Glove puppet figure assembly with articulated head components

• US 4,610,640 A
• Filed: 02/21/1985
• Issued: 09/09/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Coleco Industries Incorporated (Ranger Industries, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Coleco Industries Incorporated (Ranger Industries, Inc.)
• Inventors: Piazza, Pietro, Amici, Francis R., McNett, John P., Mercurio, Domenic G., Berger, Hans S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US06/703,732
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 446/327, 446/328, 446/329, 446/330, 446/337, 446/338, 446/339, 446/352, 446/353, 446/359, 446/304, 446/313, 446/26, 446/363, 446/369, 446/370, 446/371, 446/319
• US Class Current: 446/329
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/14 into which the fingers of the hand can be inserted, e.g. hand-puppets
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/18 Jumping jacks

Abstract

A glove puppet assembly, in the form of a spider-like creature, has a tail or abdomen portion which can be articulated by wrist action. It may also have an articulated, finger-operated head component, and utilizes a gripping ring holder and a glove member which facilitate movement of its parts while, in the case of the glove member, also contributing to the aesthetic effect. A plush covering may be provided upon a section of the body member, particularly the tail portion.

Claims

1. A puppet figure assembly comprised of:

a puppet figure including a body portion, a separate head component, and a separate tail portion, both of said portions being relatively rigid and substantially hollow, said tail portion being pivotably mounted upon said body portion for articulation about a transverse axis thereof, and said head component being pivotably mounted upon said body portion for articulation about a transverse axis spaced to the opposite end thereof from said tail portion; and

rigid holding means on said body portion adapted to be gripped by the hand of the operator for preventing substantial movement thereof relative thereto, said puppet figure being dimensioned and configured to position at least a substantial part of said tail portion beyond the wrist add over the forearm of the operator with said holding means so gripped, whereby said tail portion can be pivoted with respect to said body portion by movement of the operator'"'"'s hand relative to his forearm, and also to position said head component for movement by the finger of the same hand with said holding means so gripped by the operator.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said tail portion has a concave lower wall providing a longitudinally extending recess for seating of said tail portion upon the forearm of the operator.

4. The assembly of claim 1 additionally including a glove separate member adapted to receive the hand of the operator, said glove member having a portion attached to said body portion of said puppet figure and said holding means being adapted to be gripped by the hand of the operator inserted into said glove member.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said attached portion is a back portion of said glove member and is attached to the underside of said body portion of said figure.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said one component is a lower jaw defining the mouth of said figure.

7. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said glove member has at least one independently movable finger portion defined therein and operatively connected to said head component, whereby said head component can be articulated by finger actuated movement of said finger portion of said glove member.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said glove member has defined thereon four additional independently movable finger portions, each constructed to resemble a leg on said body portion, so that the operator can simulate walking or crawling of said figure, by movement of his fingers within said additional finger portions, while simultaneously articulating said head component with his remaining finger.

3. A puppet figure assembly comprised of:

a puppet figure including a body portion and a tail portion, said tail portion being pivotably mounted upon said body portion for articulation about a transverse axis thereof;

a rigid gripping piece extending from said body portion and having a central ring element and flange elements extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof and spaced from said body portion, said flange elements being disposed for gripping by the operator'"'"'s fingers on either side and outwardly of said ring element for preventing substantial movement of said body portion relative thereto, said puppet figure being dimensioned and configured to position at least a substantial part of said tail portion beyond the wrist and over the forearm of the operator with said gripping piece so gripped, whereby said tail portion can be pivoted with respect to said body portion by movement of the operator'"'"'s hand relative to his forearm.

9. A puppet figure assembly comprised of:

a puppet figure including a body portion and a tail portion, said tail portion being pivotably mounted upon said body portion for articulation about a transverse axis thereof;

holding means on said body portion adapted to be gripped by the hand of the operator for preventing substantial movement thereof relative thereto, said puppet figure being dimensioned and configured to position at least a substantial part of said tail portion beyond the wrist and over the forearm of the operator with said holding means so gripped, whereby said tail portion can be pivoted with respect to said body portion by movement of the operator'"'"'s hand relative to his forearm; and

a sleeve member providing a bulky material partially covering said tail portion, said tail portion being relatively rigid and comprised of two interengaged sections, an exterior surface portion of one of said sections being substantially covered by said bulky material and a corresponding exterior surface portion of the other section being substantially uncovered, said sleeve member having a first area on which said bulky material is present and a second area, of relatively low bulk, free thereof, said sleeve member being mounted upon said one tail section with said first area thereof covering said exterior surface portion and with said second area disposed between said tail sections along said corresponding surface portions thereof, and clamped in place thereby.

10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein said tail portion is elongated, wherein said sleeve member is of pocket-like flexible construction, and wherein said second area of said sleeve member is made of a relatively lightweight fabric having elastic properties to enhance the tightness of the fit of said sleeve member upon said one tail section.

11. A glove puppet figure assembly comprised of:

a puppet figure including a body portion, a tail portion, and a head component, said portions and component being relatively rigid, and said tail portion and head component being pivotably mounted adjacent opposite ends of said body portion for articulation about a transverse axes thereof;

a separate glove member adapted to receive the hand of the operator, said glove member having a portion attached to said body portion of said puppet figure, and having at least one independently movable finger portion defined therein and operatively connected to said head component; and

rigid holding means on said body portion adapted to be gripped by the hand of the operator for preventing substantial movement thereof relative thereto, said puppet figure being dimensioned and configured to position at least a substantial part of said tail portion beyond the wrist and over the forearm of the operator with said holding means so gripped, whereby said head component can be articulated by finger-actuated movement of said finger portion of said gloove member, and said tail portion can be articulated with respect to said body portion by movement of the operator'"'"'s hand relative to his forearm, while said body portion is maintained by said holding means substantially stationary on the operator'"'"'s hand.

12. A puppet figure comprised of a relatively rigid body member and a sleeve member providing a bulky material partially covering said body member, at least one component of said body member being comprised of two interengaged sections, an exterior surface portion of one of said sections being substantially covered by said bulky material, and a corresponding exterior surface portion of the other section being substantially uncovered, said sleeve member having a first area on which said bulky material is present and a second area, of relatively low bulk, free thereof, said sleeve member being mounted upon said one section with said first area thereof covering and being shaped by said exterior surface portion and with said second area disposed between said sections along said corresponding surface portions thereof, and clamped in place thereby.

13. The figure of claim 12 wherein said sleeve member is of flexible construction, and wherein said second area of said sleeve member is made of a relative lightweight fabric having elastic properties to enhance the tightness of the fit of said sleeve member upon said one section.

14. The figure of claim 12 wherein said one component is elongated, and wherein said sleeve member is of pocket-like construction.

15. The figure of claim 12 wherein said figure is a glove puppet assembly additionally including a glove member adapted to receive the hand of the operator and having a portion attached to said body member, said glove member having defined thereon a plurality of independently movable finger portions, at least certain of said finger portions having said bulky material on the upper surfaces thereof causing them to correspond in appearance to said one section of said body member and to resemble legs thereon, so that the operator can simulate walking or crawling of said figure by movement of his fingers within said certain finger portions.

16. The figure of claim 15 wherein said one component is a tail portion, and said body member includes a body portion to which said tail portion is pivotably mounted for articulation about a transverse axis thereof.

17. The figure of claim 16 additionally including a head component pivotably mounted upon said body portion for articulation about a transverse axis spaced to the opposite end thereof from said tail portion, and including means on said body portion for preventing substantial movement thereof relative to the hand of the operator, one of said finger portions of said glove member being attached to said head component for finger-actuated articulation while said body is maintained by said holding means substantially stationary on the operator'"'"'s hand.

18. The figure of claim 18 wherein said holding means comprises a rigid gripping piece extending from said body portion and adapted to be gripped by the hand of the operator inserted into said glove member, said gripping piece having a central ring element and flange elements extending outwardly from opposite sides thereof and spaced from said body portion, said one finger portion of said glove member extending through said ring element of said gripping piece and said flange elements being disposed for gripping by the operator'"'"'s fingers on either side and outwardly of said ring element.

19. The figure of claim 18 wherein said one finger portion is for the operator'"'"'s middle finger.