Amusement device and method

• US 20020127946A1
• Filed: 02/04/2002
• Published: 09/12/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jakks Pacific, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jakks Pacific, Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Paul M., Benson, Marcellus R., McGowan, Joseph L., Hornsby, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,410,405 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 446/176
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 9/0018 the gas being compressed utilising a manual piston pump
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 9/0021 the gas being compressed by non-manual pumping means, e.g. an electric pump
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 9/0028 the gun having an unpressurised liquid reservoir

Abstract

The subject invention provides an amusement device and method of play using the device, wherein the device includes a gun for shooting a liquid and/or a light beam, wherein the gun comprises a generally elongated barrel, a tank for containing a liquid, a source of power, a pump for pressurizing the tank, valve structures suitable for controlling the flow of the liquid, at least one light source, and a trigger mechanism which may selectively cause a stream of liquid to be discharged and one or more of the light sources to be activated.

Claims

1. A water amusement apparatus comprising:

a fluid discharge mechanism;

a plurality of light sources; and

a sequential trigger mechanism coupled to the fluid discharge mechanism and to the light sources.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a gun shaped housing at least partially enclosing the sequential trigger mechanism.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sequential trigger mechanism includes confronting first and second switch plates slidably coupled to each other.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first and second switch plate each include conductive elements positioned complementary to conductive elements located on a confronting switch plate.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said light source comprise an IR emitter and each conductive element on the first switch plate is coupled to one of the light sources, each conductive element on the second switch plate is coupled to a power source, and wherein the conductive elements are arranged to activate the light source sequentially.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, and further comprising a gun-disabling mechanism.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the light sources is positioned to illuminate fluid discharged from the fluid discharge mechanism.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid discharge mechanism includes a tank, an air pump in communication with the tank, and a valve mechanism in communication with the tank and in cooperation with the sequential trigger mechanism.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid discharge mechanism includes a first tank in communication with a second tank through a purge valve, and a pumping mechanism in communication with the first tank.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, and further comprising a first trigger valve coupled to the first tank, and a second trigger valve coupled to the second tank.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the sequential triggering mechanism is coupled to the first trigger valve, and further comprising a second trigger mechanism coupled to the second trigger valve.

13. The gun of claim 12, and further comprising a housing having plurality of light sources disposed therein, the housing enclosing the fluid discharge mechanism.

14. The gun of claim 13, wherein the trigger mechanism includes a mean for sequentially lighting the plurality of light sources.

15. The gun of claim 12, wherein the fluid discharge mechanism includes a means for discharging a generally coherent stream of fluid, and a means for discharging a generally conical stream of fluid.

16. The gun of claim 12, and further comprising a light source for illuminating fluids discharged from the fluid discharge mechanism.

17. The gun of claim 12, and further comprising an external fluid supply in communication with the fluid discharge mechanism.

19. The method of claim 18, and further comprising the steps of providing an article of clothing having an IR receiver thereon to each participant

20. The method of claim 18 and further comprising the step of disabling a squirt gun for a period of time when the IR receiver is hit by an IR beam.

12. A squirt gun comprising:

a fluid discharge mechanism;

an IR transmitter;

an IR receiver;

a trigger mechanism coupled to the fluid discharge mechanism and the IR transmitter; and

a trigger lock mechanism coupled to the IR receiver and the trigger mechanism.

18. A method of play comprising:

providing a squirt gun having an IR emitter, an IR receiver, and a fluid discharge mechanism to each participant;

pointing the squirt gun at the IR receiver; and

triggering the squirt gun to emit an IR beam from the IR emitter.