Plush toy with embedded prize

Abstract

A plush toy has a hidden prize. The plush toy has an outer skin defining an interior volume, with a filler material filling the interior volume. An opening is provided in the outer skin for access to the interior volume. The prize is disposed in the interior volume and a closure closes the opening in the outer skin such that access to the prize requires alteration of the closure or of the outer skin. A kit includes components for retaining and storing a keepsake in the interior of a plush toy and a method allows the retention and storing of a keepsake in the interior volume of the plush toy.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A kit for retaining a keepsake and storing the keepsake inside a plush toy of the type having an outer skin defining an interior volume, the interior volume being filled with a filler material, the outer skin having a seam which may be opened so as to allow access to the interior volume, the kit comprising: 
 a storage container defining an interior storage space sized to receive the keepsake, the storage container having an opening communicating with the interior storage space and a closure operable to cover the opening, wherein a keepsake may be placed in the interior storage space, the closure may cover the opening and the storage container may be inserted into the interior volume of the plush toy through the seam;    a sewing set for sewing closed the seam so as to provide a sewn seam;    a patch for covering the sewn seam, the patch including indicia reflecting the preferred contents of the storage container; and    instructions indicating a procedure for retaining a keepsake and storing the keepsake in the interior volume of a plush toy.    
     
     
         2 . The kit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a seam ripper for opening the seam.  
     
     
         3 . The kit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bag for receiving the container.  
     
     
         4 . The kit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a gift tag for attachment to the plush toy.  
     
     
         5 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the container is a bottle, the kit further comprising an eye dropper for collecting a liquid for placement in the bottle.  
     
     
         6 . The kit according to  claim 1 , wherein the sewing set includes a needle and a plurality of differently colored threads.  
     
     
         7 . The kit according to  claim 1 , further comprising a plush toy for receiving the container, the plush toy having an outer skin defining an interior volume and filler material substantially filling the interior volume.  
     
     
         8 . The kit according to  claim 7 , wherein the outer skin of the plush toy has an opening therein for insertion of the container.  
     
     
         9 . A kit for retaining a keepsake and storing the keepsake inside a plush toy of the type having an outer skin defining an interior volume, the interior volume being filled with a filler material, the outer skin having a seam which may be opened so as to allow access to the interior volume, the kit comprising: 
 a storage container defining an interior storage space sized to receive the keepsake, the storage container having an opening communicating with the interior storage space and a closure operable to cover the opening, wherein a keepsake may be placed in the interior storage space, the closure may cover the opening and the storage container may be inserted into the interior volume of the plush toy through the seam;    a closure means for closing seam in the outer skin; and    instructions indicating a procedure for retaining a keepsake and storing the keepsake in the interior volume of a plush toy.    
     
     
         10 . The kit according to  claim 9 , wherein the closure means in tamper evident such that access to the keepsake through the closure means causes evident alteration of the closure means.  
     
     
         11 . A method for retaining a keepsake and storing the keepsake in a plush toy, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plush toy having an outer skin defining an interior volume, the plush toy further having stuffing material filling the interior volume, the outer skin having an opening defined therein communicating with the interior volume;    providing a storage container defining an interior storage space sized to receive the keepsake, the storage container having an opening communicating with the interior storage space and a closure operable to cover the opening;    placing the keepsake into the interior-storage space of the storage container;    covering the opening in the storage container with the closure;    inserting the storage container through the opening in the outer skin of the plush toy such that the storage container is disposed in the interior volume of the plush toy; and    closing the opening in the outer skin such that the storage container and the stuffing material is retained in the interior volume of the plush toy.    
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising the steps of providing a bag for receiving the container and placing the container into the bag prior to inserting the container through the opening.  
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the container is a small bottle for retaining liquid, the step of placing the keepsake comprising filling the bottle with a liquid.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the closing step comprises providing a sewing set and sewing closed the opening in the outer skin so as to retain the stuffing material and the storage container in the interior volume.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising the steps of providing a patch having indicia reflective of the preferred contents of the storage container and covering the sewn closed opening with the patch.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the closing step comprises closing the opening uses a generally transparent cover such that the storage container is visible through the cover.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the plush toy providing step comprises providing a plush toy with at least one seam in the outer skin and opening at least a portion of the seam to provide the opening in the outer skin.  
     
     
         18 . A method for retaining a keepsake and storing the keepsake in a plush toy, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plush toy having an outer skin defining an interior volume, the plush toy further having stuffing material filling the interior volume, the outer skin having an opening defined therein communicating with the interior volume;    inserting the keepsake storage container through the opening in the outer skin of the plush toy such that the keepsake is disposed in the interior volume of the plush toy; and    closing the opening in the outer skin such that the keepsake and the stuffing material is retained in the interior volume of the plush toy.    
     
     
         19 . A plush toy with a hidden prize comprising: 
 a plush toy having an outer skin defining an interior volume and a filler material substantially filling the interior volume, the outer skin having an opening defined therein communicating with the interior volume;    a prize disposed in the interior volume, the prize being selected from the group consisting of jewelry, money, certificates, and keepsakes; and a closure closing the opening in the outer skin such that access to the prize requires alteration of the closure or the outer skin.    
     
     
         20 . The plush toy according to  claim 19 , wherein the closure is a tamperevident seal.  
     
     
         21 . The plush toy according to  claim 19 , wherein the closure is a patch with indicia reflecting information about the prize.  
     
     
         22 . A method of distributing a plurality of plush toy having inclusions of various values, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a plurality of plush toys each having an outer skin defining an interior volume and stuffing material filling the interior volume;    providing a plurality of inclusions of various values, each inclusion having an identity;    inserting an inclusion into each of the plush toys such that the identity of the inclusion is not determinable without opening the outer skin;    attaching a unique reference indicia to each plush toy;    recording the unique reference indicia and the identity of the inclusion for each plush toy;    maintaining the recording of the indicia and identities in secrecy;    distributing the plush toys; and    releasing the reference indicia and associated identities after a period of time.    
     
     
         23 . The method according the  claim 22 , wherein the distributing step comprises selling the plush toys each at approximately the same price.  
     
     
         24 . The method according the  claim 23 , wherein some of the inclusions have a value exceeding the selling price of the plush toy.  
     
     
         25 . The method according the  claim 22 , wherein the releasing step comprises providing a certificate indicating the identity and value of the inclusion.  
     
     
         26 . The method according the  claim 22 , wherein the identity may be determined immediately after distribution.  
     
     
         27 . The method according the  claim 22 , further comprising the step of providing a certificate with each plush toy indicating the reference indicia for the plush toy and a list of identities for all possible inclusions.  
     
     
         28 . The method according the  claim 22 , wherein the attaching step comprises providing a label with a reference indicia thereon and attaching the label to the plush toy.  
     
     
         29 . The method according the  claim 22 , wherein the plush toy is a teddy bear.  
     
     
         30 . The method according the  claim 22 , wherein the releasing step occurs after a predetermined number of plush toys has been distributed.  
     
     
         31 . The method according the  claim 22 , wherein the plush toys include a tamper evident closure such that the closure cannot be openend without altering the closure.