Patent Application
20130264416
The present invention relates to kites and, more particularly, to a three-string stunt kite having the three strings attached to a single handle.
Conventional stunt kites use two or four lines and two handles. These kites can be difficult to fly as they require training and coordination to achieve and perfect various stunts. Moreover, these conventional stunt kites can be difficult to launch, land or relaunch. Often, these kites require the user to run to launch. This fact makes enjoyment of stunt kites by the physically challenged difficult if not impossible.
As can be seen, there is a need for an improved stunt kite that can be operated with one hand, is easy to launch and land, and is easy to learn and perfect stunts therewith.
In one aspect of the present invention, a kite comprises first and second string attachment points on first and second sides of the kite; and a third string attachment point disposed between the first and second string attachment points, but offset from a line interconnecting the first and second string attachment points, wherein the first, second and third string attachment points are adapted to connect to three strings interconnected to a single handle.
In another aspect of the present invention, a kite comprises first and second string attachment points on first and second sides of the kite; first and second strings attached to the first and second attachment points; a third string attachment point disposed between the first and second string attachment points, but offset from a line interconnecting the first and second string attachment points; a third string attached to the third string attachment point; a handle having a side cross member connected to the first and second strings at each end of the side cross member, the handle further having an up/down cross member, connected with side cross member, the up/down cross member connected to the third string at a first end thereof.
In still another aspect of the present invention, a method for flying a kite comprises connecting first and second strings between first and second sides of the kite and first and second ends of a side cross member of a single handle; connecting a third string between a tail end of the kite and one end of an up/down cross member of the single handle; and releasing the kite into the air while operating the single handle to maneuver the kite.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a stunt kite attached to three lines that are attached to a single handle. Moving the handle will change the angle of the kite by pulling on the desired line or lines. By changing the angle of the kite, the user can direct the wind that is pushing on its sail, causing the kite to go off on a different direction. By doing this, the user is able to perform controlled aerial, ground, underwater and partially submerged stunts.
The kite of the present invention can, for example, be launched and landed without even looking at the kite. The user can, with a single handle, have such control of the kite to be able to provide soft landings and launching. Moreover, a user, by themselves, can easily launch the kite by staking the handle down, running the lines out fully extended to the kite, tilting the kite back against the wind and then re-launching with one hand on the single handle. The kite of the present invention can be landed in or out of direct wind. Moreover, the kite of the present invention can be flown in high winds without problems, where other stunt kites may experience difficulties. The kite of the present invention can hover at any fixed altitude within the wind window in a direct wind since the user can both adjust the position of the kite left and right, but also up and down. A conventional two-lined stunt kite can only be propelled left and right—if pointed upward in direct wind, such a conventional kite will go up until reaches the edge of the wind window. While up and down control is possible with conventional two-handed, four-lined stunt kites, these kites are difficult to fly and take many hours of training.
The kite of the present invention can be flown by both amateur and more advanced users. Unlike conventional stunt kites that may require hours and hours of training, a user may fly the kite and be performing basic stunts with minimal instruction/flight time. Moreover, the kite of the present invention, because the handle can be operated with one hand, can be flown in each of the user's hands, resulting in two stunt kites being flown and controlled at the same time. Such stunt kite flying is impossible with conventional two-handled stunt kites. Moreover, most kites, such as single line kites, two-line kites, and four-line stunt kites require a bridle where the lines that are connected to the kite are connected to a bridle and the bridle has lines that then connect to the spars of the kite. The kite of the present invention doesn't require a bridle, but instead, the lines can run directly from the handle to the spars of the kite. Thus, if a string on the kite of the present invention should break, replacement of the string is much more simple than with those kites requiring a bridle.
Referring now to
The kite 10 may include string attachment points 12 at or near each sides of the kite 10, along the kite framework that runs side to side on the kite 10. The attachment points 12 may be referred to as side attachment points. The kite 10 may further include a single string attachment point 14 on the kite framework that runs top to bottom on the kite 10. This attachment point 14 may be referred to as a tail attachment point, as it is at or near a tail end of the kite 10. A tail 16 may optionally be provided on the kite 10.
Referring to
First and second side strings 24 may connect from the string connector 23 to the side attachment points 12 of the kite 10. In some embodiments, the first and second side strings 24 may connect to a bridle (not shown) and a single string may run from the bridle to the kite handle 10. In some embodiments, the first and second side strings 24 may connect to the same point on the handle with the tail string connected to the opposite side of the handle. These configurations may allow the kite to fly with height control but without left and right turning capability.
A tail string 25 may connect from the string connector 23 on the up/down cross member 22 to the tail attachment point 14 of the kite 10. A swivel 28 may be disposed between each of the string connectors 23 and the strings 24, 25 to prevent twisting of the strings.
A handle grip 26 may be disposed on an end of the up/down cross member 22, opposite the string connector 23. A flexible handle attachment 27, such as a string, may connect the handle grip 26 to the up/down cross member 22. The handle grip 26 may be used by a user to help fly and control the kite.
The handle 20 may be made from conventional materials, such as wood, metal, composite, plastic or the like. In some embodiments, the handle 20 may be made from two pieces of hardwood, centrally joined by a connector 29. In other embodiments, the handle 20 may be made as a single-piece, integral member.
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In some embodiments, as shown in
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Other features may be included with the stunt kite of the present invention. For example, the stunt kite strings may vibrate during use, producing a sound. A sound amplifier, for example, similar to that on an acoustic guitar, may be formed in the handle 20 (or along the strings 23, 24), for example, to enhance the vibration sounds to provide a “roar” while performing stunts with the kite of the present invention.
In some embodiments of the present invention, the stunt kite may include one or more flotation devices on the kite. These floatation devices may be located just about anywhere on the kite. For example, a flotation device may be mounted on the nose of the kite to have nose up when the kite goes in water, or the flotation device may be mounted in the middle of the kite to cause the kite lay flat in the water. In any case, the flotation device may allow the kite to float and not sink when used at or near water. The flotation device may be any light-weight item that may float in water, such as foam, an air pocket, or the like.
While the above describes the tail string 25 attached to the tail end of the kite, the tail string 25 could be a head string that is attached to a head end of the kite. This would provide a similar kite flying experience, still allowing the user to perform stunts with a three-string kite with a single hand.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
