U.S. patent application number 13/762142 was filed with the patent office on 2014-08-07 for disc amusement device.
This patent application is currently assigned to MAUI TOYS, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is MAUI TOYS, INC.. Invention is credited to Brian KESSLER.
Application Number | 20140220849 13/762142 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51259585 |
Filed Date | 2014-08-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140220849 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
KESSLER; Brian |
August 7, 2014 |
DISC AMUSEMENT DEVICE
Abstract
A flying disc has an outer annular doughnut-shaped hollow ring
surrounding a generally planar central portion. The annular ring is
permanently inflated to a high pressure. The flying disc is formed
of a thermoplastic plastomer or elastomer and is capable of
bouncing 20-25 feet after landing, and rolling an additional
distance if it lands on its outer edge.
Inventors: |
KESSLER; Brian; (Los
Angeles, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
MAUI TOYS, INC. |
Los Angeles |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
MAUI TOYS, INC.
Los Angeles
CA
|
Family ID: |
51259585 |
Appl. No.: |
13/762142 |
Filed: |
February 7, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
446/46 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H 33/18 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
446/46 |
International
Class: |
A63H 33/18 20060101
A63H033/18 |
Claims
1. A game or amusement device in the form of a flying disc,
comprising: a peripheral doughnut-shaped hollow ring surrounding a
generally planar central portion, the hollow ring being permanently
inflated to a pressure of at least 0.9 kg/cm.sup.3, the flying disc
having a wall thickness of at least 72.8 mils, and the flying disc
being injection molded of a flexible thermoplastic plastomer or
elastomer.
2. The flying disc of claim 1, comprising a curved transition area
between the planar surface interior and the doughnut-shaped ring,
the curved area providing the beginning of a concave shape.
3. The flying disc of claim 2 which is symmetrical, both top and
bottom.
4. The flying disc according to claim 1 wherein said thermoplastic
material is selected from the group consisting of a thermoplastic
polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, silicone and polyvinyl
chloride.
5. The flying disc of claim 4 wherein the thermoplastic material is
a thermoplastic polyurethane.
6. The flying disc of claim 1, wherein the, doughnut-shaped hollow
portion has a height-to-width ratio of about 4.5 to 6.
7. The flying disc of claim 1 inflated to a pressure of at least
1.2 kg/cm.sup.3.
8. The flying disc of claim 1 wherein said peripheral donut-shaped
hollow ring has a height which is less than the distance between
its outer edge and its inner edge.
9. The injection molded flying disc of claim 1 comprising said
generally planar central portion as a single layer, and wherein
said single layer generally planar central portion is integral and
unitary with said peripheral doughnut-shaped hollow ring.
10. The injection molded flying disc of claim 1 wherein said
generally planar central portion is imperforate.
11. The injection molded flying disc of claim 1 wherein said
generally planar central portion comprises a single layer.
12. A game or amusement device in the form of a flying disc having
a top and a bottom, comprising a peripheral doughnut-shaped hollow
ring surrounding a generally planar central portion comprising a
single layer, the hollow ring comprising a single layer and being
permanently inflated to a pressure of at least 0.9 kg/cm.sup.3, the
single layer of said generally planar central portion and the
single layer of the peripheral doughnut-shaped hollow ring having a
thickness of at least 72.8 mils, and the flying disc being
integrally molded as a unitary device of a flexible thermoplastic
plastomer or elastomer.
13. The flying disc of claim 12, comprising a curved transition
area between the planar surface and the doughnut-shaped ring, the
curved transition area providing the beginning of a concave
shape.
14. The flying disc of claim 13 which is symmetrical on said top
and said bottom surfaces.
15. The flying disc according to claim 12 wherein said
thermoplastic material is selected from the group consisting of a
thermoplastic polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, silicone
and polyvinyl chloride.
16. The flying disc of claim 15 wherein the thermoplastic material
is a thermoplastic polyurethane.
17. The flying disc of claim 12 wherein said peripheral
doughnut-shaped hollow ring has a dimension between said top and
said bottom which is less than a distance between its outer edge
and its inner edge.
18. The flying disc of claim 17 wherein the doughnut-shaped hollow
portion has a ratio of the distance between said top and bottom
surface to the distance between the outer edge and inner edge
thereof of about 4.5 to 6.
19. The flying disc of claim 12 inflated to a pressure of at least
1.2 kg/cm.sup.3.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a flying disc capable of
bouncing to a substantial degree, and rolling on its
circumferential edge.
BACKGROUND
[0002] There are many commercial flying discs, e.g. so called
Frisbee discs, and a substantial number of these can be seen online
at the 13 page website to be found at
alibaba.com/showroom/shapes/Frisbee.html. Among these are some
flying discs identified as being "inflatable" including one on the
first page of such website on the right hand side entitled
"Inflatable Frisbee" and another on page 2 of such document
entitled "PVC Inflatable Frisbee" and another with the same title
on page 3. Such inflatable discs appear to be generally tire-shaped
or doughnut-shaped, but of an inflatable beach-ball character of
relatively thin walls. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,135,325 and 4,466,212 in
the name Lehman also show inflatable flying saucer toys.
[0003] It appears from the aforementioned website that most or all
of the prior doughnut shaped flying discs shown therein are made of
PVC or of silicone plastic or rubber. None of the descriptions are
seen to mention any unusual ability of the noted flying discs to
bounce. Insofar as is known, none of these prior flying discs are
designed for or capable of bouncing from the ground or a hard
surface to any substantial degree, or of rolling.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0004] The flying disc or Frisbee.RTM.-like amusement device of the
present invention combines the capabilities of flying, bouncing and
rolling, particularly good for playing Frisbee.RTM. golf as well as
other flying disc games. Used in Frisbee.RTM. golf, for example,
the flying disc of the present invention can bounce 25-30 feet and
then roll on its outer circumferential edge a considerable distance
farther, the distance of course depending partly on the surface on
which the flying disc lands.
[0005] Structurally, the flying disc of the present invention has a
hollow inflated doughnut-shaped outer ring (approximately a torus
shape) and desirably a closed, substantially flat or planar surface
interior. To enhance flight, the outer doughnut-shaped ring
desirably merges with the interior flat or planar surface in an
approximate concavity, i.e. a concave shape reaching the flat
internal planar surface.
[0006] In one embodiment, the flat internal planar surface has a
diameter of about 9.5 cm, the overall diameter of the device is
about 21 cm, and the horizontal diameter of the roughly annular
doughnut-shaped ring is about 6 cm with a height of about 4.5 cm.
These dimensions can be changed, but the relative dimension
proportions are desirably maintained approximately the same as the
aforementioned example for maximum ability to carry out all three
functions at the same time of fly, bounce and roll. The
width-to-height ratio of the annular ring should not exceed
2:1.
[0007] Other factors of importance are (1) the wall thickness of
the material from which the flying disc is formed, (2) the
plastomeric or elastomeric material from which the flying disc is
made, (3) the overall weight of the flying disc relative to its
dimensions, (4) the high pressure of inflation of the annular ring,
and (5) the formation of the flying disc by injection molding.
Thus, for a flying disc of the size indicated in the example above,
the material is a thermoplastic polyurethane, the maximum weight is
approximately 200 gms, preferably 198 gms, the wall thickness of
the thermoplastic polyurethane wall of the flying disc is 0.08''
(80 mils; 2 mm), preferably 0.0728'' (72.8 mils) to 0.10'' (100
mils; 2.54 mm), and the diameter of the planar surface interior is
no less than about 4.5 cm.
[0008] The hollow doughnut ring portion of the device is inflated
to a pressure of 0.9 to 1.5 kg/cm.sup.3, preferably 1.2 to 1.3
kg/cm.sup.3 (117.6 to 127.5 kpa). The doughnut ring portion is
permanently inflated, but is not inflatable, i.e. after initial
inflation, the inflation opening is permanently closed so that the
selected internal pressure is maintained. From a cost standpoint,
the inflation gas is desirably air, but can otherwise be an inert
or inactive gas, such as helium or nitrogen.
[0009] The foregoing and various other features of the invention
will appear in the course of the description which is rendered
below with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein the same
reference numerals depict the identical element or part.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a disk
amusement device in accordance with the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a variation thereof;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and
[0014] FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3;
[0015] FIGS. 4A and 4B show variations of the transition between
the central portion within the doughnut ring.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0016] As shown in the attached drawing, FIGS. 1-4, the disc
amusement device of the present invention comprises a flying disc
10 which, due to its method of manufacture and its physical
properties, is capable, after its flight has ended, of bouncing to
a substantial degree and then rolling on its edge 12. Features
which contribute to the aforementioned characteristics include the
thermoplastic nature of the polymer from which the walls 14 of the
flying disc 10 are made, the overall shape of the device including
the preferred shape of the merger 18 between the doughnut shaped
ring portion 16 and the flat portion 20, the thickness of the walls
14, and the pressure of inflation of the doughnut-shaped ring 16.
It is also desirable that the doughnut-shaped ring 16 be somewhat
flattened, i.e. that its height be less than the distance between
its outer edge 12 and its merged portion 18 with the flat central
portion 20. The overall weight of flying disc 10 should not exceed
approximately 200 gms.
[0017] The embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, and particularly as shown
in FIGS. 3 and 4, is symmetrical, top and bottom, but such symmetry
is only preferred, but is not essential. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1A,
the central portion 20' may be bowed to a slight convex
configuration of as little as two degrees, making the central
portion 20' almost flat, or the convexity may be as great as
20.degree.. The slightly bowed surface of the central portion 20'
assists in the flight of the flying disc. However, the disadvantage
is that the flying disc of FIG. 1A flies more poorly if thrown in
an upside-down position. The central portion 20, 20' may be
embossed or debossed.
[0018] Substantially the same effect of the bowed central portion
20' is achieved in the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 by the
transition area 18 which constitutes a curved area providing the
beginning of a concave shape.
[0019] The material from which the flying disc 10 is formed is
important for two reasons. First, it is highly desirable to foam
the flying disc 10 by injection molding, and this means that the
plastic material from which it is formed should be a thermoplastic
plastomer or a thermoplastic elastomer. Second, because of the
desired bounceability of the flying disc 10, the material from
which its walls are formed needs to be relatively soft and
flexible. The preferred material is a thermoplastic elastomer, and
most desirable is a thermoplastic polyurethane. Other materials,
although less satisfactory, can be selected from polyethylene,
polypropylene, softer polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene
terephthalate (PET). The preferred thermoplastic polyurethane is
formed of polyol, diphenylmethane diisocyanate and toluene
diisocyanate.
[0020] FIG. 4A shows a less preferred variation where the
transition area 18' is curved in only one direction. This variation
is desirably coupled with the variation of FIG. 1A.
[0021] FIG. 4B shows another variation wherein the flat central
portion is connected to the doughnut-shaped ring without any
curvature whatsoever. This variation has the disadvantage that,
although it is symmetrical and flies equally regardless of its
up-or-down orientation, it does not fly as well as the preferred
structure of FIGS. 3 and 4.
[0022] The flying disc 10 not only flies well, but also bounces and
rolls, unlike any other known flying disc. Depending on the surface
on which the disc lands after flight, it can bounce as much as
25-30 feet. If it lands on its edge, it can also roll an additional
distance.
[0023] The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will
so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others
can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for
various applications such specific embodiments without undue
experimentation and without departing from the generic concept,
and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are
intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of
equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood
that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the
purpose of description and not of limitation. The means, materials,
and steps for carrying out various disclosed functions may take a
variety of alternative forms without departing from the
invention.
[0024] Thus the expressions "means to . . . " and "means for . . .
", or any method step language, as may be found in the
specification above and/or in the claims below, followed by a
functional statement, are intended to define and cover whatever
structural, physical, chemical or electrical element or structure,
or whatever method step, which may now or in the future exist which
carries out the recited function, whether or not precisely
equivalent to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed in the
specification above, i.e., other means or steps for carrying out
the same functions can be used; and it is intended that such
expressions be given their broadest interpretation.
* * * * *