US20110009026A1

US20110009026A1 - Frisbee having extendible wings

Info

Publication number: US20110009026A1
Application number: US12/460,028
Authority: US
Inventors: Kang Yen Feng
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-07-10
Filing date: 2009-07-10
Publication date: 2011-01-13

Abstract

A Frisbee includes a housing having a chamber formed between a base plate and an upper plate, and a wing device pivotally attached to the housing and selectively rotated and engaged into the chamber of the housing to an inwardly folding position, and selectively rotated and extended out of the housing to an outwardly extended working position for facilitating a flying effect of the Frisbee, the wing device includes two wing blades pivotally attached the housing and anchored at the inwardly folding position with latches, a sucker device is engageable with the receptacle for temporarily attracting the actuating device to the receptacle, and for delaying the engagement of the actuating device with the latches.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a Frisbee or a flying device, and more particularly to a Frisbee including a wing device extendible out of the Frisbee after the Frisbee has been tossed into the air or is flying in the air for facilitating the flying effect of the Frisbee and for increasing the flying distance of the Frisbee.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Typical Frisbees or flying devices comprise an upper flat part including a marginal edge curved downwardly and terminating in a thickened marginal flange.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,616 to Gudgel discloses one of the typical illuminated Frisbee toys of the flying saucer type, to be thrown through the air from one player to another.
However, the typical illuminated Frisbee toys have no wings to be extended out of the Frisbee to facilitate the flying effect of the Frisbee and to increase the flying distance of the Frisbee.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,259,802 to Yang, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,342 to Chiang disclose two further typical Frisbees or flying devices to be thrown by the players.
However, similarly, the typical Frisbees have no wings to be extended out of the Frisbee to facilitate the flying effect of the Frisbee and to increase the flying distance of the Frisbee.
The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional Frisbees or flying devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide a Frisbee including a wing device extendible out of the Frisbee when or after the Frisbee has been tossed into the air or is flying in the air for facilitating the flying effect of the Frisbee and for increasing the flying distance of the Frisbee.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a Frisbee comprising a housing including a base plate and an upper plate secured together and spaced from each other for forming a chamber between the base plate and the upper plate, and a wing device pivotally attached to the housing and selectively rotated and engaged into the chamber of the housing to an inwardly folding position, and selectively rotated and extended out of the housing to an outwardly extended working position for facilitating a flying effect of the Frisbee.
The wing device includes two wing blades each having a root portion engaged in the chamber of the housing and engaged between the base plate and the upper plate and pivotally attached the housing with a pin for allowing the wing blades to be rotated between the inwardly folding position and the outwardly extended working position. The housing includes two pivotal latches engageable with the wing blades for selectively anchoring the wing blades at the inwardly folding position.
The wing blades each include an anchor extended therefrom for engaging with the latches and for anchoring the wing blades in the inwardly folding position. The latches each include a first end selectively engaged with the wing blades.
A spring member may be engaged with each of the latches for biasing the first end of the latches to engage with the wing blades. The housing includes two pathways formed in the base plate, and the first end of the latches are extended through the pathways of the base plate and extended into the chamber of the housing.
An actuating device may further be provided and slidably engaged in the housing and includes an actuating member for engaging with the latches and for selectively disengaging the first ends of the latches from the wing blades. A spring member may further be provided and engaged with the actuating device for biasing the actuating member of the actuating device to engage with the latches.
A receptacle may further be provided and disposed and secured in the housing and includes a space formed therein, and the actuating device includes a sucker device engaged into the space of the receptacle and having a sucker member selectively engageable with the receptacle for temporarily attracting the actuating device to the receptacle, and for delaying the spring member to bias and force the actuating device to engage with the latches.
The housing includes a casing extended from the base cover and having a compartment formed in the casing, the receptacle is disposed and secured in the casing of the housing.
A latch device may further be provided and pivotally attached to the housing and includes a first end engageable with the actuating device for selectively disengaging the actuating member of the actuating device from the first ends of the latches. A spring member may further be engaged with the latch device for biasing the first end of the latch device to engage with the actuating device.
A button may further be provided and slidably attached to the housing and includes an actuating element for selectively engaging with the latch device and for selectively disengaging the first end of the latch device from the actuating device. A spring member may further be provided and engaged with the button for disengaging the actuating element of the button from the latch device.
The housing includes an upper cover attached to the upper plate, and an orifice formed in the upper cover and arranged for allowing the button to be extended into the orifice of the upper cover. The actuating device includes a latch shoulder formed therein for selectively engaging with the first end of the latch device.
A knob may further be provided and rotatably attached to the actuating device and coupled to the wing blades for selectively rotating the wing blades into the housing at the inwardly folding position when the knob is rotated relative to the housing and the actuating device. The knob is coupled to the wing blades with cords.
A coil spring member may further be provided and engaged between the knob and the actuating device for biasing the knob backward to an original position relative to the housing and the actuating device after the wing blades have been moved into the inwardly folding position and after the knob has been released.
Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided hereinbelow, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a Frisbee in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating the operation of the Frisbee;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the Frisbee;

FIG. 4 is a bottom perspective view of the Frisbee, in which a portion of the Frisbee has been cut off for showing the inner structure of the Frisbee;

FIG. 5 is a partial bottom plan schematic view of the Frisbee;

FIG. 6 is a partial bottom plan schematic view similar to FIG. 5 illustrating the operation of the Frisbee;

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of the Frisbee taken along lines 7-7 of FIG. 1; and

FIGS. 8 and 9 are enlarged partial cross sectional views of the Frisbee illustrating the operation of the Frisbee.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1-8, a Frisbee in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing 10 including a base plate 11 and an upper plate 12 secured together with latches or catches or fasteners or pins 20 and spaced from each other for forming a space or chamber 21 therein or for forming the chamber 21 between the base plate 11 and the upper plate 12, and including a hub or cylindrical member 13 extended upwardly from the center portion of the upper plate 12 and having a passage 14 formed in the cylindrical member 13 and communicative with the chamber 21 of the housing 10, and including a base cover 15 and an upper cover 16 attached or secured to the base plate 11 and the upper plate 12 respectively with latches or catches or fasteners (not shown) or adhesive materials or by welding processes.
The housing 10 includes a round dome or casing 17 extended downwardly from the base cover 15 and having a compartment 18 formed in the casing 17 of the base cover 15, and includes an opening 19 formed in the upper cover 16 for receiving the cylindrical member 13 of the upper plate 12 and for allowing the cylindrical member 13 to be flush with the outer peripheral surface of the upper cover 16, and for allowing the passage 14 of the cylindrical member 13 to be exposed and reached from the opening 19 of the upper cover 16. A weighing ring or member 22 may further be provided and engaged with the base cover 15 (FIGS. 3, 7-9) for increasing the weight of the base cover 15 or for balancing the weight of the housing 10.
A wing device 3 includes one or more (such as two) wing members or blades 30, 31 each having a root portion 32 disposed or engaged in the chamber 21 of the housing 10 and engaged between the base plate 11 and the upper plate 12, and pivotally or rotatably attached or coupled to the housing 10 with the pins 20, for example, for allowing the wing blades 30, 31 to be selectively pivoted or rotated or engaged into the chamber 21 of the housing 10 at an inwardly folding or receiving position as shown in FIGS. 4-5 and 9 for storing or transportation purposes, or to be selectively pivoted or rotated or extended out of the housing 10 at an outwardly extended opening or working position as shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 6-8 for facilitating the flying effect of the Frisbee and for increasing the flying distance of the Frisbee.
A latch device 4 includes one or more (such as two) latches 40 each having a middle portion pivotally or rotatably attached or coupled to the bottom of the base plate 11 with a pivot rod 41, and each having one end or outer end 42 extended through a pathway 23 of the base plate 11 and extended into the chamber 21 of the housing 10 (FIG. 9) for selectively engaging with the root portions 32 of the wing blades 30, 31 and for anchoring or positioning or retaining the wing blades 30, 31 in the inwardly folding or receiving position. For example, the wing blades 30, 31 each include an anchor 33 extended therefrom for engaging with the outer ends 42 of the latches 40 and for anchoring or positioning or retaining the wing blades 30, 31 in the inwardly folding or receiving position.
One or more (such as two) spring members 43 are engaged between the base plate 11 and the latches 40, such as engaged between the base plate 11 and the other end or inner end 44 of the latches 40 for biasing or forcing the outer end 42 of the latches 40 to extend through the pathway 23 of the base plate 11 and to extend into the chamber 21 of the housing 10 and to selectively engage with the root portions 32 of the wing blades 30, 31 and thus to anchor or position or retain the wing blades 30, 31 in the inwardly folding or receiving position. The wing blades 30, 31 may be selectively pivoted or rotated or extended out of the housing 10 at the outwardly extended opening or working position when the other ends or inner ends 44 of the latches 40 are forced or moved onto the spring members 43 to disengage the outer end 42 of the latches 40 from the root portions 32 of the wing blades 30, 31 or when the latches 40 are pivoted or rotated relative to the housing 10 and the pivot rods 41 respectively.
One or more (such as two) further spring members 45 are engaged or coupled between the pegs 24 of the base plate 11 and the pegs 34 of the wing blades 30, 31 for biasing or forcing the wing blades 30, 31 to selectively pivot or rotate or extend out of the housing 10 at the outwardly extended opening or working position when the outer ends 42 of the latches 40 are disengaged from the anchors 33 at the root portions 32 of the wing blades 30, 31. The wing blades 30, 31 may be selectively and manually pivoted or rotated or moved or forced into the chamber 21 of the housing 10 at the inwardly folding or receiving position by the user until the outer ends 42 of the latches 40 are engaged with the anchors 33 of the wing blades 30, 31 again (FIG. 5). One or more (such as two) cables or cords 46 may further be provided and engaged with or coupled to the pegs 35 of the wing blades 30, 31 for selectively pivoting or rotating the wing blades 30, 31 into the chamber 21 of the housing 10 at the inwardly folding or receiving position, which will be described in further details hereinafter.
A receptacle 25 is disposed or engaged in the compartment 18 of the casing 17 of the base cover 15 of the housing 10, and attached or secured to the casing 17 of the base cover 15 with latches or catches or fasteners (not shown) or adhesive materials or by welding processes and includes a space 26 formed therein. An actuating device 50, such as a cylindrical actuating device 50 is slidably attached or engaged onto the receptacle 25 of the housing 10 and movable up and down or along the receptacle 25 of the housing 10, best shown in FIGS. 8-9, and includes a peripheral flange or actuating member 51 extended radially and outwardly therefrom for engaging with the inner ends 44 of the latches 40 and for forcing or moving the other ends or inner ends 44 of the latches 40 onto the spring members 43 and to disengage the outer end 42 of the latches 40 from the anchors 33 of the wing blades 30, 31 (FIG. 8).
A further spring member 52 is disposed or engaged between the actuating device 50 and the receptacle 25, such as engaged between the actuating device 50 and the upper panel 27 of the receptacle 25 for biasing or forcing or moving the actuating device 50 upwardly and away from the receptacle 25, and a sucker device 53 is attached or secured to the actuating device 50 and moved in concert with the actuating device 50 and engaged into the space 26 of the receptacle 25, and includes a sucker member 54 movable and selectively engageable with the bottom panel 28 of the receptacle 25 of the base cover 15 for temporarily sucking or attracting or securing the actuating device 50 to the receptacle 25, and for delaying the spring member 52 to bias or force or move the actuating device 50 upwardly and away from the receptacle 25, and for preventing the actuating device 50 from being biased or forced or moved away from the receptacle 25 by the spring member 52 right away.
The actuating device 50 includes a peripheral recess or latch shoulder 55 formed therein, another latch device 60 includes a middle portion pivotally or rotatably attached or coupled to the bottom of the base plate 11 of the housing 10 with a pivot pole 61, and includes one end or first end 62 for selectively engaging with the latch shoulder 55 of the actuating device 50 (FIGS. 5, 9) and for anchoring or positioning or retaining the actuating device 50 in the compressed or engaged position with the receptacle 25 of the base cover 15 and for retaining the spring member 52 in the compressed status and for retaining the sucker member 54 of the sucker device 53 in engagement with the bottom panel 28 of the receptacle 25 of the base cover 15 (FIG. 9). A further spring member 63 is disposed or engaged between the base plate 11 and the one end or first end 62 of the latch device 60 for biasing or forcing or moving the first end 62 of the latch device 60 to engage with the latch shoulder 55 of the actuating device 50.
A button 70 is slidably attached or mounted to the housing 10, such as slidably attached or mounted to the upper plate 12 of the housing 10, and extended into or outwardly through an orifice 29 of the upper cover 16 (FIG. 9), and arranged for allowing the button 70 to be depressed or engaged into the housing 10 (FIG. 8), and the button 70 includes an actuating element 71 for selectively engaging with the other end or the second end 64 of the latch device 60 for selectively forcing or moving the first end 62 of the latch device 60 away from the latch shoulder 55 of the actuating device 50 or for selectively disengaging the first end 62 of the latch device 60 from the latch shoulder 55 of the actuating device 50, and for allowing the actuating device 50 to be moved away from the receptacle 25 by the spring member 52 after the spring member 52 has overcome the sucking or attracting or securing force of the sucker device 53.
When the spring member 52 has overcome the sucking or attracting or securing force of the sucker device 53 and when the spring member 52 has biased or forced or moved the actuating device 50 away from the receptacle 25, the actuating member 51 of the actuating device 50 may be forced to engage with the inner ends 44 of the latches 40 and to force or move the other ends or inner ends 44 of the latches 40 onto the spring members 43 and to disengage the outer end 42 of the latches 40 from the anchors 33 of the wing blades 30, 31 and thus to allow the wing blades 30, 31 to be extended from the inwardly folding or receiving position as shown in FIGS. 4-5 and 9 to the outwardly extended opening or working position as shown in FIGS. 1-2 and 6-8 few seconds after the button 70 has being depressed or engaged into the housing 10 by the user.
In operation, as shown in FIGS. 4-5 and 9, the wing blades 30, 31 may be selectively and manually pivoted or rotated or moved or forced into the chamber 21 of the housing 10 at the inwardly folding or receiving position by the user, and the outer ends 42 of the latches 40 may be engaged with the anchors 33 of the wing blades 30, 31 in order to maintain the wing blades 30, 31 at the inwardly folding or receiving position. The actuating device 50 may then be depressed or moved onto the receptacle 25 and the spring member 52 until the first end 62 of the latch device 60 is biased or forced or moved to engage with the latch shoulder 55 of the actuating device 50 by the spring member 63, at this moment, the actuating device 50 may be anchored or positioned or retained in the compressed or engaged position with the receptacle 25 of the base cover 15 and the spring member 52 may be retained in the compressed status and the sucker member 54 of the sucker device 53 may be retained in engagement with the bottom panel 28 of the receptacle 25 of the base cover 15.
When the button 70 is depressed or engaged into the housing 10, the actuating element 71 of the button 70 may be moved to engage with the other end or the second end 64 of the latch device 60 in order to selectively force or move the first end 62 of the latch device 60 away from the latch shoulder 55 of the actuating device 50. At this moment, the Frisbee may be tossed or thrown into the air before the wing blades 30, 31 are extended outwardly to the opening or working position, and few seconds later or few seconds after the button 70 has being depressed or engaged into the housing 10, the actuating device 50 may be moved away from the receptacle 25 by the spring member 52 after the spring member 52 has overcome the sucking or attracting or securing force of the sucker device 53, the actuating member 51 of the actuating device 50 may then be forced to engage with the inner ends 44 of the latches 40 and to disengage the outer end 42 of the latches 40 from the anchors 33 of the wing blades 30, 31 and thus to allow the wing blades 30, 31 to be extended from the inwardly folding or receiving position to the outwardly extended opening or working position.
As shown in FIGS. 1-3 and 5-9, a handgrip or knob 80 may further be provided and pivotally or rotatably attached or mounted onto the actuating device 50, and may further include one or more (such as two) pegs 81 engaged with or coupled to the cords 46 for allowing the wing blades 30, 31 to be pivoted or rotated or moved or forced into the chamber 21 of the housing 10 at the inwardly folding or receiving position by the knob 80 and the cords 46 when the knob 80 is pivoted or rotated relative to the housing 10 and the actuating device 50, and a coil spring member 82 may further be provided and engaged with or coupled between the knob 80 and the actuating device 50 for biasing or forcing or recovering the knob 80 backward to the original position relative to the housing 10 and the actuating device 50 after the wing blades 30, 31 has been moved into the inwardly folding or receiving position and after the knob 80 has been released.
It is to be noted that the typical Frisbees or flying devices have no wing devices or wing blades that may be selectively pivoted or rotated or engaged into the housing at an inwardly folding or receiving position for storing or transportation purposes, or that may be selectively pivoted or rotated or extended out of the housing at an outwardly extended opening or working position for facilitating the flying effect of the Frisbee and for increasing the flying distance of the Frisbee. In addition, no typical Frisbees or flying devices have wing devices or wing blades that may be selectively pivoted or rotated or extended out of the housing few seconds after the Frisbees or flying devices are tossed into the air.
Accordingly, the Frisbee includes a wing device extendible out of the Frisbee when or after the Frisbee has been tossed into the air or is flying in the air for facilitating the flying effect of the Frisbee and for increasing the flying distance of the Frisbee.
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

Claims

1. A Frisbee comprising:

a housing including a base plate and an upper plate secured together and spaced from each other for forming a chamber between said base plate and said upper plate, and

a wing device pivotally attached to said housing and selectively rotated and engaged into said chamber of said housing to an inwardly folding position, and selectively rotated and extended out of said housing to an outwardly extended working position for facilitating a flying effect of said Frisbee.

2. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 1, wherein said wing device includes two wing blades each having a root portion engaged in said chamber of said housing and engaged between said base plate and said upper plate and pivotally attached said housing with a pin for allowing said wing blades to be rotated between the inwardly folding position and the outwardly extended working position.

3. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 2, wherein said housing includes two pivotal latches engageable with said wing blades for selectively anchoring said wing blades at the inwardly folding position.

4. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 3, wherein said wing blades each include an anchor extended therefrom for engaging with said latches and for anchoring said wing blades in the inwardly folding position.

5. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 3, wherein said latches each include a first end selectively engaged with said wing blades.

6. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 5, wherein a spring member is engaged with each of said latches for biasing said first end of said latches to engage with said wing blades.

7. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 5, wherein said housing includes two pathways formed in said base plate, and said first end of said latches are extended through said pathways of said base plate and extended into said chamber of said housing.

8. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 3, wherein an actuating device is slidably engaged in said housing and includes an actuating member for engaging with said latches and for selectively disengaging said first ends of said latches from said wing blades.

9. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 8, wherein a spring member is engaged with said actuating device for biasing said actuating member of said actuating device to engage with said latches.

10. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 9, wherein a receptacle is disposed and secured in said housing and includes a space formed therein, and said actuating device includes a sucker device engaged into said space of said receptacle and having a sucker member selectively engageable with said receptacle for temporarily attracting said actuating device to said receptacle, and for delaying said spring member to bias and force said actuating device to engage with said latches.

11. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 10, wherein said housing includes a casing extended from said base cover and having a compartment formed in said casing, said receptacle is disposed and secured in said casing of said housing.

12. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 8, wherein a latch device is pivotally attached to said housing and includes a first end engageable with said actuating device for selectively disengaging said actuating member of said actuating device from said first ends of said latches.

13. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 12, wherein a spring member is engaged with said latch device for biasing said first end of said latch device to engage with said actuating device.

14. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 12, wherein a button is slidably attached to said housing and includes an actuating element for selectively engaging with said latch device and for selectively disengaging said first end of said latch device from said actuating device.

15. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 14, wherein a spring member is engaged with said button for disengaging said actuating element of said button from said latch device.

16. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 14, wherein said housing includes an upper cover attached to said upper plate, and an orifice formed in said upper cover and arranged for allowing said button to be extended into said orifice of said upper cover.

17. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 12, wherein said actuating device includes a latch shoulder formed therein for selectively engaging with said first end of said latch device.

18. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 8, wherein a knob is rotatably attached to said actuating device and coupled to said wing blades for selectively rotating said wing blades into said housing at the inwardly folding position when said knob is rotated relative to said housing and said actuating device.

19. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 18, wherein said knob is coupled to said wing blades with cords.

20. The Frisbee as claimed in claim 18, wherein a coil spring member is engaged between said knob and said actuating device for biasing said knob backward to an original position relative to said housing and said actuating device after said wing blades have been moved into the inwardly folding position and after said knob has been released.