Patent Abstract:
Joints for joining together limb members of mannequins and forms, and methods of assembly of joints and mannequins are provided. The joints and mannequins of this invention provide natural anatomical shape and ease of assembly. This is accomplished using one or more assembly fixtures, located within or on a limb member to be joined, that contain elements of a joining or locking mechanism to hold the limbs together and other elements for creating tension or friction between joined limb members. The assembly fixtures also comprise a tab or disk that provides a natural appearance to the joint and allows for ease of assembly. The invention provides a friction assembly fixture recessed in the end of a first limb member to be joined. A tab formed as part of, or attached to, a second limb member is inserted into the first limb member to contact the friction assembly fixture. The first and second limb members are held in pivotal contact.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/961,792, filed Sep. 24, 2001, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety to the extent not inconsistent with the disclosure herein. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND  
         [0002]    Forms or mannequins that are models of the human body are well known in the art and are used to display clothing and other merchandise. Such forms and mannequins are often complete or partial human bodies and often are of life-sized proportions. “Forms” typically refers to human shapes with or without heads, and without appendages or limbs. “Mannequins” typically refers to human shapes with or without heads, and with some or all appendages. The terms “form” and “mannequin” are used interchangeably herein, and each term incorporates the other. It is desirable that limbs can be placed in natural poses.  
           [0003]    Examples of mannequin joint structures in the prior art include those described in Ikeda (U.S. Pat. No. 5,180,086); Day (U.S. Pat. No. 5,098,213); Schoenhut (U.S. Pat. No. 982,096); Abbat (U.S. Pat. No. 5,257,873); Stringer (U.S. Pat. No. 4,630,762); Pansiera (U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,643); Kotlarsky and Gelman (U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,188); Bruce (U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,804); Strover and Strover (U.S. Pat. No. 5,967,790); Luke (U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,518); Miller (U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,844); Fogarty et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,308,276); Unalp and Kelley (U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,469); Glovier (U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,471); Toy (U.S. Pat. No. 4,545,514); Wiley et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,018,977); Jiang (U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,779); Neuschatz (U.S. Pat. No. 4,075,782); Breiden (U.S. Pat. No. 4,466,800); De Porteous (U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,960); Richards (U.S. Pat. No. 5,152,692); and Richards (U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,765).  
           [0004]    A typical joint structure for mannequins uses a ball and socket connection means wherein a ball portion formed on a first limb member fits in and moves against the interior surface of a socket portion formed on a second limb member. The ball and socket are held in contact with each other by a locking mechanism, or fastener. Fastening the ball and socket together results in friction between the exterior ball surface and the interior socket surface. This friction allows the limbs to be placed and held in multiple positions.  
           [0005]    One common type of fastener for a ball and socket joint is an eyehook-spring fixture where the spring and the eyehook are located on opposite sides of a bolt. The eyehook passes through a slot on the ball and is looped around a pivot-pin that is screwed into the center portion of the ball perpendicular to the long axis of the limb. The spring is threaded onto a rod that is located in the limb above the socket. Threading the spring onto the rod forces the ball and socket together, creating the friction used to position the limbs. The use of this type of fastener also results in the appearance of a gap on the ball portion of the joint at the slot and also permits movement of the limb having the ball portion to pivot, relative to the limb with the socket, by allowing the bolt to move through the slot.  
           [0006]    Drawbacks of these types of prior art joints include:  
           [0007]    1. The entire limb is assembled in one step, which can be awkward.  
           [0008]    2. An unnatural looking slot, or gap, on the ball section of these joints.  
           [0009]    3. Poor anatomical shape of the limb.  
           [0010]    The joint of this invention defines an improvement over the prior art in that the disclosed joint eliminates the unnatural gap on the ball section of the limb. Further, novel fastening means simplifies production and assembly of joint structures and the assembly of mannequins and forms.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0011]    In its most general form, this invention provides a mannequin having removable, positionable limb members attached thereto comprising a joint to join two of the limb members together. The joints of this invention comprise one or more assembly fixtures, located within or on a limb member to be joined, that contain elements for joining limb members. The assembly fixtures may contain elements of a locking mechanism, or fastener, and may contain other elements for joining members or creating friction or tension between limb members to bejoined. For example, a socket assembly fixture is positioned fixedly in the socket portion of a first member to be joined and comprises a chamber containing a tension-producing member and one half of a locking mechanism. A ball assembly fixture is positioned in the ball portion of a second member to be joined to said first member and comprises a second half of a locking mechanism, and means for attaching the second half of the locking mechanism to the ball portion of the second member to be joined. A joint structure is formed when two attachable limb members are joined together using one or more assembly fixtures.  
           [0012]    This invention also provides methods for assembling the different embodiments of the joints and mannequins of this invention. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    FIGS.  1 A-B show a mannequin of the invention with movable, detachable limbs. FIG. 1A shows a front view. FIG. 1B shows a side view.  
         [0014]    FIGS.  2 A-C show a socket assembly fixture of this invention. FIG. 2A is an exploded view. FIG. 2B shows a cross-sectional view of the fixture in FIG. 2A through b-b. FIG. 2C shows a top view of a portion of the socket assembly fixture of FIG. 2A.  
         [0015]    FIGS.  3 A-C show a ball assembly fixture of this invention. FIG. 3A is a side view of the ball assembly fixture. FIG. 3B shows a pivot pin. FIG. 3C shows a side view of the ball assembly fixture of FIG. 3A together with a pivot pin.  
         [0016]    FIGS.  4 A-B show an exploded view of the joint structure of this invention, used to join an upper leg with a lower leg. FIG. 4A is a front view. FIG. 4B is a side view.  
         [0017]    FIGS.  5 A-B show another embodiment of the joint structure of this invention at the wrist joint. FIG. 5A is a top view cross-section. FIG. 5B is an exploded side view.  
         [0018]    FIGS.  6 A-B show another embodiment of the joint structure of this invention at the wrist joint. FIG. 6A is a top view cross-section. FIG. 6B is an exploded side view.  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the joint structure of this invention at the wrist joint. FIG. 7 is a top view cross-section.  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of the joint structure of FIG. 7. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0021]    This invention describes novel joint structures for mannequins. In one embodiment of this invention, a joint structure is formed when a socket assembly fixture and ball assembly fixture are joined together.  
         [0022]    For example, a socket assembly fixture is positioned fixedly in the socket portion of a first member to be joined and is comprised of a chamber containing a tension-producing member and one half of a locking mechanism. The tension-producing member may be made of any reversibly compressible material such as a spring, an elastomer, rubber, foam, or any other reversibly compressible material known in the art. Preferably, the tension-producing member is a spring. The locking mechanism can be a nut and bolt, a snap, a latch, dimples, a locking collar, or any other fastener or fastening means known in the art. Preferably, the locking mechanism is a threaded nut.  
         [0023]    A ball assembly fixture is positioned in the ball portion of a second member to be joined to the first member and comprises a second half of a locking mechanism, and means for attaching the second half of the locking mechanism to the ball portion of the second member to be joined. Preferably, the second half of the locking mechanism is an eyebolt and the preferred means for attaching the eyebolt to the second member to be joined is via attachment to a disc. The disc may be molded with a groove on one of its flat surfaces to fixedly accept the eye portion of said eyebolt such that the eyebolt is held substantially in place relative to the disc surface. Alternatively, the eyebolt may be fixed to the disc using any means known in the art, including mechanical means and the use of adhesives.  
         [0024]    The round disc is pivotally attached to the second member by any attachment means that allow the ball portion of the limb to pivot around the disc. Such attachment means are known in the art and include the use of a pivot pin and dimples. In a preferred embodiment, the attachment means is a pivot pin.  
         [0025]    In another embodiment of this invention, a friction assembly fixture is recessed in the end of a first limb member to be joined, below the ball portion of the first limb member. A tab formed as part of, or attached to the socket surface of a second limb member, is inserted into the first limb member to contact the friction assembly fixture. Preferably, the tab is inserted into a slit formed in the first limb member. The first and second members may be held in pivotal contact using any attachment means known in the art, including a pivot pin passing through both members and dimples. Preferably, a pivot pin is inserted through both fixtures, perpendicular to the limb axis, to hold the first and second limb members in contact.  
         [0026]    The friction assembly fixture comprises a chamber with one end open to the attaching end of the first member. This chamber contains a reversibly compressible material in its bottom and a bearing on top of the reversibly-compressible material. This reversibly-compressible material can include elastic materials such as rubber, elastomers, foam or other polymers, or may be a spring. Preferably the reversibly-compressible material is a spring. Also preferably, the spring is made of spring wire, also known as music wire or piano wire. The bearing may be made of any suitably rigid material, including plastics, metals, alloys, polymers, and the like. Preferably the bearing is made of plastic. More preferably the bearing is made of nylon.  
         [0027]    The tab may be fixedly attached to the second limb member. The tab to be received by the friction assembly fixture may be molded as an integral part of the second limb member to be joined or it may be attached to the limb member using any attachment means known in the art, including adhesives, latches, clamps, pegs, or screws. Preferably, the tab is molded together with the second limb member to be joined.  
         [0028]    Alternatively, the tab may be pivotally attached to the second limb member to allow rotation of the second limb member with respect to the tab. The rotation axis of the second limb member is parallel to the long axis of the second limb member. The tab may be pivotally attached by any means known to the art, including a rod fitting into a socket. The rod can be attached to the second limb member and the socket formed in the tab.  
         [0029]    In a preferred embodiment the first and second limb members are held together with a pivot pin passing through the end of the first member and the tab of the second member to be joined such that the tab contacts the bearing in the socket assembly fixture enough to compress the reversibly compressible material. The resulting friction between the two limb members allows them to bend or to be moved relative to each other.  
         [0030]    Optionally, one or more depressions, such as recessed dimples, grooves, or pits, are present on the surface of the tab. As the tab contacts the bearing in the socket, the bearing engages in a recessed dimple or groove on the surface of the tab. By slidably positioning the tab relative to the bearing to engage different recessed dimples or grooves, the limbs are held in one or more positions.  
         [0031]    This invention also provides for a mannequin having the joints of this invention. “Mannequin” refers to human shapes with or without heads, and with some or all appendages. The mannequins of this invention may have one or all of the joint structures described herein. FIG. 1A shows a front view of a mannequin or form of this invention with removable, freely movable, positionable, and adjustable limbs. Joint structures are present between the torso  10  and the upper arms  15  at the shoulder joint  12 , between the upper arms  15  and the lower arms  20  at the elbow joint  18 , between the lower arms  20  and the hands  25  at the wrist joint  23 , between the torso  10  and the upper legs  30  at the hip joint  22 , between the upper legs  30  and the lower legs  35  at the knee joint  32 , and between the lower leg  35  and the feet  40  at the ankle joint  38 . FIG. 1B is a side view of FIG. 1A.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 2A shows an exploded view of a preferred embodiment of socket assembly fixture  50 . Socket assembly fixture  50  is located within a first limb member to be joined and adjacent to the molded socket surface of the first limb member (see FIG. 4B). Socket assembly fixture  50  consists of chamber  60  defining cavity  63 . Cavity  63  may be any shape such as square, round, oval, triangular, and the like. Preferably chamber  60  is defined by four walls  68  and is square. Chamber  60  is attached by tack welding at the corners of chamber  60 , or by other means known in the art, to the flat surface of washer  62 , which is stamped with a recessed shape  61  (FIG. 2C) to match and receive one end of chamber  60 . Washer  62  also has an opening  65  (FIG. 2C) in its center that has a diameter smaller than the diameter of spring  70  (FIG. 2A) so as to retain spring  70  within chamber  60 . Spring  70  fits in chamber  60  in contact with washer  62 . Nut  72 , having threads  71  is positioned on top of washer  62  in chamber  60 . Each wall  68  has a dimple  64  positioned on its surface such that the dimple is located above nut  72 . Optional cap  75  fits on top of chamber  60  such that it closes cavity  63 . FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the socket assembly fixture  50  in FIG. 2A, through the axis b-b as it appears after assembly.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 3A shows a preferred embodiment of ball assembly fixture  55  in the ball portion of the limb members to be joined. Ball assembly fixture  55  consists of a disc  80  having surface  81 , a groove (not shown) molded in surface  81 , an edge surface  84  (FIG. 3 c ) and an opening  82  near the center of surface  81 . Ball assembly fixture  55  also consists of an eyebolt  74  having threads  76  and a looped portion  78 . The looped portion  78  of eyebolt  74  is positioned in the molded groove on surface  81  of disc  80 .  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 3B shows pivot pin  90  having a recessed middle portion  92  having a smaller diameter than the two outer portions  87  and  89  of pivot pin  90 . Disc  80  is rotatably mounted on pivot pin  90  with the recessed middle portion  92  of the pin engaged upon and secured within opening  82  of disc  80 . This is shown in FIG. 3C, a side view of FIG. 3A through c-c with pivot pin  90 .  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 4A is an exploded view of the knee joint  32  used to join upper leg  30  and lower leg  35 . Upper leg  30  has a socket  31  at its lower end with socket assembly fixture  50  recessed in the limb above the socket surface. Socket  31  has a hole  37  that is aligned with an opening  65  of washer  62 . Lower leg  35  has a slot  34  extending into lower leg  35  from the center of the ball surface  33 . Lower leg  35  also has a pin channel  36  that is perpendicular to and intersects with slot  34 . Pin channel  36  may pass completely through lower leg  35  or may begin on either the lateral or medial side of lower leg  35  and pass only partially through lower leg  35 . Preferably, pin channel  36  begins on the medial side of lower leg  35  and does not pass completely through to the lateral side of lower leg  35 .  
         [0036]    There are at least two methods of assembling the fastener to join the two limbs. In a first method for joining upper leg  30  and lower leg  35 , the threaded portion  76  of eyebolt  74  (fixedly attached to disc  80 ) is inserted into socket hole  37  of upper leg  30  and opening  65  of washer  62  and passes through spring  70 . Dimples  64  and/or cap  75  retain nut  72  within chamber  60 . The eyebolt threads  76  are coupled with threads  71  of the nut  72  (FIG. 2A) of socket assembly fixture  50 . Joining these threads together pulls nut  72  towards the socket  31  and puts tension on spring  70 . Next, the disc  80  of ball fixture assembly  55  is inserted into slot  34  of lower leg  35  so that disc opening  82  is aligned with pin channel  36  on lower leg  35  (FIG. 2 a ). Finally, pivot pin  90  is inserted into pin channel  36  on lower leg  35  so that recessed portion  92  of the pivot pin  90  is located within and engages with opening  82  in the disc  80 . Thus engaged, pivot pin  90  is securely centered in disc  80 . Alternatively, lower leg  35  and ball fixture assembly  55  can be assembled as above prior to joining socket assembly fixture  50  with ball assembly fixture  55 .  
         [0037]    Once upper leg  30  is joined to lower leg  35 , lower leg  35  is free to rotate about the axis c-c defined by eyebolt  74  (FIG. 4B), and can also pivot about pivot pin  90 . Also, disc  80  effectively fills the gap found in prior art joints in which a spring-topped eyebolt only (no disc) is used to pivotally attach a ball limb member to a socket limb member. Furthermore, the distance′f on disc  80  is ideally slightly smaller than the diameter ‘g’ of the ball portion of the limb (FIG. 4B). This allows the ball surface  33  to fully contact the socket surface  31 , which in turn results in greater friction between the two limb members than if only the disc edge surface  84  (FIG. 3C) contacted the socket surface. This allows the limbs to be more easily held in a variety of positions. Preferably, the difference between distances f and g is between 0.100 and 0.010 inches. More preferably, the difference is between 0.060 and 0.020 inches. Most preferably, the difference is 0.040 inches.  
         [0038]    Another embodiment of this invention is shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, which illustrate a top view cross-section and a side view, respectively, of wrist joint  23  between lower arm  20  and hand  25 . In this embodiment, lower arm  20  provides the ball portion  102  of the ball and socket connection means and hand  25  provides the socket portion  103  of the ball and socket connection means.  
         [0039]    [0039]FIG. 5A shows an embodiment where tab  100  is fixedly attached to a hand. Referring to FIG. 5A, lower arm  20  has a chamber  94  extending into the center of lower arm  20  below the slit  104  of the ball portion  102 . Chamber  94  contains a friction-producing assembly fixture  105 , said friction-producing assembly fixture consisting of a spring  96  and a bearing  98  positioned on top of spring  96 . Ball portion  102  of lower arm  20  also has a cavity  97  that is perpendicular to the long axis of chamber  94 . Hand  25  has tab  100  fixedly attached to the interior surface of its socket portion  103 . Tab  100  also has a center hole  95  (FIG. 5B, pin  91  not shown in FIG. 5B). Optionally tab  100  has one or more surface depressions, shown as dimples  101  in FIGS. 6A and 6B.  
         [0040]    To assemble the wrist joint, tab  100  is inserted into slit  104  such that center hole  95  lines up with cavity  97 . With center hole  95  and cavity  97  aligned, wrist pin  91  is inserted into cavity  97  and through center hole  95  to secure hand  25  to lower arm  20 . Wrist pin  91  pivotally attaches the tab to the lower arm so that the tab can rotate about an axis parallel to the thickness of the tab. The wrist pin  91  extends through the tab and at least partly through the first limb member. Pin  91  may or may not extend completely through the first limb member. Further, when tab  100  is thus secured in slit  104 , its lower surface  93  contacts bearing  98 . The resulting tension in spring  96  causes the bearing  98  to push up against the lower surface  93  of tab  100 . This pressure causes friction between tab  100  and wrist pin  91  that allows the limbs to be placed in a variety of positions.  
         [0041]    Alternatively, bearing  98  registers with the optional tab surface depressions, shown as dimples  101  in FIGS.  6 A- 6 B (pin  91  not shown in FIG. 6B), to afford additional control over limb position. As seen in the previous embodiment, tab  100  also effectively fills the joint gap found in prior art joints. In different embodiments, the tab fills greater than or equal to about 80%, or about 85%, or about 90%, or about 95% of the width of the joint gap.  
         [0042]    In another embodiment of the invention, tab  100  is pivotally attached to the second limb member to allow rotation of the second limb member with respect to the tab and to the first limb member. For example, for a wrist joint where the first limb member is a lower arm and the second limb member a hand, pivotal attachment of the hand to the tab allows rotation of the hand with respect to the tab, with the axis of rotation being parallel to the long axis of the hand. Once the joint is assembled, pivotal attachment of the hand to the tab also allows rotation of the hand with respect to the lower arm.  
         [0043]    In a preferred embodiment, once the joint between the first and second limb member is assembled, the joint cannot be readily disassembled. For example, for a wrist, once the wrist joint is assembled the hand cannot be readily removed. This prevents loss of the hand from the mannequin.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a top view cross-section and an exploded view, respectively, of wrist joint  23  between lower arm  20  and hand  25  in which tab  100  is pivotally attached to hand  25 . The tab  100  is attached to hand  25  by a rod assembly.  
         [0045]    The rod assembly comprises a rod  200  and socket  210 . The rod assembly is connected to tab  100  by rod  200  that fits into socket  210  in tab  100  (FIG. 8). As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, rod  200  may be threaded and have head  205 . Rod  200  may be a headed screw. If rod  200  is threaded, socket  210  can be correspondingly threaded to receive rod  200 . Socket  210  may comprise a metal insert in tab  100 . The rod and socket may also be affixed to one another so that no rotation of the rod within the socket occurs after the joint is assembled (e.g. by gluing the rod within the socket or otherwise locking it in place).  
         [0046]    The rod assembly is also connected to hand  25 . As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the rod assembly may comprise threaded bushing  250  which is adapted to receive threaded rod  200 . As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, bushing  250  may be threaded both internally and externally. Bushing  250  may be attached to the second limb member (the hand in FIGS. 7 and 8) by inserting the bushing into a threaded portion of cavity  270  formed in the second limb member, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The bushing is typically affixed to the hand so that the bushing does not rotate within the cavity after assembly of the joint.  
         [0047]    The joint in FIGS. 7 and 8 is assembled by inserting the head end of rod  200  in cavity  270 , inserting bushing  250  into cavity  270 , and then inserting rod  200  into socket  210  of tab  100 . Tab  100  is inserted into slit  104  such that center hole  95  lines up with cavity  97 . With center hole  95  and cavity  97  aligned, wrist pin  91  is inserted into cavity  97  and through center hole  95  to secure hand  25  to lower arm  20 . Wrist pin  91  pivotally attaches the tab to the lower arm so that the tab can rotate about an axis parallel to the thickness of the tab. Further, when tab  100  is thus secured in slit  104 , its lower surface  93  contacts bearing  98 . The resulting tension in spring  96  causes the bearing  98  to register with the optional tab surface depressions, shown as grooves  120 , to afford additional control over limb position. This pressure causes friction between tab  100  and wrist pin  91  that allows the limbs to be placed in a variety of positions. Alternatively, if tab surface depressions are absent, the bearing may push up against the lower surface  93  of tab  100 . As seen in the previous embodiment, tab  100  also effectively fills the joint gap found in prior art joints. In different embodiments, the tab fills greater than or equal to about 80%, or about 85%, or about 90% or about 95% of the width of the joint gap.  
         [0048]    The joint shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 can be operated by fixing rod  200  within socket  210  so that the rod does not rotate within the socket. The hand  25  can then be rotated with respect to the tab  100  by movement of bushing  250  along rod  200 . Travel of the bushing along the rod is limited by contact between head  205  and bushing  250 . This contact, in combination with the fixing of rod  200  within socket  210  and the fixing of bushing  250  to hand  25 , prevents easy removal of hand  25  once the joint is assembled. Travel of the bushing along the rod may also be limited by contact between head  205  and cavity  270  or contact between the ball  102  and socket  103  portions of the first and second limb. Preferably, the joint is designed so that rotation of the hand is limited to one and a half turns.  
         [0049]    Prevention of easy removal of hand  25  once the joint is assembled can be achieved with other joint designs. For example, the rod  200  can be affixed to hand  25  and the rod and socket designed to prevent easy removal of the rod from the socket after assembly of the joint. For example rod  200  may have a head  205  placed within an enlarged portion of socket  210  or a c-ring may be inserted into the tab to prevent easy removal of rod  200 .  
         [0050]    Throughout this specification, the term “limb member” refers to any movable member of a form and includes but is not limited to: head, neck, torso, upper and lower arms, hands, fingers (including all digits), upper and lower legs, feet, and toes (including all digits). The term “joint” refers to all the joints that commonly connect limb members and allow their relative movement and includes neck, shoulder, wrist, hip, knee, torso, ankle, and fingers and toes. The term “medial” refers to positions towards the center, or mid-line of the body, while the term “lateral” refers to positions towards the side of the body, opposite the medial position.  
         [0051]    The present invention is not to be limited by the preferred embodiments described herein. Upon reading this specification, those skilled in the art will recognize various modifications thereof. Therefore, it is to be understood that such modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.  
         [0052]    All references cited herein are incorporated in their entirety to the extent that they are not inconsistent with the disclosure herein.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8