US20020086748A1

US20020086748A1 - Rubber stick throw toy

Info

Publication number: US20020086748A1
Application number: US09/750,418
Authority: US
Inventors: Anthony Tymstra
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-12-29
Filing date: 2000-12-29
Publication date: 2002-07-04

Abstract

A toy for throwing, bouncing, and catching has an elongate hollow cylindrical tube which extends at each end to and partially about respective high bounce cylindrical balls. The cylindrical balls each have a reduced diameter which extends partially into the hollow tube. A conforming collar or sleeve jointly extends outwardly and around the cylindrical tube and cylindrical high bounce balls to provide added security and support. Such design improves the stability and recovery of the overall toy during and after being impacted under striking load conditions, and thereby improves the interactivity between one or more players.

Description

BACKGROUND

There have been previous toys for throwing, bouncing, and catching which have various types of rubber material on their respective ends of a shaft, rod, or stick.

In U.S. Pat. No. 3,114,550 of 1963, Hugh F. Hughes illustrated and describes his “recreational bounce type device” which he called a bounce or rebound devise, characterized by one larger sphere orbitally rotating relatively to another smaller sphere.

In U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,977 of 1989, Timothy D. Chambers illustrated and describes his “Thrown and Bounce Toy” consisting of a cylindrical padded hand gripped toy having high bounce rubber balls on its respective ends. When thrown in one of many ways the toy bounces and twirls offering an interesting and challenging game of catch between one or more players.

SUMMARY

Accordingly, many of these throwing, bouncing, and catching toys have drawbacks in that they are relatively small, have relatively heavy ends, are unstable and unpredictable, making them not readily controlled or caught. It would be desirable to provide a throwing, bouncing, and catching toy which would be light weight, which has balance which will permit control of the orientation, tumbling, or spinning motion, hence making it a more predicable, enjoyable and popular toy. Continuing on with the provision of a similar toy for throwing, bouncing, and catching, an improved toy having high bounce modified cylindrical balls secured within the extended ends of an elongate hollow tube, is provided to children and/or adults for their use during recreational playtime. The high bounce cylindrical balls are specially formed to provide frictional fitting clearances permitting a secure method attachment which may be enhanced with a conforming collar or sleeve jointly extending outwardly and around the cylindrical tube and cylindrical high bounce balls thereby providing an added means of security and support.

DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment of the thrown, caught, and bounced toy having a tube terminating around modified cylindrical balls is illustrated in the drawings, wherein: [0005]
FIG. 1 is a perspective of a person throwing the toy in one of many ways the toy may be thrown; [0006]
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toy; [0007]
FIG. 3 is a partial perspective exploded view of portions of the toy before their assembly to indicate the clearances provided upon the initial forming of the high bounce cylindrical balls, where they meet one another upon their assembly on the cylindrical tube; and [0008]
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view, taken along section line [0009] 44 of FIG.2, showing the assembled toy at this locale where clearances are provided to permit the necessary security of portions of the modified high bounce cylindrical balls.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a variation of the preferred embodiment.[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The [0011] preferred embodiment 10 of the thrown, caught, and bounced toy 10 is illustrated throughout the drawings in FIG. 1 through 5. In FIG. 1, a person throwing the toy in one of the many ways the toy may be thrown. Motion arrows indicate the travel of the toy 10. The overall appearance of the toy 10 is shown in FIG. 2.
The specific way in which the [0012] toy 10 is made is illustrated in FIG.3 and 4. An elongate cylindrical tube 16, made for example from plastic tubing material, is made of a diameter and length to be conveniently grasped by at least one hand of a person, and to extend around the exterior diameter of specially formed high bounce cylindrical balls 14. These balls 14, are made, for example, from compressed and heated synthetic rubber.
To increase the connective strength capability, a rubber collar or [0013] sleeve 12 is formed to closely fit about the portions of the cylindrical tube 16, and the high bounce cylindrical balls 14. This collar or sleeve 12 is made for example, from 3M ITCSN Heat Shrinkable Cable Sleeves, more commonly known as shrink wrap. These components, i.e. the tube 12, the balls 14, and the sleeve 16 are all secured together by using, for example, a rubber polyurethane glue.
In respect to the [0014] high bounce balls 14 they are modified, either by cutting away a portion, or not forming such portion at the outset when molding them, to create the frictional fitting clearance diameter 20 to fit partially into the ends of tube 16.
As so made, this [0015] toy 10, for throwing, bouncing, and catching, serves players very well for the overall playing. The players manipulate the toy in many ways. For example:
To begin, hold one end of this [0016] toy 10, in a vertical position and then drop it from chest height to floor, and it bounces back for easy catching.
Hold end of this [0017] toy 10, and then toss it one or two feet in front of you onto the floor so the end hits the floor first at an angle and bounces back for easy catching.
Stand five to six feet apart from another player and then thrown the [0018] toy 10 at an angle toward the floor aiming at spot halfway between, and the toy 10 will bounce off the floor, and to the other player for catching.
While this invention has been described, it will be understood that it is capable of further modification, and this application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention following, in general, the principles of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure as come with known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains, and as may be applied to the essential features hereinbefore set forth and fall within the scope of the invention or the limits of the appended claims. [0019]

List of Reference Numerals for Rubber Stick Throw Toy

20=frictional fitting clearance diameter. [0020]
16=elongate cylindrical tube. [0021]
14=high bounce cylindrical balls. [0022]
12=collar or sleeve. [0023]
10=bounce toy, preferred embodiment. [0024]
4=partial sectional view. [0025]

Claims

I claim:

1. A thrown, caught, and bounced toy, comprising:

(a) an elongate hollow cylindrical tube having a length to be conveniently grasped by at least one hand of a person, and to extend about respective exteriors of specially formed high bounce cylindrical balls; and

(b) specially formed high bounce cylindrical balls having respective exteriors to fit partial into the respective ends of the cylindrical tube, thereby providing a frictionally fitting clearance diameter.

2. A thrown, caught, and bounced toy, as claimed in 1, wherein the high bounce cylindrical balls are made from a heated and compressed synthetic rubber.

3. A thrown, caught, and bounced toy, as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cylindrical tube is made from plastic tubing.

4. A thrown, caught, bounced toy, comprising:

(a) an elongate hollow cylindrical tube having a length to be conveniently grasped by at least one hand of a person, and to extend around respective exteriors of specially formed high bounce cylindrical balls;

(b) specially formed high bounce cylindrical balls having respective exteriors to fit into the respective ends of the cylindrical tube; and

(c) a conforming exterior collar or sleeve jointly extending outwardly and around the cylindrical tube and the cylindrical high bounce balls.