US20080153381A1

US20080153381A1 - Flying toy

Info

Publication number: US20080153381A1
Application number: US11/645,271
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert Schenk; John Geigle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-12-26
Filing date: 2006-12-26
Publication date: 2008-06-26

Abstract

A novel flying toy comprising a ringed or banded rotor launched by a pulled string. The rotor has an outer ring or band and an inner circular disk connected by a plurality of curved blades. The rotor rests upon a spindle set in one end of a handle grasped by the user. The rotor is loosely held by pins in the spindle. A string is wound around the spindle and pulled by the user. The spindle and rotor are spun rapidly causing the rotor to lift off the pins and into the air. The outer band contains air near the blades, and coupled with the configuration of the blades, contributes greatly to aerodynamic lift and flight stability.

Description

FIELD

The present invention relates to toys; more specifically it is a new and improved flying toy having spinning, band-enclosed propeller blades that are launched from a handle by action of a wrapped and pulled string to impart a rotary motion to the band-enclosed blades.

BACKGROUND

Aerodynamic toys is known in the prior art. Many aerodynamic toys consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations. Of particular interest, as an example of prior art, is the art disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,146,231, entitled Flying Toy. In the patent, the inventor discloses a flying toy including a handle portion having an upper end. A spindle is mounted top the upper end and has a bore extending downwardly. A rotating rod extends through the bore and into the upper end of the handle to allow relative rotation of the spindle upon the handle. The spindle has a pair of pins extending upwardly. A propeller portion is coupled with respect to the circular platform of the handle portion. The propeller portion includes an inner circular disk. The inner circular disk has a plurality of radially-extending blades integrally formed with a peripheral edge. Each of the blades has a predetermined angle of orientation. A length of string is secured to the spindle. The length of string has an end fixedly secured to the spindle with a remainder of the string being wrapped around the rotating rod just prior to operation of the toy. Operation involves pulling the string while holding the handle still, to rotate the spindle and cause the propeller portion to rotate and lift upward, free of the spindle.
While this toy is an improvement over its prior art, and provides entertainment to children it has certain defects. Among these are instabilities of its direction of flight, and its distance and height of travel.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing a novel improvement in the design and structure of this toy is in order.

SUMMARY

To achieve such an improvement, the improved flying toy comprises a flying rotor comprising a round flat disk and an outer band surrounding and concentric with the disk. The band and the disk are connected by a plurality of curved blades configured to produce aerodynamic lift when the blades are spinning. The disk has a shaft in its center extending downward vertically, and two holes near its center, wherein the holes are on opposing sides of, and equidistant from, the center point of the disk. The toy further has a cylindrical handle with a spindle mounted at one end of the handle. The spindle is confined to rotate while mounted on the handle, wherein the spindle rotation is facilitated. The spindle is made with two pins that extend vertically upward, wherein the pins are made to be received by the two holes made in the disk when the rotor is set atop the spindle. The toy further includes a string, cord or the like, the string or cord wound around the spindle. When the wound string is pulled vigorously the rotor is made to rotate rapidly and flying upward.

OBJECTS

The flying toy has been tested and shown to realize several objectives having benefit to the person using the toy. Among these objects is the flying rotor is far more stable and flies predictably.
A second object is a flying toy that has greater aerodynamic efficiency and therefore, will fly further and higher.
The benefits and advantages of the invention will appear from the disclosure to follow. In the disclosure reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. This embodiment will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made in details of the embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a view of the toy showing details of the flying rotor.

FIG. 1B shows details of the rotor of the toy.

FIG. 1C shows configuration of propeller blades with respect to the outer band.

FIG. 2 is a view of the handle and spindle.

FIG. 3 is a view of the rotor, handle, spindle and string used together.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The included Figures show a manually operated flying toy comprising a rotor that is launched from a handle having a spindle, wherein rotational motion is imparted to the spindle and then to the rotor by a a length of string or cord that is wrapped around the spindle and pulled vigorously. One improvement of this invention over prior art flying toys comprises the inclusion of a ring or band encircling blades, wherein the ring traps air and improves lift and stability of flight.
With reference to FIG. 1A, the rotor 1100 comprises a circular outer band 1110 that is positioned to be concentric with a propeller assembly 1120 with the propeller assembly 1120 comprised of a plurality of propeller blades 1130 and having at its center a flat disk 1122. The propeller assembly 1120 is made to be stationary with respect to the band. 1110. The band 1110 is connected to the disk 1120 by the plurality of blades 1130. In FIG. 1, a means of connection of blades 1130 to the band 1110 is shown wherein the end 1132 of each blade 1130 is received by a slot 1112 made in the band 1110. Other means of connecting comprise gluing or the like.
Again with reference to FIG. 1A, the center disk 1122 of the propeller assembly 1120 is made with at least two holes 1124 bored through the disk 1122, and made of a size to receive a corresponding number of pins or posts or projections 1422 from below. (With reference to FIG. 1 the holes 1140 are made to receive pins 1422 made in the spindle 2420 as shown in FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, the pins are labeled as 2422.)
FIG. 1B shows the rotor 1100 having a propeller assembly 1120 configured to remain fixed with respect to an outer band or ring 1110. The propeller assembly 1120 comprises a plurality of propellers 1130 extending from an inner disk or circular portion 1122. The blades 1130 are affixed to the ring 1110 by a slot 1112 made to receive the end 1132 of each respective blade 1130. Holes 1124 are made opposing the center of the disk or circular portion 1122 of the propeller assembly 1120.
FIG. 1C illustrates the placement and tilt or curvature of the blades 1130 with respect to the band 1110.
The blades 1130 are configured to impart lift to the rotor 1100 when the rotor 1100 is spinning. An essential part of the design and novelty of the toy is the inclusion of the outer band 1100, which traps air within, and therefore, in conjunction with the configuration of the blades 1130 imparts more lift to the rotor 1100. By configuration of the blades 1130, it is meant the curvature, width, thickness, and placement of the blades 1130.
Refer to FIG. 2 showing the handle 2400 made of a size to be comfortably by a person's hand. The handle 2400 has a cylindrical shape and is made with a substantially planar upper end 2410. A spindle 2420 is mounted top the upper end 2410. The spindle 2420 is substantially the same in diameter as the handle 2400 at its upper end 2410. The spindle 2420 is mounted within a bearing, bushing or the like, so that the spindle 2420 rotates with a minimum of friction.
With reference to FIG. 2 the spindle 2420 has a pair of pins 2422 extending upwardly. The pins 2422 are diametrically opposed from one another with respect to the axis of the spindle 2420. The spindle 2420 includes a pin 2424 that is made to receive and hold one end of a string 2500 that is wrapped around the spindle 2420.
With reference to FIG. 3 the rotor 3100 is coupled to the spindle 3400 by placing the rotor 3100 atop the spindle 3400 so that the spindle pins 3422 are received into the holes 3140 in the rotor 3100. It will be understood that the holes 3140 are made so as to engage the pins 3422 with a minimum amount of friction.
With reference to FIG. 3, a length of string 3500 is secured to the spindle 3400 by any suitable means, including attaching the string 3500 to the pin 3424, or tying, knotting, gluing, etc., with a remainder of the string 3500 wrapped around the spindle 3400 in an orientation operative to spin the spindle 3400 when the string 3500 is pulled. Once completely wrapped around the spindle 3400, the user will grasp the handle 3400 firmly and then pull the string 3500 so that it unwinds off of the spindle 3400, causing the spindle 3400 to rotate rapidly thereby spinning the rotor 3100. The rotation of the spindle 3400, coupled with the orientation of the blades 3130, and by the air-containment action of the band 3110 will lift the rotor 3100 off of the spindle 34, free of the pins 3422, and into the air. Due to the combined effect of the band 3110 and the configuration of the blades 3130, the rotor 3100 will lift to great heights in stable flight.
The manner of usage and operation of the present invention should be apparent from the above description. Therefore, no further description of the manner of usage and operation will be given.
In addition, it should be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and the manner of operation, assembly and use will be apparent to one skilled in the art. Furthermore, all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
Accordingly, this disclosure illustrates only of the principles of the invention; since numerous modification and changes will be apparent to those skilled in the art, this disclosure is not intended to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modification and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A flying toy comprising:

a handle grasped and held vertically by a user of the toy, the handle having a spindle set in the upper end of the handle, wherein the spindle has pins vertical to the face of said spindle, the pins set opposing to the center of the spindle;

a rotor, the rotor comprising:

a disk having holes configured to receive said vertical pins;

a band surrounding the disk, the band concentric with the disk, and;

a plurality of blades connecting said disk and said band, the blades configured to provide aerodynamic lift when said rotor is spun, and;

a string wound about said spindle;

whereby the rotor is pun when said string is pulled;

whereby said band contains air to add lift to the rotor when the string is pulled.