Illuminated disc-type throwing toy

• US 4,248,010 A
• Filed: 07/23/1979
• Issued: 02/03/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daniel W. Fox
• Original Assignee: Daniel W. Fox
• Inventors: Fox, Daniel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, F. Barry
• Assistant Examiner(s): Yu, Mickey
• Application Number:
  US06/059,770
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 46/228, 46/226, 46/74 D, 273/424, 273/425
• US Class Current: 446/47
• 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 disc-type throwing toy generally in the form of a flying saucer which is constructed and illuminated in such a manner to facilitate use of the device at night with the illumination features including peripheral light emitting devices as well as apertured centrally located housing components having inside illumination to closely simulate popular conceptions of a flying saucer.

Claims

1. A disc-type throwing toy comprising a generally circular disc having a laterally and reversely curved peripheral edge providing means for grasping the toy and throwing it, first light emitting means mounted on the periphery of the disc, a housing mounted centrally on the disc and projecting laterally from each side thereof, said housing being hollow and including a plurality of openings therein, second light emitting means disposed interiorly of the housing for emitting light through the openings therein, and a power source disposed within said housing selectively connectable by a switch means to said first and second light emitting means so as to selectively energize the same, thereby enabling the throwing toy to be utilized during periods of darkness and enhancing the entertainment characteristics of the toy by closely simulating the popular conception of a flying saucer.

2. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said first light emitting means on the periphery of the disc includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced light emitting diodes mounted on the laterally curved peripheral portion of the disc with the diodes being of distinguishable colors and electrically connected to the power source.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said first light emitting means at the periphery of the disc includes a plurality of radially extending optical fibers having outer and inner ends, said outer ends terminating in the laterally curved peripheral portion of the disc and said inner ends terminating in the housing, said second light emitting means in the housing including a high intensity light bulb for illuminating the inner ends of the fibers with such illumination of the fibers being emitted from the outer ends thereof.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said power source is a throwaway renewable battery.

5. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said power source is a rechargeable battery, and a rechargeable jack is disposed externally of the housing on the disc for receiving a plug adapter from a source of electrical energy for recharging the battery.

6. The structure as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is of generally spherical construction with one half of the housing being integral with the disc, the other half of the housing being removably attached to the opposite side of the disc.

7. The structure as defined in claim 6 wherein said disc includes a peripheral flange telescoped into the interior of the removable half of the housing, said removable half of the housing and the flange including inner engaging rib and groove means to frictionally retain the removable half of the housing in position.

8. The structure as defined in claim 7 wherein said disc and housing are constructed of plastic material with the housing having a radius greater than the total thickness of the disc and laterally curved peripheral portion thereby enabling observation of the apertures in both portions of the housing during flight of the toy thereby enabling the flight characteristics of the toy to be more easily determined and to simulate the appearance of a flying saucer.

9. The structure as defined in claim 2 wherein said light emitting diodes mounted on said peripheral edge of said circular disc are external of and extend outwardly from said peripheral edge.

10. The structure as defined in claims 1 or 9 wherein radially-extending protuberances are provided on said circular disc, said protuberances having electrical wires protectively encased therein, said wires serving to provide an electrical connection between said power source and said first light emitting means.