Method and apparatus for custom manufacture of teddy bears

Abstract

A method and apparatus that allows a patron to customize and manufacture their own bean bag style stuffed toy. The stuffed toy generally includes a soft stuffed body and head that is generally filled with polyester. The arms and legs of the stuffed animal toy are then filled with a heavier, more rigid “bean” type mix. The mix includes colorful glitter in various shapes and colors. The apparatus supplies the bean mix to the stuffed animal toy and is operated by the patron. The apparatus includes a viewing chamber that swirls the bean mix and glitter thereby providing colorful entertainment while the patron is filling their stuffed toy with the bean mix.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of custom making a stuffed toy animal by a customer, the method comprising: 
 providing a skin for the stuffed toy animal;    filling at least a portion of the skin with a plurality of substantially hard particles; and    sealing the skin to prevent the particles from falling out.    
     
     
         2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising filling a portion of the skin with a substantially soft material.  
     
     
         3 . A method in accordance with  claim 2  wherein the substantially soft material is placed within the skin prior to the substantially hard particles.  
     
     
         4 . A method in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the skin includes a head, a primary body coupled thereto, two arms coupled to the primary body and two legs coupled to the primary body; wherein the head body are filled with substantially soft material and the arms and legs are filled with substantially hard particles.  
     
     
         5 . A method in accordance with  claim 4  wherein the substantially hard particles comprise various shapes and glitter particles.  
     
     
         6 . A method in accordance with  claim 5  wherein substantially hard particles are swirled within a viewing chamber of a substantially hard particle supply machine.  
     
     
         7 . A method in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the substantially hard particles comprise various shapes and glitter particles.  
     
     
         8 . A method in accordance with  claim 7  wherein substantially hard particles are swirled within a viewing chamber of a substantially hard particle supply machine.  
     
     
         9 . A stuffed animal toy comprising: 
 a primary body filled with substantially soft material;    a head coupled to the body and filled with substantially soft material; and    at least two appendages filled with a bean mix comprising substantially hard particles.    
     
     
         10 . A stuffed animal toy in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the toy comprises at least four appendages filled with the bean mix comprising substantially hard particles.  
     
     
         11 . A stuffed animal toy in accordance with  claim 9  wherein the bean mix further comprises glitter particles.  
     
     
         12 . A stuffed animal toy in accordance with  claim 11  wherein the glitter particles comprise heart shapes, star shapes and dots.  
     
     
         13 . A bean mix for stuffing at least portions of a stuffed animal toy, the mix comprising substantially hard particles and glitter particles.  
     
     
         14 . A bean mix in accordance with  claim 13  wherein the substantially hard particles comprise plastic granules.  
     
     
         15 . A bean mix in accordance with  claim 14  wherein the glitter particles comprise heart shapes, star shapes and dots.