Animal puppet

Abstract

The present invention is a hand-manipulated puppet of the type simulating an animal that is manipulated by placement of the hand and forearm into a cavity. The body is cast of a first flexible polymeric foam and the legs of the puppet made a denser flexible polymeric foam so that the puppeteer can rest the forearm on the legs without crushing the legs yet leave a body that is flexible and manipulates easily.

1 . A hand-manipulated puppet of the type simulating an animal having a body with left and right sides and a left and right weight bearing space apart legs wherein the puppet is manipulated by placement of the hand and forearm into a cavity of the puppet comprising: a body cast of a first flexible polymeric foam of a selected density and the spaced apart legs cast of a second flexible polymeric foam wherein the left supporting leg is attached to the body left side and the right supporting leg is attached to the body right side and wherein the second flexible polymeric foam has a density higher than the first flexible polymeric foam. 
   
   
       2 . A puppet according to  claim 1  wherein the polymeric foam is a flexible polyurethane polymeric foam. 
   
   
       3 . A puppet according to  claim 1  wherein the first polymeric foam has a density of about 10 lb/ft 3  or less. 
   
   
       4 . A puppet according to  claim 3  wherein the first polymeric foam has a density from about 3 to about 10 lb/ft 3 . 
   
   
       5 . A puppet according to  claim 1  wherein the second polymeric foam has a density of greater than about 5 lb/ft 3 . 
   
   
       6 . A puppet according to  claim 5  wherein the second polymeric foam has a density of greater than about 10 lb/ft 3 . 
   
   
       7 . A puppet according to  claim 1  wherein the legs are attached to the body at about the level of the internal cavity or higher. 
   
   
       8 . A puppet according to  claim 1  consisting of 2 legs. 
   
   
       9 . A hand-manipulated puppet of the type simulating an animal having a body with left and right sides and a spaced apart left and right leg wherein the puppet is manipulated by placement of the hand and forearm into a cavity of the puppet comprising casting the puppet from a flexible polyurethane foam. 
   
   
       10 . A puppet having a body and left and right sides and manipulated by placement of a hand into a cavity of the puppet comprising casting at least a portion of the puppet from a flexible polyurethane foam. 
   
   
       11 . A puppet according to  claim 10  wherein the polymeric foam has a density of about 10 lb/ft 3  or less. 
   
   
       12 . A puppet according to  claim 11  wherein the polymeric foam has a density from about 3 to about 10 lb/ft 3 . 
   
   
       13 . A puppet according to  claim 10  wherein the polymeric foam has a density greater than about 10 lb/ft 3 . 
   
   
       14 . A puppet according to  claim 10  wherein the polymer is a flexible polyurethane foam. 
   
   
       15 . A puppet according to  claim 10  wherein the polymer is a 4,4 methylene bis(phenylisocyannate) type flexible urethane foam.