Toy With Antimicrobial Properties and Method for Producing Same

Abstract

The toy product of the present invention incorporates an antimicrobial agent that is introduced during the manufacturing process, to render the resultant product hypoallergenic and resistant to stains and odors during use, even after repeated washings.In a preferred embodiment, the toy product is a stuffed plush animal in which some or all of the yarn/fabric used in fabricating the toy product is treated with an antimicrobial agent during the knitting or weaving of the yarn to create the plush. While many different antimicrobial agents may be used, a preferred microbial agent is a solution containing silver nitrate, silver chloride, and/or alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride.

1 . A children's plush toy product having antimicrobial properties in which an antimicrobial agent is introduced during the fabrication of such a toy product, thereby rendering it resistant to stains and odors during use, even after repeated washings, wherein the antimicrobial agent could be one or more composition selected from the group consisting of silver nitrate, pyrithione zinc, and 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyldimethyloctadecy ammonium chloride. 
     
     
         2 . The toy product of  claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial agent is silver nitrate. 
     
     
         3 . The toy product of  claim 2 , wherein the antimicrobial agent is silver nitrate admixed with alkyl (50% C12, 30% C14, 17% C16, 3% C18) dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride 
     
     
         4 . The toy product of  claim 1  wherein said group further includes cupric ion, zinc oxide, dimethyl distearylammonium chloride, and polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride and phosphate. 
     
     
         5 . The toy product of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of such antimicrobial agent is between 0.2% and 10%. 
     
     
         6 . The toy product of  claim 1 , wherein said toy product is a plush animal. 
     
     
         7 . The toy product of  claim 1 , wherein said toy product demonstrates at least a 97% reduction against both  Staphylococcus aureus  and  Klebsiella pneumonia.    
     
     
         8 . The toy product of  claim 1 , wherein said toy product retains its antimicrobial properties after at least 10 washings. 
     
     
         9 . A method for manufacturing a children's plush toy product having antimicrobial properties said method comprising the steps of applying an antimicrobial agent to the yarns used in creating such a plush toy product before fabricating such toy product. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the antimicrobial agent is first added to a tank and mixed with water before the introduction of any yarn used for creating the plush toy product to allow the antimicrobial agent to be absorbed into the yarn. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said antimicrobial yarn is passed through an industrial oven for between about 45 and 60 seconds at a temperature of between 170° and 180° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of silver nitrate, pyrithione zinc, and 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyldimethyloctadecy ammonium chloride. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein said group further includes cupric ion, zinc oxide, dimethyl distearylammonium chloride, and polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride and phosphate. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the concentration of such antimicrobial agent is between 0.2% and 10%. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of applying the antimicrobial agent includes adding the antimicrobial agent to a dying solution in concentrations between 0.2% and 10%. 
     
     
         16 . A children's plush toy product made by the process of  claim 9  wherein the antimicrobial agent is one or more composition selected from the group consisting of silver nitrate, pyrithione zinc, and 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyldimethyloctadecy ammonium chloride. 
     
     
         17 . A children's plush toy product with antimicrobial properties made by a process comprising the steps of
 selecting an antimicrobial agent from one or more compositions of the group consisting of silver nitrate, pyrithione zinc, and 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyldimethyloctadecy ammonium chloride;   manufacturing a children's plush toy product having one or more textiles comprising one or more yarns;   applying the selected antimicrobial agent to one or more of the group consisting of the finished children's plush toy product, the textiles comprising the finished children's plush toy product, or the yarns comprising the textiles of the finished children's plush toy product.   
     
     
         18 . The children's plush toy product made by the process of  claim 17  wherein the antimicrobial agent is applied by one or more of the processes of dipping, padding, or spraying the finished children's toy product with the selected antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         19 . The children's plush toy product made by the process of  claim 17  wherein the antimicrobial agent is applied by one or more of the processes of dipping, padding, or spraying the textiles prior to manufacturing the finished children's toy product. 
     
     
         20 . The children's plush toy product made by the process of  claim 17  wherein the antimicrobial agent is applied by one or more of the processes of dipping, padding, or spraying the yarns prior to manufacturing the textiles for the finished children's toy product. 
     
     
         21 . The children's plush toy product of  claim 17  wherein the antimicrobial agent is silver nitrate. 
     
     
         22 . The children's plush toy product of  claim 17 , wherein the antimicrobial agent is silver nitrate admixed with alkyl (50% C12, 30% C14, 17% C16, 3% C18) dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride 
     
     
         23 . The children's plush toy product of  claim 17  wherein said group further includes cupric ion, zinc oxide, dimethyl distearylammonium chloride, and polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride and phosphate. 
     
     
         24 . The children's plush toy product of  claim 17 , wherein the concentration of such antimicrobial agent is between 0.2% and 10%. 
     
     
         25 . The children's plush toy product of  claim 17 , wherein said toy product is a plush toy animal. 
     
     
         26 . The children's plush toy product of  claim 16 , wherein said toy product demonstrates at least a 97% reduction against both  Staphylococcus aureus  and  Klebsiella pneumonia.    
     
     
         27 . The children's plush toy product of  claim 16  wherein the antimicrobial agent is applied to the toy product after the toy is fabricated.