Self-propelled amusement object
First Claim
1. An object that is selectively movable at low speeds through a body of air, said object comprising:
- a vessel having means for containing a predetermined quantity of a lighter than air fluid;
first means on the vessel for causing the vessel to move in a suspended state within a body of air in which the vessel is immersed,said first means having at least first and second states,said first means in said first state causing said vessel to be propelled along a travel path,said first means in said second state causing said vessel to one of a) move principally under the force of gravity along a travel path and b) remain substantially in a static state suspended within a body of air within which said vessel is immersed; and
second means on the vessel including a timer for automatically changing the first means from one of its first and second states to the other of its first and second states and back to said one of its first and second states without intervention by an operator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An object that is selectively movable through a fluid in which the object is at least partially immersed and which is adapted to automatically change between different operating states without operator intervention. A movable object has a vessel / balloon with first means having first and second states for causing the vessel to move within the fluid. The first means in the first state thereof cause the vessel to move along a first travel path. The first means in the second state thereof cause the vessel to one of a) move along a second travel path within the fluid which is different from the first travel path and b) remain substantially in a static state within the fluid. Second means are provided on the vessel for automatically changing the first means from one of its first and second states to the other of its first and second states and back to its original state without intervention by an operator.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An object that is selectively movable at low speeds through a body of air, said object comprising:
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a vessel having means for containing a predetermined quantity of a lighter than air fluid; first means on the vessel for causing the vessel to move in a suspended state within a body of air in which the vessel is immersed, said first means having at least first and second states, said first means in said first state causing said vessel to be propelled along a travel path, said first means in said second state causing said vessel to one of a) move principally under the force of gravity along a travel path and b) remain substantially in a static state suspended within a body of air within which said vessel is immersed; and second means on the vessel including a timer for automatically changing the first means from one of its first and second states to the other of its first and second states and back to said one of its first and second states without intervention by an operator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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9. An object that is selectively movable through a fluid in which the object is at least partially immersed, said object comprising:
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a vessel having means for containing a predetermined a quantity of a first fluid; first means on the vessel for causing the vessel to move within a fluid within which the vessel is at least partially immersed, said first means having first and second states, said first means in said first state causing said vessel to move along a first travel path, said first means in said second state causing said vessel to one of a) move along a second travel path within a fluid within which said vessel is at least partially immersed which is different from said first travel path and b) remain substantially in a static state within a fluid within which said vessel is at least partially immersed; and second means on the vessel for automatically changing the first means from one of its first and second states to the other of its first and second states without intervention by an operator, wherein said first means comprises a propeller and means for rotating said propeller and generating a force for moving the object, wherein said propeller has a first position in which the propeller generates a force for moving the object in a first direction and a second position in which the propeller generates a force for moving the object in a second direction, there being a link that is pivotably connected between the vessel and the propeller and permits the propeller to automatically move between said first position and said second position in response to the magnitude of said thrust force.
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11. An object that is selectively movable through a fluid in which the object is at least partially immersed, said object comprising:
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a vessel having means for containing a predetermined quantity of a first fluid; first means on the vessel for causing the vessel to move within a fluid within which the vessel is at least partially immersed, said first means having first and second states, said first means in said first state causing said vessel to move along a first travel path, said first means in said second state causing said vessel to one of a) move along a second travel path within a fluid within which said vessel is at least partially immersed which is different from said first travel path and b) remain substantially in a static state within a fluid within which said vessel is at least partially immersed; and second means on the vessel for automatically changing the first means from one of its first and second states to the other of its first and second states without intervention by an operator, wherein said first means comprises a powered propeller for generating a force and the vessel has a variable opening through which the propeller directs air to move the object.
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Specification