U.S. patent application number 11/684750 was filed with the patent office on 2007-12-20 for steady stream water gun.
This patent application is currently assigned to BUZZ BEE TOYS, INC.. Invention is credited to Jeffrey C. Zimmerman.
Application Number | 20070289995 11/684750 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38834036 |
Filed Date | 2007-12-20 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070289995 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Zimmerman; Jeffrey C. |
December 20, 2007 |
STEADY STREAM WATER GUN
Abstract
A toy water gun is provided which includes a main housing having
a handle as well as a water ejection nozzle located thereon. A
water supply tank is connected to the main housing which can be
filled with water. A pump is located on the housing for pumping
water from the supply tank to a pressure chamber located on the
main housing. The pressure chamber includes a piston which defines
one wall of a water containment space and can be displaced from its
neutral position in the pressure chamber housing against a biasing
force so that a steady stream of water is discharged from water gun
through a nozzle connected to the pressure chamber.
Inventors: |
Zimmerman; Jeffrey C.; (King
of Prussia, PA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VOLPE AND KOENIG, P.C.
UNITED PLAZA, SUITE 1600, 30 SOUTH 17TH STREET
PHILADELPHIA
PA
19103
US
|
Assignee: |
BUZZ BEE TOYS, INC.
Mt. Laurel
NJ
|
Family ID: |
38834036 |
Appl. No.: |
11/684750 |
Filed: |
March 12, 2007 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60804967 |
Jun 16, 2006 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
222/79 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41B 9/0012 20130101;
F41B 9/0037 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
222/79 |
International
Class: |
F41B 9/00 20060101
F41B009/00 |
Claims
1. A water gun, comprising: a main housing; a supply tank connected
to the main housing; a pressure chamber connected to the main
housing, including a pressure chamber housing with a spring loaded
piston located therein; a pump for drawing water from the supply
tank and forcing the water into a water containment space in the
pressure chamber housing to displace the piston against a biasing
force of the spring; and a nozzle in direct, uninterruptible
communication with the pressure chamber to discharge water from the
water gun.
2. The water gun of claim 1, wherein the pressure chamber comprises
a cylindrical tube with a first closed end cap and a second end cap
that includes the nozzle, and one end of the spring rests against
the first end cap.
3. The water gun of claim 2, wherein the second end cap and the
nozzle are integrally molded in one piece.
4. The water gun of claim 2, wherein the cylindrical tube is made
of a clear polymeric material, and a window is provided in the main
housing so that a position of the piston in the pressure chamber is
externally observable by a user.
5. The water gun of claim 2, wherein the cylindrical tube has a
diameter from about 1.5 inches to 2 inches, and the nozzle has an
opening with a diameter of about 0.062 to about 0.125 inches.
6. The water gun of claim 1, wherein a first check valve is located
between the water supply tank and the pump, and a second check
valve is located between the pump and the pressure chamber.
7. The water gun of claim 1, wherein an interior of the pressure
chamber with the pressurized water is in direct uninterruptible
communication with the nozzle for ejecting water.
8. The water gun of claim 1, wherein the pump is battery
powered.
9. The water gun of claim 1, wherein the pump is manually
actuateable.
10. A method of operating a water gun, comprising: providing a
water gun, a main housing, a supply tank connected to the main
housing, a pressure chamber connected to the main housing,
including a pressure chamber housing with a spring loaded piston
located therein, a pump for drawing water from the supply tank and
forcing the water into the pressure chamber housing to displace the
piston against a biasing force of the spring, and a nozzle in
direct, uninterrupted communication with a containment space of the
pressure chamber, to discharge water from the water gun; a user
holding the housing with a first hand and actuating the pump with a
second hand simultaneously ejecting water from the nozzle and
displacing the spring loaded piston in the pressure chamber with
pressurized water from the pump to create a pressurized water
reservoir; and continuing to eject water from the nozzle of the
water gun after ceasing to actuate the pump.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional
application No. 60/804,967, filed Jun. 16, 2006 which is
incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present invention is directed to a gun and more
particularly, to a water gun having a more steady discharge stream
of water.
[0003] Toy water guns are known which utilize pressurized air or a
pressurized bladder as the motive force for discharging water from
the gun upon release of a nozzle valve.
[0004] U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,827 discloses a water gun having a
tubular bladder arranged in a tubular holding member as the motive
force for water discharge. A separate water tank is located on the
gun which holds water at ambient pressure. A pump located on the
gun is utilized to transfer water from the ambient pressure water
tank into the bladder, expanding the bladder. Upon release of a
nozzle valve using a trigger, water is ejected from the toy
gun.
[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,878,914 discloses a similar toy water gun
utilizing a water tank with water at ambient pressure, a pump and a
balloon-shaped bladder located in a bladder chamber. Specialized
valving means are provided to restrict air in the water reservoir
from being pumped into the bladder. Water is released by pulling a
trigger. An alternate type of pressure chamber is also described in
which the pressure chamber is formed by a spring-loaded wall which
can be compressed within a chamber.
[0006] A drawback with these prior known types of arrangements is
that it is difficult and costly to produce a tubular or
balloon-shaped bladder economically and with the desired
characteristics to provide for fluid discharge with a relatively
constant pressure during the entire discharge operation. Costs are
further increased by the complex construction and the requirement
for a trigger mechanism and release valve. Additionally, it is
often difficult for a user to pull the trigger and pump the water
gun at the same time, resulting in poor aim or an unintended
drop-off in available pressure when shooting. However, functional
triggers to release water from a water gun are provided in even the
cheapest of water guns as they are generally expected by users.
SUMMARY
[0007] Briefly stated, the present invention provides a water gun
that includes a main housing having a handle and a water ejection
nozzle located thereon. A water supply tank is connected to the
main housing which can be filled with water. A pump is located on
the housing for pumping water from the supply tank and forcing the
water into a water containment space in the pressure chamber
housing having a wall defined by a piston in order to displace the
piston against a biasing force of the spring. As soon as the
pressure chamber receives pressurized water from the pump, it
begins discharging the water through the ejection nozzle, allowing
a steady stream of water to be immediately ejected from the water
gun, even during pumping, without the need for the user to have the
required dexterity to pull the trigger and pump at the same
time.
[0008] In another aspect of the invention, the nozzle is sized to
be small enough that a stream of water can be ejected 20 feet or
more when the pressure chamber has pressurized water therein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed
description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention
will be better understood when read in conjunction with the
appended drawings. For the purposes of illustrating the invention,
there is shown in the drawings an embodiment which is currently
preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is
not limited to the precise arrangement shown.
[0010] FIG. 1 is a left side elevational view of a water gun in
accordance with the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 is a right side elevational view, partially in
cross-section, of the water gun shown in FIG. 1 in which the water
supply tank, pump, pressure chamber and nozzle are shown in
detail.
[0012] FIG. 3 is schematic view showing the arrangement of the
components of a water gun in accordance with the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0013] Certain terminology is used in the following description for
convenience only and is not considered limiting. The words "left",
"right", "lower" and "upper" designate directions in the drawings
to which reference is made. Additionally, the terms "a" and "one"
are defined as including one or more of the referenced item unless
specifically noted.
[0014] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the water gun 10 in
accordance with the present invention is shown. The water gun 10
includes a main housing, generally indicated as 12, having a handle
14 located thereon. A water supply tank 18 having an inlet 20 which
can be filled with water at ambient pressure is connected to the
housing 12. A screw-on or snap-on cap 22 is preferably provided on
the supply tank 18. A pump 26 is connected to the housing and
includes a pump handle 28 which can be moved back-and-forth in
order to draw water from the supply tank 18 via a conduit 30 into
the pump 26, and to force water out of the pump 26 via a conduit 32
toward the pressure chamber 40. The pump handle 28 is preferably
located generally on an opposite side of the housing from the
handle 14. Pumps such as the pump 26 are generally known in the
water gun art, and will therefore not be described in further
detail.
[0015] Preferably, a check valve 24 is located in or along the
conduit 30 between the supply tank 18 and the pump 26 to prevent
water from being forced back into the supply tank 18. A check valve
36 is located along the conduit 32 such that water cannot be forced
backward from the pressure chamber 40 back to the pump 26.
[0016] The pressure chamber 40 includes a pressure chamber housing
42, which is preferably cylindrical in form with a constant cross
section, and can be inexpensively made from a tube. A first end of
the pressure chamber housing 42 is closed by an end wall 44,
preferably formed as a separately attachable cap. A second end of
the pressure chamber housing 42 is closed by a nozzle cap 46, which
includes the nozzle 48 located at the front end thereof, which is
preferably an integrally molded, one piece construction. The nozzle
48 preferably tapers from a larger open area at the end of the
pressure chamber housing 42 to a smaller diameter nozzle opening.
In a preferred embodiment, the pressure chamber housing 42 is a
tube with a diameter of about 1.5-2 inches. The nozzle opening at
the tip of the nozzle 48 preferably has a diameter of about
0.0625-0.125 inches. These sizes along with the selection of a
piston spring (described below) with a sufficient spring constant
are adapted to provide a strong, steady stream of water that is
discharged from the nozzle to a distance of at least about 20 feet.
However, the sizes can be varied to suit particular
applications.
[0017] A moveable piston 50 is displaceably located in the pressure
chamber housing 42, and is biased toward the nozzle cap 46 by a
spring 52, which preferably exerts a generally constant force on
the piston 50. The piston 50 defines a movable wall that allows the
water containment space in the pressure chamber 40 to increase or
decrease. The front end of the piston 50 preferably includes a
circumferential groove 54 in which an o-ring 56 or other seal is
seated. The spring 52 can be a coil spring, as illustrated, an air
spring, or any other suitable type of spring arrangement that has a
sufficient k value to eject a water stream the desired
distance.
[0018] In use, water is pumped using the pump 26 from the supply
reservoir 18 into the water containment space in the pressure
chamber 40, forcing the piston 50 to be displaced against the force
of the spring 52, while simultaneously shooting water from the
nozzle 48. Water is ejected from the nozzle 48 in a steady stream
as the pump forces water into the pressure chamber 40 to expand the
containment space and as the spring 52 forces the piston 50 back
toward its neutral position when the pump is not being actuated,
shrinking the containment space. Based on the relatively small
opening in the nozzle 48, a substantial reserve of pressurized
water can be built up in the pressure chamber 40 during pumping.
This provides a substantial amount of time for shooting water,
which is held in a pressurized state in the pressure chamber 40,
from the water gun 10.
[0019] Those skilled in the art will recognize that the shape of
the main housing 12 may be varied and that one or more pressure
chambers 40 may be utilized in connection with the water gun 10 in
accordance with the present invention. Preferably, the main housing
12 and supply tank 18 are made of molded plastic.
[0020] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 1, it is preferred that the
main housing 12 includes a window 16 in proximity to the pressure
chamber housing 42, and that the pressure chamber housing 42 is
formed from a generally transparent polymeric material. A user can
then observe the position of the piston 50 as well as possibly the
spring 52, and therefore determine how much of a pressurized water
charge remains in the pressure chamber 40.
[0021] Referring now to FIG. 3, a schematic diagram of a water gun
10 is shown. The pressurized water source 26' is not limited to the
preferred hand pump 26 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, which is used to
draw water from the water supply tank 18 and force it into the
pressure chamber 40. It is also possible to use other means for
pressurizing the water, such as a battery operated on-board pump
located on or in the housing 12, or to provide a connection to an
external pressurized water source for charging the pressure chamber
40.
[0022] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, no trigger or
nozzle valve is provided, making the water gun simple and easy to
operate and allowing a user to continue to shoot water while
pumping water into the pressure chamber 40. This allows more
enjoyment for younger children and others with more limited
dexterity who otherwise may become frustrated with trying to pull a
trigger and pump the water gun at the same time, as required in the
known prior art water guns.
[0023] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been
described in detail, the invention is not limited to the specific
embodiments described above, which should be considered as merely
exemplary. Further modifications and extensions of the present
invention may be developed, and all such modifications are deemed
to be within the scope of the present invention as defined above
and by the appended claims.
* * * * *