Throwable toy having spring assisted motion

• US 7,662,012 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2009
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eric E. Wright
• Original Assignee: Eric E. Wright
• Inventors: Wright, Eric E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Kien T
• Application Number:
  US12/504,986
• Publication Number:
  US 20090275262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 214 Days
• Field of Search: 446/34, 446/260, 446/486, 446/61, 446/68, 446/71, 446/73, 446/76, 446/487, 473/588, 473/589
• US Class Current: 446/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 33/18 Throwing or slinging toys, e.g. flying disc toys discs used in athletics A63B65/10as part of a game A63F9/02; sling weapons F41B3/00; spring toy guns F41B7/08
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 37/005 Popper toys, i.e. disc-shaped toys which jump when snapping to their original shape after distortion

Abstract

A throwable device consisting of a generally tube-shaped body having a baffle defined on one end of the body, wherein the baffle defines an opening therein restricting the flow of air through the tube-shaped body, thereby providing aerodynamic stability to the device. The body of the device also has a spring integral therewith, which allows the compression of the body of the device. The device is propelled away from the thrower by holding the device in a compressed position with both hands and propelling the device away from the body of the thrower in a motion similar to a two-handed basketball pass, with a combination of the throwing force and the decompression of the spring determining the speed, distance and trajectory of the device.

Claims

1. A throwable toy device comprising:

a. a hollow body portion having an open trailing end;

b. a spring mechanism integrated with said body which allows said body to be compressed and thereafter returned to its original shape; and

c. a baffle, covering a leading end of said body opposite said open trailing end such as to restrict air flow through said device, said baffle having an opening defined therein, said opening having an area approximately 30% to 50% of the area of said open trailing end of said device.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said body portion is generally in the shape of a tube.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein said hollow tube has a cross section having a shape consisting of one of a circle, a rectangle, a triangle, a trapezoid, a star, an oval, a pentagon, a hexagon and an octagon.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein said spring mechanism consists of a coiled wire attached to or integral with said body portion.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein said leading end of said body portion is heavier than said trailing end of said body portion.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein said body portion defines a lip around said leading end and further wherein said lip has a wire integral therewith.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein said baffle is gel-filled.

8. The device of claim 5 wherein said baffle is needle pointed.

9. The device of claim 5 wherein said baffle has one or more wires integral therewith.

10. The device of claim 5 wherein said opening defined in said baffle defines a lip having a wire integral therewith.

11. The device of claim 2 wherein said body portion is composed of a material selected from a group consisting of nylon, Kevlar, plastic, neoprene, cotton fabric and foam.

12. The device of claim 2 wherein said body portion defines a lip around said open trailing end composed of layered and/or stitched material said lip having a wire integral therewith.

13. The device of claim 2 wherein said baffle is composed of a material selected from a group consisting of nylon, Kevlar, plastic, neoprene and plastic.

14. The device of claim 2 wherein said body portion is composed of molded, semi-rigid foam and further wherein said spring mechanism consist of a corrugated area defined in said foam intermediate said trailing and leading ends of said body portion.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said baffle portion is comprised of a molded, semi-rigid foam and is integral with aid body portion.

16. The device of claim 2 wherein said baffle is attached to said body portion by sewing.

17. The device of claim 2 further comprising a wire integral with said baffle portion providing structural rigidity thereto, said wire having the same general cross sectional shape as said body portion.

18. The device of claim 2 wherein said body portion may be any color, or may be transparent and further wherein said body portion may be decorated with logos or other designs.

19. A collapsible hollow object comprising:

a. a body portion, said body portion being generally tube-shaped and composed of a molded, rigid foam material, having openings on both ends thereof;

b. a corrugation in said rigid foam material defined in said body portion intermediate said open ends; and

c. a baffle, defined on and covering one open end of said body portion, said baffle having an opening therein, said baffle generally restricting the airflow through said body portion, said opening in said baffle having an area approximately 30% to 50% of the area of the open end of said body portion opposite said baffle.

20. A collapsible hollow object comprising:

a. a body portion, said body portion being generally tube-shaped and composed of a flexible fabric material, having openings defined on both ends thereof;

b. a coiled spring device, attached to said body portion at one or more points; and

c. a baffle, and covering one open end of said body portion, said baffle having an opening therein, said baffle generally restricting the airflow through said body portion, said opening in said baffle having an area approximately 30% to 50% of the area of the open end of said body portion opposite said baffle.