Paint ball simulation toy

Abstract

A paint ball simulation toy including a number of darts, a launcher configured to propel the darts, and a number of stickers each carried by a dart and configured to simulate a paint ball strike.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a toy and, more particularly, to a paint ball simulation toy.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The sport of paint ball is a growing industry and of interest to children of all ages. But, very young children are not able to engage in the sport of paint ball due to the inherent dangers associated therewith. Still, young children desire to "play" paint ball. And, when older children desire to engage in the sport of paint ball, they cannot always do so inside or at any time of their choosing. Currently, there are no known toys which enable young and old children to simulate the sport of paint ball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a paint ball simulation toy.

[0004] It is a further object of this invention to provide such a toy which is safe.

[0005] It is a further object of this invention to provide such a toy which does not use actual paint and therefore can be used inside or outside.

[0006] The subject invention results from the realization that even very young children can engage in a simulation of the sport of paint ball if a foam dart gun toy is configured to include a number of stickers that look like paint ball strikes when a sticker is carried by a foam dart shot by the gun.

[0007] The subject invention, however, in other embodiments, need not achieve all these objectives and the claims hereof should not be limited to structures or methods capable of achieving these objectives.

[0008] This subject invention features a paint ball simulation toy comprising a plurality of darts, a launcher such as a dart gun configured to propel a dart, and a plurality of stickers each carried by a dart and configured to simulate a paint ball strike.

[0009] A typical dart is made of foam and includes a shaft receivable in a barrel of the launcher with a spherical tip on the shaft including an adhesive for releasably attaching a sticker to the tip during flight of the dart. Typically, the stickers are colored and preferably colored differently. The stickers can be disposed on a release sheet and include a paint ball strike simulation side and an adhesive side opposite the paint ball simulation side.

[0010] One paint ball simulation toy in accordance with the subject invention includes a plurality of darts each with an adhesive tip and a shaft receivable in the barrel of a launcher, and a plurality of stickers each to be carried by a dart and configured to simulate a paint ball strike.

[0011] A paint ball simulation toy in accordance with the subject invention comprises a plurality of foam darts each including an adhesive tip and a shaft receivable in the barrel of a launcher, and a plurality of stickers each to be carried by a dart and configured to simulate a paint ball strike.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic three-dimensional view showing an embodiment of a dart in accordance with the subject invention;

[0014] FIG. 2 is a schematic three-dimensional view showing another embodiment of a dart in accordance with the subject invention;

[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic top view showing a number of stickers in accordance with the subject invention releasably adhered to a release sheet;

[0016] FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of an example of a dart launcher gun in accordance with the subject invention; and

[0017] FIG. 5A-5D are schematic conceptual views showing how the paint ball simulation toy of the subject invention is used.

DISCLOSURE OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0018] Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed below, this invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. If only one embodiment is described herein, the claims hereof are not to be limited to that embodiment. Moreover, the claims hereof are not to be read restrictively unless there is clear and convincing evidence manifesting a certain exclusion, restriction, or disclaimer.

[0019] In one embodiment of a paint ball simulation toy in accordance with the subject invention, foam dart 10, FIG. 1 includes shaft 12 and spherical ball tip 14 injected with a releasable adhesive in region 16 such as a gelatin, bees wax, or a gum. Preferably, the adhesive used is safe for use by children. Other sticky compounds may also be used. In another example, foam dart 10', FIG. 2 includes shaft 12' and cylindrical tip 14' with adhesive section 16'. Typically, there are numerous darts packaged with the toy.

[0020] Stickers 20a-20e, FIG. 3 are preferably each colored differently and are configured to simulate a paint ball strike as shown. Each sticker is disposed on a release sheet 22 and includes a paint ball strike simulation side (facing up in the figure) and an adhesive side releasably secured to release sheet 22.

[0021] Launcher 26, FIG. 4 may be a conventional dart gun and includes barrel 28. Examples include air pump "Nerf" type foam dart guns and other air pressure and/or spring loaded dart guns.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 5A, a sticker 20a is removed from release sheet 22, FIG. 3 and releasably adhered by its colored paint ball strike simulation side to tip 14, FIG. 5A of dart 10. In FIG. 5B, shaft 12 of dart 10 is placed in barrel 28 of launcher 26. The child then presses trigger 30, FIG. 4 of launcher 26, FIG. 5C to propel dart 10 and sticker 20a attached thereto to a target 40, FIG. 5D. When sticker 20a strikes target 40, its sticky side adheres sticker 20a to target 40 and the dart falls to the ground as the tip of the dart releases from the colored paint ball strike simulation side of the sticker. In this way, the stickers simulate paint ball strikes.

[0023] The result is a paint ball simulation toy which is safe and which does not use actual paint and therefore can be used inside. Even very young children can engage in a simulation of the sport of paint ball since the dart gun toy is configured to include a number of stickers that look like a paint ball strike when an each sticker is carried by a dart shot by the launcher.

[0024] Although specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only as each feature may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the invention. The words "including", "comprising", "having", and "with" as used herein are to be interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are not limited to any physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodiments disclosed in the subject application are not to be taken as the only possible embodiments. Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are within the following claims.

[0025] In addition, any amendment presented during the prosecution of the patent application for this patent is not a disclaimer of any claim element presented in the application as filed: those skilled in the art cannot reasonably be expected to draft a claim that would literally encompass all possible equivalents, many equivalents will be unforeseeable at the time of the amendment and are beyond a fair interpretation of what is to be surrendered (if anything), the rationale underlying the amendment may bear no more than a tangential relation to many equivalents, and/or there are many other reasons the applicant can not be expected to describe certain insubstantial substitutes for any claim element amended.

Claims

1. A paint ball simulation toy comprising: a plurality of darts; a launcher configured to propel said darts; and a plurality of stickers each carried by a dart and configured to simulate a paint ball strike.

2. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 1 in which each dart includes a shaft receivable in a barrel of the launcher and a tip on the shaft.

3. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 2 in which the tip is spherical.

4. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 2 in which the tip includes an adhesive for releasably attaching a sticker to the tip during flight of the dart.

5. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 1 in which the darts are made of foam.

6. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 1 in which the launcher is a dart gun.

7. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 1 in which the stickers are colored.

8. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 7 in which the stickers are colored differently.

9. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 1 in which the stickers are disposed on a release sheet and include a paint ball strike simulation side and an adhesive side opposite the paint ball simulation side.

10. A paint ball simulation toy comprising: a plurality of darts each with an adhesive tip and a shaft receivable in the barrel of a launcher; and a plurality of stickers each to be carried by a dart and configured to simulate a paint ball strike.

11. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 10 further including a launcher configured to propel said darts.

12. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 10 in which each dart includes a shaft receivable in a barrel of the launcher and a tip on the shaft.

13. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 10 in which the darts are made of foam.

14. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 10 in which the stickers are colored.

15. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 14 in which the stickers are colored differently.

16. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 10 in which the stickers are disposed on a release sheet and include a paint ball strike simulation side and an adhesive side opposite the paint ball simulation side.

17. A paint ball simulation toy comprising: a plurality of foam darts each including an adhesive tip and a shaft receivable in the barrel of a launcher; and a plurality of stickers each to be carried by a dart and configured to simulate a paint ball strike.

18. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 17 further including a launcher configured to propel said darts.

19. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 17 in which the adhesive tip is spherical.

20. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 17 in which the stickers are colored.

21. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 20 in which the stickers are colored differently.

22. The paint ball simulation toy of claim 17 in which the stickers are disposed on a release sheet and include a paint ball strike simulation side and an adhesive side opposite the paint ball simulation side.

23. A paint ball simulation toy comprising: at least one of dart; a launcher configured to propel said dart; and at least one of sticker carried by a dart and configured to simulate a paint ball strike.