Paper airplane folding device

• US 5,630,781 A
• Filed: 12/22/1994
• Issued: 05/20/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dennis Hubbard
• Original Assignee: Dennis Hubbard
• Inventors: Hubbard, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, III, Joseph J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAY, CHRISTOPHER WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/361,387
• Time in Patent Office: 880 Days
• Field of Search: 493/405, 493/416, 493/436, 493/438, 493/446, 493/447, 493/455, 493/456, 493/959
• US Class Current: 493/438
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/00 Toy aircraft; Other flying toys toys with parachutes A63H33/20
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 493/959 Toy or amusement article

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for folding a sheet of paper into an aerodynamic configuration. The device can be described as a forming implement with a plurality of wing and tail folding surfaces. The device includes an entrance end and an exit end and is adapted to have a sheet of material passes therethrough. In use, as the sheet of material is passed through the device it attains an aerodynamic configuration. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the wing and tail folding surfaces are resiliently mounted to the device. Furthermore, the device includes a means for delivering the sheet of material from the entrance to the exit end of device.

Claims

1. A device for forming a sheet of paper into an aerodynamic configuration, the device having an entrance end and an exit end, the device comprising in combination:

a base member having a forward end, a rearward end, a top surface and a bottom surface, a channel formed centrally within said top surface of said base member;

a curved entrance member having a top portion and a bottom portion, a first side and a second side, said bottom portion of said curved entrance member being secured to said top surface of said base member;

a triangular first wing shaping member having a base portion and an apex portion, a top surface and a bottom surface, said apex of said first wing shaping member being secured to said first side of said curved entrance member, said base of said first wing shaping member resting upon said top surface of said base member;

a triangular second wing shaping member having a base portion and an apex portion, said apex of said second wing shaping member being secured to said second side of said curved entrance member, said base of said second wing shaping member resting upon said top surface of said base member;

a first triangular tail shaping member having a base portion and an apex portion, a straight edge and a slanted edge, said straight edge of said first triangular tail shaping member being secured to said first wing shaping member such that said first tail shaping member and said first wing shaping member form a 90°

angle with respect to one another;

a second triangular tail shaping member having a base portion and an apex portion, a straight edge and a slanted edge, said straight edge of said second tail shaping member being secured to said second wing shaping member such that said second tail shaping member and said second wing shaping member form a 90°

angle with respect to one another;

an elongated paper reaming implement having a first end and a second end, said second end of said paper reaming member having a clip secured thereon, said paper reaming implement adapted to be inserted within said channel upon said upper surface of said base member;

a plurality of resilient elements adapted to encircle the entire device and resiliently urge said first wing shaping member, said second wing shaping member, said first tail shaping member and said second tail shaping member towards said base member.

2. A device having an entrance end and an exit end for forming a sheet of material into an aerodynamic configuration, the device comprising in combination:

a number of wing folding surfaces, said wing folding surfaces being resiliently mounted to the device;

a number of tail folding surfaces, each of said tail folding surfaces being resiliently mounted to the device;

a means for delivering a sheet of material from the entrance end of the device to the exit end of the device such that the sheet of material comes into contact with said wing folding surfaces and said tail folding surfaces.

3. A device for forming a sheet of material into an aerodynamic configuration in accordance with claim 2 wherein:

each of said wing folding surfaces is triangular in shape and has a base end and an apex end, and furthermore where each of said wing folding surfaces is positioned at an angle with respect to the top surface of the base member.

4. A device for forming a sheet of material into an aerodynamic configuration in accordance with claim 2 wherein:

each of the tail folding surfaces is triangular in configuration and has a base portion and an apex portion; and

each of said tail folding surfaces is rigidly secured to each of said wing folding surfaces.

5. A device for forming a sheet of material into an aerodynamic configuration in accordance to claim 2, further comprising:

a sheet reaming implement having a first end and a second end, said sheet reaming implement adapted to ream a sheet of material from the entrance end of the device to the exit end of the device such that a sheet of material may come into contact with, and be formed into an aerodynamic configuration thereby, said wing folding surfaces and said tail folding surfaces.

6. A kit for forming the device as described in claim 2, the kit comprising:

a planar sheet of a substantially rigid material having a number of perforations formed therein;

a number of perforations defining wing folding surfaces, said wing folding surfaces adapted to be resiliently secured to the device;

a number of perforations defining tail folding surfaces, said tail folding surfaces adapted to be secured to said wing folding surfaces;

a perforation defining means for delivering a sheet of material from the entrance end of the device to the exit end of the device.

7. A kit for constructing a device for forming a sheet of material into an aerodynamic configuration, the kit comprising:

a planar sheet of a substantially rigid material, said planar sheet of material having a number of members delineated therein by perforations;

a first perforation defining a base member having a forward end, a rearward end, a top surface and a bottom surface;

a second perforation defining a first channel forming member, said first channel forming member adapted to be secured to said top surface of said base member;

a third perforation defining a second channel forming member, said second channel forming member adapted to be secured to said top surface of said base member, said first and second channel forming members functioning to provide a channel on said top surface of base member when secured thereon;

a fourth perforation defining a curved entrance member having a top portion and a bottom portion, a first side and a second side, said bottom portion of said curved entrance member adapted to be secured to said top surface of said base member;

a fifth perforation defining a triangular first wing folding member having a base portion and an apex portion, a top surface and a bottom surface, said apex of said first wing folding member adapted to be secured to said first side of said curved entrance member, said base of said first wing folding member adapted to rest upon said top portion of said base member;

a sixth perforation defining a triangular second wing folding member having a base portion and an apex portion, a top surface and a bottom surface, said apex of said second wing folding member adapted to be secured to said second side of said curved entrance member, said base of said second wing folding member adapted to rest upon said top portion of said base member;

a seventh perforation defining a first triangular tail folding member having a base portion and an apex portion, a straight edge and a slanted edge, said straight edge of said first triangular tail folding member adapted to be secured to said first wing folding member such that said first tail folding member and said first wing folding member form a 90°

angle with respect to one another;

an eighth perforation defining a second triangular tail folding member having a base portion and an apex portion, a straight edge and a slanted edge, said straight edge of said second triangular tail folding member adapted to be secured to said second wing folding member such that said second tail folding member and said second wing folding member form a 90°

angle with respect to one another;

a ninth perforation defining an elongated paper reaming implement having a first end and a second end, said second end of said paper reaming member adapted to have a clip secured thereon, said paper reaming implement adapted to be inserted within said channel upon said upper surface of said base member.

8. A method for forming a sheet of paper into an aerodynamic configuration, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a device for use in forming the sheet of paper into an aerodynamic configuration, said device having an entrance end and an exit end, said device including a number of wing folding surfaces and a number of tail folding surfaces;

providing a means for delivering the sheet of material from said entrance end of the device to said exit end of the device;

securing the sheet of material to said means for delivering;

pushing said means for delivering and the sheet from said entrance end of said device to said exit end of said device;

releasing the sheet of material from said means for delivering.