Safety-sparkler wand w/chemiluminescent or electric-light illumination

• US 4,924,358 A
• Filed: 09/12/1988
• Issued: 05/08/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inventec Licensing BV
• Original Assignee: Inventec Licensing BV
• Inventors: Von Heck, Robt.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cole, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US07/242,740
• Time in Patent Office: 603 Days
• Field of Search: 362/32, 362/34, 362/102, 362/806, 362/811, 362/202, 362/203, 362/206, 446/219, 446/490
• US Class Current: 362/555
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 2/06 using chemiluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0005 the light guides being of the fibre type G02B6/0003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0096 the lights guides being of the hollow type
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4298 coupling with non-coherent light sources and/or radiation detectors, e.g. lamps, incandescent bulbs, scintillation chambers

Abstract

A juvenile'"'"'s fantasy-wand so devised as to convey the visual illusion of a sparkedly burning Jul-4th device or fairy-tale magic-wand appearance, by virtue of employing myraid flexible fiberoptic-strands stemming outward from the upper-end of a rigid baton like holding member; whereby two seperate illuminating options are set forth; 1. a minimal weight version employing a substantially conventional expendable chemiluminescent light-cartridge unit set co-axially into the wand body so as to propagate its light outward via an annular light-receptor serving to pipe the light up and outward through the fountain like cluster of billowing fiber-optic strands; 2. an expendable drycell-battery version preferably employing an ultra-bright LED-lamp set co-axially with a cylinderical light-housing so as to efficiently focus light directly into the upper-end abaxially gathered fiber-optic strands, which likewise blossom outward as a billowing array of tiny sparkling tips; --either version including an optional retractably protective-sheath member of tubular shape allowing the user to deploy the fiber-optic strands at will, plus a co-acting off/on switch arrangement in the electric version; both versions thus providing a fantastic visual night-time splendor of shimmering elements in a hand-portable modality which give-off a realistic illusion of an exciting however comparatively dangerous conventional burning sparkler device.

Claims

1. A child'"'"'s hand-portable novelty magic-wand toy article effectively serving as a nighttime safety-sparkler;

comprising;

a chemiluminescently illuminated apparatus, having a detachable lower body rod like carrying handle member of semi-rigid material, including an upper body portion having easy rod securing means for secure insertion of an end of the rod into a bore into a lower lumen portion of an upwardly extending substantially tubular aggregate light-body portion, said light-body made of light-permeable plastic so as to receive light radiating outward from a conventional expendable light-stick cartridge unit manually inserted into the lumen bore, the light thus being piped up via refraction means into base fustrums of myriad fiberoptic-strands fixedly arranged to an uppermost end of the light body;

said strands blossoming out distally thereabove so as to freely billow about, thus conveying dynamic points of light appearing much as sparks to an onlooker.

2. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 1, wherein the said rod securing means is attained via a snug friction-fit of the upper rod end into the lower lumen portion of the light-body, whereby the presence of the rod and prevents loss of the light-stick unit from its conversely loose-fit into the same lumen.

3. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 1, wherein the said rod securing means is attained via provision of a substantially conventional screw-thread connection arrangement, whereby the presence of the rod end prevents loss of the light-stick unit from its conversely loose-fit into the lumen bore receptacle.

4. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 1, wherein the said light refraction means includes an annular reflective sleeve or equivalent outersurface metalized-coating so as to increase internal light refraction efficiency of the light-piping effect.

5. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 1, wherein the base frustrums of the fiberoptic-strands are permanently set into the upper most end of the light-body and parallel with the reference axis thereof, preferably including use of a light-permeable plastic resin bond.

6. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 1, wherein the base fustrums of the fiberoptic-strands are intimately gathered as a unit via a provisional collet member such as plastic heatshrink-tubing, prior t permanent installation into the upper most end bore of the light-body in a manner parallel with the reference axis thereof.

7. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 1, wherein the aggregate light-body and upper fiberoptic plumage are provided with a sliding-sheath member of annular formation, whereby manually shifting the sheath from principally about the light-body to an upwardly extended position thus acts to draw the free strands captively within the protective sheathing for instant stowing capability, while retracting the sheath to its original position instantly frees the strands to blossom again.

8. `A child'"'"'s hand-portable novelty magic-wand toy article effectively serving as a nighttime safety-sparkler;

comprising;

an electrically illuminated apparatus, having a detachable lower body rod like carrying handle member of semi-rigid material, including an upper end portion having easy connective means for secure insertion into an axial bore of a lower lumen portion of an upwardly extending substantially tubular aggregate light-body member, said light-body being tantamount to a colinear receptacle having said axial bore like cavity just below an axially arranged electric-lamp device and containing a standard coaxially arranged battery, including means by which to efficiently direct light into base frustrums of myriad fiberoptic-strands fixedly arranged to an uppermost end of the light body;

said strands blossoming out distally and freely billowing about, thus conveying dynamic points of light appearing much as sparks to an onlooker.

9. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 8, wherein said rod connective means is attained by a a snug friction-fit of the upper rod end into the lower lumen portion of the light-body, and whereby the presense of the rod therein prevents loss of the standard coaxially installed battery from its conversely loose-fit into the lumen bore receptacle.

10. A magic wand toy article according to claim 8, wherein said rod connective means is attained via provision of a screw-thread arrangement cooperative between the upper rod end and the lower lumen portion of the light-body, said arrangement also achieving an expedient off/on electrical switching provision via substantially conventional flashlight circuitry connection construction between a terminal of the coaxial battery and a terminal of the coaxial lamp, whereby counter-clockwise rotation of the handle relative to the light-body provides an open-circuit condition and vice-versa.

11. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 8, wherein said receptacle means includes an axial cavity of suitably reduced depth and diameter set extremely within the lumen bore as receives the axially positioned battery, said cavity serving to accept a pre-focused LED or incandescent type lamp therein, and including an alternate lamp terminal portion which is in electrical communication with an adjoining discretely arranged conductor extending down the bore of the light-body so as to complete a provisional circuit to a lower terminal of the battery when the handle is manually brought upward.

12. A magic-wand toy according to claim 8, wherein said light body includes a coaxially arranged parabolic reflector with suitable incandescent-lamp, the reflector efficiently collimating otherwise defused light in a substantially upward colinear manner upon the frustrums of the fiberoptic-strands.

13. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 8, wherein the base frustrums of the fiberoptic-strands are permanently set into the upper most end of the light-body and parallel with the axial bore thereof, preferably including use of a light-permeable plastic resin bond.

14. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 8, wherein the base frustrums of the fiberoptic-strands are intimately gathered as a unit via a provisional collet member such as plastic heatshrink-tubing, prior to permanent installation into the upper most end bore of the light-body in a manner parallel with the axial bore thereof.

15. A magic-wand toy article according to claim 8, wherein the aggregate light-body and upper fiberoptic plumage are provided with a sliding-sheath member of annular formation, whereby manually shifting the sheath from principally about the light-body to an upwardly extended position thus acts to draw the free strands captively within the sheath for instant stowing capability, while retracting the sheath to its original position instantly frees the strands to blossom again.