Torso-and display-supportable puppet

• US 4,280,292 A
• Filed: 08/14/1980
• Issued: 07/28/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Animal Toys Plus Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Animal Toys Plus Incorporated
• Inventors: Hills, Isaac A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, F. Barry
• Application Number:
  US06/177,920
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 46/154, 46/153, 46/126, 46/116, 40/539, 40/124.1, 40/538, 272/25, 272/8 R, 272/8 D, 223/72, 35/56
• US Class Current: 40/538
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/14 into which the fingers of the hand can be inserted, e.g. hand-puppets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24017 Hook or barb

Abstract

A manipulatable toy puppet is supportable on a human torso and also on a display support in a manner which resembles the torso-supported puppet. The puppet'"'"'s arms are detachably secured around the manipulator'"'"'s neck by Velcro-type fasteners, and the puppet'"'"'s legs are secured about the manipulator'"'"'s waist by an adjustable elastic band. The puppet figure is made of a soft plush-covered material to simulate animal fur. The display support has a humanoid-like portion which resembles the upper part of a human, and an arm support portion which resembles the upraised human forearm. Hence, the body of the puppet can be supported on the arm support portion, and the puppet'"'"'s arms and legs can be mounted on the display in a manner which simulates the hugging-type pose in which the puppet is supported on a human being.

Claims

1. A puppet supportable on a manipulator'"'"'s torso, comprising:

(a) a puppet figure having a puppet head and a puppet body connected to the puppet head, said puppet figure bounding an interior cavity which is located within the puppet head and body, and which is dimensioned to permit free insertion of the manipulator'"'"'s hand and at least a major portion of the manipulator'"'"'s forearm therein, said puppet figure also having a pair of soft, upper puppet limbs connected to and extending from the puppet body for a distance sufficient for extending behind the manipulator'"'"'s neck region when the puppet is positioned in embracing relation generally adjacent the manipulator'"'"'s chest, and further having a pair of soft, lower puppet limbs connected to and extending from the puppet body for a distance sufficient for extending behind the manipulator'"'"'s waist region when the puppet is positioned in embracing relation generally adjacent the manipulator'"'"'s chest; and

(b) torso-supporting means on the puppet figure, for supporting the same on the manipulator'"'"'s torso, said torso-supporting means including neck-supporting means for securing the upper portion limbs around the manipulator'"'"'s neck region, and waist-supporting means for securing the lower puppet limbs around the manipulator'"'"'s waist region, whereby the torso-supported puppet is manipulatable by both the manipulator'"'"'s hand and forearm while mounted in embracing relation on the manipulator'"'"'s torso.

2. The puppet as defined in claim 1, wherein the upper puppet limbs are dimensioned to at least encircle the manipulator'"'"'s neck region;

and wherein the neck-supporting means includes detachable fastening means on the upper puppet limbs, for detachably connecting the upper puppet limbs to each other behind the manipulator'"'"'s neck region.

3. The puppet as defined in claim 1, wherein the lower puppet limbs are dimensioned to at least partially encircle the manipulator'"'"'s waist region;

and wherein the waist-supporting means includes an adjustable fastening means on the lower puppet limbs, for adjustably interconnecting the lower puppet limbs to each other behind the manipulator'"'"'s waist region.

4. The puppet as defined in claim 3, wherein the adjustable fastening means includes expandable means connected between the lower puppet limbs, for adjusting the distance between the lower puppet limbs to accommodate differently-sized manipulators'"'"' waist regions.

5. The puppet as defined in claim 1, wherein the puppet figure has a hollow puppet head in which the manipulator'"'"'s hand is freely insertable, and wherein the puppet figure has a hollow puppet body in which at least the major portion of the manipulator'"'"'s forearm is freely insertable, whereby full manipulation of both the puppet head and puppet body is permitted while the puppet is supported on the manipulator'"'"'s torso.

6. The puppet as defined in claim 1, wherein the puppet figure has an animal-like configuration and has an exterior soft covering which is at least partially covered with plush material.

7. A display-supportable puppet, comprising:

(a) an upright display support mountable on a support surface, said display support having a humanoid-like portion generally resembling the upper portion of a human, and an upright arm support portion generally resembling the upraised human forearm, said humanoid-like portion including a neck-like portion and a waist-like portion, said upright arm support portion being located closely adjacent to, and spaced apart from, the humanoid-like portion;

(b) a puppet figure having a puppet head and a puppet body connected to the puppet head, said puppet figure bounding an interior cavity which is located within the puppet head and body, and which is dimensioned to permit free insertion of the upright arm support portion therein, said puppet figure also having a pair of soft, upper puppet limbs connected to and extending from the puppet body for a distance sufficient for extending behind the neck-line display portion when the puppet is supported in embracing relation on the display support, and further having a pair of soft, lower puppet limbs connected to and extending from the puppet body for a distance sufficient for extending behind the waist-like display portion when the puppet is supported in embracing relation on the display support; and

(c) display-supporting means on the puppet figure for supporting the same on the display support, said display-supporting means including neck-supporting means for securing the upper puppet limbs around the neck-like display portion, and waist-supporting means for supporting the lower puppet limbs around the waist-like display portion, whereby the display-supported puppet is displayed in embracing relation in a manner resembling a human torso-supported puppet.

8. The display-supportable puppet as defined in claim 7, wherein the upright arm support portion bounds an upright slot with the humanoid-like portion;

and wherein the display support includes a base portion extending between the humanoid-like portion and the upright arm support portion below the slot.

9. The display-supportable puppet as defined in claim 7, wherein the upright arm support portion is bendable along an upright bend-line to support the puppet in three dimensions.

10. A puppet supportable on a manipulator'"'"'s torso, comprising:

(a) a puppet figure having a puppet head and a puppet body connected to the puppet head, said puppet figure bounding an interior cavity which is located within the puppet head and body, and which is dimensioned to permit free insertion of the manipulator'"'"'s hand and at least a major portion of the manipulator'"'"'s forearm therein, said puppet having a pair of upper puppet limbs connected to and extending from the puppet body for a distance sufficient for extending behind the manipulator'"'"'s neck region when the puppet is positioned in embracing relation generally adjacent the manipulator'"'"'s chest, and also having a pair of lower puppet limbs connected to and extending from the puppet body for a distance sufficient for extending behind the manipulator'"'"'s waist region when the puppet is positioned in embracing relation generally adjacent the manipulator'"'"'s chest; and

(b) torso-supporting means on the puppet figure, for supporting the same on the manipulator'"'"'s torso, said torso-supporting means including neck-supporting means for detachably fastening the upper puppet limbs to each other behind the manipulator'"'"'s neck region, and waist-supporting means for fastening the lower puppet limbs to each other behind the manipulator'"'"'s waist region.

11. The puppet as defined in claim 10, wherein the neck-supporting means includes a quick connect-disconnect fastener at each end region of the upper puppet limbs;

and wherein the waist-supporting means includes an elongated expandable member at each end region of the lower puppet limbs, said expandable member being expandable to accommodate differently-sized manipulators'"'"' waist regions.

12. A display-supportable puppet, comprising:

(a) an upright display support mountable on a support surface, said display support having a humanoid-like portion generally resembling the upper portion of a human, and an upright arm support portion generally resembling the upraised human forearm, said humanoid-like portion including a neck-like portion and a waist-like portion, said upright arm support portion being located closely adjacent to, and spaced apart from, the humanoid-like portion;

(b) a puppet figure having a puppet head and a puppet body connected to the puppet head, said puppet figure bounding an interior cavity which is located within the puppet head and body, and which is dimensioned to permit free insertion of the upright arm support portion therein, said puppet figure also having a pair of upper puppet limbs each connected to and extending from the puppet body for a distance sufficient for extending behind the neck-like display portion in embracing relation when the puppet is supported on the display support, and further having a pair of lower puppet limbs each connected to and extending from the puppet body for a distance sufficient for extending behind the waist-like display portion in embracing relation when the puppet is supported on the display support; and

(c) display-supporting means on the puppet figure for supporting the same on the display support, said display-supporting means including neck-supporting means for detachably fastening the upper puppet limbs to each other behind the neck-like display portion, and waist-supporting means for fastening the lower puppet limbs to each other behind the waist-like display portion, whereby the display-supported puppet is displayed in embracing relation in a manner resembling a human torso-supported puppet.

13. The display-supportable puppet as defined in claim 12, wherein the neck-supporting means includes a quick connect-disconnect fastener at each end region of the upper puppet limbs;

and wherein the waist-supporting means includes an elongated expandable member at each end region of the lower puppet limbs.