GB2407996A

GB2407996A - A box containing an expansive toy

Info

Publication number: GB2407996A
Application number: GB0326731A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mon-Sheng Lin
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-11-17
Filing date: 2003-11-17
Publication date: 2005-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 2023-11-17
Also published as: US20050118924A1; GB0326731D0; GB2407996B; DE20318400U1

Abstract

A toy pet box is disclosed to include a box body (1) having a water chamber and a water inlet (13) sealed with a detachable cap (131), and an expansive toy (2) set in the water chamber (12) inside the box body (1) and caused to expand when the water chamber (12) is filled up with water. The expansive toy (2) may be freely movable within the box (1), so that the toy (2) moves when the box (1) is shaken, alternatively the toy (2) may be fastened to the bottom or lateral sides of the inside wall of the box (1). Decorative stickers may also be adhered to the outside surface of the box (1). The expansive toy (2) may be moulded from a compound containing polyethylene and expansive powder.

Description

TOY PET BOX

The present invention relates to toys and, more particularly, to a toy pet box, which comprises a box body adapted to hold water, and an expansive toy put in the box body and stopped inside the box body when expanded after absorption of water.

FIG. 1 shows a conventional expansive toy 10. The expansive toy 10 has a small size before use. When dipped in water 40 in a cup 40, the expansive toy 10 absorbs water 40 and starts to expand. The size of the expanded expansive toy 20 is several times over the size of the original expansive toy 10 before expansion. This kind of expansive toy cannot be kept in water for a long time. It starts to corrupt when keeping in water for more than 36 hours. It is dangerous when a child ate a corrupted expansive toy accidentally.

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a toy pet box, which is safe for a child to play with. According to one aspect of the present invention, the toy pet box comprises a box body defining a water chamber, and an expansive toy set in the box body. Water is poured out of the box body after the expansive toy has fully expanded and stopped inside the box body. According to another aspect of the present invention, the surrounding ornamental devices are installed in the box body for decoration. According to still another aspect of the present invention, the expansive toy can be directly put in the water chamber inside the box body, or fixedly fastened to the inside wall of the outer shell of the box body.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the drawings in which: FIG. l is an elevational view of an expansive toy according to the prior art; FIG. 2 is a schematic drawing showing the expansive toy put in water and expanded; FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a toy pet box according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but showing the expansive toy expanded; FIG. S is a perspective view of an alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention; FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention; FIG. 7 is a perspective view of still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention; FIG. 8 is a perspective view of still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention; FIG. 9 is a perspective view of still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention; FIG. lO is a perspective view of still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention; FIG. 11 is a perspective view of still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention; and FIG. 12 is a perspective view of still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a toy pet box is shown comprising a box body 1, and an expansive toy 2. The box body 1 comprises an enclosed transparent outer shell 11 defining a water chamber 12, a water inlet 13 formed in the top side of the outer shell 11, a sealing cap 131 detachably fastened to the water inlet 13. The expansive toy 2 is put in the water chamber 12. When in use, water is filled in the water chamber 12, causing the expansion toy 2 to expand. After expansion of the expansive toy 2, water is poured out of the box body 1.

The expansive toy 2 may be directly put in the water chamber 12 inside the box body 1, so that the expansive toy 2 moves in the box body 1 when the child shaking the toy pet box. Alternatively, the usercan fixedly fasten the bottom or lateral side of the expansion toy 1 to the inside wall of the outer shell 11.

The aforesaid expansive toy 2 is molded from a compound containing polyethylene and expansive powder, having a small size before expansion (before absorbing water). When put in water 3 in the water chamber 12, the expansive toy 2 expands the size gradually up to several times over the original size (see FIG. 4). According to this embodiment, the expansive toy 2 has the shape of a frog.

FIG. 5 shows an alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention. According to this embodiment, the expansive toy 2' has the shape of an elephant. The expansive toy 2' is affixed to the top surface of the bottom wall of the outer shell 11 of the box body 1. Further, a relatively smaller expansive toy 2" is bonded to the inner surface of the upright peripheral wall of the outer shell 11. According to this embodiment, the expansive toy 2" has the shape of a ladybird. A decorative sticker 4 showing a fence is adhered to the upright peripheral wall of the outer shell 11 to decorate the box body 1.

FIG. 6 shows another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention. According to this embodiment, the expansive toy 2' has the shape of a cow, and a decorative sticker 4 is adhered to the upright peripheral wall of the outer shell 11 to decorate the box body 1. The decorative sticker 4 shows a fence.

FIG. 7 shows still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention. According to this embodiment, the expansive toy 2' has the shape of a fish, and a decorative sticker S is adhered to the upright peripheral wall of the outer shell 11 to decorate the box body 1. In order to keep the expansive toy 2' in vertical when floating in water, the expansive toy 2' has a bottom side fixedly mounted with a weight 20'.

Further, the decorative sticker 5 shows a water plant painting.

IS FIG. 8 shows still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention. According to this embodiment, the expansive toy 2' is affixed to the top surface of the bottom wall of the outer shell 11, having the shape of a beetle; a decorative sticker 6 is adhered to the upright peripheral wall of the outer shell 11, showing the drawing of a cage.

FIG. 9 shows still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention. According to this embodiment, the expansive toy 2' has the shape of a bird; a decorative sticker 7 is adhered to the upright peripheral wall of the outer shell 11, showing the drawing of a wooden cage and a nest.

FIG. lO shows still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention. According to this embodiment, the box body 1' is formed integral with the barrel of a pen 9; the expansive toy 2' has the shape of a dog; the upright peripheral wall of the outer shell 11' of the box body 1' is adhered with a decorative sticker 8 that shows the drawing of a wooden dog's cage.

FIG. l 1 shows still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention. According to this embodiment, the toy pet box comprises a box body 1" and an expansive toy 2. The box body 1" is shaped like a flat circular bottle, defining a water chamber 13". The box body 1" has a water inlet 11" sealed with a detachable cap 12". The expansive toy 2 has the shape of a butterfly, and is put in the water chamber 13". When the water chamber 13" filled with water, the expansive toy 2 is caused to expand, and the expanded expansive toy 2" is stopped inside the water chamber 13". Therefore, a child can only view the expanded expansive toy 2" in the box body 1", and cannot take the expanded expansive toy 2" out of the box body 1".

FIG. 12 shows still another alternate form of the toy pet box according to the present invention. According to this embodiment, the toy pet box comprises a box body 10', an expansive toy 2', and a plurality of ornaments 3'. The box body 10" comprises a transparent outer shell 101' defining a water chamber 102'. The ornaments 3' can have any of a variety of shapes. For example, the ornaments 3' can be toy flowers, stones, etc. A prototype of toy pet box has been constructed with the features of FIGS. 312. The toy pet box functions smoothly to provide all of the features discussed earlier.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A toy pet box comprising a box body and an expansive toy, said box body comprising an enclosed transparent outer shell defining a water chamber, a water inlet for filling of water into said water chamber, and a cap sealing said water inlet, said expansive toy being set in said water chamber inside said box body and caused to expand when dipped in water.

2. The toy pet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said expansive toy is affixed to a bottom wall of said transparent outer shell of said box body.

3. The toy pet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said expansive toy is affixed to an upright peripheral wall of said transparent outer shell of said box body.

4. The toy pet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said expansive toy is put in said water chamber inside said box body, and not affixed to said box body.

5. The toy pet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said expansive toy is put in said water chamber inside said box body and not affixed to said box body, having a weight at a bottom side thereof.

6. The toy pet box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said transparent outer shell of said box body has at least one decorative sticker adhered to upright peripheral walls thereof.

7. The toy pet box as claimed in claim l, further comprising a plurality of ornaments disposed inside said box body around said expansion toy.

8. A box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 3 to 12 of the drawings. /0

8. The toy pet box as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 3 to 12 of the drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS.

1. A box comprising a box body and an expansive toy, said box body comprising an enclosed transparent outer shell defining a water chamber, a water inlet for filling of water into said water chamber, and a cap sealing said water inlet, said expansive toy being set in said water chamber inside said box body and caused to expand when water is introduced into the water chamber.

2. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said expansive toy is affixed to a bottom wall of said transparent outer shell of said box body.

lo 3. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said expansive toy is affixed to an upright peripheral wall of said transparent outer shell of said box body.

4. A box as claimed in claim 1, wherein said expansive toy is put in said water chamber inside said box body and is not affixed to said box body.

5. A box as claimed in claim 4, wherein said expansive toy has a weight at a bottom side thereof.

6. A box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said transparent outer shell of said box body has at least one decorative sticker adhered to at least one upright peripheral wall thereof.

7. A box as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a so plurality of ornaments disposed inside said box body around said expansive toy.