Convertible Pompon System

Abstract

Convertible pompons having ornamental arrays such as fluffy projections at opposite ends of baton handles are constructed from pompon halves with half handles incorporating coupling mechanisms for connecting and disconnecting the handle halves. The half handle of one pompon half can be connected with the half handles of a plurality of other pompon halves to assemble the convertible pompons, and the pompon halves of the assembled convertible pompons can be separated and recombined with other pompon halves to provide a yet wider choice of convertible pompons.

1 . A convertible pompon assembly comprising
 a first ornamental array projecting from a first handle half,   a second ornamental array projecting from a second handle half,   the first and second handle halves incorporating a coupling mechanism having a coupling facility for interconnecting the first and second handle halves, thereby forming a unitary baton handle between the first and second ornamental arrays, and   the coupling mechanism also having an uncoupling facility for disconnecting the first and second handle halves, thereby allowing one of the first and second handle halves to be interconnected with a handle half of another ornamental array.   
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the coupling mechanism is formed integrally with the handle halves without requiring additional moving parts and is engaged and disengaged by relative motion between the handle halves. 
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the coupling mechanism includes a male fitting associated with the first handle half and a female fitting associated with the second handle half. 
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 3  in which the male fitting projects from the first handle half and the female coupling is formed within the second handle half. 
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 4  in which the male and female fittings include mating threads. 
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the coupling mechanism includes a detent mechanism that provides snap-fit engagements and disengagements. 
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the coupling mechanism includes a latch mechanism that can be engaged and disengaged by relative motions. 
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 7  in which the latch mechanism includes a catch that is movable relative to the first and second handle halves. 
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 1  in which the handle halves include end surfaces that abut one another for forming the unitary baton handle. 
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 9  in which the handle halves include peripheral surfaces that are arranged side-by-side to form a substantially uninterrupted peripheral surface of the baton handle. 
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 9  in which the coupling mechanism draws the end surfaces of the handle halves into engagement with each other. 
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a detachable strap loosely connecting the two handle halves. 
   
   
       13 . An convertible pompon system comprising
 a plurality of pompon halves each having fluffy projections supported from a handle half,   the handle half of a first of the pompon halves being separately engageable with the handle halves of more than one of the plurality of pompon halves for forming convertible pompons from different pairings with the first pompon half, and   the handle half of the first pompon half being disengageable from the handle half of a second of the pompon halves and engageable with the handle half of a third of the pompon halves for switching between different pairings of the convertible pompon system.   
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 13  in which the engageable handle halves form a unitary baton handle between the pompon halves. 
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 13  in which the engageable handle halves include a first end supporting a multitude of strands and a second end that incorporates portions of a coupling mechanism for engaging and disengaging the handle halves of other pompon halves. 
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15  in which the coupling mechanism is formed integrally with the engageable handle halves without requiring additional moving parts and is engaged and disengaged by relative motion between the engageable handle halves. 
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 13  in which coupling mechanism that includes a male fitting associated with the handle half of the first pompon half and a female fitting associated with the handle halves of the second and third pompon halves. 
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 17  in which the male fitting projects from the first handle half and the female coupling is formed within the second handle half. 
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 18  in which the male and female fittings include mating threads. 
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 13  in which the engageable handle halves incorporate a coupling mechanism that includes a detent mechanism that provides snap-fit engagements and disengagements. 
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 13  in which the engageable handle halves incorporate a coupling mechanism that includes a latch mechanism that can be engaged and disengaged by relative motions. 
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 13  in which the engageable handle halves include end surfaces that abut one another for forming a unitary baton handle of a convertible pompon. 
   
   
       23 . The system of  claim 22  in which the engageable handle halves include peripheral surfaces that are arranged side-by-side to form a substantially uninterrupted peripheral surface of the baton handle. 
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 13  in which the fluffy projections of at least the second and third pompon halves differ from one another. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 13  further comprising end caps that engage the handle halves of the pompon halves for extending the handle halves for use with the pompon halves. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 25  in which coupling mechanism that includes a fitting associated with the handle half of the first pompon half and a mating fitting associated with the handle half of the second pompon half and the end caps incorporate mating features for coupling to the handle halves.