Abstract: A spill-resistant bubble-blowing apparatus, adapted to be used with a bottle filled with bubble solution and a bubble-blowing wand disposed in the bottle and being sized to allow the bubble-blowing wand to pass through the opening in the bottle, is provided with a cap portion adapted to be coupled to a bubble-solution bottle and having an opening formed therein and an insert adapted to be disposed adjacent the cap portion. The insert has a raised portion with a perimeter that corresponds to the opening in the cap portion and a central portion with a slot formed therein, with the central portion of the insert being composed of a flexible material. The slot in the central portion is sized to allow a bubble-blowing end of a bubble-blowing wand to pass through it and has a width small enough to prevent significant passage of bubble solution through the cap portion.

Abstract: A candy dispensing character is provided with a candy dispensing body, a hollow candy reservoir disposed in the candy dispensing body and sized to hold a plurality of candy pieces, a movable candy dispensing bin attached to the candy dispensing body and being movable between a closed position and an open position in which a portion of the candy dispensing bin extends outwardly from the candy dispensing body so that a piece of candy may be removed from the candy dispensing bin. The candy dispensing character is also provided with a biasing mechanism that causes the candy dispensing bin to be biased towards the closed position and a support, such as a pair of legs, coupled to the candy dispensing body that is shaped so as to be capable of supporting the candy dispensing body in a standing position.

Abstract: A lightweight bat with a pressurized striking portion and a separate handle portion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a confectionary holder which simulates the sound of rain as the holder is vertically positioned. The holder comprises a transparent tube having ends, two sides, and at least two sets of indents directed inward toward the center of the tube and one set of indents per side of the tube. Each indent has a peak, a peak depth, a sloping upper face, a sloping lower face, and between each indent is a space length. The peaks of the indents alternate from one side to the other side along the tube length. The angle of incline of each indent face and the length of the space between each indent are selected to allow rigid items, e.g., candy or gum, when placed in the holder, to create the sound of rain as the confectionary pieces flow downward dropping onto each indent face, sliding off each face, and moving from side to side from one end of the holder to the other end when the holder is vertically positioned.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a candy holding device for holding a piece of candy and causing the piece of candy to be rotated. The candy holding device includes a housing, a drive system disposed within the housing, a rotatable member adapted to support a piece of candy so that rotation of the rotatable member by the drive system causes the piece of candy to rotate, a flexible member composed of an elastically deformable material, and an actuator coupled to the flexible member to cause a portion of the flexible member to move as the rotatable member rotates. The flexible member may be provided in the form of a face having a mouth area, and the actuator may be provided in the form of a connecting rod having a first end shaped in the form of a pair of lips and a second end operatively coupled to the rotatable member. The lips may be coupled to the mouth area so that the lips, the mouth area, and/or the cheeks of the face move in and out in synchronism with rotation of the candy.

Abstract: A selectively populated grid-matrix LCD included in a plush toy for displaying animated facial expressions in synchronism with audible sounds reproduced by the plush toy. The LCD is selectively populated by including electrodes and associated drive electronics only in select regions of the LCD. Thus, the LCD is capable of displaying complex visual display patterns, having an improved contrast and readability at a reduced cost. The plush toy is interactive in that certain actions performed by a child invoke responses from the plush toy. The plush toy is configured to operate in a variety of modes of operation to simulate the toy being in different moods. In this manner, the toy reacts differently to each action depending on the current mode of operation of the toy.

Abstract: A bubble making toy includes a bubble making device having an impeller and a bubble wheel including a plurality of apertures. The bubble wheel rotates within a bubble making fluid reservoir for forming a film of bubble making fluid over the apertures. The impeller is arranged to rotate within an impeller housing and delivers a flow of air through the apertures for forming a substantially continuous stream of bubbles. Each of the impeller and the bubble wheel are driven from a drive axle to which at least one wheel is secured, and preferably, each are driven at a respective rotational velocity that is a respective multiple of the rotational velocity of the at least one wheel.

Abstract: A throwing toy is provided which is adapted to be thrown by a user for a flight through the air along a flight path. The toy includes a football-shaped head portion, generally centered about a longitudinal axis, an elongate tail portion extending axially rearward the head portion along the longitudinal axis, and a coupling, which interconnects the head and tail portions and allows the portions to be movable relative to each other, particularly to be rotatably movable about the longitudinal axis. Because the head portion and tail portion can rotate relative to each other, the user can hold the head portion in the hand and throw the toy through the air, imparting a spin to head portion causing it to rotate about its longitudinal axis throughout the flight. At the same time, the tail portion remains substantially fixed throughout the flight with respect to the longitudinal axis because the spin imparted to the head portion is substantially isolated from the tail portion by the rotatable coupling.

Abstract: Toys and methods for safely and reproducibly launching ring airfoils in a flying orientation. The toys generally comprise a member, a ring airfoil support mounted on the member, and a propelling element configured to move the ring airfoil support along the member from a first to a second position. Contact between the ring airfoil and the ring airfoil support causes the ring airfoil to move with the ring airfoil support as the ring airfoil support moves; this contact is overcome as the ring airfoil support decelerates at the second position, causing the ring airfoil to be launched with forward or both forward and spinning motion. The toys further may comprise a housing to protect the toy and user, a return element to place the toy in an engaged, launch-ready configuration, and a trigger to hold the toy in the engaged configuration until launching.

Abstract: A hockey stick is provided with an elongate handle portion and a blade portion coupled to the handle portion. The blade portion holds an impact surface designed to strike a ball or puck when the stick is swung at the ball or puck. The impact surface, blade portion and handle all cooperate to produce a drum-like tone when the ball or is struck. The blade portion includes front and back sections that mate and hold the impact surface therebetween. The front section is provided with a tongue that mates with a groove on the back section and the impact surface has a channel that is held in between the tongue and groove. When the front and back sections are assembled together, the impact surface is tensioned by the tongue and groove to make the impact surface an audibly vibratory member. The assembled front and back sections and the handle portion are hollow within to augment the sound produced by the impact surface.

Abstract: A golf club is provided with an elongate shaft portion and a club head coupled to the shaft portion. The club head holds an impact surface designed to strike a ball when the club is swung at the ball. The impact surface, club head and shaft all cooperate to produce a drum-like tone when the ball is struck. The club head includes front face with a platform and a clamp that mate and hold the impact surface therebetween. The platform is provided with a raised ridge or brace that is surrounded by the clamp. When the platform and clamp are assembled together, the impact surface is tensioned by the brace to make the impact surface an audibly vibratory member. The club head is hollow within to augment the sound produced by the impact surface and has a plurality of ports to an interior cavity to further augment the sound.