Water gun with sound effects module

• US 6,412,594 B1
• Filed: 10/04/2000
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shoot The Moon Products II LLC
• Original Assignee: Shoot The Moon Products II LLC
• Inventors: Small, David, Rago, Paul S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Khanh
• Application Number:
  US09/679,722
• Time in Patent Office: 636 Days
• Field of Search: 181/149, 181/153, 181/156, 181/160, 181/199, 222/79, 222/401, 446/473
• US Class Current: 181/149
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 1/42 Combinations of transducers with fluid-pressure or other non-electrical amplifying means

Abstract

A water gun includes a sound effects module. The water gun includes a trigger to squirt water. The trigger actuates a switch coupled to the sound effects module. The sound effects module has an interior volume with a speaker at one end. A speaker cover seals the periphery of the speaker. The sound effects module also has a sealed compartment containing a keypad to control the sound effects module and a printed circuit board.

Claims

1. A sound module for use in an environment wherein water may be present, comprising:

a housing having a first opening and a first interior volume and being made of waterproof material;

a speaker having an actuator and a speaker cone coupled to said actuator and closing said first opening, said speaker cone preventing said water from communicating with said first interior volume;

a first seal located between said speaker and said housing;

an electrical component electrically coupled to said speaker to provide an electrical signal to said speaker; and

wherein said sound module is coupled to a water gun.

2. The sound module of claim 1, further comprising:

a switch actuated by a trigger of said water gun and electrically coupled to said electrical component to control said sound module.

3. The sound module of claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure equalization device that prevents air from communicating between said first interior volume and said environment at sonic frequencies and that prevents said water from communicating from said environment to said first interior volume.

4. The sound module of claim 3, wherein said pressure equalization device is selected from the group consisting of a semipermeable filter, a pair of one way valves and a hole.

5. The sound module of claim 1, further comprising:

a second opening of said housing; and

,

an expandable member made of waterproof material, closing said second opening and having a second interior volume communicating with said first interior volume.

6. The sound module of claim 5, further comprising:

a restriction plate between said housing and said expandable member; and

,

a hole in said restriction plate that allows said first interior volume and said second interior volume to communicate at subsonic frequencies.

7. The sound module of claim 1, further comprising;

a first water-resistant enclosure containing said electrical component.

8. The sound module of claim 1, wherein

said housing has a second opening;

and

the sound module further includes

a keypad electrically coupled to said electrical component and closing said second opening, and,

a second seal to seal said second opening.

9. The sound module of claim 1, further comprising:

a light coupled to said electrical component.

10. A method of manufacturing a sound module for use in an environment wherein water may be present, comprising:

providing a housing made of water proof material, having a first opening and a first interior volume;

providing a speaker having an actuator and a speaker cone coupled to said actuator;

preventing said water from communicating with said first interior volume via said first opening with said speaker cone;

placing a seal between said sound transducer and said housing;

electrically coupling an electrical component to said speaker to provide an electrical signal to said speaker; and

coupling said sound module to a water gun.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

mechanically coupling a switch to a trigger of said water gun so that said trigger actuates said switch; and

,

electrically coupling said switch to said electrical component to control said sound module.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

preventing air from communicating between said first interior volume and said environment at sonic frequencies; and

,

preventing said water from communicating from said environment to said first interior volume.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

closing a second opening of said housing with an expandable member made of a waterproof material and having a second interior volume so that said first interior volume and said second interior volume communicate.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

preventing said first interior volume and said second interior volume from communicating at sonic frequencies.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing a first water-resistant enclosure within said housing; and

,

locating said electrical component within said first water-resistant enclosure.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

electrically coupling a keypad to said electrical component;

closing a second opening of said housing with said keypad; and

,

sealing said second opening.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising:

coupling a light to said electrical component.

18. A toy for use in an environment wherein water may be present comprising:

a water gun including

a trigger and

a switch actuated by said trigger, and,

a sound module coupled to said water gun, said sound module including

a housing having a first opening and an interior volume and being made of waterproof material,

a speaker having an actuator and a speaker cone coupled to said actuator and closing said first opening, said speaker cone preventing water from communicating with said interior volume,

a first seal located between said speaker and said housing, and

a pressure equalization device that allows air to communicate between said interior volume and said environment at subsonic frequencies and that prevents water from communicating from said environment to said interior volume.

19. The toy of claim 18, wherein

said pressure equalization device is a semipermeable filter.

20. The toy of claim 18, wherein

said pressure equalization device is a pair of one way valves.

21. The toy of claim 18, wherein

said pressure equalization device is a hole.

22. The toy of claim 18, wherein

said pressure equalization device further prevents air from communicating between said interior volume and said environment at sonic frequencies.

23. The toy of claim 18, wherein,

said sound module further includes

a second opening in said housing;

and,

an expandable member made of waterproof material,

said expandable member closing said second opening in said housing and having an expandable interior volume communicating with said interior volume of said housing.

24. The toy of claim 23, wherein

said sound module further includes

a restriction plate between said housing and said expandable member;

and,

a hole in said restriction plate to allow said interior volume of said housing and said expandable interior volume of said expandable member to communicate at subsonic frequencies.

25. The toy of claim 18, wherein said sound module further includes

a first water-resistant enclosure including an electrical component, said electrical component electrically coupled to said speaker to provide an electrical signal to said speaker.

26. The toy of claim 25, wherein

said sound module further includes

a second opening in said housing,

a keypad electrically coupled to said electrical component and closing said second opening in said housing, and,

a second seal to seal said second opening.

27. The toy of claim 18, wherein

said sound module further includes

a light.