Levitating toy with an air-stream generator and a flying prop

Abstract

A flying toy has an airstream generator with a handle. The air stream generator has an air duct with a multi-blade propeller operatively coupled to a motor. The handle has a compartment to accommodate one or two batteries to power the motor. When the motor is turned on, the propeller produces an airstream out of the air duct. On top of the air duct, a cover with a stud is provided. The stud is dimensioned to fit a hole in the bottom section of a bowl-shaped body. The bowl-shaped body has a rim section connected to the bottom section. The rim section has a plurality of fins oriented such that when the airstream is produced by the propeller, the airstream interacts with the fins, causing the bowl-shaped body to spin while the bowl-shaped body is moving away from and hovering above the air duct.

Description

This patent application is based on and claims benefits to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/001,540, filed Nov. 1, 2007.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to a levitating or flying toy, either manual-powered or motor-driven. In particular, the present invention is related to a levitating toy equipped with a propeller for forcing an air stream.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

Gadgets that seemingly defy gravity are generally fascinating. Levitating toys are such gadgets. It would be advantageous to provide a levitating toy that is simple and cost-effective.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is concerned with a levitating toy having an air stream generator to create an air stream in order to push a bowl-shaped flying body away from the generator.

The levitating toy, according to various embodiments of the present invention, comprises an air stream generator with a handle. The air stream generator includes a multi-blade propeller operatively coupled to an electric motor inside the air stream generator.

The main body of the air stream generator includes two shells, which accommodate the electric motor, a switch with push button, and an air duct with a protruding stud in the middle. Through the air duct, the air stream is designed to uplift a variety of flying bodies into the air. The shells can be made of plastic, for example. The electric motor can be a DC (direct-current) motor configured to receive a DC power source, such as an electric charger or at least one battery.

In accordance with the present invention, a bowl-shaped flying body made of light-weight material is configured to receive the air stream. The rim or side of the bowl-shaped flying body comprises a plurality of curved fins such that when the air stream acts upon curved fins, it exerts a revolving force on the fins, causing the flying body to spin. The bottom of the bowl-shaped flying body has a hole dimensioned to engage the protruding stud in the middle of the air duct outlet of the air stream generator when the bowl-shaped flying body rests on the air stream generator.

Thus, the first aspect of the present invention is a levitating toy comprising:

an air generating duct; and

a handle connected to the air duct, wherein the air duct comprises an air duct body having a first end and an opposing second end, and a propeller located inside the air duct body, the propeller coupled to a motor for rotational motion in order to provide an air stream through the first end, and wherein the handle is located on the second end of the air duct and comprises a battery compartment configured for storing one or more batteries for powering the motor, and a switch for controlling said powering, and wherein the air duct further comprises a cover on the first end of the air duct body, the cover comprising a stud centrally located on the cover.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the stud is configured to receive a bowl-shaped flying body having a bottom section and a rim section, wherein the bottom section comprises a centrally located hole dimensioned to fit the stud on the air duct, and the rim section comprises a plurality of curved fins such that when the air stream is provided by the air duct, the air stream interacts with the curved fins, causing the bowl-shaped flying body to spin while moving the bowl-shaped flying body away from the first end of the air duct body.

The second aspect of the present invention is a bowl-shaped body, comprising:

a rim section; and

a bottom section connected to the rim section, wherein the rim section comprises a plurality of curved fins and the bottom section comprises a hole.

The third aspect of the present invention is a method of operating a flying toy, comprising:

providing an air duct comprising an air duct body having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end comprising a cover having a centrally located stud dimension to receive an object with a hole; and

locating a propeller in the air duct body, the propeller coupled to a motor such that when the motor is turned on, the propeller is caused to provide an air stream through the first end of the air duct around the stud and away from the first end of the air duct.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises:

placing a bowl-shaped body on the first end of the air duct, the bowl-shaped body having a rim section connected to a bottom section, the bottom section having a centrally located opening dimensioned to fit the stud; and

providing a plurality of curved fins on the rim section of the bowl-shaped body such that when the propeller is caused to provide the air stream through the first end of the air duct, the air stream interacts with the curved fins, causing the bowl-shaped body to spin about a rotational axis and to move away from the first end of the air duct.

According to a different embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises:

powering the motor so as to allow the propeller to provide the air stream through the first end of the air duct;

placing a ball in the air stream at a distance from the first end of the air duct.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises:

placing an object in the air stream at a further distance from the first end of the air duct, away from the ball.

The object can be another ball or the bowl-shaped body as described above.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of the invention with a bowl-shaped flying body in operation.

FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the air stream generator, according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows an air stream acting upon the bowl-shaped flying body.

FIG. 5 shows stackable setup of two foam balls according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 shows stackable setup of one foam ball and a bowl-shaped flying body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 illustrate a levitating toy engineered and operative in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a levitating toy 100 comprising an air stream generator 50 configured to receive a flying body, such as a bowl-shaped flying body 14. FIG. 2 shows that the flying body 14 is separated from the air stream generator 50. In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the air stream generator 50 includes a handle 1 made of two half shells 5, 6, a battery cover 7 hinged at the bottom of the handle 1, and an air duct 2 located on top of the handle 1. As shown in FIG. 3, the lower portion of the handle 1 is to accommodate at least one of battery 15.

A bottom part 3 of the air duct 2 is configured to fit a wire grill 9 and a DC motor 8 electrically coupled to a multi-blade propeller 10. A push button 17 coupled to a compression spring 18 is mounted to a mounting plate 19. On the same mounting plate 19 a leaf switch 20 with wire connection to the motor 8. The push button 17, together with the compression spring 18, serves as a momentary switch in order to turn on battery power to the motor 8.

An upper part 4 of the air duct 2 is coupled with a second wire grill 11 and a cover 12. A stud 13 extends from the cover 12 and is configured to receive the bowl-shaped flying body 14 through a hole 16 at the bottom of a bowl-shaped flying body 14. The stud 13 can be shaped like a bullet tip.

When the battery power is provided to the propeller 10 via the push button 17, air is sucked in through an inlet 22 and the wire grill 9 of the air duct 2 and propelled through an outlet 23 and the wire grill 11, as shown in FIG. 4. The air stream generator creates an air stream 24 that travels away from the outlet 23.

As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, the bowl-shaped flying body 14 comprises a plurality of curved fins 21 located around the side of the bowl-shaped body. As the air stream 24 acts upon one or more curved fins 21, the air stream 24 causes the bowl shaped flying body 14 to spin in a direction 25 about a rotational axis 125. According to theory of Coand{hacek over (a)} effect, the air stream tends to stay attached to the side of flying body 14, and as a result, the flying body 14 tends to hover at a certain range above the air duct 2. When the air stream generator 50 is moved up and down in a slow motion, the flying body 14 is able to move up and down with the air stream generator 50.

It should be noted that, with the stud 13 on top of the cover 12 of the air duct 2, the air stream generator 50 can receive a flying body, such as the bowl-shaped flying body 14 with the hole or aperture 16. The hole 16 and the stud 13 are designed to keep the bowl-shaped flying body 14 in place when the propeller 10 is not turned on. When the battery power is turned off while the bowl-shaped flying body 14 is hovering on top of the air duct 2, it is possible to catch the bowl-shaped flying body with the stud 13 through the hole 16.

While the air stream propeller 50 is designed to propel the bowl-shaped flying body 14, the air stream propeller 50 is also designed to use with one or more different objects. For example, two round objects such as foam balls 26, 27 can be caused to float above the air duct 2. The ball 26 can be the same size as or larger or smaller than the ball 27, for example. While the air stream 24 is on, it is possible to place the ball 26 into the stream at a certain distance. As the ball 26 becomes stabilized in the air stream, a smaller and lighter ball 27 can also be placed at a distance above the ball 26, as shown in FIG. 5. It is also possible to place the bowl-shaped flying body 14 at a distance above the ball 26, as shown in FIG. 6.

In sum, the present invention provides a flying toy comprising an air stream generator to produce an air stream. The air stream generator comprises an air duct connected to a handle. The air duct has an air input end and an air output end. Each of the air input and output ends has a grill to allow air to pass through. On the air output end, a cover with a centrally located stud is provided. The stud is dimensioned to fit a hole on the bottom of a flying body so as to allow the flying body to be placed on top of the air duct. The air duct comprises a motor-powered propeller. When the propeller is turned to produce an air stream, the flying body on top of the air duct can be caused to move upward along the air stream. The rim of the flying body comprises a plurality of curved fins oriented such that when the air stream interacts with the curved fins, the flying body is caused to spin along a certain direction about a rotational axis. As the flying body is spinning, it hovers at a distance above the air duct. It is possible to place a round object, such as a foam ball, in the air stream between the hovering flying body and air duct. It is also possible to place one, two or more foam balls in the air stream at different distances.

Thus, although the present invention has been described with respect to one or more embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes, omissions and deviations in the form and detail thereof may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A toy comprising:

an air duct; and

a handle connected to the air duct, wherein the air duct comprises an air duct body having a first end and an opposing second end, and a propeller located inside the air duct body, the propeller coupled to a motor for rotational motion configured to provide an air stream through the first end, and wherein the handle is located on the second end of the air duct and comprises a battery compartment configured to store one or more batteries for powering the motor, and a switch for controlling said powering, and wherein the air duct further comprises a cover on the first end of the air duct body, the cover comprising a stud centrally located on the cover.

2. The toy of claim 1, further comprising:

a bowl-shaped flying body having a bottom section and a rim section connected to the bottom section, wherein the bottom section comprises a centrally located hole dimensioned to fit the stud on the air duct, and the rim section comprises a plurality of fins such that when the air stream is provided by the air duct, the air stream interacts with the fins, causing the bowl-shaped flying body to spin while the bowl-shaped flying body is moving away from the first end of the air duct body.

3. A toy, comprising:

a rim section; and

a bottom section connected to the rim section, wherein the rim section comprising a plurality of fins and the bottom section comprises a hole centrally located on the bottom section.

4. The toy of claim 3, wherein the fins comprises curved surfaces oriented such that when the toy is encountered an air stream coming toward the bottom section and then the rim section, the air stream interacts with the curved surfaces of the fins, causing the toy to spin about a rotational axis.

5. A method of operating a flying toy, comprising:

providing an air duct comprising an air duct body having a first end and an opposing second end, the first end comprising a cover having a centrally located stud dimension to receive an object with a hole; and

locating a propeller in the air duct body, the propeller coupled to a motor such that when the motor is powered, the propeller is caused to provide an air stream through the first end of the air duct around the stud and away from the first end of the air duct.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

placing a bowl-shaped body on the first end of the air duct, the bowl-shaped body having a rim section connected to a bottom section, the bottom section having a centrally located opening dimensioned to fit the stud; and

providing a plurality of fins on the rim section of the bowl-shaped body such that when the propeller is caused to provide the air stream through the first end of the air duct, the air stream interacts with the fins, causing the bowl-shaped body to spin about a rotational axis and to move away from the first end of the air duct.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

powering the motor so as to cause the propeller to provide the air stream through the first end of the air duct;

placing a ball in the air stream at a distance from the first end of the air duct.

8. The method of 7, further comprising:

placing an object in the air stream at a further distance from the first end of the air duct, away from the ball.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the object comprises another ball.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the object comprises a bowl-shaped body having a rim section connected to a bottom section, wherein the rim section comprises a plurality of fins configured to interact with the air stream, causing the bowl-shaped body to spin about a rotational axis.