FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an easily cleanable bath squirting toy.
BACKGROUND
Bath squirting toys are used by children for fun and for squirting water in bath tubs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a two-piece bath squirting toy comprising two separable pieces of flexible material, with each piece forming a section of a toy or an animal such that when the pieces are combined, they form a complete toy or animal. Each piece includes a portion of a liquid fluid reservoir inside of the squirting toy, with an interior wall of the portion of each piece directly contacting fluid within the liquid fluid reservoir.
These and other aspects, objects, and features of the present invention will be understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art upon studying the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a two-piece bath squirting toy of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front exploded perspective view of the two-piece bath squirting toy of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a generic two-piece bath squirting toy of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a generic two-piece bath squirting toy of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of a generic two-piece bath squirting toy of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a front perspective view two two-piece bath squirting toys of the present invention with the sections of the two-piece bath squirting toys being mixed up.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the two-piece bath squirting toy of the present invention in a tub.
FIG. 8 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of using the two-piece bath squirting toy of the present invention.
FIG. 8A is a flow diagram illustrating a method of filling the two-piece bath squirting toy of the present invention with water.
FIG. 9 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of washing the two-piece bath squirting toy of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
For purposes of description herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “right,” “left,” “rear,” “front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the invention as orientated in FIG. 1. However, it is to be understood that the invention may assume various alternative orientations, except where expressly specified to the contrary. It is also to be understood that the specific devices and processes illustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the following specification are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions and other physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosed herein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expressly state otherwise.
The reference number 10 (FIGS. 1-2) generally designates a two-piece bath squirting toy embodying the present invention. In the illustrated example, the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 comprises a first section 12 including a first connection member 14 and a second section 16 including a second connection member 18. The first section 12 and the second section 16 of the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 are removably connected together by the first connection member 14 and the second connection member 18. The first connection member 14 and the second connection member 18 allow the first section 12 and the second section 16 to be separated to allow both an exterior 20 and an interior 22 of the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 to be cleaned.
In the illustrated example, the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 forms a toy to be used in a bath 100 (see FIG. 7). The two-piece bath squirting toy 10 includes at least one opening 24 for allowing water or other fluid to enter and exit the two-piece bath squirting toy 10. The two-piece bath squirting toy 10 is formed of elastic material as is well known to those skilled in the art. The elastic material allows the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 to be squeezed to expel air and/or water from the interior 22 of the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 through the at least one opening 24. Once the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 is released from its squeezed state, the elasticity of the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 will reform the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 into its original shape, thereby creating a partial vacuum within the two-piece bath squirting toy 10. The partial vacuum will suck air and/or water into the interior 22 of the two-piece bath squirting toy 10. If filled with water, the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 can be squeezed to expel the water within the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 through the at least one opening 24, with the at least one opening 24 acting as a nozzle. The first section 12 and/or the second section 16 of the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 can be formed and/or coated with a viral and/or bacterial resistant or repellant material to prevent viruses and bacteria from forming or staying on the first section 12 and/or the second section 16 (as is well known to those skilled in the art).
The illustrated two-piece bath squirting toy 10 is formed of the first section 12 and the second section 16 to allow the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 to be separated into two parts to allow both an exterior 20 and an interior 22 of the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 to be cleaned. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the first section 12 and the second section 16 of the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 are removably connected together by the first connection member 14 and the second connection member 18. In the illustrated example, the first connection member 14 includes a first press fit section 26 forming a ledge 26′ and the second connection member includes a second press fit section 28 forming a groove 28′. The ledge 26′ is pressed into the groove 28′ to connect the first connection member 14 to the second connection member 16.
Although the first connection member 14 and the second connection member 18 are illustrated as being press fit sections, it is contemplated that the first connection member 14 and the second connection member 18 can include any elements for removably connecting the first section 12 to the second section 16. For example, the first connection member 14 and the second connection member 18 can comprise mating threaded sections, snaps, or buttons (see, for example, FIGS. 4 and 5). Furthermore, while the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 as being in the form of a cat, it is contemplated that the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 can form any exterior shape. For example, the two-piece bath squirting toy 10 can form any animal (e.g., a fish (as shown in FIG. 6), a vehicle or any person (real or fictional)).
FIG. 3 illustrates a generic two-piece bath squirting toy 10a having a first connection member 14a including a first press fit section 26a forming a ledge 26a′ and a second connection member 18a including a second press fit section a28 forming a groove 28a′. The first press fit section 26a forming the ledge 26a′ and the second press fit section a28 forming the groove 28a′ in FIG. 3 is the same connection scheme as shown in FIGS. 1-2. FIG. 3 is used to illustrated that the connection as shown in FIGS. 1-2 can be used on a toy having any exterior and interior shape. The first connection member 14a can be formed out of the material used to directly form the first section 12a of the generic two-piece bath squirting toy 10a (e.g., molded in a unitary piece as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) or can be a member fit into or connected (e.g., by interference fit or adhesion) to the first section 12a.
FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate another embodiment of a generic two-piece bath squirting toy 10b, with the connection scheme employing a external threaded member 27 on one of the sections and an internal threaded member 29 on the other of the sections. In FIG. 4, the first connection member 14b is formed out of the first section 12b. The second connection member 18b can be formed out of the material used to directly form the second section 16b of the generic two-piece bath squirting toy 10b (e.g., molded in a unitary piece). FIG. 5 illustrates the first connection member 14b being formed out of a first separate member 52 that is fit into or connected to the first section 12b and the second connection member 18b being formed out of separate member 50 that is fit into or connected to the second section 16b.
In the illustrated example, it is also contemplated that only one of the first connection member 14, 14a or 14b and the second connection member 18, 18a or 18b can be a separate piece and that the other of the first connection member 14, 14a or 14b and the second connection member 18, 18a or 18b can be molded with their respective section. Furthermore, the connection members can be reversed on the sections of the toy 10, 10a or 10b (e.g., the second connection member 14 could include the first press fit section 26 forming the ledge 26′ and the first connection member 12 could includes the second press fit section 28 forming the groove 28′).
FIG. 6 illustrates two two-piece bath squirting toys 10 and 10c, with a first one of the two-piece bath squirting toys 10 being in the form of a cat and a second one of the two-piece bath squirting toys 10 being in the form of a fish. The sections of the two two-piece bath squirting toys 10 and 10c can be mixed such that the first section 12 of the first one of the two-piece bath squirting toys 10 is connected to the second section 14c of the second one of the two-piece bath squirting toys 10c and the first section 12c of the second one of the two-piece bath squirting toys 10c is connected to the second section 14 of the first one of the two-piece bath squirting toys 10.
FIG. 8 illustrated a method 500 of using any of two-piece bath squirting toys described above. The method 500 includes a first step 502 of placing the two-piece bath squirting toy in a tub, a second step 504 of filling the two-piece bath squirting toy with water and a third step 506 of squirting water out of the two-piece bath squirting toy. FIG. 8A illustrates a first method 600 of the second step 504 of filling the two-piece bath squirting toy with water. The first method 600 includes a first step 552 of separating the first section of the two-piece bath squirting toy from the second section of the two-piece bath squirting toy, a second step 554 of filling one of the sections of the two-piece bath squirting toy with water and a third step 556 of connecting the sections of the two-piece bath squirting toy to enclose the interior 22 of the two-piece bath squirting toy. A second method of the second step 504 of filing the two-piece bath squirting toy with water includes squeezing the two-piece bath squirting toy under water as described above.
FIG. 9 illustrates a method 600 of cleaning the two-piece bath squirting toy. The method 600 includes separating the first section of the two-piece bath squirting toy from the second section of the two-piece bath squirting toy at step 602 and cleaning the sections of the two-piece bath squirting toy at step 604. The separated sections of the two-piece bath squirting toy can be cleaned by hand or in a dishwasher (or in other similar manners). The separability of the sections of the two-piece bath squirting toy allow the two-piece bath squirting toy to be easily cleaned since the interior 22 of the two-piece bath squirting toy can be easily accessed once the sections of the two-piece bath squirting toy are separated.
The foregoing detailed description is considered that of a preferred embodiment only, and the particular shape and nature of at least some of the components in this embodiment are at least partially based on manufacturing advantages and considerations as well as on those pertaining to assembly and operation. Modifications of this embodiment may well occur to those skilled in the art and to those who make or use the invention after learning the nature of this preferred embodiment, and the invention lends itself advantageously to such modification and alternative embodiments. Therefore, It is to be understood that variations and modifications can be made on the aforementioned structure without departing from the concepts of the present invention, and further it is to be understood that such concepts are intended to be covered by the following claims unless these claims by their language expressly state otherwise.
Patent Application
20110250820
