BODY WEARABLE SIMULATED WINGS

Abstract

A body worn personal accessory for simulating wings, for example, as part of a costume. The accessory has a base plate which is held to the body of the user by straps. A manual cable based actuation system for spreading the wings is mounted on the base plate. The wings comprise an uncomplicated rigid skeleton adapted to enable flexing or spreading, and a web covering the skeleton. The actuation system includes cables terminating in hand receiving loops.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to personally worn accessories, and more particularly to simulated appendages such as wings which may be worn by a person, for example, to complement or be a part of a costume.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are times when a person desires to wear an accessory, for example to achieve a dramatic effect. This may be done for example in furtherance of theatrical performances, as part of religious observances, for amusement, and for other reasons.

Simulation of wings, such as wings of birds, is one example of a type of personal accessory. For maximal verisimilitude and dramatic effect, the simulated wings should both take on the appearance of wings, and should be operable to move or spread in the manner of wings, to the extent that these are feasible.

There exists a need for a wearable accessory which simulates wings in both appearance and in motion, which can be worn securely on the body of a user, and wherein spreading of the wings can be actuated by hand.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention meets the above stated need by providing a wearable accessory which simulates wings. The wings of the wearable accessory have a framework of ribs and an associated web which collectively generally convey a visual impression of wings, while being operable to spread on demand, thereby furthering the simulation dynamically. The wearable accessory may have a base and straps enabling it to be worn on the body of a user. A manually operated cable type drive may actuate the wings to spread. The cable drive may be so located and configured that it does not permanently engage the arms and hands of the wearer while the body worn accessory is donned, and thus can be operated at will, while readily releasing the hands of the user to satisfy other purposes.

It is an object of the invention to provide a wearable accessory which simulates wings in both appearance and also in motion.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wearable accessory which simulates wings, which can be worn securely on the body of a user.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wearable accessory which simulates wings, wherein spreading of the wings can be actuated by hand while not permanently occupying the arm and hands of a user.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.

These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an environmental front perspective view of a body wearable accessory according to one aspect of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a partly exploded, rear perspective view of the body wearable accessory of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a joint seen at the top right of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged perspective detail view of the joint of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an environmental rear perspective view of the subject matter of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, but showing control cables in a relaxed state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a person 2 wearing a body wearable accessory 100 for simulating wings. As employed herein, wings are those of animals which normally have wings, such as wings of birds, insects, and bats (none shown). It will be seen that the body wearable accessory 100 may comprise two simulated wings 102, 104. It will be appreciated that the actual number of simulated wings may be only one, or may be a plurality of two or more simulated wings, as desired. The simulated wing 102 may comprise a form holding frame 106 and a flexible web 108 coupled to the form holding frame 106. The form holding frame 106 may comprise a first form holding member or rib 110 which may be pivotally coupled to a second form holding member or rib 112.

Form holding signifies that the element so described has sufficient rigidity to maintain its form in the absence of outside forces other than those imposed by the mass and, where provided, elasticity of the constituent materials of the body wearable accessory. Rigidity is sufficient to cause the components to individually or collectively assume a form simulating a wing. It would be possible for the constituent materials to be selectively flexible to deform elastically under outside forces, such as manual handling, but where this is the case, the constituent materials would have sufficient elasticity to reassume the original form when the outside forces are removed.

Turning to FIG. 2, the body wearable accessory 100 is seen to comprise a mounting element 114 which is capable of securing the body wearable accessory 100 on the body of the person 2 in a position which, as seen in FIG. 1, enables deployment of the body wearable accessory 100. Deployment signifies that the simulated wing 102 can be moved relative to the mounting element 114 so as to simulate at least one motion of a wing, as will be explained hereinafter. To this end, the mounting element may further comprise a generally rigid plate 114 to which may be anchored a first body encircling strap 116 and a second body encircling strap 118. The body encircling straps render the body attachment element 114 readily detachable from the body of the wearer 2.

The body encircling straps 116 and 118 are but one of many ways to engage the body of the user for mounting the body wearable accessory 100, and may be replaced by webs, rigid members in the singular or plural, by any combination of these, or by any other suitable structure for readily attaching to and removing from the body of the wearer.

As depicted in FIG. 2, the mounting element 114 may comprise two panels 120, 122 which are mutually connected by a hinge 123. The two hinged panels 120, 122 enable compact stowage of the mounting element 114 when the body wearable accessory 100 is not in use. Of course, the mounting element 114 may be formed as just one panel (not shown) or in more than two panels (not shown). The mounting element may take other forms (none shown) if desired, such as a flexible harness comprising one or more straps, a flexible web panel, or any combination of these. If provided as a flexible panel, the mounting element may encircle the torso or any other part of the body of the wearer.

Regardless of the nature of the mounting element 114, each simulated wing 102 or 104 is supported thereon. Recitation of an element such as a simulated wing 102 or 104 being supported on another recited element does not necessarily require that the connection between the two be direct, or that the entire support function be satisfied solely by the supporting element. For example, the relationship wherein a simulated wing 102 or 104 is mounted on or to the mounting element 114 will be understood to encompass arrangements wherein one or more intervening members (not shown) are interposed between the simulated wing 102 or 104 and the mounting element 114, or where other fully or partly intervening elements are present. In the example of a simulated wing 102 or 104 and the mounting element 114, it is merely necessary that the simulated wing 102 or 104 be ultimately supported on the mounting element 114, and not that the simulated wing 102 or 104 be directly attached to the mounting element 114.

The flexible web 108 may have a first sleeve 124 and a second sleeve 126. The sleeve 124 may slidably receive the rib 112 in a manner enabling the flexible web 108 to be removed, for example, for washing or for compact stowage. In like manner, the second sleeve 126 may slidably receive the rib 110.

FIG. 2 also shows a manually operable drive 130 disposed to move the simulated wing 104 in a motion suggesting spreading of a wing responsive to forces imposed on the manually operable drive 130 by at least one of a finger, a plurality of fingers, the hand, and the arm of a person who is wearing the body wearable accessory 100, when the finger, the plurality of fingers, the hand, or the arm, or any combination of these is not in direct contact with the simulated wing 104. This assures that motive power for the manually operable drive 130 be fully satisfied by human power of the person 2 wearing the body wearable accessory 100.

It should be mentioned at this point that the second simulated wing 104 may be structurally and functionally similar to the simulated wing 102, but arranged generally as a mirror image of the simulated wing 102. To this end, the simulated wing has a form holding frame 136 and a flexible web 138 coupled to the form holding frame 136. The form holding frame 136 comprises a first form holding member or rib 140 which may be pivotally coupled to a second form holding member or rib 142. As the simulated wing 104 is generally a mirror image of the simulated wing 102, it will be appreciated that the form holding frame 136 and the flexible web 138 are structural and functionally similar to their similarly named counterparts of the simulated wing 102, including sleeves (not called out by reference numerals).

The manually operable drive 130 is may comprise a cable 144 terminating in a loop 146. One way of using the loop 146 is shown in FIG. 1, wherein the person 2 wearing the body wearable accessory 100 has engaged the loop 146 by hand. It will be appreciated that the cable 144 extends to a location which is readily accessible to one of the finger, fingers, hand, and arm of the person 2 wearing the body wearable accessory 100.

Again referring to FIG. 2, the cable 144 passes through a keeper 148 which holds the cable 144 in a position wherein the cable 144 does not become entangled or otherwise obstructed or inoperative. The cable 144 passes through a socket 150 which secures the rib 110 in place on the mounting element 114 so that the rib 110 projects from the mounting element 114 in a direction enabling the simulated wing 102 to move as described herein.

The cable 144 passes through the rib 110 to a clevis joint 152. Linear motion of the cable 144 is converted to pivotal motion of the rib 112 relative to the rib 110 at the clevis joint 152. Pivotal movement of the rib 112 is shown in FIG. 3. A pull imposed on the cable 144 in the direction indicated as arrow A will move the rib 112 in the direction indicated as arrow B to the position indicated in broken lines in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the clevis joint 152. The clevis joint 152 includes a clevis socket 154 which engages a distal end of the rib 110, which rib 110 is seen to be hollow. The cable 144 passes through the hollow tubular rib 110 and through the clevis socket 154. The rib 112 is mounted on a pivot post 156 which is pivotally mounted to the clevis socket on a pivot pin 158. The pivot pin 158 passes through holes 160 and 162 which are formed in respective tabs 164 and 166 of the clevis socket 154. The pivot pin 158 is secured in place when it extends between the holes 160, 162 by a suitable fastener such as a nut 168.

The cable 144 extends to the pivot post 156 where it terminates in engagement with the pivot post 156. The cable 144 may be connected to the second form holding member or rib 112 in a manner which causes the rib 112 to pivot relative to the rib 110 responsive to the cable 144 being pulled. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the cable 144 may have an enlarged head which may be formed by tying a knot 170. The enlarged head prevents the cable 144 from withdrawing from a hole 172 formed in the pivot post 156 to engage or retain the end of the cable 144. Of course, the enlarged head may be formed in other ways, such as by potting the end of the cable 144 in a suitable material such as epoxy, by crimping a metallic member to the end of the cable 144, by melting the end using heat, sonic or ultrasonic welding, using one or more solvents, or in any other suitable way.

Turning now to FIG. 5, just as the body wearable accessory 100 may have two simulated wings 102 and 104, the manually operable drive 130 may comprise a second cable 180 dedicated to operating the simulated wing 104. The second cable 180 may be provided with operative elements similar but in mirror image relation to those for operating the simulated wing 102. These operative elements may include a keeper 182, a socket 184 for supporting the rib 140, and a clevis joint 152, all of which may be functionally and structurally similar to their similarly named counterparts associated with the cable 144.

FIG. 5 shows how the body wearable accessory 100 may appear when the simulated wings 102 and 104 are maximally spread apart using the cables 144 and 180. When not spread apart, the simulated wings 102 and 104 may take a collapsed or sagging configuration, as seen in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 also shows how each simulated wing 102 or 104 is operated by the hand located on the opposite side of the body of the person 2 wearing the body wearable accessory 100.

According to one aspect of the invention, a keeper, such as the keeper 148, or a socket, such as the socket 150, or another component (not shown) of the body wearable accessory 100 may be adapted to impose a frictional grip on a cable, such as the cable 144, so that the cable will not slide spontaneously when the wing 102 is in the spread condition shown in FIG. 1, even when the force of the weight of a wing, such as the wing 102, is imposed thereon. This characteristic enables a person wearing the body wearable accessory 100 to relax his or her grip on a loop associated with the cable, such as the loop 146, without the wing reverting to a collapsed or compressed condition, such as that depicted in FIG. 2. This frees the hands of the person for other purposes. A cable which controls a wing, such as the cable 144 and the wing 102, may be anchored in other ways to accommodate temporary release of manual grip to free the hands. For example, the cable may be tied off on a suitable object (not shown). This object may be a post or the like provided as part of the body wearable accessory 100, or may be associated with the wearer. For example, the cable may be tied to a belt loop of pants worn by the wearer. Alternatively, two cables, such as the cables 144 and 180, may be tied to one another.

The invention is susceptible to variations and modifications which may be introduced thereto without departing from the inventive concept. Where variations are introduced, it will be understood that body wearable accessories which embody aspects of the invention may be substituted for the body wearable accessory 100 where the latter is specifically mentioned. For example, the mounting element 114 may be adapted to attach to the front of a person 2 wearing a body wearable accessory according to an aspect of the invention.

Although actuation of wing motion has been described in terms of two separate cables and associated components, such as the cable 144, it would be possible to provide a single actuating cable and arrange that cable to fork or divide, and thereby actuate plural simulated appendages from a single actuating loop such as the loop 146. The actuating device may be modified to engage the body of the person 2 wearing a body wearable accessory such as the body wearable accessory 100 by means other than a loop, or to enable a body part other than the hand or arm to actuate the simulated appendage or appendages.

While the present invention has depicted as relating to wings, it would be within the scope of the invention to modify the symbolic or visual aspects of wings to assume other forms. For example, body appendages other than wings may be manipulated in the manner set forth herein, such as legs, arms, tails, or even plural heads, such as to simulate a mythical human or animal character of legend.

Although a body worn accessory according to the invention has been depicted as a stand alone device, it may nonetheless be incorporated into apparel, such as for example a costume or part of a costume.

The invention is not to be regarded as limited to the constructions explicitly described herein, but as encompassed by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A body wearable accessory for simulating wings, comprising:

a mounting element having a body attachment element capable of securing the body wearable accessory on the body of a person in a position enabling deployment of the body wearable accessory, wherein the body attachment element is readily detachable from the body of the wearer;

at least one simulated wing supported on the mounting element in a manner enabling the at least one simulated wing to be movable relative to the mounting element; and

a manually operable drive disposed to move the at least one simulated wing in a spreading motion responsive to forces imposed on the manually operable drive by at least one of a finger, a plurality of fingers, the hand, and the arm of a person who is wearing the body wearable accessory, wherein the finger, the plurality of fingers, the hand, or the arm, or any combination of these is not in direct contact with the simulated wing, and wherein motive power for the manually operable drive is fully satisfied by human power of the person wearing the body wearable accessory.

2. The body wearable accessory according to claim 1, wherein the at least one simulated wing comprises a plurality of simulated wings.

3. The body wearable accessory according to claim 1, wherein the at least one simulated wing comprises a form holding frame and a flexible web coupled to the form holding frame.

4. The body wearable accessory according to claim 1, wherein the body attachment element comprises at least one strap which is dimensioned and configured to encircle the torso of the person wearing the body wearable accessory.

5. The body wearable accessory according to claim 1, wherein the manually operable drive comprises a cable extending from the simulated wing to a location which is readily accessible to one of the finger, fingers, hand, and arm of the person wearing the body wearable accessory.

6. The body wearable accessory according to claim 3, wherein the form holding frame of the manually operable drive further comprises a first form holding member supported on the body attachment element and a second form holding member pivotally coupled to the first form holding member.

7. The body wearable accessory according to claim 6, wherein the manually operable drive comprises a cable extending from the simulated wing to a location which is readily accessible to one of the finger, fingers, hand, and arm of the person wearing the body wearable accessory, and wherein the cable is connected to the second form holding member in a manner which causes the second form holding member to pivot relative to the first form holding member responsive to the cable being pulled.

8. The body wearable accessory according to claim 6, wherein the manually operable drive further comprises a second simulated wing and a second cable extending from the second simulated wing to a location which is readily accessible to one of the finger, fingers, hand, and arm of the person wearing the body wearable accessory, and wherein the second cable is connected to the second simulated wing in a manner which causes the second simulated wing to move in a manner similar to that of the first simulated wing, responsive to the second cable being pulled.

9. The body wearable accessory according to claim 1, wherein the mounting element comprises a first panel, a second panel, and a hinge pivotally connecting the first panel to the second panel.