Abstract:
A storage device for insertion within a cavity in a mannequin component, the storage device including a body having a receptacle for receiving items associated with said mannequin component, and a lid for closing the receptacle to enclose the items within the storage device.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/417,482, filed Jan. 26, 2015, which application in turn is a 371 of PCT/AU2013/000816, filed Jul. 24, 2013, claiming priority from AU 2012903221, filed Jul. 26, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to mannequins. The term mannequin covers the terms dummy, lay figure, and dress form, and is particularly relevant to mannequins for use in retail or dressmaking environments for displaying or fitting clothing. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Mannequins are typically made from fibreglass or may be moulded from plastic, and the components are generally hollow. To assist in the transport and dressing of mannequins, the mannequins typically comprise a number of components, with parting lines being provided at the waist, at least one leg, arms and neck. This creates a torso, hip section (either alone or with one leg), one or two legs, two arms and a head. At each of these parting points, fixing mechanisms are provided to join the components together, typically by press fit or rotation of the components, with a spigot and socket arrangement. 
         [0004]    Damage can occur to mannequins during transportation or use, either whilst dressing or once positioned on the floor. Such damage may be fixing mechanism breakage, nicks and scratches, and dents. Many mannequin manufactures provide a service or repair kit with each mannequin, and may include such items as touch up paint, repair putty, tools and additional fixing mechanisms. These are typically provided in a small cardboard box to the buyer. Inevitably, such repair kits or their components become lost or misplaced, and are not available when required. This results in the mannequin purchaser having to purchase additional repair kits when needed. It is therefore an advantageous object of the present invention to provide a solution to such situations. 
         [0005]    Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention has come about from the inventor&#39;s realisation that a repair or service kit could be housed within a cavity in the mannequin itself to be readily available when needed. 
         [0007]    According to a first aspect, there is provided a storage device for insertion within a cavity in a mannequin component, the storage device including a body having a receptacle for receiving items associated with said mannequin component, and a lid for closing the receptacle to enclose said items within the storage device. 
         [0008]    Said items associated with said mannequin component are typically repair items, such as touch up paint, repair putty, associated fixings and tools. 
         [0009]    Preferably, the storage device further includes fixture means for securing the main body to the mannequin component. Such fixture means may be at least one screw to be received in an aperture in the mannequin component. 
         [0010]    The receptacle may take a variety of shapes; however in a preferred embodiment the body and therefore receptacle have a cross-sectional shape resembling a symmetrical kidney. The receptacle is preferably of greater length than cross-sectional width or depth, the length extending into the mannequin component cavity. 
         [0011]    The storage device is preferably injection moulded, advantageously out of polypropylene. The lid may be integrally moulded with the body to form a live hinge, preferably with a closing mechanism to secure closure. The lid may include a finger hole to enable opening by pulling away from the closing mechanism. 
         [0012]    According to a second aspect, there is provided a mannequin component having at least one parting surface for joining to at least one other mannequin component, the parting surface having an opening into a void in said mannequin component, said opening being sized and shaped to receive a storage device according to the first aspect. 
         [0013]    Advantageously, said component is a leg, arm, hip section or torso. 
         [0014]    The parting surface of the mannequin component preferably includes a fixture plate that is secured onto or, more preferably, into the parting surface. The fixture plate advantageously includes means to fix two mannequin components together. The fixture plate preferably also includes said opening into the void of the mannequin component. The opening is preferably sized and shaped to receive the storage device, such that the storage device is substantially flush with the parting surface to allow for connection of components. The fixture plate is typically circular in shape and fits within a corresponding aperture in the mannequin component surface, and may be fixed in place by screws. The fixture plate is preferably injection moulded from a thermoplastic, such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), or may be formed from metal. 
         [0015]    According to a third aspect, there is provided a mannequin having at least one removable mannequin component according to the second aspect. 
         [0016]    According to a fourth aspect, there is provided a mannequin component having at least one parting surface for joining to at least one other mannequin component, the parting surface having an opening into a void in said mannequin component, wherein a storage device is located in said void opening, said storage device including a body having a receptacle for receiving items associated with said mannequin component, and a lid for closing the receptacle to enclose said items within the storage device. 
         [0017]    According to a fifth aspect, there is provided a mannequin having at least one removable mannequin component according to the fourth aspect. 
         [0018]    According to a sixth aspect, there is provided a storage device assembly, including a storage device including a body having a receptacle for receiving items associated with said mannequin component, and a lid for closing the receptacle to enclose said items within the storage device, and a fixture plate for insertion within a cavity in a mannequin component, the storage device being receivable within the fixture plate. 
         [0019]    According to a seventh aspect, there is provided a mannequin repair kit, including a storage device for insertion within a cavity in a mannequin component, the storage device including a body having a receptacle containing repair items associated with said mannequin component, and a lid for closing the receptacle to enclose said repair items within the storage device. 
         [0020]    Further aspects of the present invention and further embodiments of the aspects described in the preceding paragraphs will become apparent from the following description, given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is perspective view of a mannequin according to an embodiment of the third and fifth aspects of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIGS. 2 and 3  are perspective views of a mannequin component according to an embodiment of the second and fourth aspects of the present invention in the form of a leg section, with the storage device in the open and closed positions, respectively; 
           [0024]      FIGS. 4 and 5  are perspective views of a mannequin component according to another embodiment of the second and fourth aspects of the present invention in the form of a hip section, with the storage device in the open and closed positions, respectively; 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a storage device according to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is an exploded upper perspective view of a storage device assembly according to an embodiment of the sixth aspect of the present invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is an exploded lower perspective view of the storage device assembly of  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 9  is a lower perspective view of the storage device assembly of  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       [0029]    A mannequin  10  is shown in  FIG. 1  having a torso and section  12 , two arms  14 , a hip and leg section  16  and a second leg  18 . Parting lines  20  define the location where the mannequin components can be separated for transport or for dressing. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 2 and 3  show the second leg  18  having been separated from the hip section  16  with bayonet style fixing spigot  22 . The mannequin leg component  18  has an upper parting surface  24  that mates with a corresponding lower parting surface on the hip section  16 . The parting surface  24  has inserted within in it a fixture plate  26 , which is secured to the parting surface  24  to create a single flush surface. The fixture plate  26  is attached as standard fixture plates are, by screws  28 . As seen in  FIGS. 7 through 9 , the fixture plate  26  is a flat circular plate, with a plurality of screw holes and a centrally positioned aperture  30  which is threaded. As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , a circularly projecting flange  32  extends from the underside  34  to strengthen the connection of the inserted fixing spigot  22  by creating a greater length of thread to counter lateral forces applied to the spigot  22 . 
         [0031]    Within the fixture plate  26  is an opening  36  that opens into the mannequin components internal void (not illustrated). The opening  36  is sized and shaped to receive a storage device. As best seen in  FIG. 7 , the opening  36  is a symmetrical kidney-shape, with its inner curve extending around the threaded aperture  30 . The opening  36  includes a stepped edge  38  creating a ledge  40  extending around the perimeter of the opening  36 . The perimeter of the opening  36  also includes two recessed sections  42   a,    42   b  on opposing sides of the opening. 
         [0032]    The storage device  44  is best shown in  FIG. 6  and includes a body  46  having a receptacle  48  and a lid  50  connected to the body  46  with a live hinge  52 . The body  46  is a symmetrical kidney-shape is cross-section that extends uniformly through its length. The length of the body  46  projects into the mannequin component that it is housed. An alternative mannequin component of a hip section  17  is shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , with the fixture plate  26  being centrally located in the upper parting surface  24 , with spigot  22  projecting centrally. The body  46  storage device  44  therefore projects downwardly into the cavity or void within the hip section  17  moulding. The length of the body can be altered dependent on the mannequin component that it is being inserted within, or to appropriately house the items required. 
         [0033]    Typically, the items to be housed within the storage device  44  would be items such as repair putty, touch-up paints, additional fixtures and appropriate tools. The storage device  44  could be provided as a repair kit having such items contained within them and sold as a unit. 
         [0034]    The body  46  of the storage device  44  has an upper edge  53 . The lid  50  has an outer perimeter or edge  54  that is wider than the upper edge  52  such that when closed, the edge  54  of the lid  50  extends outwardly of the upper edge  52  of the body. On the inside of the lid  50  is a downwardly extending ridge  56  matching the inside of the receptacle  48 , such that when the lid  50  is closed, the ridge  56  projects into the receptacle  48  inside upper edge  52 , sealing the receptacle  48 . The lid  50  is secured shut by latch  58  that sides at the top of the body on the upper edge  52 . The latch  58  locks over the top of the edge  54 . A finger hole  60  is provided in the lid  50 , which can be used to pivot the lid, pulling against and overcoming the closed bias of the latch  58 . 
         [0035]      FIGS. 8 and 9  show how the storage device  44  is inserted in the fixture plate  26  and connected. First the lid  50  is inserted through the opening  36  from the underside  34  of the fixture plate  26 . The body  46  includes two outwardly projecting tabs  62  that are spaced from the top surface of the upper edge  52 , such that they sit flat against the underside of the fixture plate  26 , as shown in  FIG. 9 . Screws  64  are then inserted through screw holes  66  in the tabs  62 , securing the storage device  44  to the fixture plate  26 , with the lid  50  projecting out of the upper side  68 . The body  46  sits within the opening  36 , against the stepped edge  38 , with its upper edge  53  aligning with the ledge  40 . This results in the lid  50  being able to close onto the ledge  40  so that the lid  50  sits flush with the upper parting surface  24 . 
         [0036]    Typically, the fixture plate would be injection moulded from ABS and the storage device would be injection moulded from polypropylene, however it will be appreciated that any suitable materials may be used. 
         [0037]    The advantage of the present invention is that a storage device  44  can be fully housed with a mannequin component, such that the repair items are always located with the correct mannequin and are readily at hand when needed. 
         [0038]    It will be understood that the invention disclosed and defined in this specification extends to all alternative combinations of two or more of the individual features mentioned or evident from the text or drawings. All of these different combinations constitute various alternative aspects of the invention.