Quick fill cap for a toy water gun

• US 20040159368A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hasbro Inc.
• Inventors: Brown, Robert L., Eddins, Fred D.
• Application Number:
  US10/361,916
• Publication Number:
  US 20040159368A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/340
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 9/0071 characterised by special valve arrangements

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a quick fill cap for a toy gun capable of discharging an output stream of liquid. The toy gun may have a liquid reservoir for storing a quantity of liquid and fill port for depositing liquid in to the liquid reservoir. The quick fill cap may include a cap portion having a throughbore, wherein the cap portion may be adapted to demountably attach to the fill port of the toy gun and to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal with the fill port. The quick fill cap may further include a hollow funnel having a lower surface connected to an upper surface of the cap portion such that a substantially airtight and watertight seal is formed between the lower surface of the hollow funnel and the upper surface of the cap portion. The hollow funnel may be substantially aligned with the throughbore of the cap, and the hollow funnel may be disposed external to the liquid reservoir when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port. Still further, the quick fill cap may include a one-way valve connected to the cap portion proximate an opening of the throughbore opposite the hollow funnel. The one-way valve may be disposed on the interior of the liquid reservoir when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port, and the one-way valve may be adapted to allow liquid to flow from the exterior of the liquid reservoir through the channel formed by the hollow funnel and the throughbore of the cap portion and into the reservoir. The one-way valve may further be adapted to prevent liquid from flowing from the interior of the liquid reservoir through the channel formed by the throughbore of the cap portion and the hollow funnel to the exterior of the reservoir.

Claims

1. A quick fill cap for a toy gun capable of discharging an output stream of liquid, the toy gun having a liquid reservoir for storing a quantity of liquid and fill port for depositing liquid in to the liquid reservoir, the quick fill cap comprising:

a cap portion having a throughbore, the cap portion being adapted to demountably attach to the fill port of the toy gun and to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal with the fill port;

a hollow funnel having a lower surface connected to an upper surface of the cap portion such that a substantially airtight and watertight seal is formed between the lower surface of the hollow funnel and the upper surface of the cap portion, the hollow funnel being substantially aligned with the throughbore of the cap, and wherein the hollow funnel is disposed external to the liquid reservoir when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port; and

a one-way valve connected to the cap portion proximate an opening of the throughbore opposite the hollow funnel, wherein the one-way valve is disposed on the interior of the liquid reservoir when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port, the one-way valve being adapted to allow liquid to flow from the exterior of the liquid reservoir through the channel formed by the hollow funnel and the throughbore of the cap portion and into the reservoir, and to prevent liquid from flowing from the interior of the liquid reservoir through the channel formed by the throughbore of the cap portion and the hollow funnel to the exterior of the reservoir.

2. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 1, wherein the one-way valve comprises a duck bill valve.

3. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 2, wherein the cap portion comprises a stem extending downwardly and defining a portion of the throughbore of the cap portion, wherein a portion of the duck bill valve is disposed on the outer surface of at least a portion of the stem with the inner surface of the portion of the duck bill valve engaging the outer surface of the at least a portion of the stem, the inner surface of the portion of the duck bill valve and the outer surface of the at least a portion of the stem being adapted to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal therebetween.

4. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 1, wherein fill port has a threaded outer surface, the cap portion comprising a treaded inner surface being adapted to engage the threaded outer surface of the fill port and to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal therebetween.

5. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 1, wherein the liquid reservoir may be filled with liquid discharged from an outlet through the fill port, wherein the hollow funnel is fabricated from an elastomeric material, and wherein an inner surface of the hollow funnel may engage an outlet discharging liquid disposed therein to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal therebetween.

6. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 1, further comprising an air release valve having a first opening placing the air release valve in fluid communication with the interior of the liquid reservoir when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port and a second opening placing the air release valve in fluid communication with the atmosphere external to the liquid reservoir, wherein the air release valve is open such that air disposed within the liquid reservoir is in fluid communication with the atmosphere external to the liquid reservoir when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in an upright position, and wherein the air release valve is closed to prevent air and water disposed within the liquid reservoir from being communicated to atmosphere external to the liquid reservoir when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in an inverted position.

7. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 6, wherein the air release valve comprises:

a cavity disposed within the cap portion, wherein the first opening is disposed in a first portion of the first opening disposed within the liquid reservoir when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port and the second opening is disposed in a second portion of the cap portion in fluid communication with the external atmosphere when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port; and

a ball disposed and slidable within the cavity, wherein the ball is disposed proximate the first opening when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in the upright position, and wherein the ball is disposed proximate the second opening when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in the inverted position, the second opening being adapted to engage the ball to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in the inverted position.

8. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 7, wherein the hollow funnel comprises a vent disposed within an outer wall of the hollow funnel and substantially aligned with the second opening of the air release valve, wherein a portion of the vent proximate the second opening of the air release valve engages the ball when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in the inverted position with the portion of the vent being adapted to engage the ball to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal therebetween.

9. A quick fill cap for a toy gun capable of discharging an output stream of liquid, the toy gun having a liquid reservoir for storing a quantity of liquid and fill port for depositing liquid in to the liquid reservoir, the quick fill cap comprising:

a cap portion having a throughbore, the cap portion being adapted to demountably attach to the fill port of the toy gun and to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal with the fill port;

a hollow funnel having a lower surface connected to an upper surface of the cap portion such that a substantially airtight and watertight seal is formed between the lower surface of the hollow funnel and the upper surface of the cap portion, the hollow funnel being substantially aligned with the throughbore of the cap, and wherein the hollow funnel is disposed external to the liquid reservoir when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port;

a one-way valve connected to the cap portion proximate an opening of the throughbore opposite the hollow funnel, wherein the one-way valve is disposed on the interior of the liquid reservoir when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port, the one-way valve being adapted to allow liquid to flow from the exterior of the liquid reservoir through the channel formed by the hollow funnel and the throughbore of the cap portion and into the reservoir, and to prevent liquid from flowing from the interior of the liquid reservoir through the channel formed by the throughbore of the cap portion and the hollow funnel to the exterior of the reservoir; and

an air release valve having a first opening placing the air release valve in fluid communication with the interior of the liquid reservoir when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port and a second opening placing the air release valve in fluid communication with the atmosphere external to the liquid reservoir, wherein the air release valve is open such that air disposed within the liquid reservoir is in fluid communication with the atmosphere external to the liquid reservoir when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in an upright position, and wherein the air release valve is closed to prevent air and water disposed within the liquid reservoir from being communicated to atmosphere external to the liquid reservoir when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in an inverted position.

10. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 9, wherein the one-way valve comprises a duck bill valve.

11. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 10, wherein the cap portion comprises a stem extending downwardly and defining a portion of the throughbore of the cap portion, wherein a portion of the duck bill valve is disposed on the outer surface of at least a portion of the stem with the inner surface of the portion of the duck bill valve engaging the outer surface of the at least a portion of the stem, the inner surface of the portion of the duck bill valve and the outer surface of the at least a portion of the stem being adapted to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal therebetween.

12. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 9, wherein fill port has a threaded outer surface, the cap portion comprising a treaded inner surface being adapted to engage the threaded outer surface of the fill port and to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal therebetween.

13. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 9, wherein the liquid reservoir may be filled with liquid discharged from an outlet through the fill port, wherein the hollow funnel is fabricated from an elastomeric material, and wherein an inner surface of the hollow funnel may engage an outlet discharging liquid disposed therein to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal therebetween.

14. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 9, wherein the air release valve comprises:

a cavity disposed within the cap portion, wherein the first opening is disposed in a first portion of the first opening disposed within the liquid reservoir when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port and the second opening is disposed in a second portion of the cap portion in fluid communication with the external atmosphere when the cap portion is demountably attached to the fill port; and

a ball disposed and slidable within the cavity, wherein the ball is disposed proximate the first opening when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in the upright position, and wherein the ball is disposed proximate the second opening when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in the inverted position, the second opening being adapted to engage the ball to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in the inverted position.

15. A quick fill cap as defined in claim 14, wherein the hollow funnel comprises a vent disposed within an outer wall of the hollow funnel and substantially aligned with the second opening of the air release valve, wherein a portion of the vent proximate the second opening of the air release valve engages the ball when the toy gun and quick fill cap are disposed in the inverted position with the portion of the vent being adapted to engage the ball to form a substantially airtight and watertight seal therebetween.