A TOY

Abstract

The present invention relates to a capsule toy. The capsule toy includes two parts: a capsule, comprising one or more components which form a body of the capsule, and configured to fit a removable toy and a toy, comprising a body, and configured to fit within the capsule. The body of the toy is configured to receive at least one of the components of the capsule once it is removed from the capsule. A toy is also described.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention is in the field of toys. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to capsule toys.

BACKGROUND

One mechanism for packaging toys is via a capsule. The capsules are often formed of two parts that can be opened by a user to provide access to a toy inside.

An advantage of capsule toys is that they can be stocked and delivered from vending machines. These toys are very popular in Asia where they are known as gashapon, gasha, or gacha.

A disadvantage of capsule toys is that the volume of the capsule limits the toys designs possible.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a capsule toy which overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art, or at least provides a useful alternative.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a capsule toy, including:

a capsule, comprising one or more components which form a body of the capsule, and configured to fit a removable toy; and
a toy, comprising a body, and configured to fit within the capsule;
wherein the body of the toy is configured to receive at least one component of the capsule, after the toy is removed from the capsule.

Other aspects of the invention are described within the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. 1a to 1f:

• • show a capsule toy in accordance with an embodiment of the invention; and

FIGS. 2a to 2f:

• • show a capsule toy in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention provides a capsule toy where the body of the toy is configured to receive at least part of the capsule when it is removed from the capsule.

The inventor has noticed that soft toys (such as “plushies”) do not lend themselves well to being packaged as a capsule toy, because the soft toy when it is sized to fit within the common capsule size is too small to be properly usable by a consumer.

The inventor has discovered that components that form the body of the capsule can be repurposed to provide shape and form to a plushie that has been collapsed to fit inside the capsule.

In FIGS. 1a to 1f, a capsule toy in accordance with an embodiment of the invention will be described.

A capsule 100 is shown in FIG. 1a. The capsule 100 comprises two components 101 and 102. The two components 101 and 102 engage together to form the body of the capsule 100. The two components 101 and 102 are engaged together by tension where a rim of one component overlays the lid of the other. Alternative means for engaging the two components 101 and 102 is possible, such as, by torsion where one component is screwed onto the other, by one or more clasps, or by an additional adhesion product such as glue or tape.

The two components 101 and 102 may also be connected via a hinge or the components 101 and 102 may not be connected at all.

In alternative embodiments, the capsule 100 may comprise a single component or more than two components. The more than two components may be configured to form a body of the capsule when in a closed state.

The opening of a capsule 100 by a user is shown in FIG. 1b. The two components 101 and 102 are disengaged from one another and a soft toy 103 is shown within the body of the capsule 100. The soft toy 103 is in a collapsed state such that it can fit within the body of the capsule 100.

The soft toy 103 may be constructed out of a flexible material such as fabric or silicon.

Further details can be added to the material of the soft toy 103 by means of stitching, stuffed fabric shapes, plastics, and/or wooden or metal elements (e.g. springs).

The toy 103 may be a soft toy such as a plushie or another deformable toy such as toys made of rubber or compressible plastic.

The toy 103 may include an electronics component to provide additional functionality to the toy 103. The electronics component may be configured to generate light, sound, action via a motor, and/or communication in response to movement, light, sound, and/or communication.

The collapsed soft toy 103 after complete removal from the capsule 100 is shown in FIG. 1c.

As shown in FIG. 1d, the soft toy 103 includes an opening 104 or slit that can be opened by the user. The soft toy 103 may be formed as a flexible sock such that the opening 104 of the sock can receive the capsule 100. In an alternative embodiment, the soft toy 103 may be formed of two or more parts that can be combined by a fastener means, such as hooks-and-loops, zip, etc., such that the soft toy 103 can be combined to surround all or part of the capsule 100.

The capsule 100 can be reformed from the two components 101 and 102 and pushed into the opening 104 in the soft toy 103 as shown in FIG. 1e.

The soft toy 103 is shown in FIG. 1f where the capsule 100 is entirely within the body of the soft toy 103 and the opening 104 has been sealed. The opening 104 may be sealed by a fastener such as folding the material of the soft toy, hook-and-loop or a zip.

It can be seen that the capsule 100 shapes the soft toy 103 and the soft toy 103 has been converted from a collapsed state to a formed state.

In an alternative embodiment, the body of the toy 103 receives the capsule 100 such that the capsule 100 forms part of an exterior feature of the toy 103.

It will be appreciated that the shape of the capsule shown in the Figures is exemplary only and that other capsule shapes may be used.

In FIGS. 2a to 2f, a capsule toy in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention will be described.

A capsule 200 is shown in FIG. 2a. The capsule 200 comprises two components 201 and 202 and the two components 201 and 202 engage together to form the body of the capsule 200 as described in relation to FIG. 1a.

The opening of a capsule 200 by a user is shown in FIG. 2b. The two components 201 and 202 are disengaged from one another and a soft toy 203 is shown within the body of the capsule 200.

The collapsed soft toy 203 after complete removal from the capsule 200 is shown in FIG. 2c.

As shown in FIG. 2d, the soft toy 203 includes an opening 204 or slit that can be opened by the user. The soft toy 203 may be formed as a flexible sock such that the opening 204 of the sock can receive one of the components 201 or 202.

One of the components (in this example, 201) of the capsule 200 is pushed into the opening 204 in the soft toy 203 as shown in FIG. 2e.

The soft toy 203 is shown in FIG. 2f where the component 201 of the capsule 200 is entirely within the body of the soft toy 203 and the opening 204 has been sealed.

It can be seen that, in this embodiment, it is one component 201 or 202 of the capsule 200 that shapes the soft toy 203 to convert it from a collapsed state to a formed state.

It will be appreciated that the features described in relation to the capsule toy of FIGS. 1a to 1f may also be applicable for the capsule toy of FIGS. 2a to 2f.

Potential advantages of some embodiments of the present invention is that toys larger than the capsule can be delivered via the capsule method (for example, usable soft toys can be delivered as a capsule toy in the standard size), and parts of the capsule are reused to provide form to the toy, thereby reducing waste.

While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept.

Claims

1. A capsule toy, including:

a capsule, comprising one or more components which form a body of the capsule, and configured to fit a removable toy; and

a toy, comprising a body, and configured to fit within the capsule;

wherein the body of the toy is configured to receive at least one component of the capsule, after the toy is removed from the capsule.

2. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the toy is fitted within the capsule is it in a collapsed state, and, when the toy is removed from capsule and the body of the toy receives the at least one component of the capsule, the at least one component converts the toy into a formed state.

3. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the toy is a soft toy.

4. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a part of the body of the toy is formed of a flexible material.

5. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 4, wherein the body of the toy is formed of a flexible sock.

6. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body of the toy comprises an opening.

7. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 6, wherein the body of the toy receives the at least one components via the opening.

8. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 7, wherein the opening is sealable.

9. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 8, wherein the opening is sealable via a fastener.

10. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 9, wherein the fastener is one selected from the set of a hook-and-loop fastener, a zip fastener, and a fold in a material of the body of the toy.

11. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the capsule comprises a plurality of components.

12. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 11, wherein the capsule is openable by detaching one of components from the other.

13. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 12, wherein after removable from the capsule, the capsule is configured to be reformed from the plurality of components and the toy is further configured to receive the reformed capsule.

14. A capsule toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the body of the toy is configured to receive at least one component of the capsule to form at least part of an exterior feature of the toy.

15. A toy, comprising a body, and configured to fit within a capsule;

wherein the body of the toy is configured to receive at least one of the components forming the body of the capsule, after the toy is removed from the capsule.

16. (canceled)