Articulated doll joint

• US 5,257,873 A
• Filed: 04/06/1992
• Issued: 11/02/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jean-Pierre Abbat
• Original Assignee: Jean-Pierre Abbat
• Inventors: Abbat, Jean-Pierre
• Primary Examiner(s): Reese, Randolph A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Application Number:
  US07/864,216
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 403/53, 403/52, 403/57, 403/59, 403/60, 403/56, 403/78, 403/24, 446/375, 446/376, 446/378, 446/383, 446/384
• US Class Current: 403/59
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 3/46 Connections for limbs
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/103 frictionally clamped
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 11/106 for ball joints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32 Articulated members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32008 Plural distinct articulation axes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32057 Angular and linear
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32213 Articulate joint is a swivel

Abstract

An apparatus for movably connecting proximal and distal workpieces such as the limbs of a doll or mannequin is disclosed. A first shank has a first positioning means at one of its ends and a second shank has a second positioning means at one of its ends. The first positioning means and second positioning means are movably connected by means of a joint molded therearound.

Claims

1. An apparatus for movably connecting proximal and distal workpieces, such as the end portions of elongate limbs of a doll or mannequin and comprising:

a first shank having a first end and a second end and including a first positioning means comprising a surface of revolution proximate said first end and said second end adapted to be connected to the proximal workpiece,

a second shank having another first end and another second end and including a second positioning means comprising a surface of rotation proximate said another first end and said another second end adapted to be connected to the distal workpiece, and

a molded elongate elastomer joint means for movable connecting said first positioning means and said second positioning means, said joint means forming a socket of unitary construction supporting for movement said first and second positioning means, said first positioning means being adapted for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of said joint means and said second positioning means being angularly movable with respect to the longitudinal axis of said joint means and being anchored therein by a flexible pin integrally formed with said joint means, whereby the first and second workpieces are easily movable to a wide variety of positions.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said joint means substantially encapsulates said first and second positioning means.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said joint means forms a substantially congruent surface with said first and second positioning means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said joint means is formed by molding.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first positioning means and said substantially congruent surface of said joint means include a detent means for posably positioning said second shank at any one of a plurality of preselected positions.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said second positioning means comprises a toroid including an opening therein and wherein said molded joint means forms a pin in the opening of said toroid during molding that retains said second positioning means within said joint means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said second positioning means and said substantially congruent surface of said joint means include a detent means for posably positioning said first shank at any one of a plurality of preselected positions.

8. An apparatus for movably connecting proximal and distal workpieces, such as the end portions of elongate limbs of a doll, mannequin and comprising:

a first shank having a first end and a second end and including a first positioning means comprising a surface of revolution proximate said first end and said second end adapted to be connected to the proximal workpiece,

a second shank having another first end and another second end and including a second positioning means comprising a surface of rotation proximate said another first end and said another second end adapted to be connected to the distal workpiece,

a molded elongate elastomer joint means for movably connecting said first positioning means and said second positioning means, said joint means substantially encapsulating and forming a substantially congruent surface with said first positioning means and said second positioning means, said joint means further forming a socket of unitary construction supporting for movement said first positioning means and said second positioning means, said first positioning means being adapted for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of said joint means and said second positioning means being angularly movable with respect to the longitudinal axis of said joint means and being anchored therein by a flexible pin integrally formed with said joint means, whereby when the ends of the proximal and distal workpieces are connected to said joint means and the free end of the proximal workpiece is fixed, the free end of the distal workpiece is movable to substantially all the points of a hemisphere.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said first positioning means and said corresponding congruent surface of said joint means include a detent means for posably positioning the second shank at any one of a plurality of positions.

10. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said second positioning means and said substantially congruent surface of said joint means include a detent means for posably positioning the first shank at any one of a plurality of preselected positions.

11. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said first positioning means and said second positioning means and said substantially congruent surfaces of said joint means include a detent means for posably positioning said respective first and second shanks, whereby when the first and second shanks are connected to the proximal and distal workpieces, the workpieces may be posed at any one of a plurality of preselected positions.