Buoyant Water-Inflatable Toy

Abstract

A buoyant, water-inflatable toy with a flexible main body with a hollow interior that is configured to be partially or fully filled with and contain water, wherein the buoyancy of the toy is based in part on the amount of water held in the body interior, a top portion comprising a buoyant material that is less dense than water, and a bottom portion comprising a dense material that is denser than water.

Description

BACKGROUND

This application relates to a floating toy.

Floating toys can be used in bodies of water and swimming pools, for example.

SUMMARY

Featured in this disclosure is a buoyant, water-inflatable object, for example a toy. The toy has a hollow, flexible (collapsible and expandable) body that is configured to be partially or fully filled with and contain water. There is a top portion that is separated from the body. There is a bottom portion that is separated from the body. The buoyancy of the toy is based on at least: the amount of water held in the body, that the toy contains near its top portion a buoyant material that is lighter (less dense) than water, and that the toy contains near its bottom portion a dense material that is heavier (denser) than water. In a non-limiting example, the toy takes the shape of a fish or another object or article that is commonly found in the water such as a boat or an amphibious animal. But that is not a limitation, as the shape and/or appearance are open ended.

In an example the top portion is separated from the main body by a water-tight seam. In an example the top portion comprises a top hollow portion or chamber that is directly adjacent to the main body, separated only by the seam. In an example the top hollow chamber is partially or fully filled with the buoyant material that is less dense than water. In an example the buoyant material comprises an expanded polymer foam material.

In an example the bottom portion is separated from the main body by a water-tight seam. In an example the bottom portion comprises a bottom hollow portion or chamber that is directly adjacent to the main body, separated only by the seam. In an example the bottom hollow chamber is partially or fully filled with the dense material that is denser than water. In an example the dense material is metal or sand.

In one aspect a buoyant, water-inflatable toy includes a flexible main body with a hollow interior that is configured to be partially or fully filled with and contain water, wherein the buoyancy of the toy is based in part on the amount of water held in the body interior, a top portion comprising a buoyant material that is less dense than water, and a bottom portion comprising a dense material that is denser than water.

In an example the toy is in the shape of an article that is found in the water selected from the group consisting of a fish, a boat, and an amphibious animal. In an example the top portion is separated from the main body by a water-tight seam. In an example the top portion comprises a top hollow chamber that is directly adjacent to the main body. In an example the top hollow chamber is partially or fully filled with the buoyant material. In an example the buoyant material comprises an expanded polymer foam material.

In an example the bottom portion is separated from the main body by a water-tight seam. In an example the bottom portion comprises a bottom hollow chamber that is directly adjacent to the main body. In an example the bottom hollow chamber is partially or fully filled with the dense material. In an example the dense material is metal or sand.

In an example the main body further comprises a valve through which water can be added to the hollow interior. In an example the valve comprises an outer hinged plug that is configured to seat on and seal to a ring on the outside of the body.

In another aspect a buoyant, water-inflatable toy includes a flexible main body with a hollow interior that is configured to be partially or fully filled with and contain water, wherein the buoyancy of the toy is based in part on the amount of water held in the body interior, a top portion that is separated from the main body only by a water-tight seam and comprises a top hollow chamber that is at least partially filled with a buoyant material that is less dense than water, and a bottom portion that is separated from the main body only by a water-tight seam and comprises a bottom hollow chamber that is at least partially filled with a dense material that is denser than water.

In an example the toy is in the shape of a fish with a top fin at the top of the main body and a bottom fin at the bottom of the main body, wherein the top hollow chamber is ion the top fin and the bottom hollow chamber is in the bottom fin. In an example the buoyant material comprises an expanded polymer foam material. In an example the dense material comprises at least one of metal and sand.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a buoyant water-inflatable toy;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2, FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 shows the toy fish floating at the top of a body of water.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An exemplary toy fish 10 is shown in the drawings, where FIG. 1 is a side view, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2, FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 shows the fish floating at the top of a body of water.

Toy fish 10 is a buoyant, water-inflatable toy. The toy has a hollow, flexible (collapsible and expandable) body 12 with hollow interior/cavity 13 that is configured to be partially or fully filled with and contain water. Water can be added/removed through valve 40 comprising outer hinged plug 42 that seats on and seals to outer ring 44. The buoyancy of the toy is based in part on the amount of water held in the body cavity 13. Also, toy 10 contains near or in its top portion 20 a buoyant material 26 (such as expanded polystyrene) that is lighter (less dense) than water. Toy 10 also contains near or in its bottom portion 30 a dense material 36 that is heavier (denser) than water, such as a piece of metal 36, metal shavings or pieces, or sand, as non-limiting examples. In other examples toy 10 takes the shape of another type of fish, or another object or article that is found in the water such as a boat or an amphibious animal.

In an example the top portion 20 is separated from the main body 12 by a water-tight seam 16. Additional top portion 20 end seams 22 and 24 can be included in an example so that the top hollow portion or chamber 20 takes up less than the entirety of top 14 of toy 10, which in this example has the appearance of a fin. In an example the top portion 20 comprises a top hollow portion that is directly adjacent to the main body 12. In an example the top hollow chamber is partially or fully filled with the buoyant material 26. In an example the buoyant material comprises an expanded polymer foam material.

In an example the bottom portion 30 is separated from the main body 12 by a water-tight seam 32. In an example the bottom portion 30 comprises a bottom hollow chamber that is directly adjacent to the main body. In an example the bottom hollow chamber 30 is partially or fully filled with the dense material 36 that is denser than water. In an example the dense material is metal (solid or shavings) or sand.

As shown in FIG. 3, toy 10 can be made essentially neutrally buoyant so that it just floats at the top of water body 50, with top portion 20 at or just above the surface of the water. By choice of the amounts and densities of the light and dense materials, and the volume of hollow body cavity 13, the amount of water added to cavity 13, as well as the material from which the toy is made (which can be a soft plastic such as PVC), the toy can be designed such that it can be configured as neutrally buoyant, positively buoyant, or negatively buoyant, under control of the user by choice of the amount of water added to body cavity 13. Less water in cavity 13 results in less weight, thus making the object float higher in the water, while more water results in more weight that makes the object float lower in the water.

Having described above several aspects of at least one example, it is to be appreciated various alterations, modifications, and improvements will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Such alterations, modifications, and improvements are intended to be part of this disclosure and are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing description and drawings are by way of example only, and the scope of the invention should be determined from proper construction of the appended claims, and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A buoyant, water-inflatable toy, comprising: a flexible main body with a hollow interior that is configured to be partially or fully filled with and contain water, wherein the buoyancy of the toy is based in part on the amount of water held in the body interior;a top portion comprising a buoyant material that is less dense than water; anda bottom portion comprising a dense material that is denser than water.

2. The toy of claim 1 in the shape of an article that is found in the water selected from the group consisting of a fish, a boat, and an amphibious animal.

3. The toy of claim 1 wherein the top portion is separated from the main body by a water-tight seam.

4. The toy of claim 1 wherein the top portion comprises a top hollow chamber that is directly adjacent to the main body.

5. The toy of claim 4 wherein the top hollow chamber is partially or fully filled with the buoyant material.

6. The toy of claim 5 wherein the buoyant material comprises an expanded polymer foam material.

7. The toy of claim 1 wherein the bottom portion is separated from the main body by a water-tight seam.

8. The toy of claim 1 wherein the bottom portion comprises a bottom hollow chamber that is directly adjacent to the main body.

9. The toy of claim 8 wherein the bottom hollow chamber is partially or fully filled with the dense material.

10. The toy of claim 9 wherein the dense material is metal or sand.

11. The toy of claim 1 wherein the main body further comprises a valve through which water can be added to the hollow interior.

12. The toy of claim 11 wherein the valve comprises an outer hinged plug that is configured to seat on and seal to a ring on the outside of the body.

13. A buoyant, water-inflatable toy, comprising: a flexible main body with a hollow interior that is configured to be partially or fully filled with and contain water, wherein the buoyancy of the toy is based in part on the amount of water held in the body interior;a top portion that is separated from the main body only by a water-tight seam and comprises a top hollow chamber that is at least partially filled with a buoyant material that is less dense than water; anda bottom portion that is separated from the main body only by a water-tight seam and comprises a bottom hollow chamber that is at least partially filled with a dense material that is denser than water.

14. The toy of claim 13 in the shape of a fish with a top fin at the top of the main body and a bottom fin at the bottom of the main body, wherein the top hollow chamber is ion the top fin and the bottom hollow chamber is in the bottom fin.

15. The toy of claim 14 wherein the buoyant material comprises an expanded polymer foam material.

16. The toy of claim 15 wherein the dense material comprises at least one of metal and sand.