US-20260124550-A1 - PLUSH WITH TACTILE SENSORY SPONGE

Abstract

A sensory toy includes a plush body, one or more sensory zones, each sensory zone comprising a pocket, and a sensory sponge disposed inside the pocket of each sensory zone, the sensory sponge being substantially detached from the pocket.

Inventors

• Iryna Chystiakova

Assignees

• K&M International, LLC

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20251105

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A sensory toy, comprising: a plush body; one or more sensory zones affixed to the plush body, each sensory zone comprising a pocket; and a sensory sponge disposed inside the pocket of each sensory zone, the sensory sponge being substantially detached from the pocket.
2. 2 . The sensory toy of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more sensory zones is configured to be grasped between two fingers of a user.
3. 3 . The sensory toy of claim 2 , wherein each of the one or more sensor zones has a thickness of about 10 mm.
4. 4 . The sensory toy of claim 1 , wherein each sensory sponge comprises polyester.
5. 5 . The sensory toy of claim 1 , wherein each sensory sponge comprises a core disposed between two outer walls.
6. 6 . The sensory toy of claim 5 , wherein the core of each sensory sponge connects the outer walls together.
7. 7 . The sensory toy of claim 1 , wherein each sensory zone comprises a front surface comprising a first material and a back surface opposite the front surface comprising a second material.
8. 8 . The sensory zone of claim 7 , wherein each sensory zone further comprises a border area at an edge of the sensory zone, the border area comprising a third material.
9. 9 . The sensory toy of claim 1 , wherein each sensory sponge is only attached to the pocket at a region where the corresponding sensory zone is affixed to the plush body.
10. 10 . A method of manufacturing a sensory toy, the method comprising: providing a plush body; affixing one or more sensory zones to the plush body; forming a pocket in each of the one or more sensory zones; and disposing a sensory sponge inside the pocket of each of the one or more sensory zones, the sensory sponge being substantially detached from the pocket.
11. 11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming each of the one or more sensory zones to be grasped between two fingers of a user.
12. 12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising forming each of the one or more sensory zones at a thickness of about 10 mm.
13. 13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming each sensory sponge from polyester.
14. 14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming each sensory sponge to comprise a core disposed between two outer walls.
15. 15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising connecting the outer walls of each sensory sponge together via the core.
16. 16 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising forming each sensory zone with a front surface comprising a first material and a back surface opposite the front surface comprising a second material.
17. 17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising forming each sensory zone with a border area at an edge of the sensory zone, the border area comprising a third material.
18. 18 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising only attaching each sensory sponge to the pocket at a region where the corresponding sensory zone is affixed to the plush body.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/716,964, filed Nov. 6, 2024 in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. BACKGROUND Neurodivergent people, especially children, benefit from sensory toys, i.e., toys which engage senses such as touch. However, most sensory toys only provide one form of engagement or type of “feel,” so a user may quickly become bored or lose the benefit of a sensory toy if the “feel” is not to their satisfaction. There is therefore a need for a sensory toy with multiple textures to engage a user's sense of touch. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Exemplary embodiments of the present general inventive concept provide a sensory toy that provides multiple types of tactile engagements for the user, and a method of manufacturing the same. The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a sensory toy, including a plush body, one or more sensory zones affixed to the plush body, each sensory zone including a pocket, and a sensory sponge contained inside the pocket of each sensory zone, the sensory sponge being substantially detached from the pocket. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the one or more sensory zones may be configured to be grasped between two fingers of a user. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the one or more sensory zones may have a thickness of about 10 mm. In an exemplary embodiment, each sensory sponge may include polyester. In an exemplary embodiment, each sensory sponge may include a core disposed between two outer walls. In an exemplary embodiment, the core of each sensory sponge may connect the outer walls together. In an exemplary embodiment, each sensory zone may include a front surface including a first material and a back surface opposite the front surface including a second material. In an exemplary embodiment, each sensory zone may further include a border area at an edge of the sensory zone, the border area including a third material. In an exemplary embodiment, each sensory sponge may be only attached to the pocket at a region where the corresponding sensory zone is affixed to the plush body. The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a method of manufacturing a sensory toy, the method including providing a plush body, affixing one or more sensory zones to the plush body, forming a pocket in each of the one or more sensory zones, and disposing a sensory sponge inside the pocket of each of the one or more sensory zones, the sensory sponge being substantially detached from the pocket. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include forming each of the one or more sensory zones to be grasped between two fingers of a user. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include forming each of the one or more sensory zones at a thickness of about 10 mm. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include forming each sensory sponge from polyester. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include forming each sensory sponge to include a core disposed between two outer walls. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include connecting the outer walls of each sensory sponge together via the core. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include forming each sensory zone with a front surface including a first material and a back surface opposite the front surface including a second material. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include forming each sensory zone with a border area at an edge of the sensory zone, the border area including a third material. In an exemplary embodiment, the method may further include only attaching each sensory sponge to the pocket at a region where the corresponding sensory zone is affixed to the plush body. Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which: FIG. 1A illustrates a sensory toy according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; FIG. 1B illustrates a front view of a cross-section of a sensory toy according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; FIG. 1C illustrates a side view of a cross-section of a sensory toy according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; FIG. 2 illustrates a sensory toy