Magnetic, Reconfigurable, Plush Toy Apparatus And Method

Abstract

A reconfigurable toy includes a plush body and an attachable appendage. The plush body contains a first magnetic attachment assembly including a flexible retaining element, a base layer, a magnetic layer, and an acoustic feedback layer. The attachable appendage includes a second magnetic attachment assembly. Magnetic attraction between the first magnetic attachment assembly and the second magnetic attachment assembly removably couples the attachable appendage to the plush body. A corresponding method is also disclosed and claimed herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A reconfigurable toy apparatus, comprising:
 a plush body;   an attachable appendage configured to removably attach to the plush body;   a first magnetic attachment assembly contained within the plush body, the first magnetic attachment assembly comprising a flexible retaining element retaining a base layer, a magnetic layer, and an acoustic feedback layer; and   a second magnetic attachment assembly contained within the attachable appendage, wherein magnetic attraction between the first magnetic attachment assembly and the second magnetic attachment assembly removably couples the attachable appendage to the plush body.   
     
     
         2 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the acoustic feedback layer provides audible feedback upon coupling the attachable appendage to the plush body. 
     
     
         3 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the acoustic feedback layer comprises a substantially rigid material. 
     
     
         4 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer comprises a substantially flexible material. 
     
     
         5 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the substantially flexible material is selected from the group consisting of ethylene-vinyl acetate (“EVA”), a thermoplastic elastomer (“TPE”), fabric, silicone, rubber, plastic and Velcro®. 
     
     
         6 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base layer substantially surrounds a portion of the magnet layer to increase a surface area of the first magnetic attachment assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the acoustic feedback layer comprises a ferromagnetic material. 
     
     
         8 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic layer comprises a ferromagnetic material selected from the group consisting of neodymium, iron, boron, samarium, cobalt, aluminum, nickel, ceramic ferrite, and ferritic stainless steel. 
     
     
         9 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the magnetic layer comprises a disc comprising one of 18 mm diameter×3 mm tall and 13 mm diameter×3 mm tall. 
     
     
         10 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plush body comprises a plurality of first magnetic attachment assemblies, each of the plurality of first magnetic attachment assemblies corresponding to a unique joint. 
     
     
         11 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the attachable appendage comprises at least two second magnetic attachment assemblies, each of the at least two second magnetic attachment assemblies corresponding to a unique joint. 
     
     
         12 . The reconfigurable toy apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible retaining element comprises a material selected from the group consisting of an adhesive, a thermoplastic elastomer, and a thermoplastic polyurethane. 
     
     
         13 . A method for reconfiguring a plush toy, comprising:
 providing a plush body having a first magnetic attachment assembly contained therein;   placing an attachable appendage in proximity to the plush body, the attachable appendage having a second magnetic attachment assembly contained therein;   removably coupling the attachable appendage to the plush body via magnetic attraction between the first magnetic attachment assembly and the second magnetic attachment assembly; and   receiving audible feedback upon coupling the attachable appendage to the plush body.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein at least one of the first and the second magnetic attachment assemblies comprises a flexible retaining element retaining a base layer, a magnetic layer, and an acoustic feedback layer. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein receiving audible feedback comprises receiving audible feedback produced by the acoustic feedback layer. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the magnetic layer comprises at least one of a permanent magnet and an electromagnet. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein removably coupling the attachable appendage comprises actuating the electromagnet. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising removing the attachable appendage from the plush body. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein removing the attachable appendage comprises at least one of deactuating the electromagnet and increasing a distance between the first and the second magnetic attachment assemblies. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising relocating the attachable appendage from a first joint to a second joint, wherein each of the first and the second joints corresponds to a unique location of one of the first and the second magnetic attachment assemblies.