WO2000059596A1

WO2000059596A1 - Toy projectile game apparatus

Info

Publication number: WO2000059596A1
Application number: PCT/US2000/005651
Authority: WO
Inventors: J. Scott Campbell; Donald F. Campbell
Original assignee: Campbell J Scott; Campbell Donald F
Priority date: 1999-04-01
Filing date: 2000-03-03
Publication date: 2000-10-12
Also published as: AU3615900A

Abstract

A toy projectile game apparatus includes an inflatable envelope (11) for containing lighter than air gas, means for catching and retaining projectiles (20), and projectiles (40, 41).

Description

TITLE: Toy Projectile Game Apparatus

Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to the field of toy balloons, particularly to the toy projectile game apparatus.

Background of the Invention

Toy balloons have been around for centuries. Their ability to delight and amuse young and old continues unabated, though until now in limited ways. Flying toy balloons are made buoyant by lighter-than-air gas, most typically helium. Generally, flying toy balloons are sold with a tether, such as a ribbon or string tied to the neck of the balloon.

It is well known that lighter-than-air toys or vehicles need to adjust their buoyancy in order to affect their relative altitude. There are many disclosed ways to adjust this buoyancy by means of adding or subtracting weights, known as ballast.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,625, liquid is used as projected ballast, which is absorbed by retentive material affixed to the lighter-than-air toy.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,547,167, a modular ballasting system is disclosed wherein ballast can be added to or removed from the toy balloon as it is being held.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,415, an adjustable ballast system is disclosed wherein links of paper clips are used to adjust buoyancy. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,356,661 a liquid ballasting system is disclosed wherein a resilient vessel is used for holding and dispensing water to maintain relative neutral buoyancy. Various other patents have disclosed a cup, basket or other container to be attached to the toy balloon for the purpose of carrying ballast. None of the aforementioned ballasting systems discloses a solid projectile ballast that can be remotely cast across a distance and that attaches to the toy balloon, thus causing the toy balloon to descend or change its attitude (relative to the horizontal plane) without direct manual contact by the user. Prior art games are few and limited. As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.

5,031 ,908, toy balloons are used for a game wherein one person uses a fishing pole tethered master lighter-than-air filled balloon to ascend to attach to various slave balloons via hook and loop material. Toy balloons are pulled down to the ground with the permanently attached tether. In the above mentioned patents, few variations of game play are possible and no means are disclosed that allow dynamic interaction with the toy balloons using cast projectiles and tossed tethers. Additionally, no means are disclosed for the attachment of containers for the purpose of carrying prizes, which can be captured when a projectile tether alters the buoyancy of the toy balloon causing it to descend.

The prior art discloses no means for increasing the ability of a projectile to adhere or be attached to a balloon envelope by incorporating a means for cushioning in the projectile. Balloon envelopes are very resilient and normally bounce off blunt objects thrown at them. The prior art neither teachers nor suggests that toy balloons can catch and retain objects thrown at their envelopes. Furthermore, no prior art discloses keeping projectile or means for catching and retaining weight to a minimum while increasing the probability that a projectile will adhere when it strikes a balloon envelope.

Summary of the Invention

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple inexpensive apparatus for lighter than air toy balloons so as to increase their play value. Another object of the invention is to provide the toy balloon having buoyancy that can be dynamically regulated, either remotely or manually.

Another object of the invention is to provide means by which the toy balloon may be repeatedly shot down or forced to descend without destruction. A further object of the invention is to provide a new range of games that can be played with toy balloons.

Another object of the invention is to provide the means for maximizing the catching of projectiles by toy balloons and minimizing the weight of means for catching and holding projectiles Another object of the invention is to enable the attachment of a film providing means for catching and retaining projectiles to an inflatable envelope, the film providing the means in a pre-selected pattern.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide means to attach a tether to a balloon, either remotely or manually, which can then be removed if desired. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, with accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, embodiments of the present invention are disclosed.

In order to effectuate the above described objects, the new toy projectile game apparatus comprises an inflatable envelope for containing lighter than air gas, projectiles, said envelope also comprising means for catching and retaining said projectiles.

The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. In some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown with exaggerated dimensions or enlarged to facilitate understanding of the invention. Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. 1 illustrates a lighter-than-air toy projectile game apparatus with ballast projectiles, tether, patterns of means for catching and retaining and prize container.

FIG. 2 illustrates the toy balloon apparatus in the shape of a robot with projectile attached to robot head.

FIG. 3 illustrates target pattern of catching means FIG. 4 illustrates a lightweight film or netting attached to a balloon envelope

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments Detailed descriptions of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention are provided herein. The present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.

FIG. 1 shows the toy balloon apparatus 10. Toy balloon apparatus 10 has an inflatable envelope 11 , containing lighter-than-air gas, which is most typically helium. Inflatable envelope 11 has affixed means for catching and retaining 20 projectile 40, which has corresponding means 21 on tip. Means for catching and retaining projectiles 20, is preferably hook and loop material, such as VELCRO® but in other embodiments could also be grapple and netting, anchor and webbing, adhesive or sticky material. In one embodiment, the hook portion of means for catching and retaining 20 is affixed to inflatable envelope 11. This may be preferable for two reasons. First, the hook component weighs less than the loop and, secondly, if the hook is on projectile tip 21, hair, fibers and debris clog the hook making it less effective at catching onto loop 20. Loop portion 22 of hook and loop is affixed to catchabie projectile 41 permitting the capture of the projectile when it strikes hook portion 20 on inflatable envelope 11. If weight of projectile 40 is sufficient, connection of said projectile with said envelope would weigh down the balloon 10 and thereby decreases its altitude. When one or more projectiles 40, 41 strike envelope 11 and adhere to catching means 20 toy balloon apparatus 10 will descend to the ground whereupon projectiles 40 or 41 can be removed allowing said toy balloon apparatus to float up again allowing for another round of game play. Also depicted in FIG. 1 are details of projectile 40 with means for cushioning. Though not necessary for all embodiments of the present invention, cushioning of projectile 40 greatly increases the success of said projectile in adhering when it strikes envelope 11. There are several ways to provide shock absorption in order to cushion projectile 40 as it strikes toy balloon envelope 11 so as to increase its probability of attaching. In one embodiment, soft foam or foam-like material 56 is placed behind catching means 21 on projectile head. Alternative embodiments for shock absorption cushioning is to cut legs 57 into projectile body 40 head to which catching means 21 is attached. Legs 57 need to be flexible in order to absorb shock and allow catching means 21 to attach to envelope 11 without being bounced off. Another way to cushion projectile 40 is to incorporate one or more bubbles 58 into projectile 40 body. Each aforesaid means for cushioning projectile 40 can be used either alone or in conjunction with one or more of the other disclosed means.

As further depicted in FIG 1 target patterns 30 of means for catching and holding 20 on inflatable envelope 11 can be arranged in numerous ways, thus enabling various targets for projectile 40. In the preferred embodiment a single spot of means for catching and holding 20a is placed in the vicinity of the middle of envelope 11. Though this does not offer the easiest target for projectiles 40,41 it does make for the simplest and least expensive method of manufacture. Other embodiments of target patterns 30 can be of various designs such as spirals, radial lines, checks, lattices, bulls-eyes, faces, or any other number of fanciful or fun designs, either abstract or representational. These various target patterns 30 facilitate the playing of a variety of games such as tic-tac-toe or darts. A method accoraing to tne present invention tor arranging means tor catching and retaining target patterns 30 involves selecting dimensions for critical gap 31 to maximize the ability of projectile 40 to be caught by target pattern 30 subject to a constraint on the weight of catching means 20 that inflatable envelope 11 must carry. In one embodiment of this aspect of the present invention, critical gap 31 is selected to be less than the width of projectiles 40, 41 tips. The resulting spacing of target pattern 30 created by critical gap 31 between elements of catching means 20 further enhances the ability of inflatable envelope 11 to catch and retain projectile 40. Alternatively, other patterns and spacing can be used to satisfactory effect and are within the scope of the present invention.

As further shown in FIG. 1 , toy balloon apparatus 10 also has catching and holding means 23 placed towards the neck or bottom of envelope 11 whereby prize container 70 can be attached carrying prize 75. Said prize 75 can be a lightweight toy, candy, greeting card or other object considered fun or valuable. The user in various ways can retrieve prize container 70. Prize container 70 can be knocked off by projectile 40, brought down by projectile 41 with tether 60, or projectile 40 can be of sufficient weight such that when caught by target pattern 30 on inflatable envelope 11 the buoyancy of toy balloon apparatus 10 is thereby altered causing descent to the ground where the user can get prize 75. Prize container 70 can be translucent, translucent or and made of any lightweight material to which means for catching and holding 20 can be attached. In this embodiment a game can be played which is essentially an aerial variation of the Spanish children's Piήata game. Projectile tether 60 is attached to projectile 40 and projectile 40 can be cast by hand or mechanical device such that when it makes contact with target pattern 30 toy balloon apparatus 10 can be pulled by the user

FIG. 2 shows toy balloon apparatus 12 in the shape of an anthropomorphic robot. Catching and holding means 25 are placed on the head, feet and other various places of the robot shape. A game can be played by two or more users wherein one player aims projectile 42 for the head of the robot and the other player aims for its feet. The winning player successfully connects projectile 42 to the catching and holding means 25 thus causing the robot shaped toy balloon apparatus 12 to descend head first. Projectile 42 can be removed allowing toy balloon apparatus 12 to ascend again whereby the game can start over. By utilizing this unique aspect, numerous game variations can be effected. Pin the tail on the donkey is one such game that becomes throw-the-tail on the animal. In such a game, the toy balloon apparatus 12 can be of many different animal shapes, such as a monkey, donkey, cat, dog, horse, etc. and projectile with tether 42 becomes the tail.

Referring back to Fig 1., other games that can be played include Tic-tac- toe, where envelope 11 has a tic-tac-toe board printed image and target pattern 30 are nine elements of catching and retaining material 20 placed in the center of the tic-tac-toe boxes where players put their "X" and "O". In this embodiment, projectile 40 becomes the "X" or "O" that players throw at the balloon game apparatus 10. Along these lines, a great number of dart games can be played with the toy projectile game apparatus 10, where the printed image on envelope X and target patterns 30 correspond to the variation of dart game being played. For instance, if the dart game is bulls-eye, there will be a series of concentric rings going to the middle bulls-eye. FIG. 3 illustrates pattern 72 of catching means units 75. In this embodiment catching means units 75 are .2 inches square and are applied in equilateral triangles 77 to a balloon envelope. When a projectile is thrown at a balloon envelope with target pattern 72 the projectile head coverage area 80 can connect with either all three catching means units 75, or will hit at least one catching means units 75 anywhere within target pattern 72. In this embodiment, critical spacing of catching means units 75 is equal to the width of projectile head coverage area 80. The pieces of catching means 75 are optimally spaced for critical gap 79 where the distance from center to center of pieces 75 is equal to the width of a projectile head.

FIG. 4 is a sectional illustration of the toy balloon apparatus 90 with an overlay or film 92 attached with adhesive points 94. Film 92 can be any of a number of lightweight plastic films, fabrics or netting. In this embodiment film 92 is the shape of a square made of .25 mil polypropylene film. Overlay or film attachment 92 of catching means enables easy modification to ensure positive buoyancy of overall toy balloon apparatus 90 by eliminating sufficient weight of catching material to counteract reduced buoyancy of envelope due to local altitude or loss of lifting gas. Catching means 96 is attached to film 92 for the purpose of catching projectiles. Film 92 can be attached to toy balloon apparatus 90 by the manufacturer prior to sale, or by the consumer after purchasing the balloon.

While the aforementioned invention as depicted in FIG. 1 utilizes an envelope that is caused to be buoyant by being filled with lighter that air gas, a further embodiment of the invention can be realized by filling envelope 11 with air or other heavier than air gases such as nitrogen. In this embodiment, a tether connected to envelop 11 is attached to a wall or fixture such that envelop 11 hangs. Obviously in this embodiment the game apparatus 10 can not descend to the ground, but can still be struck by projectile 40.

While the invention has been described in connection with a illustrated embodiments, this description does not limit the scope of the invention to the particular forms set forth, but covers such alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

What is claimed is: 1. A toy projectile game apparatus comprising: at least one projectile; and a target having means to provide buoyancy, said target also having means for catching and retaining said at least one projectile.

2. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said target comprises an envelope adapted to receive a lighter than air gas.

3. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said projectile includes a surface adapted for catching.

4. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said projectile includes means for cushioning impact with said target.

5. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said means for cushioning comprises a resilient material behind the tip of said projectile.

6. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said means for cushioning comprises a plurality of interstices within said projectile.

7. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 also including a container comprising material for catching and retaining, said container being attachable to and detachable from said target.

8. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sur ace adapted for catching and retaining is in the representation of a dart game.

9. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said surface adapted for catching and retaining is in the representation of a tic-tac-toe game.

10. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for catching and retaining comprises a film attachable to said target.

11. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means for catching and retaining comprises a plurality of elements separated from one another by a pre-selected distance determined by the width of the projectile tip.

12. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said target is shaped in the representation of an animal having a tail.

13. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 further including a tether coupled to said projectile.

14. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 1 further including a tether coupled to said projectile, wherein said target is shaped in the representation of an animal having a tail.

15. A toy projectile game apparatus comprising: at least one projectile having a surface adapted for catching, wherein said projectile further including means for cushioning impact; and a target having means to provide buoyancy, said means comprising an envelope adapted to receive a gas, having a means for catching and retaining said at least one projectile, wherein said means for catching and retaining comprises a hook and loop material.

16. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said means for cushioning comprises a resilient material behind the tip of said projectile.

17. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said means for cushioning comprises a plurality of interstices within said projectile.

18. A toy projectile game apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said means for catching comprises a plurality of hook and loop material elements separated from one another by a pre-selected distance determined by the width of said projectile tip.

19. A method of playing a game, said method comprising the steps of: providing a target having means to provide buoyancy, said target further having a means for catching and retaining; providing at least one projectile, said projectile adapted to be caught and retained by said means for catching and retaining on said target; and propelling said projectiles at said target until the combined ballast of said projectiles caught and retained by said target overcome the buoyancy of said target, causing said target to sink.

20. The method of playing a game according to claim 19 wherein said target comprises an envelope adapted to receive a lighter than air gas.

21. The method of playing a game according to claim 19 wherein said projectile includes means for cushioning impact with said target.

22. The method of playing a game according to claim 19 wherein said means for catching and retaining is in the representation of a dart game.

23. The method of playing a game according to claim 19 wherein said means for catching and retaining is in the representation of a tic-tac-toe game.

24. The method of playing a game according to claim 19 wherein said target is shaped in the representation of an animal having a tail.