Plush toy

Number: 12440774
Published: 2025-10-14
Filed: 2023-08-17
Assignee: DISNEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
Inventors: Maldovan; Monty et al.
CPC: A63H3/02; A63H9/00
Verdict: Medium Hardware
Source: Google Patents · FreePatentsOnline

The keeper's note

Physical plush-toy hardware (granted).

Abstract

A plush toy having an outer fabric shell with an outer surface defining a desired shape for the plush toy and an in inner surface defining a void. A fiberfill layer covers an inner surface of the outer fabric shell. A foam inner inside the defined void, where the foam inner and the fiberfill layer are sized to completely fill the void such that the foam inner is not compressed while in a relaxed state, but can be compressed as a user interacts with the plush toy and that the fiberfill completely buffers the foam inner form direct contact with the outer fabric shell.

Background

BACKGROUND Field of the Description (1) The present description relates, in general, to plush toys, and, more specifically, to plush toys having a viscoelastic inner that does not itself define the shape or appearance of the toy. Relevant Background (2) Plush toys are a timeless toy style that continue to be enjoyed by children everywhere. conventional plush toys are constructed of an outer fabric or simulated fur shell defining an inner void that is filled with stuffing such as fiberfill, wool, loose foam and the like, but packed tightly enough against the outer fabric casing so as to retain their shape. Conventional stuffing, while soft and modestly compressible, is typically packed tightly enough that the toys are not easily compressed in a way that would deform the toy and so do not conform readily to a user's squeezing and hugging. When the stuffing is packed loosely enough to make the toy more enjoyable, the toy often fails expand into its original shape when deformed. (3) One example of a plush toy addressing this issue is found in U.S. Pat. No. 11,311,814 invented by Jeremy Medwed. This solution uses a foam inner that is larger than the outer shape of the toy and is a bit larger that the textile fabric outer covering. This design allows the foam inner to expand to entirely fill the shape defined by the fabric outer covering and ensure that the inner remains partially compressed and taught against the outer fabric cover. However, this results in a plush toy that is les

Claims

1. A plush toy comprising: an outer fabric shell having an inner surface defining a void; a foam inner inside the void; and a fiberfill layer between the inner surface of the outer fabric shell and an outer surface of the foam inner; wherein the foam inner is not compressed while in a relaxed state, and wherein the fiberfill layer buffers the foam inner from direct contact with the outer fabric shell. || 13. A construction for stuffing a void defined by a fabric shell, the construction comprising: a foam inner; and a fiberfill buffer covering an outer surface of the foam inner, wherein the foam inner and the fiberfill buffer are sized to completely fill the void defined by the fabric shell such that the foam inner is not compressed while in a relaxed state, but can be compressed as a user interacts with the construction. || 17. A method of constructing a stuffed object, the method comprising: forming a fabric outer shell having an inner surface defining a void; placing a foam inner inside the void, wherein the foam inner has a size that is smaller than the fabric outer shell; filling space between the foam inner and the inner surface of the fabric outer shell with a fiberfill material such that the foam inner is not compressed; and closing the fabric outer shell such that the foam inner and the fiberfill material are sealed within the void.