WAVING INFLATABLE TOY

A waving inflatable toy has a body and an opening alignment unit. The body has an opening alignment chamber, a first inflate and deflate chamber and a second inflate and deflate chamber. The opening alignment chamber has four openings respectively communicating with a main chamber, the first inflate and deflate chamber, the second inflate and deflate chamber and an air outlet. The opening alignment unit is mounted inside the opening alignment chamber and has a four-way valve assembly having four air vents and a guide vane and intermittently rotated an angle so that each air vent is sequentially aligned with the openings of the opening alignment chamber. The guide vane can be rotated to selectively guide inflated air into the first or second inflate and deflate chamber. Accordingly, the waving direction of the toy is constantly changing to demonstrate a vivid motion and provide an animated visual effect.

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Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a toy and more particularly to a waving inflatable toy.

2. Description of the Related Art

Inflatable figures are entertaining and displayable, are hollow and have air chambers therein. While being inflated, inflatable figures are expanded in volume into a fixed form for the purposes of entertainment, advertisement and decoration. After being deflated, inflatable figures can be folded flat and stored in a compact bag for easy storage. In view of the foregoing advantages and operational flexibility, inflatable figures may be proclaimed as one type of most popular inflatable toys. However, conventional inflatable figures can be only statically exhibited and easily become stereotypical in terms of visual reception. Therefore, toy industry is constantly conceiving how to improve the design of inflatable figures by providing satisfactory entertaining and animated effect through added motion of the inflatable figures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention is to provide a waving inflatable toy demonstrating a more animated visual effect arising from a constantly changing waving direction of the toy.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the waving inflatable toy has a body, an air pump and an opening alignment unit. The body has a main chamber, a first inflate and deflate chamber, a second inflate and deflate chamber, an air outlet and an opening alignment chamber.

The main chamber, the first inflate and deflate chamber, and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed inside the body and take the form of hollow airbags. The first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed next to each other.

The air outlet is formed through the body.

The opening alignment chamber takes the form of a hollow airbag, is formed inside the main chamber, and has a first opening, a second opening, a third opening and a fourth opening.

The first opening communicates with the main chamber.

The second opening communicates with the second inflate and deflate chamber.

The third opening communicates with the air outlet.

The fourth opening communicates with the first inflate and deflate chamber.

The air pump is connected to the main chamber of the body.

The opening alignment unit is mounted inside the opening alignment chamber and has a driving motor and a four-way valve assembly.

The driving motor is mounted inside the opening alignment chamber and has a spindle.

The four-way valve assembly is connected to the driving motor and has four air vents and a guide vane.

Each air vent is rotated to sequentially align with the first opening, the second opening, the third opening and the fourth opening of the opening alignment chamber when the four-way valve assembly is intermittently driven to rotate an angle by the driving motor.

The guide vane is mounted inside the four-way valve assembly, and divides an inner space of the four-way valve into two rooms varying according to a position of the guide vane when the four-way valve assembly is intermittently driven by the driving motor to rotate the angle. Two of the air vents communicate with one of the divided rooms, and the other two air vents communicate with the other divided room.

From the foregoing technical measure, the waving inflatable toy can be inflated by using the air pump to pump air into the main chamber of the body. By changing the position of the guide vane of the four-way valve assembly, the inflated air selectively enters the first inflate and deflate chamber or the second inflate and deflate chamber. The inflated air expands the first inflate and deflate chamber upon entering it and shrinks the second inflate and deflate chamber so that the body of the toy waves toward one side. The inflated air expands the second inflate and deflate chamber upon entering it and shrinks the first inflate and deflate chamber so that the body of the toy waves toward an opposite side. Hence, by constantly changing the airflow direction in the opening alignment chamber of the four-way valve assembly, the waving direction of the body of the toy can keep changing so as to demonstrate a vivid motion and provide an animated visual effect.

Other objectives, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a waving inflatable toy in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view in partial section of the waving inflatable toy in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of an opening alignment unit of the waving inflatable toy in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a four-way valve of the opening alignment unit in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an operational top view in partial section of the waving inflatable toy in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is another operational top view in partial section of the waving inflatable toy in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an operational perspective view of a second embodiment of a waving inflatable toy in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is another operational perspective view of the waving inflatable toy in FIG. 7.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a first embodiment of a waving inflatable toy in accordance with the present invention has a body 10, an air pump 20 and an opening alignment unit 30.

The body 10 is hollow, is made of a soft and thin material, and has multiple air chambers therein. The body 10 has a trunk 11, a first waving portion 12 and a second waving portion 13. The first waving portion 12 and the second waving portion 13 are mounted on two sides of the trunk 11.

The trunk 11 has a main chamber 14, an opening alignment chamber 15 and an air outlet 110. The first waving portion 12 and the second waving portion 13 respectively have a first inflate and deflate chamber 16 and a second inflate and deflate chamber 17 formed therein.

Each of the main chamber 14, the opening alignment chamber 15, the first inflate and deflate chamber 16 and the second inflate and deflate chamber 17 takes the form of a hollow airbag. The opening alignment chamber 15 is formed on one end of the main chamber 14 and is defined by an annular sidewall. The sidewall defining the opening alignment chamber 15 has a first opening 150, a second opening 151, a third opening 152 and a fourth opening 153 sequentially formed through the sidewall in a circumferential direction. Center lines AA, BB, CC, DD of any adjacent two of the first opening 150, the second opening 151, the third opening 152 and the fourth opening 153 are substantially perpendicular. The first inflate and deflate chamber 16 and the second inflate and deflate chamber 17 are aligned next to each other in a front-to-rear direction. Each of the first inflate and deflate chamber 16 and the second inflate and deflate chamber 17 has a central portion and two side portions, the central portions are located inside the trunk 11, the side portions of the first inflate and deflate chamber 16 are located inside the first waving portion 12, and the side portions of the second inflate and deflate chamber 17 are located inside the second waving portion 13. The opening alignment chamber 15 communicates with the main chamber 14 through the first opening 150. The second opening 151 communicates with the second inflate and deflate chamber 17. The third opening 152 communicates with the air outlet 110. The fourth opening 153 communicates with the first inflate and deflate chamber 16.

The air pump 20 is conventional, and has a pump inlet formed through a bottom portion and a pump outlet formed through a top portion. The air pump 20 is mounted beneath the main chamber 14 of the body 10. As the pump outlet is aligned with the main chamber 14 of the body 10, the air pump 20 serves to pump the air near the pump inlet into the main chamber 14 through the pump outlet.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the opening alignment unit 30 is mounted inside the opening alignment chamber 15 and has a driving motor 31, a four-way valve assembly 32 and a Geneva mechanism 33.

The driving motor 31 is conventional, is mounted inside a cover 312 and on a fixing base 313, and has a spindle 310. The spindle 310 is mounted through the fixing base 313. The driving motor 31 and the cover 312 are securely mounted inside the opening alignment chamber 15.

The four-way valve assembly 32 has two half housings and a guide vane 325. The half housings are assembled to form a complete housing that is hollow and cylindrical. Each half housing has an annular wall 320, a first air vent 321, a second air vent 322, a third air vent 323 and a fourth air vent 324. An axial direction of the first air vent 321 is perpendicular to those of the second air vent 322 and the fourth air vent 324. An axial direction of the third air vent 323 is perpendicular to those of the second air vent 322 and the fourth air vent 324. The guide vane 325 is plate-like and is rotatably mounted inside the four-way valve assembly 32, and divides an inner space of the four-way valve assembly into two rooms varying according to a position of the guide vane 325 when the four-way valve assembly 32 is intermittently driven by the driving motor 31 to rotate an angle. At one of the positions of the guide vane 325, the first air vent 321 and the fourth air vent 324 may communicate with one of the rooms, and the second air vent 322 and the third air vent 323 may communicate with the other room. A bottom of the four-way valve assembly 32 is combined with the fixing base 313 to define a storage space between the bottom of the four-way valve assembly 32 and the fixing base 313.

With reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, the Geneva mechanism 33 has a driving wheel 330 and a driven wheel 331. The driving wheel 330 has a wheel, an indentation 332, an arm and a pin 333. The indentation 332 is formed on and recessed from one edge of the wheel. One end of the arm and the wheel are concentrically and rotatably mounted on the bottom of the four-way valve assembly 32, and the pin 333 is formed on and protrudes upwards from the other end of the arm extending beyond the indentation 332. The driven wheel 331 is square-shaped, is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the four-way valve assembly 32, is equally divided into four leaves and has four guide slots 334. Each leaf has a concave arc portion formed in an outer edge of the leaf and matching a circumferential edge of the wheel of the driving wheel 330. Each guide slot 334 is formed between corresponding adjacent two of the four leaves along a radial direction. Any adjacent two of the four guide slots 334 are perpendicular to each other. The driving wheel 330 is rotatably mounted on the bottom of the four-way valve assembly 32 at an eccentric position and away from a rotation center of the four-way valve assembly 32, and is received in the storage room defined by the fixing base 313 and the four-way valve assembly 32. A rotating center of the driven wheel 331 coincides with the center of the four-way valve assembly 32. The concave arc portion of each leaf of the driven wheel 331 abuts against the circumferential edge of the driving wheel 330 so that the pin 333 of the driving wheel 330 can be sequentially moved in the guide slots 334 of the driven wheel 331 when the driving wheel is continuously rotated. When the driving wheel 330 is rotated 360 degrees, the pin 333 can drive the driven wheel 331 to turn 90 degrees. Hence, the driven wheel 331 becomes an intermittent motion mechanism capable of being rotated 90 degrees for each revolution of the driving wheel 330. The spindle 310 of the driving motor 31 is concentrically connected to a rotating center of the driving wheel 330.

With reference to FIG. 2, driven by the driving motor 31 and the Geneva mechanism 33, the four-way valve assembly 32 can be intermittently rotated so that the first air vent 321, the second air vent 322, the third air vent 323 and the fourth air vent 324 are rotated to sequentially align with and communicate with the first opening 150, the second opening 151, the third opening 152 and the fourth opening 153. By changing the position of the guide vane 325, two different communicating states are available among the first opening 150, the second opening 151, the third opening 152 and the fourth opening 153.

With reference to FIG. 5, when the waving inflatable toy is operated, the air pump 20 continuously pumps air into the main chamber 14 of the body 10. Air is pumped into the opening alignment chamber 15 through the first opening 150. The guide vane 325 is so positioned that the first opening 150 communicates with the fourth opening 153 but does not communicate with the second opening 151 and the third opening 152. Therefore, the inflated air sequentially flows through the first opening 150, the opening alignment chamber 15 and the fourth opening 153 to the first inflate and deflate chamber 16 to inflate and expand the first inflate and deflate chamber 16. Meanwhile, as the second opening 151 communicates with the third opening 152, the air inside the second inflate and deflate chamber 17 is exhausted to the air outlet 110 sequentially through the second opening 151, the opening alignment chamber 15 and the third opening 152 to deflate and shrink the second inflate and deflate chamber 17. By inflating the first inflate and deflate chamber 16 and deflating the second inflate and deflate chamber 17, the first waving portion 12 and the second waving portion 13 wave toward a rear direction of the waving inflatable toy.

With reference to FIG. 6, when the four-way valve assembly 32 is rotated to another orientation, the guide vane 325 is so rotated that the first opening 150 communicates with the second opening 151 and does not communicate with the third opening 152 and the fourth opening 153. The inflated air enters the second inflate and deflate chamber 17 through the first opening 150, the opening alignment chamber 15 and the second opening 151 to inflate and expand the second inflate and deflate chamber 17. Meanwhile, as the third opening 152 communicates with the fourth opening 153, the air in the first inflate and deflate chamber 16 is exhausted to the air outlet 110 through the fourth opening 153, the opening alignment chamber 15 and the third opening 152 to deflate and shrink the first inflate and deflate chamber 16. By inflating the second inflate and deflate chamber 17 and deflating the first inflate and deflate chamber 16, the first waving portion 12 and the second waving portion 13 wave toward a front direction of the waving inflatable toy.

By constantly rotating the four-way valve assembly 32 in the opening alignment chamber 15 to change the air flow directions, the first waving portion 12 and the second waving portion 13 continuously and alternately change their waving directions, thereby demonstrating dynamic and vivid motion and providing higher entertaining and animated visual effect.

With reference to FIG. 7, a second embodiment of a waving inflatable toy in accordance with the present invention has a body 10A, an air pump 20A and an opening alignment unit 30A.

The body 10A takes a human form and has an upper portion and a lower portion. The body 10A has a main chamber 14A, an opening alignment chamber 15A, a first inflate and deflate chamber 16A and a second inflate and deflate chamber 17A. The opening alignment chamber 15A is defined within the main chamber 14A. An air outlet 110A is formed through the body 10A. The first inflate and deflate chamber 16A and the second inflate and deflate chamber 17A are formed on two side portions inside the lower portion of the body 10A. The opening alignment chamber 15A has a first opening 150A, a second opening 151A, a third opening 152A and a fourth opening 153A. The opening alignment chamber 15A communicates with the main chamber 14A through the first opening 150A. The second opening 151A communicates with the second inflate and deflate chamber 17A. The third opening 152A communicates with the air outlet 110A. The fourth opening 153A communicates with the first inflate and deflate chamber 16A.

The air pump 20A is mounted beneath the body 10A and has a pump outlet communicating with the main chamber 14A of the body 10A.

The opening alignment unit 30A is mounted inside the opening alignment chamber 15A and has a driving motor, a four-way valve assembly 32A and a Geneva mechanism. The driving motor, the four-way valve assembly 32A and the Geneva mechanism are similar to those in the first embodiment. The four-way valve assembly 32A has four air vents and a guide vane 325A mounted inside the four-way valve assembly 32A. Driven by the driving motor and the Geneva mechanism, the four-way valve assembly 32A can be rotated intermittently so that the air vents of the four-way valve assembly 32A are rotated to sequentially align with and communicate with the first opening 150A, the second opening 151A, the third opening 152A, and the fourth opening 153A. By changing the position of the guide vane 325A of the four-way valve assembly 32A, two different communicating states are available among the first opening 150A, the second opening 151A, the third opening 152A, and the fourth opening 153A.

When the waving inflatable toy is operated, the air pump continuously pumps air to the main chamber 14A of the body 10A. The inflated air enters the opening alignment chamber 15A through the first opening 150A. As the guide vane 325A is so positioned that the first opening 150A communicates with the fourth opening 153A and does not communicate with the second opening 151A and the third opening 152A, the inflated air flows to the first inflate and deflate chamber 16A through the first opening 150A, the opening alignment chamber 15A and the fourth opening 153A to inflate and expand the first inflate and deflate chamber 16A. Meanwhile, as the second opening 151A communicates with the third opening 152A, the air in the second inflate and deflate chamber 17A is exhausted to the air outlet 110A sequentially through the second opening 151A, the opening alignment chamber 15A and the third opening 153A to deflate and shrink the second inflate and deflate chamber 17A. By inflating the first inflate and deflate chamber 16A and deflating the second inflate and deflate chamber 17A, the upper portion of the body 10A waves toward a direction.

With reference to FIG. 8, when the guide vane 325A of the four-way valve assembly 32A is rotated to another angle, the guide vane 325A is so positioned that the first opening 150A communicates with the second opening 151A and does not communicate with the third opening 152A and the fourth opening 153A. The inflated air flows through the first opening 150A, the opening alignment chamber 15A, and the second opening 151A to enter the second inflate and deflate chamber 17A so that the air inside the first inflate and deflate chamber 16A is exhausted to the air outlet 110A through the fourth opening 153A, the opening alignment chamber 15A and the third opening 152A, and the first inflate and deflate chamber is deflated and shrunk. By inflating the second inflate and deflate chamber 17A and deflating the first inflate and deflate chamber 16A, the upper portion of the body 10A waves toward an opposite direction.

Accordingly, by constantly rotating the four-way valve assembly 32A in the opening alignment chamber 15A in the present embodiment to change the air flow directions, the body 10A continuously and alternately changes its waving directions, thereby demonstrating dynamic and vivid motion and providing a higher entertaining and animated visual effect.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only.

Changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Claims

1. A waving inflatable toy comprising:

a body having: a main chamber, a first inflate and deflate chamber and a second inflate and deflate chamber formed inside the body, taking the form of hollow airbags, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed next to each other: an air outlet formed through the body; and an opening alignment chamber taking the form of a hollow airbag, formed inside the main chamber, and having: a first opening communicating with the main chamber; a second opening communicating with the second inflate and deflate chamber; a third opening communicating with the air outlet; and a fourth opening communicating with the first inflate and deflate chamber;
an air pump connected to the main chamber of the body; and
an opening alignment unit mounted inside the opening alignment chamber and having: a driving motor mounted inside the opening alignment chamber and having a spindle; and a four-way valve assembly connected to the driving motor and having: four air vents, each air vent rotated to sequentially align with the first opening, the second opening, the third opening and the fourth opening of the opening alignment chamber when the four-way valve assembly is intermittently driven to rotate an angle by the driving motor; and a guide vane mounted inside the four-way valve assembly, and dividing an inner space of the four-way valve into two rooms varying according to a position of the guide vane when the four-way valve assembly is intermittently driven by the driving motor to rotate the angle, wherein two of the air vents communicate with one of the divided rooms, and the other two air vents communicate with the other divided room.

2. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein

center lines of any adjacent two of the first opening, the second opening, the third opening, and the fourth opening are substantially perpendicular;
axial directions of any adjacent two of the air vents are substantially perpendicular; and
the four-way valve assembly is intermittently rotated a right angle at a time by the driving motor.

3. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein the opening alignment unit further has a Geneva mechanism, and the Geneva mechanism has:

a driving wheel mounted pivotally at an eccentric position on a bottom of the four-way valve assembly and away from a rotation center of the four-way valve assembly and having: a wheel; an indentation formed on and recessed from one edge of the wheel; an arm extending beyond the indentation, wherein one end of the arm and the wheel are concentrically mounted on the bottom of the four-way valve assembly; and a pin formed on and protruding upwards from the other end of the arm; and
a driven wheel being square-shaped, pivotally mounted on the bottom of the four-way valve assembly, equally divided into four leaves and having four guide slots, wherein each leaf has a concave arc portion formed in an outer edge of the leaf and matching a circumferential edge of the wheel of the driving wheel, each guide slot is formed between corresponding adjacent two of the four leaves along a radial direction, any adjacent two of the four guide slots are perpendicular to each other, the concave arc portion of each leaf slidably contacts the circumferential edge of the driving wheel so that the pin of the driving wheel is sequentially moved in the guide slots of the driven wheel when the driving wheel is continuously rotated, a pivot center of the driven wheel coincides with the rotation center of the four-way valve assembly, and the spindle of the driving motor is concentrically connected to a pivot center of the driving wheel.

4. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the body has: a trunk; and a first waving portion and a second waving portion mounted on two sides of the trunk;
the main chamber and the opening alignment chamber are formed inside the trunk;
the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are adjacently formed and aligned next to each other; and
each of the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber has: a central portion located inside the trunk; and two side portions located inside a corresponding one of the first waving portion and the second waving portion.

5. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein

the body has: a trunk; and a first waving portion and a second waving portion mounted on two sides of the trunk;
the main chamber and the opening alignment chamber are formed inside the trunk;
the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are adjacently formed and aligned next to each other; and
each of the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber has: a central portion located inside the trunk; and two side portions located inside a corresponding one of the first waving portion and the second waving portion.

6. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein

the body has: a trunk; and a first waving portion and a second waving portion mounted on two sides of the trunk;
the main chamber and the opening alignment chamber are formed inside the trunk;
the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are adjacently formed and aligned next to each other; and
each of the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber has: a central portion located inside the trunk; and two side portions located inside a corresponding one of the first waving portion and the second waving portion.

7. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are aligned next to each other in a front-to-rear direction.

8. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are aligned next to each other in a front-to-rear direction.

9. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are aligned next to each other in a front-to-rear direction.

10. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed on two side portions inside the body.

11. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed on two side portions inside the body.

12. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed on two side portions inside the body.

13. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 10, wherein

the body takes a human form and has an upper portion and a lower portion; and
the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed on two side portions inside the lower portion of the body.

14. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the body takes a human form and has an upper portion and a lower portion; and
the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed on two side portions inside the lower portion of the body.

15. The waving inflatable toy as claimed in claim 12, wherein

the body takes a human form and has an upper portion and a lower portion; and
the first inflate and deflate chamber and the second inflate and deflate chamber are formed on two side portions inside the lower portion of the body.
Patent History
Publication number: 20140148079
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 27, 2012
Publication Date: May 29, 2014
Applicant: GEMMY INDUSTRIES CORPORATION (COPPELL, TX)
Inventor: CHENG-CHUN ZHANG (GUANGDONG PROVINCE)
Application Number: 13/685,907
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: Figure (446/226)
International Classification: A63H 3/36 (20060101);