The invention relates to a marionette comprising a figure having a number of segments, wherein at least two segments are coupled by means of steering strings with a control device, and a container comprising at least two parts substantially matched to each other which after coupling them together form a space for the marionette figure, steering strings and the control device in the figure rest position.

Publication of German utility model application DE 9420499 discloses a marionette comprising a figure coupled by means of steering strings with a control device that is an element of a container in which the figure is closed in its vertical rest position. The container of the marionette is formed by a cylindrical portion provided with a bottom which is closed from the top by the figure control device in a form of a cup. In the rest position the marionette figure freely hangs in the interior of the cylindrical portion not resting on its bottom.

Similar manner of storing a marionette figure is described in the patent publication US 2,860,446.

Such methods of storing a marionette figure may lead to uncontrollable displacement of figure segments during displacing a container that in turn may cause damage of a figure. Furthermore such methods of storing a figure may render it difficult to obtain ready-for-use form of a figure as soon as it is taken out of a container, for example due to displacements of figure segments on steering strings or accidental tangling steering strings with each other and with figure segments.

An object of the present invention has been to provide a marionette that would feature an improved functional performance in comparison to known marionettes in particular with regard to quickness and easiness of unpacking such a marionette in order to achieve ready-to-use form of its figure in the working position as well as with regard to quickness and easiness of packing such a marionette in order to achieve secure rest position thereof in the interior of a container for storing and/or transportation. Another object of the present invention has been to provide a marionette having a container that would form both esthetical and functional packaging for a marionette, yet at the same time might be an attractive add-in toy for a marionette both in active working position and in inactive rest position. According to the present invention there is provided a marionette as described in the outset, which is provided with elasticaiiy deformable stabilisation means immobilising the figure in its rest position in the interior of the container.

Advantageously said elasticaiiy deformable stabilisation means are provided on at least one of the part of the container or on at least one stiff segment of the marionette figure or have a form of a fabric material wrapped over the marionette figure segments in a figure rest position in the interior of the container.

Said elasticaiiy deformable stabilisation means preferably comprise at least one elastic elongated element that extends along the chord of the internal concave surface of the container. In such a case said at least one elongated element is preferably led through at least two holes in one of the container parts and at least one other container part is preferably provided with projections to catch external portions of said elongated element in said marionette figure rest position.

Elastic strings caught against projections of the additional element constitute simple and efficient container closure solution enabling for quick reliable coupling and decoupling elements forming a container and preventing against its unwanted opening.

In preferred embodiments of a marionette according to the present invention, said stabilisation means comprise stabilization elements made of elasticaiiy deformable material, preferably of foam material, and arranged on the internal surface of the container part.

Said elasticaiiy deformable stabilisation means according to the present invention immobilize a collapsed figure placed inside a container by pressing it against the interior surface of an additional element, which enables its secure transportation, prevents against damages resulting from uncontrolled dislocations, and prevents against accidental steering strings tangling. According to the present invention said at least one of the container parts serves as the marionette control device. In such a case it is further preferable if said control device has a form of a spatial shell body provided with an internal concave surface and at least one steering string of the figure is fixed to said internal concave surface of the control device.

A spatial shell body of the control device, according to the present invention, confers universal functionality of the marionette and enables for fastening steering strings in arbitrarily chosen points on its internal concave surface depending on requirements of various types of marionette figures. Furthermore a spatial shell body of the control device feature increased stiffness comparing to a flat control device of the same outline and therefore provides decreased material-consuming expenses and broad freedom and capabilities of shaping its form.

Preferably a container of said figure includes a control device and preferably at least one additional element coupled with the control device at least in the marionette rest position.

In such an embodiment the contact edges of the control device and said at least one additional element are preferably substantially matched to each other in said marionette rest position.

For example a control device in a form of a fragment (for example a half-piece) of an egg may be a control device of a figure depicting a leg laying animal (such as bird or reptile), wherein the additional element of the container may depict an element complement to this egg shape (for example a bottom part of the egg). In such an embodiment in a rest position of a marionette in which a figure is located inside a closed egg-like container, when looking at a container from the outside one shall not recognize that a control device is really a control device.

Preferably said steering strings are axially twisted in said marionette rest position with respect to said marionette working position.

Twisting the steering strings of a marionette facilitates packaging of the marionette and prevents steering strings and segments of a marionette figure against accidental tangling during introducing, collapsing and storing the figure inside a container formed by the control device. It also shortens the time required for transformation of a marionette between rest and working position.

In some embodiments it may be advantageous if said contact edges are provided with recessed portions that define holes in the container of said figure. Such holes enable for receiving segments of the marionette figure that simply do not fit inside the hollow space of a container. Furthermore they provide an additional functionality of partial presentation of the figure contained in a container.

Preferably an external surface of the control device is provided with at least two cavities or holes for the fingers of the manipulator and alternatively or additionally with a handle.

Providing the spatial shell body of the control device with multi-hole gripping arrangement enables for unconstrained shaping of the control form and at the same time enables for hiding its virtual controlling function.

Preferably said control device and/or at least one of the segments of the figure is/are provided with at least one sound emitting device and/or light emitting device, in particular a device controlled by manipulator and/or a camera to register the surrounding of the figure while it moves.

Play with the marionette may be therefore enriched with a sound emitting device producing additional experiences, such as for example animal roaring sound or flashing eyes.

The control device and/or at least one of the segments of the figure may be also advantageously assembled from a set of pieces, for example coupled by releasable frictional connection and/or forming a construction puzzle.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a marionette according to the present invention, wherein figure depicts a dinosaur, while control device along with an additional element form a container for the figure depicting dinosaur egg, Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating the first step of placing the marionette figure of Fig. 1 inside the container,

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the marionette of Fig. 1 in the rest position,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the marionette of Fig. 1 in the rest position,

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of second embodiment of a marionette according to the present invention,

Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the marionette of Fig. 5 in the rest position,

Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of third embodiment of a marionette according to the present invention in the rest position, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of fourth embodiment of a marionette according to the present invention.

As shown in fig. 1 a marionette 1 comprises a multi-segment figure 3, which in this embodiment has a form of a dinosaur, and a control device 2. The control device 2 is made of plastic and has a form of a concave hollow spatial shell body of an ellipsoid half-piece shape resembling upper half of an egg, the bottom edge of which has a serrated shape 23 depicting the edge of a broken egg-shell.

The figure 3 comprises six active stiff segments corresponding to head 31 , neck 32, body 33, tail 34 and two legs 35 of a dinosaur. The first ends of steering strings 4 are attached to each segment. The second ends of steering strings 4 are attached to the control device 2, wherein steering string 43 of body segment 33 and the steering string 42 of a neck segment 32 are fastened at the inside of the internal concave surface 21 of the control device 2 while steering strings 41 , 44 and 45 of segments depicting head 31 , tail 34 and legs 35 are fastened in the proximity of the circumferential area of the internal concave surface 21 of the device 2.

Holes or bores 22 formed in the central area of the control device 2 serve as gripping arrangement for the manipulator's fingers as shown in the drawing. Further the control device 2 is provided with an electronic, battery supplied electronic device 26 that emits sound of a roaring dinosaur after it is activated by a button 27 pushed by the person manipulating the marionette. An additional element 5 of an ellipsoid half-piece shape depicts a bottom part of an egg. Both the control device 2 and the additional element 5 form a container for the marionette figure 3 while it is stored in a rest position which shall be explained later with reference to Fig. 3 and Fig. 4. To this end contact edges 23 of the control device 2 and contact edges 53 of the additional element 5 match each other.

The control device 2 is provided with two elastically deformable stabilisation means immobilising the marionette figure in its rest position in the interior of the container (as shown in Fig. 3), which in this embodiment comprises two elongated elements in the form of rubber strings 25 extending along chords of the internal concave surface 21 that form a loop and passing through holes 28. In a rest position of the marionette the outside fragments of the loops shall be hooked on projections 55 provided on the external surface of the additional element 5 which shall be explained in detail with reference to Figs. 3 and 4. f

Fig. 2 shows the marionette of Fig. 1 before its placing inside the container. As shown manipulator rotated the control device 2 for about 360° with regard to the figure 3 so that the steering strings 4 are axially twisted. Thanks to that the steering strings will not tangle during storing the figure 3 inside the container.

Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show the marionette figure 3 from Figs. 1 and 2 in its secure rest position inside a container 6 formed by the control device 2 and the additional element 5.

In order to place the marionette figure inside the container as shown in Fig. 3, the figure should be rotated with regard to the control device 2 and placed in the interior of an upside-down positioned additional element 5. Then the control device 2 should be put down to cover the additional element 5 by adhering its serrated contact edge 23 on the corresponding circumferential contact edge 53 of the additional element 5. Finally the outside fragments of the elastic strings 25 should be hooked on projections 55 of the additional element 5.

As shown the figure 3 is stably pressed against the internal surface of the additional element 5 by tightened elastic strings 25 that operatively immobilize the figure in its rest position. Furthermore elastic strings 25 couple two halves 2, 5 of the container 6. Therefore the strings 25 not only close the marionette container 6 but also stabilize the figure position inside the container. If only one looped string 25 is detached from projection 55, the tension of the string 25 diminishes and the marionette is ready to use within a few seconds.

As shown in Fig 4 the recessed portions 24, 54 of the control device 2 and the additional element 5 define a hole through which tail segment 34 of the figure 3 is protruded out of the container 6.

In Figs. 5 and 6 a marionette embodiment 1a is presented which is provided with other (in comparison with a marionette 1 from Fig. 1 ) type of elastically deformable stabilisation means, and in which a control device 2a does not constitute a part of a container 6a of the marionette 1a. The control device 2a has a form of a four-armed cross-piece 2a to which, in the end section of its arms 29, steering strings 4 are attached. The container 6a is formed by two concave hollow spatial shell bodies 5a, 5aa of an ellipsoid half-piece shape with a serrated edge, similarly as in the marionette 1 from Fig. 1. The upper half-piece body 5aa is provided with external loops 28 which are caught on external portions 55 formed on the external surface of the bottom half-piece body 5a for coupling the bodies with each other in order to form the container 6a. On the external surface of the bottom body 5a of the container 6a a layer 51 of elastically deformable foam is arranged which constitutes elastically deformable stabilisation means of the marionette 1a. In order to located the figure 3 of the marionette 1a in the container, after axially twisting of steering strings of the marionette 1a in a similar manner as presented in Fig. 2, the figure 3a is placed in the interior of the bottom body 5a on the foam layer 51 and covered by the cross-piece 2a, and subsequently the upper body 5aa is added to the bottom body 5a by matching its serrated edge to the corresponding serrated edge of the bottom body 5a and finally such an arrangement is fixed up by catching loops 28 of the upper body 5a on the external portions 55 of the bottom body 5a. The figure 3 is pressed in the foam layer 51 by action of the cross-piece 2a and the upper body 5aa thereon what results in stabilisation of the rest position of the figure 3.

In a marionette presented in Fig. 7, elastically deformable means are located on stiff segments 35b representing legs of a figure 3b and have form of external coatings 351 made of an elastically deformable material. The marionette 1 b has a container 6b of two half-piece elements forming a construction analogical to the container 6a of the figure 1 a of Figs. 5, 6. The rest position of the figure 3b in the interior of the container 6b is secured by tightening the segments of the figure 3b between the half- piece elements of the container 6b resulting in partial compression of the elastically deformable coatings 351. Fig. 8 shows fourth exemplary embodiment of the marionette 1c according to the present invention, where figure 3c has a form of a pterosaur, while control device 2c and additional element 5c also depict a pterosaur egg similarly as in Figs. 1 , 4, but in this embodiment the spatial shell bodies of the control device 2c and the additional element 5c are of an openwork construction with spatial through holes 27, 57 that enable to see the figure 3c while stored in the container formed by the control device 2c and the additional element 5c.

In this embodiment the wing segment 35c is composed of two pieces 352c, 353c forming a construction puzzle and connected with each other by means of a releasable frictional connection 354c. According to fifth (not shown on a figure) embodiment of a marionette according to the present invention an elastically deformable stabilisation means have a form of a piece of a fabric material, which, after axially twisting of steering strings in a similar manner as presented in Fig. 2, is wrapped over the marionette figure. Subsequently after locating the figure in the interior of a marionette container, such a fabric material surrounds substantially the whole figure and fills up a space between segments of the figure and an internal surface of the container thus immobilizing the figure in its rest position.

The above embodiments of the present invention are merely exemplary. The drawings are not necessarily to scale and some features may be exaggerated or minimized. It will be understood by persons skilled in the relevant art that various changes in the form and details can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. These and other factors however should not be considered as limiting the spirit of the invention, the intended scope of protection of which is indicated in appended claims.