Bladder insert for doll head

Abstract

This invention provides a stuffed bladder insert used to substantially fill a cloth doll head. The stuffed bladder insert provides facial expressions and/or contours for the outer fabric skin of the doll head. The use of a stuffed bladder insert in the manufacture of cloth doll heads results in less expensive tooling, fewer manufacturing steps, lower production costs, and provides enhanced flexibility in changing the shape or contour of the outer skin. This invention also provides a method for making a doll head which has the softness of a stuffed cloth doll head but which also has the contour and facial expressions of a molded doll head.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A head for a cloth doll, the head comprising: 
 an outer bladder formed from an elastic material, and    an inner bladder formed from an elastic material, the inner bladder filled with a stuffing to thereby assume a predetermined shape of a head, wherein the inner bladder is disposed within the outer bladder, substantially filling the outer bladder and providing the predetermined shape to the outer bladder.    
     
     
         2 . The head of  claim 1 , wherein the inner bladder comprises at least one set of contouring stitches.  
     
     
         3 . The head of  claim 2 , wherein the contouring stitches form the shape and contour of a forehead in the inner bladder.  
     
     
         4 . The head of  claim 2 , wherein the contouring stitches form the shape and contour of a jaw in the inner bladder.  
     
     
         5 . The head of  claim 2 , wherein the contouring stitches form the shape and contour of a chin in the inner bladder.  
     
     
         6 . The head of  claim 2 , wherein the contouring stitches form the shape and contour of a nose bridge in the inner bladder.  
     
     
         7 . The head of  claim 1 , wherein the stuffed inner bladder comprises a pair of depressions simulating eye sockets.  
     
     
         8 . A head for a cloth doll, the head comprising: 
 an outer bladder formed from an elastic material,    an inner bladder formed from an elastic material, the inner bladder filled with a stuffing to thereby assume a predetermined shape, and    at least one small bladder, the small bladder filled with a stuffing and secured to the inner bladder, wherein the inner bladder and the secured small bladder are disposed within the outer bladder, substantially filling the outer bladder and providing the predetermined shape to the outer bladder.    
     
     
         9 . The head of  claim 8 , wherein the inner bladder comprises at least one set of contouring stitches.  
     
     
         10 . The head of  claim 9 , wherein the contouring stitches form the shape and contour of a forehead in the inner bladder.  
     
     
         11 . The head of  claim 9 , wherein the contouring stitches form the shape and contour of a jaw in the inner bladder.  
     
     
         12 . The head of  claim 9 , wherein the contouring stitches form the shape and contour of a chin in the inner bladder.  
     
     
         13 . The head of  claim 9 , wherein the contouring stitches form the shape and contour of a nose bridge in the inner bladder.  
     
     
         14 . The head of  claim 8 , wherein the stuffed inner bladder comprises a pair of depressions simulating eye sockets.  
     
     
         15 . A method of producing a stuffed doll head, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a first piece of elastic material into an outer bladder;    sewing at least one set of contouring stitches in a second piece of elastic material;    forming the second piece of elastic material into an inner bladder;    filling the inner bladder with a stuffing to thereby provide the inner bladder with a predetermined shape of a head; and    inserting the stuffed inner bladder into the outer bladder to substantially fill the outer bladder and to thereby provide the predetermined shape to the outer bladder.    
     
     
         16 . A method of producing a stuffed doll head, comprising the steps of: 
 forming a first piece of elastic material into an outer bladder;    sewing at least one set of contouring stitches in a second piece of elastic material;    forming the second piece of elastic material into an inner bladder;    filling the inner bladder with a stuffing to thereby provide the inner bladder with a predetermined shape;    forming a third piece of elastic material into a small bladder;    attaching the small bladder to the stuffed inner bladder; and    inserting the stuffed inner bladder with the attached small bladder into the outer bladder to substantially fill the outer bladder and to thereby provide the predetermined shape to the outer bladder.