Head ornamentation

An improved head ornamentation such as a mask, cap, hat or headdress which is designed to be supported by a wearer's head and is moveable relatively thereto by the wearer's body movements or a mechanical device controlled by the wearer.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates in general to improvements in head ornamentations including but not limited to hats, caps, ornamental masks and headdresses, to move in accordance with the wearer's body movement or in accordance with a mechanical or electro-mechanical mechanism.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Head ornamentations are used in a variety of festive occasions such as sporting events, Mardi Gras, Carnivals, parades, Halloween parties, and theatrical productions. While many such ornamentations are static, it is much more preferable to animate them so that they are more entertaining. For example, to animate an ornamental mask it must be attached to a stick and the hands must be used to hold and move it. Similarly, to animate a hat the hands must be used.

Accordingly, it would be very desirable for a person wearing a head ornamentation such as a mask or a hat to be able to cause the head ornamentation to move such as bobble (generally up and down), spin (rotate about an axis), and wobble (irregular side to side motion) through the simple body movements of the wearer, without the use of the wearer's hands. In this manner the wearer's hands could remain free to impart a more life-like movement to the character for such things as waving to an audience, clapping, or shaking hands along a parade route.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed at overcoming one or more of the problems or disadvantages associated with the relevant technology. As will be more readily understood and fully appreciated from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention, the invention is embodied in an ornamentation which is designed to be supported by the wearer's head and is movable by the wearer's body movements or a mechanical device controlled by the wearer

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like numeral indicate corresponding like parts, there is illustrated various preferred embodiments of the improved head ornamentation of the present invention.

As best illustrated inFIG. 1, the head ornamentation10includes an outer shell12which is configured in any manner of a wearer's choosing to depict a character or whatever the ornamentation is to portray. The outer shell12is preferably designed to entirely cover the wearer's head, and to this end may be slightly or substantially larger than the head of the wearer. However, it is to be understood that the outer shell12may be configured in a manner which does not entirely cover the wearer's head, which will depend upon the particular visual impact the ornamentation is to present as desired by the wearer. The bottom of the outer shell12will preferably have an opening sufficient for the wearer to place the head ornamentation over his or her head, and the outer shell12may be formed as a single piece, or two or more pieces joined by suitable fasteners. It is preferable that the bottom edges14of the outer shell12be weighted to assure that the center of gravity of the head ornamentation and mechanism is below the interface of the two portions of a vertical support20which is described in detail hereinafter.

The vertical support20includes an upper portion22and a lower portion27into which the upper portion22telescopes, although it is to be understood that the lower portion27could be formed to telescope into the upper portion22, if desired. In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 1, the lower portion27is attached to a cap or head-strap configuration30that fits over and is secured to a wearer's head with the lower portion27of the vertical support20extending upwardly therefrom towards the interior of the outer shell12. The cap or head-strap configuration may include an adjustment chin strap31. The upper portion22of the vertical support20is secured to the inner surface11of the outer shell12, and extends downwardly therefrom towards the wearer's head for engagement with the lower portion27of the vertical support20.

A compression spring25, of a size and spring rate which is dependent upon the size and weight of the outer shell12, is carried within the lower portion27of the vertical support20to effect “hands free” relative vertical movement between the head ornamentation10and the wearer. As best illustrated inFIG. 2, the coiled compression spring25is carried within the lower portion27and provides an upwardly directed biasing force permitting the outer shell12to bob up and down when the wearer moves his or her body up and down. The outer shell12will remain bobbing and/or moving for a period of time which is dependent on the oscillation decay rate of the spring25and the spacing or “play” between the upper and lower portions of the vertical support.

To limit the separation between the upper and lower portions22and27, respectively, during the bobbing motion, the upper portion22includes a pin24extending through or from a distal end thereof. The pin24is positioned on the upper portion22to engage with a slot29formed in the distal end of the lower portion27. In this manner the relative vertical movement between the two portions22and27of the vertical support20is limited to the length of the slot29which functions to retain the two portions together under the upward biasing force of the compression spring25.

As an alternate embodiment to the compression-spring-activated design previously described, a lower portion27aof the vertical support20may be constructed in the manner illustrated inFIG. 5. In this embodiment a pair of pins24aare connected near the open distal end of the lower portion27aof the vertical support20, and a pair of tension springs or rubber bands25aare utilized to couple pins24bconnected near the distal end of the upper portion22ato the pins24aof the lower portion27afor effecting an upward biasing force against the outer shell12.

As best illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, the upper portion22may also be divided into two sections,22uand22L. The bottom surface of the upper section22uof the upper portion22may be formed with or support teeth23to engage and mesh with complementary formed teeth28formed on or supported by an upper surface of the lower section22L of the upper portion22. In this manner the engagement of the two sets of teeth23and28will prevent the outer shell12from turning until acted upon by movement of the wearer. By body movement, the wearer can cause the outer shell12to bob upwardly, causing the teeth23and28to move out from engagement with each other, while turning the body relative to the outer shell12to thereby effect a rotational movement between the outer shell12and the wearer's body. The shape and size of the meshing protrusions or teeth23and28can be varied, as illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, to change the amount of effort required to implement rotation or the speed and extent of the resulting rotation. As illustrated inFIGS. 3 and 4, the upper end of the lower section22L is also formed or supports a flared or funnel-shaped guide26so that the upper section22uwill be guided back into engagement with the lower section22L after separation effected by the wearer. The vertical height of the guide26is dependent on the weight of the outer shell12.

In some uses it may be preferable that the upper portion22not be tightly connected to the lower portion27, to enable the outer shell12to wobble in accordance with the side-to-side or forward and back body movement of the wearer. Variations in the length of the two portions22and27of the vertical support20, as well as the two sections22uand22L of the upper portion22will also affect the amount of effort required by the wearer to cause the head ornamentation10to wobble, as well as accommodating different size ornamentation to be created on the outer shell12.

In another version of the invention as illustrated inFIGS. 6 and 7, a supplemental mechanism is utilized to create or augment the movement of the mask outer shell12. InFIG. 6a solenoid32is positioned between the compression spring25and the bottom of the lower portion27of the vertical support20. In this manner, when a wearer actuates the solenoid32, the plunger33thereof will drive against the spring25effecting a “pop up” of the outer shell12.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated inFIG. 7, a small electric motor38, such as a reversible battery powered motor, having an integrated gear box is supported on the distal end of the lower portion27of the vertical support20. A drive coupling39of the motor30is operatively connected to effect rotational movement of the outer shell12under the control of the wearer.

As illustrated inFIG. 8, some applications of this technology will require that the distance between the top of the wearer's head and the top of the inside surface of the head ornamentation10such as when utilizing ornamentation such as a baseball type cap12a, will be minimized without losing the desired bobbing, wobbling and rotational movements. In these instances the outer shell ornamentation12acan be attached to the support adjustable cap or straps30with the use of elastic material such as rubber bands, small springs, a flexible membrane, or flexible supports13attached between the interior of the outer shell12, and the cap or head straps30.

As illustrated inFIG. 9the rotational motion of the outer shell12acan be obtained through the interface of two plates42and47with the top plate42attached to the outer shell12aand the bottom plate47attached to the adjustable strap or cap30that hold the entire head ornamentation10on the wearer's head. One of these two plates will be formed with convex protrusions49and the adjoining plate will have corresponding concave44indentations. In this manner the engagement of the protrusions49and indentations42will prevent the outer shell12afrom turning until acted upon by movement of the wearer. By body movement the wearer can cause the ornamentation to bob upward by causing the engaged indentations44and protrusions49to move out from engagement with each other, while turning the head or body relative to the outer shell12athereby effecting a rotational movement between the wearer's body and the outer shell12a. The number, shape and placement of the meshing protrusions49and indentations44can be varied to change the amount of effort required to implement rotation and effect the speed and distance of the rotation. A coupling pin45holds the plates42and47together while being sized to permit the two plates to rotate relative to each other when the protrusion and indentation are disengaged by the wearer.

FIG. 10illustrates a basic and simplified application of this invention. A cone-shaped support57of suitable material such as plastic is attached to the cap or head strap30, and a cone-shaped spring52is attached to the outer shell12. A small end of the cone-shaped spring52fits into the cone-shaped support cup57attached to the wearer's cap or adjustable straps30. The interface of the spring52and the cup57may contain teeth28as described earlier to facilitate the rotational motion of the outer shell. The cone-shaped cup57is larger than the cone-shaped spring or support52thus facilitating wobbling of the outer shell. The use of a cone-shaped spring will facilitate the bobbing action. One, two or all three of the desired motions may be obtained by including or excluding the design features described above.

While this invention has been described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings with reference to preferred embodiments, the structures of which have been disclosed herein, it will be understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements of the invention without departing from the scope of the claims. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed in the specification and shown in the drawings as the best modes presently known by the inventor for carrying out this invention, nor confined to the details set forth, but that the invention will include all embodiments, modifications and changes as may come within the scope of the following claims.

This application was prepared without reference to any particular dictionary. Accordingly, the definition of the terms used herein conforms to the meaning intended by the inventor acting as his own lexicographer, in accordance with the teaching of the application, rather that any dictionary meaning which is contrary to or different from the inventor's meaning regardless of the authoritativeness of such dictionary.