Toy Coin Bank

Abstract

A toy bank for receiving and storing coins, the toy bank having a head section; a pectoral section, the pectoral section being fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the head section; a torso section comprising elastically deformable skin, the torso section being fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the head section; and a pelvic section, the pelvic section being fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the torso section; wherein the elastically deformable skin is adapted for moving between a lean animal depicting configuration and a fattened animal depicting configuration, the elastically deformable skin moving toward the fattened animal depicting configuration upon the receipt of the coins.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to novelty coin banks. More particularly, this invention relates to novelty coin banks which are adapted for sculptural depictions of animals.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Common novelty coin banks such as “piggy” banks dually function both as a sculpture of or sculptural depiction of an animal, and as a vessel which receives and stores coins. Such coin banks are, in furtherance of their animal sculptural depiction function, commonly composed entirely of a rigid and opaque material. As a result of such structural composition, such coin banks undesirably shield or block the user from any easily perceived indication of the amount or number of coins contained within the coin bank.

The instant inventive coin bank solves or ameliorates the drawbacks, deficiencies, and disadvantages of common animal depicting coin banks, as described above, by incorporating within and as a part of a torso section of such bank an elastomeric sheet or skin component which may visibly expand upon filling of the torso with coins.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The instant inventive coin bank preferably comprises head, pectoral, torso, and pelvic sections, the pectoral section being fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the head section, the torso section being fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the pectoral section, and the pelvic section being fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the torso section. In the preferred embodiment, each section among the coin bank's head, pectoral, torso, and pelvic sections is specially configured to sculpturally depict or represent corresponding body sections of an animal.

While the scope of the instant invention includes sculptural depictions of various animals such as cows, horses, dogs, and cats, a preferred embodiment of the instant invention sculpturally depicts the head, pectoral, torso, and pelvic sections which match and suggest those of a pig. Such mode of sculptural depiction is preferred because the pig configuration of a coin bank is archetypal and because a coin insertion actuated “fattening” of the instant invention's torso section (such action being further explained below) advantageously mimics or represents desirable fattening of live pigs.

In a preferred embodiment, an elastic sheet or skin component defines the instant invention's torso, making the torso expandable upon insertions of coins. Such elastic sheet is preferably composed of an elastomer selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, silicone rubber, butyl rubber, EDPM or ethylene-propylene-diene modified elastomer, neoprene, polyisoprene, and styrene butadiene. Also in the preferred embodiment, the head, pectoral, and pelvic sections of the bank are composed of durable and substantially rigid injection molded plastic, wood, or cast metal.

In order to enhance the instant inventive coin bank's longitudinal rigidity, the torso section preferably comprises, in addition to the elastic sheet component, a substantially rigid spine member which extends longitudinally between the bank's pelvic and pectoral sections.

The instant inventive coin bank preferably further comprises a coin slot which is positioned operatively for insertions of variously sized coins into the torso's expansible coin storage space. In a preferred embodiment, the bank's rigid spine component is positioned upwardly or dorsally. Such positioning advantageously allows the torso's spine component to dually function as a longitudinal stiffening member and as a sculptural representation of the corresponding portion of a live animal's back. Where such spine component is provided, the invention's coin insertion slot may be advantageously positioned to extend vertically through such spine to open at upper and lower or interior surfaces of the spine. Upon such slot positioning, the spine component advantageously performs a triple function including service as a coin insertion conduit.

Accordingly, objects of the instant invention include the provision of a coin bank which incorporates structures as described above, and which arranges those structures in relation to each other, in manners as described above, for the achievement of the objects and benefits described above.

Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the present invention will become known to those skilled in the art upon review of the Detailed Description which follows, and upon review of the appended drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive coin bank.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view as indicated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 presents an alternate configuration of the structure of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 presents an alternate configuration of the structure of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Drawing FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive coin bank is referred to generally by Reference Arrow 1. The coin bank 1 preferably comprises a head section 2, a pectoral section 3, a torso section which is referred to generally by Reference Arrow 13, and a rearward pelvic section 4. Each section among the head 2, pectoral 3, torso 13, and pelvic 4 sections of the inventive coin bank 1 is preferably configured to outwardly sculpturally depict or represent corresponding head, pectoral, torso, and pelvic sections of an animal. The pig mode of sculptural configuration which is depicted in FIG. 1 is intended as being representative of any of numerous other animals such as cows, horses, dogs, and cats, each of which falls within the scope of the invention.

Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1 and 2, the pectoral section 3 preferably includes or forms a pair of downwardly extending front legs 5 and 7, and the rearward pelvic section 4 similarly includes and forms downwardly extending left and right rear legs 9 and 11.

Referring further simultaneously to FIGS. 1 and 2, the torso section 13 of the coin bank 1 preferably comprises stretchable and elastically deformable sheet or skin component 10 which extends longitudinally from front to rear between the pectoral section 3 and the pelvic section 4. The stretchable skin component 10 preferably further extends circumferentially to outwardly sculpturally define the animal's torso, and to inwardly define a hollow coin receiving and storage space 16. In a preferred embodiment, the skin component 10 comprises natural or latex rubber, and the skin component 10 may suitably alternatively comprise other elastomers such as silicone rubber, butyl rubber, EDPM or ethylene-propylene-diene modified elastomer, neoprene, polyisoprene, or styrene butadiene. Also in the preferred embodiment, the stretchable skin component 10 fixedly joins with rearward and outer edges of the pectoral section 3, and forward and outer edges of the pelvic section 4 at and along a continuous seam 12. As is particularly depicted in FIG. 2, such seam 12 is preferably configured as a “tongue and groove” joint or a lap joint which may enhance surface contact for an adhesive bond which is preferably continuously disposed along the seam 12.

Referring further simultaneously to FIGS. 1 and 2, in order to securely position the pelvic section 4 rearwardly from the pectoral section 3, the torso 13 of the coin bank 1 preferably further comprises a substantially rigid spine member 6 which spans between and interconnects the pectoral and pelvic sections 3 and 4. A coin slot 8 is preferably provided and where, as is preferred, the torso's spine member 6 is positioned dorsally or upwardly to sculpturally represent a part of the animal's back, such slot 8 may be positioned at and open at the spine 6. Accordingly, the spine component 6 may perform triple functions as a coin conduit, a stiffening member and an animal part sculptural depicting member. The slot 8 may suitably be alternatively positioned to open at other locations which communicate with the hollow interior 16.

The head 2, pectoral 3, spine 6, and pelvic 4 sections are preferably composed of durable injection molded plastic and such sections may be suitably alternatively composed of wood or cast metal.

In use of the instant inventive coin bank 1, and referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1-3, a user may successively insert coins 18 downwardly into and through slot 8, such coins progressively filling the hollow interior space 16 of the torso section 13 as indicated in FIG. 3. Due to the preferred flexible and elastic nature of the skin 10, the accumulating weight of the coins 8 presses and distends the skin 10 downwardly and outwardly from the “lean” configuration depicted in FIG. 2 to the “fattened” configuration depicted in FIG. 3. Referring further simultaneously to FIG. 4, further insertions of a multiplicity of coins into and through slot 8 may further distend the skin 10 of the torso 13, further “fattening” the coin bank.

Accordingly, the instant inventive coin bank functions as a coin storing vessel while progressively sculpturally depicting an increasingly fattened animal (for example the depicted pig), such progressive sculptural representation advantageously serving as indicia of the volume and number of coins which are stored.

While the principles of the invention have been made clear in the above illustrative embodiment, those skilled in the art may make modifications in the structure, arrangement, portions and components of the invention without departing from those principles. Accordingly, it is intended that the description and drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in the limiting sense, and that the invention be given a scope commensurate with the appended claims.

Claims

1. A toy bank for receiving and storing coins, the toy bank comprising: (a) a head section;(b) a pectoral section, the pectoral section being fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the head section;(c) a torso section comprising elastically deformable skin, the torso section being fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the head section; and(d) a pelvic section, the pelvic section being fixedly attached to and extending rearwardly from the torso section.

2. The toy bank of claim 1 wherein the elastically deformable skin is composed of an elastomer selected from the group consisting of natural rubber, silicone rubber, butyl rubber, ethylene-propylene-diene modified elastomer, neoprene, polyisoprene, and styrene butadiene.

3. The toy bank of claim 2 wherein at least a first section among the head, pectoral, and pelvic sections is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, wood, and metal.

4. The toy bank of claim 3 wherein at least a first section among the head, pectoral, torso, and pelvic sections is adapted to sculpturally depict an animal.

5. The toy bank of claim 4 wherein the sculpturally depicted animal is selected from the group consisting of pigs, cows, horses, dogs, and cats.

6. The toy bank of claim 5 further comprising at least a first pair of legs, said at least first leg pair being fixedly attached to and extending downwardly from one of the sections among the pectoral and pelvic sections.

7. The toy bank of claim 6 wherein the torso section comprises a longitudinally extending spine.

8. The toy bank of claim 7 wherein the elastically deformable skin circumferentially defines the torso section.

9. The toy bank of claim 8 further comprising a coin receiving space within the torso section.

10. The toy bank of claim 9 further comprising a coin slot, the coin slot opening the coin receiving space.

11. The toy bank of claim 10 wherein the coin slot's opening of the coin receiving space is positioned at the torso section's spine.

12. The toy bank of claim 1 wherein the elastically deformable skin is adapted for moving between a lean animal depicting configuration and a fattened animal depicting configuration, the elastically deformable skin moving toward the fattened animal depicting configuration upon the receipt of the coins.

13. The toy bank of claim 12 wherein the elastically deformable skin has a peripheral edge, and further comprising a continuous seam extending along said edge.

14. The toy bank of claim 13 wherein the continuous seam comprises a tongue and groove joint or comprises a lap joint.

15. The toy bank of claim 14 further comprising an adhesive bond at the continuous seam.