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 
       [0001]    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 
       [0002]    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. 
         [0003]    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. 
         [0004]    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 
       [0005]    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. 
         [0006]    It is an object of the invention to provide a wearable accessory which simulates wings in both appearance and also in motion. 
         [0007]    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. 
         [0008]    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. 
         [0009]    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. 
         [0010]    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 
         [0011]    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: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is an environmental front perspective view of a body wearable accessory according to one aspect of the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a partly exploded, rear perspective view of the body wearable accessory of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged detail view of a joint seen at the top right of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a further enlarged perspective detail view of the joint of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is an environmental rear perspective view of the subject matter of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is similar to  FIG. 5 , but showing control cables in a relaxed state. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]      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 . 
         [0019]    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. 
         [0020]    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 . 
         [0021]    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. 
         [0022]    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. 
         [0023]    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 . 
         [0024]    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 . 
         [0025]      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 . 
         [0026]    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). 
         [0027]    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 . 
         [0028]    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. 
         [0029]    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 . 
         [0030]      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 . 
         [0031]    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. 
         [0032]    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 . 
         [0033]      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 . 
         [0034]    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. 
         [0035]    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. 
         [0036]    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. 
         [0037]    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. 
         [0038]    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. 
         [0039]    The invention is not to be regarded as limited to the constructions explicitly described herein, but as encompassed by the appended claims.