US20050208870A1

US20050208870A1 - Hand Puppet Associated With A Book

Info

Publication number: US20050208870A1
Application number: US10/708,659
Authority: US
Inventors: William Collard; Elizabeth McCauley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-03-17
Filing date: 2004-03-17
Publication date: 2005-09-22

Abstract

A device for telling stories comprising a book, a container coupled to the book, a puppet coupled the book via a string, wherein the puppet can be stored in the container. The string can be made any known material such as yarn, cable, rope, cloth or any other material formed in an shape to couple the puppet to the book. The container can be located in the spine of the or in the form of a pouch located on an inside face of a front or back cover of the book.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The invention relates to a hand puppet that is attached to a book. Other type designs are known the art. For example, the following U.S. patents relate generally to the art: U.S. patent Nos: to Stephens, U.S. Pat. No. 2,756,448 to E. A. Werbe, U.S. Pat. No. 1,4051,345 to C. R. Hoyme, U.S. Pat. No. 3,789,546 to U.S. Pat. No. 4,233,772 to Hamar, U.S. Pat. No. 4,608,024 to Skolnik, U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,364 to Castleman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,637 to U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,509 to Hunt, U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,759 to Polick, wherein all of these patents are hereby in by reference.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The invention relates to a device for telling stories comprising a book, a container coupled to the a puppet coupled to the book via a string wherein the puppet can be stored in the container. string can be made from any known material such as yarn, a cable, rope, cloth or any other formed in an elongated manner to couple the puppet to the book.
The book has a front cover, a back cover, and a spine coupling the front cover to the back cover. container can be disposed in the spine of the book between the front cover and the back For example, the container can be substantially cylindrically shaped in this style In another embodiment, the container can be in the form of a pouch coupled to either side of the front or the back cover. In one embodiment, the container can be coupled to an inside of the container. In addition, in one form or embodiment, the book can also contain the and the pouch wherein the container is disposed within the spine of the book and the is coupled to an inside face of the front cover.
The device can further comprise a fastener coupled to the book. This fastener can be coupled to side of the front or the back cover. In one embodiment, the fastener is coupled to an inside of the front cover. This fastener can be in the form of a hook and loop fastener but could be in the form of a hook, a clip, a button, or any other known fastening means.
To control the removal of the puppet from the container, there can be a spindle disposed within container wherein the string, cord or other means is coupled to the spindle. This spindle is loaded and is rotationally driven within the inside of the container so that it can uncoil to a user to remove the puppet from the container and coil up to retract the puppet back into container.
This puppet can be in the form of a hand puppet containing at least two separate finger puppets. These at least two separate finger puppets can comprise characters from a story wherein this story to a story in a book. The device can also comprise at least one additional puppet in the of an additional puppet or an additional finger puppet and the device can also comprise at one additional string for coupling the hand puppet to the book.
Essentially in use, using at least one of the above embodiments, a story teller can open the book, remove the puppet from the container. The user/story teller can insert his or her fingers into finger slots and start the reading of the book. The user can then user the different characters the finger puppets to help convey the story. For example, if the present book contained a directed towards “The Three Little Pigs” the character for the “Big Bad Wolf” could be on of the fingers or on the thumb, and the three different characters for the three different pigs each be on any one of the remaining fingers. The thumb or each one of the remaining could be moved separately to help the user/storyteller to convey the story.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which disclose at one embodiment of the present invention. It should be understood however, that the is designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the In the drawings wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the views:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the device; and
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of the device In this view, there is a book 20 which has a stage 30 coupled to the book. Stage 30 is to a top of both a front cover 22 and a back cover 24 of book 20.
The stage is in the form of a stage having a bottom section 34, at least one side section 36 and a section 32. Side section 36 can comprise two legs that couple top section 32 to bottom 34. In addition both top section 32 and bottom section 34 can have creases 31 and 39 disposed in a center region along a spine 25 of the book.
There is a rope, string, cord or other similar type flexible and possibly elastic extension member coupled to book 20 which joins puppet 50 with book 20. In this case, cord 40 can be in the of a small string, a rubber band or other elastic type material, or a thin nylon band. Cord 40 be coupled to book 20 in a region adjacent to or inside of a compartment 60. Compartment is disposed along spine 25 of book 20 such that it forms an open recess to receive a flexible which is essentially a glove comprising multiple finger puppets. This glove type can be collapsed into a substantially small space to be stored inside of compartment 60. compartment 60 is sized to be sufficient to receive a collapsed glove puppet 50. In there is a spindle 80 disposed inside of compartment 60. Spindle 80 is formed so that it have an optional spring loading so that it can selectively retract cord 40 when tugged. In this puppet 50 would retract inside of compartment 60 and then be stored inside. Spindle 80 can set so that it can allow a puppet to pulled out of a top region or a bottom region of book 20. In present view, the puppet is being pulled out of the bottom region of book 20 however, this can be reversed so that spindle 80 directs cord 40 out of the top of book 20 and adjacent to 30.
Puppet 50 can be used in combination with stage 30 wherein cord 40 is long enough to allow the puppets to appear on stage while the user is reading the story associated with the book. In case, the puppets associated with this glove containing multiple finger puppets include a 52, and three little pigs 54, 56, and 58. However, other characters may be used for the and the story. In this case, the glove/finger puppet 50 has characters associated with the story which is written in the associated book 20.
FIG. 2 discloses a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention. In this case, puppet is disposed inside of a compartment 70 which is in the form of a pouch 70 which is coupled to inside face of a front cover 22. Pouch 70 is formed to be of sufficient size to receive puppet In this embodiment, there is no stage associated with book 20. In addition this view could be associated with the first embodiment wherein the stage is folded down in on an inside of back flap 24. Essentially stage 30 can be permanently coupled to back flap 24 but only coupled to front flap 22 so that it is only coupled to front flap 22 when it is opened up out from an inside region of back flap 24. Stage 30 would then unfold to show its expanded as shown in FIG. 1 wherein side section 36 which is disposed adjacent to front cover 22 is selectively coupled to front cover 22.
FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the invention wherein there is shown a smaller sized stage unfolds from an inside face of back cover 24. This smaller stage 33 includes top section 32, curtains 38 as disclosed above. This device shows that cord 40 extends out from a bottom from book 20 but this spindle 80 could be reversed so that cord 40 extends out of a top of book 20.
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the invention wherein this embodiment also does not a stage. In this embodiment there is a fastener 90 which may be any type of fastener such a snap coupling, a hook and loop fastener, a hook, a temporary adhesive, a magnet or any other means known in the art. In this case, fastener 90 is used to secure puppet 50 to an face of front cover 22. Alternatively and not shown, fastener 90 can be coupled to an inside face of back cover 24.
Accordingly, while at least one embodiment of the present invention has been shown, and it is understood that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In particular, the are not to be interpreted as limited by any of the drawings or description written above.

Claims

1. A device for telling stories comprising:

a) a book;

b) a container coupled to said book;

c) at least one glove;

d) a plurality of puppets coupled to and formed integral with said at least one glove wherein said at least one glove is coupled to said book wherein said glove can be stored in said container and wherein said puppets are in the form of at least one finger puppet; and

e) a line, wherein said at least one glove is coupled to said book via said line.

2. The device as in claim 1, wherein said line is in the form of a string wherein said at least one glove is coupled to said book via said string.

3. The device as in claim 1, wherein said line is in the form of a cable.

4. The device as in claim 1, wherein said line is in the form of a cord, wherein said glove is coupled to said book via said cord.

5. The device as in claim 1, wherein said line is in the form of a flexible elastic element, wherein said glove is coupled to said book via said flexible elastic element.

6. The device as in claim 1, wherein said book has a front cover, a back cover and a spine coupling said front cover and said back cover together, and wherein said container is disposed in said spine of said book.

7. The device as in claim 1, wherein said container is substantially cylindrically shaped.

8. The device as in claim 6, wherein said front cover has an outside face and an inside face, said container is in the form of a pouch coupled to said inside face of said front cover, wherein said at least one glove can be stored inside of said pouch.

9. The device as in claim 1, wherein said front cover has an outside face and an inside face, and the device further comprises a fastener coupled to the inside face of said cover.

10. The device as in claim 9, wherein said fastener is in the form of a hook and loop fastener.

11. The device as in claim 1, further comprising a spindle disposed within said container, wherein said line is coupled to said spindle.

12. The device as in claim 11, wherein said spindle is rotatable within said container and wherein the device further comprises a spring coupled to said spindle for spring loading said spindle in said container.

13. The device as in claim 1, wherein said plurality of puppets is in the form of a glove containing at least two finger puppets.

14. The device as in claim 13, wherein said at least two separate finger puppets comprise characters from a story wherein said storey relates to a story in said book.

15. The device as in claim 1, further comprising at least one additional puppet and at least one additional line which is used to couple said at least one puppet to said book.

16. The device as in claim 15, further comprising an extension in the form of a stage coupled to said book.

17. The device as in claim 16, wherein said stage comprises a bottom section, at least one side section and a top section.

18. The device as in claim 17, wherein said stage further comprises a plurality of curtains with at least one curtain which is coupled to at least one of said at least one side section of said stage.

19. The device as in claim 16, wherein said book further comprises a font cover and a back cover wherein said stage is coupled to said front cover, and said back cover of said book.

20. The device as in claim 16, wherein said book further comprises a front cover and a back cover and wherein said stage is coupled to said back cover of said book.

21. The device as in claim 17, wherein said bottom section and said top section of said stage have a fold, so that said stage can be folded over.