Bioluminescent novelty items

• US 6,247,995 B1
• Filed: 02/06/1996
• Issued: 06/19/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gaussia, LLC
• Original Assignee: Bruce Boyce
• Inventors: Bryan, Bruce
• Primary Examiner(s): Wax, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US08/597,274
• Time in Patent Office: 1,960 Days
• Field of Search: 42/54, 124/74, 124/76, 222/179, 222/1, 435/189, 446/473
• US Class Current: 446/473
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/366 containing microorganisms, enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 3/50 characterised by shape, structure or physical form, e.g. products with supported structure
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/363 containing microorganisms, enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23G 9/44 characterised by shape, structure or physical form liquid products, solid products in the form of powders, flakes or granules for making liquid products A23G9/52
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 29/06 Enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 29/065 Microorganisms addition of bacteria for nutritional purposes A23L33/135
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 10/30 Encapsulation of particles, e.g. foodstuff additives
• CPC Class Codes: A24D 3/14 of organic materials as additive of ion exchange materials A24D3/12
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/00 Containers or accessories specially adapted for handling liquid toiletry or cosmetic substances, e.g. perfumes
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/0408 with arrangements for mixing two or more liquids
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2416 characterised by the means for producing or supplying the atomising fluid, e.g. air hoses, air pumps, gas containers, compressors, fans, ventilators, their drives
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 7/2472 comprising several containers
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 9/0833 comprising a compressed gas container, e.g. a nitrogen cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 17/00553 with means allowing the stock of material to consist of at least two different components
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 2/00 Non-electric light sources using luminescence using excitation by radioactivity G21H3/02, H01J65/06, H01J65/08; using excitation by an external electromagnetic field or by external corpuscular radiation H01J65/04; Light sources using electrochemiluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 2/06 using chemiluminescence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0028 Decorative household equipment, e.g. plant holders or food dummies
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/02 for fountains
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 9/004 the piston movement being mechanically coupled to the trigger movement, e.g. the piston being part of the trigger

Abstract

Systems and apparatus for generating bioluminescence, and combinations of these systems and apparatus with inanimate articles of manufacture to produce novelty items are provided. These novelty items, which are articles of manufacture, are designed for entertainment, recreation and amusement, include, toys, paints, slimy play material, textiles, particularly clothing, bubbles in bubble making toys and other toys that produce bubbles, balloons, personal items, such as bath powders, body lotions, gels, powders and creams, toothpastes and other dentifrices, soaps, body paints, and bubble bath, foods, such as gelatins, icings and frostings, beverages such as beer, wine, champagne, soft drinks, and ice cubes, fountains, including liquid “fireworks” and other such jets or sprays or aerosols of compositions that are solutions, mixtures, suspensions, powders, pastes, particles or other suitable formulation.

Claims

1. A combination, comprising:

an article of manufacture; and

a bioluminescence generating system, whereby the combination is a novelty item, wherein the article of manufacture is a toy gun.

6. The combination of claim 1, wherein the article of manufacture is a squirt gun.

9. The combination of claim 1, wherein the system is selected from among an insect system, a coelenterate system, a ctenophore system, a bacterial system, a mollusk system, and an earthworm system.

11. The combination of claim 1, wherein the system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla, firefly, and bacterial systems.

39. The combination of claim 1, further comprising a matrix material.

41. The combination of claim 39, wherein the system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla, firefly, and bacterial systems.

43. The combination of claim 1, wherein the component(s) is encapsulated in a vacuole or an endosome.

45. The combination of claim 43, wherein the system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla, firefly, and bacterial systems.

49. The combination of claim 1, comprising a luciferase, luciferin and activator.

50. The combination of claim 1, wherein the combination comprises a luciferase.

51. The combination of claim 1, wherein the combination comprises a luciferin.

52. The combination of claim 1, wherein the combination comprises luciferase and a luciferin.

53. The combination of claim 1, wherein the system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla and glow worm systems.

55. The combination of claim 1, wherein a component of the system is selected from among bacterial, mushroom, dinoflagellate, coelenterate, ctenophore, annelid, crustacea, ostracod, euphausid copepod, insect, oleopterid, diptera, echinoderm, chordate, tunicate and fish bioluminescence generating systems.

56. The combination of claim 1, wherein a component of the system is selected from among brittle star, sea cucumber, cartilaginous, bony fish, ponyfish, flashlight fish, angler fish, midshipman fish, midwater fish marine polychaetes, syllid fireworm, jellyfish, hydroid, sea pansy, earthworm, mollusc, limpet, deep-sea fish, clam, firefly, click beetle, railroad worms and squid bioluminescence generating systems.

57. The combination of claim 1, wherein a component of the system is selected from among Cavarnularia, Ptilosarcus, Stylatula, Acanthoptilum, Parazoanthus, Chiroteuthis, Eucleoteuthis, Onychoteuthis, Watasenia;

cuttlefish, Sepiolina;

Oplophorus, Sergestes, Gnrathophausia, Argyropelecus, Yarella, Diaphus, and Neoscopelus bioluminescence generating systems.

58. The combination of claim 1, wherein a component of the system is selected from among bacterial, mushroom, dinoflagellate, coelenterate, ctenophore, annelid, crustacea, ostracod, euphausid copepod, insect, oleopterid, diptera, echinoderm, chordate, tunicate and fish bioluminescence generating systems.

59. The combination of claim 1, wherein a component of the system is selected from among brittle star, sea cucumber, cartilaginous, bony fish, ponyfish, flashlight fish, angler fish, midshipman fish, midwater fish marine polychaetes, syllid fireworm, jellyfish, hydroid, sea pansy, earthworm, mollusc, limpet, deep-sea fish, clam, firefly, click beetle, railroad worms and squid bioluminescence generating systems.

60. The combination of claim 1, wherein a component of the system is selected from among Cavarnularia, Ptilosarcus, Stylatula, Acanthoptilum, Parazoanthus, Chiroteuthis, Eucleoteuthis, Onychoteuthis, Watasenia;

cuttlefish, Sepiolina;

Oplophorus, Sergestes, Gnathophausia, Argyropelecus, Yarella, Diaphus, and Neoscopelus bioluminescence generating systems.

2. A combination, comprising:

a) an inanimate article of manufacture; and

b) one or more components of a bioluminescence generating system, whereby the combination is a novelty item, wherein the article of manufacture is a toy gun.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein the combination comprises a luciferase.

4. The combination of claim 2, wherein the combination comprises a luciferin.

5. The combination of claim 2, wherein the combination comprises luciferase and a luciferase.

7. The combination of claim 2, wherein the article of manufacture is a squirt gun.

8. A combination of claim 2, further comprising the delivery vehicle, wherein the delivery vehicle, contains at least one component of a bioluminescence generating system.

10. The combination of claim 2, wherein the system is selected from among an insect system, a coelenterate system, a ctenophore system, a bacterial system, a mollusk system, and an earthworm system.

12. The combination of claim 2, wherein the system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla, firefly, and bacterial systems.

14. A kit comprising the combination of claim 2, and a composition comprising the remaining components of the bioluminescence generating system.

17. A combination of claim 2 that is a toy gun, comprising:

a) two chambers;

b) a mixing chamber in communication with the two chambers;

c) a nozzle in communication with the mixing chamber;

d) means for moving the contents of the two chambers into the mixing chamber and out the nozzle, wherein the at least one component of the bioluminescence generating system is contained in a chamber.

18. The toy gun of claim 17, wherein the means for moving the contents from the two chambers into the mixing chamber and out the nozzle is a trigger.

24. A The combination of claim 2, wherein the toy gun comprises:

a) two chambers, each having an inlet and an outlet;

b) a gas chamber adapted to receive a canister of pressurized gas;

c) two gas conduits each in communication with an inlet of the chambers and in communication with the gas chamber;

d) a gas cock situated between and in communication with the gas chamber and the gas conduits;

e) a trigger operatively attached to the gas cock;

f) a mixing chamber;

g) two outlet conduits each in communication with an outlet of the chambers and each in communication with the mixing chamber; and

h) a nozzle in communication with the mixing chamber.

40. The combination of claim 2, further comprising a matrix material.

42. The combination of claim 40, wherein the system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla, firefly, and bacterial systems.

44. The combination of claim 2, wherein the component(s) is encapsulated in a vacuole or an endosome.

46. The combination of claim 44, wherein the system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla, firefly, and bacterial systems.

47. The combination of claim 2, wherein the system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla, firefly, and bacterial systems.

48. The combination of claim 2, comprising all components of the system except the activator that is required to initiate bioluminescence.

54. The combination of claim 2, wherein the system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla and glow worm systems.

63. The toy gun of claim 17, wherein a component of the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among brittle star, sea cucumber, cartilaginous, bony fish, ponyfish, flashlight fish, angler fish, midshipman fish, midwater fish marine polychaetes, syllid fireworm, jellyfish, hydroid, sea pansy, earthworm, mollusc, limpet, deep-sea fish, clam, firefly, click beetle, railroad worms and squid bioluminescence generating systems.

64. The toy gun of claim 17, wherein a component of the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among Cavarnularia, Ptilosarcus, Stylatula, Acanthoptilum, Parazoanthus, Chiroteuthis, Eucleoteuthis, Onychoteuthis, Watasenia;

cuttlefish, Sepiolina;

Oplophorus, Sergestes, Gnathophausia, Argyropelecus, Yarella, Diaphus, and Neoscopelus bioluminescence generating systems.

68. The kit of claim 14, further comprising instructions for producing bioluminescence using the article of manufacture and a bioluminescence generating system.

13. A kit, comprising:

an inanimate article of manufacture;

a bioluminescence generating system;

wherein the article of manufacture and bioluminescence generating system are packaged in the kit with instructions for combining the article of manufacture with the bioluminescence generating system to produce a novelty item, wherein the article of manufacture is a toy gun.

15. An article of manufacture, comprising packaging material and at least one component of a bioluminescence generating system contained within the packaging material, wherein the concentration of the component(s) is sufficient upon dilution and under appropriate conditions to produce bioluminescence in combination with an article of manufacture, and the packaging material includes a label that indicates that contents are used in combination with an article of manufacture to produce a novelty item, wherein the novelty item is a toy gun.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 15, wherein the components are a luciferin and luciferase.

19. A combination of a toy gun and a bioluminescence generating system, wherein the toy gun comprises:

a) two chambers;

b) a mixing chamber in communication with the two chambers,

c) a nozzle in communication with the mixing chamber;

d) means for moving the contents of the two chambers into the mixing chamber and out the nozzle.

20. The toy gun of claim 19, wherein one chamber contains a composition comprising up to all except one component of a bioluminescence generating system, and the other chamber contains a composition comprising the remaining component(s).

21. The toy gun of claim 20, wherein the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among an insect system, a coelenterate system, a ctenophore system, a bacterial system, a mollusk system, and an earthworm system.

22. The toy gun of claim 20, wherein the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla, firefly, and bacterial systems.

61. The toy gun of claim 20, wherein a component of the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among brittle star, sea cucumber, cartilaginous, bony fish, ponyfish, flashlight fish, angler fish, midshipman fish, midwater fish marine polychaetes, syllid fireworm, jellyfish, hydroid, sea pansy, earthworm, mollusc, limpet, deep-sea fish, clam, firefly, click beetle, railroad worms and squid bioluminescence generating systems.

62. The toy gun of claim 20, wherein a component of the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among Cavarnularia, Ptilosarcus, Stylarula, Acanthoptilum, Parazoanthus, Chiroteuthis, Eucleoteuthis, Onychoteuthis, Watasenia;

cuttlefish, Sepiolina;

Oplophorus, Sergestes, Gnathophausia, Argyropelecus, Yarella, Diaphus, and Neoscopelus bioluminescence generating systems.

23. The combination of a toy gun of and at least one component of a bioluminescence generating system, wherein in the toy gun comprises:

a) two housings;

b) two cylinders, wherein each cylinder is in communication with a single of the housings;

c) two first check-valves each situated between one of the housings and one of the cylinders;

d) two piston assemblies, each contained within a separate of the cylinders;

e) a mixing chamber in communication with the cylinders;

f) a second check-valve situated between the mixing chamber and the cylinders;

g) a nozzle in communication with the mixing chamber; and

h) a trigger in communication with the piston assemblies.

25. The toy gun of claim 23, wherein the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among an insect system, a coelenterate system, a ctenophore system, a bacterial system, a mollusk system, and an earthworm system.

26. The toy gun of claim 23, wherein the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla, firefly, and bacterial systems.

69. The toy gun of claim 23, wherein the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among an insect system, a coelenterate system, a ctenophore system, a bacterial system, a mollusk system, and an earthworm system.

70. The toy gun of claim 23, wherein the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among Aequorea, Vargula, Renilla, firefly, and bacterial systems.

27. A toy gun, containing a composition comprising one or more components of a bioluminescence generating system.

28. The toy gun of claim 27, wherein the components include a luciferase, a luciferin, or a luciferase and a luciferin.

29. The toy gun of claim 27, wherein the composition is encapsulated in a delivery vehicle.

30. The toy gun of claim 27, wherein the composition is in the form of a powder or paste.

65. The toy gun of claim 27, wherein a component of the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among brittle star, sea cucumber, cartilaginous, bony fish, ponyfish, flashlight fish, angler fish, midshipman fish, midwater fish marine polychaetes, syllid fireworm, jellyfish, hydroid, sea pansy, earthworm, mollusc, limpet, deep-sea fish, clam, firefly, click beetle, railroad worms and squid bioluminescence generating systems.

66. The toy gun of claim 27, wherein a component of the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among brittle star, sea cucumber, cartilaginous, bony fish, ponyfish, flashlight fish, angler fish, midshipman fish, midwater fish marine polychaetes, syllid fireworm, jellyfish, hydroid, sea pansy, earthworm, mollusc, limpet, deep-sea fish, clam, firefly, click beetle, railroad worms and squid bioluminescence generating systems.

67. The toy gun of claim 27, wherein a component of the bioluminescence generating system is selected from among Cavarnularia, Ptilosarcus, Stylatule, Acanthoptilum, Parazoanthus, Chiroteuthis, Eucleoteuthis, Onychoteuthis, Watasenia;

cuttlefish, Sepiolina;

Oplophorus, Sergestes, Gnathophausia, Argyropelecus, Yarella, Diaphus, and Neoscopelus bioluminescence generating systems.

31. A toy water gun, comprising one or more components of a bioluminescence generating system.

32. The toy water gun of claim 31, wherein the toy water gun comprises:

a) a right housing having an inner left edge and an outer left edge, wherein the inner left edge and inner right edge define a right channel and a right cylinder;

b) a right valve situated within the right channel;

c) a right piston assembly situated within the right cylinder;

d) a left housing having an inner right edge and an outer right edge, wherein the inner right edge and outer right edge define a left channel and a left cylinder and wherein the left housing is attached to the right housing such that the left channel is adjacent the right channel and the left cylinder is adjacent the right cylinder;

e) a left valve situated within the left channel;

f) a left piston assembly situated within the left cylinder;

g) a mixing chamber defined by the attachment of the left housing to the right housing;

h) a spring valve situated within the mixing chamber;

i) a nozzle in communication with the mixing chamber; and

j) a trigger in communication with the left and the right piston assemblies, wherein the at least on component of the bioluminescence generating system is contained in a housing.

33. The toy water gun of claim 31, wherein the toy water gun comprises:

a) a gun-shaped housing having a butt, a handle and a main body;

b) two chambers located within the butt of the housing;

c) a gas chamber adapted to receive a canister of pressurized gas, wherein the gas chamber is situated within the handle of the housing;

d) a gas cock in communication with the gas chamber and situated within the main body of the housing;

e) a trigger, operatively attached to the gas cock and extending beyond the main body of the housing;

f) two gas conduits situated within the main body of the housing and each in communication with the gas cock and each in communication with a different one of the chambers;

g) a mixing chamber, situated within the main body of the housing;

h) two conduits situated within the main body of the housing and each in communication with a different one of the chambers and each in communication with the mixing chamber; and

i) a nozzle in communication with the mixing chamber and extending beyond the main body of the housing, wherein the at least on component of the bioluminescence generating system is contained in a chamber.

34. The toy gun of claim 33, further comprising two filler caps, each attached to the butt of the housing and each in communication with a different chamber.

35. The toy gun of claim 33, further comprising two pick-up tubes, each situated within a different and in communication with a different of the conduits.

36. A toy gun of claim 33, wherein the two chambers are integral to the butt of the housing and are detachable from the main body of the housing.

37. The toy gun of claim 32, further comprising a latch attached to the housing, such that the butt of the housing is releasably secured to the main body of the housing.

38. A combination, comprising:

the toy gun of claim 31; and

a cartridge for refilling the gun with a component of a bioluminescence generating system.