The field of the invention relates, in general, to piñatas, and, in particular, to expandable piñatas.
Piñatas are popular, especially among children, at parties and other festive occasions. Piñata-breaking celebrations are quite popular in Mexico and in the Mexican-American communities of the Southwestern United States. Piñatas are traditionally a pot or container ornamented with colorful paper and filled with candy, nuts, confetti, and/or token gifts such as small toys and the like. The container is suspended from above and the children, while blindfolded, take turns attempting to puncture the container with a bat or other implement to release the treats within. The traditional piñata is made of clay pottery. More recently, piñatas are constructed of paper mache or other frangible material and generally include a bottom paper closure which is torn or broken by the child pulling a cord or similar attachment secured to the closure, or otherwise breaking the closure.
Typical mass-produced piñatas are constructed of paper mache and assume their full form prior to shipping. The piñata may be filled with treats, but are more commonly sold empty. The hollow paper mache construction of the piñata is relatively fragile and susceptible to breakage during shipping and handling.
A general problem with piñatas in the past is that their large and unusual sizes make shipping expensive.
A need exists for an expandable piñata that may be shipped in a small, flat, two-dimensional configuration and may later be expanded into a large piñata for use at the party or other festive occasion.
To overcome the above problems and others, an aspect of the invention involves an expandable and collapsible piñata. The piñata is collapsible for reducing the piñata to a small, compact, flat, substantially two-dimensional configuration that is ideal for shipping because of the greatly reduced shipping costs. The piñata is quickly and easily expandable into a large piñata configuration for normal piñata use at a party or other festive occasion.
Another aspect of the invention involves a piñata that is far more marketable than traditional piñatas because of their huge increase in size at their point of sale. The piñata's size can be reduced greatly when it is getting shipped, and then include a method of expanding it via minimum assembly by either the Point of Sale or the end consumer. The amount of increase is unmatched, and the end product resembles the “true” size of what a piñata should be, not the tiny piñatas that are currently available for mass distribution. This greatly reduces the shipping cost and incorporates many innovative aspects. The heart of this invention is the ability to provide a 3D piñata with a look and size that resembles traditional piñatas while overcoming the caveats posed by high shipping costs via size reduction at the time of transport.
The invention will overcome high shipping costs associated with shipping piñatas of a more traditional size while staying truer to the shapes and feel of what is known as a piñata by most Hispanic peoples. Because shipping costs are a necessary part to any mass distributed piñata operation, industry participants have to deal with the shipping costs in one way or another. Current industry solutions include making/selling smaller piñatas as well as a two-dimensional looking piñatas that does provide some expandability but lacks the complete feel, size, and three-dimensional shape of what is traditionally known as a piñata. The two-dimensional shape addresses the shipping size issue but it merely provides a flat surface on which to apply a large sticker.
The invention, which greatly reduces costs, greatly increases size, and significantly improves enjoyment, will revolutionize the piñata industry and will help spread the piñata culture all across the globe. Large retailers, party suppliers, as well as end consumers will replace their current purchase choices for the money saving, size increasing, enjoyment improving option created by the invention. Shipping goes from being a problem to being a selling point. The invention also makes it possible to improve the current speed, quality control, and cost at which piñatas are actually made, let alone distributed. The mechanisms which allow the piñatas to increase in size also imply and require a new methodology for manufacturing the piñatas which may help with these other considerations (cost of production, speed of production, quality control) inherent in the process of taking raw materials to a finished product in the consumer's home.
The invention embodies the small advantageous size for shipping, the large desirable size for usage, and the three-dimensional feel for enjoyment and authenticity.
Another aspect of the invention involves an expandable piñata includes a plurality of legs, each leg comprising a plurality of triangular panels hingeably connected via hinge lines, each triangular panel having a proximal end and a terminal end, the terminal ends of the triangular panels converge, and each triangular panel including an inner and an outer surface; each leg hingeably adjustable between a first, substantially flat configuration, and a second expanded configuration in which the inner surfaces of the triangular panels define a cavity; each leg further including one or more tabs hingeably connected to the proximal ends of the one or more triangular panels, and a tab connected to a triangular panel of a first leg coupled to a tab connected to a triangular panel of an adjacent leg; and a locking device connected to two of the plurality of legs and configured to maintain the plurality of legs in the expanded configuration.
One or more implementations of the aspect of the invention described immediately above include one or more of the following. An expansion of the plurality of legs from their respective flat configurations to their respective expanded configurations is about a central axis. The plurality of the legs comprise cardboard. The cardboard comprises E-flute cardboard. The outer surface of one or more of the triangular panels of one or more of the legs comprises an ornamental covering. The tassels are connected to the terminal ends of one or more of the triangular patterns of one or more of the legs. The expandable piñata includes one or more tensors configured to bias one or more of the plurality of the legs towards the expanded configuration. The one or more legs comprise a reinforcing layer. The locking device comprises: a flap comprising double sided tape attached to one of the two legs; and a flap comprising hooks attached to the other of the two legs. The locking device comprises one or more ties coupled to each of the two of the plurality of legs.
A further aspect of the invention involves a method of manufacturing an expandable piñata. The method includes forming a plurality of leg workpieces from one or more blanks, each leg workpiece comprising a plurality of hinge lines defining a plurality of triangular panels, each of the triangular panels comprising an inner and an outer surface, each triangular panel having a proximal end and a terminal end, wherein the terminal ends of the triangular panels converge, each leg workpiece further comprising a hinge line defining a side tab adjacent to one of the plurality of triangular panels, each leg workpiece further comprising one or more hinge lines defining one or more tabs adjacent to the proximal end of one or more of the plurality of triangular panels; for each leg workpiece, coupling the side tab to one of the plurality of triangular panels of the leg workpiece to form a leg, each leg being hingeably adjustable between a first, substantially flat configuration, and a second expanded configuration in which the inner surfaces of the triangular panels define a cavity; and for each leg workpiece, coupling one or more of the one or more tabs of a first leg workpiece to one or more of the one or more tabs of a second leg workpiece.
One or more implementations of the aspect of the invention described immediately above include one or more of the following. Forming a plurality of leg workpieces comprises pressing the one or more blanks on a die board. The die board comprises a first plurality of blades configured to cut one or more of the leg workpieces from a blank and a second set of blades configured to imprint the hingelins on the leg workpieces. Providing a locking device for maintaining the plurality of legs in the expanded configuration. Inserting one or more tensors into one or more of the plurality of legs, wherein the tensors are configured to bias the legs in the expanded configuration. Each leg piece comprises four triangular panels. Each leg in the expanded configuration is approximately pyramidal in shape. Forming a hole in one of more of the leg pieces for providing access to one or more cavities defined by the plurality of legs in the expanded configuration. Attaching a support to one or more of the legs for suspending the expandable piñata in its expanded configuration.
A still further aspect of the invention involves a method of using an expandable piñata comprising a plurality of adjacent legs, each leg being hingeably adjustable between a first, substantially flat configuration, and a second expanded configuration in which the leg defines a cavity. The method includes expanding each of a plurality of the adjacent legs from the substantially flat configuration to the expanded configuration about a central axis; adding one or more articles to one or more of the cavities defined by the plurality of legs; and engaging a locking device coupled to two of the legs in order to maintain the plurality of legs in the expanded configuration.
With reference to
The piñata 100 will first be described generally and then a method of manufacturing the piñata 100 will be described.
With reference to
Although the string, rope, wire, or other support 114 is shown attached to a central hub 116 for supporting/hanging the piñata 100, in a more preferred embodiment, the string, rope, wire, or other support 114 is attached to one of the legs 105.
Although a locking device 117 in the form of a tie, string, or cord 118 through holes 119 is shown in the central hub 116 to lock the piñata 100 into the expanded configuration shown in
As shown in
Each leg 105 of the piñata 105 has a pyramidal configuration with multiple (e.g., four) triangular panels 130 foldably/hingeably connected to each other via hinge lines 132. In alternative embodiments, each leg 105 may include other numbers of panels 130 (e.g., 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, etc.). A rhombus-shaped tab 135 is hingeably connected at a proximal end to the triangular panel 130 via hinge lines 134. The hinge lines 132, 134 form bendable hinges (e.g., simple bends, pre-folded bends, bends formed by scoring the external surface and/or internal surface of the frame 110).
In the expanded configuration (
In an alternative embodiment, one or more tensors (not shown) are attached to the leg(s) 105 to urge/bias/pull/guide the piñata 100 into/towards the expanded configuration (
In an alternative embodiment, the piñata 100 (or portions of the piñata 100) may be reinforced by one or more layers of plastic material (or plastic/fiber material) to strengthen the piñata 100 and/or strengthen certain areas of the piñata 100. More or less plastic reinforcement may be added to adapt the piñata 100 for different age-specific usage groups in accordance with different strength levels for each group so that the piñata 100 ruptures in accordance with the strength level for that age group.
Although not shown, the piñata 100 may include one or more holes for inserting articles, prizes, candy, nuts, etc. into the cavities (or cavities) formed in piñata 100 for filling the piñata 100.
In use, the piñata 100 is collapsed into the small, compact, flat, substantially two-dimensional, arrow-shaped configuration shown in
To expand the piñata 100 from the small, compact, flat, substantially two-dimensional configuration shown in
Outermost legs 105 are locked together in the central hub 116 using locking device 117 (e.g., tie, string, cord 118 through holes 119) to lock the piñata 100 into the expanded configuration shown in
The cavity or cavities of the piñata 100 may be filled by inserting articles, prizes, candy, nuts, etc. through one or more fill holes in the piñata 100.
To collapse the piñata 100 (e.g., for shipping, transport, and/or storage) from the large piñata configuration shown in
With reference to
With reference to
String, rope, wire, or other support 214 may be attached to a central hub 216 for supporting/hanging the piñata 200.
With reference to
As shown in
With reference to
The side tab 237 includes double-sided tape 224 (or other adhesive) to form a locking tab. Backing from the doubled sided tape of the side tab 237 is removed (or adhesive is added) and the side tab 237 is folded under or onto, depending on the surface of the side tab 237 including the double-sided tape, a second, opposite end triangular panel 242 so that the side tab 237 is adhered to the second end triangular panel 242 to secure/lock the leg 205 into the pyramidal configuration shown in
With reference to
With reference to
In the expanded configuration (
As shown in
In an alternative embodiment, one or more tensors (not shown) are attached to the leg(s) 205, 305 to urge/bias/pull/guide the piñata 200 into/towards the expanded configuration (
In an alternative embodiment, the piñata 200 (or portions of the piñata 200) may be reinforced by one or more layers of plastic material (or plastic/fiber material) to strengthen the piñata and/or strengthen certain areas of the piñata 200. More or less plastic reinforcement may be added to adapt the piñata 200 for different age-specific usage groups in accordance with different strength levels for each group so that the piñata 200 ruptures in accordance with the strength level for that age group.
Although not shown, the piñata 200 may include one or more holes for inserting articles, prizes, candy, nuts, etc. into the cavities (or cavities) formed in piñata 200 for filling the piñata 200.
In use, the piñata 200 is collapsed into the small, compact, flat, substantially two-dimensional configuration (
To expand the piñata 200 from the small, compact, flat, substantially two-dimensional configuration shown in (
Outermost legs 305, 405 are locked together using locking device 217 (e.g., tabs 220, 226, double-sided tape 224, 230) to lock the piñata 200 into the expanded configuration shown in
The cavity or cavities of the piñata 200 may be filled by inserting articles, prizes, candy, nuts, etc. through one or more fill holes in the piñata 200.
String, rope, wire, or other support 238 (
To collapse the piñata 200 (e.g., for shipping, transport, and/or storage) from the large piñata configuration shown in
To manufacture the piñata 100, 200 of the present invention, five separate blanks of cardboard are cut into the two-dimensional leg configurations shown in
A die board typically comprises a large substrate, such as wood, with a plurality of sharp, razor-like blades placed therein at a particular pattern. The blades can be straight or curved, depending on the pattern. The various hinge/fold lines (e.g., hinge lines 132, 134, 232, 234, etc.) may be formed by rounded blades disposed at the same height as the cutting blades. The rounded blades thus imprint a depression in the normally corrugated cardboard to create lines of weakness in bending. Cuts can be made by using blades with a series of intermittent teeth, thus creating a dashed line cut.
When using a flat die, the knives are positioned pointing upward from a flat board and the cardboard blank pressed downward upon them. Typically, foam or rubber inserts are positioned adjacent the knives to facilitate release of the cut cardboard there from. The foam inserts have a height approximately equal to the height of the cutting knives, and the cardboard compresses the foam when pressed down upon the knives. The compressed inserts resiliently expand on release of the pressing force to push the cardboard off the knives. Holes 119 may be punched out in the desired locations for locking device 117 for the embodiment of the piñata 100 shown in
In an alternative/further embodiment, double-sided tape members such as those shown in
Optional tensors are attached to an inner surface of the legs 105, 205, 305, 405 by fasteners or adhesive.
To dress the piñata 100, 200, glue is applied to the exterior side of the fully formed frame 110, 210 and paper or other material is applied to the glue.
Tassels 112, 212 may be connected to terminal ends of the legs 105, 205, 305 using glue or fasteners.
Thus, the piñata 100, 200 is collapsible for reducing the piñata 100, 200 to a small, compact, flat, substantially two-dimensional configuration that is ideal for shipping because of the greatly reduced shipping costs. The piñata 100, 200 is expandable into a large piñata configuration for normal piñata use at a party or other festive occasion.
The above figures may depict exemplary configurations for the invention, which is done to aid in understanding the features and functionality that can be included in the invention. The invention is not restricted to the illustrated architectures or configurations, but can be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. Additionally, although the invention is described above in terms of various exemplary embodiments and implementations, it should be understood that the various features and functionality described in one or more of the individual embodiments with which they are described, but instead can be applied, alone or in some combination, to one or more of the other embodiments of the invention, whether or not such embodiments are described and whether or not such features are presented as being a part of a described embodiment. Thus the breadth and scope of the present invention, especially in any following claims, should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments.
Terms and phrases used in this document, and variations thereof, unless otherwise expressly stated, should be construed as open ended as opposed to limiting. As examples of the foregoing: the term “including” should be read as mean “including, without limitation” or the like; the term “example” is used to provide exemplary instances of the item in discussion, not an exhaustive or limiting list thereof; and adjectives such as “conventional,” “traditional,” “standard,” “known” and terms of similar meaning should not be construed as limiting the item described to a given time period or to an item available as of a given time, but instead should be read to encompass conventional, traditional, normal, or standard technologies that may be available or known now or at any time in the future. Likewise, a group of items linked with the conjunction “and” should not be read as requiring that each and every one of those items be present in the grouping, but rather should be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Similarly, a group of items linked with the conjunction “or” should not be read as requiring mutual exclusivity among that group, but rather should also be read as “and/or” unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, although item, elements or components of the disclosure may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application 61/300,942 filed Feb. 3, 2010 under 35 U.S.C. 119. U.S. provisional patent application 61/300,942 is incorporated by reference herein as though set forth in full.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61300942 | Feb 2010 | US |