This application claims priority to U.S. Ser. No. 29/753,907 filed Oct. 3, 2020. The contents of this application are hereby incorporated into this application their entirety.
The present invention relates to interactive playing devices. In particular, the present invention relates to an interactive audio device for use with play articles and/or play tents.
Children's play tents have become very popular in the last few years. Play tents are great at encouraging role playing and developing kids' imagination. There is a wide variety of play tents available on the market currently with a variety of features.
For example, there are kids play tents with doorbells placed on the outside of the tent attached to the wall. The disadvantage of such play tents is that the bell is on the outside, while the kids play inside the tent, thus making the play tent less user friendly and enjoyable and not allowing for much interactive play.
There are also play tents with motion sensor activated lights placed inside the tent that play music, such as sold by Twinkle Play Tents. However, such play tents do not have an interactive sound device that the child can activate and have fun with while playing in the tent.
It is therefore desirable to provide an improved interactive audio device for play articles to make play articles more exciting and engaging for kids to stimulate kids' imagination and to encourage role playing and creativity. It is also desirable to provide an improved interactive audio device for play articles that is child-proof and safe for kids to play with while at the same time designed for easy access by adults when necessary.
In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art and to achieve at least some of the objects and advantages listed, the invention comprises a play tent and an audio device coupled to the play tent. The play tent includes a floor having a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the top surface is positioned inside the play tent, and one or more sidewalls extending from the floor. The play tent also includes a coupling member that removably couples the audio device to the top surface of the floor. The coupling member comprises a pocket that houses the audio device and an attachment device that removably couples the pocket to the top surface of the floor. The audio device includes an actuator configured to turn the audio device on and off from inside of the play tent.
In certain embodiments, the pocket includes a top sheet and a bottom sheet each having four sides, wherein the top and bottom sheets are secured together along three of the sides to enclose an interior space of the pocket. In certain embodiments, the pocket includes an opening along a fourth side of the top and bottom sheets. In some of these embodiments, the interior space of the pocket is sized such that the audio device fits snuggly in the pocket. In other embodiments, the pocket includes an opening in the top sheet and at least a portion of the audio device extends out of the opening when the audio device is placed in the pocket. In additional embodiments, the attachment device includes a first attachment member coupled to the bottom sheet of the pocket and a second attachment member coupled to the top surface of the floor of the play tent.
In some embodiments, the attachment device comprises hook and loop fasteners (Velcro® strips). In additional embodiments, the attachment device comprises a loop and toggle combination.
In certain embodiments, the actuator includes a push button that is actuated by applying pressure to the push button.
In some cases, the play tent further includes an opening for access to the inside of the play tent.
In certain embodiments, the audio device is powered by a battery. In additional embodiments, the audio device is rechargeable or connected to a power source.
In certain embodiments, the one or more sidewalls includes at least one frame member and a fabric material coupled to the at least one frame member to enclose an interior space of the play tent. In some cases, the one or more sidewalls comprise a decorative pattern.
In certain embodiments, the device may have various shapes, such as a flower shape, hexagon shape, square shape, circular shape and/or other shapes.
In certain embodiments, the play tent includes a padded floor.
In certain embodiments, the play tent has a dinosaur print on the floor.
In certain embodiments, the pocket that houses the audio device is sewn into the padded floor.
In certain embodiments, the pocket includes a separate button that when pressed, turns on a light source that lights up the play tent. In certain embodiments, the light is a flashing light and/or includes starts.
In certain embodiments, play tent includes a light element within the play tent.
In certain embodiments, the light element is controlled by the audio device or by a separate button within the pocket that houses the audio device.
In certain embodiments, the play tent is a dinosaur themed play tent, such that the audio device emits a dinosaur roar and/or dinosaur sounds.
In certain embodiments, the play tent is a unicorn themed play tent, such that the audio device emits a unicorn neigh and/or unicorn related sounds.
In certain embodiments, the play tent is a jungle themed play tent, such that the audio device emits sounds related to animals such as a lion or elephant.
In certain embodiments, the play tent includes images on both the interior and exterior of the play tent, including the play tent floor and ceiling.
In certain embodiments, the play tent includes ventilation in the form of one or more screened in windows in the play tent.
In certain embodiments, the play tent includes multiple pockets for multiple audio devices.
Other objects of the invention are achieved by providing an interactive audio device for use with play articles. The device includes an outer housing, an actuator, a power source positioned inside the housing for powering the audio device, a sound emitting device positioned inside the housing, and a coupling member. The actuator turns the audio device on and off by applying pressure to the actuator. The coupling member includes a pocket that houses the audio device and an attachment device that removably couples the pocket to a play article.
In certain embodiments, the power source is a battery.
In some cases, the outer housing comprises a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion has a larger outer perimeter than the top portion.
In certain embodiments, the pocket comprises a top sheet and a bottom sheet each having four sides, wherein the top and bottom sheets are secured together along three of the sides to enclose an interior space of the pocket and wherein the pocket includes an opening along a fourth side of the top and bottom sheets. In some of these embodiments, the interior space of the pocket is sized such that the audio device fits snuggly in the pocket. In additional embodiments, the pocket has an opening in the top sheet and the top portion of the outer housing extends out of the opening when the audio device is placed in the pocket. In further embodiments, the size of the opening is larger than an outer perimeter of the top portion and smaller than an outer perimeter of the bottom portion such that the outer housing is securely retained in the pocket.
Other objects of the invention and its particular features and advantages will become more apparent from consideration of the following drawings and accompanying detailed description
The goals and attributes of the invention, methods for achieving these goals and attributes will become evident by referencing proposed implementation variants. However, the invention is not limited to the proposed implementation variants detailed below, it can be implemented in various forms. The essence provided in the description just gives specific details necessary to help a technical specialist understand the invention completely, and the invention is defined within the scope of the appended patent claim.
One exemplary embodiment of the audio device of the present invention is shown in
The outer housing (12) has a top portion (14) and a bottom portion (16). A shown in the top view in
The outer housing (12) houses all other components of the audio device (10). There is a power source (not shown) positioned inside the outer housing (12) for powering the audio device. The power source can be one or more conventional batteries that are inserted into a socket inside the outer housing (12). As seen in the bottom view in
The outer housing (12) also houses a sound emitting device (80) positioned inside the housing. Any sound emitting devices known in the art may be used in accordance with the present invention. The outer housing (12) includes a plurality of openings (18) through which the sound emanates from the audio device. The plurality of openings may be positioned on top of the housing or at any other suitable location. In some embodiments, the sound emitting device (80) plays one or more pre-recorded sounds when actuated by a user. In other embodiments, the sound emitting device (80) is a speaker that is wirelessly connected to another audio device and can play any sounds from the audio device when actuated. The sounds can be music, animal sounds, nature sounds, words, songs, and/or any other desired sounds. In preferred embodiments, the sounds are selected to match the scheme of the play articles that the audio device is used with, e.g. a jungle scheme with jungle animal sounds.
The outer housing (12) also includes an actuator for turning the audio device on and off. In a preferred embodiment, the actuator (24) has a push-button mechanism that is actuated by applying pressure to the actuator by a user, such as by a child stepping on the top of the outer housing (12) or pushing the top of the outer housing (12) by hand. It is understood that, in additional embodiments, other suitable actuators known in the art may also be used, such as, e.g., a toggle switch, a voice activated control, a motion sensor actuator, and others. Once the audio device (10) is actuated, it will play sound(s) for a predetermined period of time and then automatically switch off. In alternative embodiments, the audio device (10) plays sound(s) until it is manually switched off by a user, either by activating the actuator again or by a remote control.
The audio device further includes a coupling member for attaching the audio device to a play article. As shown in
Preferably, the interior space of the pocket (28) is sized such that the audio device (10) fits snuggly once inserted into the pocket. This ensures that the audio device (10) is secured within the pocket and will not fall out and be misplaced or mishandled by a child during play. Also, it makes it more difficult for a child to remove the audio device from the coupling member, which is undesirable.
As seen in
The coupling member (26) further includes an attachment device (30) that removably couples the pocket (28) to a play article. A shown in
As illustrated in
The tent play tent (50) itself can have any desired size and shape. For example, in the embodiment shown in
As shown in
After assembling the tent, the user places the outer housing of the audio device in the pocket (28) of the coupling member, as described above in connection with
Examples provided in the description do not limit the scope of the invention defined by the patent claim. It will be clear to a specialist in this field that other implementations of the invention can exist that are consistent with the nature and scope of the invention.
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Twinkle Play Tents, https://twinkleplaytents.com/, retrieved Aug. 31, 2020. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 29753907 | Oct 2020 | US |
Child | 17140090 | US |