Patent Application
20140051320
The present disclosure relates to novelty devices.
Sporting events have been enjoyed by fans and enthusiasts for many decades. Fans often take pride in their favorite teams and wear various attire to show their support for their teams. For example, fans may wear jerseys, hats, pins, mugs, t-shirts, and various other items including the names and logos of their favorite teams and/or favorite players.
At least some aspects of the disclosure are directed to novelty and cheering apparatus and methods which fans may use to show their support for their favorite teams.
Example embodiments of the disclosure are described below with reference to the following accompanying drawings.
This disclosure is submitted in furtherance of the constitutional purposes of the U.S. Patent Laws “to promote the progress of science and useful arts” (Article 1, Section 8).
At least some aspects of the present disclosure are directed towards a novelty device and methods which may be used, for example, for cheering a team at a sporting event. In example embodiments described below, the novelty device includes a glove which is worn by a user and has a mascot of the team upon or which is attached to at least one sheath of the glove. The user's finger may be inserted into a body of the mascot and the mascot may move as a result of movement the user's finger. The novelty device is relatively small in size and capable of being conveniently placed in a pocket of the user when not in use.
According to one embodiment, a novelty device comprises a glove configured to receive a hand of a user and comprising a plurality of sheaths configured to receive respective fingers of the user when the user's hand is placed within the glove; and wherein one of the sheaths comprises a mascot which is configured to receive at least a portion of one of the fingers of the user within at least a portion of the mascot when the user's hand is placed within the glove.
According to an additional embodiment, a novelty device comprises a glove comprising a trank configured to receive a hand of a user when the user's hand is placed within the glove; and a mascot connected with the trank and configured to receive at least a portion of a finger of the user within at least a portion of the mascot when the user's hand is placed within the trank.
Referring to
The depicted mascot 14 is merely one illustrative example and other characters, figurines, etc. may be attached to the glove 12 in other embodiments. The mascot may be people (e.g., a pirate, a warrior, a knight, etc.), animals (e.g., a dog, an eagle, a bear, etc.), or other characters which may be used to cheer a team or other purposes.
The glove 12 is configured to receive a hand of a user and includes a trank 13 and a plurality of sheaths 16 attached to the trank 13. The trank 13 is configured to receive the user's hand and the sheaths 16 are individually configured to receive a finger or thumb of a user when the novelty device 10 is worn by the user. In the example of
Furthermore, the mascot 14 is attached to the sheath 16 for the index finger of the user in the example embodiment of
In one embodiment, the lower body portion of the mascot 14 may be sewed or attached by any convenient means to the sheath 16 and about the opening 18 to permit the user's index finger to be received into the body of the mascot 14. A releasable fastener, such as a hook-and-loop fastener (e.g., Velcro®), may be used to attach the mascot 14 to the glove 12 permitting one mascot to be removed and replaced with another mascot in one embodiment. For example, the mascots 14 may be different and associated with different teams to be cheered by the user at different sporting events.
Although one mascot 14 is shown attached to one sheath 16 of the glove 12 in the example of
Referring to
In one embodiment, the mascot 14 may be formed about one of the sheaths 16a, and accordingly, the user's finger (e.g., index finger) contacts the interior of the respective sheath 16a without contacting the mascot 14 itself.
In another embodiment, the distal end of one of the sheaths 16a (e.g., sheath 16a for the index finger) may be removed and the mascot 14 may be attached about an opening at the end of the sheath 16a in an arrangement which is similar to the sheath for the index finger in the fingerless glove embodiment of
While example embodiments have been disclosed with respect to mascots for sports teams, other mascots, figurines, animals, or characters may be attached to the glove in other embodiments.
At least some aspects of the disclosure are directed towards methods of using the novelty devices. One example method includes placing a user's hand within the glove and inserting a finger into the mascot of one of the sheaths of the glove. The user may move his finger to move the mascot, for example, in a manner cheering for their favorite team.
In compliance with the statute, embodiments of the invention have been described in language more or less specific as to structural and methodical features. It is to be understood, however, that the entire invention is not limited to the specific features and/or embodiments shown and/or described, since the disclosed embodiments comprise forms of putting the invention into effect.
Further, aspects herein have been presented for guidance in construction and/or operation of illustrative embodiments of the disclosure. Applicant(s) hereof consider these described illustrative embodiments to also include, disclose and describe further inventive aspects in addition to those explicitly disclosed. For example, the additional inventive aspects may include less, more and/or alternative features than those described in the illustrative embodiments. In more specific examples, Applicant(s) consider the disclosure to include, disclose and describe methods which include less, more and/or alternative steps than those methods explicitly disclosed as well as apparatus which includes less, more and/or alternative structure than the explicitly disclosed structure.
