U.S. patent application number 17/086612 was filed with the patent office on 2022-05-05 for remote-controlled water toy.
This patent application is currently assigned to DIVERGENT DEVICES LLC. The applicant listed for this patent is DIVERGENT DEVICES LLC. Invention is credited to ELIE ATALLA.
Application Number | 20220134249 17/086612 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | |
Filed Date | 2022-05-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220134249 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
ATALLA; ELIE |
May 5, 2022 |
REMOTE-CONTROLLED WATER TOY
Abstract
The invention is remote-controlled water toy that has an outer
shell that is a continuous and external surface, a plurality of
apertures in the outer shell that allow water to infiltrate the
outer shell, and an interior volume that collects and stores water
that has infiltrated the outer shell. The remote-controlled water
toy can shoot water, be shot at by other similar vehicles, retain
water that hits them directly in the interior volume, continue to
be operational after being hit, and sink or otherwise become
deactivated when a predetermined volume of water has infiltrated
the exterior shell.
Inventors: |
ATALLA; ELIE; (HARINGTON
PARK, NJ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DIVERGENT DEVICES LLC |
HARRINGTON PARK |
NJ |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
DIVERGENT DEVICES LLC
HARRINGTON PARK
NJ
|
Appl. No.: |
17/086612 |
Filed: |
November 2, 2020 |
International
Class: |
A63H 30/04 20060101
A63H030/04; A63H 23/02 20060101 A63H023/02; A63H 23/14 20060101
A63H023/14 |
Claims
1. A remote-controlled water toy comprising an outer shell, the
outer shell being a continuous, exterior surface; a plurality of
apertures in the outer shell arranged so as to allow water to
infiltrate the outer shell; a water-tight compartment, providing
the remote-controlled water toy with a buoyancy; an interior volume
that collects and stores the water that infiltrates the outer
shell; a power supply; a water firing assembly comprised of an
intake, a remote-controlled pump, a connection to the power supply,
a water cannon, and at least one hose; a remote-control receiver;
and a controller, wherein the remote-controlled water toy is
intended for play in water; wherein the remote-controlled water toy
can be submerged while maintaining at least limited functionality;
and wherein the remote-controlled water toy has a weight without
water in the interior volume.
2. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 1, wherein the outer
shell resembles a boat.
3. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 2, further comprising
at least one propeller and a remote-controlled motor.
4. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 3, wherein the
remote-controlled water toy floats.
5. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 4, wherein the
remote-control receiver, controller, and power supply are all
contained within a water-tight compartment.
6. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 5, wherein the interior
volume has a first pre-determined amount of water that it must
store in order to cause the remote-controlled water toy to
partially submerge; and wherein the first pre-determined amount of
water is dependent on the weight of the remote-controlled water toy
without water and the buoyancy of the water-tight compartment.
7. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 6, wherein the interior
volume has a second pre-determined amount of water; and wherein the
remote-controlled water toy will fully submerge when the interior
volume collects more than a second predetermined amount of
water.
8. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 7, wherein the
remote-control receiver can receive a signal that it passes to the
controller, allowing the controller to control at least one of the
remote-controlled motor and the remote-controlled pump.
9. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 8, further comprising a
remote-controlled rudder.
10. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 9, wherein the
remote-control receiver can receive a signal that it passes to the
controller, allowing the controller to control at least one of the
remote-controlled motor, the remote-controlled pump, and the
remote-controlled rudder.
11. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 1, wherein the outer
shell resembles a tank.
12. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 11, wherein the
remote-controlled water toy does not float, because the weight of
the remote-controlled water toy overcomes the buoyancy of the
water-tight compartment.
13. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 12, further comprising
two treads and a remote-controlled motor, wherein, during game-play
in a shallow pool having a bottom, the remote-controlled water toy
rests on its treads on the bottom.
14. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 13, further comprising
four tires and a remote-controlled motor, wherein the four tires
are arranged such that there are two tires on either side of the
tank and wherein, during game-play in a shallow pool having a
bottom, the remote-controlled water toy rests on its tires on the
bottom.
15. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 14, wherein the
remote-control receiver, controller, and power supply are all
contained within the water-tight compartment.
16. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 15, further comprising
a switch attached to the interior volume, wherein the switch trips
when the water in the interior volume reaches a predetermined
level.
17. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 16, wherein the
remote-controlled water toy becomes deactivated when the switch is
tripped.
18. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 17, wherein the switch
is one of a float switch, a moisture sensor, a pressure sensor, and
an electronic magnetic sensor.
19. The remote-controlled water toy of claim 18, wherein the
remote-control receiver can receive a signal that it passes to the
controller, allowing the controller to control at least one of the
remote-controlled motor and the remote-controlled pump.
Description
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to the class of Human necessities and
the sub-class of Sports, Games, and Amusements. Specifically, this
invention relates to Toyboats, Floating Toys, and Other Aquatic Toy
Devices.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The present disclosure relates to remote-controlled toy
vehicles that can shoot water, be shot at by other toy vehicles,
retain water that hits them directly, be disabled when a
predetermined volume of water has been absorbed, and be recovered
after being submerged or disabled with no ill-effects to the
electric and electronic components on board.
[0003] Kids and adults have long played with remotely controlled
vehicles but, beyond racing against one another, there are very few
games that can be played between opponents. In addition, racing of
vehicles requires a great deal of space, it is usually restricted
to outdoor play and requires a race course with boundaries, buoys
and a finish line. Due to these factors and because available
vehicles vary in size, speed and maneuverability, the competition
is usually unequal and unfair.
[0004] Another problem exists where vehicles are supposed to shoot
at each other. For this to be truly realistic the losing player's
vehicle would need to be visibly damaged or disabled by the winning
player's accurate shooting. This of course does not happen because
it would mean damaging a child's toy. In addition, when toys are
designed to shoot projectiles they become a danger to young players
who may accidentally be hit in the eye or face. What the market
needs is a remote-controlled toy vehicle that shoots water and
sinks when it has been suitably compromised.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The following presents a simplified summary of two
embodiments of the invention, which one skilled in the art can
generalize in order provide a basic understanding of the invention.
This summary is not an extensive overview of all of the potential
embodiments of the invention. It is not intended to identify
key/critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of
the invention. Its sole purpose is to present two embodiments of
the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more
detailed description that is presented later.
[0006] The invention provides a new way to play and compete with
remote-controlled toys. The remote-controlled water toys are able
to shoot water which is a harmless projectile, but, when used on
the invention, it still has a very real and noticeable effect on
the opponent's remote-controlled water toy. The present invention
can be embodied as a boat or as a tank. The remote-controlled water
toy has a water cannon and a plurality of apertures in its outer
shell. The outer shell can be the hull of a ship. The outer shell
can be the exterior of a tank. The outer shell is a continuous,
exterior surface. The outer shell can take on a variety of
different shapes. As the remote-controlled water toy is hit with
water fired by an opponent, some of the water infiltrates the outer
shell through the plurality of apertures. The water that
infiltrates the outer shell is collected and stored in a volume
interior to the outer shell. The volume is fundamentally a storage
tank for water.
[0007] As the remote-controlled water toy collects water in its
volume, it will lose speed and maneuverability due to the weight of
the water. Additionally, if the remote-controlled water toy is
floating, such as a boat, it will slowly sink. If the
remote-controlled water toys does not float, like a tank, it can
have its treads on the bottom surface of the body of water. The
tank can be fitted with a float switch which turns the tank off,
and identifies it as a loser, when the interior volume is
sufficiently filled. In this way, although partially or totally
immersed, the remote-controlled water toy will continue to
function.
[0008] Regardless of the embodiment, the invention is designed to
withstand full submersion and so it can be removed from the water,
emptied and be immediately ready for play.
[0009] This new game with remote-controlled water toys requires
much less space than a racing competition and the invention can be
miniaturized enough to be played with in a very small pool indoors
or out. At the same time, the toy can be played with in a full-size
pool, a pond or any other body of water. This is especially true
when a floatation device is built onto the outer shell of the
remote-controlled water toy. In the embodiment where the
remote-controlled water toy is a boat or ship, a water-tight
compartment can be put inside the outer shell (a.k.a. the deck and
hull of a ship). In this way, a remote-controlled water toy
configured as a boat or ship could sink below the surface but not
all the way to the bottom. This makes it easy to locate and
recover.
[0010] In this first embodiment, the remote-controlled water toy
configured as a boat or ship would have a motor connected to a
propeller and a motorized, remote-controlled rudder. The
remote-controlled water toy would move about in response to input
from a remote control. The remote control would be able to control
both the speed of the propeller and the position of the rudder.
[0011] The outer shell of the first embodiment would be a stable
hull with high walls. A water intake placed below the waterline,
preferably at the bottom of the remote-controlled water toy, would
be connected to at least one pump. The at least one pump would
provide water to one or more water cannons. The at least one pump
would be powered by a power source. The water cannons would respond
to commands from the remote control, which could control both the
flow and direction of each water cannon.
[0012] A plurality of apertures in the outer shell would allow
water that was fired at the remote-controlled water toy to enter
the volume. In the first embodiment, part of the outer shell would
be a deck in which there would be several apertures. The deck would
be continuous with a hull, forming the remainder of the outer shell
of the remote-controlled water toy. The water would collect in the
volume, slowly sinking the boat or ship. The volume can be emptied
by the pump, using the remote control.
[0013] In a second embodiment, the remote-controlled water toy
would not float, but would be placed in a shallow pool of water. In
this embodiment, the non-floating remote-controlled water toy would
rest on the bottom of the shallow pool of water. The non-floating
remote-controlled water toy could be configured with an outer shell
to look like a tank. In this embodiment, the remote-controlled
water toy could be fitted with motor-driven treads or tires to
allow the remote-controlled water toy to move about.
[0014] The remote-controlled water toy would move about in response
to input from a remote control. The remote control would be able to
control both the speed of the treads or tires, and their
orientation, allowing the user to control the speed and direction
of the remote-controlled water toy.
[0015] The outer shell of the second embodiment would mimic that of
a military tank. A water intake placed below the waterline,
preferably at the bottom of the remote-controlled water toy, would
be connected to at least one pump. The at least one pump would
provide water to one or more water cannons. The at least one
remote-controlled pump would be powered by a power source. The
water cannons would respond to commands from the remote control,
which could control both the flow and direction of each water
cannon.
[0016] A plurality of apertures in the outer shell would allow
water that was fired at the remote-controlled water toy to enter
the volume. In the second embodiment, the outer shell would
resemble a tank and would have several apertures. In the second
embodiment, the water would collect in the volume. The volume would
contain a float switch. When the water in the volume reach a
pre-determined level, the float switch would be switched, disabling
the remote-controlled water toy. In this way, a winner and loser of
a toy battle would be apparent. After a match, the volume can be
emptied by the pump, using the remote control.
[0017] The invention can be customized so that the
remote-controlled water toy has a variety of water cannons to
choose from and varying capacities for taking on water and varying
speed and maneuverability. However, these factors can be balanced
so that remote-controlled water toys of equal strength can be
matched with one another, leaving only the players' skill and
strategy as determinants of victory.
[0018] The invention differs from what currently exists. It is
unique and novel because it allows players to shoot real
projectiles in the form of water which is harmless to a player but
will inflict real and incremental damage to other remote-controlled
water toys. This invention identifies a real winner in a
competition, because the loser would either (1) sink; or (2) be
disabled once the interior tank is sufficiently filled so as to
trigger the float switch. This is because these remote-controlled
water toys are specifically designed to take on water through
apertures in their outer shells, retain water in their volume until
they are too heavy to float or the interior volume is full, and
continue to operate until their maximum water capacity is reached.
In addition, other remote-controlled water toys that are
water-resistant are only that, water-resistant, but not watertight.
And, if they are watertight, they are designed to stay afloat and
not sink.
[0019] A remote-control with a matching frequency would accompany
the toy and would have at least 3 functions, including forward
propulsion, shooting the cannon and steering, however, in a
preferred embodiment the boat would have 5 or more functions,
including forward and reverse for two different motors (which also
provides for steering), plus a shooting function.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed
description of presently preferred embodiments of the invention,
will be better understood when read in conjunction with the
appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention,
there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently
preferred. It should be understood, however, that the invention is
not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities
shown.
[0021] In the drawings:
[0022] FIG. 1 is a side view of the present invention with the
internal arrangement of components visible and depicted as dotted
lines.
[0023] FIG. 2 is a front (left) and top (right) view of the present
invention.
[0024] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention
showing an alternative embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 4 shows a plurality of the present invention, in situ,
and in isolation.
[0026] FIG. 5 is a side view of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 6 is an isolation view of the motor, propeller, and
water cannon, showing an alternative embodiment.
[0028] FIG. 7 shows a plurality of an alternative embodiment of the
present invention, in situ.
[0029] FIG. 8 is an isolation of an alternative embodiment of the
present invention, in situ.
[0030] FIG. 9 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the
present invention.
[0031] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of an alternative embodiment of the
present invention.
[0032] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment
of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] Certain terminology is used in the following description for
convenience only and is not limiting. The article "a" is intended
to include one or more items, and where only one item is intended
the term "one" or similar language is used. Additionally, to assist
in the description of the present invention, words such as top,
bottom, side, upper, lower, front, rear, inner, outer, right and
left are used to describe the accompanying figures. The terminology
includes the words above specifically mentioned, derivatives
thereof, and words of similar import.
[0034] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a first embodiment of the
present invention, a remote-controlled water toy. FIG. 2 shows a
front and top view of the first embodiment of the present
invention. FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment
of the present invention. The present invention is a
remote-controlled water toy. FIG. 4 shows the present invention
being used in situ. FIG. 5 shows a side view of the first
embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows an isolation of a
variation on the water control system. FIGS. 1-6 will be discussed
together.
[0035] The first embodiment is a boat 77. The boat 77 floats. The
boat 77 has an outer shell 55 with a plurality of apertures 19, 25.
The outer shell 55 is a continuous, exterior surface of the boat
77. Part of the outer shell 55 can be decorative pieces such as the
bridge 21. During game play, an opponent can fire water at the
boat. Water will infiltrate the outer shell 55 through one or more
of the apertures 19, 25 in the deck 17. The water will then be
collected and stored in an interior volume 99. To prevent the boat
77 from totally sinking, one or more water-tight compartments 31
can be used to create buoyancy. As the interior volume 99 fills
with water, the boat 77 will no longer float fully upright. Once
the interior volume 99 of the boat 77 is filled with a
predetermined amount of water, the boat 77 will be partially or
totally submerged. The predetermined amount of water depends on the
overall weight of the boat 77 and the amount of buoyancy built into
the water-tight compartments 31 of the boat 77. A boat 77 can have
a first predetermined amount of water that will make it partially
submerge, and a second predetermined amount of water that will make
it fully submerge. In this way, a true winner of the game is
apparent.
[0036] The bottom of the boat 77 is designed to make the boat 77
stable as the interior volume 99 fills with water. The boat 77 has
a keel 24 with an apex 23 and two chines 22. This bottom
configuration makes the boat 77 stable when the interior volume 99
is full of water or when the boat 77 is used in rough water. FIG. 2
(left side), shows a front view of the boat 77 having two chines,
22, running along the sides of the outer shell 55 (hull) and
deepest in the rear of the boat for stability, and a deeper
V-shaped middle, 23, that runs the entire length of the hull. For
deeper water and additional stability in rough water, a modified
keel, 24, runs the length of the boat but is deepest near the
middle. The keel, 24, is modified to be hollow and wider so that it
serves as part of the interior volume 99 and can collect water that
enters from above. This keel 24, 23 makes the boat 77 stable as the
interior volume 99 fills with water.
[0037] In order to keep the boat 77 from fully submerging when the
interior volume 99 is filled with water, the boat 77 can be fitted
with watertight compartments 8, 20, to provide buoyancy.
[0038] The boat 77 is fitted with one or more water cannons 1. The
boat 77 has a remote-controlled pump 5 which draws water in through
an intake 3 and hose 4. The remote-controlled pump 5 operates in
response to a signal received from the remote-control receiver via
the controller, both of which are mounted on the circuit board 9.
The water exits the pump 5, through a nozzle 6, under pressure. The
water passes through a gun hose 7 prior to reaching the water
cannon 1. The water cannon 1 fires off the bow 18 of the boat 77.
The gun turret 37 of the water cannon 1 assembly has an outlet port
2 to which an additional water cannon can be attached. Importantly,
the intake, 3, will provide a counter-balancing force when made to
face the same direction as the water cannon 1. In the FIG. 1 the
intake 3 is shown to be pulling water in from the bow 18 which
pulls the boat 77 forward, while the water cannon 1 pushes water
out from the bow 18, which pushes the boat 77 backwards. The net
result is a muted effect on the remote-controlled water toys
position during the cannon's operation.
[0039] The boat 77 includes one or more battery 11 operated
remote-controlled motors, 15. The propellers 16 are visible in
FIGS. 1 and 3. Two propellers 16 provide extra maneuverability,
because the propellers 16 are more effective for reversing
direction when the water flow from the front to the back is
unobstructed (or at least less obstructed) by the boat 77 outer
shell 55 (hull), itself. A watertight compartment houses a receiver
and controller on a circuit board, 9. The remote-controlled motors
15 are used to drive the propellers 16 in response to a signal
received from the remote-control receiver via the controller. The
batteries 11 are wired through conduits 12, 13, 14 to the circuit
board 9, an antenna 10, one or more motors 15, the pump 5, and,
optionally, a remote-controlled rudder. The remote-control receiver
9 must be set to the same frequency as the remote-controller and
should have additional channels for each action, including the
firing of the water cannon 1 or water cannons 1, 2.
[0040] Wiring is made waterproof by protecting the connections
within the watertight compartment, 8, and, the watertight
compartments themselves are protected from leaks through the use of
wire conduits, 12, 13 and 14, which provide an entry way for wires
and an extended channel into which waterproofing material, such as
silicone or adhesives, can be injected. The silicone can then
envelope the wires within the wire conduits, 12, 13 and 14 while
providing a seal at both ends. For additional protection, the pump
5, which is itself waterproof and submersible, can have its wiring
run into the battery 11 compartment through one conduit 12 and then
out through another conduit 13 before finally entering the
waterproof compartment and connecting to the circuit board 9.
Effectively, this design requires water collected in the interior
volume 99 of the boat 77 to go through the two conduits and the
battery compartment before it can enter the circuit board
compartment.
[0041] When necessary, a gun bib 26 can be used below the water
cannon 1, to prevent drips from the water cannon 1 from entering
the interior volume 99 through one or more of the apertures 19, 25.
The gun bib 26 is essentially a sloped surface 26 that drains into
a drainage hole 27.
[0042] During game play, remote-controlled water toys of equal
strength can battle each other in small, indoor pools 28. Such
pools 28 can be made small enough to be placed on a tabletop or
floor, and the guns can be mounted so that water 29 shot from the
water cannons 1, 2 are restricted to lateral or downward movement
such that it cannot be shot outside of the playing arena 28.
Furthermore, the water cannons 1 will not work once the boat 77 is
removed from the pool 28 because the pool 28 is in fact their only
source of water or "ammunition". The pump 5 can still be activated
but no water 29 can be pushed out through the water cannon 1. The
result is that remote-controlled water toys will move about and
shoot at their opponents 30 and the water 29 will only be able to
hit the opponent 30, and sink their opponent 30 as intended.
[0043] With some slight modifications as shown in FIG. 6, the motor
33 can be used in a jet propulsion channel 34 to drive an impeller
32. The impeller 32 pulls water through the channel 34 and out the
back of the boat 77 for forward movement. In this arrangement the
motor 33 can be put into reverse and thus act as an axial pump
which now pulls water in from the rear of the boat, against a check
valve 35, which automatically closes, driving water up through a
gun tube 36 and out through the turret 37 and water cannon 1. The
benefit of such an arrangement is two-fold, first it eliminates the
need for a pump and the third motor within it, and second, it
eliminates the need for a separate remote-control function for
reversing and shooting because when the motor is reversed it will
in fact result in both actions: the gun shoots water forward, and
in so doing, it also pushes the boat back. That reactive force is
magnified by the water being pulled in from the back of the boat,
resulting in an even stronger reversing effect.
[0044] The present invention can also be expressed by non-floating
embodiments, such as the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-11. In
this embodiment, the remote-controlled water toy is a tank 101,
102. The tank 101, 102 can be partially submerged in a pool 103 of
water 104. The tank 101, 102 has treads 112 that contact the lower
surface 105 of the pool 103. Alternately, the tank 101, 102 could
have tires. The lower surface 105 can be textured to provide extra
traction. The tanks 101, 102 shoot water 107 at each other through
water cannons 106.
[0045] The tanks 101, 102 have an outer shell 108. The outer shell
108 is a continuous, exterior surface. There are a plurality of
apertures 109, 110, 111 in the outer shell 108 that allow water 107
to collect in an interior volume 118. When water 107 shot by an
opponent fills the interior volume 118 by entering the outer shell
108 through the apertures 109, 110, 111, the water will trip a
float switch 119. Once the float switch 119 is tripped by water
filling the interior volume 118, the tank 101, 102 will no longer
be able to fire. In this way, a winner will be apparent. A moisture
sensor, a pressure sensor or electronic magnetic sensor can be
substituted for the float switch 119, to measure the water level in
the interior volume and determine when the water level has reached
a predetermined level.
[0046] Each tank 101, 102 fires water through its water cannon 106.
Water enters the pump 114 through the water intake 113. The pump
114 pumps water through a hose 115 to the water cannon 106. The
water cannon 106 may be mounted on a spherical base 116, allowing
the water cannon 106 to rotate. The water cannon 106 can also be
placed on a rotating turret.
[0047] Each tank 101, 102 has a water-tight compartment 121,
created by a water-tight wall 120. The motor 123 and a printed
circuit board 122 containing a receiver and controller are in the
water-tight compartment 121. Batteries 125 are housed in an
adjacent water-tight compartment.
[0048] The motors 123 drive a drive wheel 124, which, in turn,
drives the treads 112.
[0049] The present invention may be embodied in other specific
forms without departing from its spirit or essential
characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in
all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of
the invention will be, therefore, indicated by claims. All changes,
which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the
claims, are to be embraced within their scope.
* * * * *