Patent Application
20060273188
The present invention relates generally to water discharging amusement devices and, more particularly, to sprinkler systems adapted to dispense a spray pattern of water into which children can jump during play.
Water play toys have long been a source of great amusement and recreation value. In summer months in particular, toys which combine action and the use of water have provided diversion and a source of cooling at the same time. It has frequently been a favorite pastime of children to play using lawn sprinklers and the like by turning the sprinklers on and running through them. Even simply turning on a garden hose and squirting play companions has been popular attesting to the fascination that children have for water and water play.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,297,979 issued to the inventor herein, Alan Amron, on Mar. 29, 1994, there is disclosed a water sprinkler having a housing that is formed into the shape of a dolphin and that includes a plurality of rotating sprinkler heads for providing a spray of water when the device is connected to a typical garden hose. A water-turbine powered mechanism within the housing generates bubbles which are released through an opening at the top of the housing so that children can jump and play within a spray of water having bubbles interspersed therein.
A reaction type of water sprinkling toy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,172. Water communicated by a hose to a housing is conducted through a plurality of internal tubes to spray nozzles opening downwardly from the housing. The force of water emitted by the nozzles causes the housing to lift and hover over the surface on which it is placed at rest. As the term implies, the toy of the U.S. Pat. No. 3,700,172 is one which is caused to rise in reaction to the forces encountered as water passes through the outlet nozzles. Other water reaction toys are also known, including that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,079,727 and known as the Water Wiggle. The action/reaction principle is also graphically illustrated by a hose having a constricted outlet which writhes like a snake when a source of water pressure is connected to the hose.
Other toys that generate a spray of water for play purposes are disclosed by Janszen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,679 and by Stanley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,205,785.
All prior art water sprinkling amusement devices have one characteristic in common—they are intended for attachment to a supply of municipally pressurized water and, more specifically, by for attachment to the end of a garden hose. A continuing need therefore exists for water sprinkling amusement devices which are portable so that they can be used anywhere—even where a source of municipally pressurized water is not available.
The aforementioned deficiency is addressed, and an advance is made in the art, by a portable water spraying toy device that incorporates a water storage reservoir for transporting its own supply of water, a housing, at least one nozzle assembly defining at least one discharge orifice, an avenue of release establishing fluid communication between the water storage reservoir and the at least one nozzle assembly, and a fluid transfer system operative to develop forces for causing a stream of liquid to flow through the avenue of release and out of the corresponding discharge orifice(s) upon actuation of an on/off mechanism.
In accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the at least one nozzle assembly is rotatably secured to the housing and is dimensioned and arranged to rotate relative thereto so that while the on/off mechanism is in the “on” position, the water being discharged through the discharge orifice traverses an arcuate path while the housing remains stationary. The stream discharged has a helical configuration, which is unbroken for so long as water is flowing through the avenue of release (that is, for example, until the on/off mechanism returns to an off position or until the supply water in the reservoir is exhausted).
Amusement devices constructed in accordance with the aforementioned illustrative embodiment may include two or more nozzle assemblies, each being adapted to rotate about a correspondingly different axis of rotation. By way of example, a first nozzle assembly can be rotatably coupled to the housing for rotation about a vertical axis to thereby create a vertically extending spiral flow, while second and third nozzle assemblies can be rotatably coupled to the housing for rotation about respective axes which are inclined relative to a horizontal plane transacting the housing. It will, of course, be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that the greater the number of nozzle assemblies (and associated discharge openings), the faster the supply of water contained in the reservoir will be depleted. To that end, it may be desirable to provide a larger reservoir or to employ a modular reservoir design which permits an empty reservoir to be detached from the avenue of release and a full, replacement (or “spare”) reservoir to be secured thereto in its place.
Automatic rotation of the nozzle assembly to produce a helical discharge effect in accordance with the illustrative embodiment of the present invention can be achieved in a variety of ways. An illustrative nozzle assembly constructed in accordance with this embodiment of the invention includes a electrically motorized drive assembly responsive to actuation of an on/off selector switch (forming part of a circuit that also includes a battery) to drive a transmission system engageable with the at least one nozzle assembly.
Instead of a motor, the force for spinning the at least one nozzle assembly may be provided via the pressurized water stream traversing the avenue of release, and the on/off mechanism can take the form of a resiliently biased valve selectively manipulable between a normally closed, off position, and a latched open, on position. For example, a water turbine assembly can be placed at an appropriate location in the flow path. By way of yet another example, the discharge outlet of the nozzle assembly may be dimensioned and arranged to impart a nozzle reaction force—that is offset relative to the axis of nozzle assembly rotation—as the stream of water is discharged. Even a relatively small angle of inclination of the discharge stream relative to a plane orthogonal to the rotational axis of the nozzle assembly is sufficient to induce rotation of the at least one nozzle assembly. Indeed, the latter configuration has constituted the underlying principle of operation for lawn sprinklers for the past eighty years or more.
It should be noted that water sprinkling amusement devices constructed in accordance with the present invention need not utilize a nozzle assembly of the rotating type, and that instead of providing a continuous flow while the on/off mechanism is in the “on” position, the inventor herein contemplates intermittent modes of operation in which the flow is “pulsed” with intervals during which water is discharged via the discharge orifice(s) of the at least one nozzle assembly being separated by intervals during which no water is being discharged. Such an intermittent operation has the advantage of reducing the rate of water depletion and may add excitement during play as children seek to “time” their exit and entry into the discharge path(s) of the device.
It should also be noted that although a principal object of the present invention is to provide a water sprinkling amusement system which can be employed regardless of whether a source of municipally pressurized water is nearby, it is contemplated that there will be times when such a source is available. Accordingly, embodiments of the invention may incorporate an adapter for permitting water under pressure to flow directly into the reservoir such that the pressurization of the water is maintained without the need of operating the fluid transfer system. In that regard, the fluid transfer system in a pressurized embodiment may comprise, for example, a manually operable fluid transfer pump or a motorized pump adapted to force water or air into the reservoir when the municipal source of pressurization is not available. In non-pressurized embodiments, a motorized pump can be provided to draw water from the reservoir and force the same into the avenue of release.
The various features and advantages of the present invention would be better understood by reference to the detailed description which follows, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
The accompanying Figures and this description depict and describe embodiments of a water sprinkler amusement device in accordance with the present invention, and features and components thereof. The present invention also encompasses a method of making and using embodiments of the amusement device. As used herein, the phrases or terms “water discharging amusement device,” “toy sprinkler,” “water sprinkler amusement device” and the like are intended to encompass a portable structure or structures configured to automatically project, throw, squirt, launch or shoot water upwardly into the air so that it falls down upon a child during play, and which can be operated even when not attached to the end of a garden hose. It is important to note, however, that water sprinkler devices constructed in accordance with the present invention can, if an optional mode of operation is desired, be configured for attachment to a garden hose when a source of municipally pressurized water is close by. It should also be noted that any references herein to front and back, right and left, top and bottom and upper and lower are intended for convenience of description, not to limit the present invention or its components to any one positional or spacial orientation.
With regard to fastening, mounting, attaching or connecting components of the present invention to form the water discharging amusement device as a whole, unless specifically described otherwise, such are intended to encompass conventional fasteners such as screws, nut and bolt connectors, threaded connectors, snap rings, detent arrangements, clamps such as screw clamps and the like, rivets, toggles, pins and the like. Components may also be connected by adhesives, glues, welding, ultrasonic welding, and friction fitting or deformation, if appropriate, and appropriate liquid and/or airtight seals or sealing devices may be used. Electronic portions of the device may use conventional, commercially available electronic components, connectors and devices such as suitable wiring, connectors, printed circuit boards, microchips, speakers, lights, LED's, liquid crystal displays, pressure sensors, liquid level sensors, audio components, inputs, outputs and the like. Unless specifically otherwise disclosed or taught, materials for making components of the present invention may be selected from appropriate materials such as metal, metallic alloys, natural and man-made fibers, vinyls, plastics and the like, and appropriate manufacturing or production methods including casting, pressing, extruding, molding and machining may be used.
With regard to the manner in which water is urged to flow toward a discharge opening upon actuation of an on/off mechanism, it should be borne in mind that although at least one of the embodiments described herein incorporates an on-board pump for pressurizing a water-containing, fixed-volume chamber with air, the invention is not limited to such configurations. For example, if a periodic sequence of brief discharges are desired, a motorized pump arrangement utilizing a reciprocating piston may be employed. By way of further example, the water storing reservoir may be configured as an expandable bladder dimensioned and arranged to receive and store water from a hose end adapter coupled to a municipally pressurized water source (as taught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,854,480 and 4,735,239 to Shindo and Salmon et al, respectively). By way of still further example, a water discharging amusement device constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention may utilize both a bladder for storing pressurized water and an on-board, manually operated, fluid transfer pump for transferring fluid from an unpressurized water chamber having a fill cap to the bladder. An example of the latter arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,927 entitled TOY GUN HAVING AN EXPANDABLE TEAR DROP SHAPED BLADDER FOR EJECTION OF LIQUID THEREFROM. It suffices to say that the manner in which water ejection forces are developed is of no particular consequence to the inventor herein except insofar as manufacturing cost, simplicity and ease of use are always considerations to be borne in mind.
Turning now to the drawings, in which like elements are denoted by like reference numerals throughout the several views, a first illustrative embodiment of a water discharging amusement device 10 in accordance with the present invention is depicted in
With particular reference to
Returning to
An exemplary type of pump which may be used in the realization of fluid transfer system 22 is shown and described in a published PCT patent application by the inventor herein, PCT Serial No. WO9427107, entitled VOICE RESPONSIVE WATER EJECTING TOY and published on Nov. 24, 1994, the disclosure of which being expressly incorporated herein in its entirety. Alternatively, fluid transfer system 22 can be configured as a motorized pump operative to supply intermittent pulses of water to discharge opening 23. An example of the latter type of operation is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,350 entitled WATER GUN and issued to the inventor hereon on May 20, 1977. In the latter patent, a toy water gun is disclosed which incorporates a battery driven motor and associated pump. By means of reciprocating movement of the pump's piston, water is drawn from a reservoir and is discharged as a linear stream through a nozzle. The discharge is interrupted by the intake strokes of the piston so that the discharge is accomplished intermittently or in spurts rather than in a continuous stream.
In any event, in the motorized embodiment depicted in
Turning now to
In the illustrative embodiment depicted in
Alternatively, removable fill cap 26′ may be configured with a one-way valve and be dimensioned and arranged to receive a hose end, quick-fill fitting adapter (not shown) so that water under pressure may be directed into reservoir 14′ according to the teachings of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,347. When a source of municipally pressurized water is not available, fill cap 26 is removed and water is poured directly into the chamber. Extending from within chamber 14′ is a conventional purge valve assembly (not shown). The function of the purge valve assembly is to relieve excess pressure by venting pressurized air and/or water when the pressure exceeds a selected point.
As in the case of the embodiment of
Automatic rotation of nozzle assembly 16′ to produce a helical discharge effect can be achieved in a variety of ways. By way of illustrative example, an illustrative nozzle assembly constructed in accordance with this embodiment of the invention may include a motorized drive assembly (not shown) responsive to depression of the trigger or, alternatively, to actuation of an on/off selector switch, and drivingly engageable with appropriate gearing coupled to nozzle assembly 16′. By way of alternate example, discharge outlet 32 of nozzle assembly 19′ may be dimensioned and arranged to impart a nozzle reaction force—that is offset relative to the axis of nozzle assembly rotation—as the stream of water is discharged. Even a relatively small angle of inclination of the discharge stream relative to a plane orthogonal to the rotational axis of the nozzle assembly is sufficient to induce rotation of the nozzle assembly.
In accordance with an especially preferred embodiment of the present invention, however, the force for spinning nozzle assembly 19 is provided via the pressurized water stream traversing conduit 13′. An exemplary structure adapted to utilize this force is depicted in
With reference to both
Defined within the interior axial surface 37 of second section 38 are a plurality of vanes 39. As best seen in
In the illustrative embodiment depicted in
Turning to
As best seen in
As part of the unit 102 there is also provided a power supply 118, illustrated in
The circuit 120 is programmed to control ON/OFF mechanism (i.e., valve 124) such that the valve 124 is opened for a pre-determined period of time in response to a signal received from the motion detector 122, which signal corresponds to movement detected by the motion detector 122. With the exception of the pressurizable external tank with on-board pump, the entire unit 102 is intended to be constructed so as to be in combination within a single housing or shell 126, with the water inlet 110 and the sprinkler head 116 accessible from outside the housing 126. Similarly, the housing 126 is constructed of a material or in a manner such that it does not impede the vision of the motion detector 122, nor its range of vision. As illustrated in
It is believed that the disclosure set forth above encompasses multiple distinct inventions with independent utility. While each of these inventions has been disclosed in illustrative form, the specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations are possible. For example, some embodiments of the present invention may have more than one reservoir, in which case one such reservoir may be a water-receiving, fixed volume fill chamber as reservoir and another may be a water-pressurizable bladder or a fixed-volume, air-pressurizable, chamber (not shown) adapted to receive both water from the fill chamber and pressurized air. Thus, by way of yet another example, fluid transfer system 22 or 22′ may be configured as a manually operable, water transfer pump adapted to transfer water from a first, fixed volume chamber into a second, expandable bladder-type chamber.
The subject matter of the inventions includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. Similarly, where the claims recite “a” or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof, such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements.
Inventions embodied in various combinations and sub-combinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be claimed in this or a related application. Such claims, whether they are directed to a different invention or directed to the same invention, whether different, broader, narrower or equal in scope to any original claims, are also regarded as included within the subject matter of the inventions of the present disclosure.
