Bean Bag With Handle And Stabilizing Vane

Abstract

A game or toy aerial projectile comprising an over-sized shuttle combined with a bean-bag and having a handle which may be manually grasped so that the projectile can be projected through the air. The handle is located within the vane of the shuttle. The head of the shuttle is filled with shot to form the bean-bag and a plurality of projections extend within the head to dampen movement of the shot. The outer surface of the head is formed with a plurality of projections to preclude skidding.

Description

The invention relates to an aerial projectile which may be employed as a toy and comprises an over-sized shuttle combined with a bean-bag and having a handle which may be manually grasped so that the projectile can be thrown through the air.

As is known, "bean bags" are flexible bags filled with granular material such as beans, metal shot or the like.

In the present invention, the bean bag can be considered as having been equipped with a handle for purposes of throwing, the handle allowing the bag to be projected so as to move through the air in a ballistic trajectory.

The projectile is a safe dart in that it has no sharp points which can cause injury or damage.

Further, it may be used either indoors or outdoors in connection with playing a wide variety of games.

The handle makes the projectile easy to throw; a shuttle-type vane insures true flight through the air; a bean-bag type of head insures that the projectile always lands nose down; and the shot in the head provides a ballast so that so that the projectile rights itself after landing with the nose of the projectile down and the conical vane up; and a plurality of pegs which project inwardly of and are located within the head serve as a dampening means to preclude the ready shifting of all of the shot from one side of the head to the other at too fast a rate.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a view, in side elevation, of a projectile embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view, in section, on line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view, in section, on line 3--3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a view, in top plan, of the projectile of the invention; and

FIG. 5 is a graphic representation showing one manner of use of the projectile.

The projectile resembles a shuttle or "bird" such as is used in the game of badminton, such a shuttle normally comprising a head having attached thereto a feathered or other flight-controlling vane.

Herein, a conical vane 10, is preferably formed from a thermoplastic material, has a lattice of a plurality of equi-spaced flight-controlling apertures 12 therethrough, is provided with an elongated gripping handle 14 disposed interiorly of the cone, and is fixed at its lower end to a hollow head 16 which is preferably formed from rubber or a soft, pliant thermoplastic material such as nylon, polyethylene or the like.

Head 16 is generally of semispherical configuration so as to merge smoothly into the configuration of the vane at the skirt thereof.

Head 16 is molded as a relatively thin shell of plastic material in the form of a bean bag and can be formed integrally with the vane or as a separate head which is adapted to be connected to the vane.

The head is partially filled with a multiplicity of small pellets or shot 18 which are free to shift within the head so as to insure that the projectile always lands nose down.

A plurality of upstanding posts or pegs 20 are provided on the interior surface of the head to insure an even distribution of the shot and a plurality of small projections or ribs 22 on the outer surface of the head insures against skidding of the projectile upon landing.

The posts or pegs 20 project inwardly of the head and extend axially thereof and serve as a dampening means so as to preclude the undesired shifting of the shot all to one side or the other of the head during flight.

The posts may be of any desired diameter and height and can be arranged in any desired pattern such as concentric circles such as shown in FIG. 3.

The posts are unconnected as to each other wherefor they are free to flex when the head is struck in the operational play of any game.

The head is fixed to a bottom wall 24 of vane 10 as by means of a locking ring 26 which circumscribes the head and has a plurality of integral upstanding pins 28 which extend through strategically-disposed openings in vane bottom wall 24 and are headed over as at 30.

The weight of the vane may be decreased or lightened as by a plurality of secondary apertures 32 disposed adjacent apertures 12, while strength may be imparted thereto as by a plurality of intersecting ribs 34.

In use, the projectile is grasped by handle 14 and is thrown, using preferentially an underhand swing in the manner such as shown in FIG. 5.

The weighting effect resultant from the use of the shot serves to cause the projectile to right itself after landing with the nose, represented by the head, being disposed downward and the conical vane being disposed upward.

The projectile may be used in conjunction with suitable target areas, not shown, which may be set up either indoors or outdoors.

Since the head is soft and pliable, no injury to persons or furniture will occur, if they are accidentally struck by the projectile.

The handle makes it easy to throw in a controlled underhand swing.

While the vane and head have been shown as separate elements, it will be understood that the two could be formed as a single integral unit.

Claims

We claim:

1. A toy projectile comprising:

a conical flight-controlling vane, a bean-bag type head partially filled with shot and fixed to the forward end of the vane, a handle disposed within the vane rearwardly of the head and adapted to be manually grasped for throwing the projectile, and a plurality of projections within the head for controlling movement of the shot.

2. A game or toy projectile according to claim 1 and including a plurality of projections on the outer surface of the head for precluding skidding as the projectile lands.

3. A game or toy projectile according to claim 1, and wherein the handle comprises an upstanding post within the vane.

4. A game or toy projectile according to claim 1, and wherein the shot weights the nose, for causing the projectile to right itself after landing with the head downwardmost and vane upwardmost.