US20170239583A1

US20170239583A1 - Figure With Custom Cover

Info

Publication number: US20170239583A1
Application number: US15/589,286
Authority: US
Inventors: Joel Weinshanker
Original assignee: National Entertainment Collectibles Association Inc
Current assignee: NECA LLC
Priority date: 2013-12-17
Filing date: 2017-05-08
Publication date: 2017-08-24
Also published as: WO2015095338A1; US20150166207A1

Abstract

A figure with a custom cover is provided herein. More specifically, provided is a custom cover for a figure comprising a heat-shrinkable, generally transparent, sheet sized and shaped for covering a figure, and the sheet receptive to ink and paint for decorating the figure. Also provided herein is a method for customizing a figure comprising decorating a custom cover, the custom cover being generally transparent and colorable, positioning the custom cover around the figure, and heat shrinking the custom cover to the figure to attach the cover to the figure. Further, provided herein is a kit for customizing a figure comprising a figure, a custom cover sized and shaped for covering the figure, the custom cover being colorable, a coloring agent for coloring the custom cover, and a tool for applying the coloring agent to the custom cover.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of, and claims the benefit of priority to, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/573,716 filed on Dec. 17, 2014, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/916,954, filed Dec. 17, 2013, the entire disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a figure with custom cover. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a figure which can be decorated or personalized with a customizable flexible sheet by heat-shrinking the sheet onto the figure.
Related Art
Customizing or decorating figures (e.g., board games pieces, action figures, etc.) is a common hobby for children and adults alike. Figures can be customized by drawing directly onto the figure with art supplies (e.g., paint, colored pencil, etc.). However, it is often difficult, especially for young children, to draw on the figures themselves due to the contours of the figures and the difficulty of simultaneously drawing onto and holding a figure.
What would be desirable, but has not yet been developed, is a figure with a custom cover. More specifically, what would be desirable is a customizable cover that can be decorated prior to being applied to a figure.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates to a figure with custom cover. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a customizable cover that can be decorated prior to being applied to a figure. The customizable cover could be universal and intended for use with a variety of different figures, or specifically shaped and/or precut to be used with a specific figure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features of the disclosure will be apparent from the following Detailed Description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a figure with a universal custom cover wrapped around the figure prior to application of heat;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the figure with the custom cover after heat has been applied thereto;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the finalized figure with the custom cover applied thereto;

FIG. 4 is a universal foldable custom cover with figure outlines thereon;

FIG. 5 is a foldable precut custom cover; and

FIG. 6 is a foldable precut custom cover with a plurality of individually foldable portions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to a figure with a custom cover, as discussed below in connection with FIGS. 1-6. The custom cover provides a simple and easy way to decorate or customize a figure.
FIGS. 1-3 are perspective views of various stages of applying a custom cover 10 to a FIG. 12. More specifically, FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a FIG. 12 with a universal custom cover 10 wrapped around the FIG. 12 prior to applying heat. The FIG. 12 could be an action figure, doll, or any other suitable toy or item (e.g., truck, airplane, etc.).
The custom cover 10 could be a plastic sheet, flexible sheet, etc. As shown, the custom cover 10 could be generally rectangular, having a top edge 14, bottom edge 16, right edge 18, and left edge 20, although, as described below, the custom cover 10 could be of any useful shape or size. The custom cover (e.g., sheet) is receptive to ink and paint for decorating the figure. A user decorates and colors the custom cover 10 using any suitable art supplies (e.g., pens, colored pencils, paints, etc.) prior to applying the custom cover 10 to the FIG. 12 (although the custom cover 10 could instead, or additionally, be decorated after it is applied to the FIG. 12). Any suitable coloring tool (e.g., paintbrush, pencil, etc.) could be used to apply any suitable coloring agent (e.g., enamels, colored pencils, paints, etc.) to the custom cover. Drawing and decorating the custom cover 10 on a flat surface prior to applying it to the FIG. 12 is particularly advantageous for young children who are still developing motor control and dexterity functions and may not be able to hold, orient, and decorate the FIG. 12 simultaneously.
The custom cover 10 is wrapped around the FIG. 12, such as indicated by Arrow A. Preferably, the right edge 20 and left edge 18 overlap slightly to form an open top 24 and an open bottom 26. As shown, the custom cover 10 forms a substantially cylindrical shape surrounding the FIG. 12, where the sides 28 of the cylinder could be tapered inward or otherwise shaped to better conform to the shape of the FIG. 12. The open top 24 and open bottom 26 can be folded or pinched prior to applying heat to the custom cover 10. Alternatively, the open top 24 and open bottom 26 can close themselves once heat is applied. Heat can be applied in any of a variety of ways (e.g., the figure and custom cover could be placed in an oven or a heat gun could be used).
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the FIG. 12 with the custom cover 10 after heat has been applied thereto. Due to the application of heat to the custom cover 10, the custom cover 10 will shrink and adhere to the FIG. 12. The duration and intensity of the heat will vary the resulting properties of the custom cover 10 (e.g., how much the custom cover shrinks), as well as how the heat is applied (e.g., uniformly using an oven, at specific portions using a heat gun). However, parts of the custom cover 10 may adhere to itself forming excess portions 40. These excess portions 40 can be cut out and removed (e.g., by tearing or by using a knife or scissors, etc.), such as along lines 42, so that the custom cover 10 better fits and conforms to the shape of the FIG. 12.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the finalized figure with the custom cover 10 after application of heat and after any excess portions 42 have been removed. The custom cover 10 is substantially the same shape as the FIG. 12 through a combination of heat application and removal of excess portions.
FIG. 4 is a universal foldable custom cover 110 with figure outlines 154, 156 drawn (e.g., pre-printed) thereon. There is a fold line 158 separating front portion 150 and back portion 152, and indicating to a user where the custom cover should be folded, as indicated by Arrows B. Each of the front portion 150 and back portion 152 has a figure outline. More specifically, the front portion 150 has a front figure outline 154 on the front surface of the custom cover 110, and the back portion 152 has a back figure outline 156 on the front surface of the custom cover 110. The figure outlines 154, 156 substantially match the shape of an action figure (e.g., head, chest, arms, legs, etc.), although they could be of any other shape and could match the shape of a specific figure. When the custom cover 110 is folded, front portion outline 154 (and individual portions thereof) is generally aligned with back portion outline 156 (and individual portions thereof), thereby fully covering the figure. The front and back portions of the custom cover extend over the front and back portions of the figure.
The figure outlines 154, 156 could be used as a general guide as to where a user should draw and/or as a guide for removing (e.g., cutting out) the figure outlines 154, 156 from the custom cover 110. If the outlines 154, 156 are removed from the custom cover 110, each outline 154, 156 could be applied separately, which could improve the accuracy of placement of decorative elements of the custom cover 110.
FIG. 5 is a foldable precut custom cover 210 shaped to a figure. The figure outlines 154, 156 substantially match the shape of an action figure (e.g., head, chest, arms, legs, etc.), although they could be of any other shape. Here the outlines 254, 256 are precut and foldable at the arm portions of the figure along line 258, as indicated by Arrows C. This could be advantageous to a user in that the precut outlines 254, 256 could be customized for particular figures specifically (or used for figures generally). Also, having precut figures could minimize excess portions resulting from the application of heat to the custom cover 210. When the custom cover 210 is folded, front portion outline 254 (and individual portions thereof) is generally aligned with back portion outline 256 (and individual portions thereof), thereby fully covering the figure.
FIG. 6 is a foldable precut custom cover 310 with a plurality of individually foldable portions. The figure outlines 154, 156 substantially match the shape of an action figure (e.g., head, chest, arms, legs, etc.), although they could be of any other shape. The portions are foldable along lines 358, such as indicated by Arrows D. Such an embodiment could be used specifically for particular figures (or used for figures generally). Further, having individually foldable portions could increase the accuracy of matching decorative elements with the figure (e.g., better matching an arm element). Further, such an embodiment could reduce the size and/or amount of excess portions resulting from the application of heat to the custom cover 310. The figure includes fold lines 358 and cut lines 360 (although the cut lines 360 could be precut). The individual foldable portions could include individually foldable head 364, arms 366, biceps 368, chest 370, legs 372, etc.
The custom cover could be packaged together with a figure (where the custom cover could be shaped and precut to be used specifically with the packaged figure). Additionally or alternatively, one or more custom covers could be packaged without a figure. The sheets could be precut for specific figures, specific poses, and/or specific figures in specific poses. Further, the sheets could be pre-printed with indicia. For example, the pre-printed indicia could include an outline of the body for the figure, basic facial features (e.g., eyes, nose, etc.), superhero symbol, etc. The custom covers could be on a large roll and separated by perforations and/or by cutting.
The custom covers could be clear (e.g., transparent) and/or tinted one or more colors and/or have certain portions pre-colored. The custom covers are intended to be colored before being adhered to the figure, but they could be colored after adhesion (particularly where certain portions of the custom cover are pre-colored or pre-decorated with a certain pattern).
Having thus described the system and method in detail, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is not intended to limit the spirit or scope thereof. It will be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make any variations and modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. All such variations and modifications, including those discussed above, are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A custom cover for a toy figure having a body with a head, arms, and legs extending away from the body, comprising:

a heat-shrinkable, generally transparent, sheet sized and shaped for covering and conforming to the body and the head, arms, and legs extending from the body of the figure;

the sheet being self-closing around the figure upon application of heat and forming excess portions between the body and the head arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure; and

the sheet being receptive to ink and paint for decorating the figure.

2. The custom cover of claim 1, wherein the sheet comprises plastic.

3. The custom cover of claim 2, wherein the sheet further includes a front portion and a back portion for extending over front and back portions of the figure.

4. The custom cover of claim 3, wherein the front portion of the sheet includes a pre-printed front figure outline and the back portion of the sheet includes a pre-printed back figure outline.

5. The custom cover of claim 2, wherein the sheet is precut to the shape of the figure including the body and the head, arms, and legs extending away from the body.

6. A method for customizing a toy figure comprising:

providing a figure having a body with a head, arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure;

decorating a custom cover, the custom cover being generally transparent and colorable, the custom cover being self-closing around the figure upon application of heat and forming excess portions between the body, head, arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure;

positioning the custom cover around the body and the head, arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure; and

heat shrinking the custom cover to the figure to attach the cover to the body and the head, arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure; and

after heat shrinking, removing excess portions of the custom cover so that the custom cover substantially conforms to the body and the head, arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of decorating the custom cover is performed before heat shrinking the cover to the figure.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of decorating the custom cover is performed after heat shrinking the cover to the figure.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the sheet comprises plastic.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of positioning the custom cover around the figure comprises wrapping the custom cover about the body and the head, arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of positioning the custom cover around the figure comprises folding the custom cover about the body and the head, arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of decorating the custom cover comprises coloring the custom cover.

13. A kit for customizing a toy figure comprising:

a figure having a body with a head, arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure;

a custom cover sized and shaped for covering the body and the head, arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure, the custom cover being colorable;

a coloring agent for coloring the custom cover; and

a tool for applying the coloring agent to the custom cover.

14. The custom kit of claim 13, wherein the custom cover comprises a heat-shrinkable plastic.

15. The custom kit of claim 13, wherein the figure comprises an action figure.

16. The custom kit of claim 13, wherein the sheet further includes a front portion and a back portion for extending over front and back portions of the figure.

17. The custom kit of claim 16, wherein the front portion includes a pre-printed front figure outline and the back portion includes a pre-printed back figure outline.

18. The custom kit of claim 13, wherein the sheet is precut to the shape of the body and the head, arms, and legs extending away from the body of the figure.

19. The custom cover of claim 5, wherein the sheet includes a plurality of individually foldable portions, the plurality of individually foldable portions substantially matching the head, arms, and legs of the figure.

20. The custom cover of claim 13, wherein the sheet includes a plurality of individually foldable portions, the plurality of individually foldable portions substantially matching the head, arms, and legs of the figure.