US3163419A - Inflatable pocketed target device - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 29, 1964 J. H. LEMELSON 3,163,419

INFLATABLE POCKETED TARGET DEVICE Filed July 15, 1964 INVEN TOR.

gun; Ale/mm United States Patent 3,163,419 HQFLATABLE EGCKETED TARGET DEVICE Jerome 1i. Lemeison, 85 Rector Sh, Metuchen, NJ. Fiied July 13, 1964, Ser. No. 332,131 8 Claims. (Cl. 273-105) This invention relates to an inflatable game device and is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Serial No. 26,925 filed on April 11, 1960, and entitled Plastic Toys, now Patent Number 3,142,932.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved inflatable game device.

Another object is to provide a game device in the form of a target which may be packaged in a small container and inflated when ready for use to a size substantially larger than the container in which it is packaged.

Another object is to provide an inflatable game device with simple means for retaining an object such as a ball or defining an opening therein through which said object may be tossed.

Another object is to provide an inflatable target decorated to represent a sports figure such as a baseball player adapted to receive or retain a ball tossed at a portion of the target.

With the above and such other objects in view as may hereafter more fully appear, the invention consists of the novel constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts as will be more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications may be resorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an inflatable target shown inflated and embodying the features of this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side view taken in cross-section of the device of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate details of the game apparatus structure of one form of the invention. The game device 10 comprises an inflatable body 11 adapted to be selfsupporting on a surface such as a floor or the ground and normally retained when inflated in the upright attitude illustrated by sand ballast B or other means disposed in the bottom of body 11. The body 11 is fabricated of a plurality of sections of flexible plastic sheeting including a first sheet 12 defining a front wall and a second sheet 13 defining a rear wall which walls bulge outwardly as illustrated when the body 11 is inflated through valve 22 which is shown sealed to the wall 13. Material comprising walls 12 and 13 is preferably flexible polyvinylchloride plastic although it may comprise any suitable flexible plastic capable of being heat sealed and inflated to the shape illustrated or to any suitable shape. If said walls are vinyl plastic, the entire inflatable portion may be electronically heat sealed to enclose an interior volume 14 capable of being pressurized to outwardly bulge walls 12 and 13 in a semi-rigid body structure.

Printed on the face of front wall 12 of the inflatable body 11 is an illustration 2t) representing a sports figure such as a baseball fielder or catcher adapted to enhance the realism of the toy and provide the illusion that the player is actually tossing an object or ball at a sports figure, as illustrated, to catch same.

Provided through the central portion of body 11 is a hole or opening 15 defining a target area through which a missile such as a ball may be thrown or projected. The opening 15 is provided by eflecting a closed-loop heat seal 16 shown in the form of a circular Weld between flexible walls 12 and 13 and removing the material in terior of weld 16 to provide a through and through opening which is defined by a circumscribing side Wall when the target is inflated.

In a preferred form of the invention it may be desired 3,163,419 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 ICC to retain the object tossed through opening 15 for scoring purposes and means in the form of a cup or bag shaped retainer 18 is provided across the opening 15. Such retainer may be made of the flexible sheet material of either or both walls 12 and 13 which has been provided in a slack condition such as that illustrated prior to heat sealing the walls together and effecting the circular seal 16 or it may be made of .a separate section of flexible sheet plastic material heat sealed to a portion of flexible material provided inward of seal line 16 or along said seal line.

Notation B refers to sand ballast provided in the bottom of the inflatable enclosure 11 to maintain it in an upright state as illustrated on the floor or ground. The pocket 18 is preferably provided sufliciently slack to retain a plurality of balls or missiles 21 thrown or propelled through the opening 15 when directed at the side of the target defined by wall 12. To improve the appearance of the toy, a decoration 21 may be provided by printing on the face 17 of wall 12 representing, for example, the front view of a baseball player. Notation 22 refers to a valve disposed in wall 13 for inflating body 11 to provide it in an erect self-supporting condition by pressurizing the inside volume 14. i

In another form of the invention, pocket or flap 18 may partially cover the opening 15 in body 11 or may be eliminated entirely whereby the player may observe the flight of the missile or ball.

A latitude of modification and substitution is intended in the foregoing disclosure and in certain instances some features of the invention will be used without a. corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Game apparatus comprising in combination an inflatable body, a missile adapted to be propelled at said body, means for retaining said body when inflated upright on a surface, a target portion of said device adapted for receiving and retaining an object propelled thereat, said target portion having opposed walls, a through opening in said target portion defined by a closed loop heat seal between said walls, and a receptacle for said missile disposed across said opening at the rear of said target portion and secured to said body.

2. Game apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said receptacle for said missile comprising a pocket shaped retainer, said retainer being heat sealed to the material of the rear wall of said inflatable body.

3. Game apparatus in accordance with claim 1, said receptacle comprising a sheet offlexible plastic extending across the opening in said body and heat sealed thereto at said closed loop heat seal.

4. Game apparatus in accordance with claim 3, said receptacle sheet of flexible plastic being shaped as a pouch extending rearwardly from said opening and adapted for receiving and retaining said missile therein.

5. Game apparatus comprising in combination a target having a body made of flexible, thin sheet plastic material which is heat sealed to define an inflatable closure and having a valve secured to said body forinflating same to an erect, upstanding condition, means for retaining the inflated body upright, a target portion of said body adapted for receiving and retaining an object propelled thereat, said target portion having opposed walls and including a through opening therein defined by a substantially circular heat seal between the walls, and means disposed across said opening at the rear of said target portion for retaining said object when passed through said opening to define scoring.

6. Game apparatus in accordance with claim 5, said retaining means comprising a flexible bag extending across the opening therein'to define means for receivingand 7.'A game device comprising in combination an in fiatable body made of flexible thermoplastic sheeting,

means for inflating said body to a semi-rigid erect condition, means including ballast disposed at the bottom of said body for, retaining said body erect on a surface, a target portion of said inflatable body including a through opening provided in the walls thereof, said opening defined by cireumscribing sealing means securing portions of the walls of said inflatable body together, said hole defining a target passageway through which an object such as a ball may be projected to indicate a score when so directed.

4!, 8. Game apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein the front Wall of said inflatable body bears a pictorial representation of a baseball player.

References Citedby the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 715,249 12/02 Dunbar 273--105 1,218,398 3/17 Gurtov 273-105 1,469,130 9/23 Whitehair 273-182 X 2,201,865 5/40 Kriekard 273-105 2,254,986 9/41 Ziel 273-26 2,886,318 5/59 Tarbox a 273-105 X 2,939,707 6/60 Lemelson 273-105 v 15 DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. GAME APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION AN INFLATABLE BODY, A MISSILE ADAPTED TO BE PROPELLED AT SAID BODY, MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID BODY WHEN INFLATED UPRIGHT ON A SURFACE, A TARGET PORTION OF SAID DEVICE ADAPTED FOR RECEIVING AND RETAINING AN OBJECT PROPELLED THEREAT, SAID TARGET PORTION HAVING OPPOSED WALLS, A THROUGH OPENING IN SAID TARGET PORTION DEFINED BY A CLOSED LOOP HEAT SEAL BETWEEN SAID WALLS, AND A RECEPTACLE FOR SAID MISSILE DISPOSED ACROSS SAID OPENING AT THE REAR OF SAID TARGET PORTION AND SECURED TO SAID BODY.

Images