Patents by Inventor William A. Holsten

William A. Holsten has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7887388
    Abstract: A pneumatic manual air pump powered car racing game presents a housing which serves as a powering station from which a race car is propelled down a race track. A pump handle is manipulated to pressurize an air chamber with substantial pressure, which is released to discharge the race car from its starting position at the housing end of the race track to the distal end of the race track. A race car's starting position refers to the releasably yet hermetically sealed male to female junction between the housing and race car. A signal is comprised at the distal end of the race track to indicate a conclusive race by a triggering device, including a mechanical or electronic device for alerting a player that the race car has reached the end of the track. A race is arranged by two or more users with multiple devices by setting up a parallel series of race tracks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Inventors: William A. Holsten, Janet Holsten
  • Patent number: 7784789
    Abstract: A chance-based water game for randomly spraying none, one or multiple individual players includes a housing with an inlet for a pressurized water source; a disc-shaped selector, and a trigger. The housing also comprises a series of tubes and nozzles for directing the pressurized water at the players. The trigger is connected to a valve for permitting a predetermined amount of pressurized water to pass through the device. When the trigger is activated, water travels from the pressure source, into the housing, past the trigger valve, and into a manifold where the single stream of water is channeled through a valve and gasket to none, one or multiple individual circuits corresponding to none, one or multiple nozzles. The selector determines the circuits, if any, through which the water passes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2010
    Inventors: William A. Holsten, Janet Holsten
  • Publication number: 20090124167
    Abstract: A pneumatic manual air pump powered car racing game presents a housing which serves as a powering station from which a race car is propelled down a race track. A pump handle is manipulated to pressurize an air chamber with substantial pressure, which is released to discharge the race car from its starting position at the housing end of the race track to the distal end of the race track. A race car's starting position refers to the releasably yet hermetically sealed male to female junction between the housing and race car. A signal is comprised at the distal end of the race track to indicate a conclusive race by a triggering device, including a mechanical or electronic device for alerting a player that the race car has reached the end of the track. A race is arranged by two or more users with multiple devices by setting up a parallel series of race tracks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: William A. Holsten, Janet Holsten
  • Publication number: 20090121426
    Abstract: A chance-based water game for randomly spraying none, one or multiple individual players includes a housing with an inlet for a pressurized water source; a disc-shaped selector, and a trigger. The housing also comprises a series of tubes and nozzles for directing the pressurized water at the players. The trigger is connected to a valve for permitting a predetermined amount of pressurized water to pass through the device. When the trigger is activated, water travels from the pressure source, into the housing, past the trigger valve, and into a manifold where the single stream of water is channeled through a valve and gasket to none, one or multiple individual circuits corresponding to none, one or multiple nozzles. The selector determines the circuits, if any, through which the water passes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: May 14, 2009
    Inventors: WILLIAM A. HOLSTEN, JANET HOLSTEN
  • Patent number: 7316400
    Abstract: A game apparatus comprising at least two receptacles, at least two pumps for pumping fluid into the at least two receptacles and a weight-activated mechanism to deliver the receptacle contents to a location of the pumps after a receptacle is filled with a predetermined amount of fluid. Connections between the pumps and receptacle may be made such that a receptacle does not deliver its contents to the location of a pump filling it. However, the connections can also be made such that the receptacle delivers its contents to the location of the pump filling it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Inventors: Janet Holsten, William Holsten
  • Patent number: 7134665
    Abstract: A balloon-bursting game for providing amusement to individuals at events by striking a pneumatic striker to inflate the balloon until it bursts. The inventive device includes a striker mechanism for pneumatically compressing air into an air tube when struck or depressed, a vertical shaft comprised of a base structure and housing, a balloon nozzle and piercing frame attached to the top of the vertical shaft, and an air tube connected by a nozzle from the striker mechanism through a monodirectional controlling valve and housing to the bottom end of the balloon nozzle. In use, with an uninflated balloon secured to the balloon nozzle, a hammer or similar object, or means of jumping up and down upon the striker mechanism, repeatedly depresses the striker mechanism, forcing air through the tube, valve and nozzle into the balloon, so that the balloon expands to a size sufficient to press against the piercing frame and burst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2006
    Inventors: William A. Holsten, Janet A. Holsten
  • Publication number: 20060232014
    Abstract: A balloon bursting game. The game apparatus mainly comprises an air pump, a tube connecting a balloon and the air pump, and a frame-like member with a plurality if sharpened members. The air pump is manually operated to gradually inflate the balloon. The frame-like member and the balloon are disposed on a stand-like member. The frame-like member is designed and positioned such that the outer surface of a sufficiently inflated balloon presses against the plurality of sharpened members. The balloon will burst when pressed with sufficient force against the plurality of sharpened members. A plurality of game apparatuses may be placed in proximity and a player is assigned to each of the game apparatuses. The player who is the fastest to inflate and burst the balloon is declared as the winner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2006
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: William Holsten, Janet Holsten
  • Publication number: 20060175760
    Abstract: A balloon-bursting game for providing amusement to individuals at events by striking a pneumatic striker to inflate the balloon until it bursts. The inventive device includes a striker mechanism for pneumatically compressing air into an air tube when struck or depressed, a vertical shaft comprised of a base structure and housing, a balloon nozzle and piercing frame attached to the top of the vertical shaft, and an air tube connected by a nozzle from the striker mechanism through a monodirectional controlling valve and housing to the bottom end of the balloon nozzle. In use, with an uninflated balloon secured to the balloon nozzle, a hammer or similar object, or means of jumping up and down upon the striker mechanism, repeatedly depresses the striker mechanism, forcing air through the tube, valve and nozzle into the balloon, so that the balloon expands to a size sufficient to press against the piercing frame and burst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2005
    Publication date: August 10, 2006
    Inventors: William Holsten, Janet Holsten
  • Patent number: 6264201
    Abstract: A water balloon game for providing amusement to individuals at events by bursting a balloon filled with water above a subject's head thereby effectively “dunking” the subject. The inventive device includes a wall member having a target and a support structure to maintain the wall member in a vertical position, a basket supported to an upper portion of the wall member by a support bar formed for receiving a balloon filled with a fluid such as water, a shaft pivotally attached to the wall member, a plate attached to the shaft positioned in front of the target, and a puncturing member attached orthogonally to the end of the shaft opposite of the plate for puncturing the balloon when positioned within the basket. The shaft is pivotally attached to the wall member with pivot brackets and a pivot pin. The shaft is angled upwardly from the plate to the puncturing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2001
    Inventors: William A. Holsten, Janet A. Holsten