US3576085A

US3576085A - Package toy

Info

Publication number: US3576085A
Application number: US821766A
Authority: US
Inventors: Steven A Nelson
Original assignee: Mattel Inc
Current assignee: Mattel Inc
Priority date: 1969-05-05
Filing date: 1969-05-05
Publication date: 1971-04-27
Anticipated expiration: 1988-04-27

Abstract

A toy-holding package which itself serves as a plaything comprising a structure with a central depression for holding a toy set and surrounding walls that have the appearance of human or animal bodies. Several heads are provided in the toy set which can be inserted into holes on the package walls to form complete figures. The heads are supplied in the form of tiles of a ''''memory'''' plastic that can be heated for growing into the shape of heads, and the toy set includes a heating chamber.

Description

United States Patent 247,302 9/1881 Candy 1,221,493 4/1917 Whitaker Steven A. Nelson Palos Verdes Estates, Calif. 82 1,766

May 5, 1969 Apr. 27, 1971 Mattel, Inc.

Hawthorne, Calif.

Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee PACKAGE TOY 4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 46/11 Int. Cl A63h 33/00 FieldolSearch 46/11,22; 35/26, 27, 28; 206/1, 46; 229/8 (lnquired) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,330,780 2/ 1920 Bonte 46/ 1 lUX 1,340,512 5/1920 Wild 35/27 1,868,209 7/1932 Kapemick.. 35/27X 2,327,059 8/1943 Pal 35/28X Primary Examiner--Louis G. Mancene Assistant Examiner-D. L. Weinhold Attorney-Seymour A. Scholnick ABSTRACT: A toy-holding package which itself serves as a plaything comprising a structure with a central depression for holding a toy set and surrounding walls that have the appearance of human or animal bodies. Several heads are provided in the toy set which can be inserted into holes on the package walls to fonn complete figures. The heads are supplied in the form of tiles of a memory plastic that can be heated for growing into the shape of heads, and the toy set includes a heating chamber.

PACKAGE rov BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field OfThe Invention This invention relates to a novel package which serves as a toy.

2. Description of the Prior Art The packages used to contain toy sets are generally meant to be discarded. However, in many cases, the package could also serve as a toy that supplements the toy set contained therein. Such use of a package would be especially appropriate in the case of toy sets which were used to form interesting shapes, where the package could serve as a stand to display the shapes.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a novel and entertaining package for a toy.

Another object is to provide a toy container that serves as a display stand.

In accordance with the present invention, a package structure is provided which serves to hold a toy set in storage and shipment, yet which also serves itself as a toy in conjunction with the toy set it holds. The package structure fonns a depression for containing a toy set, and has walls surrounding the depression that have a novel and entertaining appearance. The walls may be painted and/or shaped to form the bodies of people or animals, and holes are provided to receive human or animal heads. The packaged toy set includes heads which can be inserted into the holes in the package structure, to complete the figures on the package walls.

In one embodiment of the invention, a package structure is provided for holding toy apparatus that is used in conjunction with pieces of plastic that have been irradiated or chemically treated to provide a memory." The toy apparatus includes a heating chamber for heating the plastic pieces to restore them to a predetermined shape such as a human or animal, and a heated press for thereafter collapsing the restored shapes into a compact tile. Such a toy is described in patent application Ser. No. 778,342 filed Nov. 22, 1968 by Arditti et al. and hereby incorporated by reference. In accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, plastic pieces are provided that form heads with neck portions that can be fitted into the holes in the package walls. Other plastic pieces form noses, ears, mouths, and eyes for attachment to the heads, to form a variety of interesting faces. The package structure serves to display the heads thus assembled using the toy apparatus held by the package structure.

The novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention will be best understood from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. l is a perspective view of a package structure constructed in accordance with the invention, with a toy held therein;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a head which can be displayed on the package structure of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a set of feature parts which can be mounted on the head of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the head and set of FIGS. 2 and 3 in a compacted form.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. I, a package structure member constructed in accordance with the invention has convexly formed sidewalls 12 and I4 and end walls 16 and 18 that form a cavity or depression 20 for containing a toy 22. The package structure may be constructed by vacuum-forming a sheet of plastic over a suitable mold. Each of the four peripheral walls 12 through 18 is formed by an inner and outer wall portion and a top wall portion; e.g. end wall 16 is formed by an inner wall portion 161, an outer wall portion 160, and a top wall portion MT. The top wall portion MT is generally flat, but the inner and outer wall portions are of a sculptured nature. In particular, part of the outer walls are has-relief sculptures of human and creature bodies. The package structure is also painted, to add to the appearance of the human and creature bodies. Thus, a man figure appears at 24, which is complete except for a head. A multihead creature appears at 26 except for a top head thereof.

The toy 22 which is held by the package structure, includes a transparent restoring chamber 28 which can receive a tile 30 of specially prepared plastic material, to heat it so it is restored to a predetermined shape. The toy also includes a press portion 32 which can collapse a restored plastic piece into a tile shape. The plastic pieces are of a specially prepared plastic material which displays a memory" that causes it to resume a predetermined shape when heated. Many of such plastic pieces are generally supplied with the toy, such as pieces that restore to the shape of prehistoric or other creatures. One type of piece assumes the shape of a head as shown at 34 in FIG. 2.

The head 34 has

holes

35, 36, 37, 38, 39 and 40 for receiving face feature parts. Sets of feature parts are also supplied in the toy set, such as the set 42 shown in FIG. 3. The set 42 includes a pair of eyes with eyebrows 44, 46, a nose 48, a mouth 50, ears 52, 54 and a collar 56. Each of the feature parts has a cylindrical projection 58 that can be received in one of the holes in the head 34. The feature parts are held together by a core 60, which is used in molding the parts, but they can be severed from the core for use. The head 34 is formed by blow molding, while the set 42 of feature parts is formed by injection molding. Both plastic pieces are irradiated after forming, so they can be collapsed into the form of a tile, as shown at 62 in FIG. 4, but will return to their original shapes when heated to a proper temperature. The head 34 and feature set 42, plus other heads and feature sets are supplied in the toy 22, generally in the form of tiles and contained in the transparent chamber 28 of the toy apparatus. A child can remove the toy apparatus 22 from the package structure, and can heat the parts to form the head and feature parts. He can then assemble complete heads by choosing feature parts and mounting them thereon. Once the heads have been assembled, they can be displayed on the package structure 10, as will be described below.

The top wall portions such as wall portion l6T, have apertures formed therein, such as apertures at 64, 65, 66, 67 and 68. The head 34 has a peglike protuberance 70 at the neck, which is designed to be received in any one of the apertures. Thus, a child can construct a head, and mount it on the package structure, as by inserting the neck protuberance in the aperture 72 on top wall portion 181. He thereby completes the human figure 24. For variety, he may insert another head in aperture 74, to create a twoheaded man. As another alternative, if a tigers head is included, he may place a tiger head on the man's body 24 to create a amusing display. Other heads may be inserted in other apertures to display them. Thus, the enjoyment derived in constructing fancifulfeatured heads is enhanced by providing a display stand that includes bas-relief and/or painted bodies that appropriately receive the heads. The stand provided by the package structure is sturdy and unlikely to topple.

After the heads are constructed and displayed, they can be compressed in the press 32 for compact storage. When thus compressed, all of the heads and feature parts can be received within the transparent chamber 28. The toy apparatus 22 can be reinserted in the depression 20 formed in the package structure, and the entire apparatus can be stored away.

Generally, the package structure 12 and toy apparatus 22 therein are offered for sale with a thin transparent cover or wrapper (not shown) to keep out dust and assure the buyer that all parts are present. The transparent cover allows the buyer to view the fanciful and attractive package structure. The opposite end walls 16 and 18 are of the same height, so

that other packages can be placed on top of the flat upper walls 16T and 18T. In order to facilitate the stacking of a number of the illustrated packaged structures on top of one another, a flat plastic or cardboard sheet can be glued across the bottom of the structure.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated herein, it is recognized that modifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in the art, and consequently, it is intended that the claims be interpreted to cover such modifications and equivalents.

lclaim:

1. Toy package apparatus holding toy body parts comprising:

a container member having walls forming a cavity holding said toy body parts, said walls being configured to define portions of figures; and

means disposed on said walls for selectively holding said toy body parts in position thereon to complete said figures,

whereby to provide a display stand for said body parts.

2. The toy package apparatus described in claim 1 wherein:

said means for holding said body parts comprises apertures in said walls; and

said toy body parts comprise figureheads with protuberances at the neck areas thereof for reception in said apertures.

3. The toy package apparatus described in claim 1 wherein said toy body parts comprise head pieces constructed of a plastic material which restores to a predetermined shape for mounting on said means for holding said body parts when heated to a predetermined temperature, and heating chamber means in said container for heating said head pieces.

4(The toy package apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said heads are without facial features, said toy body parts including a plurality of facial feature members selectively mountable on said heads.

Claims

1. Toy package apparatus holding toy body parts comprising: a container member having walls forming a cavity holding said toy body parts, said walls being configured to define portions of figures; and means disposed on said walls for selectively holding said toy body parts in position thereon to complete said figures, whereby to provide a display stand for said body parts.

2. The toy package apparatus described in claim 1 wherein: said means for holding said body parts comprises apertures in said walls; and said toy body parts comprise figureheads with protuberances at the neck areas thereof for reception in said apertures.

4. The toy package apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said heads are without facial features, said toy body parts including a plurality of facial feature members selectively mountable on said heads.