DE20300368U1 - Container for collection of coins of specific currency, designed as teddy bear and provided with typical features representing particular nation - Google Patents

Abstract

The torso (3) of the teddy bear (2) is made of a flexible synthetic material and is of a hollow shape for the accommodation of the collected coins. The head (4) and the limbs (5, 6) are made of a textile material filled with foam rubber flakes. A transparent pocket (7) at the front can be provided with a sample of the specific currency (8) while the name of the country of its origin (10) is printed on the body of the bear (2). A flag (12) or a map of the related country as well as a chip containing the national anthem can be part of the object (1).

Description

Attorney file: 20025266

Applicant: Ralph Butner

Karlsruher Str. 61 D-76676 Graben-Neudorf

SAVINGS BARREL

10 15

The invention relates to a savings vessel for collecting, in particular, coins of a currency, which comprises a cavity for receiving the coins with at least one, preferably slot-like, opening, the clear width of which essentially corresponds to the cross-section of the coins of a currency to be collected and which makes the cavity accessible from the outside.

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Almost since pure barter trade was replaced by the introduction of money or objects of monetary value as a means of exchange or as a substitute for exchange, mankind has developed vessels for storing and saving the respective currency. In addition to the mere necessity of keeping and storing money in a place that is as safe and difficult to access as possible, other forms of storing money have emerged. In addition to mere storage, money has always been the object of a passion for collecting, so that decorative and savings vessels have also been developed that are either particularly decorative or are intended to encourage saving in some other way.

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An important task of a savings jar has always been to encourage the owner to fill the piggy bank with money as often and as consistently as possible. This is achieved either by giving the piggy bank a special relationship with the user or by developing other rituals or actions that encourage saving.

In addition to simply accumulating currencies, it is also common practice to store certain components of a currency separately, such as coins that are considered particularly attractive. Special saving containers, such as transparent bottles and the like, have also been used for this purpose.
15

Traditionally, coins of a currency in particular have decorative symbols and coats of arms in addition to an embossing that reflects the respective value of the money, which are intended to assign the money in a particularly typical way to the country exercising monetary sovereignty. This often creates an emotional bond between the population and their respective currency, which is sometimes even politically desired.

In connection with the introduction of the common currency, the euro, but also in other cross-border currency projects, the particularities of the respective countries were taken into account in order to increase acceptance of the introduction of the new currency by allowing a special national design or symbolism for the coins.

Within the euro monetary union, the coins of each country can be distinguished from one another.

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At the same time as the euro was introduced, albums or folders were created which enabled users to gradually collect all the different coins issued within the framework of the aforementioned common currency.

Obviously, the characteristics of a currency have a motivating effect on the saving propensity of its users.

Such money boxes are primarily aimed at children, who are the main and preferred customer group. Children play with the attractively designed money boxes, although there is a real possibility that the money boxes will be thrown or dropped or exposed to other hard knocks or similar stresses.

The invention is therefore based on the object of creating an attractive money box which, moreover, meets the requirements of a children's toy.

This object is achieved by designing a savings vessel according to the main claim. Advantageous embodiments of the invention arise according to the 5 dependent claims 2 to 7.

In addition to the features explained below to encourage saving, the savings jar is also provided with a flexible, unbreakable plastic wall. The jar can therefore be pressed and elastically deformed without breaking and, in particular, without splintering.

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In a further development of the savings jar, it can also be provided with one or more at least partially transparent pockets, each of which contains at least one coin of the currency to be collected. This ensures that in the event that the symbolism associated with the respective currency is not sufficient, at least for the respective observer, the coin in the aforementioned pocket at the very latest clearly identifies the respective savings jar as a characteristic currency.

In a further embodiment, the savings jar can be provided with a coated soft plastic cover, which in turn is provided with a textile coating, preferably a plush fabric. This takes into account the fact that such savings jars are mainly used by children and young people, who have a greater affection for soft and cuddly toys in particular.

This is particularly evident in the design of the savings jar in the shape of a teddy bear. Adults often buy such teddy bears as a reminder of their own childhood and sometimes use them as a constant companion. It therefore seems advantageous to use this bond between the user and the teddy bear for a savings jar.

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For manufacturing reasons, however, it can be advantageous for at least individual parts of the teddy bear to be made of foam elements that are connected to the teddy bear's torso exclusively via the textile cover. This results in manufacturing advantages.

Basically, a distinction can be made between savings jars where the collected money can only be removed by destroying the savings jar and reusable savings jars that have a resealable emptying opening. The savings jar according to the invention can also be manufactured in a correspondingly reusable design.

In a further development of the inventive concept, the savings jar can be provided with a music chip, which can preferably be used to play the national anthem corresponding to the currency to be collected.

In an improved version, the music chip can also be equipped with a volume control.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an embodiment shown only schematically in the drawing.

Show it:
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Figure 1: The savings vessel in a front view,

Figure 2: the savings vessel in a rear view and

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Figure 3: in a view from below.

The savings jar 1 shown in Figure 1 essentially has the shape of a teddy bear. The teddy bear 2 essentially consists of a torso 3, a head part 4, and the extremities consisting of arms and legs 5 and 6. The torso 3 is made of a flexible plastic that is provided with a textile cover. The textile cover is a plush material, whereby the head part 4 and the extremities 5 and 6 are only connected to the actual torso 3 via the textile cover. The head part 4 and the extremities 5 and 6 are foam elements that are connected or sewn to the torso 3 via the textile cover.

The torso is provided with a transparent pocket 7 in the front area, in which a coin 8 of the currency to be collected is arranged. In the present example, it is a German euro coin, whereby the front area is additionally provided with a lettering 10 corresponding to this coin. The clothing 11 of the torso 3 also takes up typical country-specific features of the coin 8. Furthermore, the savings jar 2 is provided with a symbol 12, which in this case is intended to contain a hint of the German national flag with the colors black, red, and gold. The national flag is arranged in the area of the legs 6 of the teddy bear 2.

Of course, the teddy bear 2 can be provided with other symbols 13, such as the euro sign in this case.

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The design of the teddy bear 2 as a savings jar 1 only becomes clear in the rear view shown in Figure 2. According to Figure 2, the torso body 3 essentially encloses a cavity not visible in Figure 2, which is accessible via a slot-like opening 14, the clear width of which corresponds approximately to the diameter of the largest coin to be collected.

According to the illustration in Figure 2, the body 3 can be filled with the coins to be collected through the slot-like opening 14, which can then be picked up and stored in the cavity in the body. The tail 15 of the teddy bear 2, which can be seen from behind in Figure 2, has a purely decorative function.

As can be seen from the bottom view shown in Figure 3, this cavity arranged in the torso 3 can be closed via an emptying opening 15 with a corresponding removable plastic plug 16, emptied and then reused. Of course, within the scope of the invention, the teddy bear 2 could also be manufactured in such a way that the filled savings containers 1 have to be destroyed in order to be emptied.

According to the illustrations in Figures 1 to 3, a savings jar is described that combines the functions of a popular toy or symbol, here a teddy bear 2, with the functions of a savings jar 1. To increase the motivation of the saver, the design of the figure in an ingenious way takes up special features of the currency, here country-specific symbols of a German euro mouse. Of course, other

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Symbols or features may be provided in connection with the teddy bear in order to increase the propensity to save. This may be achieved, for example, by accessories worn by the teddy bear figure, such as special items of clothing 5 or features, such as a beer glass held by the German teddy bear or a baguette carried by the French teddy bear. Furthermore, the teddy bear 2 may be provided, in a manner not further shown here, in the area of the extremities 5 or 6 and/or the torso 3 with a recess for receiving a music chip which, when the push button is pressed, plays the national anthem or another melody meaningfully related to the respective currency. Such music chips are known as such from the toy sector.

According to the above description, a savings jar is described which can also be used as a toy and is also provided with features which considerably increase the user's inclination to save.

Geitz Truckenmüller Air

Patent Attorneys Kriegsstraße 234 · D-76135 Karlsruhe

Attorney File: 20025266 Applicant: Ralph Butner

Karlsruher Str. D-76676 Graben-Neudorf

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

1 Saving jar 2 teddy bear 3 Torso body 4 Headboard 5 poor

25 6 feet

7 Bag

8 Coin 30

10 Labeling

11 Clothing 5 12 Symbol

13 Additional symbol

14 Slot-like opening 40

15 Tail

16 Drain opening 17 Closure piece

Claims (7)

1. Savings vessel for collecting, in particular, coins of a currency, which comprises a cavity for receiving the coins with at least one, preferably slot-like, opening, the clear width of which corresponds essentially to the cross-section of the coins of a currency to be collected, characterized in that the savings vessel ( 1 ) has a flexible, unbreakable plastic wall: 2. Savings jar according to claim 1, characterized in that the saving jar is provided with at least one at least partially transparent pocket ( 7 ) for receiving a coin ( 8 ) of the respective currency to be collected and preferably has a figurative shape and the saving jar ( 1 ) is provided with at least one symbol ( 12 , 13 ), the shape of the saving jar ( 1 ) and/or the symbol ( 12 or 13 ) correlating with the respective currency to be collected. 3. Savings vessel, characterized in that the saving vessel ( 1 ) is essentially constructed from a coated soft plastic shell, wherein the outer coating of the soft plastic shell is a textile covering material, preferably a plush material. 4. Savings vessel according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that at least part of the extremities of the teddy bear ( 2 ) consists at least substantially of foam elements which are connected via the textile covering material to the saving vessel ( 1 ), which preferably constitutes the torso ( 3 ) of the teddy bear ( 2 ). 5. Saving vessel according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the saving vessel ( 1 ) is provided with a releasably closed emptying opening ( 16 ), which is preferably arranged in the support region of the saving vessel ( 1 ). 6. Savings jar according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the savings jar ( 1 ) is provided with a further recess for receiving a battery-operated chip, preferably a music chip, comprising a memory element for storing audio files, and a loudspeaker element for playing back the audio files, wherein the audio data is preferably the national anthem corresponding to the currency to be collected in each case and wherein the music chip is provided with an operating element, preferably a push button, the actuation of which triggers the playback of the audio file. 7. Savings vessel according to claim 9, characterized in that the chip is assigned a further operating element, preferably a volume control.