Throw toy

• US 4,309,038 A
• Filed: 02/07/1980
• Issued: 01/05/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald M. Spoon
• Original Assignee: Donald M. Spoon
• Inventors: Spoon, Donald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): SHAPIRO, PAUL
• Application Number:
  US06/119,567
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 273/428, 273/146, 273/426, 273/425, 273/424, 46/29, 46/115, 46/151, 46/156, 46/22
• US Class Current: 473/596
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 65/00 Implements for throwing throwing toys A63H33/18 ; Mechanical projectors, e.g. using spring force

Abstract

A throw toy has spoke-like graspable members of differing lengths which extend from a central hub at approximately the same angle with respect to each other and have bulbous ends such that the toy is balanced for throwing and is readily catchable. The hub and the spoke-like members may represent the head of an animal-like figure.

Claims

1. A throw toy, consisting of:

(a) a generally spherical central hub having a relatively soft surface,

(b) four outwardly projecting spoke-like hand-graspable members integral with and diverging outwardly from the hub in different directions,

(c) two spoke-like members being of intermediate length, one spoke-like member being of a short length, and one spoke-like member being of a long length,

(d) the spoke-like hand-graspable members including at their ends a bulbous member smaller in size than the central hub which will readily fit into the palm of the hand and has a relatively soft outer surface,

(e) the two intermediate length spoke-like members extending generally in the same direction, and the long spoke-like hand-graspable member extending generally in the opposite direction,

(f) the short spoke-like member extending generally outwardly and away from a plane defined by the periphery of the bulbous member at the ends of the three other spoke-like members, and

(g) the spoke-like members being relatively stiff unbending members.

3. The throw toy as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein:

(a) the bulbous member on the free end of the spoke-like graspable members is substantially egg-shaped to fit the palm of the hand.

4. The throw toy as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein:

(a) the central hub is approximately the size of a tennis ball.

5. The throw toy as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein:

(a) the spoke-like hand-graspable members are internally reinforced so that they are relatively stiff and unyieldable to resist bending.

6. The throw toy as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein:

(a) the overall appearance thereof gives the general impression of an animal head caricature,

(b) the shorter spoke-like member represents the nose, the two intermediate length spoke-like members represent ears, the longest spoke-like member represents the neck area, and

(c) two eyes are disposed on the hub between the spoke-like members representing the nose and ears, and a mouth is disposed on the other side of the spoke-like member representing the nose of the animal head caricature.

7. The throw toy as set forth in claim 6, wherein:

(a) the longest spoke-like member representing the neck of the animal is of sufficient length to be used as a handle for throwing the toy.

8. The throw toy as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein:

(a) the shortest spoke-like member is approximately one and a half times the diameter of the hub, the intermediate spoke-like member is twice the length of the shortest spoke-like member, and the longest spoke-like member is three times the length of the shortest spoke-like member.

9. The throw toy as set forth in claim 1 or 2, wherein:

(a) the bulbous elements on the ends of the spoke-like members are colored to designate different point values, with the color of the bulbous member on the smaller spoke-like member designating the highest point value, the color of the bulbous member on the intermediate spoke-like member designating an intermediate point value, and the color on the bulbous member of the longest spoke-like member designating the lowest point value.

16. The throw toy as set forth in claims 1, 2 or 10, wherein:

(a) the lengths of the spoke-like hand-graspable members are substantially greater than the diameter of the hub member so that on impact of one of the spoke-like members with an object, the throw toy has a tendency to glance off such object and change direction, rather than to continue on a direct path.

2. A throw toy, comprising:

(a) a generally spherical central hub having a relatively soft surface,

(b) four outwardly projecting spoke-like hand-graspable members integral with and diverging outwardly from the hub in different directions,

(c) two spoke-like members being of intermediate length, one spoke-like member being of a short length, and one spoke-like member being of a long length,

(d) the spoke-like hand-graspable members including at their ends a bulbous member smaller in size than the central hub which will readily fit into the palm of the hand and has a relatively soft outer surface,

(e) the two intermediate length spoke-like members extending generally in the same direction, and the long spoke-like hand-graspable member extending generally in the opposite direction,

(f) the short spoke-like member extending generally outwardly and away from a plane defined by the periphery of the bulbous member at the ends of the three other spoke-like members,

(g) the spoke-like members being relatively stiff unbending members, and

(h) the spoke-like members being marked to indicate a point value depending upon their length with greater point values being assigned to the shorter spoke-like members and lesser point values being assigned to the longer spoke-like members.

10. A throw toy, comprising:

(a) a central hub having a relatively soft surface and including thereon facial indicia elements of an animal head,

(b) a plurality of relatively stiff outwardly projecting spoke-like hand-graspable members disposed at different points on the hub and which have a relatively soft surface,

(c) the spoke-like members being of nonuniform length, and being of such size and location with respect to the facial indicia to represent protuberances on the head whereby the toy gives the overall impression of the head of an animal.

11. The throw toy as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

(a) the hub and the spoke-like members have a soft resilient surface and each spoke-like member has a bulbous grasping element at its free end.

12. The throw toy as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

(a) there are four spoke-like hand-graspable members extending from the hub at an approximate angle of 120°

with respect to each of the other three such members.

13. The throw toy as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

(a) the length of the shortest spoke-like member is slightly longer than the hub diameter, two intermediate length spoke-like members are approximately twice that length, and the longest spoke-like member is approximately three times the length of the shortest such member.

14. The throw toy as set forth in claim 10, wherein:

(a) the outwardly extending spoke-like hand-graspable members are of substantially equal diameter, and

(b) there are four spoke-like hand-graspable members two of which are of intermediate length, one of a long length and one of short length,

(c) the two intermediate length spoke-like members representing the ears of the animal and extending generally in the same direction, while the long spoke-like hand-graspable member represents the neck of the animal and extends generally in the opposite direction, and

(d) the short spoke-like member representing the nose and extending generally outwardly and away from a plane defined by the outer tips of the other spoke-like members.

15. The throw toy as set forth in claim 10 or 14, wherein:

(a) the ends of the spoke-like hand-graspable members have a soft yieldable bulbous element of substantially egg-shaped configuration which readily fits into the palm of the hand.