Illuminating stuffed toy

Abstract

An illuminating stuffed toy is provided having a body portion with a fabric casing having light diffusing properties. The toy has an interior cavity within the body portion for housing an illuminating means including a strand of light emitting diodes (LEDs). A means is provided including at least one flexible sheet, for supporting and maintaining LEDs in a fixed two-dimensional position in a plane within the interior cavity that is moveable toward or away from the casing. The supporting means and fabric casing are aligned to permit light to travel from the light emitting diodes through the casing such that the toy illuminates to imitate a depicted character.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A toy which emits a soft glow, comprising:
 a body portion having a fabric casing with a predetermined light diffusing area; and   at least one flexible sheet housed within said body portion for maintaining light emitting diodes in a fixed position in a plane,   wherein said light emitting diodes align with said light diffusing area of said casing.   
     
     
         2 . The toy of  claim 1  wherein the at least one flexible sheet is fixed in a two-dimensional position in said plane and moveable toward or away from said casing. 
     
     
         3 . A toy which emits a soft glow, comprising:
 a body portion having a fabric casing with light diffusing properties;   at least one interior cavity within said body portion;   illuminating means for emitting light, housed within said at least one interior cavity; and   means for supporting and maintaining said illuminating means in a fixed two dimensional position in a plane within said interior cavity,   wherein said supporting means supports said illuminating means such that said illuminating means is aligned with said fabric casing.   
     
     
         4 . The toy of  claim 3  wherein said fabric casing has an outside surfaces having at least one predetermined illuminating area and an inside surface. 
     
     
         5 . The toy of  claim 4  wherein said predetermined illuminating area is at least in part substantially translucent. 
     
     
         6 . The toy of  claim 5  wherein said supporting means supports said illuminating means such that said illuminating means is aligned with said predetermined illuminating area of said fabric casing. 
     
     
         7 . The toy of  claim 3  wherein said illuminating means includes a strand of at least two light emitting diodes fastened together by a connecting wire within said at least one interior cavity. 
     
     
         8 . The toy of  claim 7  wherein said supporting means includes an upper membrane having at least two diode openings for accepting diodes of the illuminating means therethrough, and having a lower membrane for sandwiching said connecting wire between said upper and lower membranes, and wherein the at least two diode openings are larger than said diodes. 
     
     
         9 . The toy of  claim 3  wherein said illuminating means includes a strand having at least one light emitting diode fastened thereto by a connecting wire within said at least one interior cavity. 
     
     
         10 . The toy of  claim 9  wherein said supporting means includes at least one flexible sheet having at least one diode opening for accepting diodes of the illuminating means therethrough. 
     
     
         11 . The toy of  claim 3  further comprising pressure sensitive switching means within said body portion configured to turn on and turn off said illuminating means. 
     
     
         12 . The toy of  claim 11  further comprising circuit means within the body portion having a timing circuit activated by actuating said pressure sensitive switching means to automatically turn off said illuminating means after a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         13 . The toy of  claim 12  further comprising a power source operably connected to said illumination means and said circuit means within said body portion of said toy. 
     
     
         14 . The toy of  claim 13  further comprising a manual switching means operably connected with said circuit means and said power source for allowing said pressure sensitive switching means to manually turn on and off said illuminating means, and activate said timing circuit for turning off said illuminating means after a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         15 . The toy of  claim 4  wherein the outside surface includes a hook and loop fastener for substantially allowing the body portion of the toy to fold in half and emit light in a 360 degree pattern. 
     
     
         16 . A stuffed toy which emits a soft glow, comprising:
 a body portion having a fabric casing including an outside surface having at least one predetermined illuminating area with light diffusing properties and an inside surface;   at least one interior cavity within said body portion;   illuminating means for emitting light, having a strand of at least one light emitting diode fastened by a connecting wire and housed within said at least one interior cavity;   means for supporting and maintaining said illuminating means in a fixed two dimensional position in a plane within said interior cavity, including at least one flexible sheet having at least one diode opening for accepting diodes of the illuminating means therethrough, and wherein the at least one diode opening is larger than said diode,   wherein said supporting means supports said illuminating means such that said diodes are aligned with said predetermined illuminating areas of said fabric casing;   pressure sensitive switching means within said body portion configured to turn on and off said illuminating means;   circuit means within said body portion having timing means activated by actuating said pressure sensitive switching means to automatically turn off said illuminating means after a predetermined amount of time; and   a power source operably connected with said illuminating means and said circuit means within said body portion of said stuffed toy,   whereby pressure on said pressure sensitive switching means activates said power source, furnishing current to said diodes such that light emitted therefrom within said body portion is directed against said inside surface of said fabric casing, resulting in at least one softly backlit illuminating area at said outside surface of said fabric casing.   
     
     
         17 . The toy of  claim 16  wherein the at least one flexible sheet is moveable toward or away from said casing. 
     
     
         18 . The toy of  claim 16  further comprising a manual switching means operably connected to said circuit means and said power source for allowing said pressure sensitive switching means to manually turn on and off said illuminating means, and activate said timing circuit for turning off said illuminating means after a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         19 . The toy of  claim 16  wherein the outside surface includes a hook and loop fastener for substantially allowing the body portion to fold in half and emit light in a 360 degree pattern.