Gift Item for Storage of Mementos

Abstract

A gift item comprises a soft toy in the form of a bear having arms, and legs and a pocket formed in a chest region of the body. A pouch is attached to the extremity of one of the arms in which pouch, in use, an item can be stored. The pocket is sized so that the pouch can be fully inserted therein and a cover in the form of a heart shaped patch is releasably securable across the pocket so as to secure the pouch therein. The arm extremity with which the pouch is associated is then held proximate to the pocket in a manner such that the arm appears to be resting on the chest region of the body pointing towards the patch.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a National Stage of PCT/GB2007/004110, filed on Oct. 26, 2007 (published as WO 2008/056103 on May 15, 2008), which claims priority to foreign patent application GB 0622178.2, filed on Nov. 7, 2006, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to gift items. Specifically, the present invention relates to a gift item in the form of a toy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditionally, mementos have been stored in a “safe” place which tends to mean that they are often lost or at the very least difficult to find. Even if found, their significance is often forgotten because they are not adequately labelled when stored. The need accordingly exists for a readily identifiable storage medium for mementos. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, such a storage medium is provided in the form for soft toys especially adapted for receipt and safe keeping of the memento. Additionally, the soft toy itself provides an attractive and desirable item which may be used as a gift. A label which provides means for identifying the memento and/or the person who gave the gift item can conveniently be secured to the soft toy so as to serve the function of identifying the memento and/or the giver of the gift item in the future.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention the gift item is in the form of a soft toy having limbs. A memento holding pouch is secured to or integral with the extremity with one of the limbs so that when the memento is placed in the pouch and the pouch is placed in a receptacle provided for the purpose on the body of the soft toy, the limb appears to be resting on the surface of the body. Preferably, the receptacle is in the chest of the soft toy so that the limb appears to be resting on the chest. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the receptacle is in the form of a pocket formed in the body of a soft toy and a cover is provided for closing the pocket. Preferably, the cover is releasably securable in a position closing the pocket, and may be released from this position to facilitate access to the pocket. In particular, the hook and loop or similar material may be used to secure at least one side of the cover to the soft toy, or a magnetic fastener may be used as an alternative. Preferably, the cover is in the form of a heart-shaped patch so that when the pouch containing the memento is placed in the pocket and the pocket closed by the patch, the extremity of the limb of the soft toy rests on the heart-shaped patch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 depicts a gift toy, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention would be better understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein the single figure illustrates schematically an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the embodiment of the invention shown is in the form of a teddy bear 1 formed in conventional manner of a fabric cover and soft stuffing. The teddy bear has a head 2, body 3, arms 4A and 4B and legs 5.

A pouch 6 is secured to the extremity 10 of the arm 4B and is openable to deposit a memento within the pouch. The memento could, for example, be a child's birth wristband, a lock of hair, a first tooth, or the like. Once the memento has been placed in the pouch 6, the pouch may be closed, for example by means of a drawstring 7 which also functions to secure the pouch to the limb 4B.

The chest region 8 of the body 3 is formed with an aperture 9 which leads to a receptacle in the form of a lined pocket. The lined pocket is sized to receive the pouch 6 and its memento so that's when the pouch 6 is in the pocket 9 the extremity 10 of the arm 4B rests against the chest 8. In the preferred embodiment of the invention a cover 11 in the form of a patch of suitable fabric material is provided to close the pocket. For this purpose, the patch 11 may be secured to the body 3 by a touch-and-hold material or maybe sewn to the body at one side of the pocket and secured to the body on the other side of the pocket by touch-and-hold material. Alternatively, the cover may be secured on the other side of the pocket by provision of a magnet in the cover which is attracted to and secures to a magnet or metal plate sewn or otherwise secured to the bear 1 in the region of the pocket. It will, of course, be understood that in the event of use of a magnet and metal plate, the magnet may equally be secured to the bear and the metal plate secured to the cover. Preferably, the cover 11 is in the shape of a heart and is of a material which contrasts in colour and/or texture with the material of the body 3.

In use, the memento is first placed in the pouch 6 as described above and the pouch closed using the drawstring 7. Next, the cover 11 is open to expose the pocket 9 and the pouch 6 is pushed into the pocket 9. The cover 11 is then closed so that the drawstring passes over the upper edge 12 of the cover 11. With the various components positioned as described the extremity 10 of the arm 4B rests on or adjacent the heart-shaped cover 11.

Preferably, the limb 4A has at the extremity 13 thereof a label 14 on which indicia may be placed to identify, for example, the nature of the memento, the date of the memento, or the identity of the person who gave the gift item.

Claims

1-8. (canceled)

9. A gift item comprising a soft toy having limbs and a separate external pouch secured to the extremity of at least one of the limbs in which, in use, an item is received, and a receptacle provided on the body of said soft toy, in which, in use, the pouch locates so as to hold the extremity of said limb against the outside body of said soft toy.

10. A gift item according to claim 9, wherein the receptacle is formed by a pocket in the body of the soft toy.

11. A gift item according to claim 10, further including a cover by means of which the pocket is closable so as to conceal the pouch within the pocket, the extremity of the limb being held against the cover when the pouch is located in the pocket.

12. A gift item according to claim 11, wherein the cover is at least partially releasably securable to the body of the soft toy in a position extending across the pocket, for example by means of touch and hold material or a magnetic fastener.

13. A gift item according to claim 11, wherein a portion of the cover is permanently secured to the body of the soft toy on one side of the pocket, for example by sewing, so as to prevent the cover from becoming separated from the body.

14. A gift item according to claim 9, wherein the receptacle is in the chest of the soft toy so that, in use, the limb appears to be resting on the chest.