CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/806,234, filed February 15, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure relates generally to a craft model. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a craft model defined by a three-dimensional head and a three-dimensional body that are assembled from two-dimensional cutouts by a plurality of foldable portions.

RELATED ART

In the assembly craft model field, paper or cardboard sheets are used to fabricate objects.

Where the material is often frail and can be easily damaged/destroyed by water/humidity, etc., the use of glue can often get messy and result in a misaligned assembly, and the designs themselves can be relatively elementary and dreary. In view of the foregoing, it is desirable to provide a craft model which is sturdy, captivating in appearance, and simple to construct. SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates generally to an assembly craft model. The craft model is assembled from a two-dimensional body cutout and a two-dimensional head cutout. The body cutout and the head cutout each include a plurality of securing tabs, slits, and fold lines. Additionally, the head cutout includes a body attachment opening and the body cutout includes locking tabs. The body cutout and the head cutout can each be folded along fold lines to assemble a three-dimensional body and a three-dimensional head, respectively, by inserting securing tabs into slits. The body attachment hole can then used to attach the three-dimensional head to the three-dimensional body to form the craft model.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing features of the disclosure will be apparent from the following Detailed Description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is illustration showing a sheet with a body cutout and a head cutout for a craft model of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing a body cutout and a head cutout of FIG. 1, with a design thereon, removed from the sheet;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method for assembling the body cutout and the head cutout to create a three-dimensional craft model of the present disclosure;

FIGS. 4A-4D are illustrations visually showing the steps of the method of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are illustrations showing an assembled three-dimensional craft model having a head and body of the present disclosure;

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing a package containing a body cutout and a head cutout of the present disclosure; and

FIGS. 7 A, 7B and 7C, and FIGS. 8A, 8B and 8C, and FIGS 9 A, 9B and 9C are illustrations showing a body cutout and a head cutout of craft models with designs thereon, along with the assembled three-dimensional craft models formed by the body cutouts and the head cutouts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure relates to a plastic craft model having a three-dimensional head and a three-dimensional body.

FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a sheet 10 for a craft model of the present disclosure. The sheet 10 includes a body cutout 12 and a head cutout 14. The body cutout 12 and head cutout 14 can be separated from the sheet 10 along score lines or die cut lines that determine shape of the body and the head, respectively. The body cutout 12 and the head cutout 14 each include one or more fold lines 16 (each fold line is labeled as one of 16a- 16z or 17a- 17e), bleed lines 18, and die cut lines 20 (each die cut line is labeled as one of 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d). The fold lines 16 indicate locations where a fold is used to assemble the two-dimensional cutout 12, 14 into a three-dimensional object. Both the body cutout 12 and the head cutout 14 can be made from a single cutout that is separated from the sheet 10 and folded into the three-dimensional object or from two cutouts that are separated from the sheet 10 and folded into the three- dimensional object. As shown in FIG. 1, the head cutout 14 can include a first side wall having first, second, third, and fourth panels, and a top wall that is connected to one of the first, second, third, or fourth panels. The top wall can also be connected to a second side wall including one or more panels, and the top wall can also be connected to a bottom wall having a body attachment aperture 40, discussed below. The first and second side walls, including their respective panels, can form a perimeter of the three-dimensional head object (see, e.g., FIG. 4B).

The die cut lines 20 indicate where the cutouts 12, 14 are to be cut or separated from the sheet 10, and can include perimeter cut lines 20a, internal cut line 20b, slit cut lines 20c, and tab cut lines 20d. The bleed lines 18 indicate where a design or artwork may run past the die cut lines 20, as those skilled in the art would understand, to ensure that a misalignment of a perimeter die cut line 20a does not result in a white edge on the cutout. It should be understood that the bleed lines 18 and the die cut lines 20 shown are for reference, and are not necessarily printed on the sheet 10.

The cutouts 12, 14 may be completely cut along the die cut lines 20, or partially cut along the die cut lines 20. For example, the cutouts 12, 14 can be perforated along the die cut lines 20, thus allowing the user to easily remove the cutouts 12, 14 from the sheet 10. Those skilled in the art would understand that other methods to partially cut the cutouts 12, 14 from the sheet can be used to allow the user to easily separate the cutouts 12, 14. Thus, the die cut lines 20 could be cut lines with one or more small connections that can be easily broken by the user. Alternatively, cutouts 12, 14 can be completely cut along the die cut lines 20 in some places, and partially cut along the die cut lines in other places. For example, the perimeter cut lines 20a can be cut partially, while the internal cut line 20b, the slit cut lines 20c, and the tab cut lines 20d are cut completely. The cutouts 12, 14 can be cut using any suitable cutting method. Alternatively, a user could cut the body and head cutouts 12, 14 from the sheet 10 using a scissor or the like.

The sheet 10 can be made out of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, plastic, cardboard, etc. Further, the sheet 10 can be of any suitable size or thickness.

FIG. 2 is an illustration showing the body cutout 12 and the head cutout 14 separated from the sheet 10. Specifically, FIG. 2 shows cutouts 12 and 14 printed with a design or artwork. The design in FIG. 2 includes a“cyclops” monster. However, any design can be used, such as, for example, past or present pop culture characters, popular characters, motifs of any sort, people, action figures, etc. This allows the cutouts 12 and 14 to be used for different designs. The design can be printed with one or more colors 32. The cutouts 12, 14 further include a plurality of securing tabs 34 (each tab labeled as one of 34a-34r), slits 36 (each slit labeled as one of 36a-36k), fold lines 16 (each fold line labeled as one of 16a- 16z or 17a- 17e), and tabs 44a and 44b.

In additional, the head cutout 14 includes a body attachment aperture 40, for connecting a three-dimensional head formed by the head cutout 14 to a three-dimensional body formed by the body cutout 12. The body cutout 12 includes locking tabs 42 (each locking tab is represented by one of 42a-44d to form the body cutout 12 into a three-dimensional body). The locking tabs 42 each comprise a generally semi-circular tab that is partially detached from the body cutout 12. Locking tabs 42a and 42b are flipped mirror images of locking tabs 42c and 42d, so that locking tabs 42a and 42b can align and lock with locking tabs 42d and 42c, respectively, when the body cutout 12 is formed into the three dimensional body. The detached portion of each tab slides over the attached portion of the corresponding tab to retain the tabs together and to retain the body in a three dimensional shape.

The cutouts 12, 14 can be folded along the fold lines 16 to assemble the two-dimensional cutouts 12, 14 into the three-dimensional objects. The securing tabs 34 can be inserted into the slits 36 to form and retain the shape of the head as a three-dimensional object. Specifically, the securing tabs 34, slits 36, and fold lines 16 on the body cutout 12 are used to form a three- dimensional body of the craft model, and the securing tabs 34, slits 36, and fold lines 16 on the head cutout 14 are used to form a three-dimensional head of the craft model. The three- dimensional head can be attached to the three-dimensional body by resting the head, at the attachment aperture 40, on the body with a pressure fit, securing tabs/slits, a twist/lock mechanism, or any other appropriate securing method. Other fastening mechanisms can be used in addition to, or instead of the securing tabs/slits 34, 36, the locking tabs 42, and the body attachment hole 40. FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method 50 for assembling the body cutout 12 and head cutout 14 into the three-dimensional craft model. In step 52, the body cutout 12 is folded across the fold lines 16. In step 54, the securing tabs 34 of the body cutout 12 are inserted into their corresponding slits 36. In step 56, body cutout 12 is locked in place via the locking tabs 42 to form the three-dimensional body. In step 58, the heat cutout 14 is folded across the fold lines 16. In step 60, the securing tabs 34 of the heat cutout 14 are inserted into their corresponding slits 36 to form the three-dimensional head. In step 62, the three-dimensional head is attached to the three-dimensional body.

FIGS. 4A-4C are illustrations visually showing the steps of method 50. FIG. 4 A shows the process of steps 52-56. Specifically, FIG. 4A shows a first fold in the direction of arrow A across fold line 16a in the body cutout in panel 72, a second fold in the direction of arrow B across fold line 16c in panel 74, a third fold in the direction of arrow C across fold line 16e in panel 76, and a fourth fold in the direction of arrow D across fold line 16g to form a folded element in panel 78. Next, in panel 80, the folded element is inserted in the direction of arrow E into and pulled through slit 36b in the direction of arrow F. An arm formed by this process is shown in panel 82. It should be understood that this process is repeated using folding lines 16b, 16d, 16f, 16h, and slit 36a to form a second arm from the body cutout 12. Further, FIG. 4A shows body cutout formed as a three-dimensional body held in position by locking tabs 42a-42d in panel 84. Specifically, locking tab 42a is aligned and locked with locking tab 42d, and locking tab 42b is aligned and locked with locking tab 42c to hold the three-dimensional body in position.

FIG. 4B shows the process of steps 58 and 60. Specifically, in panel 86, securing tab 34g is folded across folding line 16o and inserted in the direction of arrow I into slit 36c, securing tab 34i is folded across folding line 16r (not shown) an inserted in the direction of arrow J into slit 36d, and securing tab 34h is folded across folding line 16q (now shown) and inserted in the direction of arrow K into slit 36e. In addition, panel 86 shows tab 44a folded in the direction of arrow G across folding line 16s and lifted upright, and tab 44b folded in the direction of arrow H across folding line 16t and lifted upright. In panel 88, securing tab 34f is folded across folding line 16n and inserted in the direction of arrow L into slit 36f. In panel 90, securing tab 34e is inserted in the direction of arrow M into slit 36h, securing tab 34d is inserted in the direction of arrow N into slit 36i, securing tab 34c is inserted into slit 36j, and securing tab 34b is inserted into slit 36k. In panel 92, a three-dimensional head is shown formed from the described process.

FIG. 4C shows the process of step 62. Specifically, FIG. 4C shows attaching in the direction of arrow O the three-dimensional head to the three-dimensional body in panel 94. FIG. 4D is an illustration showing a rear perspective view of the assembled three-dimensional craft model. Those skilled in the art would understand that the order of the steps in method 50 can be altered.

FIGS. 5A and 5B are illustrations showing an assembled three-dimensional craft model 200 bearing a design. Specifically, FIG. 5A shows a front perspective view of the assembled craft model 200 and FIG. 5B shows a back perspective view of the assembled craft model 200.

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing a package 210 containing the body cutout 12 and the head cutout 14. The package can include an aperture 212 for hanging the package 210 on a display. The package can be generally transparent to allow a person to view the design before purchase. As seen, the body cutout 12 and the head cutout 14 have been precut from a sheet 10 and are ready to be assembled. FIGS. 7A-7C are illustrations a craft model bearing another design. Specifically, FIG. 7A shows a body cutout 12 and a head cutout 14 of the craft model design, FIG. 7B shows a front perspective view of the assembled three-dimensional craft model 200 formed by the body cutout 12 and the head cutout 14, and FIG. 7C shows a rear perspective view of the assembled three-dimensional craft model 200.

FIGS. 8A-8C are illustrations of a craft model bearing another design. Specifically, FIG. 8A shows a body cutout 12 and a head cutout 14 of the craft model design, FIG. 8B shows a front perspective view of the assembled three-dimensional craft model 200 formed by the body cutout 12 and the head cutout 14, and FIG. 8C shows a rear perspective view of the assembled three-dimensional craft model 200.

FIGS. 9A-9C are illustrations of a craft model bearing another design. Specifically, FIG. 9A shows a body cutout 12 and a head cutout 14 of the craft model design, FIG. 9B shows a front perspective view of the assembled three-dimensional craft model 200 formed by the body cutout 12 and the head cutout 14, and FIG. 9C shows a rear perspective view of the assembled three-dimensional craft model 200.

Having thus described the system and method in detail, it is to be understood that the foregoing description is not intended to limit the spirit or scope thereof. It will be understood that the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein are merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make any variations and modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure. All such variations and modifications, including those discussed above, are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.