Aerial toy with on-board signaling device

• US 4,929,212 A
• Filed: 07/27/1989
• Issued: 05/29/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Antibes Incorporated 80 Broad Street Monrovia Liberia
• Original Assignee: Antibes Incorporated
• Inventors: Li, Shing-Lam
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rimell, Sam
• Application Number:
  US07/385,424
• Time in Patent Office: 306 Days
• Field of Search: 446/96, 446/97, 446/48, 446/484, 446/485, 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 saucer-shaped aerial toy has an on-board signaling device actuated only during flight by the closing of a pair of centrifugally-actuated electrical switches. The on-board signalling device may generate sound and/or light which not only have recreational value, but also serve as early warning indicators that the aerial toy is in the vicinity.

Claims

1. An aerial toy, comprising:

(a) a disc-shaped body having a central axis about which the body spins in a sustained flight when the body is hurled into the air, thereby generating centrifugal force;

(b) an actuatable, electrically-powered signaling means supported by the body, and operative for producing a distinctive signal when actuated;

(c) a battery supported by the body, and operative for supplying electrical power for the signaling means; and

(d) means for actuating the signaling means only during flight, including a pair of centrifugally-actuated electrical switches both located off the central axis on the body, both switches being switchable substantially simultaneously between first switched states in which the battery is electrically disconnected from the signaling means, and second switched states in which the battery is electrically connected to the signaling means for actuating the same and producing said distinctive signal only during flight, said switches being mounted diametrically opposite each other and equidistant from the central axis, each switch including a stationary contact, a movable contact, and a pushing means for pushing a respective movable contact into engagement with a respective stationary contact under the influence of the centrifugal force, each movable contact being a resilient arm normally biased away from a respective stationary contact.

2. The aerial toy according to claim 1, wherein the signaling means is an auditory annunciator for producing sounds.

3. The aerial toy according to claim 1, wherein each pushing means includes a weight movable along a guide toward and away from a respective movable contact.

4. The aerial toy according to claim 3, wherein the weights of both pushing means move radially away from each other in opposite directions along a common line during flight.

5. The aerial toy according to claim 3, wherein each guide has a stop wall to limit movement of a respective weight.

6. The aerial toy according to claim 1, wherein each resilient arm is a leaf spring.

7. The aerial toy according to claim 1, wherein both switches are electrically connected in series with each other and with the battery and the signaling means.

8. The aerial toy according to claim 7, wherein both switches are normally open in said first switched states, and are closed in said second switched states.