U.S. patent application number 13/957448 was filed with the patent office on 2015-02-05 for flying disc.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jonas Lindberg. Invention is credited to Jonas Lindberg.
Application Number | 20150038046 13/957448 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52428087 |
Filed Date | 2015-02-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150038046 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lindberg; Jonas |
February 5, 2015 |
Flying disc
Abstract
The invention relates to a flying disc constituted as a disc
with a first and a second side. The second side has a central
portion that is concave and the central portion is surrounded by an
innermost rim (2) and an outermost rim (1) extending to the disc's
periphery. The innermost rim (2) is separated from the outermost
rim (1) by a circularly symmetrical depression (3). This depression
gives the disc superior aero dynamical properties, allowing it to
glide further in the air than corresponding prior art discs. In one
embodiment, the face of the outermost rim (1) nearest the centre of
the disc extends essentially in parallel to the centre axis of the
disc. This makes it particularly easy to grasp the disc and
facilitates throwing the disc. In another embodiment, the concave
central portion of the second side extends along a virtual concave
surface to the innermost rim, where the virtual concave surface
further extends essentially to the part of the outer rim that
extend the furthest from the first side of the disc. This further
optimizes the aero dynamical properties of the disc. Typically, the
outermost rim (1) has a face on the second side of the disc, which
is concave, and the first side of the disc is convex.
Inventors: |
Lindberg; Jonas; (Stockholm,
SE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Lindberg; Jonas |
Stockholm |
|
SE |
|
|
Family ID: |
52428087 |
Appl. No.: |
13/957448 |
Filed: |
August 2, 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 flying disc constituted as an essentially circularly
symmetrical disc with a first and a second side, where the second
side has a central portion that is concave and where the central
portion is surrounded by an innermost rim (2) and an outermost rim
(1) extending to the disc's periphery, characterised in that the
innermost rim (2) is separated from the outermost rim (1) by a
circularly symmetrical depression (3).
2. A flying disc according to claim 1, characterised in that the
face of the outermost rim (1) nearest the centre of the disc
extends essentially in parallel to the centre axis of the disc.
3. A flying disc according to claim 1, characterised in that the
concave central portion of the second side extends along a virtual
concave surface to the innermost rim, where the virtual concave
surface further extends essentially to the part of the outer rim
that extend the furthest from the first side of the disc.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a flying disc according to
the introductory portion of the independent claim.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Flying discs intended for sports of types similar to those
call golf discs of Frisbees are known in the art. One example of
such a disc is disclosed by EP2407223, showing a disc with a convex
upper side and a concave lower side extending to a solid outer rim.
The outer rim constitutes most of the mass of the disc and gives
the disc an enhanced ability to spin while gliding through the air.
A wide outer rim is however ill suited for grasping the disc, and
the disc has a less than optimal ability to glide long
distances.
[0003] An object of the invention is therefore to provide a flying
disc with improved aero dynamical properties than with prior art
discs, allowing it to fly longer distances than prior art
discs.
[0004] These and other objects are attained by a flying disc
according to the characterising portion of the independent
claim.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The invention relates to a flying disc constituted as an
essentially circularly symmetrical disc with a first and a second
side. The second side has a central portion that is concave and the
central portion is surrounded by an innermost rim 2 and an
outermost rim 1 extending to the disc's periphery. The innermost
rim 2 is separated from the outermost rim 1 by a circularly
symmetrical depression 3. This depression advantageously gives the
disc superior aero dynamical properties, allowing it to glide
further in the air than corresponding prior art discs.
[0006] In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the face of the
outermost rim 1 nearest the centre of the disc extends essentially
in parallel to the centre axis of the disc. This makes it
particularly easy to grasp the disc and facilitates throwing the
disc.
[0007] In another advantageous embodiment, the concave central
portion of the second side extends along a virtual concave surface
to the innermost rim, where the virtual concave surface further
extends essentially to the part of the outer rim that extend the
furthest from the first side of the disc. This further optimizes
the aero dynamical properties of the disc.
[0008] Typically, the outermost rim 1 has a face on the second side
of the disc, which is concave, and the first side of the disc is
convex.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] FIG. 1 shows the flying disc in partial cross section as
seen from below
[0010] FIG. 2 shows the flying disc as seen from below
[0011] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the flying disc
[0012] FIG. 4 shows a cross section through the flying disc
[0013] FIG. 5 shows in greater detail part of the flying disc in
cross section
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0014] The invention refers to a disc like object that is intended
to the thrown into the air and used in a way similar to how a golf
disc or Frisbee is used. The flying disc may be embodied in many
different ways and still lie within the protective scope of the
invention, but it is here exemplified by one embodiment only.
[0015] FIG. 1 shows the flying disc in partial cross section as
seen at an angle from below, that is the figure illustrates the
surfaces that while in use faces downwards. One quarter of the disc
has been cut out in order to make understanding the figure easier,
but in reality the disc of course looks like how it is depicted in
FIG. 2.
[0016] As seen from below, the disc is a circularly symmetrical
object with an outermost, circular rim 1. The lower side of the
disc has a number of concentrically arranged design features that
will be described in greater detail in conjunction with FIGS. 4-5.
The outermost rim 1 is the design feature that extend the
furthermost from the lower side of the flying disc and constitutes
the part of the disc that it rests on when lying on the ground.
Inside the outermost rim 1 sits an inner rim 2 and the two rims are
separated by a circular depression 3. The depression 3 is what
gives the flying disc its advantageous aero dynamical properties,
but it also constitutes a portion of the disc where the fingers of
a user may sit when grasping the disc.
[0017] The inner rim 2 does not extend a far downwards as the
outermost rim 1, and the bottom surface of the disc inside the
inner rim is concave.
[0018] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the flying disc, which is the
part of the disc that in normal use is facing upwards. The upper
side of the disc is a smooth, circularly symmetrical convex
surface. This is in order to optimize its aero dynamical
properties.
[0019] FIG. 4 shows a cross section through centre of the flying
disc, and here the design features of the disc are more clearly
illustrated. The upper side of the disc has a nearly flat central
portion, with sloping outer portions that together form a slightly
convex shape.
[0020] The lowermost part of the disc is constituted by the outer
rim 1, and the lowermost peak of the rim define a surface 4 that
the disc would be resting on if it sits on a flat surface. The
outer face 5 of the outermost rim 1 is concave, and this is an
adaptation intended to optimize the aero dynamical properties of
the disc. The inner face of the outermost rim is however nearly
cylindrical, and in the cross section shown, it extends upwards in
the direction of the top surface of the disc nearly parallel to the
centre axis of the disc. The inner face extends up to the bottom of
the depression between the innermost 2 and outermost 1 rims.
[0021] The depression between the innermost 2 and outermost 1 rims
has a bottom surface that extends nearly parallel to the top
surface of the disc, and the thickness of the disc is here small as
compared to the thickness of the rims. In particular, the outermost
rim constitutes a large portion of the total weight of the disc,
giving the disc a small total weight while still giving the disc a
maximized ability to continue to rotate on its own when it has been
set in motion.
[0022] The innermost rim 2 has an outer face that constitutes the
inner side of the depression and it also falls steeply into the
depression 3. The inner face of the innermost rim does instead
constitute part of a smooth, concave surface that extends all the
way to the centre of the lower side of the disc. Over most of the
central portion of the disc, the thickness of the disc is small as
compared to the rims, making the total weight of the disc low. This
central portion of the disc is concave and smoothly changes
direction further and further downwards as it nears the innermost
rim 2, and when it ends at the top of the innermost rim, that is
where the innermost rim reaches the furthers downwards in the
figure, the central portion is directed towards the top of the
outermost rim 1. This means that if the central portion of the
lower surface of the disc had been extrapolated further outwards
towards the outer rim, the whole lower surface of the disc would
constitute one continuous convex surface, interrupted only by the
depression 3 between the outermost and innermost rims, only to
change character at the outer face of the outermost rim 1.
[0023] The depression 3 is what gives the disc its attractive
aerodynamic properties, allowing it to fly further than similar
discs without this depression. It is also advantageous that the
inner portion of the lower side of the disc is designed the way it
is in this embodiment, further enhancing its advantageous aero
dynamical properties, but this does not necessarily have to be the
case. Other embodiments with differently shaped depression have
also been shown to have advantageous aero dynamical properties, and
obviously all these versions are also intended to sit within the
protective scope of the invention.
[0024] FIG. 5 shows in greater detail the outer part of the flying
disc in cross section. Here, the convex shape of the outer face 5
of the outermost rim 1 is more clearly shown. This convex property
gives the disc lift as it flies through the air, but the outer face
may also be what in this cross section would be shown as flat or
even concave. The inner face of the outermost rim is in cross
section illustrated as extending almost straight upwards and is
nearly flat, that is it constitutes a near cylindrical surface. A
user that tries to grasp the disc would therefore very conveniently
extend fingers into the depression and grasp the disc by placing a
thumb on the top surface of the disc, giving a very firm grip
indeed. This firm grip allows the user to more easily throw the
disc at a high speed and give it a high rotational speed.
[0025] The reason the depression 3 in the disc gives it its
advantageous aero dynamical properties can most easily be described
in that when a normal disc is thrown, the free stream air is
divided in two distinct flows right at the disc's leading edge. The
upper side of disc is relatively streamlined and with a relatively
low drag. The bottom side of the disc, however, does have a
cylindrical cavity nearly as deep as the total height of the disc.
The geometry of this cavity provokes the flow diverted at the
leading edge towards the bottom of the disc to separate from the
disc surface, creating a highly turbulent flow close to the rim
which extends towards the back of the disc. Even at zero degrees
angle of attack, part of the free stream flow passing below the
disc tend enter that cavity and as the disc flies it collides
against the cavity wall in the rear part of it, generating drag and
further turbulences.
[0026] A disc with a depression on the lower side provides a more
streamlined geometry in the lower side of the disc which
significantly reduces the overall induced drag. That is mainly due
to the fact that a smaller portion of the flow in the underside of
the disc collides against the rear part of the cavity which is a
ridge. Most of the flow diverted by the disc nose towards the
bottom still separates when it encounters the ridge but it is also
true that a large part of it re-connects with the disc surface
thanks to the depression. A portion of the flow remains in the
ridge but it stays significantly more stationary. Moreover, at the
rear part of the disc the flow separates, again, at the ridge which
causes a highly localized turbulent flow within the ridge but its
extensions is much smaller compared with the conventional discs
without depression, and rather confined.
[0027] Although the invention has been described in conjunction
with a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that various
modifications may still be made without departing from the scope of
the invention as defined by the appended claims. Several such
modifications have been presented in the description above, but
obviously others are also conceivable.
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