U.S. patent application number 09/804376 was filed with the patent office on 2002-09-19 for toy water gun.
Invention is credited to Yu, Jack.
Application Number | 20020132557 09/804376 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 25188809 |
Filed Date | 2002-09-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020132557 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Yu, Jack |
September 19, 2002 |
Toy water gun
Abstract
A toy water gun has a hand pump for pressurizing a reservoir of
water and a trigger which controls a valve for allowing pressurized
water to squirt from a nozzle when the trigger is pulled. A spring
wire which normally urges the trigger toward a rest position
engages a contact in response to pulling of the trigger whereby a
circuit is completed to energize a motor which drives a
slider-crank mechanism for causing reciprocation of the water gun's
barrels, and to energize a sound circuit for simulating the sounds
of gun fire.
Inventors: |
Yu, Jack; (Arcadia,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LEVINE & MANDELBAUM
350 FIFTH AVENUE SUITE 7814
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING
NEW YORK
NY
10118
US
|
Family ID: |
25188809 |
Appl. No.: |
09/804376 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/475 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B 9/0018 20130101;
F41B 9/0075 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/475 |
International
Class: |
A63H 033/30 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A toy water gun comprising, a housing, a plurality of barrels
mounted in said housing, at least one of said barrels being
slideable for reciprocal motion relative to said housing, and at
least one of said barrels having a nozzle for expelling water, a
motor mounted in said housing, an actuator operatively connected
between said motor and said slideable one of said barrels for
urging said slideable one of said barrels to reciprocate relative
to said housing in response to energization of said motor, an
electrical power supply mounted in said housing, a switch mounted
in said housing and operatively connected between said power supply
and said motor for selectively energizing said motor, a pump
mounted in said housing, said pump including a reservoir for
containing water, a plunger for pressurizing said reservoir, and a
trigger movable between a rest position and a shooting position,
said trigger preventing fluid communication between said reservoir
and said nozzle for preventing expulsion of water from said
reservoir through said nozzle when in said rest position, and
permitting fluid communication between said reservoir and said
nozzle for enabling expulsion of water under pressure from said
reservoir through said nozzle when in said shooting position said
trigger being adapted to be pressed for movement from said rest
position to said shooting position, and being operatively connected
to said switch for energizing said motor in response to movement of
said trigger toward said shooting position.
2. A toy water gun in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a
slider-crank mechanism having a crank operatively connected to said
motor and a slider operatively connected to said slideable barrel
for causing said slideable barrel to reciprocate in response to
rotation of said crank by said motor.
3. A toy water gun in accordance with claim 2 further comprising a
lever pivotally mounted in said housing and operatively connected
to said slider and to said slideable barrel, said lever rotatably
oscillating in response to reciprocation of said slider for causing
said slideable barrel to reciprocate in response to rotation of
said crank by said motor.
4. A toy water gun in accordance with claim 1 wherein said switch
comprises a resilient spring arm biased toward said rest position
and engageable by said trigger for urging said trigger toward said
shooting position.
5. A toy water gun in accordance with claim 4 wherein said
resilient spring arm is conducts current from said power supply to
said motor when said trigger is in said shooting position.
6. A toy water gun in accordance with claim 1 further comprising a
sound circuit for producing sounds simulating gun fire sounds in
response to movement of said trigger to said shooting position.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to children's toy water guns of the
type modeled after a carbine and having a large water reservoir.
More specifically, the invention teaches how to provide such a
water gun with the capability to squirt water from a plurality of
barrels which reciprocate in out of phase synchronization as water
is ejected through them, and to emit sounds associated with the
firing of a weapon.
[0002] It is known to make water guns having an electrical pump and
an electrical noisemaker. In such water guns the trigger is
connected to the actuator of an electrical switch in series with a
battery and an electric pump. A noisemaker may also be connected to
the battery through the switch. Pulling the switch closes a circuit
between the battery and pump thereby causing the pump to
continuously force water from a reservoir. Such electric water guns
are relatively expensive to manufacture, and short lived when
subjected to handling by children in their play environments due to
the fragility of the electric pumps. Moreover, such pumps draw
relatively large currents from the batteries which must be
frequently replaced at further expense.
[0003] It is also known in the art to make water guns having a
mechanical pump with a plunger in the shaper of the gun trigger.
Pulling the trigger forces the plunger into a chamber thereby
forcing air into a reservoir filled with water. With each stroke of
the trigger, a volume of water is displaced from the reservoir
through a nozzle. Such water guns are generally silent and have no
moving parts other than the trigger which is actuated by finger
pressure and a return spring which restores the trigger to its rest
position after each pull. Although inherently more reliable and
less expensive than electrically operated water guns, manual water
guns of this type are unable to provide children with the thrill of
hearing weapon sounds as the water is "fired" from the gun, or to
squirt long duration, continuous streams, of water.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] The present invention overcomes the aforementioned
shortcomings of prior art water guns in teaching how to make a
mechanically actuated water gun which can be operated to expel long
duration continuous streams of water without any requirement for an
electrical power supply, yet which can also emit gun-like sounds,
and causing the barrels of the gun to reciprocate, when the trigger
is pulled via motor driven slider-crank mechanism connected to the
barrels, and an electronic sound system, both of which are
connected to a switch actuated by the trigger.
[0005] It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a
water gun which can squirt water from a plurality of reciprocating
barrels while emitting sounds associated with the firing of a
weapon.
[0006] Another object of the invention is to provide a water gun
which can continuously emit pressurized water from a reservoir
while operating an electrical sound generator.
[0007] Still another object of the invention is to provide a water
gun with a trigger having the feel of a conventional water gun
trigger and the ability to emit sounds similar to those of a more
expensive electrical pump operated water gun.
[0008] A further object of the invention is to provide a water gun
with barrels that reciprocate as water is manually pumped through
nozzles in the barrels.
[0009] Other and further objects of the invention will be apparent
from the following drawings and description of a preferred
embodiment of the invention in which like reference numerals are
used to indicate like parts in the various views.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is an exterior side elevation view of an assembled
toy water gun in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the
invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is an interior side elevation view of the toy water
gun of FIG. 1 in a disassembled condition with trigger removed.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a an enlarged fragmentary view showing a portion
of the toy water gun as shown in FIG. 2.
[0013] FIG. 4A is a fragmentary plan view showing the barrel
assembly of the toy water gun of FIG. 1 in a first disposition in
use.
[0014] FIG. 4B is a fragmentary plan view showing the barrel
assembly of the toy water gun shown in FIG. 4A in a second
disposition in use.
[0015] FIG. 4C is a fragmentary plan view showing the barrel
assembly of the toy water gun shown in FIG. 4A in a third
disposition in use.
[0016] FIG. 5A is a fragmentary plan view showing the trigger
assembly of the toy water gun of FIG. 1 in a first disposition in
use.
[0017] FIG. 5B is a fragmentary plan view showing the trigger
assembly of the toy water gun shown in FIG. 5A in a second
disposition in use.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view showing an opposite side of a
portion of the toy water gun as shown in FIG. 2.
[0019] FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing an electric circuit for
operating the toy water gun in accordance with the preferred
embodiment of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown a
water gun 1 having a housing 3 molded from plastic in the general
shape of a futuristic carbine. A grip 5 extends downwardly from the
main body 7 of the housing 3. The grip 5 has horizontally running,
vertically spaced, ridges 9 and grooves 11 at its sides and rear,
for preventing slippage in the palm of a hand, and notches 13 at
its front for receiving the fingers of the gripping hand. Two
barrels 12, 14 extend from the front of the water gun 1.
[0021] A generally rectangular trigger guard 15 extends from the
front of the grip 5 along the underside of the main body 7 and
surrounds a trigger 17 having a surface 18 adapted to be pressed by
an index finger for operating the water gun. On top of the trigger
is a wall 16 (see FIG. 5A) from which a projection 20 extends
rearwardly in axial alignment with a substantially cylindrical
plunger 22 reciprocally slideable in a hollow cylinder 24 which
leads into a water reservoir 26 having a filling opening which is
covered by a threaded cap 28 best seen in FIG. 2.
[0022] Referring to FIG. 3, a hand pump 79 has a cylinder 81 in
communication with the reservoir 26. A plunger 83 is slideable
within the cylinder 81 and has a handle 85 for reciprocating the
plunger 83 to pump air into the reservoir 26 for pressurizing the
water with it.
[0023] A plastic hose 30 has one end connected to a boss 32
surrounding an opening in the wall of the cylinder 24 and an
opposite end connected to a central valve port 34 in a three-way
valve 36. A forward valve port 38 of the three-way valve 36 is
connected to an inlet port of a T-fitting 40 having two outlet
ports 42, 44. A hose 46 extends from one port 42 to an inlet
opening 48 in a nozzle 50 mounted within a barrel 12 of the water
gun 1. A hose 52 extends from the other port 44 of the T-fitting 40
to an inlet opening 54 in a nozzle 56 mounted within a barrel 14 of
the water gun 1.
[0024] A hose 58 has one end connected to the third port 60 of the
three-way valve 36 and an opposite end connected to a relief nozzle
62 mounted on the butt end of the water gun 1 enabling
communication between the ambient atmosphere and the reservoir
26.
[0025] With the trigger 17 at its rest position, passage of
pressurized water from the reservoir to the hoses 46 and 50 is
blocked. When the trigger 17 is pulled to its firing position,
passage of pressurized water from the reservoir to the hoses 46 and
50 is enabled and water under pressure in the reservoir 26 is
forced through the hoses 30, 46 and 52 and expelled through the
nozzles 50, and 56 on respective barrels 12, and 14.
[0026] As can best be seen in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the trigger 17 has a
floor 19 which projects rearwardly and terminates in an edge 21
engageable with a length of an electrically conductive resilient
spring wire 23, a segment of which is wound about a screw 25
threaded into an aperture 27 in a boss 29 integral with the
interior of the housing 3. The spring wire 23 urges the trigger in
a forward direction toward a rest position for the trigger 17 as
can best be seen in FIG. 5A. When finger pressure is applied to the
trigger surface 18, the trigger 17 moves rearwardly, pivoting the
spring wire 23 back about the screw 25 and urging a free end 33 of
the spring wire 23 into contact with a contact in the form of a
cylindrical sleeve 35 made of a conductive metal and circumscribing
a boss 37 integral with the interior of the housing 3. A securing
screw 39 is threaded into the boss 37 for holding the sleeve 35 in
place.
[0027] Referring additionally to FIGS. 6 and 7, an end of the
spring wire 23 opposite the free end 33 is electrically connected
to one terminal of a power supply 47 in a compartment 49 within the
housing 3. The opposite terminate of the power supply is connected
to the sleeve contact 35.
[0028] The power supply contains three size C, 11/2 volt batteries
51 connected in series for producing a voltage of 41/2 volts.
Connected in parallel with the series combination of the power
supply 47 and a switch assembly 53 defined by the spring wire 23
and contact 35 are a motor assembly 55 and a sound assembly 57.
[0029] The motor assembly 55 includes a direct current motor 59,
having a unidirectionally rotatable armature 61 which is part of a
slider-crank mechanism. The sound assembly 57 includes a
microcircuit with a memory on which there are digitally stored
sounds imitative of the firing of an automatic weapon, a digital to
analog converter, an amplifier and a speaker for producing audible
sounds as will be known to those skilled in the art.
[0030] When the free end 33 of the spring wire 23 engages the
contact 35, the motor 59 is energized, and its armature 61 rotates.
Referring to FIGS. 4A-4C, the slider-crank mechanism includes a
T-slide 63 slideably mounted on the housing of the motor assembly
55 an having an axial slot in which a boss 65 and cover screw 67,
connected to the housing of the motor assembly 55, are received. A
crank mounted on the armature 61 has a pin 69 disposed in a
transverse slot 71 of the T-slide 63 for causing the T-slide 63 to
reciprocate in an axial direction parallel to the barrels 12 and 14
as the motor armature 61 rotates.
[0031] A lever 71 is pivotally mounted, at a center opening, over a
boss 73 and cover screw 75 fixed to the housing of the motor
assembly 55. A pin 75 on the T-slide 63 extends through an aperture
adjacent one end of the lever 71 and is received in an aperture in
the slideably mounted barrel 14. A pin 77 extending from the barrel
12, transverse to its axis, is received in an aperture adjacent an
opposite end of the lever 71. As the motor armature 61 rotates, the
T-slide 63 reciprocates axially, causing the lever 71 to pivot back
and forth, and the barrels 12 and 14 to reciprocate in
synchronization, 180 degrees out of phase.
[0032] In use, the cap 28 is removed from the reservoir 26 and the
reservoir 26 is filled with water, after which the cap 28 is
replaced to seal the reservoir 26. The pump handle 85 is then
reciprocated to force air, under pressure, into the reservoir.
[0033] When the trigger 17 is pulled, fluid communication between
the reservoir 26 and nozzles 50, 56 permits water, under pressure,
to be forced from the reservoir 26 through the nozzles 50, 56.
Pulling of the trigger also urges the spring arm switch member 23
against the conductive sleeve 35 for completing a circuit between
the power supply 47 and motor 59, thereby causing the motor
armature 61 to rotate, and the barrels 12, 14 to reciprocate as
water is squirted from the nozzles 50, 56. Closing of the switch
member 23 also energizes the sound assembly 57 which emanates
sounds simulating gunfire.
[0034] It is to be appreciated that the foregoing is a description
of a preferred embodiment of the invention to which modifications
may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention.
* * * * *