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DIALOG(R)File 654:US Pat.Full.
(c) format only 1999 The Dialog Corp. All rts. reserv.
01892597
Utility
RING-LIKE FLYING TOY
PATENT NO.: 4,944,707
ISSUED: July 31, 1990 (19900731)
INVENTOR(s): Silverglate, David E., Santa Cruz, CA
(California), US (United States of America)
ASSIGNEE(s): OddzOn Products, Inc, (A U.S. Company or
Corporation ),Campbell, CA (California), US
(United States of America)
EXTRA INFO: Assignment transaction [Reassigned], recorded
June 8, 1998 (19980608)
POST-ISSUANCE ASSIGNMENTS
ASSIGNEE(s): ODDZON/CAP TOYS, INC. P.O. BOX 1059 1027
NEWPORT AVENUE PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND 02862-105
Assignor(s): ODDZON PRODUCTS, INC. --
signed: 05/02/1997
Recorded: June 8, 1998 (19980608)
Reel/Frame: 9235/0840
Brief: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST
Rep.: HASBRO, INC. KURT R. BENSON, ESQ.
1027 NEWPORT AVENUE P.O. BOX 1059 PAWTUCKET,
RI 02862-1059
APPL. NO.: 7-400,997
FILED: August 31, 1989 (19890831)
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of prior
copending application Ser. No. 07-324,986, filed on
Mar. 15, 1989, abandoned, which is a continuation of
Ser. No. 07-011,145, filed Feb. 5, 1987, for FLYING TOY,
abandoned.
U.S. CLASS: 446-48
INTL CLASS: [5] A63H 27-00
FIELD OF SEARCH: 446-48; 446-47; 446-46; 446-450; 446-236;
446-240; 273-425; 273-424; 273-412; 273-426
References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
3,254,443 6/1966 Olson 446-450
4,174,834 11/1979 Demartino 446-48
4,241,533 12/1980 Newsome 446-46
4,290,226 9/1981 Stauffer 446-46
4,709,928 12/1987 Willingham 446-46
PRIMARY EXAMINER: Yu, Mickey
ATTORNEY, AGENT, OR FIRM: Kolisch, Hartwell & Dickinson
CLAIMS: 18
EXEMPLARY CLAIM: 1
DRAWING PAGES: 3
DRAWING FIGURES: 12
ART UNIT: 331
FULL TEXT: 298 lines
ABSTRACT
A ring-like throwable flying toy including outer
and inner, generally concentric, deformable boundary
structures, and an air-foil web joined to and tensed
between the structures. In all embodiments, the outer
structure includes a springy, nominally circular
armature that is readily, appreciably impact deformable.
And in certain modifications, the inner structure also
includes such an armature.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a ring-like flying toy
constructed in accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 2A-2D are nominally cross-sectional views
of the toy, taken generally along the line 2--2 in
FIG. 1. These figures show four alternative ways of
forming the inner air-frame, boundary structure of the
invention.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary view of a part of
the flying toy shown in FIG. 1 with a portion of
the toy broken away to reveal details of construction.
FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate two examples of
impact-deforming flight performance.
FIGS. 5A,5B show the toy of FIG. 1 being folded for
convenient carrying.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The recreational use of flying toys has long
been enjoyed by both children and adults. Many popular
games involve passing such devices from player to player
by hand or by using another device such as a stick.
Examples of flying toys include the Frisbee(r) flying
disc, described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,359,678, and the
Aerobie(tm) flying ring, described in U.S. Pat. No.
4,560,358. The Frisbee(r) flying disc is a saucer-shaped
device that can be thrown over relatively long distances.
A player throws such a disc by grasping its edge and
flexing the wrist, while holding the forearm in a neutral
position. Next, the player extends the wrist and releases
thendisc, i.e. the player "flings" from the wrist,
imparting spin to the disc, resulting in its being
propelled through the air.
Such a disc will fly over relatively long
distances because of its relatively high mass,
peripheral mass distribution, and solid/rigid
construction and aerodynamic structure.
Like the Frisbee(r) flying disc, the Aerobie(tm)
flying ring has a relatively large mass, but, unlike the
Frisbee(r) flying disc, has a mass which is distributed
peripherally about a central void and a special
air-foil shape, supposedly offering a unique flying
capability.
Still other flying toys are known that offer
features different from those of the Frisbee(r) flying
disc and of the Aerobie(tm) flying ring. For example,
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,834 to De Martino, a
stick-propelled disc is disclosed which features an
annular disc with a circular rim defining an inner
opening. The disc also includes a relatively thin central
portion and relatively thick inner and outer
circumferential edges.
Specifically, the De Martino disc's rim has an inner
circumferential edge that is three times the thickness
of the rim's central portion, and has an outer
circumferential edge that is approximately one and one
half times as thick as the rim's central portion. These
relational dimensions concentrate the disc's mass toward
the center, while still providing a reinforced outer
edge. Also, because the central portion is thinner
than either edge, it provides an aerodynamic cup for
lift purposes. Such structural features are supposed
to result in a disc that has a desirably "flatter"
trajectory, with the capability of increased travel
distance and higher flight speeds.
Other disc-shaped flying toys have been disclosed.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,533 to Newsome,
and in U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,652 to Matsuyama.
In Newsome, an aerial toy glider is disclosed which
takes the shape of a floppy fabric disc that is
loosely arranged within, and attached to, a flexible
weighted rim member. The disc-like shape is supported
by the rim member, with the loosely arranged floppy
fabric providing a doming effect when the toy is propelled
through the air.
In Matsuyama, a disc-shape "joke" toy is disclosed,
including an elastic member with a synthetic film stretched
over it. The toy folds into several overlapping portions,
and stays in that shape until disturbed. The toy is
intended to be thrown in its folded condition, and then,
upon impact with an object, is designed to unfold
"immediately and explosively", in a joking/snapping way,
to its original shape.
Totally lacking in the prior art, and highly desirable,
is a semi-rigid,infinitely impact-deformable, resilient,
ring-like flying toy that is relatively lightweight,
and capable of exhibiting quite surprising flight
performance. Such a toy offers not only extremely
interesting plural-player interaction, but also a
unique single-player capability. Amplifying the
latter thought, occasionally, only one player is
available, and no known flying disc or ring is capable
of providing at all satisfactorily for single-player use.
To play comfortably with prior-art flying toys, more
than one player is required because of the toys'
typical long flight distances, rigid,
non-memory-deformable constructions, and
"die"-upon-impact, flight characteristics.
Also desirable is such a flying toy which allows for
indoor play without any significant risk of damage
to valuable objects.
Thus, there is a need for a new kind of flying toy
which is suitable both for single-player and for
multi-player use--one that is sufficiently
lightweight, and aerodynamically designed, to allow
a player to throw it and then run after it to catch
it, or somehow maintain, or modify, its flight
characteristics. One way, for example, to keep the
toy airborne would be for the player repeatedly to
strike the toy in a tangential direction relative to its
outer perimeter and in the direction of the toy's
rotation, thus maintaining or modifying its flight
characteristics.
It is also desirable to provide such a toy which
can purposely be thrown at an object, such as a wall,
floor, etc., to create a pronounced bounce/flight
reaction.
It is therefore an object of the present invention
to provide a novel ring-like flying toy that is
lightweight and impact-deformable--capable of being
thrown by one or more players to create unique,
impact-modifiable bounce/flight characteristics.
A further object is to provide such a toy whose
air frame and flight surface, while biased to certain
nominal conditions are significantly
impact-changeable to alter flight characteristics.
Yet another object is to provide a flying toy of
the type outlined for safe playing indoors.
One important convenience feature which emerges
from meeting the above objectives, is that the
resulting toy can easily be twist/folded for
carrying in one's pocket and the like.
The present invention achieves the foregoing objects
by providing a novel ring-like flying toy including
lightweight outer and inner, ring-like boundary
structures defining an annular space that is spanned
(at least partially) by an air-foil web joined to and
tensed between the structures.
The web is preferably formed of a multidirectionally
stretchable, air-flow permeable fabric material that
has elastomeric-memory characteristics.
The toy's boundary structures are readily, appreciably,
impact deformable to cooperate with the tensed web in a
way leading to unique and surprising flight performance.
This key feature of the toy of present invention
results from the fact that the outer boundary
structure, in particular, collaboratively cooperates,
telegraphically, with the air-foil web during flight to
reshape itself in infinitely varying ways
after a deformity-producing impact with any external
object, such as a player's hand, a wall, a floor,
etc. When the toy reshapes itself, it effects
infinitely springy-changing, and substantial,
air-foil-varying configurations which create
surprising, aerobatic, rebound flight
characteristics.
These and other objects and advantages which are
attained by theinvention will become more fully
apparent as the description that nowfollows is read in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIGS. 1, 2A-2C, and 3 show a ring-like flying toy 10,
also referred to herein as a rebound-active-confounding,
ring-like throwable flying toy, that is constructed in
accordance with the present invention. The toy
includes outer and inner boundary structures 12,14,
also referred to herein as air-frame structures. Boundary
structures 12,14 are generally concentric relative to
one another, defining an annular space between them.
The boundary structures are made in a manner, soon
to be described, to be springy.
Joined to and tensed between the boundary structures
in the annular space therebetween, is an air-foil
web 16, also referred to herein as a fabric means or
fabric web. Web 16 extends preferably as an annulus
within the perimetral confines of boundary structures
12,14. Modifications are possible where the web
takes the form of spaced, angularly distributed, fabric
segments. Also, the boundary structures, either or both
of them, may be formed as distinct-sided polygons. The
term "nominally circular" used herein is intended to
encompass such a construction. Further, the terms
"annular" and "annular space" are intended to define the
space between such one or more, non-circular boundary
structures. Concentricity, as applied to the two
boundary structures, means that their geometric
centers are substantially coincident.
The web is made preferably from a
multidirectionally stretchable, infinitely-memory-deformable,
air-flow permeable material, such as the synthetic
material sold under the Lycra(r) trademark. As will
be described shortly, it is the novel combination
of such a web, including these important features,
tensed relative to the inner and outer boundary
structures that forms a central aspect of the present
invention.
For aesthetic effect, the peripheral cover may be
colored with a fluorescent dye or a design may be
printed on it using, for example, a silk screening
process.
Focusing on FIGS. 2A-2D, the boundary
structures, 12,14 (four embodiments), are shown
in more detail. Referring to FIG. 2A, outer
boundary structure 12 is fabricated from a
circular stay, or stay means (armature), 18, and a
peripheral cover 20. Stay 18 must be made from a
material that is capable of tensioning web 16,
thus to provide an appropriate deformable air foil
during flight. In addition, stay 18 must be of a
sufficiently low-mass, or lightweight, material to
ensure that toy 10 will have a relatively high
surface-area-to-mass ratio. Also, it is
important that stay 18 be readily and appreciably
impact deformable.
In each of the embodiments described herein,
stay 18 is fabricated by shaping into a circle a
fifty-inch length of Nylaflow brand, Type H, hollow
plastic tubing, having an inside diameter of
0.110-inches and an outside diameter of 3/16-inches.
Turning to FIG. 3, stay 18 is closed into a circle
by inserting into its ends an elongate coupler 19.
To provide a swivel joint necessary for folding the
toy as will be described in connection with
FIGS. 5A-5B, coupler 19 is fixedly attached, as by
adhesive, to the inside of only one end of stay 18,
thus allowing the stay's other end to freely rotate
around coupler 19.
Peripheral cover 20, employed in each of the three
disclosed embodiments,is a relatively thin, elongate
section of lightweight, durable material, such a nylon
material. It is folded lengthwise and positioned around
stay 18, holding the stay in its fold, and fastened to
top and bottom surfaces 22,24 of web 16 as by folding
its lengthwise edges over and sewing through all of the
lengthwise folds and the web. For aesthetic effect,
the peripheral cover may be colored with a fluorescent
dye or a design may be printed on it using, for example,
a silk screening process.
Returning to FIG. 2A, inner boundary structure 14
here is made in the form of an inner cover 26 that
includes an elongate section of material folded
lengthwise and fastened to the web's top and bottom
surfaces, as described earlier in connection with cover
20. Inner cover 26 is preferably made from nylon. Acting
as an armature within cover 26 is a suitable tensed
elastomer 27.
Turning attention now to the modified boundary
structure 14 shown in FIG. 2B, a reinforcer 28, such as
a 0.010-inches stainless steel wire is placed lengthwise
inside cover 26 after the same is folded and
fastened to the web.
Referring to FIG. 2C to describe the third
proposed embodiment for structure 14, cover 26 may be
integral with web 16 and formed by folding and sewing as
shown to top surface 22.
Finally, FIG. 2D shows an inner boundary structure
formed solely by cover 26.
As was mentioned earlier, FIGS. 4A-4D illustrate
two examples of the unique, impact deforming flight
characteristics that are obtained with toy 10 due to
the cooperation of the boundary structures and web -6.
Referring to FIG. 4A, toy 10 is shown flying while
it spins in a counterclockwise direction. A player
moves his or her hand, shown schematically at 30, in
the direction of arrow 32 so that the hand strikes
the toy tangentially relative to the toy's ring-like
shape. Striking the toy propels it in the direction of
arrow 34 and maintains its rotational movement about
axis 36.
FIG. 4B depicts the toy a short time after it
has been struck by the hand. Here, it is easy to see how
the elastomeric-memory characteristics of web 16, and
the springy characteristic of the boundary
structures, cooperate to change the toy's shape
from that shown in FIG. 4A (severe distortion) to
something approximating, but not identical to, the
shape of toy 10 before being struck (refer back to
FIG. 1).
Put another way, the elastomeric-memory
characteristics of multidirectionally stretchable
web 16 and the springy characteristic of the
boundary structures result in both springing back when
the hand's deforming force is gone. From the
severe-distortion impacted condition, the toy
recovers towards its original condition, passing
through an infinite number of intermediate
conditions, each of which imparts a unique and
different flight characteristic.
FIGS. 4C and 4D illustrate another impact sequence
where toy 10 deforms, and then springs back, or
rebounds, through infinitely varying shapes toward
its pre-deformation shape.
These two illustrations demonstrate what
is meant by the infinitely-memory-deformable
characteristics of toy 10 which create
infinitely air-foil-varying configurations, and
flight performance, as the toy is used.
The cooperative relationship between the springy
boundary structures, and the tensed,
multidirectionally stretchable web, promote a
kind ofinteresting, confounding flight response
as the toy strikes some externaln(any external)
object. On impact, the toy's flight does not simply
die. On the contrary, impact causes the toy to
fling off in flight in a new,
changing, and highly interesting manner.
Such leads to some very interesting playing
possibilities as, for example, throwing the toy
at the ground, floor or a wall, causing it to
bounce dramatically in flight.
The fact that the web is preferably air-flow
permeable adds yet another dimension, namely
stability, to the toy's fascinating flight behavior.
When toy 10 is played with indoors, its
lightweight construction and unique rebound
characteristics decrease the risk of breaking
objects.
Turning attention now briefly to FIGS. 5A and 5B,
toy 10 is shown being folded into a convenient
storage/transport shape. In FIG. 5A, the toy is
twisted, in the direction of the arrows, into a
"figure-8". Referring backto FIG. 3, the
aforedescribed swivel joint between coupler 19 and
stay 18 allows the toy to be twisted without "kinking".
Turning to FIG. 5B, the toy is folded along an
axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the
"figure-8", so that both loops of the "8"
overlay one another. The convenience of this
capability has been mentioned earlier.
Thus a novel, ring-like flying toy is proposed--a
toy exhibiting flight possibilities unattainable in
any known prior art device.
I claim:
1. A ring-like flying toy comprising means
defining outer and inner, ring-like, generally
concentric, deformable boundary structures nominally
bounding an annular space, and an air-foil web joined to
and tensed between said structures in said space.
2. The toy of claim 1, wherein said outer structure
includes a springy, nominally circular armature.
3. The toy of claim 1, wherein said web is formed
of a multidirectionally stretchable fabric.
4. The toy of claims or 2, wherein said inner
structure includes a fold in said web.
5. The toy of claims 1 or 2, wherein said inner
structure includes an elastomeric armature.
6. The toy of claims 1 or 2, wherein said
inner structure comprises a springy, nominally
circular armature.
7. The toy of claims 1 or 2, wherein said web is
airflow permeable.
8. The toy of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said outer
structure is readily, appreciably impact deformable.
9. The toy of claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said web
has elastomeric memory characteristics.
10. A ring-like flying toy comprising means
defining an outer,deformable, ring-like air-frame
structure, and an annular air-foil web joined to said
air-frame structure, and residing nominally therewithin
in a state of tension.
11. The toy of claim 10, wherein said web is formed
of a material having multidirectionally stretchable,
elastomeric memory characteristics.
12. The toy of claim 10, wherein said structure
is readily, appreciably impact deformable.
13. A flying toy comprising inner and outer,
deformable, generally concentric and nominally
coplanar rings, and elastomeric, stretchable,
air-foil fabric means joined to, spanning the space,
and tensed, between said rings.
14. The toy of claim 13, wherein said fabric means
is air-flow permeable.
15. A rebound-active-confounding, ring-like,
throwable flying toy comprising at least one
air-frame structure in the form of a springy,
infinitely-memory-deformable, nominally circular
boundary structure, and an infinitely-memory-deformable,
stretchy, elastomeric-characteristic, air-foil
fabric web, joined, and tensed with respect, to, and
extending in the form, nominally, of, an annulus
within the perimetral confines of said structure,
said boundary structure and web collaboratively
cooperating telegraphically with one another during
flight of the toy, and upon the occurrence of a
deformity-producing impact with an external object,
to reshape themselves in a memory-returnable manner,
and thereafter further cooperating, during memory
recovery toward their respective nominal conditions,
to effect infinitely, springy-changing, and
substantial, air-foil-varying configurations which
create interesting, aerobatic, rebound flight
characteristics.
16. The toy of claim 15, which further includes
a second boundary structure, disposed inwardly of,
and placed nominally concentrically with respect to,
said first-mentioned boundary structure.
17. The toy of claim 15, wherein said web
is multi-directionally stretchable.
18. The toy of claims 15, 16 or 17, wherein
said web is air-flow permeable.
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