Arm Supported Wing Creature Prop
A lightweight, arm supported wing creature prop designed to be attached to the user's arm or wrist. The prop is made flexible, or semi-flexible foam designed to be folded into a compact configuration on one arm and then selectively unfolded and displayed on the arm. In one embodiment, the prop includes a wrist wrap with thumb and finger openings. Mounted on the dorsal side wrist wrap is a wing assembly with an intermediate section and two wings that extend laterally on opposite sides of the intermediate section. Also attached to the wrist wrap or to the wing assembly is a tail panel designed to simulate the tail of a wing creature. The wing assembly is made of foam material that sufficiently flexible so the wings may wrap around the user's wrist and held with a strap. In a second embodiment, the wrist wrap is replaced by a strap attached at one end to the wing assembly and extends under the user's wrist or palm and connects with a strut.
This utility patent application is based upon and claims the filing date benefit of U.S. provisional (Application No. 61/640342) filed on Apr. 30, 2012.
COPYRIGHT NOTICENotice is given that the following patent document contains original material subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile or digital download reproduction of all or part of the patent document, but otherwise reserves all copyrights.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to novelty items or rally accessories worn or carried by sports fans to a sporting event, and more particularly, to such items or accessories that simulate a wing creature used or associated with the teams or participants playing in the sporting event.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fans visiting a sporting event like to wear clothing accessories, such as wild headgear or costumes, jerseys and/or bring props such as picket fences or colorful towels to show their support for the team. Usually, the clothing accessory or prop pertains to some aspect associated with the team. One requirement that most sports teams organizer's have on spectators who carry accessories or props to a game is that the accessory or prop be relatively small and compact and does not disturb or harm other fans attending the game.
Many teams use an airplane, a bird or a winged insect as a mascot. Unfortunately, the wing span of an airplane, bird or winged insect is too large to carry into a stadium and display during a game.
What is needed is a wing creature prop that can be brought to a stadium in a folded compact configuration and then unfolded, displayed and used as a rally prop, and then easily converted into a folded, compact configuration when not in use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAt the heart of the invention is the discovery that may sports teams use wing creatures as their mascots and that a lightweight, easy to carry, wing creature prop would be highly that can be easily carried in a partially hidden, fold configuration on the user's arm desirable. The prop disclosed herein is made of lightweight elastic fabric and foam material designed to attach to the dorsal areas of the hand, wrist and forearm. When attached to the hand and forearm, the prop can be easily folded into a compact configuration on the arm and then selectively unfolded and displayed. Because the prop is relatively lightweight, the unfolded prop can then be publically displayed by holding the arm upright to show team support. When a rally is no longer desired, or when moving in the facility, the prop may be removed from the arm or re-configured into a folded compact manner on the arm. Because the prop is attached to the dorsal of the hand, the forearm and around the wrist, the user can use his or her finger to grip and hold other objects, such as a beverage, when the hands while the prop is attached to the arm.
More specifically, the prop includes a flexible wrist wrap with a first opening, an opposite second opening, and an optional thumb opening. Mounted on the back surface of the wrist wrap is a wing assembly with two wings that extend laterally on opposite sides of the arm. Also attached to the wrist wrap is an optional tail panel designed to simulate the tail of a wing creature if desired.
During assembly, the wing assembly is permanently or temporarily attached to the dorsal side of the wrist wrap. The wing assembly is made of soft foam material that is sufficiently rigid so the two wings extend laterally on opposite sides of the arm when unfolded. The wings are relatively long, thin structures that are sufficiently flexible so the tips of the wings may wrap under the arm and around the user's wrist. Fasteners are used to hold the two wings around the user's arm.
In other embodiment, the wrist wrap is replaced by one or two straps attached at one end to the bottom of the wing assembly that extends across the user's wrist holds the wing assembly in place.
In another embodiment, a peg and an insert hole are formed on the opposite wings that are engaged when the two wings are wrapped together to hold the two wings in a wrapped position around the user's arm.
Referring to the accompanying
In a first embodiment, the prop 10 includes a flexible, elastic wrist wrap 20 designed to be worn around the user's wrist 92 and hand 94. The wrist wrap 20 includes a first opening 24, a longitudinally aligned second opening 26, and an optional lateral thumb opening 28. When the wrist wrap 20 is worn over the user's hand, the user's fingers and thumb extend through the openings 26, 28.
Mounted on the back or dorsal side wrist wrap 20 is a wing assembly 40 with two laterally extending wings 42, 46 that extend laterally on opposite sides of the arm 90. In one embodiment, the wing assembly 40 extends through two side openings 43, 45 formed on the wrist wrap 20. The wing assembly 40 includes an intermediate panel 41 that extends under the top layer of the of the wrist wrap 20. The intermediate panel 41 may be integrally formed on the wrist wrap 20 or sewn or adhesively attached to the wrist wrap 20. Also attached to the rear edge of the wrist wrap 20 or to the rear edge of the wing assembly 40 is an optional tail panel 32 that extends longitudinally over the dorsal side of the forearm and is designed to simulate the tail of a wing creature if desired. The tail panel 32 may be integrally formed, sewn, or adhesively attached to the wrist wrap 20 or to the wing assembly 40.
Optional hook and loop fasteners 43, 47 are attached or molded into the bottom surfaces of the two wings 42, 46, respectively, that when aligned, securely hold the two wings 42, 46, around the user's wrist or arm, as shown in
With the second embodiment of the prop 10′, an elongated strap 112 (see
The wing assembly 40 is made of thermoplastic foam material (i.e. molded polyurethane) that is sufficient rigid so the two wings 42, 46 extend laterally from the arm 90 when unfolded. The wing assembly 40 is also sufficiently flexible to allow the wings 42, 46 to fold inward and wrap around the user's wrist 92. In both embodiments shown, the wing assembly 40 measures approximately 18 inches in length, 5 inches in width. The ends of the wings measure approximately ½ inch thick. The intermediate section measures ½ to 1 inch thick. Strap 100 measures approximately 10 inches in length and 1 inch wide. Strap 112 measures approximately 12 inches in length and 1 inch wide. The wrist wrap 20 is made of elastic material that sketches over the user's wrist and hand.
In compliance with the statute, the invention described has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It should be understood however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and construction shown, is comprised only of the preferred embodiments for putting the invention into effect. The invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the amended claims, appropriately interpreted under the doctrine of equivalents.
Claims
1. A lightweight arm prop, comprising:
- a. a wing assembly with an intermediate section and two laterally extending wings, the wing assembly being made of foam sufficient in length and rigidity to extend outward from the opposite sides of a user's arm when the intermediate section is positioned over the dorsal side of a user's forearm or wrist, the wing assembly made of foam sufficiently rigid so the two wings to extend laterally and manually folded under and around the user's wrist; and,
- b. means for holding the wing assembly on the dorsal side of a user's wrist and hand.
2. The arm prop as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for holding the wing assembly on the dorsal side of a user's wrist and hand is a wrist wrap configured to receive and wrap around a user's hand.
3. The arm prop as recited in claim 2, further including a strap used for holding the wings in a wrapped configuration when wrapped around the user's wrist.
4. The arm prop as recited in claim 1, further including at least one peg and at least one insert hole configured on opposite wings that when engaged, hold the two wings in wrapped configuration around a user's arm.
5. The wing creature sports prop, as recited in claim 1 further including a tail panel extending rearward from the wing assembly.
6. The arm prop as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for holding the wing assembly on the dorsal side of a user's wrist and hand is a strut that extends downward from the bottom surface of the wing assembly and a strap attached at one end to the wing assembly and extends under the user's wrist or and around the strut.
7. The arm prop as recited in claim 2, further including a head integrally formed on the wing assembly.
8. The wing creature sports prop, as recited in claim 7 further including a tail panel extending rearward from the wing assembly.
9. The arm prop as recited in claim 2, further including a battery pack and two or more LED bulbs.
10. A lightweight arm prop, comprising:
- a. a flexible wrist wrap with thumb and finger openings;
- b. a wing assembly mounted on the back surface of the wrist wrap, said wing assembly includes two wings that extend laterally on opposite sides of the arm when the wrist wrap is worn on the user's wrist, said wing assembly being made of foam sufficiently rigid so the two wings to extend laterally from the arm when unfolded and sufficiently flexible so the user may manually wrap the wings around the user's wrist; and,
- c. means for holding the two opposite wings in wrapped configuration around the user's arm.
11. The wing creature prop, as recited in claim 10 further including a tail panel extend rearward from the wing assembly.
12. The wing creature prop as recited in claim 10 wherein the means for holding the two opposite wings is a least one peg and at least one insert hole formed on the opposite wings.
Type: Application
Filed: Apr 30, 2013
Publication Date: Oct 31, 2013
Inventor: Dennis Caldwell (Monroe, WA)
Application Number: 13/874,189
International Classification: A63H 33/00 (20060101); A47G 33/00 (20060101);