Patent ID: 7536729

Claim:
A costume comprising: a flexible garment configured to cover at least a portion of a limb of a humanoid figure, including a joint and a portion of each of two limb members connected by the joint; and a flexure mechanism covered by the garment, the flexure mechanism extending along a portion of the garment, and having a first end fixed in position relative to the garment, and a second end moveable relative to the garment and relative to the first end, the flexure mechanism including an intermediate portion between the first and second ends, the flexure mechanism being configured to move the intermediate portion laterally between an extended position in which the intermediate portion is spaced a first distance from a line extending between the first and second ends, and a retracted position that is closer to the line extending between the first and second ends than the extended position, when the second end is moved between a distal position spaced a second distance from the first end and a proximal position that is closer to the first end than the distal position, the flexure mechanism including a first member having the first end and a third end, a second member having the second end and a fourth end, a first hinge coupling the third and fourth ends, a third member, and a second hinge coupling a fifth end of the third member to the first end of the first member, the intermediate portion including the first hinge and the third and fourth ends, and the first and second members pivoting about the first hinge as the second end moves between the distal and proximal positions, the third member including a sixth end in contact with the second member, the flexure mechanism further including a retainer attached to the sixth end of the third member, the retainer retaining the second member in contact with the sixth end of the third member as the second member moves along the sixth end of the third member allowing the second member to pivot slidingly relative to the third member as the second end of the second member moves between the distal and proximal positions.