Patents Assigned to Those Characters From Cleveland
  • Patent number: 4685893
    Abstract: A toy doll or article comprising a main body, a variable length appendage having a root end attached to the main body and an outer free end, at least one flexible elongate element threaded through the appendage along the length thereof and having a root end attached to the main body and an outer free end, the appendage outwardly of the root end thereof being slidable along the elongate element and sufficiently flexible to ruffle and unruffle when slid inwardly and outwardly along the elongate element to vary the length of the appendage. In a toy doll, the appendage includes a plurality of hair-like strands which are bundled together as by braiding or by bands encircling the strands at selected locations spaced along the length of the bundle. The strands at the free end of the bundle are held by a holding band preferably in relatively tight engagement with the elongate element frictionally to hold the free end of the bundle against movement along the elongate element which may be a length of ribbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: August 11, 1987
    Assignee: Those Characters From Cleveland, Inc.
    Inventors: Jerzy Perkitny, Edward G. Chanter
  • Patent number: 4674749
    Abstract: A maze puzzle, characterized by a quality of flexibility, pliancy or suppleness, includes a maze or labyrinth consisting of a network of passages having flexible walls that are manipulable by the player to effect movement therethrough of a solving piece such as a ball. The walls of the maze puzzle preferably are of flexible, double layered fabric with the outer or cover layer serving to conceal the inner or liner layer which may be closed upon itself to form hidden obstructions at selected locations in the maze which prevent passage of the solving piece. In this manner, concealed dead-end passages are provided whereby the player must rely on his sense of feel to solve the puzzle. The cover layer preferably is of a soft and supple cloth fabric that is pleasing in appearance and feel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1987
    Assignee: Those Characters From Cleveland, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Shaffer, Susan Trentel
  • Patent number: 4614505
    Abstract: A toy figure which is progressively transformable into different configurations. The figure has a body portion comprising a mass of compliant fill material with a fabric cover thereover. The body portion has fanciful material (e.g. facial components and appendages) integral therewith. A fabric segment is secured to the body portion and forms a pocket on the body portion. The pocket is resiliently deformable to allow parts of the body portion and its fanciful material to be forced through the pocket as the toy is changed from one configuration to another. The pocket has a memory and, when a desired transformation is achieved, the pocket is contractable to hold the figure in a new configuration. The top figure preferably depicts a fanciful three dimensional character in one of its basic configurations and is transformed into a ball-like form in another of its basic configurations. When the figure is in its ball-like form, some of the fanciful material is visible to give the ball-like form a fanciful appearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1986
    Assignee: Those Characters From Cleveland
    Inventors: Thomas P. Schneider, Susan E. Trentel