EP0948981A2

EP0948981A2 - An inflatable flying toy

Info

Publication number: EP0948981A2
Application number: EP99106886A
Authority: EP
Inventors: David Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-04-08
Filing date: 1999-04-07
Publication date: 1999-10-13
Also published as: DE29906237U1; EP0948981A3

Abstract

An inflatable flying toy made of plastic membrane. The flying toy is formed with several inflatable air passages communicated with each other. After inflated, the air passages are expanded to serve as a support frame for stretching and supporting the flying toy into a kite form. At predetermined positions of the air passages are disposed latch holes or wing holes connecting with a hook injection member or tied with a pull string. The hook injection member can be hooked with a catapult which is able to resiliently inject the flying toy as a glider. A pull string can be tied with the flying toy to control the flying or floating direction of the kite by pulling.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an inflatable flying toy which can be played as a kite floating in the air or resiliently injected to fly as a glider.
A conventional kite is manually made of slender bamboo strip and light paper such as motto paper. Such kite cannot be mass-produced and the cost is relative high. Moreover, such kite cannot be disassembled and folded so that it is inconvenient to carry the kite and it often takes place that the kite is damaged when carried.
U.S. Patent No. 3952975 discloses an inflatable kite which is made of plastic membrane and formed with longitudinal and transverse inflatable air passages communicating with each other. After inflated, the air passages are expanded to form support frames of the inflatable kite. However, in use, such inflatable kite has some shortcomings as follows:
1. The above inflatable kite can be played in only one manner so that it is monotonous to play such kite.
2. A controlling pull ring is tied to the pull string for pulling and controlling the kite. After a period of use or when subject to strong wind, the pull ring tends to break.
3. The entire kite is made of double-layer plastic membrane so that the kite has a heavy weight and hard to float in the air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a object of the present invention to provide an inflatable flying toy which can be played as a kite floating in the air or resiliently injected by a catapult to fly as a glider. Many such flying toys can be connected into a series of flying toys to achieve more entertainng effect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 is a perspective assembled view of the present invention;
Fig. 2A is a perspective disassembled view of the present invention;
Fig. 2B shows that the flying toy of the present invention is resiliently injected;
Fig. 3 shows that the flying toy is tied to a pull string;
Fig. 4 shows that many flying toys are serially connected to each other;
Fig. 5 shows the flying toy in a folded state;
Fig. 6 is a perspective assembled view of another embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 7 is a perspective disassembled view of the embodiment of the present invention according to Fig. 6;
Fig. 8 shows that the flying toy according to Fig. 6 is Resiliently injected; and
Fig. 9 shows the embodiment according to Fig. 6 in a folded state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Please refer to Figs. 1 and 2A. The present invention is made of plastic membrane 1 in a form of animals or other objects. At necessary support frame position, longitudinal and transverse air passages 11 are formed by double-layer plastic membrane and communicated with each other. After inflated and expanded, the air passages 11 serve as support frame for stretching the entire body. The remaining portions are made of single layer of plastic membrane and connected to the air passages 11. At necessary positions of the air passages 11 are disposed latch holes 12 or wing holes 13 communicating with the air passages 11. A hook injection member 2 can be connected with the flying toy. The hook injection member 2 is disposed with vertically extending latch posts 21 each having a latch cap 211 at top end. In cooperation with a buckle 23, the latch post 21 is passed through the latch hole 12 of the air passage 11 to be fastened by the buckle 23. A hook section 22 is formed on lower side of the hook injection member 2. The front end of the hook section 22 is formed with a downward extending reverse hook 221 for hooking a catapult and resiliently injecting the flying toy as a glider. The present invention is free from any hard or rigid part so that as shown in Fig. 2B, when injected, the wing sections can be collected inward to reduce the resistant force against the injection and increase the injection travel. After injected, the resilient restoring force of the flying toy itself will naturally restore and stretch the flying toy to its home flying pattern.
Please refer to Fig. 3 which shows that the flying toy is tied with a pull string. A pull string 3 can be tied between the latch holes 12 and the wing holes 13 of the air passage 11 to form a kite controllable by pulling. In order to more reliably control the kite, the pull string between the wing holes 13 can be replaced by a rigid slender rod ( not shown ) to achieve better effect.
Referring to Fig. 47 several flying toys can be serially connected by pull strings 3 to form an elongated flying toy set.
Referring to Fig. 5, when collected and folded, the air passages 11 are deflated and collapsed. Thereafter, the flying toy can be folded to facilitate carriage without occupying much room.
Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 show another embodiment of the present invention, in which the hook injection member 2 is adhered to or fused with the air passages 11 by an adhesive or a thermal fusing machine ( such as high frequency, ultrasonic and thermoprocessing machine ). Therefore, the hook injection member 2 is fully associated with the flying toy with a reinforced strength. Also, the processing procedure is simplified and the appearance of the flying toy is enhanced.
In addition, multi-layer plastic sheets or attaching sheets are attached to the peripheries of the latch holes 12 or wing holes 13 so as to reinforce the same and increase the association strength between the flying toy and the hook injection member 2 or the pull string 3 and minimize the damage resulting from the folding procedure.

Claims

An inflatable flying toy made of plastic membrane, at a reinforced position of the flying toy, inflatable air passages are formed by at least two layers of plastic membranes to serve as support frames, at predetermined positions of the air passages being disposed latch holes or wing holes communicating with the air passages, a hook injection member being connected with the flying toy, the hook injection member being disposed with latch sections each having a latch cap corresponding to the latch hole for latching therewith.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the air passages are made of double-layer plastic membrane and the remaining portions of the flying toy are made of single layer of plastic membrane.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latch cap is passed through the latch hole and fastened by a buckle to lock the hook injection member with the flying toy.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein the latch cap is passed through the latch hole and fastened by a buckle to lock the hook injection member with the flying toy.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lower side of a front end of a hook section of the hook injection member is disposed with a hook for hooking a catapult.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein a lower side of a front end of a hook section of the hook injection member is disposed with a hook for hooking a catapult.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the latch cap is slightly larger than the latch hole.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein the latch cap is slightly larger than the latch hole.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein a pull string is tied between the latch holes or wing holes.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein a pull string is tied between the latch holes or wing holes.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein a slender rod is connected between the lateral wing holes.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein a slender rod is connected between the lateral wing holes.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein an adhesive tape or attaching sheet is attached to the peripheries of the latch holes or wing holes so as to reinforce the same.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein an adhesive tape or attaching sheet is attached to the peripheries of the latch holes or wing holes so as to reinforce the same.
An inflatable flying toy made of plastic membrane, at a reinforced position of the flying toy, inflatable air passages are formed by at least two layers of plastic membranes to serve as support frames, a hook injection member being directly adhered to a bottom face of the air passage.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 15, wherein the hook injection member is connected with the air passage by adhesion.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 15, wherein the hook injection member is connected with the air passage by thermal fusion.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 15, wherein a lower side of a front end of a hook section of the hook injection member is disposed with a hook for hooking a catapult.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 15, wherein the lateral sides of the air passage are disposed with wing holes.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 19, wherein a pull string is tied between the wing holes.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 19, wherein a slender rod is connected between the wing holes.
An inflatable flying toy as claimed in claim 19, wherein an adhesive tape or attaching sheet is attached to the peripheries of the wing holes so as to reinforce the same.