, includes a pair of silicone breasts attached to a torso 45 in a manner as described with reference to FIG. 2. The breasts 14 and 16 are secured each via a spring 20. Preferably, the figurine is made separately from the beverage can cooler 44 thereby permitting beverage can cooler 44 to be made with promotional indicia such as sport teams, names of restaurants or bars or events while having to inventory only one type of figurine, although the figurine and can cooler could be made in situ.
Another embodiment of the present invention is generally indicated at 50 in FIG. 4. The embodiment 50 includes a hat 52 that includes a cap section 54 and a bill 56. A figurine 58 is secured to a front portion 60 of the cap section 54 directly above the bill 56. Silicone breasts 14 and 16 are secured to a torso 62 of the figurine 58 by springs 20 in a manner as described with reference to FIG. 2. Again, the figurine 58, as the figurine 42, is preferably attached to the cap section 54, as compared to being made with the cap, thereby permitting attachment of the figurine to various hats thereby providing flexibility in producing the embodiment 50 for a wide variety of colors and commercial indicia.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A novelty device comprising:

a figurine having a female shaped torso;

first and second attachments shaped like female breasts; and

first and second springs attaching the first and second attachments to the torso.

2. The novelty device of claim 1 wherein the attachments are made of a silicone rubber.

3. The novelty device of claim 1 wherein the springs are coil springs.

4. The novelty device of claim 3 wherein the coil springs have proximal ends embedded within the torso and distal ends embedded within the first and second attachments.

5. The novelty device of claim 1 wherein a mid section of the spring is unrestrained.

6. The novelty device of claim 1 wherein the springs include a mid section that is unrestrained and has a spring force to effect at least approximately 10 movements per second of the first and second attachments.

7. The novelty device of claim 1 wherein the figure comprises a stand-alone doll containing the torso.

8. The novelty device of claim 1 and further comprising a can cooler made of an elastic insulating material and having a chamber for receiving a can and wherein the figurine is attached to the exterior of the can cooler.

9. The novelty device of claim 1 and further comprising a hat having a cap section and wherein the figurine is attached to the cap section.

10. The novelty device of claim 9 wherein the hat further comprises a bill and the figurine is attached to the cap section above the bill.

11. A method of making a novelty device, the method comprising:

producing a female figure which includes a torso shaped portion and embedding within the torso a pair of springs extending outwardly from the torso; and

molding around a distal end of the pair of springs a silicone polymer in the general shape of female breasts.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the springs are coil springs, each coil spring having at least one coil section embedded within the torso and at least one coil section embedded within the silicone polymer.

13. The novelty device of claim 11 and further comprising attaching the female figure to a can cooler.

14. The method of claim 1 and further comprising attaching the female figure to a hat.