Toy projectile launcher

• US 6,523,535 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2001
• Issued: 02/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rehco LLC
• Original Assignee: Rehco LLC
• Inventors: Kratz, Ryan, Hannon, Todd, Rehkemper, Jeffrey, Rehkemper, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Ricci, John A.
• Application Number:
  US09/813,675
• Publication Number:
  US 20020134366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 124/6, 124/78
• US Class Current: 124/78
• CPC Class Codes: F41B 4/00 Friction-wheel operated launchers

Abstract

This invention is a toy projectile launcher that launches projectiles. The launcher includes a housing having an entrance and an exit in communication therewith to define a channel, a pair of flywheels supported by the housing and positioned about and in communication with the channel, and a pump handle for rotating the flywheels such that a projectile entering the channel may be engaged by the rotating flywheels and impelled through the channel and out through the exit.

Claims

1. A projectile launcher comprising:

a housing supporting a hand grip and a launch channel, the launch channel having an entrance opening and an exit opening;

at least one projectile positioned in the entrance opening, each projectile has a predetermined shape defined by a tip and a body;

a preventing means for preventing said projectile positioned in the entrance opening from entering the launch channel;

a pair of flywheels in communication with and separately positioned on either side of the launch channel, each flywheel includes a predetermined contour that permits the pair of flywheels to engage the tip of the projectile and further allows the body of the projectile to move past the flywheels substantially unengaged;

a pump handle slidably connected to the housing, the pump handle is operably connected to the pair of flywheels such that when the pump handle is moved inwardly, the flywheels rotate to store energy; and

a triggering means for releasing the preventing means, such that when the triggering means releases the preventing means, a projectile moves from the entrance opening to the launch channel and when the flywheels are rotating, the projectile is impelled out of the launch channel through the exit opening.

2. The projectile launcher of claim 1, further comprising a chute mounted to the launcher and in communication with the entrance opening.

3. The projectile launcher of claim 2, wherein the preventing means includes:

a retaining arm positioned in the launch channel such that the retaining arm may prevent a projectile from entering the launch channel; and

a guide slot defined in the launch channel for guiding the retaining arm away from a projectile positioned in the entrance opening, when the retaining arm is released by said triggering means.

4. The projectile launcher of claim 3 wherein the triggering means includes:

a trigger pivotally attached to the housing;

a returning spring biasing the trigger outwardly; and

a hammer secured to the trigger such that when the trigger is pressed inwardly, the hammer moves outwardly, the hammer is further attached to the retaining arm such that when the hammer moves outwardly, the retaining arm moves within the guide slot, the hammer also having a portion defined thereon which engages and moves a projectile positioned in the entrance opening to the launch channel.

5. The projectile launcher of claim 4 wherein the projectile has a body shaped as a glider.

6. The projectile launcher of claim 5 wherein the launch channel has a predetermined shape such that the glider may travel through the launch channel substantially unobstructed.

7. The projectile launcher of claim 6 wherein the flywheels further include grooves sized to accommodate the shape of the glider, such that the body of the glider may travel substantially friction free through the flywheels.

8. The projectile launcher of claim 1 further comprising:

a slider gear having an idle position and an engaged position, wherein when the slider gear is in the engaged position, the slider gear is operably connected to the flywheels, and

wherein said pump handle further includes an integrated rack that meshes with said slider gear, such that when said pump handle is initially moved inwardly, the slider gear moves to the engaged position and when said pump handle is continually moved inwardly therefrom, the slider gear further rotates such that the flywheels may rotate and energize, and when said pump handle is moved outwardly, the slider gear moves to the idle position.

9. A projectile launcher comprising:

a housing having an entrance in communication with an exit channel to define a channel;

a hand-held grip supported by the housing;

a projectile positioned at the entrance;

a pair of flywheels supported by said housing and positioned on either side of the said channel, the pair of flywheels positioned to engage the projectile when said projectile enters the channel;

a pump handle slidably connected to the housing, the pump handle is operably connected to the pair of flywheels such that when the pump handle is moved, the pair of flywheels rotate to store energy, wherein when a projectile enters the channel, the projectile is engaged by the pair of energized rotating flywheels and impelled through the channel and out through the exit; and

a portion of the exit channel is pivotally attached to the housing such that when the exit channel is pivoted, a projectile impelled by the pair of flywheels will come into contact with one side of the exit channel imparting a spin on the projectile such that the projectile will have a curved trajectory.

10. The projectile launcher of claim 9 wherein the means for rotating the flywheels includes:

a slider gear having an idle position and an engaged position, wherein when the slider gear is in the engaged position, the slider gear is operably connected to the pair of flywheels; and

a pump handle slidably connected to the housing, the pump handle having an integrated rack that meshes with said slider gear, such that when said pump handle is initially moved inwardly, the slider gear moves to the engaged position and when said pump handle is continually moved inwardly therefrom, the slider gear further rotates such that the pair of flywheels rotate, and when said pump handle is moved outwardly, the slider gear moves to the idle position.

11. The projectile launcher of claim 10 further comprising

a preventing means for preventing a projectile positioned in the entrance from entering the channel;

and

a triggering means set to release the preventing means when triggered by a user, such that when the triggering means releases the preventing means, a projectile positioned in the entrance may move to the channel.

12. The projectile launcher of claim 11 further comprising:

a chute mounted to the housing in communication with the entrance for stacking multiple projectiles such that when a preceding projectile is launched, the subsequent projectile may move to the entrance, when the triggering means resets.

13. The projectile launcher of claim 12, wherein each projectile has a predetermined shape defined by a tip and a body, and wherein the flywheels have a predetermined contour that is substantially the same as the predetermined shape of the tip such that the flywheels only engage the tip of the projectile and the body may move through the flywheels substantially friction free.

14. A projectile launcher comprising:

a housing having a launch channel, the launch channel having an entrance opening and an exit opening, the entrance opening sized to receive a projectile, the projectile includes a predetermined shape defined by a tip and a body;

a pair of flywheels separately and rotatably connected on either side of the launch channel;

a means for rotating the pair of flywheels; and

each flywheel having a contour that permits the pair of flywheels to engage the tip of the projectile while allowing the body of the projectile to pass between the flywheels substantially friction free.

15. The projectile launcher of claim 14 wherein the means for rotating each flywheel includes:

a pump handle slidably connected to the housing;

a slider gear having an idle position and an engaged position, wherein when the slider gear is in the engaged position, the slider gear is operably connected to each flywheel; and

a rack connected to the pump handle, the rack is further meshed with said slider gear such that when said pump handle is initially slid inwardly, the slider gear moves to the engaged position and when said pump handle is continually slid inwardly therefrom, the slider gear further rotates such that the flywheels rotate, and when said pump handle is moved outwardly, the slider gear moves to the idle position.

16. The projectile launcher of claim 15 further comprising a chute mounted to the housing in communication with the entrance opening for stacking multiple projectiles such that when a preceding projectile is launched, the subsequent projectile may move to the entrance opening.

17. The projectile launcher of claim 14 further comprising:

a preventing means for preventing a projectile positioned in the entrance opening from entering the launch channel; and

a hand grip supported by the housing and having a triggering means for releasing the preventing means, such that when the triggering means releases the preventing means, a projectile positioned in the entrance opening moves to the launch channel and when the pair of flywheels are rotating, the tip of the projectile is engaged by the pair of flywheels and the projectile is impelled out of the launch channel through the exit opening.