U.S. patent application number 11/134191 was filed with the patent office on 2006-11-23 for toy for launching a projectile.
Invention is credited to Jacob R.S. Andersen.
Application Number | 20060260594 11/134191 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 36685767 |
Filed Date | 2006-11-23 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060260594 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Andersen; Jacob R.S. |
November 23, 2006 |
Toy for launching a projectile
Abstract
A toy for launching a projectile is described. The toy
comprisies a body and a resiliently flexible tongue attached to the
body at a first end. The resiliently flexible tongue includes a
free second end adapted to be initially displaced from the body and
released by a user so as to resiliently flex in a direction
opposite from which it was initially displaced in order to strike
and launch the projectile.
Inventors: |
Andersen; Jacob R.S.; (Hong
Kong, HK) |
Correspondence
Address: |
IP GROUP OF DLA PIPER RUDNICK GRAY CARY US LLP
1650 MARKET ST
SUITE 4900
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Family ID: |
36685767 |
Appl. No.: |
11/134191 |
Filed: |
May 20, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
124/16 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 2009/0265 20130101;
A63H 13/10 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
124/016 |
International
Class: |
F41B 7/00 20060101
F41B007/00 |
Claims
1. A toy for launching a projectile, the toy comprising: a body and
a resiliently flexible tongue attached to the body at a first end,
the resiliently flexible tongue having a free second end adapted to
be initially displaced from the body and released by a user so as
to resiliently flex in a direction opposite from which it was
initially displaced in order to strike and launch the
projectile.
2. The toy of claim 1, wherein the resiliently flexible tongue
includes a striking member, wherein the striking member contacts
the projectile when the tongue resiliently flexes in a direction
opposite from which it was initially displaced.
3. The toy of claim 2, wherein the striking member comprises an
upwardly angled member.
4. The toy of claim 2, further comprising at least one guide
member, wherein the at least one guide member and the striking
member launch the projectile in a pre-selected orientation.
5. The toy of claim 1, further comprising a gripping member,
wherein the gripping member is utilized by a user to initially
displace the free second end of the tongue from the body.
6. The toy of claim 5, wherein the gripping member includes a
striking member, wherein the striking member contacts the
projectile when the tongue resiliently flexes in a direction
opposite from which it was initially displaced.
7. The toy of claim 1, wherein the resiliently flexible tongue is
constructed out of one of plastic, metal or wood.
8. The toy of claim 1, wherein the deflection angle between the
plane of the body and the resiliently flexible tongue for launching
the projectile is between 30 and 60 degrees.
9. The toy of claim 8, wherein the projectile is launched with an
energy of between 20mJ and 60mJ when the resiliently flexible
tongue is released from the deflection angle of between 30 and 60
degrees.
10. The toy of claim 1, further comprising a base member, wherein
the base member provides added stability for when the tongue
resiliently flexes in a direction opposite from which it was
initially displaced.
11. A toy for launching a projectile, the toy comprising: a body
including a chamber having a first opening for receiving a
projectile, a shaft and a second opening; and a resiliently
flexible tongue attached to the chamber at a first end, the
resiliently flexible tongue having a free second end adapted to be
initially displaced from the chamber and released by a user so as
to resiliently flex in a direction opposite from which it was
initially displaced in order to strike and launch the projectile;
wherein the shaft of the chamber guides the projectile in a
predetermined orientation through the second opening of the
chamber.
12. The toy of claim 11, wherein the resiliently flexible tongue
includes a striking member, wherein the striking member contacts
the projectile when the tongue resiliently flexes in a direction
opposite from which it was initially displaced.
13. The toy of claim 12, wherein the shaft of the chamber and the
striking member launch the projectile in a pre-selected
orientation.
14. The toy of claim 12, wherein the chamber includes a seat for
aligning the projectile with the striking member.
15. The toy of claim 11, wherein the deflection angle between the
plane of the body and the resiliently flexible tongue for launching
the projectile is between 30 and 60 degrees.
16. The toy of claim 15, wherein the projectile is launched with an
energy of between 20mJ and 60mJ when the resiliently flexible
tongue is released from the deflection angle of between 30 and 60
degrees.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a toy launching
device, and more particularly to a toy launching device for
striking and launching a projectile in a pre-selected
orientation.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Toys for launching projectiles provide a constant source of
amusement to children. Such toys may be entertaining in and of
themselves or they may be components of a more comprehensive game
or system of games. In order to achieve lasting enjoyment, such
toys should be easy to operate and they should perform
consistently. Unfortunately, such toys often include several parts
and complex mechanisms that can render the toys expensive. Also,
although such toys provide for initial enjoyment, they are often
quickly rendered useless due to breakage of complex parts, normal
wear and/or inconsistent performance attributes. Therefore, what is
needed in the art is an improved toy for launching a
projectile.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Embodiments of the invention include a toy for launching a
projectile. The toy comprisies a body and a resiliently flexible
tongue attached to the body at a first end. The resiliently
flexible tongue includes a free second end adapted to be initially
displaced from the body and released by a user so as to resiliently
flex in a direction opposite from which it was initially displaced
in order to strike and launch the projectile.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0004] For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are
shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being
understood, that this invention is not limited to the precise
arrangements and instrumentalities shown.
[0005] FIG. 1A illustrates a side elevation view of an exemplary
embodiment of the invention.
[0006] FIG. 1B is another side elevation view of the embodiment of
the invention in FIG. 1A.
[0007] FIG. 1C is another side elevation view of the embodiment of
the invention in FIG. 1A.
[0008] FIG. 1D illustrates a three dimensional view of the
embodiment of the invention in FIG. 1A.
[0009] FIG. 2A is a front elevation view illustrating an exemplary
embodiment of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 2B is another front elevation view of the embodiment of
the invention in FIG. 2A.
[0011] FIG. 2C is another front elevation view of the embodiment of
the invention in FIG. 2A.
[0012] FIG. 3A is front elevation view illustrating an exemplary
embodiment of the invention.
[0013] FIG. 3B is another front elevation view of the embodiment of
the invention in FIG. 3A.
[0014] FIG. 3C is another front elevation view of the embodiment of
the invention in FIG. 3A.
[0015] FIG. 3D is a side elevation view of the embodiment of the
invention in FIG. 3A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] It will be appreciated that the following description is
intended to refer to exemplary embodiments of the invention
selected for illustration in the drawings and is not intended to
define or limit the invention, other than in the appended claim. In
the figures, in which like reference numerals indicate like
elements, apparatuses and methods for a toy for striking and
launching a projectile in a pre-selected orientation are shown.
Before describing the invention in detail, certain terms should be
defined for a more complete understanding of this description.
[0017] As such, for the purposes of the embodiments herein a
"projectile" is defined as a shooting piece that can be made from,
for example (and without limitation), paper, glass or plastic. The
projectile can be made, for example, by the grasping of paper into
a generally compressed surface area, forming glass or ceramic into
a spheroid shape (e.g., a marble), or by the blow molding or
injection molding of plastic material such as high impact
polystyrene, polypropylene or polyethylene. Other suitable
materials and forming methods will be apparent to those skilled in
the art. In various embodiments, the diameter of the projectile may
range between 0.8 cm and 1.6 cm, however, the general size and
shape of the projectile will be determined by an array of factors
including its application in various game concepts.
[0018] A "toy" as defined herein may include any object comprising
a body by which a method for launching a projectile may be
implemented. For example, in various embodiments the toy may be
shaped to look like a character such as a robot-like figure (as
shown in FIGS. 1A-1D), a ball player or a domesticated animal.
Further, the toy may be decorated with colors and/or graphics of
some sort. The toy may alternatively be configured as a purely
functional device without decorative design elements.
[0019] In addition to having a distinctive shape or color element,
the toy may be two dimensional (2-D) or three dimensional (3-D).
For example, in 3-D form, as shown in FIG. 1A, the toy 100 may
comprise a body 102 which has the ability to stand upright. In one
embodiment, the 3-D toy 100 includes at least one base member 104
that enables the toy 100 to stand upright and to be substantially
anchored for the launch of a projectile 106. It is also possible
that the user can hold the toy during launch to provide further
stability. The 3-D embodiment in FIG. 1A also provides the ability
to load the projectile 106 into a chamber 108 from one or more
openings for launching. FIGS. 2A-2C illustrate another equally
suitable and generally compact 3-D embodiment of the invention,
while FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate a 2-D embodiment. It should be
understood that the description herein, although focussed on the
embodiment of FIGS. 1A-1D, is also generally applicable to the
embodiments of FIGS. 2A-3D unless otherwise indicated or evident
from the drawings.
[0020] In the various embodiments, all or part of the toy may be
constructed out of commercially available flexible sheet materials.
For example, the production material of the toy may include
flexible plastic, e.g., polystyrene sheet, PERSPEX (a registered
trademarks of ICI Acrylics, Inc.) or other acrylics, metal
(stainless steel, copper), wood, or any combination thereof.
Generally, for portions of the toy to be resiliently flexible as
described below, a suitable thickness for the flexible sheet
material may range between 0.5 mm and 1.5 mm. However, one skilled
in the art will note that this thickness range will vary depending
on the selected flexible sheet material being employed. The
dimensions of the toy will also vary according to the requirements
of various applications. For example, the toy height requirement
for use as part of a board game may range between 5 cm and 8 cm. It
is, of course, also possible to produce the toy with materials that
would not ordinarily be considered "sheets", such as by injection
molding the body in any desired shape.
[0021] In various embodiments, the toy may be implemented as a
fully assembled device or as a do-it-yourself kit, wherein a user
assembles the toy by popping out prefabricated parts along lines of
weakness from a flat piece of plastic, metal or any other bending
material. Preferrably, the assembly of the toy will not require the
aid of tools and/or adhesives and all the parts should be joined
together by the snap fit of the parts themselves.
[0022] The functionality of the toy is based on initially
displacing a resiliently flexible tongue and using the recurring
force of the tongue in the direction opposite to the initial
displacement to strike and launch the projectile. It should be
noted that the tongue can be an elongated element as shown in the
drawings, or can be of other shapes, such as a triangle or the
like, so long as one end is attached to the body and another end is
resiliently displaceable. In operation, as shown in FIGS. 1A and
1B, a user places the projectile 106 within contact range of the
resiliently flexible tongue 109 that is attached to the body 102 of
the toy 100 at a first end. The user then initially displaces the
free second end of the tongue 109 from association with the body
102 by utilizing a gripping member 110 as shown in FIG. 1B. In
various embodiments, the initial displacement of the free end of
the tongue 109 that is not attached to the body 102 may comprise
either a vertical or horizontal motion, however, for either
configuration the general functionality of the tongue 109 will be
the same. For example, the tongue 109 as illustrated in FIGS. 1B
and 2B is shown to be displaced vertically by a user, while the
tongue 109 in FIG. 3B is shown to be displaced horizontally.
[0023] Next, the user releases the gripping member 110 so that the
tongue 109 will resiliently flex in a direction opposite to the
initial displacement, causing the tongue 109 to strike and launch
the projectile 106 as shown in FIG. 1C. The speed of the projectile
106 will mainly depend on the resiliently flexible material and the
angle at which the tongue 109 is initially displaced by the user.
In one embodiment, the energy of the projectile 106 can be limited
so as not to exceed a pre-selected safety limit. For example, one
pre-selected safety limit suitable for various children's games is
0.08 Joules (J). Alternatively, a safety limit for other
applications may be higher or lower. Preferrably, an initial tongue
displacement of 30 to 60 degrees relative to the body 102 by a user
will produce a sufficient force in a direction opposite to the
initial displacement of the tongue 109 to launch a projectile 106.
Within a selected safety range, for example, a projectile 106, such
as a marble, may be launched with an energy of between 10mJ and
100mJ, preferably between 20mJ and 60mJ, and most preferably
between 30mJ and 50mJ depending on the initial displacement angle
of the tongue 109.
[0024] The launch direction of the projectile 106 can be
pre-selected by changing the orientation/posture of the toy and/or
by incorporating a chamber or guide member into the body 102 to
direct the flight path of the projectile 106. An example of a
chamber 108 utilized to direct the flight path of a projectile is
shown in FIG. 1D. The chamber 108 includes a first opening 116 for
receiving a projectile 106, a second opening 118 for an exiting
projectile 106, and a shaft 120 for at least partially selecting
the orientation of the projectile 106 as it exits the chamber 108.
In addition to having a chamber 108, the toy as illustrated in
FIGS. 1A-1D includes a seat 112 for stabilizing and aligning the
projectile 106 with the tongue 108. Alternatively, FIGS. 2A-2C
illustrate a toy 200 with dual guide members 202. In still another
alternative, FIGS. 3A-3D illustrate a toy 300 with a single guide
member 302.
[0025] As shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, in various embodiments the toy 100
includes a striking member 114 that is generally characterized by a
surface area for contacting the projectile 106, when the tongue 109
resiliently flexes in a direction opposite from which it was
initially displaced. The striking member 114 may be constructed of
any material including plastic, metal, wood or any combination
thereof. In one embodiment, the striking member 114 is centrally
mounted at the second free end of the tongue 109. For example, the
striking member 114 may be an integrated surface feature of the
tongue 109. Alternatively, the striking member 114 may be an
independent element that is constructed from the same or different
materials from the tongue 109 or other components. In another
embodiment, the striking member 114 may be incorporated into the
gripping member 110, wherein, as shown in FIGS. 1A-1D, the tongue
109 separates the gripping portion of the gripping member 110 from
an integrated striking member 114 by being fixedly seated within
the gripping member 110. In the case of FIGS. 1A-1D, the tongue 109
defines the demarcation between the gripping member 110 and the
striking member 114 of the integrated element.
[0026] In operation, the striking member 114 is designed to strike
a seated projectile 106 at a pre-selected orientation. For example,
for the toy in FIGS. 1A-1D the striking member 114 may be designed
to strike the projectile 106 in such a manner as to keep the
projectile 106 in a generally narrow trajectory for exiting the
chamber 108 after a launch. Alternatively, the striking member 114
may be designed to strike the projectile 106 in such a manner as to
direct the projectile 106 to contact a certain portion of the
chamber 108 after launch in order for the projectile 106 to exit
the chamber 108 in a pre-selected orientation. As shown in FIG. 1D,
the striking member 114 may be wedge-shaped to provide an upwardly
angled member so as to launch the projectile 106 in a generally
elevated manner relative to a horizontal plane. The wedge-shaped
striking member 114 may also keep the projectile 106 airborne over
an increased distance relative to, for example, a convex-shaped
striking member. For various applications of the toy, the
projectile 106 may be required to be airborne over a certain
distance, such as for scoring a goal in a game. In other instances,
the projectile 106 may be required to clear a threshold elevation
in order to score a goal, such as a football-type fieldgoal. As
such, the striking member 114 in association with either a chamber
108 or at least one guide element work to guide a projectile 106 in
a pre-selected orientation. Further, a chamber or guide component
may be detachable in order to give a user the option of attaching
another launch mechanism or functionality.
[0027] Another method of launching the projectile at vertical
angles is to form the flexible tongue so as to have a neutral
position disposed at an angle off of vertical. In this way, the
striking position of the projectile can be in front of the body
while the tongue is on an upswing. Alternatively, the user can hold
the toy off of vertical to achieve a similar effect.
[0028] As such, in various embodiments the toy may be utilized to
play games in which a user is required to accurately hit an
opponents' toy, target, goal, etc.
[0029] Although the invention has been described in terms of
various embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the
appended claims should be construed broadly to include other
variants and embodiments of the invention which may be made by
those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range
of equivalents of the invention.
* * * * *