Radially Extended Spindle Kite

Abstract

The disclosed technology comprises a kite with spindles extending radially from a central juncture disc, which can be of rigid (non-flexible construction). The spindles are removably insertable therein, and can be equi-spaced from each other and/or around a central point of the disc, creating structural support for the kite. Fabric sheathing connects to or is frictionally held at an outer terminus of each spindle. The fabric can further form a flap extending transverse to a plane of the disc and spindles with a string extending from an end of the flap, opposite the side of the flap which connects at the plane comprising the spindles.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

This invention relates to kites, and more specifically, a polygonal kite with a radially extending spindle skeleton.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

Kite flying is a recreational activity enjoyed by people of all ages. Kites are available in various colors, shapes and sizes. However, there are a number of deficiencies in prior art kites which have room for improvement. For example, price points on consumer goods are constantly being pushed down resulting in a plethora of inexpensive kites on the market in recent years. The pressure and market demand to sell less expensive kites presents a need for simpler designs which are easier to fly and which are suitable for young kite fliers. This, unfortunately, also tends to lead to a corresponding decrease in kite quality. While it is desirable to spend less on a product, many such kites sacrifice quality and simply do not last long. Kite fliers, especially younger ones, also desire unique and aesthetically pleasing kite designs to enhance the kite flying experience. Many existing kites are bulky, awkward and aerodynamically deficient, impairing their performance. Consequently, there is a need for a kite design that improves flying efficiency. Another drawback of existing kites is their fragility. Impacts with the ground or other objects frequently results in breakage or destruction of the kite. Hence, a durable and resilient kite that tolerates high-force impacts is needed.

Although kite flying has been known for centuries, the need for durable, inexpensive and high performance kites persists. What is needed in the art is a kite that addresses the deficiencies of current kites by incorporating low cost components and a design which imparts high-strength, durability, superior performance, and aesthetic appeal.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

A kite of the disclosed technology has a rigid central juncture disc with a plurality of sockets which removably receive a first end of a spindle. A plurality of spindles, each spindle thereof extending outwards from a socket of the plurality thereof, extend away from the central juncture. The spindles are generally (that is, substantially) co-planar. A polygonal flexible material fixedly and removably attaches to each spindle and a plurality of connector are disposed at each vertex of the polygonal flexible material. The connectors, such as frictional connectors, connectors that pass through the spindle, hold the spindle in a receptacle, or a combination thereof, fixedly and removably attach each spindle with the flexible material.

The sockets are or can be raised from, and form a unitary structure with, a top planar surface (a surface transverse to the longest planar side of the kite) of the central juncture disc. The spindles and sockets of the kite can be aligned with each corner of the central juncture disc. Inner ends of the sockets are contiguous (defined as in a row with each other in the same plane, around a central point with no more than 1 cm between each contiguous spindle) with each other, and further, are contiguous such that outer ends of the sockets form vertices of a regular polygon, in embodiments of the disclosed technology. The sockets can be equidistant from a center point. Further, the sockets can be equispaced around a center point of the rigid central disc. As such, the polygonal flexible material is in a shape of a regular polygon.

In one embodiment, along top and bottom surfaces of each socket, a plurality of equi-spaced cutouts open into a cavity of each said socket. Further, an interior surface of each socket can, at an end closest to the midpoint (center) of the rigid central disc, have at least two triangularly shaped flanges extending into an interior of each socket such that each spindle inserted into each socket is removably fixed into each respective socket by the flange or flanges.

Each spindle can have at least two grooves, each groove extending along a length of the spindle and spaced apart from one another a distance equal to a space between two flanges extending into a central region of a socket of the plurality of sockets. The polygonal flexible material can have a plurality of pockets, each pocket of the plurality thereof at a perimeter and vertex of the flexible material in which an end of such a spindle of the plurality of spindles is held.

A distance between each set of two opposite vertices of the polygonal flexible material can be greater than an end to end distance of the spindles of the plurality of spindles which extend in opposite directions from a central point of the rigid central disc. Further, the polygonal flexible material can be held taut by tension between the two spindles of the plurality of spindles.

The polygonal flexible material can have a flexible flap fixedly connected along an entire side of the flexible polygonal material between two vertices thereof. A string can extend from a vertex of the flexible flap at a point on the flexible flap most distant from the side of the flexible polygonal material where the flap is attached.

In a method of using the kite, one inserts first ends of each of a plurality of spindles into a plurality of sockets disposed co-planarly on a rigid central juncture (a disc having multiple connection points). Second ends of each of a plurality of spindles are inserted into a plurality of connectors, each connector positioned at a vertex of a polygon-shaped piece of material such that the material is stretched and framed on the spindles. Then one flies the kite.

In the method of flying the kite, one can remove first ends of at least two of the spindles from respective sockets and then folding the polygon-shaped piece of material along one of the axes. Inserting of first ends of spindles can be accompanied by looking into a cutout on at least one spindle of the plurality thereof to determine if the at least one spindle is inserted completely.

The term “substantially” is defined as “considered to be so by one having ordinary skill in the art of household vacuums” and/or “at least 90% of the term being modified by ‘substantially.’”

The term “generally” used herein is defined as a majority of the modified and described term following the word “generally.”

The terms “or” and “and/or” should be interpreted as being inclusive of one or both terms being joined thereby. For example, in the set {A, B}, the phrase “A or B” includes “A,” “B,” and “A and B.”

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of a kite skeleton of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation view of the kite skeleton of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom plan view of the kite skeleton of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 shows a top and side perspective view of the kite skeleton of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows a bottom and side perspective view the kite skeleton of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 shows the top plan view of a central juncture disc of an embodiment of the disclosed technology.

FIG. 7 shows a side elevation view of the central juncture disc of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows the bottom plan view of the central juncture disc of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows the top and side perspective view of the central juncture disc of FIG. 6.

FIG. 10 shows the bottom and side perspective view of the central juncture disc of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 shows the side elevation view of a spindle of the kite skeleton of FIG. 1.

FIG. 12 shows the top and side perspective view of the kite skeleton with side cutaway of central juncture disc of FIG. 6.

FIG. 13 shows the top and side perspective view of the central juncture disc with a spindle inserted into each spindle portal.

FIG. 14 shows the top and side perspective view of the kite skeleton with a polygonal flexible material covering the kite skeleton of FIG. 1.

FIG. 15 shows the bottom and side perspective view of the kite skeleton with said polygonal flexible material of FIG. 14 and flap and string.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSED TECHNOLOGY

The disclosed technology comprises a kite with spindles extending radially from a central juncture disc, which can be of rigid (non-flexible construction). The spindles are removably insertable therein, and can be equi-spaced from each other and/or around a central point of the disc, creating structural support for the kite. Fabric sheathing connects to or is frictionally held at an outer terminus of each spindle. The fabric can further form a flap extending transverse to a plane of the disc and spindles with a string extending from an end of the flap, opposite the side of the flap which connects at the plane comprising the spindles.

Embodiments of the disclosed technology will be obtained from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the drawings and the attached claims.

FIG. 1 shows a top plan view of a kite skeleton of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. Spindles 10 are inserted in radially spaced and elongated sockets 22. The sockets 22 can be raised from and form a unitary structure with a top planar surface of a central juncture disc 20. In embodiments of the disclosed technology, the spindles 10 and spindle sockets 22 can be aligned with each corner of the central juncture disc 20. The inner ends of the sockets 22 are contiguous (defined as, “touching” or “within 5 mm of each other”) and outer ends of the sockets can form vertices of a regular polygon, such as a hexagon, octagon, or decagon. Such sockets 22 can further be equidistant (at an inner end thereof) from a center point 32 of a central region 30 of the disc 20. The central region 30 is defined as a region of the disc between each of the sockets 22. Along the top surface of each spindle socket there can be one or a plurality of (such as five) spaced apart cutouts 27 which allow the sockets 22 to have greater flexibility and aid in the removal of the spindles. One may also confirm that a spindle 10 is fully inserted into a socket 22.

FIG. 2 shows a side elevation view of the kite skeleton of FIG. 1. Each spindle 10 is inserted into a respective spindle socket 22 which provides structural support to the kite. In the embodiment shown, two oppositely oriented spindles 10 located on the same axis and a cross section of their respective sockets 22 are shown. Protrusion 34, along with protrusion 52, serve to elongated the fabric and stretch it from the center point of the kite to the top two spindles.

FIG. 3 shows a bottom plan view of the kite skeleton of FIG. 1. Bottom cutouts 29 are shown which can correspond to top cutouts 27 along a Z-axis of FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 of the kite (see description of FIG. 1).

FIG. 4 shows a top and side perspective view of the kite skeleton of FIG. 1. A spindle 10 is inserted in each of the sockets 22 of the central juncture disc 20. The sockets can extend from, and open into, an outer edge of the central juncture disc 20 each corner of the central juncture disc and can terminate within 30% of the longest radius of the central juncture disc 22 from the center of the disc 32.

FIG. 5 shows a bottom and side perspective view of the kite skeleton of FIG. 1. A spindle 10 is inserted in each of the sockets 22 of the central juncture disc 20.

FIG. 6 shows a top plan view of the central juncture disc 20 of an embodiment of the disclosed technology. A portal 28 is located on the outer side of each of the sockets 22, each of which receives a spindle 10. A partial square cut out exists at the top edge of each portal 28. Depicted is the decagon that can be formed by the contiguous ends of the sockets 22.

FIG. 7 shows a side elevation view of the central juncture disc 20 of FIG. 6. In an embodiment of the disclosed technology, within the interior of the sockets 22 are four elongated triangularly shaped flanges 26 running parallel to the longer dimension of the sockets 22. The flanges 26 can be located at the inner end of the sockets 22. Two flanges 26 can be located on top of the socket 22 and two flanges 26 can be located on the bottom. The upper and bottom flanges 26 can be symmetrically configured. The flanges 26 can slide into similarly shaped grooves along the spindles 10 when the spindle is inserted into the socket 22. The interaction between the flanges 26 and spindle grooves serve to fix the spindle in place when inserted.

FIG. 8 shows the bottom plan view of the central juncture disc 20 of FIG. 7.

FIG. 9 shows the top and side perspective view of the central juncture disc 20 of FIG. 6. The spindles 10 are inserted into the portals 28 of the sockets 22. The socket cutouts 27 can be used to view the progress of the spindle 10 during insertion to ensure full installation into the socket 22.

FIG. 10 shows the bottom and side perspective view of the central juncture disc 20 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 11 shows the side elevation view of a spindle 10 of the kite skeleton of FIG. 1. Top and bottom grooves 12 are shown which engage the top and bottom flanges 26 within the socket 22 to secure the spindle 10 in position when inserted in the socket 22. One end of the spindle 10 is inserted into a socket 22 to form the kite skeleton.

FIG. 12 shows the top and side perspective view of the kite skeleton with side cutaway of central juncture disc 20 of FIG. 6. The sockets 22 of the cutaway section are empty revealing the flanges 26. The flanges 26 can be located at the inner end of each socket 22 and can span the distance from the outer edge of the second innermost cutout 29 to the inner end of each socket 22. The sockets 22 of the non-cutaway portion of the central juncture disc 20 reveal fully inserted spindles 10.

FIG. 13 shows the top and side perspective view of the central juncture disc 20 with a spindle 10 inserted into each socket 22. Illustrated is a fully inserted spindle 10 in each of the sockets 22.

FIG. 14 shows the top and side perspective view of the kite skeleton with a polygonal flexible material 40 covering the kite skeleton of FIG. 1. In an embodiment of the disclosed invention the polygonal flexible material 40 is decagonal in shape. The polygonal flexible material's 40 dimensions are such that it fits snuggly against the kite skeleton. The perimeter edge of the polygonal flexible material 40 extends beyond the spindles 10 and can permit the polygonal flexible material 40 to be folded over each of the of the spindles at a uniform distance. Near each of its vertices, the polygonal flexible material 40 is removably affixed to the outer end of each spindle 10 by a connector 44, thus, securing the polygonal flexible material 40 to the spindles 10 and kite skeleton. Said connectors 44 can comprise a receptacle, pocket, tube, sleeve, tie, clip, clamp, clasp, or latch, or further comprise friction or penetration of the polygonal flexible material 40 by the spindles 10. The spindles 10 spread the polygonal flexible material 40 and maintain it in a taut condition.

FIG. 15 shows the bottom and side perspective view of the kite skeleton with the polygonal flexible material 40 of FIG. 14 and a flap 42 and string 50. In an embodiment of the disclosed invention the polygonal flexible material 40 can form a flexible flap 42. A side of the flexible flap 42 can be secured along one side of the polygonal kite. The flexible flap can be comprised of plastic, fabric or other flexible material and can be triangular in shape. A string 50 can be affixed near the end of the unsecured corner of the flap 42. The string anchor 52 of the flap 42 can comprise a loop through which the string 50 is tied. The string 50 is used to maneuver and operate the kite. A distance between each set of two opposite vertices of the polygonal flexible material can be greater than an end to end distance of two of their respective spindles. That is, spindles which extend in opposite directions from the central point of the rigid central disc. As such, the polygonal flexible material is held taut by tension between the two spindles.

The kite of embodiments of the disclosed technology can be used by inserting first ends of each spindle into the central juncture, and more specifically, to the sockets on the central juncture. Second ends of each spindle are inserted into a plurality of connectors, each connector positioned at a vertex of a polygon-shaped piece of material such that the material is stretched and framed on the spindles. Then, the kite is ready for flying followed by disassembly. The disassembly is carried out by removing the first ends of at least two of the spindles from the sockets and folding the polygon-shaped piece of material along at least one axes. The axes (plural of “axis”) can run between any two vertexes of the polygonal shaped material, including those which are at opposite sides from one another. One can also look into a cutout on at least one of the spindles of the plurality thereof to determine if the spindle is inserted completely.

While the disclosed technology has been taught with specific reference to the above embodiments, a person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that changes can be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and the scope of the disclosed technology. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. All changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Combinations of any of the methods, systems, and devices described herein above are also contemplated and within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A kite comprising: a rigid central juncture disc having a plurality of sockets for removably receiving a first end of a spindle therein;a plurality of spindles, each spindle thereof extending outwards from a socket of said plurality of sockets away from said central juncture, wherein said spindles are generally co-planar;a polygonal flexible material fixedly and removably attached to each said spindle of said plurality of spindles;a plurality of connectors disposed at each vertex of said polygonal flexible material fixedly and removably attached to each spindle of said plurality of spindles.

2. The kite of claim 1, wherein said sockets are raised from and form a unitary structure with a top planar surface of said central juncture disc.

3. The kite of claim 2, wherein said spindles and sockets are aligned with each corner of said central juncture disc.

4. The kite of claim 3, wherein inner ends of said sockets are contiguous with each other and outer ends of said sockets form vertices of a regular polygon.

5. The kite of claim 4, wherein said sockets are equidistant from and equispaced around a center point of said rigid central disc and said polygonal flexible material is in a shape of a regular polygon.

6. The kite of claim 5, wherein along top and bottom surfaces of each said socket, a plurality of equi-spaced cutouts open into a cavity of each said socket.

7. The kite of claim 6, wherein an interior surface of each said socket, at an end closest to said center point of said rigid central disc, comprises at least two triangularly shaped flanges extending into an interior of each said socket such that each said spindle inserted into each said socket is removably fixed into each respective said socket by said flanges.

8. The kite of claim 7, wherein each spindle comprises at least two grooves, each groove extending along a length of said spindle and spaced apart from one another a distance equal to a space between two flanges extending into a central region of a socket of said plurality of sockets.

9. The kite of claim 8, wherein said polygonal flexible material comprises a plurality of pockets, each pocket of said plurality thereof at a perimeter and vertex of said flexible material in which an end of a said spindle of said plurality of spindles is held.

10. The kite of claim 9, wherein a distance between each set of two opposite vertices of said polygonal flexible material is greater than an end to end distance of two said spindles of said plurality of spindles which extend in opposite directions from a central point of said rigid central disc; and wherein said polygonal flexible material is held taut by tension between said two spindles of said plurality of spindles.

11. The kite of claim 10, wherein said polygonal flexible material further comprises a flexible flap fixedly connected along an entire side of said flexible polygonal material between two vertices thereof.

12. The kite of claim 11, further comprising a string extending from a vertex of said flexible flap at a point on said flexible flap most distant from said side of said flexible polygonal material where said flap is attached.

13. A method of using a kite, comprising: inserting first ends of each of a plurality of spindles into a plurality of sockets disposed co-planarly on a rigid central juncture;inserting second ends of each of said plurality of spindles into a plurality of connectors, each connector positioned at a vertex of a polygon-shaped piece of material such that said material is stretched and framed on said spindles; andflying said kite.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising steps of: removing said first ends of at least two of said spindles from said sockets; andfolding said polygon-shaped piece of material along at least one axes.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said inserting of said first ends is accompanied by looking into a cutout on at least one said spindle of said plurality thereof to determine if said at least one spindle is inserted completely.