Modular soft toy and method of use

Abstract

The invention is a modular soft toy and method of using the same. More specifically, the invention relates to modular soft toys having one or more interchangeable units, such as faces and/or other features, where the toy has a recess with a lip for receiving, guiding and/or retaining at least one of the interchangeable units.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A modular soft toy comprising:
 a. At least one section having at least one of:
 i. At least one retaining mechanism; 
 ii. At least one recessed opening with a guiding mechanism, such as a lip; and/or 
 iii. At least one attaching device; and 
   b. At least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit having at least one of:
 i. At least one retaining mechanism; 
 ii. At least one guiding mechanism; and/or 
 iii. At least one attaching device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1  wherein the at least one attaching device is a pressure sensitive attaching device. 
     
     
         3 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1  wherein the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit is a face unit or face plate. 
     
     
         4 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1  wherein the at least one section comprises a head section and a body section:
 a. the head section, which has a front and a rear surface, connecting and/or removably attaching to the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit via at least one attaching device located in or on the front surface of the head section, and/or the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, and with the front surface of the head section having a recessed opening with a guiding mechanism, such as a lip, to receive the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, whereby the guiding mechanism, such as a lip, operates to guide and retain the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit to the head section; and/or 
 b. the body section connecting and/or removably attaching to the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit via at least one attaching device located in or on the body section, and/or with the body section having a recessed opening with a guiding mechanism, such as a lip, to receive the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, whereby the guiding mechanism, such as a lip, operates to guide and retain the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit to the body section. 
 
     
     
         5 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1  further comprising at least one additional modular soft toy, wherein at least the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit of the modular soft toy and the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit of the at least one additional modular soft toy are interchangeable for use by both the modular soft toy and the at least one additional modular soft toy. 
     
     
         6 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1 , wherein the guiding mechanism, such as a lip, is created from the same material, and/or material that is the same color and/or color pattern as the at least one section. 
     
     
         7 . The modular soft toy of  claim 4  further comprising at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit comprising a body part, tail, ear, limb, face, wing, foot and/or feet, paw, hand, nail, claw, horn, antler, hair and/or faux hair, fur and/or faux fur, apparel, clothes and/or clothing, costume, coat, jacket, shoe, hat, cap, hood, headwear, crown, accessory(ies) including, but not limited to, eye glasses, sun glasses, glasses, a mask, and/or facial features including, but not limited to, eye, eyelash(es), hair, beard, mustache, side burns, mouth, nose, eye brow, cheek, and/or chin. 
     
     
         8 . The modular soft toy of  claim 7  with:
 a. the head section, which has a front and a rear surface, connecting and/or removably attaching to the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit via at least one attaching device located in or on the front and/or rear surface of the head section, and/or the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, and/or with the front and/or rear surface of the head section having a recessed opening with a guiding mechanism, such as a lip, to receive the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, whereby the guiding mechanism, such as a lip, operates to guide and retain the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit to the head section; and/or 
 b. the body section connecting and/or removably attaching to the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit via at least one attaching device located in or on the body section, and/or the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, and/or with the body section having a recessed opening with a guiding mechanism, such as a lip, to receive the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, whereby the guiding mechanism, such as a lip, operates to guide and retain the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit to the body section. 
 
     
     
         9 . The modular soft toy of  claim 7  further comprising at least one additional modular soft toy, wherein at least the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit of the modular soft toy and the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit of the at least one additional modular soft toy are interchangeable for use by both the modular soft toy and the at least one additional modular soft toy. 
     
     
         10 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attaching device is hidden in whole or part, camouflaged in whole or part, and/or covered in whole or part by material, fur and/or faux fur, and/or hair and/or faux hair. 
     
     
         11 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1  further comprising at least one retaining mechanism and/or supporting device and/or structure in and/or on at least one of the at least one of the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, the head section, and/or the body section:
 a. to shape the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, the head section, and/or the body section; 
 b. support any devices and/or material covering the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, the head section, and/or the body section; and/or 
 c. support any unit which is attachable to the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, the head section, and/or the body section. 
 
     
     
         12 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1 , wherein the guiding mechanism, such as a lip, has rounded edges and partially encircles the recessed opening so as to leave a space where no guiding mechanism, such as a lip, is provided. 
     
     
         13 . The modular soft toy of  claim 4  further comprising pre-printed facial features on and/or affixed to the front surface of the head section. 
     
     
         14 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one attaching device is hidden in whole or part, camouflaged in whole or part, and/or covered in whole or part by material, fur and/or faux fur, and/or hair and/or faux hair. 
     
     
         15 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1 , further comprising removably attachable ear, antler, horn, hat, cap, hood, crown, headwear, eye glasses, sun glasses, glasses, accessory(ies), hair and/or faux hair, and/or fur and/or faux fur, on or in the rear unit of the head section. 
     
     
         16 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1 , wherein one or more attaching devices form the shape and/or impression of facial features, such as eyes, nose and/or mouth. 
     
     
         17 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following:
 illumination, lighting, lighting device, sound, speaker, amplifier, sound device, video, video device, electronic media, electronic media device, and/or device to send and/or receive control signals.   
     
     
         18 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one switch, at least one sensor, and/or at least one connector, and said at least one switch, at least one sensor, and/or at least one connector can be sensed by and/or connected to electronics and/or circuitry, and/or electronic circuits, and/or electronic devices. 
     
     
         19 . The modular soft toy of  claim 18 , wherein said at least one switch, at least one sensor, and/or at least one connector can be at least one of motion and/or acceleration and/or impact activated. 
     
     
         20 . The modular soft toy of  claim 17 , wherein said lighting is dimmable. 
     
     
         21 . The modular soft toy of  claim 19 , wherein said at least one switch, at least one sensor, and/or at least one connector can sense acoustic energy and/or audio from the environment or other source and convert said acoustic energy and/or audio into a signal. 
     
     
         22 . The modular soft toy of  claim 21 , wherein said signal can be resolved into frequency and/or amplitude and/or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The modular soft toy of  claim 21 , wherein said frequency and/or amplitude and/or a combination thereof can control or affect the pattern and/or intensity of the lighting. 
     
     
         24 . The modular soft toy of  claim 18 , wherein said at least one switch, at least one sensor, and/or at least one connector is a connector and/or jack for connecting to an audio source and/or power. 
     
     
         25 . The modular soft toy of  claim 1 , further comprising a conductive connector or jack for connecting to a cell phone and/or mobile device and/or smart device and/or computer. 
     
     
         26 . A method of using a modular soft toy comprising:
 a. providing a modular soft toy with at least one section wherein the at least one section comprises a head section and a body section:
 i. the head section having a rear unit, which has a front and a rear surface, and at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit, which has a front and a rear surface, with the rear surface of the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit being attachable to the front surface of the rear unit of the head section; 
 ii. at least one of either the rear surface of the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit and/or the front surface of the rear unit of the head section having at least one attaching device for attaching the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit to the rear unit of the head section, whereby the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit can be pressed on to the rear unit of the head section to attach the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit and the rear unit of the head section together; 
 iii. the front surface of the rear unit of the head section having a recessed opening with guiding mechanism, such as a lip, to receive the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit; and 
 iv. at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit is fittable into a recessed opening with guiding mechanism, such as a lip; 
   b. guiding and/or retaining the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit and/or the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit using the recessed opening with guiding mechanism, such as a lip;   c. pressing and/or pushing the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit and/or the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit into and/or on to the recessed opening with guiding mechanism, such as a lip; and   d. detaching the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit and/or the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit from the recessed opening with guiding mechanism, such as a lip.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the recessed opening with guiding mechanism, such as a lip, further comprises an opening and the at least one removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit and/or the at least one additional removably attachable two or three-dimensional unit is detached from the recess by grabbing the unit through the opening.