Liquid ejector and toy vehicle incorporating the same

Abstract

A liquid ejector for use on a tricycle, comprises a bottle for containing water and having a nozzle connected thereto through which water can be ejected out. A pump is connected to the bottle, which includes an operator for operating the pump to pressurize water in the bottle for ejecting the same. An actuator actuates the operator. The actuator is in cam engagement with a rotatable wheel of the tricycle, such that upon action of the tricycle the actuator simultaneously actuates the operator to operate the pump for ejecting water out of the bottle through the nozzle. The subject ejector and tricycle are fun to play with in a combatant game.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Water ejection toys in the form of a gun or pistol for example, are popular to children and youngsters, whether it be on the beach or in the garden. Players run around and after one another to shoot others.

The invention seeks to provide an improved liquid ejector for use on a toy vehicle that would increase the fun of play.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a liquid ejector for use on a toy vehicle, comprising a reservoir for containing a liquid and having a nozzle associated therewith through which liquid in the reservoir can be ejected out. A pumping device is associated with the reservoir, which includes an operator for operating the pumping device to pressurize liquid in the reservoir for ejecting the same out through the nozzle. An actuator actuates the operator. The actuator is in driving engagement with a rotatable part of said vehicle, such that upon action of said vehicle the actuator simultaneously actuates the operator to operate the pumping device for ejecting liquid in the reservoir out through the nozzle.

Preferably, the actuator is connectable to said rotating part for simultaneous movement therewith.

More preferably, the actuator is mountable on said rotating part for simultaneous rotation therewith.

Further more preferably, the actuator and the operator are in engagement with each other through a cam for simultaneous motion through a cam action.

Yet further more preferably, the actuator includes a cam track, and the operator comprises a cam follower in sliding engagement with the cam track for simultaneous motion thereby.

Yet further more preferably, the cam track comprises a looped groove, and the cam follower is engaged slidably in the groove.

In a specific construction, the pumping device includes a cylinder and a piston in the cylinder, and the operator is slidable linearly in opposite directions to set the piston in reciprocation along the cylinder.

It is preferred that the reservoir is provided by a container which is connected to the pumping device by means of a tubular passage.

It is preferred that the nozzle is connected to the reservoir by means of a tubular passage.

It is further preferred that the nozzle is mountable on a front part of said vehicle.

The invention also provides a toy vehicle incorporating the aforesaid liquid ejector, including a rotatable part in driving engagement with the actuator.

Preferably, the toy vehicle includes a body, in that the reservoir is mounted on the body and the pumping device is mounted adjacent the actuator for operation thereby.

Preferably, the toy vehicle includes a body and a plurality of wheels attached to the body for running on a surface, in that the rotatable part comprises one of the wheels.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of a liquid ejector used on a toy vehicle in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional side view of the liquid ejector and a front wheel of the vehicle of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a series of four views each similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the operation of the liquid ejector in sequence.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a toy vehicle in the form of a tricycle 10 incorporating a liquid ejector 100 embodying the invention. The tricycle 10 has a body frame 11 which supports a seat 12 thereon and to which a pair of rear wheels 13 is attached for running on a surface, and includes a front fork 14. The fork 14 has a pair of left and right poles 15 which provides a pair of top steering handles 16 and mounts a front wheel 17 therebetween driven by a pair of pedals 18. To sum up, the tricycle 10 has a typical construction.

Turning to the liquid ejector 100, it comprises a bottle 110 acting as a reservoir for partially containing water (or any other liquid), a pump 120 for pressurizing the water in the bottle 110, and an actuator 130 for driving the pump 120.

The bottle 110 is mounted right below the tricycle body frame 11. It has a capped uppermost mouth 111 through which there are extended first and second tubes 112 and 113. The first tube 112 has an inner end that extends right down to near the bottom of the bottle 110 so that the end is always submerged in water. The second tube 113 has an inner end that extends just into the mouth 111 and stays above the water, being exposed to the air in the bottle 110.

The bottle 110 is associated with a nozzle 115 which is connected thereto by the first tube 112 and is mounted at the top end of the fork 14 between the two handles 16. The nozzle 115 together with the frontmost end of the tube 112 connected thereto is enclosed in a casing 116, in which there is a pushbutton 117 having a lower part that provides a valve member 117 underneath the tube 112. The pushbutton 117 is spring-loaded upwards to urge the valve member 118 against the tube 112 so as to press it flat to close the passage therethrough, whereby the nozzle 115 is normally shut. Depression of the pushbutton 117 will lower the valve member 118 to release the tube 112 and thus “open” the nozzle 115 to allow water to be ejected through it.

The pump 120 is mounted on one pole 15 of the fork 14. It has a cylinder 121, an internal piston 122 slidable therealong in reciprocation, and an operating rod 123 which extends out from the piston 122 and is slidable linearly in opposite directions to operate the pump 120. The cylinder 121 is connected to the bottle 110 by means of the second tube 113, such that both interiors are in communication with each other. An outer end 124 of the operating rod 123 is provided with a roller 125.

The actuator 130 has a disc body 131 which has a diameter smaller than that of the front wheel 17 and is connected or mounted co-axially flat on one side of the wheel 17 for simultaneous rotation therewith. The disc body 131 is formed, on its outer side, a looped groove 132 which is situated at an off-center position relative to the axis of rotation of the wheel 17 or is otherwise non-circular.

The groove 132 and the pump 120 are located next to each other, with the end 124 and the roller 125 of the piston rod 123 slidably engaged in the groove 132. The groove 132 acts as a cam track whilst the rod end 124 a cam follower such that, upon rotation of the front wheel 17, the groove 132 turns to set the piston rod 123 into simultaneous linear reciprocation through a cam action to operate the pump 120, as illustrated in FIG. 3.

Via the second tube 113, the pump 120 pressurizes the air and in turn the water in the bottle 110. The pressure inside the bottle 110 will gradually build up as the tricycle 10 runs. A check valve may be installed for example at the bottle 110 to avoid over pressure. Upon depression of the pushbutton 117, the nozzle 115 is “opened” to allow water to be transferred from the bottle 110 via the first tube 112 to the nozzle 115 and ejected therefrom, in a direction at which the nozzle 115 is pointed by the player.

The essence of the subject invention lies in the actuator 130 being in driving engagement with a rotating part, e.g. the front wheel 17, of the tricycle 10, whereby the action (motion) of the tricycle 10 is utilized to simultaneously drive the pump 120 and hence the ejector 100 to eject water for fun in a combatant game for example.

It is envisaged that any other rotating parts of the tricycle 10 can be used to operate the ejector 100, such as one of the rear wheels 13 or the pedals 18. The subject ejector 100 may be sold separately, and it may be used on any other types of toy vehicle, such as a four-wheel car.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various other modification of and/or alterations to the described embodiment may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A liquid ejector for use on a toy vehicle, comprising:

a reservoir for containing a liquid and having a nozzle associated therewith through which liquid in the reservoir can be ejected out;

a pumping device associated with the reservoir and including an operator for operating the pumping device to pressurize liquid in the reservoir for ejecting the same out through the nozzle; and

an actuator for actuating the operator, the actuator being in driving engagement with a rotatable part of said vehicle, such that upon action of said vehicle the actuator simultaneously actuates the operator to operate the pumping device for ejecting liquid in the reservoir out through the nozzle.

2. The liquid ejector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the actuator is connectable to said rotating part for simultaneous movement therewith.

3. The liquid ejector as claimed in claim 2, wherein the actuator is mountable on said rotating part for simultaneous rotation therewith.

4. The liquid ejector as claimed in claim 3, wherein the actuator and the operator are in engagement with each other through a cam for simultaneous motion through a cam action.

5. The liquid ejector as claimed in claim 4, wherein the actuator includes a cam track, and the operator comprises a cam follower in sliding engagement with the cam track for simultaneous motion thereby.

6. The liquid ejector as claimed in claim 5, wherein the cam track comprises a looped groove, and the cam follower is engaged slidably in the groove.

7. The liquid ejector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pumping device includes a cylinder and a piston in the cylinder, and the operator is slidable linearly in opposite directions to set the piston in reciprocation along the cylinder.

8. The liquid ejector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reservoir is provided by a container which is connected to the pumping device by means of a tubular passage.

9. The liquid ejector as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nozzle is connected to the reservoir by means of a tubular passage.

10. The liquid ejector as claimed in claim 9, wherein the nozzle is mountable on a front part of said vehicle.

11. A toy vehicle incorporating the liquid ejector as claimed in claim 1, including a rotatable part in driving engagement with the actuator.

12. The toy vehicle as claimed in claim 11, including a body, wherein the reservoir is mounted on the body and the pumping device is mounted adjacent the actuator for operation thereby.

13. The toy vehicle as claimed in claim 11, including a body and a plurality of wheels attached to the body for running on a surface, wherein the rotatable part comprises one of the wheels.