Abstract:
This invention is directed to model human figures. More particularly, this invention is directed to a model human figure comprising a frame with joints. This invention is also directed to a model human figure comprising a frame and a wire body with joints.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention is directed to model human figures. More particularly, the invention is directed to a model human figure comprising a frame and joints. The invention is also directed to a model human figure comprising a frame and a wire body with joints. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Models are widely available in an assortment of shapes, styles, and colors to represent full scale objects and/or living creatures. Human models are often used by artists and art students to draw the human form in a variety of poses. Models may also be used as toys, decorations, desk accessories, and other purposes. Many of the models available today, however, have limitations. For example, many of the available models are not capable of being posed in a standing position without the aid of a pedestal or a support rod. Many models have only limited or unidirectional movement of limbs, limiting the variety of poses they can achieve and reducing the life-likeness of those poses. 
         [0003]    Art students often use human models to practice drawing the basic human shape. A commonly used artist model is made of wooden pieces representing human body segments and is held together by an internal wire. Such a model, however, is often unable to stand on its own and therefore must be supported by a rod or the feet must be affixed to a base in order to achieve a standing position. This may prevent the model from achieving a variety of positions, such as a sitting position, and may require the inclusion of a foreign element in the model. The wooden segments are solid and opaque, preventing the artist from seeing the opposite side and from viewing the three-dimensional shape of the model. The wooden models also have simple wooden hands that are incapable of holding items. The wooden models have joints that contain springs, making it difficult for the model to remain in a given pose without springing back to a neutral position. 
         [0004]    Thus, there is a need in the art for a model with movable segments, that can stand or be arranged in a variety of positions, including a standing and sitting position, that enables the viewer to see through the model to the opposite side, and that has joints allowing for a four way range of motion and enabling the model to stay in a posed position. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    The invention relates to human models with an internal frame and joints to enable movement. The invention also relates to human models with an internal frame, a wire external frame, and joints to enable movement. The model may also include hands capable of holding objects. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    In the accompanying drawings that form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, the present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limitation, with like reference numerals referring to like elements, wherein: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  illustrates a first example of a model of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate second examples of a model of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example of the external frame of the model of  FIG. 2A . 
           [0010]      FIG. 4A  illustrates an example of a joint of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4B  illustrates an exploded view of the joint of  FIG. 4A . 
           [0012]      FIGS. 5A-5D  illustrate the movement of the joint of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0013]      FIGS. 6A-6G  illustrates the model of  FIGS. 1 and 2A  in a variety of poses. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The invention relates to a human model with an internal frame and joints that allow the model to be posed in a variety of life-like positions including an unaided standing position. The model may also contain a wire external frame. The model may also contain hands capable of holding objects. 
         [0015]    As used herein, the terms below are given the definitions that follow. The definitions are supplied to provide clarity and consistency and are not intended in any way to limit the scope of the invention. 
         [0016]    Model or Human Model: an inanimate object used to represent the human form. 
         [0017]    Internal Frame: a structural portion of a model that provides support for the model. 
         [0018]    External Frame, External Wire Frame, or Wire Frame: a portion of a model made of wire that represents the outside of a body and is supported by the internal frame. 
         [0019]    Joint: a mechanism which joins together two body segments. 
         [0020]    Square Bracket: a material formed in a generally square shape serving as the support for the hinges in a joint. 
         [0021]    The model of the present invention includes an internal frame and several joints that mimic human joints. A wire external frame may be disposed around internal frame. Model is capable of standing on its own as well as being posed in a variety of other configurations such as sitting, kneeling, lying down, etc. Model may also contain hands capable of holding objects. 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example of a first model  100  of the present invention.  FIG. 1  illustrates a front view of model  100 . First model  100  can be any size provided the proportions are recognizable as human. 
         [0023]    First model  100  generally comprises several body segments  105  representing human body segments. For example, first model  100  includes one head segment  105   a , one chest segment  105   b , one pelvis segment  105   c , two upper arm segments  105   d , two forearm segments  105   e , two hand segments  105   f,  two upper leg segments  105   g,  two lower leg segments  105   h,  and two foot segments  105   i.    
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , first model  100  includes an internal frame  115 . Internal frame  115  provides structure to first model  100 . Internal frame  115  is divided into several internal frame body segments  115   a - 115   i  that correspond to each of the body segments  105   a - 105 i. For example, head segment  105   a  contains an internal frame head segment  115   a ; chest segment  105   b  contains an internal frame chest segment  115   b ; pelvis segment  105   c  contains an internal frame pelvis segment  115   c ; each upper arm segment  105   d  contains an internal frame upper arm segment  115   d ; each forearm segment  105   e  contains an internal frame forearm segment  115   e ; each hand segment  105   f  contains an internal frame hand segment  115   f;  each upper leg segment  105   g  contains an internal frame upper leg segment  115   g;  each lower leg segment  105   h  contains an internal frame lower leg segment  115   f;  and each foot segment  105   i  contains an internal frame foot segment  115   i.    
         [0025]    Each internal frame body segment  115  is a support structure that acts as a “skeleton” and provides first model  100  with its basic shape. Unlike an actual human skeleton, however, internal frame  115  is not made of single bones in the center of the body part it is supporting. Instead, each internal frame segment  115  is molded in the general shape of the body part is it representing. For example, as can be seen in  FIG. 1 , internal frame foot segment  115   i  is molded in the general shape of a foot. Likewise, internal frame forearm segments  115   e  are molded in the general shape of forearms and internal frame head segment  115   a  is molded in the general shape of a head. 
         [0026]    Internal frame foot segment  115   i  is configured so that the bottom of foot segment  105   i  is flat, enabling model  100  to stand on a flat surface with no additional support. Internal frame hand segment  115   f  may be molded to include the shape of fingers to enable hand segment  115   f  to hold small objects, such as paper, stamps, business cards, greeting cards, brochures, or any other suitable object. 
         [0027]    Internal frame  115  can be made of any material capable of supporting model  100 . By way of example, internal frame  115  can be made of metal (such as, for example, stainless steel, iron, copper, aluminum, epoxy coated steel, vinyl coated steel, steel with an anodized finish), plastic, or any other suitable material. Internal frame  115  can retain the color of the underlying material or it can be changed to another color by painting, dying, coating, or any other means capable of changing the color. 
         [0028]    Body segments  105  are connected by joints  400  (which are shown in more detail in  FIG. 4 ), including one neck joint  400   a , one waist joint  400   b , two hip joints  400   c , two knee joints  400   d , two ankle joints  400   e , two shoulder joints  400   f,  two elbow joints  400   g  and two wrist joints  400   h.    
         [0029]    Specifically, neck joint  400   a  connects internal frame head segment  115   a  with internal frame chest segment  115   b ; waist joint  400   b  connects internal frame chest segment  115   b  with internal frame pelvis segment  115   c ; each hip joint  400   c  connects internal frame pelvis segment  115   c  with an internal frame upper leg segment  115   d ; each knee joint  400   d  connects an internal frame upper leg segment  115   d  with the corresponding internal frame lower leg segment  105   e ; each ankle joint  400   e  connects an internal frame lower leg segment  115   e  with a corresponding internal frame foot segment  115   f;  each shoulder joint  400   f  connects internal frame chest segment  115   b  with an internal frame upper arm segment  115   g;  each elbow joint  400   g  connects an internal frame upper arm segment  115   g  with a corresponding internal frame forearm segment  115   h;  and each wrist joint  400   h  connects an internal frame forearm segment  115   h  with the corresponding internal frame hand segment  115   i.  Joints  400  correspond to analogous human joints except that the “waist joint”  400   b  is a single joint that replaces the movement allowed by the vertebra in a living human. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 2A and 2B  illustrate examples of a second model  200  of the present invention. Second model  200  can be any size provided the proportions are recognizable as human. 
         [0031]    Second model  200  includes all of the elements of first model  100  and an external wire frame  300  (shown in more detail in  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0032]    In second model  200 , each body segment  105  is made from a corresponding internal frame body segment  115  and may be surrounded by wire of the external frame  300 . For example, head segment  105   a  contains an internal frame head segment  115   a  surrounded by wire  300 ; chest segment  105   b  contains an internal frame chest segment  115   b  surrounded by wire  300 , pelvis segment  105   c  contains an internal frame pelvis segment  115   c  surrounded by wire  300 , each upper arm segment  105   d  contains an internal frame upper arm segment  115   d  surrounded by wire  300 , each forearm segment  105   e  contains an internal frame forearm segment  115   e  surrounded by wire  300 , each hand segment  105   f  contains an internal frame hand segment  115   f,  each upper leg segment  105   g  contains an internal frame upper leg segment  115   g  surrounded by wire  300 ; each lower leg segment  105   h  contains an internal frame lower leg segment  115   f  surrounded by wire  300 ; and each foot segment  105   i  contains an internal frame foot segment  115   i  surrounded by wire  300 . 
         [0033]    External wire  300  is wrapped around internal frame foot segments  115   i  in such a manner that the bottom of the foot segments  105   i  remain flat, enabling model  200  to stand on a flat surface with no additional support. As shown in  FIG. 2A and 2B , Internal frame hand segments  115   f  may remain free of external wire  300  to allow the “fingers” to hold small objects (see  FIG. 6G ). In other embodiments (not shown) internal frame hand segments  115   f  may also be wrapped in wire  300 . 
         [0034]    As shown in  FIG. 2A , external wire  300  may be wrapped around internal body segments  115  but not wrapped around joints  400 . As shown in  FIG. 2B , external wire  300  may be wrapped around both internal body segments  115  and joints  400 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 3  illustrates a portion of second model  200  from  FIG. 2A  showing external frame  300 . External frame  300  is comprised of wire wrapped around internal frame  115 . The wire of external frame  300  can be made of any material capable of wrapping around internal frame  200 . By way of example, the wire can be made of metal (such as, for example, stainless steel, iron, copper, aluminum, epoxy coated steel, vinyl coated wire), plastic, or any other suitable material. The wire can retain the color of the underlying material or it can be changed to another color by painting, dying, coating, or any other means capable of changing the color. 
         [0036]    External frame  300  is wrapped around each internal frame body segment  115  in such a way that it provides a general appearance of the corresponding body part of a human being. For example, as shown in  FIG. 3 , external frame  300  is wrapped around internal frame lower leg segment  115   h  in such a way that the resulting lower leg segment  105   h  generally resembles the lower leg shape of a human being. Similarly, external frame  300  is wrapped around internal frame foot segment  115   i  in such a way that the resulting foot segment  105   i  generally resembles the foot shape of a human being. 
         [0037]    External frame  300  can be wrapped around internal frame  115  by any means capable of disposing external frame  300  around internal frame  115 . By way of example, external frame  300  can be wrapped around internal frame  115  by hand or by machine or by a combination of the two. 
         [0038]    External frame  300  may be comprised of any number of wires. For example, external frame  300  may be one continuous wire that is wrapped around all of internal frame body segments  115 . External frame  300  may include several wires, each of which is wrapped around a separate internal frame body segment  115 . External frame  300  may also be several wires and more than one wire may be wrapped around each internal frame body segment  115 . Any number of wires can be wrapped around any number of internal frame body segments  115 . 
         [0039]      FIG. 4A  illustrates one example of a joint  400  of the present invention.  FIG. 4B  illustrates an exploded view of joint  400  of  FIG. 4A . Joint  400  is comprised of four hinges  410 , namely a first hinge  410   a , a second hinge  410   b , a third hinge  410   c , and a fourth hinge  410   d . First hinge  410   a  and second hinge  410   b  together make up the first hinge pair. Third hinge  410   c  and fourth hinge  410   d  together make up the second hinge pair. Hinges  410  are arranged around a square bracket  440 . First hinge  410   a  is located across from second hinge  410   b  on square bracket  440 . Third hinge  410   c  is located at a 90 degree angle from first hinge  410   a  and second hinge  410   b  and across from fourth hinge  410   d  on square bracket  440 . Fourth hinge  410   d  is located at a 90 degree angle from first hinge  410   a  and second hinge  410   b  and across from third hinge  410   c  on square bracket  440 . 
         [0040]    In the example shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , each hinge  410  is made from a rivet  450  installed on square bracket  440  over a portion of internal frame  115 . This configuration allows movement of internal frame  115  around rivet  450  and secures internal frame  115  to rivet  450 , thereby attaching joints  400  to model  100  and  200  (see  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  2 B). Square bracket  440  may be made of any material suitable for holding rivets  450 . By way of example, square bracket  440  may be made of metal (such as, for example, stainless steel, iron, copper, aluminum, epoxy coated steel, vinyl coated steel, steel with an anodized finish), plastic or any other material capable of holding rivets  450 . Rivet  450  may be made of any material suitable for installation on square bracket  440 . By way of example, rivet  450  may be metal (such as, for example, aluminum, stainless steel, iron, copper, aluminum, epoxy coated steel, vinyl coated steel, steel with an anodized finish), plastic (such as, for example, polyprolylene and ABS), or any other suitable material. The factory head  450   a  of rivet  450  is positioned on the outside of internal frame  200  and the shop head  450   b  of rivet  450  is positioned on the inside of square bracket  440 . In one example, a spacer  460  is located between factory head  450   a  of rivet and internal frame  115 . Spacer  460  provides a cushion between factory head  450   a  of rivet and internal frame  115  and assists in maintaining resistance between internal frame  115  and joint  400 , enhancing the ability of body segments  105  to maintain poses. Spacer  460  can be made of any material capable of cushioning joint  400 . By way of example, spacer  460  may be made of metal (such as, for example, stainless steel, iron, copper, aluminum, epoxy coated steel, vinyl coated steel, steel with an anodized finish), plastic (such as, for example, acetate or polyvinyl chloride) or any other suitable material. This particular assembly is for illustration purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
         [0041]      FIGS. 5A-5D  illustrate the movement  500  of joint  400  in four directions along two axes. Specifically,  FIGS. 5A-5D  illustrate the movement of internal frame head segment  115   a  relative to internal frame chest segment  115   b  via the movement of neck joint  400   a . Neck joint  400   a  is representative of all of the joints  400  in the models  100  and  200  (see  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  2 B) and is shown to illustrate how each of the joints  400  function. 
         [0042]      FIG. 5A  illustrates the movement of internal frame head segment  115   a  in a forward direction  500   a  along a first axis. To move in forward direction  500   a , first hinge pair (comprising first hinge  410   a  and second hinge  410   b ) rotate forward while square bracket  440  and second hinge pair (comprising third hinge  410   c  and fourth hinge  410   d ) remain stationary. 
         [0043]      FIG. 5B  illustrates the movement of internal frame head segment  115   a  in a backward direction  500   b  along first axis. To move in backward direction  500   b , first hinge pair (comprising first hinge  410   a  and second hinge  410   b ) rotate backward while square bracket  440  and second hinge pair (comprising third hinge  410   c  and fourth hinge  410   d ) remain stationary. 
         [0044]      FIG. 5C  illustrates the movement of internal frame head segment  115   a  in a right side direction  500   c  along second axis. To move in right side direction  500   c , second hinge pair (comprising third hinge  410   c  and fourth hinge  410   d ) rotate to the right while square bracket  440  and first hinge pair (comprising first hinge  410   a  and second hinge  410   b ) remain stationary. 
         [0045]      FIG. 5D  illustrates the movement of internal frame head segment  115   a  in a left side direction  500   d  along second axis. To move in left side direction  500   d , second hinge pair (comprising third hinge  410   c  and fourth hinge  410   d ) rotate to the left while square bracket  440  and first hinge pair (comprising first hinge  410   a  and second hinge  410   b ) remain stationary. 
         [0046]    Thus, neck joint  410   a  (and the other joints  400 , not shown) are each capable of moving in four directions—front  500   a , back  400   b , right side  400   c , and left side  400   d —along two axes (a front-back axis and a right-left axis). Each hinge pair is capable of moving along one axis—the first hinge pair (comprising first hinge  410   a  and second hinge  410   b ) is capable of moving along the first axis (the front-back axis) and the second hinge pair (comprising third hinge  410   c  and fourth hinge  410   d ) is capable of moving along the second axis (the right-left axis). The front-back direction of the first axis is 90 degrees from the right-left direction of the second axis. 
         [0047]    Such range of movement allows each body segment  105  to be positioned in numerous positions, enabling the models  100  and  200  (see  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A and  2 B) to be configured in a variety of human like poses (see  FIGS. 6A-6G ). 
         [0048]      FIGS. 6A-6G  illustrate models  100  and  200  in a variety of poses.  FIG. 6A  illustrates model  100  in an unaided standing position.  FIG. 6B  illustrates model  200  in unaided standing position.  FIG. 6C  illustrates model  200  in a leaning position. In  FIG. 6C , model  200  is leaning against a computer monitor.  FIG. 6D  illustrates model  100  in a sitting position with crossed legs. In this illustration, the internal frame hand segments  115   f  of hand segments  105   f  are not formed into fingers, and are instead formed into a more general mitten shape.  FIG. 6E  illustrates model  100  in a sitting position with legs uncrossed.  FIG. 6F  illustrates model  200  in a sitting position with legs uncrossed. In this illustration, internal frame hand segments  115   f  of hand segments  105   f  are not formed into fingers, and are instead formed into a more general mitten shape.  FIG. 6G  illustrates model  200  in a reclined sitting position holding a paper object.