Patent Application
20200330888
The present invention generally relates to flying toys. More particularly, the present invention's claims relates to a toy rocket which uses an electrical power source and electric motor to drive a propeller which in turn creates an upward thrust for the rocket's powered ascent.
This disclosure teaches a variety of flying toys. First, there are several improvements for a self-propelled flying toy, herein referred to commonly as the Jetball. The Jetball can resemble a football and be used in a similar manner for throwing and catching. The improvements to the self-propelled flying toy are a continuation of the developments previously disclosed in application Ser. No. 11/500,749 filed on Aug. 8, 2016 and also the CIP application Ser. No. 11/789,223 filed on Apr. 24, 2007, which are both incorporated in full herein by reference.
The self-propelled flying toy includes a body with a ducted fan located inside the body and along a longitudinal axis. A motor and power source drive the ducted fan to create thrust for self-propulsion. Air is drawn in through air-inlets along the front of the body and can also be drawn through auxiliary air-inlets around the center of the body. Thrust is directed through an air-outlet at the back of the body. To counter the affects of gyroscopic precession, the front of the body has at least two angled surfaces facing an opposite thrust-generating rotational direction relative to the ducted fan. These angled faces create an opposite gyroscopic precession force which then cancels out the gyroscopic precession from the ducted fan. The result is a flying toy that flies in a straight direction.
Second, a new toy is disclosed as a self-propelled rocket. This toy is commonly referred to as the PropRocket. The PropRocket is a safe alternative to the combustion driven model rockets commonly used today. Combustion driven rockets are extremely dangerous and not suitable for unsupervised play by children. The PropRocket is electrically powered and easily rechargeable and quickly relaunchable. The self-propelled rocket toy includes an elongated body with a propeller coupled at the bottom end. An electric motor and power source drive the propeller to create an upward thrust. There are a variety of activation methods that are possible with the electric rocket, including technology developed in the Jetball.
Third, a new toy is disclosed as a throwing and catching flying toy. This toy is commonly referred to either as the Flying Football, the Wing-It Football or the Gliding Football. The throwing and catching flying toy includes a structural support attached with a lift-generating wing. A body which is used to throw and catch the toy is rotatably attached to the support. A tail and tail fin are connected either to the body or the structure and provides stability in the air, much as a tail fin on an airplane does. The body spins in the air when thrown similar to a football, yet the structural support and wings remain level during flight for producing lift. The result is the farthest flying football, allowing users to greatly increase the distance thrown.
Fourth, a new toy is disclosed as a bowless arrow which is commonly referred to as the Bowless Arrow. The toy is similar to an arrow, in that it flies through the air like an arrow, yet can be launched without an auxiliary bow. This is because the bow functionality has been integrated into the arrow. The bowless arrow includes a shaft with a slider translatably coupled. A resiliently stretchable bias, such as a rubber band or spring, is attached to the slider and the rear of the arrow. The slider is held in the front-hand while the arrow is drawn backwards with the rear-hand. Upon release, the slider forces the body of the arrow forward against the forward-hand.
In another variation upon the Bowless Arrow, lift-producing wings can be attached to the body such that the toy is able to glide substantially further. This is a fifth new product and is commonly referred to as the Arrow Plane.
Sixth, a new toy is disclosed as a distance-enhanced throwing toy. This toy is commonly referred to as the Catapult Javelin, for lack of a better name. The distance—enhanced throwing toy includes an elongated shaft with a tail fin at the rear for stability. An elongated handle is pivotably attached near the front of the shaft. The handle is temporarily and securedly biased and pivotable between a first position and a second position. The handle and shaft are generally parallel in the first position and the handle and shaft are generally perpendicular in the second position. A person can grab the handle in the second position and swing the toy at an increased velocity as compared to a normal throwing motion, such as with a football or baseball. The release speed is increased because of the length of the handle is further away from the body of the person throwing it. Upon release, the handle moves into the first position such that the overall toy is aerodynamic for forward flight.
Seventh, a new toy is disclosed as a throwing and flying toy. This toy is commonly referred to as the Cruise Missile, as its shape can be formed to resemble a cruise missile. The Cruise Missile is similar in nature to the Catapult Javelin, but also includes lift-producing wings for substantially increased distance thrown. The throwing and flying toy includes an elongated body having a front portion rotatably attached to a rear portion. A tail fin and lift-generating wing are attached to the rear portion, while an elongated handle is pivotably attached to the front portion of the body. The handle is temporarily and securedly biased and pivotable between a first position and a second position similar to the Catapult Javelin. Not only is the speed at which the toy thrown increased, but lift generated by the wings also increases the distance thrown.
New toy designs are constantly being invented to satisfy the curiosity and interest of the consuming public. Flying toys are of particular interest and has become a billion dollar industry. Accordingly, there is always a need for a variety of new flying toys. The present inventions fulfill these needs and provide other related advantages.
Jetball—Gyroscopic Precession Countermeasures:
A self-propelled flying toy is disclosed comprising a body defined as including a front section, a center section and a back section each along a longitudinal axis. A ducted fan is located within the body substantially centered about the longitudinal axis. A motor is mechanically coupled to the ducted fan and a power source is coupled to the motor, either electrically or energetically. An air-inlet is located substantially within the front section in airflow communication with the ducted fan. An air-outlet is located substantially within the back section in airflow communication with the ducted fan. At least two angled surfaces are fixed relative to the body and located substantially within the front section. Each of the at least two angled surfaces are substantially evenly centered about the longitudinal axis and facing an opposite thrust-generating rotational direction relative to the ducted fan.
In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the at least two angled surfaces may be in airflow communication with the air-inlet. The at least two angled surfaces may comprise a plurality of angled surfaces.
In another exemplary embodiment the body may be shaped as an oblate spheroid. Furthermore, the oblate spheroidal body may truncated perpendicular to the longitudinal axis located substantially about the back section. The air outlet may be substantially 3.5 inches in diameter or greater.
Another exemplary embodiment may include an auxiliary air-inlet located substantially within the center section about the longitudinal axis in airflow communication with the ducted fan. The auxiliary air-inlet may comprise a plurality of auxiliary air-inlets. The plurality of auxiliary air-inlets may each define an aperture extending substantially about 0.5 inches or greater ahead and about 0.5 inches or greater behind the ducted fan in a direction along the longitudinal axis. Furthermore, the air-inlet, auxiliary air-inlet and air-outlet each may include an air-permeable structure.
Another exemplary embodiment may include a centrifugal switch disposed within the body detecting rotation about the longitudinal axis. The centrifugal switch may regulate operation of the ducted fan, wherein the ducted fan is powered when rotation about the longitudinal axis is detected and not powered when rotation about the longitudinal axis is not detected. Said differently, another embodiment may include a means for automatic activation and deactivation of the motor by detecting an in-flight condition and a not-in-flight condition, wherein such means is located within the body and in communication with the motor and power source. Also, the embodiment may include a timer located within the body in communication with the motor and power source, wherein the motor after activation will automatically turn off after a predetermined time.
Jetball—Auxiliary Air-Inlet:
A self-propelled flying toy is disclosed comprising a body defined as including a front section, a center section and a back section each along a longitudinal axis. A ducted fan is located within the body substantially centered about the longitudinal axis. A motor is mechanically coupled to the ducted fan and a power source is coupled to the motor. An air-inlet is located substantially within the front section in airflow communication with the ducted fan. An air-outlet is located substantially within the back section in airflow communication with the ducted fan. An auxiliary air-inlet is located substantially within the center section about the longitudinal axis in airflow communication with the ducted fan.
In various exemplary embodiments the auxiliary air-inlet may comprise a plurality of auxiliary air-inlets all located substantially within the center section about the longitudinal axis each in airflow communication with the ducted fan. Also, the plurality of auxiliary air-inlets may each extend substantially at least 0.5 inches ahead and 0.5 inches behind the ducted fan in a direction along the longitudinal axis. The plurality of auxiliary air-inlets may each comprise an air-permeable structure.
Another exemplary embodiment may include a centrifugal switch located within the body detecting rotation about the longitudinal axis. The centrifugal switch regulates operation of the ducted fan, wherein the ducted fan is powered when rotation about the longitudinal axis is detected and not powered when rotation about the longitudinal axis is not detected. Said differently, another embodiment may include a means for automatic activation and deactivation of the motor by detecting an in-flight condition and a not-in-flight condition, wherein such means is located within the body and in communication with the motor and power source. Furthermore, a timer may be located within the body in communication with the motor and power source, wherein the motor after activation will automatically turn off after a predetermined time.
Another exemplary embodiment may include at least two angled surfaces fixed relative to the body disposed substantially within the front section, wherein each of the at least two angled surfaces are substantially evenly centered about the longitudinal axis and facing an opposite thrust-generating rotational direction relative to the ducted fan. The at least two angled surfaces may also be in airflow communication with the air-inlet. The at least two angled surfaces may also comprise a plurality of angled surfaces evenly centered about the longitudinal axis.
In another exemplary embodiment, the body may be an oblate spheroidal shape. Furthermore, the oblate spheroidal body may be truncated perpendicular to the longitudinal axis disposed about the back section. Additionally, the air outlet may be substantially 3.5 inches in diameter or greater.
PropRockets:
A self-propelled rocket toy is disclosed comprising a substantially elongated body located along a longitudinal axis which is defined as including a top end opposite a bottom end. A propeller is substantially centered about the longitudinal axis located about the bottom end. An electric motor is mechanically coupled to the propeller. A power source is electrically coupled to the electric motor. An activation mechanism is electrically coupled to the electric motor and power source.
In various exemplary embodiments the power source may comprise a rechargeable battery, such as a NiCad, NiMh, or LiPo battery. Alternatively, the power source may comprise a capacitor.
Another exemplary embodiment may include at least three supports outwardly extending from and fixed relative to the body, each support substantially evenly spaced about the longitudinal axis and extending below the propeller. Furthermore, a ring may be aligned around the longitudinal axis and propeller. The ring may also be connected to the at least three supports. Also, the at least three supports may be lift-generating devices each angled at an opposite thrust-generating rotational direction relative to the propeller.
In another exemplary embodiment, the activation mechanism may comprise a launch button located relative to the body and in communication with the electric motor and power source. A timer may be located within the body in communication with the electric motor and power source, wherein the electric motor after activation will automatically turn off after a predetermined time. Alternatively, the activation mechanism may comprise a receiver disposed within the body in electrical communication with the electric motor and including a remote launch transmitter for remotely activating the electric motor and propeller.
In another exemplary embodiment, the activation mechanism may comprise a centrifugal switch disposed within the body and in communication with the electric motor and power source, wherein the centrifugal switch is configured upon detecting rotation about the longitudinal axis to activate the electric motor and propeller. Again, a timer may be located within the body in communication with the electric motor and power source, wherein the electric motor after activation will automatically turn off after a predetermined time. Said differently, the activation mechanism may comprise a means for automatic activation and deactivation of the motor by detecting an in-flight condition and a not-in-flight condition, wherein such means is located within the body and in communication with the electric motor and power source. A timer may be located within the body in communication with the motor and power source, wherein the motor after activation will automatically turn off after a predetermined time.
Flying Football:
A throwing and catching flying toy is disclosed comprising a structural support including a lift-generating wing attached relative to the support. A body is rotatably attached relative to the support, wherein the body comprises a front section fixed relative to a rear section. Both the front and rear sections rotate about a longitudinal axis. A tail is located relative to either the support or the body extending in a direction beyond the rear section of the body. A tail fin is attached relative to an end of the tail.
In an exemplary embodiment, the wing may be pivotably adjustable in a pitch axis relative to the support. A thumb grip may be fixed relative to the support and located along and adjacent to the rear section of the body. The wing may comprise a breakaway wing or also be a dihedral wing. The dihedral angle may be at or greater than 10 degrees or 20 degrees. The wing may also be positioned above the longitudinal axis.
In another exemplary embodiment, the body may comprise a generally oblate spheroidal or football shape. The tail fin may comprise a plurality of tail fins. The support may be located between and separate the front section and the rear section. The rear section may be smaller in diameter than the front section. The tail may be located along the longitudinal axis and fixed relative to the body. The plurality of tail fins may be fixedly attached to the end of the tail. The plurality of tail fins may be angled with respect to the longitudinal axis. The plurality of tail fins may be rotatably attached to the end of the tail.
In another exemplary embodiment, the support may be located behind the rear section of the body. The front section and rear section may be formed as a single and continuous body. The wing may comprise a left wing and a right wing both attached relative to the support. The left and right wings may each be pivotably adjustable in a pitch axis relative to the support.
Bowless Arrow:
A bowless arrow is disclosed comprising a shaft defined as including a forward end opposite a rear end. A slider is translatably coupled along the shaft including a front-hand support extending perpendicular to the shaft. A rear-hand grip is located substantially about the rear end of the shaft. A resiliently stretchable bias is attached relative to the slider and either the rear end of the shaft or the rear-hand grip.
An exemplary embodiment may include an arrow tip located at the forward end of the shaft. The arrow tip may comprise an energy dissipating material. Also, a plurality of tail fins may be substantially evenly located about the rear end of the shaft.
Another exemplary embodiment may include a lift-generating wing attached relative to the shaft. The wing may be pivotably adjustable in a pitch axis relative to the shaft. The wing may comprise a dihedral wing that is at or greater than 10 degree or 20 degrees. Furthermore, the wing may comprise a breakaway wing.
In another exemplary embodiment, the arrow tip may comprise a substantially oblate spheroidal or football shape.
Catapult Javelin:
A distance—enhanced throwing toy is disclosed comprising an elongated shaft defined as having a forward end opposite a rear end. A tail fin is located about the rear end of the shaft. A tip is located relative to the forward end of the shaft. An elongated handle is pivotably attached substantially near the forward end of the shaft. The handle is temporarily and securedly biased and pivotable between a first position and a second position. The handle and shaft are substantially parallel in the first position and the handle and shaft are substantially perpendicular in the second position.
In another exemplary embodiment, the tail fin includes a plurality of tail fins substantially evenly located about the rear end of the shaft. The tip may comprise an energy dissipating material.
A bias mechanism may be attached relative to the shaft and handle. The bias mechanism temporarily and securedly biases the handle in the first and second positions. The bias mechanism may comprise an elastomeric material or spring.
In another exemplary embodiment, the tip may comprise a generally oblate spheroidal or football shape.
Cruise Missile:
A throwing and flying toy is disclosed comprising a substantially elongated body including a front portion rotatably attached to a rear portion. A tail fin is located about the rear portion of the body. A lift-generating wing is attached relative to the rear portion of the body. An elongated handle is pivotably attached relative to the front portion of the body. The handle is temporarily and securedly biased and pivotable between a first position and a second position. The handle and body are substantially parallel in the first position and the handle and body are substantially perpendicular in the second position.
In an exemplary embodiment, the wing may be pivotably adjustable in a pitch axis relative to the rear portion of the body. The wing may comprise a breakaway wing or a dihedral wing. Also, the tail fin may be rotatably attached relative to the rear portion of the body.
In another exemplary embodiment, the body may comprise a substantially missile-like shape. Furthermore, the tail fin may comprise a plurality of tail fins substantially evenly located about the rear portion of the body. A tip may be located about the front portion, wherein the tip comprises an energy dissipating material. Alternatively, the tip may comprise a generally oblate spheroidal or football shape.
In another exemplary embodiment, a bias mechanism may be attached relative to the front portion and handle. The bias mechanism may temporarily and securedly bias the handle in the first and second positions. The bias mechanism may comprise an elastomeric band, a rubber band or a spring.
As used herein throughout the entirety of this disclosure: substantially means largely but not wholly that which is specified; plurality means two or more; disposed means joined or coupled together or to bring together in a particular relation; and longitudinal means of, relating to, or occurring in the lengthwise dimension or relating to length.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:
Jetball:
There are several improvements disclosed herein for a self-propelled flying toy 80, herein referred to commonly as the Jetball. In some embodiments, the Jetball may resemble a football and be used in a similar manner for throwing and catching. The improvements to the self-propelled flying toy 80 are a continuation of the developments previously disclosed in application Ser. No. 11/500,749 filed on Aug. 8, 2006 and also the CIP application Ser. No. 11/789,223 filed on Apr. 24, 2007, which are both herein incorporated in full by reference.
Development of the Jetball has resulted in a significant amount of research and development in attempts to make the product function appropriately, let alone make it marketable. Initial prototypes of the Jetball were significantly heavy, as they were on the order of 300-400 grams. These Jetballs used a significant amount of LiPo batteries to generate enough force to make the product interesting and fun to play with. Generating enough thrust to make a noticeable difference was extremely tough for a 400 gram football. Two packs of 3 cell LiPo batteries each at 11.1V and 700 mAh were used wired in parallel. An electric ducted fan intended for radio control ducted fan aircrafts was utilized. The resulting product generated a significant amount of thrust, yet had several problems.
First, the resulting product was actually intimidating. The thrust generated was significant and would sound intimidating while it approached the receiver. Second, the product at the time was still a prototype and it could be somewhat dangerous to catch as the ducted fan blades were not fully protected from a stray finger or two. Third, the resulting product was not very durable, as the significant amount of overall weight became a burden when dropped or simply not caught. The internal components were intended for an RC aircraft, not a football which strikes the ground with a substantial amount of force. It was clear that making a durable production quality version would be extremely challenging. Fourth, the product would ultimately cost too much at retail to be marketable. A new Jetball version was required that would solve these aforementioned problems.
This particular Jetball prototype had to be thrown underhanded if you were right-handed. This was so because the motor and ducted fan happened to rotate in the exact wrong direction for a right-handed thrower. When you throw a football, you initially put a substantial amount of spin on the football to help keep a true trajectory. From the perspective of a right-handed thrower, the football leaves the thrower with a clockwise spin. The internal ducted fan of the prototype would want to spin the football the wrong direction (counter-clockwise) for a right-handed thrower. It must be appreciated that the torque imparted on the football body from the ducted fan is quite substantial. Rather than fight the torque, I simply threw the football underhanded as I could easily do such.
It was at this time I noticed something strange but never gave it much thought until later. I noticed a slight tendency for the football to veer to the left when thrown. I noticed it enough that on long throws I would throw the football a bit to the right to compensate for this slight veering affect. The veer was repeatable and would always occur, but I felt the inaccuracy of my hand-made construction or my underhanded throwing technique was to blame. I later learned something unique was happening.
I proceeded to develop the next design iteration of the Jetball. I aimed for an overall weight of about 100 grams. As the overall power levels needed were substantially reduced, so then should the cost be reduced as well. Also, the product would be safer to play with as it would no longer be scary or impose such a great risk from an accidental impact between the ducted fan and a stray finger. I proceeded to develop such a product based off of various toys, rapid prototyping parts and through hand-carved foams and assembly.
This new prototype happened to use motors and ducted fans that were properly geared for a right-hand throw, so I could now toss it overhand. This product was also about 100 grams in weight, or about a fourth to a third of the overall weight of the earlier Jetball prototypes. When I first threw the toy, the Jetball severely turned to the right. At first I thought I was throwing it wrong. However, the more and more I tested it out the more it wanted to repeatedly veer substantially to the right. In fact, it would change direction about 90 degrees. If I wanted a football that could literally be thrown around a corner, I had it. However, this toy would never be marketable if it kept turning in mid air.
I noticed that the latest prototype turned to the right, while the previous prototype turned to the left. This was consistent with the torque effect from the ducted fan of each. I hypothesized that the first product had less of a veer due to the fact that it was heavier. After much research, the phenomenon of gyroscopic precession was discovered. This is a phenomenon which is not intuitive in any way. Gyroscopic precession is when a rotating ducted fan has a force imparted perpendicularly to its rotation. This only happens when the ducted fan is pushing forwards or backwards, and not up and down. When a ducted fan is facing up and down, and therefore pushing up and down, there is no gyroscopic precession affect. It is only when the ducted fan is pushing forwards and backwards in a horizontal direction that gyroscopic precession causes a perpendicular force to twist the aircraft in flight.
All ducted fan driven airplanes and propeller driven airplanes suffer from gyroscopic precession. Usually the speed of the aircraft and the interaction between the air and the flight control surfaces are such that the effect is negligible. However, on my 100 gram Jetball the effect was severe. Pilots, whether for radio control aircraft or for real aircraft, are taught that when performing a slow stall turn the aircraft will naturally rotate much more easily one direction as compared to the other. This is due to gyroscopic precession. One may have noticed that approaching aircraft seem to always be slightly angled one direction or the other when taking off and landing. It is easy to chalk this up to a slight breeze, but it is more likely the natural tendency of gyroscopic precession to want to twist the aircraft while in flight.
I had to find a solution to the problem. I tried everything I could think of. I tried shifting the center of gravity of the football forward and backward, yet it made no difference. I tried adding on a significant tail section and tail fins to force the football to go straight, yet it made little difference. After two weeks of trial and error, I cut out balsa wood sections and created an angled nose section that crudely resembled a ducted fan. In essence the front of the ball resembled a ducted fan, as crude as it was, while still retaining a football like shape. Low and behold when I threw the football, it veered the other direction! I knew instantly that I invented a fix.
The solution to making a self-propelled flying toy 80 fly straight is to create a front section 14 that is angled similar to
With reference to the following
At least two angled surfaces 82 are fixed relative to the body 12 and located substantially within the front section 14. Each of the at least two angled surfaces 82 are evenly centered about the longitudinal axis 20 and facing an opposite thrust-generating rotational direction relative to the ducted fan 22. As the ducted fan 22 spins, it causes the body 12 to spin in the opposite direction. Thrust is generated by the ducted fan 22, but thrust is also generated by angled surfaces 82 of the body 12. The gyroscopic precession from the ducted fan 22 is then canceled by the equal and opposite gyroscopic precession from the angled surfaces 82. As can be understood, the angled surfaces 82 must be facing a particular direction as to create thrust when the body 12 rotates. This is opposite the way the surface of the ducted fan blades must be angled, as the ducted fan 22 rotates in an opposite direction as compared to the body 12.
As shown in
The particular embodiment of the flying toy 80 in
Accordingly, in an exemplary embodiment the oblate spheroidal body 12 may truncated perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 20 located substantially about the back section 18 resulting in a truncated end 84.
The size of the air-outlet 30 is also critical. It was discovered during thrust testing of different air-outlet 30 designs that making a smaller diameter air-outlet 30 resulted in a significant amount of loss thrust. It was found that the air-outlet 30 should be substantially around 3.5 inches in diameter or greater for a ducted fan 22 that is substantially about 4 inches in diameter. If the air-outlet 30 is sized too small, thrust is actually retarded significantly as air tries to come out the air-inlet 28.
To develop the powerplant (motor, battery, gearing, ducted fan) of the Jetball, a bench powerplant was devised. This bench powerplant was mounted upon a digital scale and pointed directly upwards. In other words, a ducted fan was pointed upwards such that it was thrusting downwards on the scale when in operation. The scale would be zeroed right before a thrust test to then determine how much thrust a particular powerplant was producing. This was needed as there are an endless variety of ducted fan sizes and shapes, motors, gearing and RC battery types that could be utilized.
One such exemplary embodiment of a powerplant combination utilized the tail rotor from a RC helicopter (like the Piccolo Helicopter tail rotor prop) cut down to about 4 inches in diameter, a 12 mm diameter motor from GWS-EDF-50 that was rated for 6-7.2 volts, a gearing ratio of about 3:10 and a LiPo battery of 7.4 Volts and about 300 mAh. This combination produced about 100 grams of thrust and was found to be a suitable for this application. The smaller gear 90 attaches to the motor 24 and the larger gear 92 attaches to the ducted fan 22. The smaller gear 90 has 12 teeth and a pitch diameter of 6 mm. The larger gear 92 has 40 teeth and a pitch diameter of 20 mm.
While this powerplant worked well without any structure around it, a test diameter of foam was slowly lowered over and around the fan while it ran. The test diameter of foam was about 4.5 inches in diameter, just enough to slip over the rotating ducted fan. As the test diameter of foam approached the ducted fan, the sound and pitch of the ducted fan changed, and surprisingly the thrust produced dropped significantly. Through trial and error, it was determined that when an outer diameter structure is placed within either 0.5 inches ahead of the ducted fan or 0.5 inches behind the ducted fan, the thrust levels would be dramatically reduced.
Therefore, to increase performance of the toy 80 an exemplary embodiment may include an auxiliary air-inlet 86 (also called a hover vent or cheater vent) located substantially within the center section 16 about the longitudinal axis 20 in airflow communication with the ducted fan 22. The auxiliary air-inlet 86 may comprise a plurality of auxiliary air-inlets 86. The plurality of auxiliary air-inlets 86 may each define an aperture 88 extending substantially about 0.5 inches or greater ahead and 0.5 inches or greater behind the ducted fan 22 in a direction along the longitudinal axis 20. Furthermore, the air-inlet 30, the auxiliary air-inlet 86 and the air-outlet 30 may each include an air-permeable structure 38. The auxiliary air-inlets 86 may also be shaped to help channel air into the ducted fan 22 as the body 12 spins. Each portion or span of the air-permeable structure 38 for the auxiliary air-inlets 86 is angled to help channel and direct air inwards to the ducted fan 22. The auxiliary air-inlets 86 can be fashioned in a multitude of ways.
The self-propelled flying toy 80 can be activated in a multitude of ways and methods previously taught in application Ser. No. 11/500,749 and application Ser. No. 11/789,223. In short, a centrifugal switch 94 may be disposed within the body 12 detecting rotation about the longitudinal axis 20. The centrifugal switch 94 regulates operation of the ducted fan 22, wherein the ducted fan 22 is powered when rotation about the longitudinal axis 20 is detected and not powered when rotation about the longitudinal axis 20 is not detected. Said differently, another embodiment may include a means for automatic activation and deactivation of the motor 24 by detecting an in-flight condition and a not-in-flight condition, wherein such means is located within the body 12 and in communication with the motor 24 and power source 26. Also, these embodiments may include a timer 96 located within the body 12 in communication with the motor 24 and power source 26, wherein the motor 24 after activation will automatically turn off after a predetermined time.
Although several embodiments of and improvements to the self propelled flying toy 80 have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made to each without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
PropRockets:
Development of the PropRocket led from development of the Jetball, as the two products are capable of sharing a multitude of similar parts. Accordingly, the information disclosed in the Jetball is directly applicable and incorporated into the PropRocket disclosure without repetition.
Referring now to
While using the same Jetball powerplant worked well for the prototype of the PropRocket, in production it may be better to use a capacitor in place of a battery. A capacitor is significantly cheaper than a LiPo battery, or even a NiMH or NiCAD battery. Batteries store energy chemically, whereas a capacitor stores electrical energy in the electrical form. While a capacitor can be charged and discharged quickly, it will also lose its stored energy over time very rapidly. However, the play pattern of the PropRocket lends itself to a charge and launch play pattern. This means that an external and auxiliary charger 220 can be used to quickly charge the capacitor. For instance, the auxiliary charger 220 can be plugged into a charger port 224 located on the body 202. Once charged the PropRocket can be immediately launched fully expending its stored energy. The PropRocket will fall to the earth to simply be recharged again and again.
Another exemplary embodiment of the self-propelled rocket toy 200 may include at least three supports 218 outwardly extending from and fixed relative to the body 202. Each support 218 is substantially evenly spaced about the longitudinal axis 204 and extending below the propeller 210. Now referring to
In another exemplary embodiment not shown, the supports 218 may be lift-generating devices each angled at an opposite thrust-generating rotational direction relative to the propeller 210. As the propeller 210 spins, it causes the body 202 to spin in the opposite direction. Thrust can be gained by forming the supports 218 to generate lift either by creating a wing-profile or angling the supports 218.
There are a multitude of methods or ways the self-propelled rocket toy 200 can be launched. In one exemplary embodiment, the activation mechanism 216 may comprise a launch button 226 located relative to the body 202 and in communication with the electric motor 212 and power source 214. After pressing the launch button 226, a countdown can be started and displayed either visually through LEDs or through a speaker projecting a countdown. A timer 228 may also be located within the body in communication with the electric motor 212 and power source 214, wherein the electric motor 212 after activation will automatically turn off after a predetermined time. The timer 228 can be adjusted to turn the motor 212 off at different intervals which correspond to different heights achieved during flight.
In another exemplary embodiment, the activation mechanism 216 may comprise a receiver 230 disposed within the body 202 and including a remote launch transmitter 232 for remotely activating the electric motor 212 and propeller 210.
In another exemplary embodiment, the activation mechanism 216 may comprise a stand 236 that the toy 200 is placed upon. The stand 236 can resemble a full size launch pad or other stylistically appeasing forms. The stand 236 can incorporate the charging mechanism either from batteries or a wall mounted plug. Once the toy 200 is charged, it can be activated from a tethered launch button 238 or a launch button 240 located on the stand 236.
A new and unique way to activate the rocket toy 200 is to manually launch it from a person's hand by spinning the body 202 in the air. While it is commonly known to spin a football in flight, it is not commonly known or thought of to spin a rocket in flight. In this exemplary embodiment, the activation mechanism 216 may comprises a centrifugal switch 234 disposed within the body 202 and in communication with the electric motor 212 and power source 214, wherein the centrifugal switch 234 is configured upon detecting rotation about the longitudinal axis 204 to activate the electric motor 212 and propeller 210. This embodiment is directly similar to the activation methods disclosed for the Jetball, as all activation methods of the Jetball are applicable to the PropRocket and are incorporated herein. Said differently, the activation mechanism 216 may comprise a means for automatic activation and deactivation of the motor 212 by detecting an in-flight condition and a not-in-flight condition, wherein such means is located within the body 202 and in communication with the electric motor 212 and power source 214. A timer 228 may be located within the body 202 in communication with the motor 212 and power source 214, wherein the motor 212 after activation will automatically turn off after a predetermined time.
The PropRocket must be properly balanced to achieve a controlled and straight flight upwards. Initial prototypes were wobbly and erratic while flying upwards. After trial and error, three dimes were placed on the inside of the lower foam ring 222. The PropRocket instantaneously flew perfect. This means that a certain amount of mass placed at a distance away from the propeller 210 and below the propeller 210 helps to stabilize the flight characteristics. In fact, one exemplary embodiment might allow the user to selectively place coins in premade receptacles to adjust flight characteristics.
The outside ring 222 can act as a safety feature helping to keep fingers away from the rotating propeller 210. The outside ring 222 can also be deleted as shown in
Other exemplary embodiments of the PropRockets are possible. For instance, a glider PropRocket could be devised such that once the PropRocket reaches its apex, the motor deactivates and the PropRocket glides back to the ground. It would be beneficial if the glide path was somewhat circular such that the PropRocket would come down in about the same place as when it was launched. Another exemplary embodiment is to include a deployable parachute that activates once the PropRocket reaches its apex. Another exemplary embodiment is to create an RC glider from the PropRocket. The PropRocket would launch like a PropRocket, but once it reached the apex it could be controlled through a radio transmitter and receiver setup. A payload series PropRocket is yet another exemplary embodiment where the PropRocket would carry a payload to the apex and then detach. For instance, the detachable portion could be a glider, an RC glider, a parachute or any other deployable payload. As can be seen by one skilled in the art and from this disclosure, there are a multitude of PropRocket variations that could be devised.
Now referring to
The structure of
It is also possible to configure a variety of mechanisms and configurations to produce the desired motion of the supports 218. This teaching is not intended to limit it to just the precise form disclosed herein. Furthermore, the supports 218 may be motorized such that even greater control can be obtained. For instance, the supports could be angled to produce thrust during ascent while also angling further over during descent or angled directly upwards when the toy 200 is stationary such that it resembles a traditional rocket form.
Although several embodiments of the self-propelled rocket toy 80 have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made to each without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
Flying Football:
Referring now to
In exemplary embodiments, the body 306 may comprise a generally oblate spheroidal or football shape. It is also to be understood that the body 306 can be formed to resemble other various shapes, such as missile, rockets or other combinations thereof. The rear section 310 is formed such that a person can grasp the toy 300 within their hand and then throw the toy 300 in a similar motion in how a football is thrown. The front section 308 is formed such that it is easy to catch, in a similar manner as to how a football is caught.
In some embodiments, as shown in
The body 306 is rotatable with respect to the support 302. This is most easily accomplished with a bearing 322. It has been found that the bearing 322 should be of a very low friction. This can be accomplished with a relatively loose fitting roller ball bearing which does not have grease. Grease imparts enough friction that the body 306 does not freely rotate. Other low friction bearings are suitable replacements if the friction of the bearing is low enough. The bearing 322 is most easily seen in
A thumb grip 320 may be fixed relative to the support 302 and located along and adjacent to the rear section 310 of the body 306. The thumb grip 320 is shaped and formed such that a user's thumb presses the thumb grip 320 while the toy 300 is held. Due to the low friction of the bearing 322, the structural support 302 and wing 304 would rotate when the toy 300 was held before a throw. The thumb grip 320 allows the body 306 to be temporarily fixed relative to the support 302. Once the toy 300 is in the air, the thumb grip 320 is released and the body 306 is able to rotate freely. In the various embodiments, the thumb grip 320 extends from the support 302 and is positioned just above the rear section 310. In
In an exemplary embodiment, the wing 304 may be pivotably adjustable in a pitch axis 324 relative to the support 302. Adjusting the pitch of the wing 304 is necessary to trim the toy 300 in flight. If the pitch is too great, the toy 300 may fly in an upward arc and then stall before it reaches the intended receiver. If the pitch is too less, the toy 300 may fly downwards and crash into the ground prematurely. The right amount of pitch is necessary such that the toy 300 can fly in a long and straight flight path.
To achieve this adjustability the wing 304 may be pivotably adjustable with respect to the structure 302.
Another feature of the design of
Another feature of the exemplary embodiments may incorporate a wing 304 that has an amount of dihedral built in. Dihedral is best shown in
Another feature of the exemplary embodiments is placing the wing 304 above the center of gravity of the toy 304 or above the longitudinal axis 312. By placing the wing 304 above the center of gravity, it makes the toy 300 inherently stable. Placing the wing 304 below the longitudinal axis or below the center of gravity would make the toy 300 inherently unstable. The high placement of the wing 304 combined with the dihedral angle 332 makes the toy 300 stable in flight.
The tail 314 can extend rearward from either the support 302 as shown in
The tail fin 316 may be attached to the tail end 318. The tail fin 316 may be either fixedly attached or rotatably attached to the tail end 318.
The throwing and catching flying toy 300 is the farthest flying football due to the lift-generating wing 304 which allows the toy 300 to actually fly like a glider once thrown in the air. All footballs are simply rotating projectiles. A projectile will travel a set distance that is dependent upon its aerodynamic resistance, exit velocity, overall weight, rotational velocity and various other factors. One variable that is not a factor is lift.
Lift is produced by a wing profile. The reason a football and a wing haven't been combined is that a football body rotates while a wing cannot rotate. A wing can only generate lift if it doesn't rotate and stays relative to the ground. The solution is to allow part of the football to rotate, while allowing the wings to stay stationary.
The center of gravity of the toy 300 in relation along the longitudinal axis 312 should be substantially in the middle of the rear section 310 or near a location between the front section 308 and rear section 310. This means that when the toy 300 is held in the throwing hand about the rear section 310, the center of gravity should be located in the center of the hand as well, but not behind the hand. This allows for a good feeling for throwing the toy 300. If the center of gravity is behind the throwing hand, it is extremely difficult to throw correctly. Therefore, getting the center of gravity within the correct location is critical to making the toy 300 easy to throw.
Another exemplary embodiment not shown would be the integration of the Jetball into the Flying Football. This exemplary embodiment would include the lift-generating wing characteristics of the Flying Football, with the self-propelled characteristics of the Jetball.
Provisional application 61/816,812 filed on Apr. 29, 2013 showed in
The rear foam does not have to be the same type of foam as the front foam. The rear foam can be comprised of a stiffer and lighter material such as EPP, EPS or EPO foam. These foams are significantly lighter than as compared to the front foam and help to keep the overall weight of the product low. The rear foam can also be stiffer such that a thrower of the football can get a good grip on the product.
The part separating the front and rear foam is fastened or attached to the center shaft that runs the length of the product. In this case the shaft is 15 mm diameter 7075-T6 aluminum. Through testing 10 mm diameter aluminum shafts were used. However, these shafts were constantly breaking and bending during use of the product. Increasing the diameter from 10 mm to 15 mm increases the overall strength of the aluminum shaft. Furthermore, the aluminum shaft is strong because it is made from 7075-T6 which is a very strong alloy of aluminum that has also undergone a heat treatment process to increase its strength.
The part separating the front and rear foam can be glued to the aluminum shaft, press fitted, or fastened to the shaft. When the football impacts an object, impact loads are transmitted through the front foam and to the middle part that then transmits the loads to the shaft. This means that for the most part, impact loads are not transmitted through the rear foam. The middle part can be injection molded. In this particular case the middle part is comprised of polypropylene (PP) due to its low density. The front foam can be glued to the middle part to ensure that the front foam stays attached to the rest of the product. The middle part is this embodiment is fastened to the shaft with a bolt and a nut (not shown).
Behind the rear foam is the wing bracket.
By placing one part inside of the other, impact loads are transmitted through the materials themselves and not through a fastener. Here, a fastener is still used but it is not a load carrying fastener. A bolt/screw/fastener can enter from above the wing and a nut can be placed within the channel located on the wing bracket. The fastener and nut simply help hold the wing onto the wing bracket, but no major impact loads are needed to flow through the bolt and nut. In this embodiment the hole that the nut is placed within is match sized such that a socket or a wrench needed to hold the nut in place is not needed. This simplifies the overall parts needed for a customer to assemble the product and reduces costs. The Applicant prefers to use a bolt/screw with a locknut. Lock nuts have nylon inserts that prevent unfastening due to vibration. Therefore, the hole in the wing and wing bracket is a through hole. A screw could be used, but then the screw would have to bite into the plastic of the wing or wing bracket. Threads would be formed by the screw and could create areas of stress localization that would result in premature failure. As can be seen, the male or female side could be switched between the wing and wing bracket. Also, many sizes and shapes of male-female features could be used that accomplish the same result.
At the rear of the wing bracket it is flat and has two extensions designed for placement of the first and middle finger. Because this particular embodiment does not spin, it is intended that the thrower of the product place his/her first and middle finger on the back of the wing bracket. The throwing action is then a mix between a football throw and that of a throw for a dart or a glider. The flat surface allows a great location to impart a large push force for extended throws.
The wing of the football is also unique. Most RC aircraft use a foam or wood wing. These wings are easily deformed and broken during crash landings. These wings cannot stand up to the repeated use a football encounters. The applicant has invented a wing made from plastic. The wing is thin in that no substantial thickness is used. Typically wings have a thickness to them. However, a plastic wing with a thickness would be too heavy and impractical. Also, to keep manufacturing costs low, the applicant uses a single layer of plastic that is curved to produce a wing-like shape. Because the wing is made from a plastic, such as high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) or ABS it is stiff yet light enough. HIPS was found to be one of the optimal choices due to its stiffness in keeping its shape. However, later is was discovered that ABS was more optimal as it was not prone to cracking as much as HIPS. As can be seen, a variety of polymer choices could be used.
The wing is also specially shaped to improve aerodynamics and provide long, consistent throws. In the applicant's experience, one optimal configuration is for the wing to have about an 8 percent thickness measure from the bottom of the leading and trailing edges. The height of 8 percent is reached about 30 percent along the cord of the wing. Also, the angle of attack of the whole wing is at 2 degrees with a 2 degree downward twist of the wing moving from the center out. This means that at the tip the wing has zero angle of attack. This helps to keep stability during high angles of attack when the football is climbing at a high angle. Also, these wing measurements have provided long throws with substantial increase in distances thrown.
The middle section also is shown as having two legs or stands protruding. This allows the product to be placed on a surface and remain upright.
The wing also has a substantial amount of dihedral such that it adds to overall stability. The dihedral angle could be 10, 15 or 20 degrees or some other variation thereof. The wings are also swept backwards to aid in stability and to also keep the wings behind the football body such that it is easier to catch.
It is also contemplated that one embodiment of the football could include active surfaces to keep it aligned and straight. These adaptive/active surfaces could include a gyro/sensor that controls a servo and a flap, such as is done with radio controlled aircraft.
In another embodiment, a football could include a height sensor to keep the football flying about chest level throughout its flight. A sensor could determine whether the football was too high or too low and make an adjustment.
It was also discovered during testing of other versions with a rotating football body that gyroscopic precession can cause the football to turn in the air. This therefore means that to neutralize this affect, the center of gravity of the rotating body/mass along the longitudinal axis should coincide with the center of the lift being generated such that no gyroscopic precession exists. A preferred embodiment may include forward swept wings such that the center of gravity of the rotating mass will be aligned with the center of the lift being generated. In this way the product can have its gyroscopic precession minimized to the point where it has no noticeable affect or to the point where it is eliminated.
In another embodiment, the football could include active control surfaces controlled by a transmitter similar to an RC aircraft. A person throwing and a person catching the product could each control the football, preferably one at a time. Because the transmitter is typically held and controlled by one's hands, this would be impractical for a football. Therefore, a transmitter could be integrated into a hat or a headband. Control of the football would be done by tilting one's head forward/backward or left/right. Sensors in the hat/headband could sense movement and then transmit them to the football. A switch on the football could be switched such that control from only one headband is allowed at any one time.
A baseball version of the product is also possible, as many of the technologies and lessons learned can be applied to a baseball version. For instance, the football body could be replaced with a baseball body. Also, the body could be a double baseball configuration with a forward baseball body for catching and a rearward baseball body for throwing.
Moving from the refinements and improvements made in the '812 provisional application, more improvements are disclosed herein as shown in
The equatorial diameter 309 is generally aligned with a center 319 of the body 306. The center 319 is disposed along the longitudinal axis 312. The center 319 may not evenly split the distance from the front of the body 311 to the rear of the body 313 depending on the shape of the body 306. This is the case with the present embodiment where the football shaped body 306 has a bullet shape.
It has been learned that various prior art patents and texts refer to a football shape as either being an oblate spheroid or a prolate spheroid. It is now believed that a prolate spheroid is the proper geometrical description, however as used herein in previous applications and this application, both prolate spheroid and oblate spheroid have the meaning that the body 306 is elongated like a football such that is cuts through the air better being more aerodynamic while also resembling a football. It is also understood herein that football refers to American football and not the game of soccer where a soccer ball is completely round.
A lift-generating wing 304 is non-movably attached to either the body 306 or to a support 302. The support 302 is non-movably attached to the body 306. In this embodiment, the front end 311 of the body 306 comprises a front end 315 of the toy where the support 302 is not disposed through the front end 311 of the body 306. The toy 300 is easier to catch when the front end 315 of the toy is just the football shape without the support 302 protruding or extending therethrough. In this manner the body 306 is configured to be thrown and caught by a user.
In this embodiment, it is preferred that the equatorial diameter 309 is at least 3.5 inches. 3.5 inches in diameter is larger than a typical RC aircraft fuselage but smaller than a full size football. If the equatorial diameter 309 was less than 3.5 inches, it would improve aerodynamic drag however it would be at the expense of ease of catching the toy 300. The product is still a throwing and catching product and consideration to ease of catching must still be a valid concern. Some products in the marketplace are simply too small and easily pass through the open hands of a receiver/user only to hit the receiver in the head or body.
This embodiment has the body 306 broken up into a front section 308 and a rear section 310. The front section 308 is designed and configured to reduce the impact loads upon the toy 300 and prevent injury to the users. One of the major hurdles in perfecting the toy 300 was making a structure and design that could withstand the abuse of repeated crashes and hard landings while still flying straight and true. Part of the solution is to make the front section 308 soft to the touch or to absorb energy. This means that at least a portion of the front end 311 of the body 306 or the entire front section 308 be made to have a Shore A durometer hardness substantially equal to or less than 25. For instance an EVA style foam may be a good choice for the front section 308. The upper limit of the Shore A hardness should remain at or below 35. A Shore A hardness at or less than 25 is optimum. This provides a good balance of sufficient stiffness while also having sufficient compression for reducing impact loads. As can be seen the front section 308 of the body 306 is football shaped providing good aerodynamics while also being aesthetically pleasing.
Due the material of the front section 308, it is typically quite heavy. It is preferred that an overall weight of the toy is less than 400 grams. It is even more preferred if the overall weight is at or less than 350 grams. Better yet, it is optimum if the overall weight is at or less than 300 grams. It is also preferred that the overall weight remain above 200 grams or better yet 250 grams. When the weight goes down, the toy 300 remains in the air longer as the lift being generated by the wings 304 keeps the toy flying. However, if one was to make the toy too light, it could actually damage the user's arm. It was discovered through testing that footballs with weights around 150 grams were too light and it would create physical damage from throwing one's arm out. You could actually feel small tears in the arm ligaments from throwing various football products after just a couple throws. It was found that having a weight around 300 grams was optimal such that it was easy to throw and yet did not cause any damage to the arm of the user.
In efforts to keep the weight down, the rear section 310 can be a lighter material. For instance, the rear section 310 can be EPP, EPS or EPO. These materials are expanded foam polymers that are rigid while being extremely light. However, these materials would not work well for the front end 311 of the body 306 because they would rip and tear far too easily. The density of the rear section 310 should be at or below 2.0 lbs per cubic feet. EPP has a density of 1.3 lbs per cubic feet and is preferred.
It was also discovered that the laces 340 on the rear section 310 were susceptible to ripping, tearing and destruction from the user's hand during the process of throwing. This is because the EPP foam that made up the rear section 310 would wear prematurely. A solution is to place a flexible polymer sticker over this area to provide increased support and increased durability while not increasing the overall weight of the product.
As best can be seen in
The support 302 extends along the longitudinal axis 312 beyond the back end 313 of the body 306. The support 302 is a frame for the whole structure, tying all the parts and pieces together in a fixed (non-movably) and controlled relationship. The support 302 has a first end 303 that is disposed within the body 306. The support 302 does not extend outwardly from the front section 308, the front end of the body 311 or from the front end of the toy 315. The support 302 has a second end 305 that is disposed behind the body 306 and extends beyond the back end 313 of the body.
The support 302 experiences a tremendous amount of abuse and shock loads but must remain light and rigid. The use of a thin-walled, hollow aluminum tube was the best choice after significant trial and error. The diameter of the tube is also important. In this embodiment, the aluminum tube comprises a circular cross-section and comprises an outer diameter of at least 15 mm or greater. As the outer diameter increases so does the strength and stiffness. 10 mm diameter tubes were used but kept breaking. The amount of failure was reduced when the outer diameter was increased to 15 mm. Furthermore, the alloy of aluminum used is also 7075-T6 or stronger. This is a very high quality aluminum that is extremely strong. This is needed because other alloys of aluminum would still break and fail. Other cross-sectional shapes of the aluminum tube could be used, such as rectangular, square, hexagon, octagon or other variations thereof. This teaching is not limited to just the use of a circular cross-section.
A floor stand 342 is attached to a bottom 317 of the body 306, where the floor stand 342 is configured to stabilize the toy in a fixed position when the toy is placed upon a generally horizontal surface. (The bottom 317 is opposite the top of the body 321.) This is because the floor stand 342 has two protrusions 343 extend outwardly. It is critical that the protrusions 343 are smoothly shaped such that they don't cut or puncture a user's hands when the user is attempting to catch the toy 300.
The lift-generating wing 304 defines a wing centerline 344, where the wing centerline 344 is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The wing centerline 344 is right down the middle of wing 304 centered between the left and right parts of the wing 304. It has been discovered through significant trial and error testing that it is optimal if the wing centerline 344 of the lift-generating wing 306 is disposed at least 3 inches above the longitudinal axis 312. Having a relatively high wing centerline 344 creates an inherent stability of the toy in flight and also places the wings above the user's head when the product is thrown. This significantly makes the toy 300 easier to throw as one does not need to side-arm the toy 300 resulting in an awkward throwing movement.
The lift-generating wing 304 also has a dihedral angle of at least 10 degrees, or more optimally at least 15 degrees. The embodiments shown herein have 17 degrees of dihedral angle. As previously discussed, the dihedral angle increases the stability of the toy in flight and is actually 17 degrees. This means that each side of the wing 304 is rotated up about the wing centerline 344 from a horizontal plane 17 degrees.
A horizontal stabilizer 346 is disposed behind the lift-generating wing. The horizontal stabilizer 346 comprises a downward force producing horizontal stabilizer 346 which creates a nose-up pitch of the toy 300 in flight. It was found optimal to create a toy 300 with a natural tendency to dive downwards in flight, or pitch downward in flight. Then the horizontal stabilizer 346 can be trimmed by the user to balance the toy 300 for their individual throwing style and ability.
When a wing is producing lift, its forces can be simplified to have a lift component upwards and a moment component pitching forward. A wing does not just generate a lift component, as the moment component is not intuitive to understand. To balance the moment component one could adjust the center of gravity 348 of the overall toy by moving it forwards and backwards with respect to the longitudinal axis. This usually means moving the wings relative to the rest of the body or structure. However, moving the wings is very difficult in a toy that needs to withstand repeated crashes and yet still produce reliable and repeatable alignment crash after crash. Also, the amount of balance may be different from one person to another due to the different throwing styles and different throwing velocities.
A better solution as compared to moving structures along the longitudinal axis 312 is to use a manual adjuster 350 associated with just the horizontal stabilizer 346. The manual adjuster 350 controls a shape of the horizontal stabilizer 346. The manual adjuster 350 is mechanically engaged between the horizontal stabilizer 346 and the support 302 as best seen in
The nut 351 can be captured by a nut recess 352. This is best seen in
To help keep the horizontal stabilizer 346 biased against the support 302, a notch 349 is formed such that a rubber band may be placed within and secured around the support 302. Other biasing mechanisms may be used such as springs or magnets, however a rubber band is cheap, easily available and easy to secure.
As best seen in
A user places his first finger and middle finger upon the push surface 354. The fingers will split the support 302. The thumb and other fingers will grip the rest of the body 306. As seen in
The spinner 356 may also capture a bearing 357 to help create a smooth rotation or pivot about its axis of rotation. It is also possible to remove the bearing 357 so that the spinner 356 still rotates about the support 302. It is also possible to use two bearings 357 on either side of the spinner 356. This particular embodiment only uses one bearing 357.
The bearing 357 also presses against a rear brace 358. The rear brace 358 is secured to the support 302. As shown herein the rear brace 358 slides upon the support 302 and then is fixed to the support 302. The rear brace 358 captures the rear section 310 of the body 306 during assembly of the toy 300.
As best shown in
The push surface 354 should also have enough surface area for at least one finger to push thereon. Therefore, the push surface 354 should have an area of at least 1.0 square inch. Preferably the push surface 354 should have an area of at least 2.0 square inches such that two fingers may be used to propel the toy 300.
Wings (airfoils) are defined as having a leading edge and a trailing edge. The straight distance between the two edges is the cord length. A wing has a curve it follows when moving from the leading edge to the trailing edge. This curve is called the camber line/curve or just camber. The thickness of the wing is centered about the camber curve. Most wings have a substantial thickness to them. RC aircraft can use a foamed wing structure to provide rigidity since the thickness is quite substantial. Other RC aircraft use balsawood, composites, or carbon fiber with laminates stretched overtop to create the thickness of the wings. No matter the wing design for various RC aircraft, none have been designed to withstand the repeated abuse that a football would encounter. The wings needed to be durable enough such that they could take repeated crashes without damage and return to their preformed shape instantaneously for the next throw. The solution then was to use a thin section, injection molded, non-foamed, polymer wing and non-movably mount it to either the body 306 or the support 302. Therefore, the lift-generating wing 304 comprises a generally convex upper surface 360 opposite a generally concave lower surface 362, where the upper and lower surfaces define a wing thickness. The wing thickness is less than 0.10 of an inch. In this particular embodiment, the thickness is about 0.07 to 0.09 inches at the base and reduces to about 0.5 to 0.03 inches at the wing tips. The wing 306 is flexible enough that it deforms upon impact yet retains its shape in flight. The wing 306 is also relatively cheap to produce as it is a single material (non-composite) type of non-foamed polymer such as ABS. Accordingly, the wing 306 is an injection molded, non-foamed, polymer wing.
As best seen in
Furthermore, the horizontal stabilizer 346 is disposed behind the lift-generating wing 304, where the horizontal stabilizer 346 is attached directly to the support 302. This allows the energy stored in the horizontal stabilizer 346 to be transferred directly along the support 302. Furthermore, a vertical stabilizer 366 is disposed behind the lift-generating wing 304, where the vertical stabilizer 366 is attached directly to the support 302. Again, this allows the energy stored in the vertical stabilizer 366 to be transferred directly along the support 302. As shown herein, the horizontal stabilizer 346 and the vertical stabilizer 366 both comprise an injection molded, non-foamed, polymer stabilizer.
The impact transfer surface 364 is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 312. The impact transfer surface 364 optimally has an impact area of at least 2.5 square inches, where the impact area faces the front end 311 of the body 306. However, one could shape the impact transfer surface 364 in a multitude of shapes including spheroidal, football shaped, slanted, angled or any other shape that still sufficiently transfers impact energy from the front section 308 to the support 302.
As is best seen in
The wing bracket 368 is attached to the support 302 behind the back end of the body 313. The wing bracket 368 then extends upwards to attach the wing 304. As can be seen, the wing 304 and body 306 are separately disposed. This means that an outside contiguous envelope of the body 306 does not coincide with any portion of an outside contiguous envelope of the lift-generating wing 304. This design assists the user to catch the toy 300 because the whole body 306 may be grabbed at any angle without having to worry about a portion of the toy 300 getting in the way. This is also why the wings 304 are disposed behind the center 319 of the body 306 and above the longitudinal axis 312.
The lift-generating wing 304 is non-movably attached to the support by a non-pivotable and non-rotatable male-to-female connection 370, where a male portion 372 of the male-to-female connection 370 is configured to non-pivotably and non-rotatably engage into a female portion 374 of the male-to-female connection 370, where the lift-generating wing 304 comprises one of either the male portion or the female portion and the support 302 or wing bracket 368 comprises the other of the male portion or female portion. As shown herein, the bracket 368 has the male portion 372 and the wing 304 includes the female portion 374. Here a shape of an oval is used. An oval placed inside an oval is not capable of rotation or pivoting. The wing 304 can then be held attached to the bracket 368 with a fastener and a nut. In this way, impact forces are transmitted from the structures of the male-to-female connection 370 and are not transmitted directly to the fasteners. Using fasteners to absorb the impact loads would lead to premature failure and parts breaking too quickly. The bracket 368 has two recesses 376 that are sized to capture a nut such that a separate tool is not needed to hold the nut during assembly. This is done to simplify the assembly process and reduce the number of tools needed for assembly.
As best seen in
Although several embodiments of the throwing and catching flying toy 300 have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made to each without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
Bowless Arrow:
A typical bow projects arrows by its elasticity. The bow is essentially a form of spring. As the bow is drawn, energy is stored in the limbs of the bow and transformed into rapid motion when the string is released, with the string transferring this force to the arrow. The basic elements of a bow are a pair of curved elastic limbs, traditionally made from wood, connected by a string. By pulling the string backwards the archer exerts compressive force on the string-facing section, or belly, of the limbs as well as placing the outer section, or back, under tension. While the string is held, this stores the energy later released in putting the arrow to flight. When the arrow is shot, the shooter still has the bow remaining in his hands. An arrow cannot be easily projected without the use of a bow.
As shown in
A rear-hand grip 412 is located substantially about the rear end 406 of the shaft 402. A resiliently stretchable bias 414 is attached relative to the slider 408 and either the rear end 406 of the shaft 402 or the rear-hand grip 412. The bias 414 can be a spring, a stretchable material such as a rubber band or any other suitable biasing means. As shown best in
In the embodiments shown herein, the bias 414 and a portion of the slider 408 and rear-hand grip 412 are disposed within the shaft 402. This provides for a simplistic appearance. The shaft 402 has a slot 430 that allows the slider 408 to be partially within the shaft 402 while allowing the front-hand support 410 to remain outside. It is to be understood by one skilled in the art that there are a multitude of methods and ways a slider 408 can be translatably coupled along a shaft 402, as this disclosure is not intended to limit it to the precise forms described and shown herein.
An exemplary embodiment may include an arrow tip 424 located at the forward end 404 of the shaft 402. The arrow tip 424 may comprise an energy dissipating material, such as foam or the like. Also, a plurality of tail fins 426 may be substantially evenly located about the rear end 406 of the shaft 402.
Another exemplary embodiment may include a lift-generating wing 428 attached relative to the shaft 402. The lift-generating wing 428 may be similar in design to the methods discussed earlier regarding the flying football, as all the teachings are incorporated herein without repetition. This includes the pivotably adjustable features, the dihedral features, the positioning above the center of gravity, and the breakaway features. The bowless arrow 400 with wing 428 is commonly referred to as the Arrow Plane.
In another exemplary embodiment, the arrow tip 424 may comprise a substantially oblate spheroidal or football shape. This means that the bowless arrow 400 can be used to play catch. The shooter could launch the bowless arrow 400 at a receiver, and the receiver could catch the football arrow tip 424. Then the receiver becomes the shooter launching the bowless arrow 400 back.
Although several embodiments of the bowless arrow 400 have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made to each without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
Catapult Javelin:
As shown in
An elongated handle 512 is pivotably attached substantially near the forward end 504 of the shaft 502. The handle 512 is temporarily and securedly biased and pivotable between a first position 514 and a second position 516. The handle 512 and shaft 502 are generally parallel in the first position 514. The handle 512 and shaft 502 are generally perpendicular in the second position 516. The elongated handle 512 can also have a grip 520 disposed at its distal end.
As shown better in
When the toy 500 is thrown, the handle 512 is in the second position 516. Upon release, a slight tug of the handle 512 moves it away from the second position 512 and then the angles of the rubber band 524 bias the handle 512 to the first position 514. The handle 512 will then close fully as the toy 500 is in the air. As can be seen by one skilled in the art, there are a multitude of ways and methods for biasing the handle 512 between the two positions 514 and 516 as this disclosure is not intended to limit it to the precise forms shown and described herein.
The toy 500 is capable of being thrown substantially further than a typical throwing toy due to the increased length of the throwing arm, i.e. the handle 512. Our initial prototype was able to easily achieve a distance thrown of over 300 feet. This distance was almost two to three times the distance of a normally thrown toy, such as a football or a baseball. The distance thrown is increased because the release velocity is substantially faster than a person's hand can travel.
After a short bit of practice, it was possible to aim the toy 500 relatively accurately at an intended receiver. The best throwing technique was to throw the toy 500 side arm, as opposed to throwing it overhead. Throwing the toy 500 side arm allowed for a wide range of movement and allowed the hips to rotate and help launch the toy 500.
Although several embodiments of the bowless distance-enhanced throwing toy 500 have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made to each without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
Cruise Missile:
As shown in
A tail fin 608 is located about the rear portion 606 of the body 602. The tail fin 608 may also comprise a plurality of tail fins 608 substantially evenly disposed about the rear portion 606. The plurality of tails fins 608 may be fixedly attached to the rear portion 606 or rotatably attached to the rear portion 606.
A lift-generating wing 626 is attached relative to the rear portion 606 of the body 602. The wing 626 may be similar in design to the methods discussed earlier regarding the Flying Football, as all the teachings are incorporated herein without repetition. This includes the pivotably adjustable features, the dihedral features, the positioning above the center of gravity, and the breakaway features.
An elongated handle 612 is pivotably attached relative to the front portion 604 of the body 602. The handle 612 is temporarily and securedly biased and pivotable between a first position 614 and a second position 616. The handle 612 and body 602 are generally parallel in the first position 614 and the handle 612 and body 602 are generally perpendicular in the second position 616. This is similar in design to the methods discussed earlier regarding the Catapult Javelin, as all the teaching are incorporated herein without repetition.
A bias mechanism similar to 518 may be attached relative to the front portion 604 and handle 612. The bias mechanism 518 temporarily and securedly biases the handle 612 in the first position 614 and second position 616. The bias mechanism 518 is similar in design to the mechanism of the Catapult Javelin. For instance, the handle 612 is pivotably attached to the front portion 604 at a pivot similar to the pivot 522. An elastomeric material 524 or spring is properly positioned to hold the handle 612 in the two different positions. As shown in
In another exemplary embodiment, the body 602 may comprise a substantially missile-like shape. When the toy 600 is in the air, the weight of the handle 612 will rotate the front portion 604 downwards such that the handle 612 remains below the body 602. When the toy 600 is about to be thrown, the rear portion 606 must be weight biased to remain upright, because this embodiment does not include the equivalent of a thumb grip as did the Flying Football. This means that the overall weight of the rear portion 606 must have a center of gravity below the longitudinal axis 628 such that the wing 626 doesn't cause the rear portion 606 to rotate upside-down before a throw. This can be accomplished by placing a weight below the longitudinal axis 628 affixed to the rear portion 606. Once the toy 600 is in the air, the dihedral and high mounted wing location keeps the wings 626 upright during flight.
The overall weight of the toy 600 should be around 150 grams. The light weight allows a fast whipping action that is needed to reach increased velocities. Furthermore, a light weight toy 600 will impart less energy if it does hit an object, such as a person. Even though the toy 600 may be traveling extremely fast, it is hard to create an injury if the overall mass is extremely low.
Although several embodiments of the throwing and flying toy 600 have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made to each without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
As used herein throughout the entirety of this disclosure: substantially means largely but not wholly that which is specified; plurality means two or more; disposed means joined or coupled together or to bring together in a particular relation; and longitudinal means of, relating to, or occurring in the lengthwise dimension or relating to length.
Although several inventions and embodiments of each have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made to each without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
This continuation application claims priority to continuation application Ser. No. 15/917,845 filed on Mar. 12, 2018, which itself claims priority to continuation application Ser. No. 15/695,011 filed on Sep. 5, 2017, which itself claimed priority to application Ser. No. 14/261,563 filed on Apr. 25, 2014 now U.S. Pat. No. 9,782,636 issued on Oct. 10, 2017, which itself was a continuation-in-part application claiming priority to application Ser. No. 13/046,089 filed on Mar. 11, 2011 now U.S. Pat. No. 8,777,785 issued on Jul. 15, 2014 which itself claimed priority to provisional application 61/341,124 filed on Mar. 26, 2010. The continuation-in-part application Ser. No. 14/261,563 also claimed priority to provisional application 61/816,812 filed on Apr. 29, 2013. The contents of all the applications referenced above are incorporated herein in full with these references.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61341124 | Mar 2010 | US | |
| 61816812 | Apr 2013 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15917845 | Mar 2018 | US |
| Child | 16888706 | US | |
| Parent | 15695011 | Sep 2017 | US |
| Child | 15917845 | US | |
| Parent | 14261563 | Apr 2014 | US |
| Child | 15695011 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13046089 | Mar 2011 | US |
| Child | 14261563 | US |
