MECHANICAL APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING A PUPPET AND METHOD OF USE

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling a puppet to obtain a desired position or expression, with a mounting plate having a plurality of rod apertures. A plurality of ball braces are secured to the mounting plate, each having a pair of ball apertures. A plurality of balls and rods are provided. Each ball is positioned between one of the ball apertures and rod apertures. Each rod extending through one of the balls and through one of the ball apertures and one of the rod apertures. Each rod contacting an action point on a puppet for manipulating the puppet through rotating and twisting of the ball, and longitudinal movement of the rod. The ball braces may be locked and unlocked, such that when locked, the associated ball and rod are held in position to maintain a facial expression at the action point.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 17/016,358, filed in the United States Patent Office on Sep. 9, 2020, from which priority is claimed and which is incorporated by reference in its entirety, which claims priority from Provisional Patent Application 62/903,875 filed in the United States Patent Office on Sep. 22, 2019.

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to mechanics for animating facial movements in a physical medium, namely puppets. More particularly, the invention relates to a mechanical apparatus that is capable of positioning and maintaining the position of puppet surfaces, for example, a puppet face, in various combinations using a rod and ball system that is housed inside the puppet head or cavity.

BACKGROUND

In the world of stop motion animation, there are many different techniques to achieve facial movement in puppets. The methods used can vary from simple, inexpensive and speedy to complicated, very expensive and extremely laborious. All methods have their own unique appeal in the stop motion animation community.

An example of one of the early techniques for facial movement in stop motion animation is molding facial positions on a clay faced puppet, as used in “claymation”, to create desired expressions, speaking postures and the like. Because clay will hold its shape, the animator is able to take a still photograph of each desired movement. The images are played in rapid succession to create the illusion of fluid movement. This technique is still used today because it is inexpensive, relatively fast, and many people enjoy its authenticity. However, claymation has some disadvantages. Unwanted fingerprints and tool impressions are left behind on the puppet's face making it look messy and obscuring the desired facial expression. Also, the clay is less realistic in appearance and movement compared to newer methods.

More recently, the use of 3D printing technology has become a popular technique for “facial replacement” in stop motion animation. 3D printing has made it possible to make an exact replica of a character's face for each frame, with thousands of different expressions, speaking postures, and other nuances. A new, 3D printed face can be placed on a puppet for each position and photographed in sequence to achieve the desired illusion of movement.

Facial replacement is widely used in most big studio stop motion animation films today. This technique, however, is far more extravagant in cost and supply than claymation and is more time consuming. It can also come across as less organic. The desired presentation of the facial expression should be able to replicate the apparent warmth and tangible nature of previously described techniques, while allowing greater flexibility and adjustment. 3D printing may leave a face in the realm of the so-called “uncanny valley,” an unsettling aesthetic wherein the face is close enough for the viewer to recognize as human, but not close enough to be emotionally accepted.

Therefore, a need exists in the industry for a novel facial movement system for puppets that is expeditious and economical. There is also a need for the facial movement method to be life-like and naturalistic. A further need exists for the system to be reconfigurable to adapt to different sizes and shapes of puppets. Finally, there is a need for the facial movement system to be capable of holding each facial position in place to allow for the taking of still photographs.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure describes a facial movement apparatus for puppets used in stop motion animation generally including one or more moveable positioning rods with the rods able to be moved and provide at least rotational, twist and slide movement. Positioning rods may be adhered to the interior surface of a puppet's face at designated action points. The rods may be configured to extend from the interior action points through predetermined apertures on a mounting plate which is positioned inside the puppet's head or cavity. The positioning rods may be joined on the back side of the mounting plate using balls that each have a through hole, each rod extending through the through hole of its associated ball to allow for rotational, twist and/or slide movement, the balls are secured in position with ball braces. The positioning rods may be configured to extend further from the mounting plate to the rod ends. The rod ends are configured as the point where an operator may manipulate the rods for facial movement of the puppet. The operator may lock the positioning rods into place when a desired pose has been achieved by tightening the ball brace to the mounting plate with a threaded tension screw.

One aspect of the disclosure is to provide a mechanism that allows for fine control over a puppet's facial expressions. By implementing a combination of balls and ball braces, the technology facilitates rotational, twist, and sliding motions of the rods, translating to precise movement at various action points within the puppet.

In an embodiment of the disclosure, each positioning rod extends through the through hole of one of the balls, which is then positioned between the mounting plate and a corresponding ball brace. The rod can be manipulated to engage with specific action points within the puppet's head. A tension screw associated with each ball brace allows the operator to selectively lock and unlock the rod and ball in position, thus providing a versatile control mechanism.

Yet another object of the disclosure is to offer a customizable configuration that can be adapted for different types of puppets and desired expressions. The versatility of the mounting plate, with its multiple rod apertures and customizable components, allows operators to achieve a wide range of animations and movements by adjusting the positioning and tension of the rods.

In yet another aspect, the described apparatus can be adapted for other puppet parts beyond facial expressions. The flexibility of the design makes it suitable for use in full-body puppets, articulated limbs, or even respiratory segments where precise, controlled movement is required. This adaptability extends to materials and manufacturing processes, ensuring that the apparatus can be tailored to meet specific production needs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a mounting plate in accordance to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a ball brace in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an exploded side view of the ball brace with a tension screw.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of an embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is diagrammatic perspective view of the movement device, showing two of the positioning rods extending through two of the balls that are held in place by one of the ball braces.

FIG. 7 is a rear elevational view of a puppet face, showing numerous positioning rods attached to the puppet face.

FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of an embodiment of a movement device.

FIG. 9A is a side elevational view of an embodiment of the movement device connected to a puppet face;

FIG. 9B is a side view, diagrammatically showing elements of the movement device of FIG. 9A, wherein much of the mounting plate and most of the positioning rods and braces have been removed for clarity.

FIG. 10A is a diagrammatic side view, similar to FIG. 9B, showing three of the rods attached to action points on a face, namely eyebrow, cheek, and lip regions.

FIG. 10B is a diagrammatic side view, similar to FIG. 10A, except wherein movement of the rods has created movement in the eyebrow, cheek, and lip regions.

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of a face, showing an array of action points where movement can be affected by positioning rods at corresponding locations on the rear of said face.

FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view, illustrating a locking mechanism that includes the mounting plate, balls, positioning rods, a ball brace, and a tension screw.

FIG. 13A, FIG. 13B, FIG. 13C, FIG. 13D, and FIG. 13E, are top plan views that illustrate various embodiments of the ball brace, for securing and selectively locking one, two, three, or four positioning rods.

FIG. 14A is a side elevational view with parts broken away, showing a single locking mechanism in an untensioned state, wherein the ball and rod are free to move into other positions.

FIG. 14B is a side elevational view with parts broken away, showing the single locking mechanism, wherein the tension screw is tightened, the ball is compressed, and the positioning rod is locked in position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 depicts a mounting plate 10 for a facial movement apparatus 1. The mounting plate 10 may be of a generic or custom origin. While the shape shown in FIG. 1 is shaped substantially as a pentagon with rounded edges, the mounting plate 10 may be designed to be different sizes and shapes, as necessary to perform and integrate with puppets or covers of varying qualities. In a preferred embodiment, example, the mounting plate 10 is 7.5 cm length and 5 cm width to fit inside the head cavity of a puppet with a head circumference of 24 cm and 8 cm from puppet maxilla to crown. The mounting plate 10 can be made from brass, hard plastic or other material of similar strength properties. While the movement apparatus 1 is shown in various other drawing figures with a puppet face, the apparatus 1 may be used with a full puppet body, a respirating puppet stomach, articulated puppet arms, or for any type of physical structure wherein elements of the external body must be finely controlled, held in place, and able to be moved again.

The mounting plate 10 has at least one rod aperture 14A and in preferred embodiments may have as many rod apertures 14A as needed for desired facial movement and/or as many rod apertures 14A as there is space available on the mounting plate 10. In this example, eighteen rod apertures 14A have been defined and configured on the mounting plate 10 in customized locations for optimum movement of a specific puppet. Rod apertures 14A may be coupled to create aperture pairs 14B. The rod apertures 14A may be countersunk on the rear side of the mounting plate 10 to accommodate rotating balls as described in detail hereinbelow. Additionally, the mounting plate 10 has at least one threaded receiving aperture 15. In preferred embodiments the mounting plate 10 may be configured with one receiving aperture 15 centered between every pair of rod apertures 14B. While the rod apertures 14A are shown to be circular and of generally the same size, the rod apertures 14A may be any size and shape. Additionally, or alternatively, the rod apertures 14A may vary amongst themselves instead of being of the same size and shape as one another.

The mounting plate 10 may be configured with one or more attachment elements to engage or affix to another element of the puppet. In this example, an attachment ball joint 16 comprises a male element that is suitable for insertion into the puppet body, which in the state of the art of stop motion animation generally comprises a ball and socket armature frame. The attachment joint 16 may be adaptable and customized to any puppet frame type. The attachment ball joint 16 may be made from metal, hard plastic or other material strong enough to engage with the puppet body and hold the mounting plate 10 in place during operation.

FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of one example of a manual facial movement apparatus 1 for controlling puppets according to various embodiments of the present invention. It is from the rear side of the apparatus 1 that an operator may manipulate the positioning rods 3A to affect movement on a puppet's face. Referring momentarily to FIG. 6, each positioning rod 3A has a rod head 3B and a rod end 3C. The facial movement apparatus 1 is configured with one or more positioning rods 3A that are used to manipulate one or more points of action on the puppet's face. Points of action may include an eye, the corner of the mouth, an eyebrow, and/or any point for desired movement on a puppet face. As seen in FIG. 14A, the mounting plate 10 governs and limits movement of the positioning rods 3A, wherein the extension of each positioning rods 3A through one of the rod apertures 14A provides a fulcrum for the positioning rods 3A, such that manually applied motion at the rod end 3C creates movement at the rod head 3B. Returning to FIG. 2, in this example, the apparatus 1 comprises eighteen positioning rods 3A. The positioning rods 3A may be located in a position on the mounting plate 10 appropriate to the intended purpose of that rod 3A. For example, a positioning rod 3A in the upper left corner of the mounting plate 10 may be used to operate a left eyebrow on a puppet face. Alternatively, positioning rods 3A may be positioned in opposition to the intended action of the puppet face to allow more extreme control. Positioning rods 3A may be made from aluminum, wood, plastic or other lightweight material with similar strength properties. While the positioning rods 3A are generally shown to be relatively the same length, size, and cross-section, it is contemplated that the positioning rods 3A may be of any length, size, or cross-section and extrusion of the same to provide the benefit needed for facial control of a puppet. Additionally, positioning rods 3A of the same apparatus 1 may vary amongst themselves.

Positioning rods 3A may be joined to the mounting plate 10 with a ball 4 and ball brace 30. Referring to FIG. 12, a locking assembly 40 is illustrated in conjunction with the mounting plate 10. The mounting plate 10 has a rear surface 10R. The locking assembly 40 includes at least one ball 4, one of the positioning rods 3A associated with said ball 4, the mounting plate 10, and a tension screw 31. Said ball 4 has a ball diameter and is located between the mounting plate 10 and the ball brace 30, and maintained in position thereby where it can selectively rotate in place. The ball brace 30 has a front 30F that faces said ball 4 and faces the rear 10R of the mounting plate 10. Referring momentarily to FIG. 3, which shows the front 30F of an embodiment of ball brace 30, having a pair of countersunk ball apertures 32, which may have a 90% opening surface in relation to the ball diameter for conforming with and closely contacting the ball with enhanced surface area. Referring again to FIG. 12, each ball 4 has a through hole 4H to accommodate the positioning rod 3A associated with said ball 4. The through holes 4H on the balls 4 may have a medium pressured fitted shaft to prevent free sliding. The medium pressure shaft in the balls 4 may also support and guide the positioning rods 3A in forward and reverse sliding movement within the through hole 4H. The balls 4 sit in the countersunk rod apertures 14A on the rear side of the mounting plate 10. The countersunk rod aperture 14A may comprise an opening surface on the opposite/front side of the mounting plate 10 that is approximately 85% of the ball diameter, this allows rotational and twisting movement of the ball 4 and also prevent the ball 4 from forward movement. In the example shown in FIG. 2, there are eighteen balls 4 to accommodate eighteen positioning rods 3A. Balls 4 may be made from hard plastic, metal, glass filled nylon or any other suitable material.

The front 30F of the ball brace 30 faces the balls 4 and the mounting plate 10. In the embodiment shown, the front 30F of a ball brace 30 has two countersunk ball apertures 32 (see FIG. 3) which allow rotational and twisting movement of the ball 4, and also prevent the ball 4 from backward movement away from the mounting plate 10. Some ball brace 30 embodiments may be configured to hold one or more balls 4 depending on the desired number of positioning rods 3A, the positioning rods location, and/or space available (see FIG. 13A through FIG. 13E). The ball brace 30 can be made of metal, plastic or other suitable material. In an exemplary embodiment, the rods 3A extend through the ball brace 30 and through the ball 4 via the through hole 4H.

Referring again to FIG. 12, the ball brace 30 is connected to the mounting plate 10 with a tension screw 31. In particular, a fastening aperture 33 extends through the ball brace between the ball apertures 32. The tension screw 31 extends through the fastening aperture 33 and into the receiving aperture 15 of the mounting plate 10, trapping the ball 4 between the ball brace 30 and mounting plate 10 to thereby hold it in place. FIG. 4 depicts the ball brace 30 and the tension screw 31. This rear view of the ball brace 30 shows an example of the fastening aperture 33 centered between two ball apertures 32. Referring again to FIG. 12, the tension screw 31 can engage or disengage the mounting plate 10 with varying degrees of tension with a clockwise or counterclockwise twisting motion. In this example, a hex screw is used and can be tightened and loosened with a hex key tool. The tension screw 31 can be a bolt type, screw type or any other suitable threaded fastener. While a ball brace 30 is shown to define two apertures 32 through which positioning rods 3A may fit, and therefore the ball brace 30 is substantially elliptical, the ball brace 30 may further define additional apertures 32 and have triangular, rectangular, or any other shape conducive to its purpose as seen in FIG. 13A through 13E, which provide further examples. In particular, FIG. 13A shows the ball brace 30, configured with two ball apertures 32 and one fastening aperture 33 centered therebetween. FIG. 13C, and FIG. 14B shows three and four ball apertures 32, respectively, with fastening apertures 33 located between the ball apertures 32. In FIG. 13A, FIG. 13C and FIG. 13D, the ball apertures and fastening apertures 33 are linearly arranged. Note that in FIG. 13E, the ball brace 30 has four ball apertures 32 that are arranged in an arcuate fashion. FIG. 13B provides only one ball aperture 32, with the fastening aperture 33 located alongside.

FIG. 5 views the facial movement apparatus 1 from the front of the mounting plate 10 according to the various embodiments of the present invention. This view of the apparatus 1 shows one embodiment of the rod heads 3B of the positioning rods 3A. Each rod head 3B may be adhered to a specific point of action on the interior surface of a puppet's face as will be described in further detail hereinbelow. In this example, there are eighteen positioning rods 3A that may correspond with eighteen action points on a puppet face. In preferred embodiments the rod heads 3B are rounded and dipped in silicone or similar material to be less abrasive. While FIG. 5 shows an embodiment wherein all positioning rods 3A comprise rod heads 3B, it is contemplated that not all rods 3A necessarily have a rod head 3B. Further, as described above, the positioning rods 3A may have varying lengths and cross-sections. Additionally, or alternatively, the rod heads 3B may match the length and/or cross-sections of the positioning rods 3A. Additionally, certain positioning rods 3A may have multiple rod heads 3B, thereby allowing the operator to manipulate multiple elements of the puppet face in a coupled fashion while only moving one positioning rod 3A.

FIG. 6 depicts another embodiment of the apparatus 1 with two positioning rods 3A engaged with the mounting plate 10 using two balls 4, a ball brace 30, and a tension screw 31. The positioning rods 3A extend from the rod heads 3B through the rod apertures 14A on the mounting plate 10, through the balls 4 and ball braces 30 and to the rod ends 3C. When the rod heads are engaged with a puppet face, an operator may move the puppet's face by inputting force at the rod end 3C, with that movement then translating to the puppets face via positioning rod 3A and rod end 3B engaged with the puppet. The mounting plate 10 and brace plate 30 define an axis point therebetween, such that force inputted at the rod end 3C will cause the ball 4 to rotate in an expected direction, appropriate to the input force and axis point, such that the rod head 3B will exert an output force opposite to that of the input force. For example, referring to FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, the apparatus 1 is shown in conjunction with a puppet face 50 having a brow region 52, a cheek region 54, and a lip region 56, which each define an action point 70. Three rods 3A are shown in conjunction with and connected to the puppet face 50, including a brow rod 3A1, a check rod 3A2, and a lip rod 3A3—engaging the brow region 52, cheek region 54, and lip region 56, respectively, with the rod head 3B of said respective rod. The mounting plate 10 is shown in simplified form in FIGS. 10A and 10B for illustrative clarity. When the operator inputs a downward force at the rod end 3C, it translates to an upward output at the rod head 3B and lifts the corresponding action point 70 on the puppets face upward. Referring again to FIG. 6, the rotational movement of the positioning rod 3A is limited by the size of opening on either side of the ball 4 when the rod contacts either the ball brace 30 (behind) or the mounting plate 10 (in front).

The positioning rods 3A may also be twisted or turned in a clockwise or counter clockwise direction from the rod end 3C. The positioning rod 3A turns the ball 4 within the countersunk apertures and the rod will cause a twisting effect at the action point on the puppet face.

The positioning rods 3A may also be moved in forward and reverse longitudinal motion. An operator may input forward force at the rod end 3C to cause the positioning rod 3A to slide forward through the ball 4, the force exerted at the output/rod head 3B will push the action point forward on the puppet's face 50, causing a protrusive effect. Alternatively, when the operator pulls the positioning rod 3A rearwardly, it creates a recessed effect at the action point 70 on the puppet's face. Forward movement may be limited by rod length and elasticity of the puppet face. Reverse movement may be limited at the point where the puppet face and/or face elements back up far enough to meet or nearly meet the mounting plate 10. FIG. 11 provides an example of a puppet face 50 with action points 70 located at eyes, eye brows, cheeks, nose, mouth, teeth, etc.

FIG. 7 shows just the positioning rods 3A of the apparatus 1 with the rod end 3B of the positioning rods 3A adhered to fourteen action points 70 on the interior surface of a silicone puppet face 50. In preferred embodiments, rod heads are engaged in locations where movement is the most active for naturalistic facial expressions, word postures and the like, such as along the eyebrows and mouth. Additionally, or alternatively, the action points may be configured in any arrangement that is spatially achievable for desired movement. Positioning rods 3A may be adhered to a puppet with silicone, caulking, or other suitable flexible adhesive. While the puppet in FIG. 7 is substantially human in appearance, any puppet may be used where precise control of facial or other body part positions are desired.

FIG. 8 depicts a rear perspective of an example of the facial movement apparatus 1 attached to an example of a puppet face 50. In this example, the rear half of a puppet head is absent to allow for a clear view of the apparatus. In preferred embodiments, the mounting plate 10 may be positioned to vertically bisect the cavity of a puppet head, separating the front portion of the head from the rear. The head is open at the rear to allow control of the positioning rods 3A. It is from the rear of the head that an operator may manipulate and move the positioning rods 3A either directly or via ends 3C. Before each movement, an operator turns the tension screw 31 in a counter-clockwise direction to loosen the ball brace 30 enough to free the ball 4 and thereby allow the positioning rods 3A to be moved to their desired position. When the desired position and facial expression has been achieved the operator turns the tension screw 31 clockwise to tighten the ball brace 30 and lock the balls 4 and rods 3A into a stationary position to hold the facial expression. An operator may use his/her fingers, a gripping tool, or any other suitable method to move the positioning rods 3A. Referring to FIG. 14B, the locking assembly 40 is shown in a locked position. In particular, the tension screw 31 has been tightened so that the brace plate 30 and mounting plate 10 compress the ball 4 and lock the ball into a stationary position. Also illustrated, when the tension screw is tightened, the rod 3A is locked in place. In particular, the through hole 4H extending through the ball 4 may deform slightly and thereby tighten around the rod 3A preventing or greatly restricting its longitudinal movement within the through hole 4H.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 8, there are eighteen rod 3A and ball 4 combinations in conjunction with 9 brace plates 30. Some of the rods 3A are not shown for clarity of illustration. Four rods 3A control eye brows, two rods 3A control the nose, two rods 3A control the eyes, four rods 3A control the mouth, four rods 3A control the cheeks, and two rods 3A control the teeth. For puppets of different shapes and sizes, or when desiring different levels of control for expression, the apparatus 1 may comprise any number of rods 3A necessary to control the elements of the puppet.

FIG. 9A shows a side perspective view of the facial movement apparatus attached to a puppet face with the puppet face partially separated from the apparatus 1. This perspective illustrates examples of variable neutral positions for positioning rods 3A. A positioning rod's 3A neutral position is determined by the relative location of the action point/rod head 3B to the location of the rod apertures 14A on the mounting plate 10. The placement of any rod aperture 14A on the mounting plate 10 may be customized to achieve the greatest range of motion desired. For example, if the range of motion for the right eyebrow is desired to be greater in upward motion than downward motion, then the customized rod aperture 14A will be located on the mounting plate 10 in a higher position than the action point/eyebrow, creating a slope as shown in Example A. In preferred embodiments, some or all positioning rods 3A may be configured to a customized neutral position.

Example B shows the variable distances from the action point/rod head 3B on the puppet face 50 to the mounting plate 10. The facial features of the puppet may be deeper or shallower in relation to the mounting plate 10 which may account for longer or shorter custom positioning rods 3A. In preferred embodiments, the positioning rods 3A may be custom sized to extend the length from the action point to the interior backside of a puppet's head. The dashed line in Example C references where the rods would end in such embodiments, this customization would make the rods capable of concealment inside the head. For the sake of clarity, FIG. 9B shows the same diagrammatically with all but the particularly engaged rods 3A removed.

While preferred materials for elements have been described, the device is not limited by these materials. Wood, plastics, rubber, foam, metal alloys, aluminum, and other materials may comprise some or all of the elements of a facial movement apparatus.

Although the present invention has been illustrated and described herein with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples thereof, it will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the other embodiments and examples may perform similar functions and/or achieve like results. All such equivalent embodiments and examples are within the spirit and scope of the present invention, are contemplated thereby, and are intended to be covered by the following claims.

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well as the singular forms, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one having ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and the present disclosure and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

In describing the invention, it will be understood that a number of techniques and steps are disclosed. Each of these has individual benefit and each can also be used in conjunction with one or more, or in some cases all, of the other disclosed techniques. Accordingly, for the sake of clarity, this description will refrain from repeating every possible combination of the individual steps in an unnecessary fashion. Nevertheless, the specification and claims should be read with the understanding that such combinations are entirely within the scope of the invention and the claims.

Although a preferred embodiment of this invention has been disclosed, a worker of ordinary skill in this art would recognize that certain modifications would come within the scope of this invention. For that reason, the following claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.

Claims

1. A facial movement apparatus for controlling a puppet having a puppet face, comprising:

a mounting plate adapted for mounting behind the puppet face, the mounting plate having a plurality of rod apertures;

a plurality of rods, each rod having a rod end and a rod head opposite from the rod end;

a plurality of balls, each ball having a through hole and associated with one of the rods, said rod extending through said through hole;

a plurality of ball braces, each ball brace having a ball aperture and attached to the mounting plate with one of the balls extending between said ball brace and said mounting plate, the rod associated with said ball extending through said ball aperture and one of the rod apertures; and

a tension screw associated with each ball brace, for securing the ball brace to the mounting plate and for adjusting tension on the ball brace to selectively lock the ball associated with said ball brace in a stationary position, and to selectively unlock the ball and rod associated with said ball brace so that said ball is maintained in its location but can rotate and twist and the rod can move longitudinally within the through hole; and

wherein each rod is adapted to engage with an action point within a puppet such that movement of the rod manipulates the puppet at said action point.

2. The facial movement apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein each ball brace has a fastening aperture; wherein the mounting plate has a plurality of rod apertures; and wherein the tension screw associated with each ball brace extends into the fastening aperture of said ball brace and continues into one of the receiving apertures of the mounting plate.

3. The facial movement apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein each rod is capable of longitudinal movement within the through hole of its associated ball when its associated ball brace is unlocked by loosening the tensioning screw associated with said ball brace, and wherein longitudinal movement of said rod within said through hole is prevented by tightening the tensioning screw.

4. The facial movement apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the rod apertures are countersunk facing its associated ball and the rod apertures are counter sunk facing its associated ball to closely contact said ball with enhanced surface area.

5. The facial movement apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein each ball brace has two fastening apertures, wherein two of the rods are associated with each ball brace, and wherein the fastening aperture of each ball brace is centered between the fastening apertures, and wherein the tightening screw associated with said fastening aperture selectively locks both rods and balls associated with said ball brace.

6. A facial movement apparatus for controlling a puppet having a puppet face, comprising:

a mounting plate adapted for mounting behind the puppet face, the mounting plate having a plurality of rod apertures;

a plurality of rods, each rod having a rod end and a rod head opposite from the rod end, the rod head is adapted for engaging with an action point of the puppet such that movement of the rod manipulates the puppet;

a ball associated with each rod, each ball having a through hole, said rod extending through said through hole and capable of longitudinal movement within the through hole;

a plurality of locking assemblies, each locking assembly including at least one of the rods and balls and having a ball brace, said ball brace having a ball aperture and attached to the mounting plate with said balls extending between said ball brace and the mounting plate, the rod associated with said ball extending through said ball aperture and one of the rod apertures in the mounting plate; and

wherein each locking assembly has a locked and an unlocked state, when unlocked the ball associated with the ball brace is maintained in location but can rotate and twist and the rod associated with said ball can move longitudinally within the through hole, when locked the ball associated with the ball brace is prevented from rotating and twisting.

7. The facial movement apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein each locking assembly has a tension screw for securing the ball brace of said locking assembly to the mounting plate and for adjusting tension on said ball brace to selectively lock the ball associated with said ball brace in position, and to selectively unlock the ball and rod associated with said ball brace so that said ball is maintained in location but can rotate and twist and the rod can move longitudinally within the through hole.

8. The facial movement apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein each rod is capable of longitudinal movement within the through hole of its associated ball when its associated ball brace is unlocked by loosening the tensioning screw associated with said ball brace, and wherein longitudinal movement of said rod within said through hole is prevented by tightening the tensioning screw.

9. The facial movement apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein each locking assembly has two of the rods and balls associated therein, wherein the ball brace associated with said locking assembly has two ball apertures, wherein the fastening aperture of the ball brace associated with said locking assembly is centered between the ball apertures of said ball brace, and wherein the tightening screw associated with said fastening aperture selectively locks both rods and balls associated with said ball brace.

10. A puppet control method using a facial movement apparatus having a mounting plate with rod apertures, a plurality of rods each having a rod end and a rod head, a ball associated with each rod and having a through hole with the rod extending through the through hole, a plurality of brace plates that each have at least one ball aperture, each of the balls extending between one of the brace plates and the mounting plate, the rod associated with each ball extending through one of the ball apertures and through one of the rod apertures, for use with a puppet face having an interior surface with a plurality of action points, comprising the steps of:

positioning the mounting plate behind the puppet face;

attaching each rod head to one of the action points;

altering the appearance of the puppet face by manipulating the action point by moving one of the rods; and

maintaining the position of said rod by holding the ball associated with said rod stationary by tightening the brace plate associated with said rod against the mounting plate.

11. The puppet control method as recited in claim 10, wherein a tension screw is associated with each ball brace, wherein the step of maintaining the position of said rod by tightening the brace plate associate with said rod against the mounting plate further comprises tightening the tension screw.

12. The puppet control method as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of altering the appearance of the puppet face by manipulating the action point by moving one of the rods further comprises performing one of rotating the ball associated with said one of the rods, twisting the ball associated with said one of the rods, and moving said rod longitudinally within the through hole of said ball.

13. The puppet control method as recited in claim 11, wherein the step of altering the appearance of the puppet face by manipulating the action point by moving one of the rods is preceded by the step of loosening the tension screw associated with said rod and said brace plate associated with said rod.

14. The puppet control method as recited in claim 13, wherein each brace plate has two ball apertures, one of the rods and balls associated with each of said two ball apertures.