GB2338907A

GB2338907A - Toy flying disk launcher

Info

Publication number: GB2338907A
Application number: GB9814291A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Wen-Long Wu
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-07-01
Filing date: 1998-07-01
Publication date: 2000-01-12
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-01
Also published as: GB9814291D0; GB2338907B

Description

2338907 TOY FLYING DISK LAUNCHER The present invention relates to a toy

flying disk launcher which is made in the form of a small gun held with one hand and fired to launch flying disks into the air. A variety of toy guns with/without sound and light producing means have been disclosed, and have appeared on the market.

There are also known toy guns that can be triggered to eject ball bullets. Because these ball bullets are molded from rigid plastic, they may cause an injury when they hit a person. Furthermore, these toy guns are complicated and expensive, and it is difficult to collect fired ball bullets.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a toy flying disk launcher which can be conveniently operated with one hand to launch flying disks into the air. It is another object of the present invention to provide a toy flying disk launcher which is safe in use. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a toy flying disk launcher which has a simple structure.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a toy flying disk launcher which has safety means to lock the system from firing when the system is not well set. To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, there is provided a toy flying disk launcher comprised of launching pad coupled to a handle, a disk feeder mounted in a vertical disk feed hole at the launching pad and holding a stack of flying disks, a disk launching control mechanism controlled to push the flying disks out of the disk feeder into the launching 2 position one after another, a motor mounted on the launching pad, a ratchet wheel turned by the motor to send the flying disks one after another from the launching position into the air, a power switch for controlling power supply to the motor, and safety control means controlled to lock/unlock the disk launching control mechanism.

The present invention will now be described by way of example with reference of the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a toy flying disk launcher according to the present invention; 15 Figure 2 is an elevational view of a toy flying disk according to the present invention; Figure 3 is an exploded view of the toy flying disk shown in Figure 4; Figure 4 is a side view in section of the toy flying disk shown in Figure 2; Figure 5 is an exploded view of the safety control device according to the present invention; Figure GA is a top plan view of the toy flying disk launcher shown in Figure 1; Figure 6B is similar to Figure 6A but showing the safety bar pushed forwards; 3 Figure 7A is a sectional view taken along line 7A-7A of Figure 6A; and Figure 7B is a sectional view taken along line 7B-7B of Figure 6B.

Referring to the annexed drawings in detail, a toy flying disk launcher in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a launcher base 10, a disk feeder 20, flying disks 30, a disk launching control mechanism 50, a motor 60, a motor starter 62, and a sound and light control unit 70.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, 6A and 7A, the launcher base 10 comprises a launching pad 11, a shield 101 covered over the launching pad 11, a hollow handle 12 integral with one end of the launching pad 11, a battery case-121 mounted in the hollow handle 12, a vertical disk feed hole 14 provided at the launching pad 11, an annular stop flange 15 raised from the bottom side of the launching pad 11 around the vertical disk feed hole 14, and a sliding groove 17 axially disposed inside the vertical disk feed hole 14.

Referring to Figure 5, the disk feeder is mounted in the vertical disk feed hole 14 at the bottom, comprised of a barrel 21 and a disk pusher 22. The disk pusher 22 comprises a circular bottom block 221 fixedly fastened to the bottom open end of the barrel 21, a circular push block 223 axially moved in the barrel 21, and a spring 222 connected between the circular bottom block 221 and the circular push block 223 and imparting an upward pressure to the circular push block 223. The barrel 21 comprises a semicircular cover plate 23 covered on a part of the top open end thereof, an opening 24 provided at the semicircular cover plate 23, an actuating flange 25 raised from the periphery of the top open end adjacent to the opening 24, and a collar 26 raised around the periphery.

Referring to Figures from 2 to 4, the flying disks 30 are loaded in the barrel 21 of the disk feeder 20. Each flying disk 30 comprises a flat disk body 31 made from flexible material and having a center hole 311, and two end caps 32 fastened to the center hole 311 of the flat disk body 31 at two opposite sides. The end caps 32 have a respective coupling portion 33 coupled to each other. The end caps 32 can be made in the form of a snap comprised of a ball side with a ball and a socket side with a socket.

When the flying disks 30 are loaded in the barrel 21 of the disk feeder 20, they are arranged in a stack and retained between the push block 223 of the disk pusher 22 and the cover plate 23 of the barrel 21.

Referring to Figures 5, 6A and 7A, the disk feeder 20 is fastened to the launcher base 10 by fitting the barrel 21 into the vertical disk feed hole 14, permitting the actuating flange 25 of the barrel 21 to be moved with the barrel 21 along the sliding groove 17 out of the top side of the launching pad 11. When the disk feeder 20 is set into position, the collar 26 of the barrel 21 is stopped below the annular stop flange 15. By means of friction resistance, the disk feeder 20 is secured in place. When installed, the top one of the loaded flying disks 30 is suspended above the vertical disk feed hole 14 for launching.

Referring to Figures 6A, 6B, 7A and 7B, the disk launching control mechanism 50 comprises a trigger 51 mounted on the handle 12 at an inner side, a push rod 53, a link 52 coupled between the trigger 51 and the push rod 53, a return spring 521 connected between the link 52 and the launching pad 11. When the trigger 51 is triggered, the link 52 is turned to push the push rod 53 forwards along a linear track 54 on the launching pad 11, causing the push rod 53 to push one flying disk 30 out of the vertical disk feed hole 14 into the launching position. On the contrary, when the trigger 51 is released, the return spring 521 immediately pulls back the link 52, and therefore the push rod 53 is returned to its former position. The push rod 53 has an upwardly extended push block 531 at the front end thereof, and is moved back and forth along a guide rail 54 on the launching pad 11. The push block 531 has a smoothly curved bottom edge 532.

The motor 60 is mounted on the launching pad 11 adjacent to the vertical disk feed hole 14, and covered within a sound-proof shield 601. The output shaft of the motor 60 is disposed perpendicular to the axis of the flying disks 30. The end of the output shaft of the motor 60 is fixedly mounted with a ratchet wheel 61 outside the sound-proof shield 601.

The motor starter 62 is comprised of a wheel 621 pivoted to the launching pad 11 adjacent to the sliding groove 17 in the vertical disk feed hole 14 by a metal element 622, the metal element 622 being connected to the motor 60 and the battery case 121 by electric wires, an actuating rod 623 integral with the periphery of the wheel 621, a locating rib 625 raised from the periphery of the wheel 621, a return spring 626 having one end connected to the locating rib 625 and an opposite end fastened to the launching pad 11, a semi-circular electrically insulative plate 624 covered on a part of the metal element 622, and a metal contact plate 63 mounted on the launching pad 11 adjacent to the vertical disk feed hole 14 and connected to the motor 60 by an electric wire, the metal contact plate 63 having a curved end aiming at the metal element 622 of the wheel 621.

The starter 62 is controlled to start the motor 60. When the barrel 21 of the disk feeder 20 is rotated in the vertical disk feed hole 14 through an angle, the actuating rod 623 of the wheel 621 is forced by the actuating flange 25 of the barrel 21 to rotate the wheel 621 through an angle, causing the naked side of the metal element 622 to be moved toward the end of the metal contact plate 63. When the naked side of the metal element 622 touches the metal contact plate 63, the motor 60 is electrically connected to rotate the ratchet wheel 61 at a high speed.

When the motor 60 is started, the opening 24 of the barrel 21 is aimed at the push rod 53 of the disk launching control mechanism 50. When the trigger 51 is depressed at this time, the push rod 53 is pushed forwards and inserted into the opening 24 on the barrel 21 to push the top flying disk 30 into the launching position, enabling the top flying disk 30 to be driven out of the launching pad 11 into the air by the ratchet wheel 61. In order to guide the flying of the launched flying disk 30, two guide walls 62 are provided at the launching pad 11.

When the top flying disk 30 is pushed out of the barrel 21 into the launching position by the push block 531 of the push rod 53, the smoothly curved bottom edge 532 of the push block 531 is pressed on the other flying disks 30, preventing the next flying disk 30 to be simultaneously pushed into the launching position. Because the top flying 8 disk 30 which is pushed into the launching position does not contact the other flying disks 30, the top flying disk 30 can be efficiently launched out of the launching pad 11.

When the barrel 21 is rotated in the vertical disk feed hole 14 in the reversed direction to disengage the actuating flange 25 from the wheel 621, the wheel 621 is returned to its former position by the return spring 626, thereby causing the metal contact plate 63 to be electrically disconnected from the metal element 622, and therefore battery power supply is cut off from the motor 60. At the same time, the opening 24 of the barrel 21 is moved away from the push rod 53, permitting the periphery of the barrel 21 to be aimed at the push rod 53. At this stage, triggering the trigger 51 does not push the push block 531 of the push rod 53 into the opening 24, i.e., the trigger 51 is locked.

Further, in order to limit the rotary motion of the disk feeder 20 in the vertical disk feed hole 14 to a limited angle, two stop blocks 64;641 are provided at the launching pad 11 at two opposite sides of the sliding groove 17 in the vertical disk feed hole 14. When the barrel 21 of the disk feeder 20 is rotated in one direction to the first position to start the motor 60, the actuating flange 25 is stopped at one stop block namely the first stop block 64. When the barrel 21 of the disk feeder 20 is 9 rotated in the reversed direction to the second position to turn off the motor 60, the actuating flange 25 is stopped at the other stop block namely the second stop block 641.

The sound and light control unit 70 comprises a buzzer 71, an electronic sound and light control circuit 72, and a control switch 73. The control switch 73 is mounted in the path of the push rod 53. When the trigger 51 is triggered, the top flying disk 30 is pushed out of the disk feeder 20 into the launching position, and at the same time the control switch 73 is switched on by the push rod 53, causing the electronic sound and light control circuit 72 to produce a lighting effect and to make a sound through the buzzer 71. The electronic sound and light control circuit 72 can easily be achieved by conventional techniques, therefore it is not described herein in detail.

Furthermore, the aforesaid flat disk body 31 is preferably molded from rubber, polyethylene, vinyl chloride, etc., therefore, the flat disk body 31 does not cause an injury when it hits a person. The end caps 32 of the flying disks 30 are preferably molded from rigid plastic. Each end cap 32 has a smoothly curved outside wall. Because the smoothly curved outside walls of the end caps 32 of the flying disks 30 are disposed in contact with one another when the flying disks 30 are loaded in the barrel 21 of the disk feeder 20, less friction force is produced between each two adjacent flying disks 30, and therefore the flying disks 30 can be smoothly pushed out of the barrel 21 of the disk feeder 20 into the launching position one after another, and then driven into the air individually.

While only one embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it will be understood that various modifications and changes could be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention disclosed.

Claims

1. A toy flying disk launcher comprising:

a launcher base, said launcher base comprising a launching pad, a shield covered over said launching pad, a handle connected to one end of said launching pad, a battery case installed in said handle, and a vertical disk feed hole in said launching pad, and a longitudinal sliding groove in said vertical disk feed hole; a disk feeder mounted in said vertical disk feed hole, said disk feeder comprising a barrel which holds a stack of flying disks, and a disk pusher which pushes loaded flying disks upwardly out of said barrel, said barrel comprising a semi-circular cover plate covered on a part of a top open end thereof, an opening provided at said semi-circular cover plate, and are actuating flange raised from the periphery of the top open end adjacent to said opening, said actuating flange being moved along said longitudinal sliding groove out of said vertical disk feed hole when said barrel is inserted into said vertical disk feed hole; a plurality of flying disks loaded in said barrel of said disk feeder and arranged in a stack stopped below said semi-circular cover plate of said barrel and said disk pusher pushed into a launching position one after another by a disk launching control mechanism; a motor mounted on said launching pad, said motor having an output shaft fixedly mounted with a rl- ratchet wheel, said ratchet wheel being turned to drive said flying disks one after another from said launching position into the air by means of the control of a disk launching control mechanism; a disk launching control mechanism controlled to push said flying disks out of said disk feeder into said launching position one after another for launching, said disk launching control mechanism comprising a trigger mounted on said handle at an inner side, a push rod driven by said trigger to push said flying disks out of said disk feeder into said launching position, a link coupled between is said trigger and said push rod, a return spring connected between said link and said launching pad, said push rod comprising an upwardly extended push block at a front end thereof for pushing said flying disks out of said disk feeder into said launching position individually, said push block having a smoothly curved bottom edge, said smoothly curved bottom edge of said push block being stopped above the rest flying disks in said barrel of said disk feeder when a first flying disk is pushed out of said barrel into said launching position; and a starter controlled to start said motor by rotating said barrel of said disk feeder in said vertical disk feed hole through an angle, said starter comprising a metal element disposed adjacent to said sliding groove and connected to said motor and said battery case by electric wires, and a metal contact plate mounted on said launching pad over said vertical disk feed hole 13 - and connected to said motor by an electric wire, said metal contact plate having a curved end aiming at said metal element; wherein when said disk feeder is rotated in said vertical disk feed hole between a first position where said motor is started, and a second position where said motor is turned off, said opening of said barrel being aimed at said push block of said push rod and the actuating flange of said barrel being forced to move said metal contact plate into contact with said metal element when said disk feeder is turned to said first position, causing said motor to be started and said ratchet wheel to be rotated by said motor, enabling one flying disk to be driven into the air by said ratchet wheel when said trigger is depressed to push one flying disk out of said barrel.

2. The toy flying disk launcher of claim 1, wherein said flying disks comprises a flat disk body made from flexible material and having a center hole, and two end caps fastened to the center hole of said flat disk body at two opposite sides, said end caps having a respective smoothly curved outside wall.

3. The toy flying disk launcher of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said disk pusher comprises a circular bottom block fixedly fastened to a bottom end of said barrel remote from said semi-circular cover plate, a circular push block axially moved in said barrel, and spring means connected between said circular bottom block and said circular push block and imparting an upward pressure to said circular push block.

14 -

4. The toy flying disk launcher of any one of claim 1 to 3, wherein said motor is mounted within a sound-proof shield covered on said launching pad.

5. The toy flying disk launcher of anyone of claim 1 to 4, wherein said starter further comprises a wheel pivoted to said launching pad by said metal element, an actuating rod integral with the periphery of said wheel, a locating rib raised from the periphery of said wheel, a return spring having one end connected to said locating rib and an opposite end fastened to said launching pad, and an electrically insulative semi-circular plate covered on a part of said metal element, said actuating rod of said wheel being forced by said actuating flange of said barrel to rotate move said wheel through an angle when said disk feeder is rotated in said vertical disk feed hole to said first position, causing a naked side of said metal element,to be moved into contact with said metal contact plate in turning on said motor.

6. The toy flying disk launcher of anyone of claims 1 to 5 further comprising two stop blocks provided at said launching pad at two opposite sides of said sliding groove, and acted with said actuating flange of said barrel to limit the angle of rotation of said disk feeder in said vertical disk feed hole between said first position and said second position.

7. The toy flying disk launcher of any one of claims 1 to 6 further comprising a sound and light control unit driven to produce

7. The toy flying disk launcher of anyone of claims 1 to 6 further comprising a sound and light control unit driven to produce sound and light when one flying disk is driven away from said launching pad into the air.

8. The toy flying disk launcher of claim 7 wherein said sound and light control unit comprises a buzzer, an electronic sound and light control circuit, and a control switch, said control switch being mounted in the path of said push rod, said control switch being switched on said push rod when said trigger is depressed and one flying disk is pushed out of said disk feeder.

9. A toy flying disk launcher substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings of Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6A, 6B, 7A and 7B.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS:

1. A toy flying disk launcher comprising:

a launcher base, said launcher base comprising a launching pad, a shield covered over said launching pad, a handle connected to one end of said launching pad, a battery case installed in said handle, and a vertical disk feed hole in said launching pad, and a longitudinal sliding groove in said vertical disk feed hole; a disk feeder mounted in said vertical disk feed hole, said disk feeder comprising a barrel which holds a stack of flying disks, and a disk pusher which pushes loaded flying disks upwardly out of said barrel, said barrel comprising a semi-circular cover plate covered on a part of a top open end thereof, an opening provided at said semi-circular cover plate, and an actuating flange raised from the periphery of the top open end adjacent to said opening, said actuating flange being moved along said longitudinal sliding groove out of said vertical disk feed hole when said barrel is inserted into said vertical disk feed hole; a plurality of flying disks loaded in said barrel of said disk feeder and arranged in a stack stopped below said semi-circular cover plate of said barrel and said disk pusher pushed into a launching position one after another by a disk launching control mechanism; a motor mounted on said launching pad, said motor having an output shaft fixedly mounted with a drive wheel, said drive wheel being turned to drive said flying disks one after another from said launching position into the air by means of the control of a disk launching control mechanism; a disk launching control mechanism controlled to push said flying disks out of said disk feeder into said launching position one after another for launching, said disk launching control mechanism comprising a trigger mounted on said handle at an inner side, a push rod driven by said trigger to push said flying disks out of said disk feeder into said launching position, a link coupled between said trigger and said push rod, a return spring connected between said link and said launching pad, said push rod comprising an upwardly extended push block at a front end thereof for pushing said flying disks out of said disk feeder into said launching position individually, said push block having a smoothly curved bottom edge, said smoothly curved bottom edge of said push block being stopped above the rest flying disks in said barrel of said disk feeder when a first flying disk is pushed out of said barrel into said launching position; and a starter controlled to start said motor by rotating said barrel of said disk feeder in said vertical disk feed hole through an angle, said starter comprising a metal element disposed adjacent to said sliding groove and connected to said motor and said battery case by electric wires, and a metal contact plate mounted on said launching pad over said vertical disk feed hole and connected to said motor by an electric wire, said metal contact plate having a curved end aiming at said metal element; wherein when said disk feeder is rotated in said vertical disk feed hole between a first position where said motor is started, and a second position where said motor is turned off, said opening of said barrel being aimed at said push block of said push rod and the actuating flange of said barrel being forced to move said metal contact plate into contact with said metal element when said disk feeder is turned to said first position, causing said motor to be started and said drive wheel to be rotated by said motor, enabling one flying disk to be driven into the air by said drive wheel when said trigger is depressed to push one flying disk out of said barrel.

Alt 2. The toy flying disk launcher of claim 1, wherein said flying disks comprises a flat disk body made from flexible material and having a center hole, and two end caps fastened to the center hole of said flat disk body at two opposite sides, said end caps having a respective smoothly curved outside wall.

5. The toy flying disk launcher of any one of claim 1 to 4, wherein said starter further comprises a wheel pivoted to said launching pad by said metal element, an actuating rod integral with the periphery of said wheel, a locating rib raised from the periphery of said wheel, a return spring having one end connected to said locating rib and an opposite end fastened to said launching pad, and an electrically insulative semi-circular plate covered on a part of said metal element, said actuating rod of said wheel being forced by said actuating flange of said barrel to rotatably move said wheel through an angle when said disk feeder is rotated in said vertical disk feed hole to said first position, causing a naked side of said metal element to be moved into contact with said metal contact plate in turning on said motor.

6. The toy flying disk launcher of any one of claims 1 to 5 further comprising two stop blocks provided at said launching pad at two opposite sides of said sliding groove, and acted with said actuating flange of said barrel to limit the angle of rotation of said disk feeder in said vertical disk feed hole between said first position and said second position.