Toy helicopter having guards for preventing contact of the vertical lift rotors

• US 8,147,289 B1
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jason C. Lee
• Original Assignee: Jason C. Lee
• Inventors: Lee, Jason C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kim, Gene
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hylinski, Alyssa
• Application Number:
  US12/436,284
• Time in Patent Office: 1,063 Days
• Field of Search: 446/34, 446/36, 446/37, 446/38, 244/17.11, 244/17.23, 416/247.R
• US Class Current: 446/36
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/12 Helicopters A63H27/04 takes precedence; Flying tops

Abstract

A toy helicopter assembly having a guard that prevents the vertical lift rotors of the toy helicopter from inadvertently contacting any object while spinning. The toy helicopter has a body that includes a fuselage and landing gear. A drive shaft extends upwardly from the fuselage. A least one rotor is connected to the driveshaft. Each rotor is rotated by the driveshaft in a circular path through a predetermined plane of rotation. A plurality of loop structures are attached to the toy helicopter. The loop structures extend along curved paths, therein creating a guarded area within the curved paths. The loop structures are oriented so that at least part of the circular path that is traversed by the rotors extends through the guarded area.

Claims

1. A toy helicopter assembly, comprising:

a helicopter body that includes a fuselage and landing gear;

a drive shaft extending upwardly from said fuselage;

a tail section extending from said fuselage;

lift rotors that are rotated by said drive shaft in a circular path through a plane of rotation;

an oblique guard loop coupled to said helicopter body, said oblique guard loop being offset from said plane of rotation by an angle of between thirty degrees and sixty degrees, wherein said circular path of said lift rotors partially extends through said oblique guard loop; and

a horizontal guard loop supported in a plane parallel to said plane of rotation by said oblique guard loop, therein creating a guarded area within said oblique guard loop and said horizontal guard loop, wherein at least part of said circular path traversed by said lift rotors extends through said guarded area.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said oblique guard loop follows a circular path.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said tail section extends beyond said guarded area defined by said oblique guard loop and said horizontal guard loop.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said horizontal guard loop surrounds said circular path of said lift rotors.

5. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said horizontal guard loop is position slightly above said circular path of said lift rotors.

6. A toy helicopter assembly, comprising:

a fuselage having an upright position;

lift rotors that spin in a circular path through a plane of rotation, wherein said circular path is elevated above said fuselage when said fuselage is in said upright position;

an oblique guard loop supported by said fuselage, said oblique guard loop being offset from said plane of rotation by an angle of between thirty degrees and sixty degrees, wherein said circular path of said lift rotors partially extends through said oblique guard loop, and

a horizontal guard loop supported in a plane parallel to said plane of rotation by said oblique guard loop, therein creating a guarded area within said oblique guard loop and said horizontal guard loop, wherein at least part of said circular path traversed by said lift rotors extends through said guarded area wherein said oblique guard loop causes said fuselage to roll into said upright position when said oblique guard loop contacts a ground surface.

7. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein a tail section extends beyond said guarded area defined by said oblique guard loop and said horizontal guard loop.

8. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein said horizontal guard loop surrounds said circular path of said lift rotors.

9. The assembly according to claim 6, wherein said horizontal guard loop is position slightly above said circular path of said lift rotors.

10. A method of protecting the vertical lift rotors of a toy helicopter from incidental contact, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a toy helicopter having a helicopter body, a tail section extending laterally from said helicopter body and lift rotors positioned above said helicopter body that rotate in a circular path through a plane of rotation;

extending an oblique guard loop from said helicopter body, wherein said oblique guard loop is offset from said plane of rotation by an acute angle, and wherein said circular path of said lift rotors partially extends through said oblique guard loop; and

providing a horizontal guard loop supported in a plane parallel to said plane of rotation by said oblique guard loop, therein creating a guarded area within said oblique guard loop and said horizontal guard loop, wherein at least part of said circular path traversed by said lift rotors extends through said guarded area.