WATER GUN WITH LEVER ARM FIRING MECHANISM

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present disclosure is directed to a toy water gun, and more particularly it is directed to a toy water gun that includes a lever arm and a drive arm, making it easier for younger children or those with physical limitations to fire an extended stream of water.

BACKGROUND

Toy water guns are known which utilize pressurized air or an elastic bladder that can be charged with water as the motive force for discharging water from the gun upon release of a nozzle valve. U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,827 discloses a water gun having a tubular bladder arranged in a tubular holding member as the motive force for water discharge. A separate water tank is located on the gun which holds water at ambient pressure. A pump located on the gun is utilized to transfer water from the ambient pressure water tank into the bladder, expanding the bladder. Upon release of a nozzle valve using a trigger, water is ejected from the toy water gun in a continuous stream while the trigger is held.

Other similar water guns in this category use different types of pressure tanks or chambers in which water drawn from the storage tank is stored under pressure and then released in a stream when the trigger is pulled to actuate a release valve. Further, other toy water guns are known utilizing a water tank with water at ambient pressure, and a pump having a handle that draws water from the tank with a stroke in a first direction, and delivers water in a stream through a nozzle as the pump is moved in the other direction, eliminating the need for a trigger.

In these as well as the other known prior art water guns, a stream of water is dispensed either based on a trigger being pulled or a pump handle being used to discharge water directly on the pressure/discharge stoke, with the water stream continuing as long as the trigger holds a discharge valve open and there is sufficient pressure, or the handle continues to move in the pressure/discharge stroke direction. An issue with each of the prior art water guns is the pumping and/or the pressure/discharge stroke requires significant mechanical force that can be difficult for younger children or those with physical limitations to perform.

Therefore, there is a need for a toy water gun in which the pumping and/or the pressure/discharge stroke is easier to perform, such that a broader spectrum of users can enjoy use of the toy water gun.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a toy water gun. The toy water gun can include a housing and a nozzle for discharging water, the nozzle can be positioned adjacent a front end of and/or connected to the housing. A pump chamber and a piston located therein can be positioned at or in the housing, the pump chamber and the piston being translatable relative to one another. A lever arm can be coupled to the housing by a first pivot connection at a first end and including a handle at a second end. A drive arm can be pivotally connected at a drive arm first end to the lever arm at a position closer to the first pivot connection than the handle, and coupled at a drive arm second end to one of the housing, the pump chamber, or the piston. Upon actuation of the lever arm, the pump chamber and the piston translate relative to one another such that water is adapted to be discharged from the nozzle.

In one embodiment, actuation of the lever arm in a charging direction is adapted to draw water into the pump chamber, and actuation of the lever arm in an opposite, discharging direction is adapted to discharge the water from the nozzle.

In one embodiment, a supply tank is positioned within or connected to the housing, the supply tank being configured to store water. A one-way supply valve is positioned between the supply tank and the pump chamber. The supply valve is configured to allow water to flow from the supply tank to the pump chamber during actuation of the lever arm in the charging direction, and the supply valve is configured to prevent water from flowing from the pump chamber into the supply tank during actuation of the lever arm in the discharging direction.

In one embodiment, a one-way discharge valve is positioned between the pump chamber and the nozzle. The discharge valve is configured to allow water to flow from the pump chamber to the nozzle during actuation of the lever arm in the discharging direction, and the discharge valve is configured to prevent a fluid from flowing from the nozzle back into the pump chamber during actuation of the lever arm in the charging direction.

In one embodiment, actuation of the lever arm in the charging direction comprises actuating the lever arm about the first pivot connection in a direction towards the nozzle, and actuation of the lever arm in the discharging direction comprises actuating the lever arm about the first pivot connection in a direction away the nozzle.

In one embodiment, a triggerless grip extends from the housing that is configured to be held by a user during actuation of the lever arm.

In one embodiment, the drive arm is coupled at the drive arm second end to a linkage, and the linkage extends between and couples the drive arm second end to an end of the piston positioned closest the nozzle.

In one embodiment, actuation of the lever arm in a charging direction causes the drive arm and the attached linkage and piston to translate towards the nozzle and is adapted to draw water from a supply tank within or connected to the housing into the pump chamber.

In one embodiment, actuation of the lever arm in a discharging direction causes the drive arm and the attached linkage and piston to translate away from the nozzle and is adapted to force water from the pump chamber to the nozzle.

In one embodiment, the pump chamber is fixedly coupled to the housing, and the piston is translatable within and relative to the fixed pump chamber.

In one embodiment, a discharge valve is coupled adjacent an end of the pump chamber positioned furthest from the nozzle, and a discharge tube extends between and fluidly coupling the discharge valve to the nozzle.

In one embodiment, the housing includes a slot extending through each side of the housing, and a first portion of the first end of the lever arm extends through the slots on each side of the housing and the first portion of the lever arm is coupled to the pump chamber to form the first pivot connection.

In one embodiment, the first portion of the lever arm is coupled to an exterior surface of the pump chamber.

In one embodiment, the piston is fixed to the housing, and actuation of the lever arm in a charging direction causes the pump chamber to translate away from the nozzle and is adapted to draw water from a supply tank within or connected to the housing into the pump chamber.

In one embodiment, the piston is fixed to the housing, and actuation of the lever arm in a discharging direction causes the pump chamber to translate towards the nozzle and is adapted to force water from the pump chamber to the nozzle.

In one embodiment, actuation of the lever arm in the discharging direction is adapted to cause the water within the pump chamber to flow from the pump chamber, through a hollow interior of the piston, and to the nozzle.

In one embodiment, a discharge valve is fluidly coupled to an end of the piston positioned closest to the nozzle, and the discharge valve fluidly couples the hollow interior of the piston to the nozzle.

In one embodiment, at least one guide is coupled to the housing, the at least one guide engaging an exterior surface of the pump chamber, allowing the pump chamber to slide back and forth during actuation of the lever arm in the charging and discharging directions.

In one embodiment, the drive arm second end is pivotally coupled to the housing such that the drive arm pivots about the drive arm second end during actuation of the lever arm.

In one embodiment, the lever arm increases a mechanical advantage of a pumping force of the toy water gun by at least a factor of 2.

In one embodiment, the pump chamber is fixed to the housing, and actuation of the lever arm in a charging direction causes the piston to translate away from the nozzle and is adapted to draw water through the nozzle into the pump chamber.

In such an embodiment, the nozzle is inserted into a water source to draw water through the nozzle during actuation of the lever arm in the charging direction.

In one embodiment, the pump chamber is fixed to the housing, and actuation of the lever arm in a discharging direction causes the piston to translate towards the nozzle and is adapted to force water from the pump chamber to the nozzle.

In one embodiment, the nozzle is directly coupled to an end of the pump chamber, and is therefore indirectly connected to the housing, and actuation of the lever arm in the discharging direction is adapted to cause the water within the pump chamber to flow from the pump chamber out through the nozzle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

The foregoing Summary as well as the following Detailed Description will be best understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the disclosure. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toy water gun according to a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a left side view of the toy water gun of FIG. 1, according to the first embodiment. The right side view of the toy water gun is a mirror image thereof.

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the toy water gun of FIG. 2 illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun in a first position.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the toy water gun of FIG. 2 illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun transitioning to a second position.

FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of the toy water gun of FIG. 2 illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun in the second position.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along Section 6-6 in FIG. 3, illustrating a valving system of the toy water gun.

FIG. 7 is a left side view of a toy water gun according to a second embodiment. The right side view of the second embodiment of the toy water gun is a mirror image thereof.

FIG. 8 is a schematic side view of the toy water gun of FIG. 7 illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun in a first position.

FIG. 9 is a schematic side view of the toy water gun of FIG. 7 illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun transitioning to a second position.

FIG. 10 is a schematic side view of the toy water gun of FIG. 7 illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun in the second position.

FIG. 11 is a schematic side view of the toy water gun of FIG. 7 illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun transitioning back to the first position.

FIG. 12 is a magnified detail view of a valving system of the toy water gun, as indicated in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 is a schematic side view of a toy water gun according to a third embodiment illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun in a first position.

FIG. 14 is a schematic side view of the toy water gun according to the third embodiment illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun transitioning to a second position.

FIG. 15 is a schematic side view of an alteration of the third embodiment of the toy water gun, illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun in the first position.

FIG. 16 is a schematic side view of the toy water gun of FIG. 15, illustrating the internal functional components of the toy water gun transitioning to the second position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Certain terminology is used in the following description for convenience only and is not limiting. The words “front”, “rear”, “upper”, and “lower” designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made. The words “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions towards and away from parts referenced in the drawings. “Axially” refers to a direction along the axis of a shaft, tube, or other indicated structure. A reference to a list of items that are cited as “at least one of a, b, or c” (where a, b, and c represent the items being listed) means any single one of the items a, b, or c, or combinations thereof are included. The terms “about” and “approximately” encompass +/−10% of an indicated value unless otherwise noted. The term “generally” in connection with a radial direction encompasses +/−25 degrees. The term “tube” encompasses any fluid conducting conduit, which can be formed from one or more parts or segments, and can be flexible or rigid. The terminology includes the words specifically noted above, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.

The toy water gun 10, 110 illustrated in FIGS. 1-12 includes a supply tank 14, 114 including water at ambient pressure, a pumping mechanism, and a nozzle 22, 122 to deliver a stream of water. More specifically, the pumping mechanism draws or pulls water from the supply tank 14, 114 with an actuation of the pumping mechanism in a first direction, and then delivers a stream of water through a nozzle when the pumping mechanism is actuated in an opposite, second direction. Therefore, the disclosed toy water gun 10, 110 eliminates the need for a trigger and utilizes the pumping mechanism to deliver the stream of water through the nozzle 22, 122 of the toy water gun 10, 110. An issue with previous triggerless toy water guns is that significant force is required to actuate the pumping mechanism to operate the toy water gun, which can be particularly challenging for younger children or those with physical limitations. As such, there is a need for a toy water gun in which the pumping (pressure/discharge stroke) is easier to perform, such that a broader spectrum of users can enjoy full use of the toy water gun.

FIGS. 1-6 illustrate a toy water gun 10 according to a first exemplary embodiment which solves the aforementioned issues. FIGS. 7-12 illustrate a toy water gun 110 according to a second exemplary embodiment which also solves the aforementioned issues. FIGS. 13-16 illustrate a toy water gun 210 according to a third exemplary embodiment which also solves the aforementioned issues. Specifically, each of the first, second, and third exemplary embodiments of the toy water gun 10, 110, 210 include a lever arm 24, 124, 224 and a drive arm 30, 130, 230 that provide a mechanical advantage that is preferably at least a factor of 2, and can be a factor of 3 or greater, regarding the force required to perform the charging and discharging actuations of the lever arm 24, 124, 224, compared to previous toy water guns. The lever arm 24, 124, 224 and the drive arm 30, 130, 230 aid in allowing a user to fully actuate the lever arm 24, 124, 224 in each direction to dispense a water stream from the nozzle 22, 122, 222 of the toy water gun 10, 110, 210 according to the full capabilities of the toy water gun 10, 110, 210. Each of the first, second, and third exemplary embodiments of the toy water gun 10, 110, 210 will be discussed in detail below.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-2, which illustrate the toy water gun 10 according to the first exemplary embodiment. The toy water gun 10 can include a housing 12 in which a portion of the housing 12 includes a supply tank 14 within or connected to the housing 12. The supply tank 14 can be a fluid tight cavity within the housing 12 that is configured to store water (or any other fluid) within the toy water gun 10. A refill opening 16 can extend through the housing 12 at an upper/top portion near a rear/back end of the housing 12, with respect to the in-use or operating position of the toy water gun 10. The refill opening 16 can be an aperture that extends through the housing 12 and the refill opening 16 provides a location in which water can be added to the supply tank 14 to fill the supply tank 14. A cap 18 can be included that is configured to couple to the refill opening 16 to prevent water from escaping the supply tank 14 when the supply tank 14 is not being filled with water.

The toy water gun 10 can further include a grip 20 extending downward from a lower, rear surface of the housing 12. As illustrated, the grip 20 is a triggerless grip 20, meaning that a trigger is not provided on or extending through the grip 20. The grip 20 is the portion of the toy water gun 10 that a user holds during use and operation of the toy water gun 10. For example, a user can grasp and hold onto the grip 20 during actuation of the lever arm 24, discussed further below. A nozzle 22 is positioned and/or coupled to the housing 12 at a front or forwardmost end of the toy water gun 10 during use and operation of the toy water gun 10. The nozzle 22 is adapted for discharging water from the toy water gun 10. In some examples, the cross-sectional area of the nozzle can gradually narrow toward the outermost edge/surface of the nozzle 22 to increase the fluid flow rate of the water dispensing from the nozzle 22.

As illustrated, a lever arm 24 can be coupled to the housing 12. The lever arm 24 can include a first end including a first pivot connection 26 and an opposite, second end including a handle 28. The lever arm 24 can pivot about the first pivot connection 26 during actuation of the lever arm 24. More specifically, the first pivot connection 26 can be a rod, pin, or the like that is rotationally coupled to the housing 12, allowing the lever arm 24 to pivot about the first pivot connection 26 relative to the housing 12 during actuation of the lever arm 24. The handle 28 of the lever arm 24 is positioned at an opposite end of the lever arm 24 as the first pivot connection 26, and the handle 28 extends in a direction away from the housing 12 of the toy water gun 10. The handle 28 is a feature of the lever arm 24 that a user grasps to push and pull during actuation of the lever arm 24. The handle 28 can be any shape, design, or feature that a user can easily grasp to actuate the lever arm 24 in a back and forth motion during use of the toy water gun 10.

Referring now to FIGS. 3-5, which illustrate the internal functional components of the first exemplary embodiment of the toy water gun 10 during different phases of use. More specifically, FIG. 3 illustrates the toy water gun 10 in a first position in which the toy water gun 10 is in a fully charged state and the toy water gun 10 is ready to dispense water from the nozzle 22. FIG. 4 illustrates the toy water gun 10 transitioning from the first position to a second position in which the toy water gun 10 is actively dispensing water from the nozzle 22. FIG. 5 illustrates the toy water gun 10 in the second position in which the toy water gun 10 has dispensed all the water from the pump chamber 34 of the toy water gun 10, and the pump chamber 34 is ready to be recharged/refilled with water from the supply tank 14 for future dispensing (assuming that there is water in the supply tank 14).

As illustrated, the toy water gun 10 further includes a drive arm 30, a linkage 32, a pump chamber 34, a piston 36, a supply tube 38, a supply valve 40, a discharge valve 42, and a discharge tube 44. In the illustrated embodiment, the drive arm 30 includes a generally “L” shape and the drive arm 30 includes a drive arm first end 30A and a drive arm second end 30B positioned at opposite ends of the drive arm 30. The drive arm 30 is pivotally coupled to a portion near the first end of the lever arm 24, and the drive arm 30 can pivot relative to the lever arm 24 at the connection point. More specifically, the drive arm 30 is pivotally coupled at the drive arm first end 30A to the lever arm 24 at a position that is closer to the first pivot connection 26 than the handle 28 of the lever arm 24. Further, the drive arm 30 is coupled at the drive arm second end 30B to the piston 36 through the linkage 32. The linkage 32 is a rod, plate, or the like that extends between and couples the drive arm second end 30B to an end of the piston 36 positioned closest to the nozzle 22. As such, the linkage 32 extends from the drive arm second end 30B in a direction towards the nozzle 22, and the linkage 32 terminates at and is coupled to an end of the piston 36.

The pump chamber 34 and the piston 36 are each positioned at or within the housing 12. More specifically, in the first exemplary embodiment, the pump chamber 34 is fixedly coupled to the housing 12 and the piston 36 is translatable within and relative to the fixed pump chamber 34. As such, the pump chamber 34 and the piston 36 (along with the lever arm 24) constitute the pumping mechanism utilized to dispense a stream of water from the nozzle 22 of the toy water gun 10. The pump chamber 34 and the piston 36 can have any complementary mating shape that allows the piston 36 to translate with relatively low-friction within the pump chamber 34. Further, a sealing mechanism/interface, preferably an O-ring seal, can be positioned at the interface between an outer surface/diameter of the piston 36 and an inner surface/diameter of the pump chamber 34. The sealing mechanism/interface prevents water from escaping the pump chamber 34 in an undesirable manner, such as between an outer surface/diameter of the piston 36 and an inner surface/diameter of the pump chamber 34.

The supply tube 38 is a fluid tight tube, channel, conduit, or the like that extends between and fluidly couples the supply tank 14 to the pump chamber 34. The supply tube 38 is configured to provide a flow path for water to flow from the supply tank 14 into the pump chamber 34. The supply valve 40 is coupled to the pump chamber 34 and the supply valve 40 is positioned between the supply tank 14 and the pump chamber 34. The supply valve 40 is a one-way valve that is configured to allow water to flow from the supply tank 14 into the pump chamber 34, and also configured to prevent water from flowing from the pump chamber 34 back into the supply tube 38 and/or the supply tank 14 during discharging of the toy water gun 10.

As shown best in FIG. 6, which a cross-sectional view taken along Section 6-6 in FIG. 3, the discharge valve 42 is coupled to the pump chamber 34 preferably adjacent an end of the pump chamber 34 positioned furthest from the nozzle 22. Further, the discharge valve 42 is positioned between the pump chamber 34 and the discharge tube 44. The discharge valve 42 is a one-way valve that is configured to allow water to flow from the pump chamber 34 into the discharge tube 44, and also configured to prevent water from flowing from the discharge tube 44 back into the pump chamber 34. In some embodiments, the discharge valve 42 can include an inlet 46, an outlet 48, and a valve member 50 and a biasing member 52 positioned between the inlet 46 and the outlet 48. The biasing member 52 is configured to bias the valve member 50 toward the pump chamber 34 to keep the inlet 46 of the discharge valve 42 closed until a force of water from the pumping mechanism during discharging of the toy water gun 10 overcomes the biasing force of the biasing member 52. For example, the biasing member 52 can force the valve member 50 against the inlet 46 to prevent water from flowing through the inlet 46 of the discharge valve 42. Upon a pressure or force exerted by the water within the pump chamber 34 exceeding a threshold value, the biasing member 52 compresses and allows water to flow through the inlet 46 and the outlet 48 of the discharge valve 42 and into the discharge tube 44. Once the pressure or force exerted by the water on the valve member 50 drops below the threshold value, the discharge valve 42 will close to prevent water from flowing through the discharge valve 42 as well as preventing air from being drawn from the nozzle 22 back into the discharge tube 44 and the pump chamber 34 during charging of the water gun 10.

Referring again to FIGS. 3-5, the discharge tube 44 is a fluid tight tube, channel, conduit, or the like that extends between and fluidly couples the pump chamber 34 to the nozzle 22. As such, the discharge tube 44 is configured to provide a flow path for water to flow from the pump chamber 34 to the nozzle 22 for dispensing the water from the toy water gun 10. Although the discharge valve 42 and the discharge tube 44 are illustrated and described as extending from a lateral side of the pump chamber 34, it is to be understood that the discharge valve 42 and the discharge tube 44 can extend from any side surface of the pump chamber 34.

Referring again to FIG. 3, which illustrates the toy water gun 10 in a first position in which the toy water gun 10 is fully charged with water and ready to dispense water from the nozzle 22. In operation, a user can grasp the grip 20 with one hand and then grasp the handle 28 of the lever arm 24 with the other hand. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the user can then pull the handle 28 and the lever arm 24 in a discharging direction away from the nozzle 22. During actuation of the lever arm 24 in the discharging direction about the first pivot connection 26, the drive arm 30 with the attached linkage 32 and piston 36 translate away from the nozzle 22.

Further, during actuation of the lever arm 24 in the discharging direction, the piston 36 translates into the pump chamber 34 to force the water within the pump chamber 34 to flow through the discharge valve 42 and into the discharge tube 44. During the discharging actuation, the supply valve 40 is configured to remain closed to prevent water from flowing from the pump chamber 34 into the supply tube 38 and/or the supply tank 14. The water flowing through the discharge valve 42 can then flow through the discharge tube 44 to the nozzle 22, where the water is dispensed from the toy water gun 10. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the water continues to dispense from the nozzle 22 of the toy water gun 10 until the lever arm 24, drive arm 30, linkage 32, and piston 36 have translated a maximum distance away from the nozzle 22 and the piston 36 has reached an end of the pump chamber 34 positioned furthest from the nozzle 22. At that point, all the water that can be dispensed has been dispensed from the pump chamber 34 and the pump chamber 34 needs to be refilled with water before any more water can be dispensed from the toy water gun 10.

To refill the pump chamber 34 with water, the user can push the handle 28 and the lever arm 24 in a charging direction towards the nozzle 22 to draw or pull water into the pump chamber 34. During actuation of the lever arm 24 in the charging direction about the first pivot connection 26, the drive arm 30 with the attached linkage 32 and piston 36 translate toward the nozzle 22. Further, during actuation of the lever arm 24 in the charging direction, the piston 36 translates in a direction out of the pump chamber 34 and towards the nozzle 22, the discharge valve 42 closes to prevent fluid from flowing from the discharge tube 44 into the pump chamber 34, and the supply valve 40 opens to allow water to be drawn or pulled from the supply tank 14 through the supply tube 38 and the supply valve 40 into the pump chamber 34. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the water continues to be drawn or pulled into the pump chamber 34 until the lever arm 24, the drive arm 30, the linkage 32, and the piston 36 have translated a maximum distance towards the nozzle 22 and the piston 36 has reached an opposite end region of the pump chamber 34 from the supply valve 40 and is positioned closest to the nozzle 22. At that point, the pump chamber 34 has been refilled with water and the toy water gun 10 is ready to dispense the water with a discharging actuation, as described above. The user can repeat the charging and discharging actuations of the lever arm 24 to refill the pump chamber 34 and dispense water from the nozzle 22 of the toy water gun 10, respectively, until the water supply within the supply tank 14 has been depleted. At which point, a user must refill the water supply through the refill opening 16 to continue use of the toy water gun 10. With this arrangement, the mechanical advantage provided by the lever arm 24 can allow a user to dispense a steam of water 30 feet or more.

Referring now to FIGS. 7-12, which illustrate the toy water gun 110 according to the second exemplary embodiment. The second exemplary embodiment of the toy water gun 110 is substantially similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the toy water gun 10 described with regards to FIGS. 1-6. Therefore, to avoid redundancy, only the differences between the first and second embodiments will be discussed in detail below. Further, it is to be understood that the discussion regarding the first exemplary embodiment equally applies to the second exemplary embodiment where similar element numbers (increased by 100) designate like elements, unless noted otherwise.

As shown best in FIG. 7, the second exemplary embodiment of the toy water gun 110 includes a housing 112 with a slot 154 extending through each lateral side of the housing 112. The slot 154 provides a location in which the first pivot connection 126 of the lever arm 124 can extend through into an interior of the housing 112. More specifically, a first portion of the first end of the lever arm 124 extends through the slots 154 on each side of the housing 112 and the first portion of the lever arm 124 is coupled to the pump chamber 134 to form the first pivot connection 126 of the lever arm 124. In some embodiments, the first pivot connection 126 can be a rod, pin, receiving opening, or the like that allows a rotational connection to an exterior surface of the pump chamber 134, which can have a corresponding receiving opening, rod, or pin, allowing the lever arm 124 to pivot about the first pivot connection 126 relative to the housing 112 during actuation of the lever arm 124, discussed further below.

Referring now to FIGS. 8-11, which illustrate the internal functional components of the second exemplary embodiment of the toy water gun 110 during different phases of use. More specifically, FIG. 8 illustrates the toy water gun 110 in a first position in which the toy water gun 110 is in a fully charged state and the toy water gun 110 is ready to dispense water from the nozzle 122. FIG. 9 illustrates the toy water gun 110 transitioning from the first position to a second position in which the toy water gun 110 is actively dispensing water from the nozzle 122. FIG. 10 illustrates the toy water gun 110 in the second position in which the toy water gun 110 has dispensed all the water from the pump chamber 134 of the toy water gun 110, and the toy water gun 110 is ready to be recharged/refilled with water for future dispensing. FIG. 11 illustrates the toy water gun 110 transitioning from the second position to the first position in which the toy water gun 110 is actively refilling water into the pump chamber 134.

As illustrated, the lever arm 124 can include a first end including a first pivot connection 126 and an opposite, second end including a handle 128. The lever arm 124 can pivot about the first pivot connection 126 during actuation of the lever arm 124. More specifically, the first pivot connection 126 can be a rod, pin, or the like that is rotationally coupled to the pump chamber 134, allowing the lever arm 124 to pivot about the first pivot connection 126 relative to the housing 112 and the pump chamber 134 during actuation of the lever arm 124. Further, the first pivot connection 126 can translate along the slot 154 of the housing 112 during actuation of the lever arm 124. In some examples, the first pivot connection 126 can translate along the slot 154 towards the nozzle 122 during a discharging actuation, and the first pivot connection 126 can translate along the slot 154 away from the nozzle 122 during a charging actuation. The handle 128 of the lever arm 124 is positioned at an opposite end of the lever arm 124 as the first pivot connection 126, and the handle 128 extends in a direction away from the housing 112 of the toy water gun 110. The handle 128 is a feature of the lever arm 124 that a user grasps to push and pull during actuation of the lever arm 124.

The toy water gun 110 can further include a drive arm 130, a pump chamber 134, a piston 136, a guide 156, a supply tube 138, a supply valve 140, and a discharge valve 142. In the illustrated embodiment, the drive arm 130 includes a generally “L” shape and the drive arm 130 includes a drive arm first end 130A and a drive arm second end 130B positioned at opposite ends of the drive arm 130. The drive arm 130 is pivotally coupled in a region of the first end of the lever arm 124, and the drive arm 130 can pivot relative to the lever arm 124 at the connection point. More specifically, the drive arm 130 is pivotally coupled at the drive arm first end 130A to the lever arm 124 at a position that is closer to the first pivot connection 126 than the handle 128 of the lever arm 124. Further, the drive arm 130 is pivotally coupled at the drive arm second end 130B to the housing 112, such that the drive arm 130 can pivot about the connection point. As such, in the second exemplary embodiment, the drive arm 130 can pivot about the drive arm second end 130B, but the drive arm 130 cannot translate relative to the housing 112.

The pump chamber 134 and the piston 136 are each positioned at or within the housing 112. More specifically, in the second exemplary embodiment, the piston 136 is fixedly coupled to the housing 112 and the pump chamber 134 is translatable relative to the fixed piston 136. As such, the pump chamber 134 and the piston 136 (along with the lever arm 124) constitute the pumping mechanism utilized to dispense a stream of water from the nozzle 122 of the toy water gun 110. The pump chamber 134 and the piston 136 can have any complementary mating shape that allows the pump chamber 134 to translate with relatively low-friction relative to the piston 136. Further, a sealing mechanism/interface, preferably an O-ring seal, can be positioned at the interface between an outer surface/diameter of the piston 136 and an inner surface/diameter of the pump chamber 134. The sealing mechanism/interface prevents water from escaping the pump chamber 134 in an undesirable manner, such as between an outer surface/diameter of the piston 136 and an inner surface/diameter of the pump chamber 134.

In the second exemplary embodiment, the guide 156 is coupled to an inner surface of the housing 112 and the guide 156 is positioned adjacent an outer or exterior surface of the pump chamber 134. The guide 156 is configured to engage an exterior surface of the pump chamber 134 to secure the pump chamber 134 within a translating envelope and the guide 156 is configured to direct the translation of the pump chamber 134 within a defined envelope, during translation of the pump chamber 134. In some examples, the guide 156 can be an inwardly directed protrusion of the housing 112 that extends inward toward an interior of the housing 112 that defines a sliding interface with an outer surface of the pump chamber 134. Further, in the second exemplary embodiment, the piston 136 includes a hollow interior extending fully through the piston 136. As such, in the second exemplary embodiment, water can flow from the pump chamber 134, through the hollow interior of the piston 136, and to the nozzle 122 for dispensing from the toy water gun 110.

The supply tube 138 is a fluid tight tube, channel, conduit, or the like that extends between and fluidly couples the supply tank 114 to a valve chamber 158, which connects to the hollow interior of the piston 136 and leads to the pump chamber 134. The supply tube 138 is configured to provide a flow path for water to flow from the supply tank 114, through the valve chamber 158 and the hollow interior of the piston 136, and into the pump chamber 134. The supply valve 140 is positioned in the valve chamber 158 between the supply tank 114 and the pump chamber 134. The supply valve 140 is a one-way valve that is configured to allow water to flow from the supply tank 114 into the valve chamber 158, where it is then further transferred through the hollow interior of the piston 136 and into the pump chamber 134. The supply valve 140 is also configured to prevent water from flowing from the pump chamber 134 and the hollow interior of the piston 136 back through the valve chamber 158 and into the supply tube 138 and/or the supply tank 114.

As shown best in FIG. 12, the discharge valve 142 is positioned directly adjacent and between the nozzle 122 and the valve chamber 158. The discharge valve 142 is a one-way valve that is configured to allow water to flow from the pump chamber 134, the hollow interior of the piston 136 and the valve chamber 158 into and through the nozzle 122. Further, the discharge valve 142 is also configured to prevent fluid (mainly air or water) from flowing back from the nozzle 122 through the valve chamber 158 and the hollow interior of the piston 136 into the pump chamber 134. In some embodiments, the discharge valve 142 can include an inlet 146, an outlet 148, and a valve member 150 and a biasing member 152 positioned between the inlet 146 and the outlet 148. The biasing member 152 is configured to bias the valve member 150 toward the valve chamber 158 to keep the inlet 146 of the discharge valve 142 closed until a force overcomes the biasing force of the biasing member 152. For example, the biasing member 152 can force the valve member 150 against the inlet 146 to prevent water from flowing through the inlet 146 of the discharge valve 142. Upon a pressure or force exerted by the water within the pump chamber 134, the hollow interior of the piston 136, and the valve chamber 158 exceeding a threshold value, the biasing member 152 compresses and allows water to flow through the inlet 146 and the outlet 148 of the discharge valve 142 and into and through the nozzle 122. Once the pressure or force exerted by the water on the valve member 150 drops below the threshold value, the discharge valve 142 will close to prevent fluid from being drawn back through the discharge valve 142.

Referring again to FIG. 8, which illustrates the toy water gun 110 in a first position in which the toy water gun 110 is fully charged with water and ready to dispense water from the nozzle 122. In operation, a user can grasp the grip 120 with one hand and then grasp the handle 128 of the lever arm 124 with the other hand. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the user can then pull the handle 128 and the lever arm 124 in a discharging direction away from the nozzle 122. During actuation of the lever arm 124 in the discharging direction, the lever arm 124 pivots about the first pivot connection 126 and the first end of the lever arm 124 translates along the slots 154 of the housing 112. Further, the drive arm 130 rotates/pivots about the drive arm second end 130B and the drive arm first end 130A coupled to the lever arm 124 provides support and secures the lever arm 124 to the housing 112 of the toy water gun 110 providing a rotation point for the lever arm 124 so that the first pivot connection 126 can translate the pump chamber 134.

Further, during actuation of the lever arm 124 in the discharging direction, the pump chamber 134 translates relative to the piston 136 to force the water within the pump chamber 134 to flow through the hollow interior of the piston 136, the valve chamber 158, and the nozzle 122. During the discharging actuation, the supply valve 140 is configured to remain closed to prevent water from flowing from the pump chamber 134, the piston 136, and the valve chamber 158 into the supply tube 138 and/or the supply tank 114. The water flowing through the discharge valve 142 can then flow through the nozzle 122, where the water is dispensed from the toy water gun 110. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the water continues to dispense from the nozzle 122 of the toy water gun 110 until the pump chamber 134 has translated a maximum distance toward from the nozzle 122 and the piston 136 has reached an end of the pump chamber 134. At that point, all the water has been dispensed from the pump chamber 134 and the pump chamber 134 needs to be refilled with water before any more water can be dispensed from the toy water gun 110.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, to refill the pump chamber 134 with water, the user can push the handle 128 and the lever arm 124 in a charging direction towards the nozzle 122 to draw or pull water into the pump chamber 134. During actuation of the lever arm 124 in the charging direction, the lever arm 124 pivots about the first pivot connection 126 and the first end of the lever arm 124 translates along the slot 154 away from the nozzle 122. Further, during actuation of the lever arm 124 in the charging direction, the pump chamber 134 translates in a direction away from the nozzle 122; the discharge valve 142 closes to prevent fluid from being drawn in through the nozzle 122 into the pump chamber 134; and the supply valve 140 opens to allow water to be drawn or pulled from the supply tank 114 through the supply tube 138, the supply valve 140, the valve chamber 158, and the hollow interior of the piston 136 into the pump chamber 134. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the water continues to be drawn or pulled into the pump chamber 134 until the lever arm 124 has translated a maximum distance towards the nozzle 122 and the pump chamber 134 has translated a maximum distance away from the nozzle 122. At that point, the pump chamber 134 has been refilled with water and the toy water gun 110 is ready to dispense the water with a discharging actuation, as described above. The user can repeat the charging and discharging actuations of the lever arm 124 to refill the pump chamber 134 and dispense water from the nozzle 122 of the toy water gun 110, respectively, until the water supply within the supply tank 114 has been depleted. At which point, a user must refill the water supply through the refill opening 116 to continue use of the toy water gun 110.

Referring now to FIGS. 13-16, which illustrate the toy water gun 210 according to the third exemplary embodiment. The third exemplary embodiment of the toy water gun 210 is substantially similar to the second exemplary embodiment of the toy water gun 110 described with regards to FIGS. 7-12. Therefore, to avoid redundancy, only the differences between the second and third embodiments will be discussed in detail below. Further, it is to be understood that the discussion regarding the second exemplary embodiment equally applies to the third exemplary embodiment where similar element numbers (increased by 100) designate like elements, unless noted otherwise.

As illustrated, the third exemplary embodiment of the toy water gun 210 includes a housing 212 with a slot 254 extending through each lateral side of the housing 212. The slot 254 provides a location in which the first pivot connection 226 of the lever arm 224 can extend through into an interior of the housing 212. More specifically, a first portion of the first end of the lever arm 224 extends through the slots 254 on each side of the housing 212 and the first portion of the lever arm 224 is coupled to the piston 236 to form the first pivot connection 226 of the lever arm 224. In some embodiments, the first pivot connection 226 can be a rod, pin, receiving opening, or the like that allows a rotational connection to the piston 236, which can have a corresponding receiving opening, rod, or pin, allowing the lever arm 224 to pivot about the first pivot connection 226 relative to the housing 212 during actuation of the lever arm 224, discussed further below.

FIG. 13 illustrates the toy water gun 210 in a first position in which the toy water gun 210 is in a fully charged state and the toy water gun 210 is ready to dispense water from the nozzle 222. FIG. 14 illustrates the toy water gun 210 in the second position in which the toy water gun 210 has dispensed all the water from the pump chamber 234 of the toy water gun 210, and the toy water gun 210 is ready to be recharged/refilled with water for future dispensing. FIGS. 13-14 illustrate a first option for the third embodiment of the toy water gun 210, in which the drive arm 230 is coupled at a drive arm first end 230A to the lever arm 224 and coupled at a drive arm second end 230B to a portion of the housing 212 positioned further from the nozzle 222 and closer to a rear portion of the housing 212.

FIGS. 15-16 illustrate a second option for the third embodiment of the toy water gun 210, in which the drive arm 230 is coupled at the drive arm first end 230A to the lever arm 224 and coupled at the drive arm second end 230B to a portion of the housing 212 positioned closer the nozzle 222 and further from the rear portion of the housing 212. FIGS. 13-14 and FIGS. 15-16 illustrate substantially similar embodiments with the most significant difference being the connection location of the drive arm second end 230B to the housing 212. Therefore, it is to be understood that the discussion regarding the first option of the third exemplary embodiment equally applies to the second option of the third exemplary embodiment, unless noted otherwise.

As illustrated, the lever arm 224 can include a first end including a first pivot connection 226 and an opposite, second end including a handle 228. The lever arm 224 can pivot about the first pivot connection 226 during actuation of the lever arm 224. More specifically, the first pivot connection 226 can be a rod, pin, or the like that is rotationally coupled to the piston 236, allowing the lever arm 224 to pivot about the first pivot connection 226 relative to the housing 212 and the piston 236 during actuation of the lever arm 224. Further, the first pivot connection 226 can translate along the slot 254 of the housing 212 during actuation of the lever arm 224. In some examples, the first pivot connection 226 can translate along the slot 254 towards the nozzle 222 during a discharging actuation, and the first pivot connection 226 can translate along the slot 254 away from the nozzle 222 during a charging actuation. The handle 228 of the lever arm 224 is positioned at an opposite end of the lever arm 224 as the first pivot connection 226, and the handle 228 extends in a direction away from the housing 212 of the toy water gun 210. The handle 228 is a feature of the lever arm 224 that a user grasps to push and pull during actuation of the lever arm 224.

In the illustrated embodiment, the drive arm 230 includes a drive arm first end 230A and a drive arm second end 230B positioned at opposite ends of the drive arm 230. The drive arm 230 is pivotally coupled in a region of the first end of the lever arm 224, and the drive arm 230 can pivot relative to the lever arm 224 at the connection point. More specifically, the drive arm 230 is pivotally coupled at the drive arm first end 230A to the lever arm 224 at a position that is closer to the first pivot connection 226 than the handle 228 of the lever arm 224. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 13-14, the drive arm 230 is pivotally coupled at the drive arm second end 230B to a portion of the housing 212 positioned further from the nozzle 222 and closer to a rear portion of the housing 212. In the example illustrated in FIGS. 15-16, the drive arm 230 is pivotally coupled at the drive arm second end 230B to a portion of the housing 212 positioned closer to the nozzle 222 and further from the rear portion of the housing 212. In either example, the drive arm 230 can pivot about the connection point, and the main difference is the connection location of the drive arm second end 230B to the housing 212. As such, in the third exemplary embodiment, the drive arm 230 can pivot about the drive arm second end 230B, but the drive arm 230 cannot translate relative to the housing 212.

The pump chamber 234 and the piston 236 are each positioned at or within the housing 212. More specifically, in the third exemplary embodiment, the pump chamber 234 is fixedly coupled to the housing 212 and the piston 236 is translatable relative to the fixed pump chamber 234. As such, the pump chamber 234 and the piston 236 (along with the lever arm 224) constitute the pumping mechanism utilized to dispense a stream of water from the nozzle 222 of the toy water gun 210. The pump chamber 234 and the piston 236 can have any complementary mating shape that allows the pump chamber 234 to translate with relatively low-friction relative to the piston 236. Further, a sealing mechanism/interface, preferably an O-ring seal, can be positioned at the interface between an outer surface/diameter of the piston 236 and an inner surface/diameter of the pump chamber 234. The sealing mechanism/interface prevents water from escaping the pump chamber 234 in an undesirable manner, such as between an outer surface/diameter of the piston 236 and an inner surface/diameter of the pump chamber 234.

Referring again to FIG. 13, which illustrates the toy water gun 210 in a first position in which the toy water gun 210 is fully charged with water and ready to dispense water from the nozzle 222. In operation, a user can grasp the grip 220 with one hand and then grasp the handle 228 of the lever arm 224 with the other hand. The user can then pull the handle 228 and the lever arm 224 in a discharging direction away from the nozzle 222. During actuation of the lever arm 224 in the discharging direction, the lever arm 224 pivots about the first pivot connection 226 and the first end of the lever arm 224 translates along the slots 254 of the housing 212. Further, the drive arm 230 rotates/pivots about the drive arm second end 230B and the drive arm first end 230A coupled to the lever arm 224 provides support and secures the lever arm 224 to the housing 212 of the toy water gun 210 providing a rotation point for the lever arm 224 so that the first pivot connection 226 can translate the piston 236. In addition, as illustrated, the toy water gun 210 can include an arm support 260 that extends from a rear portion of the housing 212 in a direction away from the nozzle 222. The arm support 260 can rest against a user's arm to provide extra support and stability to the toy water gun 210 during actuation of the lever 224.

Further, during actuation of the lever arm 224 in the discharging direction, the piston 236 translates relative to the pump chamber 234 to force the water within the pump chamber 234 to flow to the nozzle 222, where the water is dispensed from the toy water gun 210. As illustrated in FIG. 14, the water continues to dispense from the nozzle 222 of the toy water gun 210 until the piston 236 has translated a maximum distance toward the nozzle 222 and the piston 236 has reached an end of the pump chamber 234. At that point, all the water has been dispensed from the pump chamber 234 and the pump chamber 234 needs to be refilled with water before any more water can be dispensed from the toy water gun 210. In some examples, as illustrated, the nozzle 222 can be directly coupled to an end of the pump chamber 234, and actuation of the lever arm 224 in the discharging direction is adapted to cause the water within the pump chamber 234 to flow from the pump chamber 234 out through the nozzle 222.

In the third embodiment of the toy water gun 210, to refill the pump chamber 234 with water, the user inserts the nozzle 222 into a water source (such as a bucket filled with water), and then the user pushes the handle 228 and the lever arm 224 in a charging direction towards the nozzle 222 to draw or pull water through the nozzle 222 and into the pump chamber 234. During actuation of the lever arm 224 in the charging direction, the lever arm 224 pivots about the first pivot connection 226 and the first end of the lever arm 224 translates along the slot 254 away from the nozzle 222. Further, during actuation of the lever arm 224 in the charging direction, the piston 236 translates in a direction away from the nozzle 222 to draw or pull water through the nozzle 222 and into the pump chamber 234. The water continues to be drawn or pulled into the pump chamber 234 until the lever arm 224 has translated a maximum distance towards the nozzle 222 and the piston 236 has translated a maximum distance away from the nozzle 222. At that point, the pump chamber 234 has been refilled with water and the toy water gun 210 is ready to dispense the water with a discharging actuation, as described above.

The first, second, and third exemplary embodiments of the toy water gun 10, 110, 210 provide a toy water gun with a mechanical advantage of at least a factor of 2, regarding the force required to perform the charging and discharging actuations of the lever arm 24, 124, 224, compared to previous toy water guns. This means, for example, that a 10-pound force at the handle 28, 128, 228 of the lever arm 24, 124, 224 produces at least a 20-pound force at the pumping mechanism (the piston 36, 136, 236 and the pump chamber 34, 134, 234) of the toy water gun 10, 110, 210. As such, the toy water gun 10, 110, 210 including the lever arm 24, 124, 224 makes it easier to perform the charging and discharging actuations to dispense water from the nozzle 22, 122, 222 of the toy water gun 10, 110, 210. Therefore, the toy water gun 10, 110, 210 is easier to use for younger children and allows younger children to utilize the full capabilities of the toy water gun 10, 110, 210. In some examples, the toy water gun 10, 110, 210 can increase the shooting distance of the water for a younger child, as compared to previous pump action toy water guns. Therefore, the toy water gun 10, 110, 210 is advantageous over previous toy water guns for at least the reason provided above, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.

Having thus described the present embodiments in detail, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes, only a few of which are exemplified in the detailed description of the disclosure, could be made without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. It is also to be appreciated that numerous embodiments incorporating only part of the preferred embodiment are possible which do not alter, with respect to those parts, the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. The present embodiment and optional configurations are therefore to be considered in all respects as exemplary and/or illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the disclosure being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all alternate embodiments and changes to this embodiment which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of said claims are therefore to be embraced therein.

LOG OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

- 10 Toy Water Gun
- 12 Housing
- 14 Supply Tank
- 16 Refill Opening
- 18 Cap
- 20 Grip
- 22 Nozzle
- 24 Lever Arm
- 26 First Pivot Connection
- 28 Handle
- 30 Drive Arm
- 30A Drive Arm First End
- 30B Drive Arm Second End
- 32 Linkage
- 34 Pump Chamber
- 36 Piston
- 38 Supply Tube
- 40 Supply Valve
- 42 Discharge Valve
- 44 Discharge Tube
- 46 Inlet
- 48 Outlet
- 50 Valve Member
- 52 Biasing Member
- 110 Toy Water Gun
- 112 Housing
- 114 Supply Tank
- 116 Refill Opening
- 118 Cap
- 120 Grip
- 122 Nozzle
- 124 Lever Arm
- 126 First Pivot Connection
- 128 Handle
- 130 Drive Arm
- 130A Drive Arm First End
- 130B Drive Arm Second End
- 134 Pump Chamber
- 136 Piston
- 138 Supply Tube
- 140 Supply Valve
- 142 Discharge Valve
- 146 Inlet
- 148 Outlet
- 150 Valve Member
- 152 Biasing Member
- 154 Slot
- 156 Guide
- 158 Valve Chamber
- 210 Toy Water Gun
- 212 Housing
- 220 Grip
- 222 Nozzle
- 224 Lever Arm
- 226 First Pivot Connection
- 228 Handle
- 230 Drive Arm
- 230A Drive Arm First End
- 230B Drive Arm Second End
- 234 Pump Chamber
- 236 Piston
- 254 Slot
- 260 Arm Support

WATER GUN WITH LEVER ARM FIRING MECHANISM

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CPC

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Abstract

Description

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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional Applications (1)