Abstract: A wand is disclosed for launching confetti into the air which comprises an elongated hollow tube with axially extending slits forming flexible fingers at one end of the tube such that the fingers grip and hold stacks of confetti which are projected high into the air by centrifugal force upon waiving the end of the tube in an arcuate motion.

Abstract: A confetti launching device is disclosed which comprises an elongated tube or cannon filled with confetti, streamers or the like, and the tube is connected to a source of compressed gas such as a CO.sub.2 cartridge. In one embodiment, a female quick-disconnect fitting is connected to the compressed gas source, and a male quick-disconnect fitting is connected to the elongated tube whereby the tube may be quickly and easily connected to and disconnected from the source of compressed gas.

Abstract: An animal caller including a pouch-like housing having top and bottom walls and an opening for forming a pouch pocket, and attachment means on the bottom wall for securing the pouch-like housing to a surface. The animal caller also includes a bellows assembly for producing a strong current of air disposed within the pouch pocket, and a reed assembly for producing a specific animal sound being detachably connected to the bellows assembly. The reed assembly has detachable and interchangeable reed housings for different animal calls, and the reed assembly has at least two flexible and interlocking calling tubes movable relative to each other to vary the pitch and/or tone of the animal call and to direct the animal call to a given direction.

Abstract: A flying disc toy of the FRISBEE.RTM. type provides a lighting system having LEDs used in conjunction with a glow-in-the-dark body. The flying disc provides a raised center section having a plurality of LEDs mounted radially at spaced intervals. A motion responsive switch is used to turn on the LEDs in response to movement of the disc. Electronic circuitry controlling the LEDs provides a timer circuit that automatically turns off the LEDs a timed period after they are turned on. As a result of the motion sensitive switch and timer circuit, the lights flash on and off rapidly as the disc flies through air turbulence. No on-off switch is required, since the circuitry rapidly turns itself off. Because no on-off switch is present, all components are carried in a waterproof raised center section having no opening. An optional battery plug structure is threadedly insertable into a plug receiver in the raised center section, and allows the user to replace the battery.

Abstract: A sound producing ball includes concentric inner and outer ball elements and a plurality of sound producing particles in an open area therebetween. The sound producing particles are dimensioned to travel in the open area when the ball is rotated, and the inner ball element has a plurality of projections thereon for redirecting the sound producing particles as they travel in the open area. The sounds produced by the sound particles as they strike the inner and outer ball elements are generally similar to the sound of rain striking a building roof.

Abstract: A system for memorializing the birth of an infant comprising a marking medium and a soft sculpture. The marking medium is appliable to the palms and soles of the infant's hands and feet and is used to replicate the epidermal pattern of the infant's hands and feet upon a substrate. The soft sculpture includes an area of substrate on an outer surface thereof which is suitable for receiving thereon markings replicating the epidermal pattern of the infants hands and feet. The soft sculpture may include a protective cover for covering the area of substrate upon which the pattern is placed. The protective cover is preferably clear, and more preferably, includes a sheet of flexible plastic attached along an edge thereof to the soft sculpture. The sheet of flexible plastic may include an adhesive material on a portion thereof to allow the protective cover to be secured over the substrate area after the feet and hand prints are placed thereon.

Abstract: A toy figure is provided with lengths of flexible, unravelable cord material which simulates hair or fur. The cord material may be unraveled into individual strands or groups of strands which simulate strands of hair. The toy provides increased play value by permitting the child to unravel the cord material to produce strands of hair that may be cut, styled and washed.

Abstract: A device for humane injection of fluid into animals from a distance is disclosed. The device comprises a hollow body with a primary chamber suitable for holding the fluid to be injected, a hollow needle at the forward end of the hollow body, a disposable tag attached to the forwardmost surface of the hollow body, and a remote retrieval means. The device may be projected toward the target animal by any of several conventional methods including compressed gas or chemical explosion gun. Upon impact with the target animal a trigger mechanism which comprises a ball and valve seat check valve is tripped allowing a resilient means to force the fluid through the needle and into the animal. The device is held in place during the injection process by an adhesive means on the forwardmost surface of the tag. After injection the device is pulled form the animal using the retrieval means. The tag separates from the device and remains attached to the skin marking the animal.

Abstract: A doll assembly has a toy figure and an audio output generator to simulate the singing of a song by the toy figure. A microphone, capable of providing audio input to the audio output generator, includes a light source modulated by the audio output generator when placed in propinquity with the toy figure. The modulated light creates the sensation that the toy figure is moving its lips in synchronization with the song.

Abstract: A bubble producing toy includes a rod or tether having a circular ring at one end to loosely encircle the user's lower leg or ankle. A bubble producing mechanism is secured to the outer end of the rod and is operative to produce bubbles when twirled about the user's leg. The bubble producing mechanism includes a housing which carries a power wheel rotatable in response to ground engagement during twirling about the user's leg to rotate a bubble plate within the housing. The bubble plate has a plurality of openings over which bubble-producing films are formed as the plate dips into a bubble-producing solution during rotation and moves the films successively through an air passage in the housing so that bubbles are formed through a discharge end of the air passage. The rod or tether is of sufficient length to require a skipping or hopping movement of the user's free leg so as not to impede twirling of the toy.

Abstract: Balloon assemblies and valves for balloons have improved inflation capabilities. The inlet ends of the balloon valves are disrupted either with a slit or a portion of material removal to prevent the inlet end from being folded back into the valve passageway during insertion of an inflation probe. With the inlet end slit, the slit portions are readily folded back by the inflation probe, thus preventing potential blockage of the valve inlet.

Abstract: An aerial toy includes a balloon that can be filled with a lighter-than-air gas. It has a pinwheel connected to the lower portion of the balloon, preferably by use of the elastic filling stem of the lower portion of the balloon. A kite string is secured to the upper portion of the balloon for tilting the aerial toy forwardly when aloft. Preferably, the toy balloon has an oblong cross section, and when tilted forwardly, the oblong cross section serves to provide aerodynamic lift.

Abstract: A toy car structure including a power source for driving a driving wheel to drive a linkage assembly so as to push a movable casing open or close relative to a fixed casing. A pull rod urged by an extension spring is disposed on inner side of the movable casing. When the movable casing is moved, the pull rod is hooked on the fixed casing to form a pulling relationship. By means of the pulling of the pull rod, a driven board is pushed to push open a movable door of the movable casing so as to exhibit the inner decorative body.

Abstract: A toy for dispersing reflective particles includes a hand-held support, a rotatable shaft extending from the support, and a hollow enclosure on the shaft rotatable therewith and housing the reflective particles. The enclosure has a plurality of spaced apertures therein through which the particles are caused to pass under centrifugal force upon rotation of the shaft. This causes a burst of the reflective particles to be dispersed into the surrounding air. The enclosure may angularly extend from shaft to aid in the dispersion of the particles. The toy is electrically operated by a motor and batteries housed within the support. The toy may also include a filler opening through which the particles are loaded into the enclosure and a closure which fits within the opening to prevent the particles from escaping through the opening after they are loaded.

Abstract: A toy figure having rotatable arms which protrude from the body of the figure. The arms are rotationally coupled to each other so that they have a limited mutual rotatability.

Abstract: A toy vehicle includes a vehicle body and front and rear wheels that are mounted on respective front and rear regions of the vehicle body for rotation about their axes. The toy vehicle further includes a pair of wings that is mounted on the vehicle body for movement between their extended, spread apart positions and their retracted positions. An upper jaw is mounted on the front region of the vehicle body for pivoting between a raised and a lowered position. A reversible electric motor and a gear transmission interposed between the motor and the rear wheels are accommodated in a common housing. The housing is mounted on the vehicle body for tilting movement about the axis of the rear wheels. A kinematic linkage translates the tilting movement of the housing that occurs in automatic response to energization of the motor in the appropriate sense into the movement of the wings and the pivoting of the upper jaw.

Abstract: A toy stairway is disclosed which may be used to play with a spring toy and which comprises elongated first and second collapsible side rails in confronting spaced relationship relative to each other, a plurality of rigid steps disposed between the first and second side rails, and means for releasably connecting the plurality of steps to the first and second side rails. Each side rail may be coilable and resilient, or may be foldable and comprised of a plurality of hingedly connected fold sections. The first and second side rails preferably are formed from a single stringer having a first portion and a second portion, the stringer being made of a material to permit the stringer to bend for bringing the second portion in a confronting spaced relationship relative to the first portion to define the first and second side rails. The stringer may be made of a coilable resilient material or of a foldable material comprised of a plurality of hingedly connected fold sections.

Abstract: A grunt tube includes a tubular member, a reed and an elastic skin. The tubular member includes a mouthpiece end that allows air to enter, an outlet end that emits sounds and an opening in a wall of the tubular member between the mouthpiece end and the inlet end. The reed vibrates in response to passing air and is disposed within the tubular member adjacent the mouthpiece end and the opening. The elastic skin extends over the wall of the tubular member to at least partially cover the opening. A user can modify sounds emanating from the outlet end produced by air passing through the mouthpiece end and over the reed by selectively applying pressure to the elastic skin. As a result, a varied array of sounds can be produced with the grunt tube.

Abstract: A tumbling toy includes a shell or housing formed of two or more telescoping sections, providing adjustment of the length of the shell and thus the moment of inertia of the toy to affect the tumbling rate. Extending the telescoping housing increases the moment of inertia of the toy, and provides a longer path of travel for the mass within the shell, resulting in a slower rate of tumble for a given slope. The sections may be separated also, allowing the mass contained within to be exchanged for one of greater or lesser mass, which also affects the tumbling rate of the toy. The outer shell sections may be made of plastic or other suitable material, with the moving mass contained therein comprising a marble or the like, or a steel or other metal ball bearing or the like, or a lead sphere or other suitable shape. An internal mass of less than the mass of the shell structure may be provided if desired, as well as masses substantially equal to the shell, or greater than the shell, as desired.

Abstract: A packaged balloon and greeting card are disclosed comprising a balloon having an uninflated body, a filler neck extending from said body, and a first image displayed on said body; a greeting card having a face displaying a second image matching the first image; a tether line having a first end attached to the filler neck and a second end attached to the greeting card; and a packaging envelope receiving the uninflated balloon body, the greeting card, and at least a portion of the tether line. A third image, matching the first and second image, can be displayed on the envelope. The packaging envelope can also include an opening through which the balloon filler neck extends outside the envelope for communication to a source of inflating gas to permit in-situ inflation of the balloon body in the envelope. The envelope can also be constructed so as to be burst by inflation of the uninflated balloon body while it resides in the envelope to facilitate unpackaging of the balloon for use.