Patent Application
20250229196
The present invention relates generally to the field of costumes. More specifically, the present invention relates to a trading card costume device that allows a user to dress as and be the subject of a simulative trading card. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.
People often enjoy expressing their admiration for their favorite athletes, video game characters, celebrities, or iconic fictional figures by wearing themed costumes during Halloween, parties, or special events. However, the selection of available costumes can be quite limited, making it challenging for people to find unique or personalized options that truly reflect their interests and personalities. Many standard costumes lack originality and fail to capture the essence or excitement of the characters people wish to emulate, which can leave wearers feeling uninspired. As a result, there is a growing demand for more creative, high-quality, and customizable costume options that allow individuals to stand out and make a lasting impression at any event.
Therefore, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an improved costume. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a trading card costume device. More specifically, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a trading card costume device that provides a costume that resembles a trading card. In addition, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a trading card costume device that provides a costume that resembles a trading card wherein the wearer themselves is the subject of the trading card.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a trading card costume device. The device is comprised of a wearable costume device designed to resemble a three-dimensional, living trading card, offering customizable features that mimic various trading card themes, such as sports, fantasy, or game cards, to enhance personal expression and engagement at themed events. The device comprises a front member with an opening for the wearer's face, evoking the image area of a trading card, and may feature thematic indicia like player names or holographic designs for authenticity. A matching rear member includes thematic and visually cohesive indicia, with typical card-back details such as statistics or descriptions. Structural integrity is maintained by supports, and the device is secured with adjustable, padded shoulder straps for comfort and fit. A method of use includes donning the costume and adjusting the straps for stability and ease of wear.
In this manner, the trading card costume device of the present invention accomplishes all the forgoing objectives and provides an improved costume. More specifically, the device provides a costume that resembles a trading card. Furthermore, the device provides a costume that resembles a trading card, wherein the wearer themselves is the subject of the trading card.
The following presents a simplified summary to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a trading card costume device. The device is a wearable costume designed to resemble a three-dimensional, living trading card. It features customizable elements to mimic various card types, such as sports, game, or collectible fantasy character cards, allowing users to express their preferences and participate in themed events like conventions or parties.
The device comprises a front member that serves as the primary visible surface, shaped preferably as a rectangle to replicate a traditional trading card. The front member is proportionally scaled to accommodate the user's size and may be constructed from paper-based or plastic-based materials for durability and flexibility. An opening is included to showcase the user's face or upper body, creating a focal point similar to the image area on an actual trading card.
The front member includes at least one indicia, such as text, numbers, logos, or graphics, which thematically align with the trading card style. Indicia may be applied using various methods, including printing or embossing, and may incorporate holographic or foil effects to simulate rare card features.
A rear member acts as the back panel of the device, matching the front member in shape and material. The front surface of the rear member serves as a backdrop for the user, featuring indicia like patterns or graphics that reflect the card's theme. The rear surface of the rear member includes indicia that mimic the appearance of a card's reverse side, such as logos, statistics, or descriptive text, tailored to the card type.
The front and rear members are connected by at least one support, which provides structural stability and ensures proper alignment. This support is typically rigid and spans horizontally between the members.
The front surface of the rear member incorporates at least one adjustable shoulder strap, which secures the costume on the user's shoulders. The strap may include fasteners, such as buckles or snaps, to allow length and tension adjustments for a secure and comfortable fit. Padding may be added to enhance comfort for extended use.
A method of using the device involves several steps: providing the costume with its components, positioning the user's upper body between the front and rear members, placing the shoulder strap over the shoulders, and adjusting the fasteners for optimal fit and stability.
Accordingly, the trading card costume device of the present invention is particularly advantageous as it provides an improved costume. More specifically, the device provides a costume that resembles a trading card. Furthermore, the device provides a costume that resembles a trading card, wherein the wearer themselves is the subject of the trading card. In this manner, the trading card costume device overcomes the limitations of existing costumes known in the art.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there exists a long-felt need in the art for an improved costume. There also exists a long-felt need in the art for a trading card costume device. More specifically, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a trading card costume device that provides a costume that resembles a trading card. In addition, there exists a long-felt need in the art for a trading card costume device that provides a costume that resembles a trading card wherein the wearer themselves is the subject of the trading card.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is comprised of a trading card costume device. The device is a wearable costume designed to resemble a three-dimensional, living trading card. It includes customizable features to imitate various card types, such as sports, game, or collectible fantasy character cards, allowing users to express their interests and engage in themed events like conventions or parties.
The device features a front member that serves as the main visible surface, preferably shaped as a rectangle to replicate the form of a traditional trading card. This front member is proportionally scaled to fit the user's size and can be made from paper-based or plastic-based materials to ensure both durability and flexibility. An opening is integrated to highlight the user's face or upper body, functioning as the focal point in a manner similar to an image area on an actual trading card.
The front member also includes at least one indicia, such as text, numbers, logos, or graphics, which align with the theme of the trading card. These indicia may be applied through methods like printing or embossing and may feature holographic or foil effects to replicate the look of rare cards.
A rear member acts as the back panel, mirroring the shape and material of the front member. The front surface of the rear member serves as a backdrop for the user, decorated with indicia like patterns or graphics relevant to the card's theme. The rear surface of the rear member displays indicia that replicate the design elements of a card's reverse side, including logos, statistics, or descriptive text that corresponds to the card type.
The front and rear members are linked by at least one support, providing structural stability and maintaining proper alignment. This support is typically rigid and extends horizontally between the two members.
The rear member's front surface includes at least one adjustable shoulder strap to secure the costume on the user's shoulders. The strap features fasteners, such as buckles or snaps, that allow for adjustment in length and tension, ensuring a secure and comfortable fit. Padding may be included for added comfort during prolonged use.
A method of using the device involves several steps: assembling the costume components, positioning the user's upper body between the front and rear members, placing the shoulder strap over the shoulders, and adjusting the fasteners for a proper and comfortable fit.
The trading card costume device is particularly advantageous as it provides an enhanced costume experience. Specifically, it offers a trading card-like appearance with the wearer themselves as the subject, addressing limitations found in existing costume designs.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The device 100 is comprised of a front member 110 that forms the primary visible surface of the costume when viewed from the front. The front member 110 is preferably (but not limited to) rectangular to emulate the shape of a traditional trading card. The dimensions of the front member 110 may be scaled proportionately to a typical trading card, ensuring visual authenticity while accommodating the user's body size. The front member 110 may be made from a paper-based material, such as cardboard or coated cardstock, and/or a plastic-based material, like polypropylene or polycarbonate, to provide both flexibility and durability. The front member 110 is comprised of an opening 112 strategically positioned to display the user's face and/or upper body. This opening 112 functions similarly to the framed image area on an actual trading card, allowing the wearer's features to become the focal point.
The front member 110 may also be comprised of at least one indicia 116. The indicia 116 may include but are not limited to words, letters, numbers, logos, or graphics that thematically relate to trading cards. Examples of such indicia may include player names, team logos, card values, or stylized borders that are commonly found on sports cards or collectible cards. The indicia 116 may be printed, embossed, or applied using decals, depending on the desired visual and tactile effect. In some configurations, the indicia 116 may be in the form of holographic or foil elements to mimic rare card features.
The device 100 is also comprised of a rear member 120 that serves as the back panel of the device 100, as seen in
The rear surface 130 of the rear member 120 is comprised of at least one indicia 132 that gives the appearance of the back side of a trading card. The indicia 132 may include features typical of a card's reverse side, such as a card logo, player statistics, descriptive text, or images that are relevant to the card's theme. For example, sports cards may include player stats, team affiliations, or a brief biography, while collectible game cards may display unique abilities, card rarity, or lore descriptions.
The front member 110 and rear member 120 are connected by at least one support 140, as seen in
The front surface 122 of the rear member 120 is further comprised of at least one shoulder strap 126. The strap 126 is designed to secure the device 100 on the user's shoulders, ensuring that the costume stays in place while being worn. The strap 126 may be adjustable and feature at least one fastener 128, such as hook and loop, buckles, snaps, etc. These fasteners 128 provide the user with the ability to modify the strap 126 length and tension for optimal comfort and fit. The adjustable nature of the strap 126 allows the device 100 to accommodate a wide range of body sizes, from children to adults, while preventing the costume from shifting or slipping during use. Additional padding 127 may be incorporated into the shoulder straps for increased comfort during extended wear.
The present invention is also comprised of a method of using 200 the device 100, as seen in
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “trading card costume device” and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the trading card costume device 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the trading card costume device 100 of the present invention and its various components can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that they accomplish the above-stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration, and material of the trading card costume device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the trading card costume device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the trading card costume device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the trading card costume device 100 may be of any size, shape, and/or configuration that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/621,011, which was filed on Jan. 15, 2024, and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63621011 | Jan 2024 | US |
