Figure With Custom Cover
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.
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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.
BACKGROUNDField 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.
SUMMARYThe 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.
The foregoing features of the disclosure will be apparent from the following Detailed Description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The present disclosure relates to a figure with a custom cover, as discussed below in connection with
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
The custom cover 10 is wrapped around the
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.
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
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.
Type: Application
Filed: May 8, 2017
Publication Date: Aug 24, 2017
Applicant: National Entertainment Collectibles Association, Inc. (Hillside, NJ)
Inventor: Joel Weinshanker (Las Vegas, NV)
Application Number: 15/589,286