1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to foam projectile articles. More specifically, the present invention discloses a foam projectile article of a determined shape, capable of being discharged from a gun, slingshot, cannon or the like. The projectile articles exhibit any number of light illuminating elements, such as in particular LED elements, and which provide a maximum degree of durability and impact resilience.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is well documented with examples of foam projectile discharge articles. One example of this is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,564, issued to Kotowski, and which teaches a disc discharging toy including a body having a hand grip. A plurality of resilient discs are secured within a magazine mounted on the body and in a stacked position. An imparted discharge force is provided by a drive roller to expel each disk in succession from the article. Additional examples of foam discharge articles are also illustrated in reference to U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,471,967 and 5,611,322, both issued to Matsuzuki et al.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 422,100, issued to Zhang, teaches a disc support for an LED light bulb design. U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,964, issued to Chin-Chien, discloses a toy gun with a helically driven reciprocating barrel. Two discs are secured in the gun barrel and a roller is rotatably supported between the discs and has three helical grooves. Three tubes are slidably extended through one of the discs and are engaged with the helical grooves of the roller such that the tubes are moved in reciprocating action when the roller is rotated. Three light bulbs are disposed in the tubes, and the tubes are made of transparent materials having different colors such that the different colors are generated through the tubes when the light bulbs are energized.
U.S. Patent Application Publication 2002/0081939, published to Hornsby et al., teaches a system and method for launching glow-in-the-dark projectiles from a projectile launcher wherein the toy comprises projectiles exposed to light prior to being launched and a firing mechanism wherein a portion of the firing mechanism is positioned with the projectile prior to being fired from the launcher. In one embodiment, the firing mechanism comprises a light for exposing the projectile to radiation prior to being fired from the gun. The present invention is further well suited for use as a toy projectile launcher wherein the toy may be used in dark or low-light areas.
The present invention is a foam projectile exhibiting a given shape and which includes at least one lighted element integrally formed therein. In a preferred embodiment, the lighting element is an LED element and which exhibits the necessary properties of durability and impact resilience.
In a first preferred variant the foam projectile, for use with such as a toy disc discharging gun or rifle, is formed in a substantially disc or coin shape and includes first and second circular shaped and spaced apart faces separated by an annular edge surface. One or more LED lighting elements are supported within the foam projectile body and such that an illuminating light associated with each element is evident from a surface of the body. A suitable battery, such as of the watch variety and exhibiting light weight and portability, is embedded within the foam projectile body and provides power to the LED elements.
In the first disc shaped variant, the LED elements can be located in a central portion of the foam body and which are visible from a selected face. Alternately, the LED elements can be visible at one or more locations about the annular peripheral edge surface.
A further variant of the foam projectile device is provided in a generally conical or modified cylindrical shape and which includes a first LED element located in a more generally pointed nose end of the conical cylindrical foam shape, as well as additional LED elements located about a base periphery. An associated battery is further capable of being supported upon an attaching end of an arrow shaft and the assembly is capable of being fired by a bow (not shown).
In a third variant, the foam projectile device is provided as a two-piece and assembleable foam ball, and such as is capable of being fired from a suitable projectile issuing device. The ball-shaped projectile typically includes a plurality of LED elements arranged at locations about a spherical surface periphery.
Reference will now be made to the attached drawings, when read in combination with the following detailed description, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which:
Referring now to
In a first preferred variant, the foam projectile, for use with such as a toy disc discharging gun or rifle, is formed of a soft deflectable material, in a substantially disc or coin shape, and such that it includes first 14 and second 16 circular shaped and spaced apart faces separated by an annular edge surface 18. The foam construction of the disc 10 is such that it provides for safe discharge and operation of the disc 10 elements, such as by children.
One or more lighting elements are supported within the foam projectile body and such that an illuminating light associated with each element is evident from a surface of the body. In the preferred embodiment, the lighting elements are provided as LED bulbs, these having the capability of absorbing the forces attendant with being fired from a discharging device and without breakage.
A suitable battery, such as of the watch variety and exhibiting light weight and portability, is embedded within the foam projectile body 10 as shown at 20 and provides power to LED elements 22 and 24 illustrated in
The battery 20 is illustrated as being located in a central enclosed portion of the foam body 12, and such that the LED elements are also visible from selected face 14. It is also envisioned that the arrangement of the individual LED elements is such that their illuminating light can be evidenced from both the first 14 and second 16 faces, this such as occurring by embedding the battery and LED elements within the central enclosed portion and in the form of a transparent element 26 centrally located within the disc body 10 and as is clearly referenced in
A switch 28 is located upon the body 10, such as is illustrated in an exteriorly accessible fashion and in order to selectively provide battery power to the individual LED bulbs 22 and 24. As shown, the switch 28 may be mounted to a surface location of the central transparent portion 26 and in order to provide ease of access. Although not shown, it is understood that the switch could be reconfigured as a push button arrangement which facilitates on/off connection between the battery 20 and LED bulbs 22 and 24.
Referring further to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring finally to
In the third variant, the foam projectile ball 48 is provided as a two-piece and assembleable item with first 52 and second 54 semi-spherical shaped halves. Each of the halves 52 and 54 includes a plurality of LED elements, see at 56, 58 and 60 for halve 52 and at 62 and 64 for halve 54, in total arranged at locations about a spherical surface periphery.
To assist in assembly, interengaging elements 66 and 68 are provided between exposed inner surfaces associated with the assembleable halves of the foam shaped ball. The elements exhibiting such as a twist and lock engagement, as evident from laterally extending and circumferentially spaced tabs 70 and 72 exhibited upon element 66 and in order to maintain the structural integrity of the ball in use. Although not clearly shown, it is understood that suitable slotted portions may be formed in the element 68 illustrated in phantom and in order to accomplish the desired twist and lock engagement of the device.
In this variant, battery 74 is supported upon the rigid interior element 66, such as a selected one of the interengaging elements. As is also shown in the exploded view of
The three-dimensional foam projectile articles disclosed herein are without limitation and are intended only to illustrate some potential configurations within the scope of the invention. It is also envisioned that other shapes, such as including football, golf ball, Frisbee, dart and the like can be assembled from the foam material and without departing from the scope of the present invention.
Having described my invention, other and additional preferred embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains and without deviating from the scope of the appended claims:
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5032098 | Balogh et al. | Jul 1991 | A |
5102131 | Remington | Apr 1992 | A |
5186458 | Redondo | Feb 1993 | A |
5388825 | Myers et al. | Feb 1995 | A |
5490047 | O'Rourke et al. | Feb 1996 | A |
5564964 | Chin-Chien | Oct 1996 | A |
5566949 | Gorden | Oct 1996 | A |
5779575 | Hsieh | Jul 1998 | A |
5807197 | Grafton | Sep 1998 | A |
D422100 | Zhang | Mar 2000 | S |
6464602 | Rottger | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6604742 | El Sabbagh | Aug 2003 | B1 |
20020081939 | Hornsby | Jun 2002 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20050260918 A1 | Nov 2005 | US |