Air pumping station for pneumatic toy vehicle

• US 6,079,954 A
• Filed: 01/28/1999
• Issued: 06/27/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spin Master Limited (Spin Master Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Spin Master Toys Far East Limited (Spin Master Corp.)
• Inventors: Kownacki, Charles D., Rehkemper, Jeffrey G., Harary, Ronnen
• Primary Examiner(s): Freay, Charles G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Evora, Robert Z.
• Application Number:
  US09/239,484
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 417/63, 417/469, 417/440, 417/572, 417/307, 446/34, 446/220, 446/429, 446/63, 446/212
• US Class Current: 417/63
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/14 Starting or launching devices for toy aircraft; Arrangements on toy aircraft for starting or launching for launching objects from an aircraft A63H27/004
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 29/24 Details or accessories for drive mechanisms, e.g. means for winding-up or starting toy engines
• CPC Class Codes: F01B 17/02 Engines
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 33/005 specially adapted for inflating tyres of non-motorised vehicles, e.g. cycles, tricycles

Abstract

An air pumping station for a pneumatic toy vehicle powered by a re-fillable compressed air bottle or canister includes a stabilizing base having a flat ground engaging horizontal lateral bottom including a horizontal projecting geometry proportioned for placement under the feet of the user. The station also includes a fluid-tight vertical cylindrical housing. The station includes a reciprocating piston having a first end in fluid tight relation to interior walls of the housing and a second end defining hand-grippable pumping handles. The station has an air intake valve for the cylindrical housing. The pumping station includes an element for selectable clamping and unclamping of the toy vehicle to at least a first surface of the cylinder, however offset therefrom by a sufficient distance to avoid the reciprocal movement of the piston and grippable pumping handles. The cylinder includes an air exhaust aperture in fluid communication with the base of the cylinder. An air exhaust conduit is provided having a proximal end in fluid communication with the air exhaust aperture and a distal end including an air inlet valve defining a compressed air input to the air bottle of the toy vehicle. The grippable pumping handle and the stabilizing base exhibit elongate substantially co-parallel lateral horizontal axis which, in combination, define a virtual plane which avoids intersection of the toy secured to the cylindrical housing though the selectable clamping elements.

Claims

1. An air pumping station for a pneumatic toy vehicle powered by a re-fillable compressed air bottle or canister, the pumping station comprising:

(a) a stabilizing base having a flat ground-engaging lateral bottom including projecting elements proportioned for placement under the feet of a user of the station;

(b) a fluid-tight longitudinal pump housing secured, at a distal end thereof, perpendicularly to said stabilizing base, said housing including an air intake valve;

(c) within said pump housing, piston means having a distal end in fluid tight relationship to interior walls of said housing and having a proximal end defining hand-grippable means for reciprocal movement of said piston means within said housing, said hand-grippable means having a lateral projecting dimension approximately equal to that of said projecting elements of said lateral bottom of said base, in which each of said dimensions comprises about one-half of an axial length of said pump housing;

(d) an air exhaust conduit having a proximal end in fluid communication with an exhaust aperture of said housing and having a distal end comprising an air inlet valve defining a compressed air input to said air bottle of the toy vehicle; and

(e) means for selectable clamping and unclamping of said toy vehicle, inclusive of compressed air bottle within said vehicle, to a surface of said housing, said clamping means offset from said housing by a sufficient distant to avoid said reciprocal movement of said piston means when use is made of the station by a user.

2. The air pumping station as recited in claim 1 further comprising means for limiting the extent of re-compression of said compressed air bottle.

3. The air pumping station as recited in claim 2 comprising an externally visible air pressure gauge for use in monitoring the extent of re-compression of the vehicle air bottle.