They Invented What? (No. 19)

U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,330:  Apparatus for simulating a “high five.”

 

Background:

During a televised sporting event, a “high five” is commonly shared between fans to express the joy and excitement of a touchdown, home run, game-winning basket, birdie or other positive occurrence. Unfortunately, as known in the art, a “high five” requires the mutual hand slapping of two participants, wherein a first participant slaps an upraised hand against the elevated hand of a second participant. As such, a solitary fan is unable to perform a “high five” to express excitement during a televised sporting event.

Claims:

1. An apparatus for simulating a “high five” comprising:

     a first, movable arm portion for simulating a forearm, said first arm portion having a simulated hand secured thereto;

     a second, immovable arm portion for simulating an upper arm;

     a mounting arrangement for mounting said second arm portion to a supporting surface;

     a pivot member for pivotally securing said first arm portion to said second arm portion, wherein said first arm portion is adapted to be pivotally displaced about said pivot member along a single plane when struck by a user, with said second, immovable arm portion remaining stationary;

     a stop arrangement for limiting the pivotable displacement of said first arm portion along said single plane; and

     a biasing element, formed independently of said stop arrangement, for biasing said first arm portion towards and against said stop arrangement and for maintaining said first and second arm portions in a predetermined alignment;

wherein said first arm portion is adapted to be dislodged from against said stop arrangement, and pivotally displaced about said pivot member along said single plane, when said simulated hand is struck by a user, said biasing element subsequently biasing said first arm portion towards and against said stop arrangement, thereby reestablishing said predetermined alignment.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further including:

     a sound generating system for outputting a sound in response to the pivotable displacement of said first arm portion.

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