Illuminated flying disc with special effects lighting

• US 5,319,531 A
• Filed: 11/19/1992
• Issued: 06/07/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark R. Kutnyak
• Original Assignee: Mark R. Kutnyak
• Inventors: Kutnyak, Mark R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cole, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US07/979,090
• Time in Patent Office: 565 Days
• Field of Search: 362/253, 362/157, 362/184, 362/231, 362/251, 362/800, 273/424, 446/47, 446/219, 446/438, 446/439, 446/485, 446/242
• US Class Current: 362/184
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/008 Leisure, hobby or sport articles, e.g. toys, games or first-aid kits; Hand tools; Toolboxes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An illuminated, translucent flying disc includes electronic lighting and a lighting control. A plurality of high intensity light sources are centrally located below the disc in a protective center hub enclosure. The light sources distribute their alternating high intensity light rays radially outward along the top and bottom of the disc to the rim, flooding an angular area and rim of the disc with their alternating colored light rays, thus producing a high glowing effect through the opaque or translucent disc body. The controller for alternating the illumination of the light sources uses square wave timing circuitry.

Claims

1. An illuminated flying disc assembly, which comprises:

a disc having an upper deck with a planar major portion, the upper deck extending beyond the planar major portion to a leading edge, with a rim depending from an outer periphery of the leading ledge and defining a downwardly opening cavity along the underside of the upper deck;

power source retaining means generally centrally located on the underside of the upper deck for supporting, and providing electrical connection to, a power source;

a plurality of discrete light sources generally centrally located and spaced below the underside of the planar major portion of the upper deck and disposed around the power source retaining means, the discrete light sources being positioned to beam light radially and outward through the upper deck to the rim, wherein the discrete light sources are of at least two different colors; and

controlling means mounted on the underside of the disc for electrical connection to the power source and to the discrete light sources, the controlling means being operable to alternate illumination cycles of the discrete light sources of at least two different colors to create special lighting effects both radially along the upper deck and around the rim area of the disc.

2. The illuminated flying disc assembly of claim 1, wherein

the disc is made of a translucent material.

3. The illuminated flying disc assembly of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of discrete light sources includes at least two light sources of a first color and at least two light sources of a second color;

and

wherein the plurality of discrete light sources are disposed alternately and spaced at equal distances no more than ninety angular degrees apart, so as to generate a symmetrical pattern of illuminated portions of light including radial portions and portions on the rim of the disc.

4. The illuminated flying disc assembly of claim 1, wherein

the plurality of discrete light sources includes at least three light sources of a first color and at least three light sources of a second color;

and

wherein the plurality of discrete light sources are disposed alternately and spaced at equal distances approximately sixty angular degrees apart, so as to generate a symmetrical pattern of illuminated portions of light including radial portions and portions on the rim of the disc.

6. The illuminated flying disc assembly of claim 1, wherein

the two different colors are complementary colors.

7. The illuminated flying disc assembly of claim 1, wherein

the two different colors are red and green.

5. An illuminated flying disc assembly, which comprises:

a disc having an upper deck extending to a leading edge, with a rim depending from an outer periphery of the leading ledge and defining a downwardly opening cavity along the underside of the upper deck;

power source retaining means generally centrally located on the underside of the upper deck for supporting, and providing electrical connection to, a power source;

a plurality of discrete light sources generally centrally located on the underside of the upper deck and disposed around the power source retaining means, the discrete light sources being positioned to beam light radially outward toward the rim, wherein the discrete light sources are of at least two different colors;

controlling means mounted on the underside of the disc for electrical connection to the power source and to the discrete light sources, the controlling means being operable to alternate illumination cycles of the discrete light sources of at least two different colors to create special lighting effects both radially along the upper deck and around the rim area of the disc; and

wherein the light sources are aimed at an angle from three to six degrees inclined toward the upper deck from a position parallel to the upper deck, so as to illuminate portions of the upper deck and the rim of the disc.

8. An illuminated flying disc assembly, which comprises:

a disc having an upper deck extending to a leading edge, with a rim depending from an outer periphery of the leading ledge and defining a downwardly opening cavity along the underside of the upper deck;

power source retaining means generally centrally located on the underside of the upper deck for supporting, and providing electrical connection to, a power source;

a plurality of discrete light sources generally centrally located on the underside of the upper deck and disposed around the power source retaining means, the discrete light sources being positioned to beam light radially outward toward the rim, wherein the discrete light sources are of at least two different colors;

controlling means mounted on the underside of the disc for electrical connection to the power source and to the discrete light sources, the controlling means being operable to alternate illumination cycles of the discrete light sources of at least two different colors to create special lighting effects both radially along the upper deck and around the rim area of the disc; and

wherein a first one of the discrete light sources of one color is connected between a positive supply voltage and a terminal in the controlling means;

wherein a second one of the discrete light sources of another color is connected between the terminal in the controlling means and ground; and

wherein the controlling means is operated to generate a square wave pulse train that alternately operates the discrete light sources.

9. The illuminated flying disc assembly of claim 8, further comprising

additional discrete light sources which are connected to a second terminal in the controlling means, and

wherein the controlling means operates the additional light sources at a different flash rate than the first and second discrete light sources.