BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to collapsible structures, and in particular, to collapsible clothing items and costumes that can be worn by adults and children.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are presently many collapsible structures that are being provided for use by children and adults in a number of different applications. Examples of these collapsible structures are illustrated in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,816,954 (Zheng), 6,006,772 (Zheng), 5,778,915 (Zheng), 5,467,794 (Zheng), 5,975,101 (Zheng), 5,722,446 (Zheng), 4,858,634 (McLeese), 4,825,592 (Norman), 5,964,533 (Ziglar), 5,971,188 (Kellogg et al.), 6,485,344 (Arias), 6,343,391 (LeGette), U.S. Pub. No. 2004/0139997 (Zheng) and 5,038,812 (Norman), among others. These collapsible structures are supported by one or more frame members that can be twisted and folded to reduce the overall size of the structure. These collapsible structures can be used in a wide variety of applications, such as containers, tents, play structures, executive toys, shelters, sports structures, and others. As a result, collapsible structures have become very popular.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE It is an object of the present invention to provide a collapsible structure that is used as a costume or clothing item.
In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention, the present invention provides a costume assembly having one or more structures such as headgear structures, body structures or single composite structures. Each of these structures has at least one foldable frame member that has a folded and an unfolded orientation. Each frame member can include fabric material covering the frame member to define a panel. A fabric shell can be attached to the at least one frame member, with the fabric shell defining an interior for accommodating the body and head of the user.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible costume assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partial cut-away view of the section A of the structures of FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 17 and 20 illustrating a frame member retained within a sleeve.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the head gear structure of FIG. 2 shown with different ornamental decorations.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the section 5-5 in FIG. 4.
FIGS. 6A through 6D illustrate how one of the collapsible structures of FIG. 2 may be twisted and folded for compact storage.
FIGS. 7-13 illustrate other embodiments of collapsible assemblies according to the present invention.
FIGS. 14A-14B illustrate how the structure of FIG. 13 can be twisted and folded for compact storage.
FIG. 15 illustrates another embodiment of a collapsible assembly according to the present invention.
FIG. 16 illustrates the orientation of the frame members of the structure of FIG. 15.
FIGS. 17-18 illustrate other embodiments of collapsible assemblies according to the present invention.
FIG. 19 is an exploded perspective view of the assembly of FIG. 18.
FIG. 20 illustrates yet another embodiment of a collapsible assembly according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an assembly 20 according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of costume structures 22, 24 and 26. The structure 22 can be adapted for use as a head gear, the structure 24 can be adapted for use as a body or torso gear, and the structure 26 can be adapted for use as a trouser gear.
Referring to FIGS. 1-3, the structure 22 can have four panels 32, 34, 36 and 38 connected to each other to encircle an enclosed space. Each panel 32, 34, 36, 38 can have four sides, such as a left side 40, a bottom side 42, a right side 44 and a top side 46, although each panel 32, 34, 36, 38 can assume any configuration and have any number of sides. Each panel 32, 34, 36, 38 has a frame retaining sleeve 48 provided along and traversing the four edges of its four sides 32, 34, 36, 38. A frame member 50 is retained or held within each respective frame retaining sleeve 48 to support each panel 32, 34, 36, 38. Only the frame member 50 is shown in FIG. 3; the other frame members are not shown but are the same as frame member 50.
The frame members 50 may be provided as one continuous loop, or may comprise a strip of material connected at both ends to form a continuous loop. The frame members 50 are preferably formed of flexible coilable steel, although other materials such as plastics may also be used. The frame members should be made of a material which is relatively strong and yet is flexible to a sufficient degree to allow it to be coiled. Thus, each frame member 50 is capable of assuming two positions or orientations, an open or expanded position such as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, or a folded position in which the frame member is collapsed into a size which is much smaller than its open position (see FIG. 6D).
Fabric or sheet material 52 extends across each respective panel 32, 34, 36, 38, and is held taut by the respective frame member 50 when in its open position. The term fabric is to be given its broadest meaning and should be made from lightweight but strong materials and may include cottons, woven fabrics, sheet fabrics, films and any material suitable for wearing as a costume. The fabric can be water-resistant, and should be durable to withstand the wear and tear associated with rough treatment. The frame members 50 may be merely retained within the respective frame retaining sleeves 48 without being connected thereto. Alternatively, the frame retaining sleeves 48 may be mechanically fastened, stitched, fused, or glued to the respective frame members 50 respectively, to retain them in position.
FIG. 5 illustrates one possible connection for connecting adjacent edges of two panels 34 and 36. The fabric pieces 52 are stitched at their edges by a stitching 54 to the respective sleeves 48. Each sleeve 48 may be formed by folding a piece of fabric. The stitching 54 also acts as a hinge for the panels 34 and 36 to be folded upon each other, as explained below. The connections for the three other pairs of adjacent edges may be identical. Thus, the connections on the left side 40 and the right side 44 of each panel 32, 34, 36, 38 act as hinge connections for connecting an adjacent panel.
At the top side 46 and the bottom side 42 of each panel 32, 34, 36, 38, where there is no hinge connection to an adjacent panel, the frame retaining sleeve 48 may be formed by merely folding over the corresponding fabric piece and applying a stitching 56 (see FIG. 3). The fabric piece 52 for the corresponding panel may then be stitched to the sleeve 48. A top piece of fabric 64 can be stitched or otherwise attached to the top sides 46 of the panels 32, 34, 36, 38.
Openings 58 and 60 may be provided in some or all of the panels 32, 34, 36, 38. These openings 58 and 60 may be of any shape (e.g., triangular, circular, rectangular, square, diamond, etc.) and size. For example, each opening 58 can be positioned on the panel 34 and adapted to be aligned to the expected location of the user's eye, and the opening 60 can be positioned on the panel 34 and adapted to be aligned to the expected location of a user's mouth. As such, the panel 34 would be a face panel in that it would be adjacent the user's face. If desired, another opening 62 can be provided in the top fabric 64 for the user to extend his or her head out of the interior of the structure 22.
The fabric 52 on each of the panels 32, 34, 36, 38 can be provided with any desired decoration, design, pattern or indicia to provide a headgear with specific themes or identities.
While the structure 22 is shown and described as having four panels, each having four sides, it will be appreciated that the structure 22 may be made of any number of panels, each having any number of sides, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, each structure may have at least one panel (see FIG. 7 below) or two panels (see FIGS. 8 and 11 below), and each panel may have three or more sides. Thus, the structures of the present invention may take a variety of external shapes. However, each panel, regardless of its shape, is supported by at least one frame member 50.
FIGS. 6A through 6D describe the various steps for folding and collapsing the structure 22 of FIG. 4 for storage. The first step consists of pushing panels 32 and 34 towards panels 38 and 36, respectively, about their hinged connections so that panel 32 collapses upon panel 38 and panel 34 collapses upon panel 36. Then, the two panels 32 and 38 are folded so as to be collapsed upon the two panels 34 and 36 to form a stack of four panels, as shown in FIG. 6A. In the second step, the structure 22 is then twisted and folded to collapse the frame members 50 and panels 32, 34, 36, 38 into a smaller shape. In particular, the opposite border B of the stack of panels 32, 34, 36, 38 is folded in (see the arrow in FIG. 6B) upon the previous fold to further collapse the frame members 50 with the panels. As shown in FIG. 6C, the folding is continued so that the initial size of the structure 22 is reduced until the frame members 50 and panels are collapsed on each other (see FIG. 6D) to provide for a small essentially compact configuration having a plurality of concentric frame members 50 and layers of the panels 32, 34, 36, 38 so that the collapsed structure 22 has a size which is a fraction of the size of the initial structure.
The structure 24 shown in FIG. 2 can be made in the same construction as the structure 22, having four panels 74, 76, 78, 80 that correspond to the panels 32, 34, 36, 38, respectively. The panels 76, 80 can have a different shape as the panels 74, 78, with panels 76, 80 being wider and the panels 74, 78 being narrower so that the structure 24 can better fit a human torso. The fabric 82 on each of the panels 74, 76, 78, 80 can be provided with the any desired decoration, design, pattern or indicia. Openings (not shown) can also be provided in the fabric 82 on any of the panels 74, 76, 78, 80.
The top 84 and bottom 86 of the structure 24 can be left open (i.e., with no fabric or other coverings) so that the user can extend his or her torso through either the top 84 or the bottom 86. Each top 84 is bordered by the top side of each panel 74, 76, 78, 80, and each bottom 86 is bordered by the bottom side of each panel 74, 76, 78, 80. In addition, an opening (not shown) can be provided in the fabric 82 of the panels 74 and 78, and an arm sleeve 88 can extend from each opening in the fabric 82. The arms sleeves 88 can be made from fabric or other woven materials. The arm sleeves 88 can be provided with an end 90 that is opened for a user's hands to extend through, or can be closed with an ornamental feature 92, such as a robot hand as shown in FIGS. 1-2.
As an alternative, the panels 74, 78 can be provided in the form of the fabric material 82 that is connected directly to the panels 76, 80, so that the panels 74, 78 would not have any frame member 50 provided along their peripheries. Under this alternative, the structure 24 would have only two frame members 50, one each for the panels 76 and 80, and the structure 24 can be collapsed by merely pressing the panels 76, 80 against each other, tucking the fabric material 82 of the panels 74 and 78 between the panels 76 and 80, and then twisting and folding in the manner shown in FIGS. 6A-6D.
The structure 26 can be provided in the form of a frame member (not shown, but can be the same as 50) and a fabric wall 90. At the top of the structure 26 can be provided an annular sleeve 92 which houses a frame member, where the construction of the sleeve 92 and its frame member can be the same as that shown in FIG. 3. The sleeve 92 can act as a belt or waist element. An enclosing or annular fabric wall 90 extends from the sleeve 92, and acts as a trouser or skirt. Tie members 94 can be provided adjacent the sleeve 92 to allow the user to tighten the structure 26 at the waist, so that the structure 26 can be worn as a trouser or skirt. The structure 26 can be collapsed by merely twisting and folding the frame member in the manner shown in FIGS. 6A-6D, with the fabric wall 90 tucked into the folds.
Thus, the user can dress up as a robot by wearing the structure 22 as a headgear, the structure 24 as a torso gear, and the structure 26 as a trouser or skirt. In addition, shoes 96 decorated to look like robot shoes can be sold or provided with the assembly 20 to complete the entire outfit.
FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment according to the present invention, where the costume structure is essentially comprised of one panel 100 that can have the same construction (but with different sizes and shapes) as the panels 32, 34, 36, 38 described above. The panel 100 is shown as having a generally circular shape, with an opening 102 provided in its fabric material 104 so that the user can insert his or her head through the opening 102 and then let the fabric material 104 hang from his or her shoulders, as shown in FIG. 7. A shoulder support member 105 can be provided around or adjacent the opening 102 to effectively support the panel 100 on the user's shoulders. The support member 105 can be embodied in the form of a reinforced or stronger fabric material, a sleeve filled with a cushiony material, a plastic or other rigid member, or the like. Indicia 106 (or other decorations, colors and patterns) can be provided on the fabric material 104. The panel 100 can be used for play, amusement or even advertising, where it can be worn to advertise a service or product. Sleeve straps 108 can be provided along the edge of the sleeve 48, or on either side of the fabric material 104, for allowing the user to insert an arm therethrough to further support the panel 100 on the body of the user. The panel 100 can be provided in any shape or size, depending on the desired use, and as shown in FIG. 8, the panel can be provided in the shape of a star. The frame member of the panel 100 can be twisted and folded in the manner shown in FIGS. 6A-6D to reduce the size of the panel 100 for storage.
FIG. 9 shows modifications made to the panel 100 in FIG. 7. First, additional openings 110 can be provided in the fabric material 104 to allow the user's arms to extend through. Second, two or more additional panels 112, 114 can be provided. Each of these additional panels 112, 114 can have the same construction as the panel 100, though their sizes and shapes may be varied. All the panels 100, 112, 114 can be attached (e.g., by stitching or fusing) to each other at one or more locations (e.g., 116) along the edges of the panels 100, 112, 114, and each has an opening (e.g., 120) through which the user's torso can extend. The attachment location(s) 116 function as pivot edges or points. Side support fabric 118 can be attached between the edges of adjacent panels (e.g., 118 is between panels 100 and 112) so that the combined panels 110, 112, 114 have an accordian-like construction.
The combined panels 100, 112, 114 can be collapsed by merely pressing the panels 100, 112, 114 against each other, tucking the fabric 118 between the corresponding panels, and then twisting and folding in the manner shown in FIGS. 6A-6D.
FIG. 10 illustrates yet other modifications that can be made to the panel 100 of FIG. 7. In FIG. 10, the panel 100a can have the same construction (but different shape) as the panel 100 of FIG. 7, except that arm sleeves 122 (similar to arm sleeves 88 described above) can be provided to extend from the left and right sides of the panel 100a. An opening 102a can be provided in the fabric material 104a for allowing the user's head to be exposed, or to be extended therethrough.
FIG. 11 illustrates another embodiment of a collapsible costume assembly according to the present invention. The assembly 130 in FIG. 11 has two panels 132 and 134, each of which can have the same construction (but possibly a different shape and size) as the panel 100 of FIG. 7. An opening 136 can be provided in the fabric material 138 of the panel 132 for allowing a user's head to extend through, and openings 140 can be provided in the fabric material 142 of the panel 134 for allowing a user's legs to extend through. Alternatively, the fabric material 142 can be omitted entirely. A shoulder support member 137 (similar to support member 105) can be provided around or adjacent the opening 136.
A fabric wall 144 can be connected between the peripheral edges of the panels 132, 134; for example, the fabric wall 144 can be connected to the sleeves 48 of the panels 132, 134. The configuration and size of the fabric wall 144 corresponds to the configuration and size of the panels 132, 134. For example, if the panels 132, 134 are generally circular, then the fabric wall 144 would be generally annular. If the panel 134 is smaller than the panel 142, then the fabric wall 144 would taper from a larger diameter near the panel 132 to a smaller diameter near the panel 134. Indicia 146 can be provided on the fabric wall 144. The indicia 146 can include advertising, decorations, or carry specific themes (e.g., a character). Openings 148 can be provided in the fabric wall 144 to allow a user's arms to extend out from the interior of the fabric wall 144.
An accessory panel 150 can be provided with the assembly 130. The panel 150 can have the same construction (but possibly a different shape and size) as the panel 100 of FIG. 7. An opening 152 can be provided in the fabric material 154 of the panel 150 for allowing a user's head to extend through. The accessory panel 150 can be used as a hat or any other intended purpose.
The assembly 130 can be collapsed by merely pressing the panels 132, 134 (and 150) against each other, tucking the fabric wall 144 between the corresponding panels, and then twisting and folding in the manner shown in FIGS. 6A-6D.
FIG. 12 illustrates an assembly 130a that is the same as the assembly 130 in FIG. 11, except that (i) an opening 156 can be provided in the fabric wall 144a for allowing the user's head to extend through, (ii) a collar 158 can extend from the fabric material 138a of the panel 132a, and (iii) a shoulder support member 157 (similar to support member 105) can be provided around or adjacent the opening 156. Otherwise, the other elements in the assembly 130a that are the same as the corresponding elements in assembly 130 are provided with the same numeral designations except than an “a” has been added to the designations in FIG. 12. Thus, the assembly 130a allows the user to extend his or her head through either opening 136a or 156.
FIG. 13 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention where the assembly 130b is similar to the assembly 130 in FIG. 11. The assembly 130b in FIG. 13 is shaped like a hat, otherwise the other elements in the assembly 130b are the same as the corresponding elements in assembly 130, and are provided with the same numeral designations except than a “b” has been added to the designations in FIG. 13. In FIG. 13, the panel 134b has a larger diameter than the panel 132b, and instead of two openings 140, a single opening 140b can be provided in the fabric material 142b. Referring to FIGS. 14A and 14B, the panels 132b, 134b can be pressed against each other, and then twisted and folded in the manner shown in FIGS. 6A-6D.
FIGS. 15 and 16 illustrate another embodiment of a collapsible costume assembly according to the present invention. The assembly 200 in FIG. 15 has two closed frame members 202 and 204 that are oriented so that each frame member 202, 204 overlaps the other frame member at locations 206, 208 along opposite side edges (side edges 222 and 226 for location 206, and side edges 224 and 228 for location 208) that are at about the center of each frame member 202, 204 (see FIG. 16). In particular, each frame member 202, 204 can define an enclosed four-sided configuration that is generally curved along portions of its length, having an interior space 210, 212, respectively, defined by the respective frame member 202, 204. The frame member 204 can have a smaller diameter so that it can be fitted inside the interior space 210 of the frame member 202. Each frame member 202, 204 can be the same in construction as the frame member 50 described above and housed in a sleeve 48 in the same manner shown in FIG. 3, and can have top edges 214 and 216, respectively, bottom edges 218 and 220, respectively, and side edges 222, 224 (for frame member 202) and 226, 228 (for frame member 204).
A fabric wall extends around the edges 214, 216, 218, 220, 222, 224, 226, 228 to enclose the space defined by both overlapping frame members 202, 204. The fabric wall includes a top fabric portion 230 that extends between the top edges 214 and 216, and a front fabric portion 232 that extends between the edges 216 and 218 of the frame members 204 and 202, respectively. A rear fabric portion (not shown) can also be provided to extend between the edges 214 and 220 of the frame members 202 and 204, respectively. An opening 234 (or a meshed section which provides smaller openings) can be provided in the front fabric portion 232 at the expected location of the user's face to allow the user to see and breathe through. The space between the bottom edges 218, 220 can be left open so that the user can extend his or her head into the interior of the fabric wall. Indicia 236 such as body parts (e.g., eyeballs), decorations, words, patterns and themes can be provided on the fabric portions 230, 232.
A body section 240 can be connected to the bottom edges 218, 220 and extends as a dress or costume that is adapted to cover the length (or portions) of the user's torso and legs. The body section 240 can be configured in the form of any conventional costume, and can include sleeves, trouser legs, etc.
To fold and collapse the structure 200, the frame members 202 and 204 are pivoted about their overlapping locations 206, 208 (which act as pivot points) so that the two frame members 202, 204 lie in the same plane to form a stack of frame members 202, 204. The fabric wall can be flattened or folded so that the fabric wall lies in about the same plane as the combined stack of frame members 202, 204, or tucked between the frame members 202, 204. This combined stack of frame members 202, 204 and fabric wall can then twisted and folded in the manner shown in FIGS. 6A-6D.
FIG. 17 illustrates another embodiment of a collapsible costume assembly according to the present invention. The assembly 250 in FIG. 17 includes one panel 252 that can have the same construction (but with different sizes and shapes) as the panels 32, 34, 36, 38 described above, including a frame member 50 that can be the same as that shown in FIG. 3. The panel 252 is shown as having a generally circular shape, with a meshed area 254 provided in its fabric material 256 so that the user can see through the meshed area 254. Alternatively, the meshed area 254 can be omitted so that the interior space defined by the frame member 50 of the panel 252 is opened. The remainder of the assembly 250 is a fabric shell 258 that defines an interior, and includes a head portion 260 and a body portion 262. The frame member 50 of the panel 252 is provided in the front of the head portion 260 at a location where a user's might be positioned. The fabric shell 258 can be configured in the form of any conventional costume, and can include arm sleeves 264 extending from the body portion 262, and trouser legs, etc. To fold and collapse the assembly 250, the frame member of the panel 252 is twisted and folded in the manner shown in FIGS. 6A-6D, with the fabric shell 258 folded and fitted together with the collapsed panel 252.
FIG. 18 illustrates yet another embodiment of a collapsible costume assembly according to the present invention. The assembly 300 in FIG. 18 has a headgear 302 and body portion 304. The body portion 304 can be embodied in the form of a collapsible tunnel. The tunnel has an internal support wire 308 supporting a covering 310 which is attached to the wire 308 to define the tunnel-like passageway. The wire 308 can be helically coiled, with the adjacent coils being normally biased in spaced apart relation. The wire 308 defines a first end 312 and a second end 314. The covering 310 is attached to the wire 308 by gluing, stitching, fusing, mechanically fastening or other conventional attachment methods. Alternatively, a sleeve (not shown) may be stitched or otherwise provided along the covering 310 with the wire 308 housed or attached therein. The first end 312 of the wire 308 defines a first substantially circular edge 312, and the second end 314 of the wire 308 defines at a second substantially circular edge 314. Each circular edge 312, 314 defines an opening through which a user may extend his/her body. In addition, arm sleeves 322 can extend from the covering 310 to receive the arms of the user.
A first set of tie members 316 are provided in spaced-apart manner along the first circular edge 312, and a second set of tie members 318 are provided in spaced-apart manner along the second circular edge 314. Each tie member 316, 318 can be embodied as two strings or thin pieces of fabric which can be tied together to create a knot, or as opposing straps that carry a VELCRO™ pad. Each set of tie members 316, 318 could comprise any number of tie members (including just one tie member), but preferably comprises at least two tie members.
The wire 308 is preferably made from the same material as the frame member 50 described above, which is capable of allowing the wire 308 to maintain its coiled shape. The covering 310 is preferably made from a strong durable fabric, such as cotton, canvas, mesh or net, but can also be made from other strong durable materials such as PVC or plastic.
The body portion 304 can be easily collapsed and folded for storage by compressing the tunnel-like body portion 304. Specifically, to compress the body portion 304, the user grips the circular edges 312, 314 with separate hands, and then pushes or compresses the circular edges 312, 314 towards each other. This compresses the plurality of helical coils of the wire 308 against each other, as shown in FIG. 19. This compression is made possible by the springy nature of the wire 308, and its helically coiled configuration. With the wire 308 compressed, the tie members of the first and second sets of tie members 316, 318 are tied together to secure the body portion 304 in a compressed configuration.
As an alternative, the helical wire 308 can be replaced by a plurality of annular frame members 308a that are spaced apart along the length of the body portion 304. These annular frame members 308a can be the same as the frame member 50 described above, and housed in a sleeve 48 in the same manner shown in FIG. 3. Under this embodiment, the body portion 304 can be compressed by pressing each frame member 308a against each other to form a stack of frame members 308a, with the covering 310 tucked inside between the frame members 308a.
The headgear 302 can be provided in the form of the headgear structure 22 in FIG. 4. Alternatively, the headgear 302 can be an enclosing fabric piece 324 that is removably attachable to the first circular edge 312 of the body portion 304. As a further alternative, the headgear 302 can have an annular frame member 326 near the neck portion of the headgear 302. The frame member 326 can be the same in construction as the frame member 50 described above and housed in a sleeve 48 in the same manner shown in FIG. 3, with the interior space defined by the annular frame member 326 left open to allow the user to insert his/her head. The enclosing fabric 324 can be attached to the sleeve of the frame member 326, and can include any desired decoration, design, pattern or indicia 328. The headgear 302 can be stored by pressing the enclosing fabric 324 and the frame member 326 flat against the compressed body portion 304.
FIG. 20 illustrates another embodiment of a collapsible costume assembly according to the present invention. The assembly 350 in FIG. 15 has two closed frame members 352 and 354 that are oriented so that each frame member 352, 354 is pivotably connected to each other along an edge or point 356. If each frame member 352, 354 is generally circular, then the pivoting connection is at a point 356. If each frame member 352, 354 defines a plurality (e.g., three or four) sides, then the pivoting connection is along the edge 356 of a side of each frame member 352, 354. The interior space defined by each frame member 352, 354 can be left unoccupied (i.e., opened) to allow a user's head to be exposed, as shown in FIG. 20. Each frame member 352, 354 can be same in construction as the frame member 50 described above and housed in a sleeve 48 in the same manner shown in FIG. 3. The pivoting connection along the edge or point 356 can be accomplished by stitching the sleeves of the two frame members 352, 354 along the edge 356 or at the point 356.
A fabric shell 360 is connected to the edges of the frame members 352, 354 to define a head portion 362 and a body portion 364. The fabric shell 360 can be configured in the form of any conventional costume, and can include arm sleeves, trouser legs, etc.
To fold and collapse the structure 350, the frame members 352 and 354 are pivoted about their pivoting connection so that the two frame members 352, 354 are positioned one above the other to form a stack of frame members 352, 354. The fabric shell 360 can be flattened or folded so that the fabric shell 360 lies in about the same plane as the combined stack of frame members 352, 354. This combined stack of frame members 352, 354 and fabric wall 360 can then twisted and folded in the manner shown in FIGS. 6A-6D.
To deploy any of the collapsible structures shown herein from their folded and collapsed configuration, the user merely opens the concentric ring of frame members from FIG. 6D, and the elasticity of the frame members will cause the frame members to spring open to the orientation shown in FIG. 6A, from which the user can unfold the respective panels.
Water amusement features can be provided with any of the embodiments of the present invention. For example, referring to FIG. 17, a spray nozzle 270 can be provided anywhere on the fabric shell 258, and is connected via a tubing 272 to a water source or bottle 274. A squirt bulb 276 can be coupled to the bottle 274 to function as a pressure source for causing water in the bottle 274 to be delivered to the nozzle 270.
While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.
