Flying Toy

Abstract

A manually projectable flying toy comprising an annulus the cross section of which in any radial plane containing its axis is that of an airfoil having a convex upper surface, the axial thickness of the annulus varying uniformly circumferentially thereof and being a maximum and a minimum at points 180.degree. apart.

Description

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to flying devices and, more particularly, to a device of the type which sails through the air like a clay pigeon when projected or propelled with a scaling motion. Still more specifically, the invention relates to a flying device of this type as embodied in a toy adapted to be scaled manually, and will be considered in such connection herein for convenience, it being understood that the flying device of the invention may be used for other purposes and may be propelled with a scaling motion by suitable equipment other than manual.

SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF INVENTION

A primary object of the invention is to provide a flying device of the foregoing nature which can be scaled manually very easily and with no special manipulations. Consequently, the device can be thrown manually with a scaling motion with no necessity for developing any particular skill, thereby making the device suitable for use as a toy by persons of all ages, including even young children, which is an important feature.

Another object of the invention is to provide a scalable flying device which, among other things, sails through the air with a side-to-side motion, which can be caused to return to a point near the thrower in boomeranglike fashion, and the like.

An important object of the invention is to provide a scalable flying device of the foregoing nature comprising an annulus the cross section of which in any radial plane containing its axis is that of an airfoil having a convex upper surface. With this construction, the device produces self-sustaining lift as it is projected through the air with a scaling motion.

Another object is to provide a device wherein the axial thickness of the annulus varies uniformly circumferentially thereof and is a maximum and a minimum at points circumferentially spaced apart by 180.degree.. In other words, the annulus is axially thicker on one side than it is on the other. This construction causes the device to sail through the air with the side-to-side motion mentioned, and also provides a boomerang effect.

Another object is to provide a scalable flying device comprising an annulus having a lower surface which is preferably substantially flat and which is provided with circumferentially spaced cavities varying in volume with the thickness of the annulus. This construction results in at least approximately balancing the weight of the annulus circumferentially. In other words, it results in at least approximately equalizing the weights of the various circumferential portions of the annulus despite their differences in thickness.

Another object is to provide a lightweight device wherein the annulus is made of a low density, foamed material.

The foregoing objects, advantages, features and results of the present invention, together with various other objects, advantages, features and results thereof which will be evident to those skilled in the scalable flying device art in the light of this disclosure, may be achieved with the exemplary embodiment of the invention described in detail hereinafter and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a scalable flying toy which embodies the invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the toy of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side or edge elevational view taken as indicated by the arrowed line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated by the arrowed line 4-4 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view suggesting the side-to-side motion which the scalable flying toy of the invention undergoes when thrown.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION

Referring to the drawing, the scalable flying toy of the invention is designated generally by the numeral 10 and comprises an annulus 12 the cross section of which in any radial plane containing its axis is that of an airfoil, as best shown in FIG. 4. (Actually, for a reason which will become apparent the annulus 12 has two closely spaced axes 14 and 16, FIG. 1. The cross section of the annulus 12 is that of an airfoil in any radial plane containing and extending outwardly from either of these axes.)

As is typical of any airfoil, the upper surface 18 of the annulus 12 is convex to develop lift in response to relative movement of the surface 18 and the air. The lower surface 20 is shown as nonconvex and is preferably substantially flat.

The axial thickness of the annulus 12 varies uniformly circumferentially thereof between a maximum and a minimum at points 22 and 24, respectively, 180.degree. apart. Preferably, the minimum thickness is between about 60 percent and 80 percent of the maximum thickness. Correspondingly, the inner and outer circumferences of the annulus 12 are slightly eccentric relative to each other to make the width of the annulus vary uniformly circumferentially thereof directly with the uniformly circumferentially varying axial thickness. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the maximum width 26 occurs at the point 22 of maximum thickness and the minimum width 28 coincides with the point 24 of minimum thickness. Because of this, the axis 14 of the inner circumference of the annulus 12 is displaced slightly from the axis 16 of the outer circumference in the direction of the point 24 of minimum thickness.

To achieve at least an approximate circumferential weight balance, i.e., to at least approximately offset the circumferential weight variation resulting from the circumferential thickness and width variations, the lower surface 20 is provided therein with circumferentially spaced cavities 30 uniformly varying in volume, circumferentially of the annulus 12, with the thickness and width of the annulus. Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the largest cavity occurs at the point 22 of maximum thickness and maximum width, while the smallest cavity 30 occurs at the point 24 of minimum thickness and width.

With the foregoing construction, when the device 10 is thrown manually, or otherwise, with a scaling motion, it flies with a side-to-side movement, as suggested by the arrowed broken line 32 in FIG. 5, and, eventually, returns to the general vicinity of the thrower in a boomeranglike manner. I have not been able to determine precisely why the toy 10 flies with the side-to-side motion depicted by the line 32, but this is presumably due to one or more of such factors as the differential lift between the thick and thin airfoil sections of the annulus 12, the spoiling effect of the leading edge of the annulus on the trailing edge thereof, which spoiling effect varies as the device rotates because of the varying thickness and width of the annulus, and the like. Similar factors or combinations of factors may be involved in the tendency of the device to boomerang. In this connection, I have found that the device 10 will not boomerang, or at least will not boomerang satisfactorily, without the circumferential thickness variation hereinbefore discussed.

Although various materials may be used for the annulus 12, a low density material is preferably so that the device 10 will fly with more of a sailing mode of operation. I have found that an excellent material for the annulus 12 is foamed polystyrene formed at a pressure of 9 p.s.i., which provides a satisfactorily low density.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration it will be understood that various minor changes, modifications, and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment.

Claims

I claim as my invention:

1. A flying device comprising an annulus the cross section of which in any radial plane containing its axis is that of an airfoil having a convex upper surface, the axial thickness of said annulus varying uniformly circumferentially thereof between a maximum and a minimum at points 180.degree. apart.

2. A flying device as defined in claim 1 wherein the lower surface of said annulus is nonconvex.

3. A flying device according to claim 2 wherein said lower surface is substantially flat.

4. A flying device as set forth in claim 3 wherein said lower surface is provided therein with circumferentially spaced cavities varying in volume with the thickness of said annulus.

5. A flying device according to claim 1 wherein said annulus is made of a foamed material.

6. A flying device as defined in claim 1 wherein the width of said annulus varies uniformly circumferentially thereof with said uniformly circumferentially varying axial thickness.