Movable Figurine Assembly

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/656,258, filed Jun. 5, 2024, and titled “OUTDOOR CLIMBING FIGURINE,” and Chinese Application No. 202423018558.0, filed Dec. 9, 2024. The forgoing applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

The invention generally relates to mechanical decorations. More particularly, this invention relates to a movable character or figurine.

Novelty items, including mechanical decorations, are popular for enhancing the visual appeal of homes, offices, and similar environments. These items are especially favored during holiday seasons and often feature themed figurines associated with the occasion. For instance, Christmas decorations may include mechanical displays featuring figurines of Santa Claus. However, the use of novelty items is not limited to holidays; they are also commonly used to reflect personal interests, such as favorite sports teams, movies, music, and other themes.

In one aspect, the invention relates to a movable figurine assembly that is movable by a movement mechanism relative to support.

In another aspect, the invention relates to a motorized mechanism that can raise and lower, such as automatically to raise and release down, a figurine. The mechanism can move legs of the figurine to simulate climbing on a ladder.

In a further aspect, the invention relates to a movable figurine assembly including a support, a figurine, and a movement mechanism. The support includes a guide track. The figurine includes a movable body and a traveler that engages with the guide track. The movement mechanism includes a coupling and a motor. The motor is operatively coupled to the figurine by the coupling to move the figurine. The traveler engages with the guide track and guides the figurine to move along the guide track when the motor is operated to move the figurine.

In still another aspect, the invention relates to a movable figurine assembly including an upright support assembly, a figurine, and a movement mechanism. The upright support assembly includes an upright support and a guide track. The figurine includes a movable body and a projecting appendage extending from the movable body. The projecting appendage includes a distal end that is distal from the movable body. The projecting appendage has a traveler on the distal end that engages with the guide track. The movement mechanism includes a tether and a motor. The motor is operatively coupled to the figurine by the tether and is operable to raise and lower the figurine by moving the tether. The traveler engages with the guide track and guides the figurine to move along the guide track when the motor is operated to move the figurine.

In yet another aspect, the invention relates to a movable figurine assembly including an upright support assembly, a figurine, and a movement mechanism. The upright support assembly includes two upright supports connected to each other by a plurality of transverse supports disposed transverse to the two upright supports. The two upright supports each have a guide track. The figurine includes a movable body, a plurality of projecting appendages, and an appendage motor. Each projecting appendage of the plurality of projecting appendages extends from the movable body. The plurality of projecting appendages includes two upper projecting appendages and two lower projecting appendages. Each of the two upper projecting appendages include a distal end that is distal from the movable body and have a traveler on the distal end that engages with a corresponding guide track. The traveler of one of the two upper projecting appendages engages with the guide track of one of two upright supports and the traveler of the other one of the two upper projecting appendages engaging with the guide track of the other one of the two upright supports. Each of the two lower projecting appendages is movable relative to the movable body by the appendage motor to have a rotating envelope for each of the two lower projecting appendages. The two lower projecting appendages are disposed proximate to the plurality of transverse supports such that the rotating envelope of each of the two lower projecting appendages has a position of closest extent. A gap is maintained between the two lower projecting appendages and the plurality of transverse supports at the position of closest extent. The movement mechanism is disposed above the figurine. The movement mechanism includes a tether, a reel, and a drive motor. The tether is connected to the figurine and the drive motor is operably coupled to the reel (i) to rotate the reel in a first direction and (ii) to rotate the reel a second direction opposite to the first to alternatively wind the tether on the reel and raise the figurine and to unwind the tether from the reel and lower the figurine. The traveler of each upper projecting appendage engages with the corresponding guide track and guides the figurine to move along the guide track when the drive motor is operated to move the figurine. The appendage motor is operable to rotate the two lower projecting appendages as the figurine is raised and lowered.

These and other aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following disclosure.

Embodiments discussed herein relate to mechanical decorations and, more specifically, movable figurine assemblies.

is a perspective view of a movable figurine assembly. The movable figurine assemblyincludes a figurineand a support. The figurineshown inis a biomorphic figurine, such as a humanoid figurine. The figurinecan thus have a biomorphic form, such as a humanoid form. As used herein, the term “humanoid” refers to a form that emulates the general anatomical structure of a human figure, including, for example, a central torso and multiple projecting appendages corresponding to arms and legs. The humanoid figurine may include additional features such as a head, facial characteristics, hands, feet, or other anatomical representations, whether stylized, abstract, or anatomically detailed.

The figurinemay be formed as a unitary molded body, or it may be assembled from multiple components. The outer surface may be contoured or textured to resemble human features or thematic elements. In some embodiments, the figurineincludes a structural frame() covered by an outer covering, such as one or more flexible outer layers. For example, the figurinemay be dressed in clothing or costume elements applied over the structural frame. The outer covering can be integrally formed, adhered, sewn, or removably attached, and may include fabrics, plastics, or other suitable materials. In, the figurineis a humanoid figurine configured to represent a Santa Clause figure, incorporating visual and structural characteristics commonly associated with Santa Clause, such as a bearded face, a rotund torso, and costume features including, for example, a coat, belt, boots, and a sack with presents.

The figurineincludes a movable body, which can correspond to the torso of the humanoid form, and a plurality of projecting appendagesextending from the movable body. Collectively the movable bodyand the projecting appendagescan form the structural frameof the figurine. When the figurineis a humanoid form, the projecting appendagescan resemble limbs and can be connected to the body in a manner that allows for articulation or relative movement. More specifically, the plurality of projecting appendagesincludes two upper projecting appendagesincluding a left upper projecting appendage() and a right upper projecting appendage, each of which extends from the upper regionof the movable body. These upper projecting appendagesare generally representative of arms and terminate at respective distal ends, such as a left distal endof the left upper projecting appendageand a right distal end() of the right upper projecting appendage. The distal ends (e.g., the left distal endand the right distal end) can be spaced from the movable body. The left upper projecting appendageand the right upper projecting appendagecan be contoured, jointed, or clothed to resemble sleeves, gloves, or other upper limb elements consistent with the figurine's theme.

The plurality of projecting appendagesalso includes two lower projecting appendages, including a left lower projecting appendageand a right lower projecting appendage, each of which extends from a lower regionof the movable body. These lower projecting appendagesare generally representative of legs and, as will be discussed in more detail below, can be configured for movement relative to each other in a manner that simulates a climbing action. The left and right lower projecting appendages can include shaping, jointing, or clothing features corresponding to pants, boots, or similar lower-limb elements consistent with the figurine's theme.

The figurineof the movable figurine assemblyis supported by a support. The supportcan be an upright support assembly. The support, such as the upright support assembly, can have an upper portionand a lower portion. The upright support assemblycan be placed on or secured to the ground, with a base(or stand) supporting the lower portion. The upright support assemblycan be positioned in a variety of environments and mounting configurations. For example, the upright support assemblycan be positioned so that its upright orientation is maintained by leaning or securing it against a surface, such as building surface. The building surfacecan be a wall, façade, roof, or other portion of a building.

The upright support assemblydepicted inis formed from rigid supports. The rigid supports can be materials such as metal, molded plastic, wood, or composite materials, arranged in a frame structure using, for example, solid or hollow extrusions. In, the upright support assemblyis arranged in a ladder configuration. The upright support assemblyincludes two upright supports, a left upright supportand a right upright support. The two upright supportsare spaced apart from each other and connected by a plurality of transverse supports. The transverse supportsare arranged transverse to the two upright supports, and can be arranged as rungs, bars, or crosspieces. More specifically, the left upright supportand right upright supportcan be spaced apart from each other and/or can be arranged parallel to each other. This arrangement resembles the structure of a traditional ladder, providing both structural integrity and aesthetic compatibility with a climbing motion performed by the figurine.

The upright support assemblyincludes one or more guide tracks. The guide trackcan engage with corresponding components of the figurine, such as a traveler, and serve to constrain and direct the movement of at least a portion of the figurine along defined paths during operation. For example, one or both of the two upright supportscan includes the guide track. When either one or both of the two upright supportsincludes the guide track, the guide trackcan be integrally formed, attached to, or embedded within the upright support. Similarly, the travelercan be integrally formed, attached to, or embedded within the figurine.

The guide trackcan have various geometric configurations. For example, the guide trackcan have C-shaped channels, T-slots, U-shaped grooves, and rectangular or arcuate slots, each configured to guide and constrain the corresponding traveler. Some guide trackscan include raised rails engaged by notched travelers, while others use recessed channels that receive sliding or rolling components. The travelercan include a protrusion, tab, roller, or shaped follower configured to engage the corresponding track profile and remain constrained along its path. In some embodiments, the travelerincludes a bearing or wheel to reduce friction and promote smooth motion within the guide track. Together, the guide trackand travelerdefine a guided interface that enables controlled motion of the figurinerelative to the support.

As shown in, the upright support assemblyincludes two guide tracks, a left guide trackand a right guide track. The left guide trackis connected to or a part of the left upright support, and the right guide trackis connected to or a part of the right upright support. The figurineincludes two travelers, a left traveler(), and a right traveler. Each of the travelersengages with a corresponding guide track. More specifically, the left travelerengages with the left guide track, and the right travelerengages with the right guide track. The travelerscan be located on the projecting appendages, such as on the upper projecting appendages. As noted above, the left upper projecting appendage() includes a left distal end, and the left travelercan be attached to or formed in the left distal endof the left upper projecting appendage. Similarly, the right upper projecting appendageincludes a right distal end(), and the right travelercan be attached to or formed in the right distal endof the right upper projecting appendage. The left travelerand right travelereach can be formed as part of the hands of the humanoid figurine, such that figurine holds on to the left upright supportand the right upright support, resembling the figurineholding on to the sides of the ladder.

The movable figurine assemblyalso includes a movement mechanismincluding coupling, such as a tether, and a drive motor(). In, the drive motoris enclosed within a movement mechanism housing. The drive motoris operatively coupled to the figurineby the tetherto move the figurine. In, one tetheris used and the tetheris attached to the movable bodyof the figurine. As will be discussed below, the tethercan be attached to the figurineat other locations. Additionally, a plurality of tetherscan be used.

The movement mechanism, such as the drive motorand the movement mechanism housingcan be disposed above the figurineto raise and lower the figurine. More specifically the drive motorcan be operatively coupled to the tetherto retract the tetherto raise the figurineand extend the tetherto lower the figurine. As noted above, the travelersengage with a corresponding guide trackand guides the figurineto move along the guide trackwhen the drive motoris operated to move the figurine. The support, such as the upright support assembly, provides a stable framework for controlled movement of the figurine, enabling reliable interaction between the projecting appendagesduring movement such as simulated climbing.

depict another movable figurine assembly.is a perspective view of the movable figurine assemblyillustrated as being attached to the building surface, andis a front view of the movable figurine assembly. The movable figurine assemblyshown inis similar to the movable figurine assemblydiscussed above with reference to. Features of the movable figurine assemblyshown inthat are the same or similar to features of the movable figurine assemblyinwill use the same reference numerals and the discussion above applies here.

The movable figurine assemblyinincludes an upright support assemblysimilar to the upright support assemblydiscussed above. The upright support assemblyincludes two upright supports, a left upright supportand a right upright support, that are similar to the two upright supports, the left upright support, and the right upright support. Likewise, the upright support assemblyincludes a plurality of transverse supportsthat are similar to the plurality of transverse supportsdiscussed above. The upright support assemblyis a flexible support assembly and each of the upright supportsand the transverse supportsare flexible supports. More specifically, the flexible supports are flexible support strands. The flexible support strands can include one or more elongate, flexible bodies such as cords, ropes, cables, or wires. In some embodiments, the flexible support strands incorporate decorative or functional elements such as electrical wiring or integrated lighting, including holiday-themed lights such as Christmas lights. The lightsmay be embedded within, wrapped around, or otherwise attached to the strands. The strands may be made of synthetic or natural materials and may vary in diameter, strength, and flexibility depending on the application and environmental conditions. The lightscan be LEDs and the strands can be an LED light string. The lightscan be adjustable to produce different colors, change different colors, and/or flash.

The two upright supportscan extend from the movement mechanism housing. For example, the movement mechanism housingcan include one or more hangersfor attaching the movable figurine assemblyto the building surface. For example, the hangershown inis a hanger ring. The movable figurine assemblycan be attached to the building surfaceat an elevated position using the hanger. The two upright supportscan be suspended by the movement mechanism housingand extend downwardly therefrom in an upright orientation which, as depicted in, can resemble a rope ladder.

The figurineof the movable figurine assemblyis coupled to the drive motor() using a plurality of tethers, but a single tether, as in, could also be used with the upright support assembly. The tetherscan include a left tetherconnected to the left side of the figurine, such as the left upper projecting appendage, and a right tetherconnected to the right side of the movable figurine assembly, such as to the right upper projecting appendage. More specifically, the left tethercan be attached to the left distal endof the left upper projecting appendage, such as the left traveler, and the right tethercan be attached to the right distal endof the right upper projecting appendage, such as the right traveler. As will be discussed further below, the left tetherand the right tethercan be directly attached to the left distal endand the right distal end, respectively.

is a perspective view of another movable figurine assemblyillustrated as being attached to the building surface. The movable figurine assemblyshown inis similar to the movable figurine assembliesanddiscussed above. Features of the movable figurine assemblyshown inthat are the same or similar to features of the movable figurine assembliesanddiscussed will use the same reference numerals and the discussion above applies here. The movable figurine assemblyincludes a figurinesimilar to the figurinediscussed above, but the figurineshown inhas a different form. More specifically, the figurineis a biomorphic figurine having a biomorphic form. The biomorphic figurine is a spider that can be used as a Halloween decoration, for example. The figurinethus includes eight projecting appendages, each of which are generally representative of spider legs.

The movable figurine assemblyinalso includes an upright support assemblysimilar to the upright support assemblydiscussed above. The upright support assemblyincludes two upright supports, a left upright supportand a right upright support, that are similar to the two upright supports, the left upright support, and the right upright support. Likewise, the upright support assemblyincludes a plurality of transverse supportsthat are similar to the plurality of transverse supportsdiscussed above.

In, the upright support assemblyresembles a spider web. The upright support assemblyincludes a plurality of radially extending supportsconnected by the transverse supports. The radially extending supportscan extend outward from a central region or hub and spaced apart to define a portion of the web-like framework. The transverse supportscan be arranged in a circumferential direction about the central region or hub. More specifically, the transverse supportscan extend between and across the radially extending supports, forming a generally circular or spiral pattern that resembles the intersecting strands of a spider web. The two upright supportscan correspond to two of the radially extending supports, providing the guide tracks(e.g., the left guide trackand the right guide track), while also functioning as part of the overall aesthetic or thematic design. The transverse supportscan help maintain the relative spacing and structural integrity of the radially extending supports. In addition, the movement mechanismraising and lowering the figurine, the two upright supportsand the movement mechanismcan be arranged relative to each other to also impart some lateral motion to the figurine, e.g., left and right movement.

show details of the movement mechanismand the structural frameof the figurine. The movement mechanismand structural frameare described with reference to the movable figurine assemblydiscussed above with reference to, but the movement mechanismand structural frameand features thereof can be used with any one of the movable figurine assemblies discussed herein.

is a perspective view of the movable figurine assembly. In, the outer covering of the figurineis removed to show features of the structural frame. The movement mechanism housingincludes a front caseand a back case. In, the front caseis removed to show details of the movement mechanism.

As noted above, the movable bodyand the projecting appendagescan collectively form the structural frameof the figurine. The lower projecting appendagescan be configured to move relative to the movable bodyby operation of an appendage motor. The appendage motorcan be housed within the movable body, and the lower projecting appendagescan extend outward through slots formed in the lower regionof the movable body. The movable bodycan form the torso of the figurineand can be formed of a plurality of portions including a torso frontand a torso back. The torso frontand the torso backcan form a housing and define a cavity therebetween. The appendage motorcan be located in the cavity defined between the torso frontand the torso back. The appendage motorcan be powered separately from the movement mechanism drive motor.

The appendage motorcan be operatively connected to the lower projecting appendagesto drive rotational or articulated motion of the appendages relative to the movable body, and in some embodiments, independently of each other. Each of the lower projecting appendagesis movable within a defined rotating envelope, which refers to the three-dimensional space traced by the distal end of the lower projecting appendage(e.g., the left lower projecting appendageor the right lower projecting appendage) as the lower projecting appendagerotates or moves through its full range of motion. This motion is intended to simulate a climbing action, such as that of the figurineascending or descending a rope ladder (i.e., the upright support assembly), by engaging in coordinated, repetitive leg-like movements.

The two lower projecting appendagesare disposed proximate to the upright support assembly, such as the transverse supportsthat can be rungs of a simulated rope ladder. In this context, proximate refers to the lower projecting appendagesbeing positioned sufficiently close to interact visually and spatially with the upright support assembly, but not so close as to make contact during normal operation. At a position of closest extent(i.e., the point during movement when the rotating envelopeof a given lower projecting appendagecomes nearest to the transverse supports), a gap is maintained between the lower projecting appendageand the upright support assemblyto prevent physical interference. This gap can range from approximately 2 mm to 10 mm, depending on the scale and application, to ensure reliable clearance while preserving the visual simulation of climbing.

is a detail view of detailin, showing features of the movement mechanism.is an exploded view of the movable figurine assemblyas shown in. The movement mechanismcan be disposed above the figurineand configured to simulate climbing motion by raising and lowering the figurinealong a movement path defined by the guide track. As noted above, the movement mechanism includes the drive motor, and at least one tether, such as the left tetherand the right tetheras depicted in. Each tetheris connected to the figurineas discussed herein and extends upward to a reel. More specifically, the movement mechanismcan include a plurality of reels, such as a left reeland a right reel. The left tetherextends from the figurineto the left reeland is connected to the left reelto be wound on the left reel. Similarly, the right tetherextends from the figurineto the right reeland is connected to the right reelto be wound on the right reel.

The left reeland the right reelare each affixed to a corresponding drive shaft, such as a left drive shaftand a right drive shaft. In some embodiments, the left drive shaftand the right drive shaftcan be left and right ends, respectively, of the same drive shaft, which is referred to herein as drive shaft. Although the following description uses the drive shaft, this description also applies to embodiments where the left drive shaftand the right drive shaftare separate shafts driven by the same or different motors (e.g., a plurality of motors). The drive shaftis rotatably driven by the drive motorvia a gearbox assembly. The drive shaftcan be various suitable drives shafts that transmit a rotational movement from the drive motorto the left reeland the right reel, such as, for example, a square drive shaft. The drive motorcan be energized to rotate the drive shaftin a first direction (direction A) and energized to rotate the drive shaftin a second direction (direction B), opposite the first direction (direction A). Rotating the drive shaftrotates the reelsand wind the tethers, pulling the figurineupward along the upright support assembly, or unwinds the tethers, allowing the figurineto descend under its own weight or under controlled motorized release. As will be discussed in more detail below, the drive motorcan thus be energize to rotate the reelsto alternatively wind the tetherson the reelsand raise the figurineand to unwind the tethersfrom the reelsand lower the figurine. This bidirectional operation simulates a climbing motion by alternately raising and lowering the figurine.

The movement mechanism, including the drive motor, can be electronically controlled by a main control unithoused in the movement mechanism housing. The main control unitcan be a printed circuit board assembly (PCBA). The main control unitcan be other types of controllers, such as, for example, other types of control circuitry such as a wired logic circuit, a microcontroller module, a programmable logic controller (PLC), or a compact embedded system board. Sensors and switches, including those discussed below, can be communicatively coupled to the main control unitto manage operation of the movable figurine assembly, such as the drive motor.

The movable figurine assemblycan also include one or more speakerscommunicatively coupled to the main control unitto emit sounds during operation, such as, for example songs that correspond to the theme of the movable figurine assembly. The speakeris depicted as being located within the movement mechanism housing, but the speakercan be located in other locations, such as in the movable body().

are detail views of detailin, showing features of a reel assemblyof the movement mechanism.is a front view of detail, andis a side view. Each of the left reeland the right reelcan include a reel assembly. The reel assemblydepicted inis the reel assemblycorresponding to the left reel, but the discussion also applies to the reel assemblycorresponding to the right reel. The reel assemblyincludes features that aid in operation and winding of the left tether. The reel assemblyshown inincludes the left reel, a reverse direction assembly, and a slack detection and guide assembly.

As the drive motorrotates the left reelin the first direction (direction A), the left tetheris wound on the left reeland the figurineis raised. When the figurinereaches a predetermined upper position, a stopper, which is referred to herein as an upper stopper, formed in the left tetheractuates an alternate revolution leverof the reverse direction assembly. The upper stoppercan be, for example, a knot or other enlarged portion of the left tether. Other stoppers can include, for example, a crimped ferrule, heat-formed bulb, adhesive stop bead, tether clip, molded button, swaged sleeve, or barbed insert, or other molded feature. The alternate revolution leveractuates an alternate revolution switch, which sends a signal to the main control unitto reverse the direction of the drive motor. The drive motorthen rotates the left reelor allows the left reelto rotate in the second direction (direction B) to lower the figurine. When the figurinereaches the bottom of its travel, the left tethercan be completely unwound from the left reel. With the drive motorcontinuing to rotate in the second direction (direction B), the left tetheris then wound on the left reelraising the figurineuntil the upper stopperactuates an alternate revolution leverto change the direction of the motor to the first direction (direction A).

To prevent tether slack or tangling, the reel assemblyincludes a slack detection and guide assembly. The slack detection and guide assemblyincludes a guide wheeland a bracketsupporting the guide wheel. The slack detection and guide assemblyensures that sufficient tension is maintained on the left tether. The guide wheelcan be a grooved wheel. The guide wheelis positioned along the path of the left tetherto direct and stabilize its movement during operation. The groove formed along the circumference of the guide wheelreceives the left tether, maintaining its alignment and preventing lateral displacement as the left tethermoves during winding and unwinding. The guide wheelensures smooth, controlled motion of the left tetheras it is wound onto or released from the left reel, reducing friction and wear.

The guide wheelis mounted on the bracket. In operation, the weight of the figurinetensions the left tethertogether with the left reel. The tension exerts a radially inward force on the guide wheel, which in turn exerts a force on the bracket, referred to herein as an inward force. A spring or other biasing member can exert a biasing force on the bracketin the direction opposite to the inward force. The bracketis movable, such as pivotable about a pivot access, in response to the inward force and the biasing force. The biasing force is set such that, when the left tetherproduces the inward force, the inward force to closes (or turns on) a slack-prevention reset switch. With the guide wheelclosed, the main control unitoperates the drive motorto raise and lower the figurine. If the left tetherloses tension, such as when the figurineis removed or an obstruction occurs, the biasing force of the spring moves the bracketoutward and releases the slack-prevention reset switch, automatically cutting power to the drive motorto halt operation and prevent entanglement of the left tether.

are detail views of the right distal endof the right upper projecting appendage, showing a guided interface, such as one that can be used with the movable figurine assemblyshown in.shows the right distal enddisengaged from the right tether, and the right travelerdisengaged from the right guide track.shows the right distal endengages with the right tether, and the right travelerengaged with the right guide track. Althoughshow the right distal end, the discussion also applies to the left distal endof the left upper projecting appendageand the left guide track. As noted above, the right tethercan be attached to the right distal end, such as to the right traveler. For example, the right distal endcan include a tapered slot. The right tethercan engage with the tapered slot, such as by being positioned within it. The tapered slotnarrows toward its upper end, creating a constriction that securely grips the right tetherby friction or interference fit. This configuration pinches the right tetherbetween the converging walls of the tapered slot, preventing the right tetherfrom slipping or becoming dislodged during operation without the need for adhesives or additional fasteners.

The right tethercan include another stopper, which is referred to herein as a lower stopper, formed in the right tether. The lower stoppercan be, for example, a knot or other enlarged portion of the right tether. Other stoppers can include, for example, a crimped ferrule, heat-formed bulb, adhesive stop bead, tether clip, molded button, swaged sleeve, or barbed insert, or other molded feature. In addition, or as an alternative, to the frictional engagement, the lower stoppercan be positioned below the tapered slotto provide a mechanical stop that prevents upward movement of the right tetherthrough the tapered slot. The tapered slotcan included a tapered portionand an enlarged openingformed beneath the tapered portionof the tapered slot. The lower stoppercan be seated within the enlarged openingand the tapered portionand/or the enlarged openingis dimensioned to retain the lower stopperwhile preventing the lower stopperfrom passing through the narrower tapered portion. This dual-retention configuration provides enhanced tether security and positional stability during repeated motion cycles.shows the right tetherand lower stopperengaged with the tapered slot.

As discussed above, the right travelercan have various shapes. As depicted in, for example, the right travelercan include a recess. The recesscan be, for example, a U-shaped recess. The right guide trackcan be positioned in the recess. More specifically, when the right guide trackis the right upright supportand a flexible support strand, the flexible support strand can be positioned in the U-shaped recess to engage the right travelerwith the right guide track, as shown in.

are detail views of the right distal endof the right upper projecting appendage, showing an alternate guided interface, such as one that can be used with the movable figurine assemblyshown in.shows the right travelerdisengaged from the right guide track, andshows the right travelerengaged with the right guide track. Althoughshow the right distal end, the discussion also applies to the left distal endof the left upper projecting appendageand the left guide track. In, the right distal endincludes a traveler slot, which is T-shaped in cross-section, although other cross-sectional shapes can be used to achieve similar guiding functionality. The right guide trackincludes a railthat has a corresponding shape, such as a T-shape. The railis received within the traveler slot, as shown in. This rail-and-slot configuration allows the right distal endto slide smoothly along the railas the figurineis raised and lowered, maintaining alignment and guiding movement along the intended path.

is a schematic diagram of an electrical system that can be used with the movable figurine assemblies discussed herein.

As noted above, like reference numerals used in the accompanying drawings generally identify identical, functionally similar, and/or structurally similar features throughout the various figures. Features described in connection with a particular embodiment or figure are not intended to be limited solely to that embodiment, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Rather, the various features, components, and configurations disclosed herein may be combined, interchanged, or adapted across different embodiments. For example, although the movable figurine assembly illustrated inis shown with a single tether, the arrangement using a plurality of tethersdiscussed herein can be used with the movable figurine assembly.

As used throughout this description, the terms “left” and “right” are provided for ease of reference and are defined with respect to the orientation of the figurine, as if the figurine were facing forward in an upright, anthropomorphic posture.

As used herein, the term “upright” refers to a structure that extends in a generally vertical orientation when the support assembly is in its intended position of use. The upright orientation may be vertical or inclined at an angle relative to horizontal, the structure being more vertical than horizontal.

As used herein, the term “rigid support” refers to a support structure that maintains a fixed shape and spatial orientation under the forces encountered during operation. A rigid support resists bending, sagging, or other deformation during operation.