Soft flying game disc

• US 4,223,473 A
• Filed: 11/30/1978
• Issued: 09/23/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James L. Brown
• Original Assignee: James L. Brown
• Inventors: Brown, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Eskovitz, Jay N.
• Application Number:
  US05/965,077
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 46/74 D, 46/74 R, 46/75, 273/106 B, 2/171.2, 2/195
• US Class Current: 446/46
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/18 Throwing or slinging toys, e.g. flying disc toys discs used in athletics A63B65/10as part of a game A63F9/02; sling weapons F41B3/00; spring toy guns F41B7/08

Abstract

A soft flying game disc comprising a limp, generally circular fabric locally annularly stiffened inwardly of the fabric peripheral edge margin in central air foil and peripheral spoiler skirt structure defining relation.

Claims

1. A soft flying game disc having air flow path determined lift and flight stability characteristics, said disc comprising a limp, generally circular fabric, and means defining a stiffened annular locus extending circularly and inward of the fabric peripheral edge margin to form a central air foil structure circumscribed by said means and peripheral spoiler skirt structure radially beyond said means, whereby said air flow path is increased and lift and flight stability characteristics of the disc correspondingly enhanced.

2. The soft flying game disc according to claim 1, in which said fabric comprises multiple layers of cloth.

3. The soft flying game disc according to claim 1, in which said stiffening means comprises a torus at said stiffening locus and normally depending from said disc.

4. The soft flying game disc according to claim 1, in which said fabric is baggy within said stiffening locus to airstream responsively billow into air foil shaped structure during disc flight.

5. The soft flying disc according to claim 1, in which said fabric peripheral edge margin is radially dimensioned to be free edge self-supporting outward beyond said stiffening means.

6. The soft flying game disc according to claim 1, in which said air foil structure and said spoiler skirt structure are both formed of at least one unitary piece of fabric.

7. A soft flying game disc having air flow path determined lift and flight stability characteristics, said disc comprising a limp, generally circular fabric member having a first diameter, a relatively stiffer, separately formed, annular element having a second, lesser diameter, coaxial with and secured to said fabric member to delimit and differentially support central and perimetrical fabric member portions of relative size determined by said first and second diameters, said central portion being relatively less supported and more airstream displacement responsive during disc flight in air foil-structure defining relation;

said perimetrical portion being relatively more supported and less airstream displacement responsive in spoiler skirt structure defining relation relative to said air foil;

whereby the disc diametrical dimension is effectively increased beyond the annular element diameter, increasing correspondingly the peripheral air flow path over said disc, the flow path determined lift and flight stability characteristics being thus enhanced.

8. The soft flying game disc according to claim 7, in which said annular element is circumferentially continuous.

9. The soft flying game disc according to claim 8, in which said annular element is dimensionally resilient.

10. The soft flying game disc according to claim 9, in which said annular element is toroidal in configuration.

11. The soft flying game disc according to claim 10, in which said fabric member is perimetrically crenulate.

12. The soft flying game disc according to claim 7, in which said fabric member comprises multiple layers of cloth.

13. The soft flying game disc according to claim 7, in which said central and perimetrical fabric member portions are both formed of at least one unitary piece of cloth.

14. The soft flying game disc according to claim 13, including also an additional fabric layer connected to said perimetrical fabric member portion beyond said annular member in stiffening relation.

15. The soft flying game disc according to claim 14, in which said annular element is a dimensionally resilient, circumferentially integral torus, said additional fabric layer enclosing said element in securing relation to said fabric member.

16. The soft flying game disc according to claim 15, including also stitching on said perimetrical fabric portion arranged to effect said crenulate perimeter thereon.

17. The soft flying game disc according to claim 16, in which said element comprises compressed and peripherially confined packing.

18. The soft flying game disc according to claim 17, in which said packing is longitudinally wadded and crinkled paper.

19. A soft flying game disc according to claim 18, in which said packing is confined in a thin plastic film casing.

20. A soft flying game disc having air flow path determined lift and flight stability characteristics, said disc including a fabric member comprising multiple layers of generally circular, limp cloth pieces having a common first diameter, a relatively stiffer, separately formed, dimensionally resilient and circumferentially integral toroidal element wrapped in a further cloth piece, and said element having a second, lesser diameter, said element being coaxially secured to said fabric member by sewing its cloth wrapper peripherially to said circular cloth pieces, to delimit and differentially support a fabric member central portion sized to be relatively less supported and baggy inward of said element and a fabric member perimetrical portion outward of said element sized to be relatively more supported and stiffer and further stiffened by said element cloth wrapper being sewn thereto;

said central portion having relatively greater airstream displacement response during disc flight in air foil structure defining relation;

said perimetrical portion having relatively lesser airstream displacement response during disc flight in spoiler skirt structure defining relation, whereby the disc diametrical dimension is effectively increased beyond the toroidal element diameter, increasing correspondingly the peripheral air flow path over said disc, the flow path determined lift and flight stability characteristics being thus enhanced.