Rocking and spray system

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6454658
  • Patent Number
    6,454,658
  • Date Filed
    Friday, July 13, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, September 24, 2002
    22 years ago
Abstract
A rocking and spray system for promoting paired outdoor activity by and cooling for children. The rocking and spray system includes a substantially arcuate hollow cradle portion designed for resting on a support surface such as the ground and for rocking along an arcuate perimeter surface; a pair of seat portions coupled to the cradle portion and positioned adjacent to an associated one of a pair of ends of the cradle portion and designed for supporting a posterior of a human; and a water receiving portion designed for coupling to a conventional garden hose to facilitate routing of water to spray a user.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates to children's water toys and more particularly pertains to a new rocking and spray system for promoting paired outdoor activity by and cooling for children.




2. Description of the Prior Art




The use of children's water toys is known in the prior art. More specifically, children's water toys heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.




Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,151,864; 4,763,895; 5,741,188; 5,462,284; 2,470,473; and Des. 405,845.




While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new rocking and spray system. The inventive device includes a substantially arcuate hollow cradle portion designed for resting on a support surface such as the ground and for rocking along an arcuate perimeter surface; a pair of seat portions coupled to the cradle portion and positioned adjacent to an associated one of a pair of ends of the cradle portion and designed for supporting a posterior of a human; and a water receiving portion designed for coupling to a conventional garden hose to facilitate routing of water to spray a user.




In these respects, the rocking and spray system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of promoting paired outdoor activity by and cooling for children.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of children's water toys now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new rocking and spray system construction wherein the same can be utilized for promoting paired outdoor activity by and cooling for children.




The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new rocking and spray system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the children's water toys mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new rocking and spray system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art children's water toys, either alone or in any combination thereof.




To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a substantially arcuate hollow cradle portion designed for resting on a support surface such as the ground and for rocking along an arcuate perimeter surface; a pair of seat portions coupled to the cradle portion and positioned adjacent to an associated one of a pair of ends of the cradle portion and designed for supporting a posterior of a human; and a water receiving portion designed for coupling to a conventional garden hose to facilitate routing of water to spray a user.




There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.




In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.




As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.




Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.




It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new rocking and spray system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the children's water toys mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new rocking and spray system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art children's water toys, either alone or in any combination thereof.




It is another object of the present invention to provide a new rocking and spray system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.




It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new rocking and spray system which is of a durable and reliable construction.




An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new rocking and spray system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such rocking and spray system economically available to the buying public.




Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new rocking and spray system which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith.




Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new rocking and spray system for promoting paired outdoor activity by and cooling for children.




Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new rocking and spray system which includes a substantially arcuate hollow cradle portion designed for resting on a support surface such as the ground and for rocking along an arcuate perimeter surface; a pair of seat portions coupled to the cradle portion and positioned adjacent to an associated one of a pair of ends of the cradle portion and designed for supporting a posterior of a human; and a water receiving portion designed for coupling to a conventional garden hose to facilitate routing of water to spray a user.




Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new rocking and spray system that provides hours of entertainment for children.




Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new rocking and spray system that provides an alternate form of exercise for children.




These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:





FIG. 1

is a schematic front view of a new rocking and spray system in use according to the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a schematic perspective view of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a schematic top view of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is a schematic end view of the present invention.





FIG. 5

is a schematic cross-sectional view of the baffles of the present invention.





FIG. 6

is a schematic signal flow view of the illumination assembly of the present invention.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to

FIGS. 1 through 6

thereof, a new rocking and spray system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral


10


will be described.




As best illustrated in

FIGS. 1 through 6

, the rocking and spray system


10


generally comprises a cradle portion


20


, a pair of seat portion


20


, and a water receiving portion


40


.




The cradle portion


20


is designed for resting on a support surface such as the ground. The cradle portion


20


is substantially arcuate. The cradle portion


20


is designed for rocking along an arcuate perimeter surface


23


. The cradle portion includes a first end


21


and a second end


22


. The cradle portion


20


is substantially hollow.




Each one of the pair of seat portions


30


is coupled to the cradle portion


20


. Each of the seat portions


30


is positioned adjacent to an associated one of the first


21


and second ends


22


of the cradle portion


20


. Each one of the pair of seat portions


30


is designed for supporting a posterior of a human.




The water receiving portion


40


is designed for coupling to a conventional garden hose. The water receiving portion


40


facilitates routing of water to spray a user.




The cradle portion


20


includes a first plurality of apertures


24


positioned through the first end


21


of the cradle portion


20


. The first plurality of apertures


24


is designed for directing water from the water receiving portion


40


onto a user when the user rocks the cradle portion


20


.




The cradle portion


20


includes a second plurality of apertures


25


positioned through the second end


22


of the cradle portion


20


. The second plurality of apertures


25


is designed for directing water from the water receiving portion


40


onto a user when the user rocks the cradle portion


40


.




The seat portion


30


includes a pair of handles


32


. Each one of the handles


32


is positioned on an associated side of the end of the cradle portion


20


. The handles


32


are positioned such that a longitudinal axis of each handle


32


is in a substantially perpendicular relationship with a longitudinal axis of the cradle portion


20


. Each handle


32


is designed for grasping by a human hand. Each handle


32


facilitates holding onto the rocking and spray system


10


during use.




Each on of a plurality of foot pegs


26


is coupled to an associated side of the cradle portion


20


. Each foot peg


26


is positioned such that a longitudinal axis of each foot peg


26


is in a substantially perpendicular relationship with a longitudinal axis of the cradle portion


20


. Each foot peg


26


is positioned such that the longitudinal axis of each foot peg


26


is in a substantially parallel relationship with a longitudinal axis of a handle


32


coupled to the cradle portion


20


. Each of the foot pegs


26


is designed for supporting a human foot. Each one of the foot pegs


26


facilitates remaining on the rocking and spray system


10


during use.




A central spray portion


27


is positioned medially on an upper surface of the cradle portion


20


. The central spray portion


27


is designed for facilitating a spray of water from the water receiving portion.




In an embodiment the spray portion


27


continually provides a spray of water during use when the water receiving portion


40


is coupled to a water source via a conventional garden hose.




The cradle portion


20


is substantially translucent such that light may pass through an exterior wall of the cradle portion


20


.




An illumination assembly


50


is positioned substantially within the cradle portion


20


. The illumination assembly


50


provides an internal light source to illuminate exterior portions of the cradle portion


20


. The illumination assembly


50


facilitates use of the rocking and spray system


10


at night.




The illumination assembly


50


further comprises at least one lamp member


52


for converting stored electrical energy into light for illuminating the cradle portion


20


and at least one battery member


54


for providing stored electrical energy to the lamp member


52


.




In an embodiment the rocking and spray system


10


includes an overall length in the range of 84 inches to 96 inches.




In a further embodiment the cradle portion


20


includes a width of approximately 24 inches.




In yet a further embodiment the rocking and spray system


10


includes an overall height of approximately 30 inches.




A plurality of baffle members


60


is positioned substantially within the cradle member


20


. The plurality of baffles


60


impede the flow of water through the cradle member


20


from the water receiving portion


40


such that the water only flows through the first series of apertures


23


when the cradle portion


20


is positioned with the first end


21


substantially lower that the second end


22


. Similarly, the plurality of baffles


60


impede the flow of water through the cradle member


20


from the water receiving portion


40


such that the water only flows through the second series of apertures


24


when the cradle portion


20


is positioned with the second end


22


substantially lower that the first end


21


.




As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided.




With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.




Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A rocking and spray system for entertaining children of all ages comprising:a cradle portion adapted for resting on a support surface such as the ground, said cradle portion being substantially arcuate, said cradle portion being adapted for rocking along an arcuate perimeter surface, said cradle portion having a first end and a second end, said cradle portion being substantially hollow; a pair of seat portions, each one of said pair of seat portions being coupled to said cradle portion, each of said seat portions being positioned adjacent to an associated one of said first and second ends of said cradle portion, each one of said pair of seat portions being adapted for supporting a posterior of a human; a water receiving portion adapted for coupling to a conventional garden hose, said water receiving portion facilitating routing of water to spray a user; and said cradle portion being substantially translucent such that light may pass through an exterior wall of said cradle portion; an illumination assembly positioned substantially within said cradle portion, said illumination assembly providing an internal light source to illuminate exterior portions of said cradle portion, said illumination assembly facilitating use of said rocking and spray system at night.
  • 2. The rocking and spray system of claim 1, further comprising:said cradle portion having a first plurality of apertures positioned through said first end of said cradle portion, said first plurality of apertures being adapted for directing water from said water receiving portion onto a user when the user rocks said cradle portion.
  • 3. The rocking and spray system of claim 1, further comprising:said cradle portion having a second plurality of apertures positioned through said second end of said cradle portion, said second plurality of apertures being adapted for directing water from said water receiving portion onto a user when the user rocks said cradle portion.
  • 4. The rocking and spray system of claim 1, further comprising:said seat portion having a pair of handles, each one of said a handles being positioned on an associated side of said end of said cradle portion, said handles being positioned such that a longitudinal axis of each handle is in a substantially perpendicular relationship with a longitudinal axis of said cradle portion, each handle being adapted for grasping by a human hand, each handle facilitating holding onto said rocking and spray system during use.
  • 5. The rocking and spray system of claim 1, further comprising:a plurality of foot pegs, each foot peg being coupled to an associated side of said cradle portion, each foot peg being positioned such that a longitudinal axis of each foot peg is in a substantially perpendicular relationship with a longitudinal axis of said cradle portion, each foot peg being positioned such that the longitudinal axis of each foot peg is in a substantially parallel relationship with a longitudinal axis of a handle coupled to said cradle portion; each of said foot pegs being adapted for supporting a human foot, each one of said foot pegs facilitating remaining on said rocking and spray system during use.
  • 6. The rocking and spray system of claim 1, further comprising:a central spray portion positioned medially on an upper surface of said cradle portion, said central spray portion being adapted for facilitating a spray of water from said water receiving portion.
  • 7. The rocking and spray system of claim 6, wherein said spray portion continually provides a spray of water during use when said water receiving portion is coupled to a water source via a conventional garden hose.
  • 8. The rocking and spray system of claim 1, wherein said illumination assembly further comprises:at least one lamp member for converting stored electrical energy into light for illuminating said cradle portion; at least one battery member for providing stored electrical energy to said lamp member.
  • 9. The rocking and spray system of claim 1, wherein said cradle rocking and spray system having an overall length in the range of 84 inches to 96 inches.
  • 10. The rocking and spray system of claim 1, wherein said cradle portion having a width of approximately 24 inches.
  • 11. The rocking and spray system of claim 1, wherein said rocking and spray system having an overall height of approximately 30 inches.
  • 12. A rocking and spray system for entertaining children of all ages comprising:a cradle portion adapted for resting on a support surface such as the ground, said cradle portion being substantially arcuate, said cradle portion being adapted for rocking along an arcuate perimeter surface, said cradle portion having a first end and a second end, said cradle portion being substantially hollow; a pair of seat portions, each one of said pair of seat portions being coupled to said cradle portion, each of said seat portions being positioned adjacent to an associated one of said first and second ends of said cradle portion, each one of said pair of seat portions being adapted for supporting a posterior of a human; a water receiving portion adapted for coupling to a conventional garden hose, said water receiving portion facilitating routing of water to spray a user; said cradle portion having a first plurality of apertures positioned through said first end of said cradle portion, said first plurality of apertures being adapted for directing water from said water receiving portion onto a user when the user rocks said cradle portion; said cradle portion having a second plurality of apertures positioned through said second end of said cradle portion, said second plurality of apertures being adapted for directing water from said water receiving portion onto a user when the user rocks said cradle portion; said seat portion having a pair of handles, each one of said handles being positioned on an associated side of said end of said cradle portion, said handles being positioned such that a longitudinal axis of each handle is in a substantially perpendicular relationship with a longitudinal axis of said cradle portion, each handle being adapted for grasping by a human hand, each handle facilitating holding onto said rocking and spray system during use; a plurality of foot pegs, each foot peg being coupled to an associated side of said cradle portion, each foot peg being positioned such that a longitudinal axis of each foot peg is in a substantially perpendicular relationship with a longitudinal axis of said cradle portion, each foot peg being positioned such that the longitudinal axis of each foot peg is in a substantially parallel relationship with a longitudinal axis of a handle coupled to said cradle portion; each of said foot pegs being adapted for supporting a human foot, each one of said foot pegs facilitating remaining on said rocking and spray system during use; a central spray portion positioned medially on an upper surface of said cradle portion, said central spray portion being adapted for facilitating a spray of water from said water receiving portion; wherein said spray portion continually provides a spray of water during use when said water receiving portion is coupled to a water source via a conventional garden hose; said cradle portion being substantially translucent such that light may pass through an exterior wall of said cradle portion; an illumination assembly positioned substantially within said cradle portion, said illumination assembly providing an internal light source to illuminate exterior portions of said cradle portion, said illumination assembly facilitating use of said rocking and spray system at night; said illumination assembly further comprises: at least one lamp member for converting stored electrical energy into light for illuminating said cradle portion; at least one battery member for providing stored electrical energy to said lamp member; wherein said cradle rocking and spray system having an overall length in the range of 84 inches to 96 inches; wherein said cradle portion having a width of approximately 24 inches; and wherein said rocking and spray system having an overall height of approximately 30 inches.
  • 13. The rocking and spray system of claim 12, further comprising:a plurality of baffle members positioned substantially within said cradle member, said plurality of baffles impeding the flow of water through said cradle member from said water receiving portion such that the water only flows through said first series of apertures when said cradle portion is positioned with said first end substantially lower that said second end, said plurality of baffles impeding the flow of water through said cradle member from said water receiving portion such that the water only flows through said second series of apertures when said cradle portion is positioned with said second end substantially lower that said first end.
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