Photo-chromic toys

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, photo-chromic toys are disclosed. A photo-chromic toy includes a photo-chromic material such as a photo-chromic ink, paint, plastic, or dye. The photo-chromic material may be supplied in a material of the toy or applied to a surface of the toy at the factory. The photo-chromic material may be activated in various ways with various light activating devices that can generate the activating light with appropriate wavelengths.

1 . A photo-chromic drawing toy comprising: 
 a photo-chromic drawing tablet, the photo-chromic drawing tablet including a housing with a photo-chromic drawing slate mounted therein, the photo-chromic drawing slate including one or more layers of photo-chromic material applied to a substrate;    a light pen, the light pen to selectively apply an activating light source on a portion of the photo-chromic drawing slate; and    wherein a portion of the one or more layers of photo-chromic material is temporarily transformed from an inactive state to an active state in response to the activating light source.    
   
   
       2 . The photo-chromic drawing toy of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the photo-chromic material in the inactive state is a first color and temporarily transforms by changing color to a second color in the active state for a period of time before gradually decaying back to the first color.    
   
   
       3 . The photo-chromic drawing toy of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the one or more layers of photo-chromic material are photo-chromic inks that are offset printed, flex printed, spray painted, or silk screened.    
   
   
       4 . The photo-chromic drawing toy of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the activating light source is ultraviolet light.    
   
   
       5 . The photochromic drawing toy of  claim 4 , wherein 
 the ultraviolet light is generated by a light emitting diode (LED).    
   
   
       6 . The photo-chromic drawing toy of  claim 1 , wherein 
 the substrate of the drawing slate is a solid formed out of plastics, papers, woods, metals, vinyl, fabric, combinations thereof, or other known material.    
   
   
       7 . A photo-chromic toy comprising: 
 a substrate provided on a three dimensional structure or a portion thereof;    one or more layers of photo-chromic material applied to the substrate;    a light pen, the light pen to selectively shine an activating light on a portion of the one or more layers of photo-chromic material; and    wherein the color of the activated portion of the one or more layers of photo-chromic material is temporarily changed in response to the activating light.    
   
   
       8 . The photo-chromic toy of  claim 7 , further comprising: 
 a stencil having opaque areas and openings or transparent areas, the stencil to mask out portions of the activating light.    
   
   
       9 . The photo-chromic toy of  claim 7 , wherein 
 the activated portion of the photo-chromic material appears to change from a first color to a second color for a period of time before gradually decaying back to the first color.    
   
   
       10 . The photo-chromic toy of  claim 7 , wherein 
 the one or more layers of photo-chromic material are photo-chromic inks that are offset printed, flex printed, spray painted, or silk screened.    
   
   
       11 . The photo-chromic toy of  claim 7 , wherein 
 the activating light is an ultraviolet light source.    
   
   
       12 . The photo-chromic toy of  claim 11 , wherein 
 the ultraviolet light source is generated by a light emitting diode (LED).    
   
   
       13 . The photo-chromic toy of  claim 7 , wherein 
 the substrate is a solid formed out of plastics, papers, woods, metals, vinyl, fabric, combinations thereof, or other known solids.    
   
   
       14 . A method comprising: 
 providing a substrate with one or more layers of photo-chromic material applied thereto;    selectively shining a hand held activating light source towards the photo-chromic material to activate a portion thereof; and    wherein the activated portion of the one or more layers of photo-chromic material is temporarily transformed from an inactive state to an active state in response to the activating light source.    
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising 
 prior to the selective shining, masking out portions of the one or more layers of photo-chromic material to form a pattern.    
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein 
 in the inactive state the photo-chromic material is a first color and the activated portion temporarily transforms to the active state by changing color to a second color for a period of time before gradually decaying back to the first color.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein 
 the one or more layers of photo-chromic material are photo-chromic inks that are offset printed, flex printed, spray painted, or silk screened.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein 
 the activating light is an ultraviolet light source.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein 
 the ultraviolet light source is generated by a light emitting diode (LED).    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein 
 the substrate is a solid formed out of plastics, papers, woods, metals, vinyl, fabric, combinations thereof, or other known solids.