Personalized toy and method for manufacturing and delivering the same

Abstract

A personalized toy and a method for marketing a toy through the use of computer screen images, and of manufacturing a personalized toy. The personalized toy is manufactured as ordered by a customer. Several different configurations of components that may be assembled as part of a finished toy are provided. Computer screen images of the different configurations of at least one of the components are displayed on a computer, and a customer viewing the displayed images is allowed to record a selected configuration of component, to be assembled as part of the personalized toy. A representational image of the toy incorporating the selected configuration may be displayed.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a toy, comprising the steps of: 
 providing several different configurations of components that may be assembled as part of a finished toy;    recording in a computer database a customer selection of a particular configuration of at least one of the components, to be assembled as part of a personalized toy;    printing a manufacturing document based on the customer selection including: 
 a production list identifying the customer selection of the particular configuration of at least one of the components;  
 a mailing label identifying a recipient of a personalized toy defined at least in part by the order; and  
 a packing list describing the personalized toy;  
 assembling a personalized toy according to the production list;  
 packaging the personalized toy with the packing list inside a package; and  
 attaching the mailing label to the package.  
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing document is printed on a single sheet of paper.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing document is printed on an adhesive sheet of paper.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the manufacturing document further includes personalized labels for attachment to the toy.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the production list, the mailing label, and the packing list each have an identical machine readable glyph verifying delivery and manufacture of the personalized toy according to the customer selection.  
     
     
         6 . A document for use in the manufacture and delivery of a personalized toy to an intended recipient, comprising: 
 a production list identifying particular configurations of components to be used to assemble a personalized toy;    a separable mailing label identifying an intended recipient of the personalized toy; and    a separable packing list, not identical to the production list, which describes the personalized toy.    
     
     
         7 . The document of  claim 6 , wherein the production list, the mailing label and the packing list are preprinted on a single adhesive sheet.  
     
     
         8 . The document of  claim 6 , further comprising an identical machine readable glyph on each of the production list, the mailing label, and the packing list.  
     
     
         9 . The document of  claim 6 , further comprising a separable personalized label for attachment to the toy.  
     
     
         10 . The document of  claim 6 , wherein the production list includes icons identifying components to be used to assemble the personalized toy.  
     
     
         11 . The document of  claim 10 , wherein the production list further includes a written identifier which in combination with the icons identifies components to be used to assembly the personalized toy.  
     
     
         12 . The document of  claim 10 , wherein the packing list includes a return address attachable to the toy for return to the manufacturer.  
     
     
         13 . A method for manufacturing a toy, comprising the steps of: 
 providing several different configurations for at least one of a plurality of components that may be assembled as part of a finished toy;    displaying on a computer screen images of the different configurations of the least one of the components;    allowing a customer viewing the displayed images to record a selected configuration of the at least one of the components, to be assembled as part of a personalized toy;    displaying a representational image of the personalized toy incorporating the selected configuration;    initiating a customer order for the personalized toy with the selected configuration;    printing a manufacturing document based on the customer order with at least a first separable portion and second separable portion;    assembling a personalized toy according to the manufacturing document;    packaging the personalized toy with the first portion of the manufacturing document inside a package; and    attaching the second portion of the manufacturing document to the package.    
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the manufacturing document includes: 
 a production list identifying the selected configuration of at least one of the components;    a mailing label identifying a recipient of the personalized toy defined at least in part by the customer order; and    a packing list describing the personalized toy.    
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first portion of the manufacturing document is a packing list including information regarding return of the toy to the manufacturer.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the second portion of the manufacturing document is a mailing label identifying a recipient of the personalized toy defined at least in part by the customer order.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the manufacturing document is printed on adhesive paper.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first portion and second portion of the manufacturing document include identical machine readable glyphs.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the identical machine readable glyphs are barcodes.