Toy propeller with sound-emitting device and method of making thereof

Abstract

The present invention relates to a toy flying propeller with a sound-emitting device. The propeller includes a hub with a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub and having an outer edge. An outer ring is connected with the outer edge of the blades and circumferentially surrounds the plurality of propeller blades. At least one sound-emitting device such as a whistle is mounted to the toy flying propeller such that when the toy flying propeller is rotated and launched into the air, the movement of the toy flying propeller through the air causes the sound-emitting device to produce a sound. The toy flying propeller also includes a rotating device such as a launcher that connects with the hub to rotate and launch the toy flying propeller into the air.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

The present application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Design patent application No. 29/258,960, filed Apr. 28, 2006, entitled “A Toy Propeller with a Whistle;” U.S. Design patent application No. 29/258,961, filed Apr. 28, 2006, entitled “A Toy Propeller with a Whistle;” U.S. Design patent application No. 29/258,962, filed Apr. 28, 2006, entitled “A Toy Propeller with a Whistle;” U.S. Design patent application No. 29/258,963, filed Apr. 28, 2006, entitled “A Toy Propeller with a Whistle;” U.S. Design patent application No. 29/258,964, filed Apr. 28, 2006, entitled “A Toy Propeller with a Whistle;” and U.S. Design patent application No. 29/259,051, filed Apr. 28, 2006, entitled “A Toy Propeller with a Whistle.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of flying toys, and more specifically to a toy flying propeller equipped with a sound-emitting device such as a whistling mechanism.

(2) Background

Flying toys are well known in the art. Numerous flying toys provide rotating discs and propellers with a variety of features. Children that play with toys such as flying propellers constantly desire more exciting and interactive versions.

Therefore, what is needed in the art is a flying propeller toy with enhanced auditory stimuli for increased enjoyment by children.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a toy flying propeller with a sound-emitting device. The propeller includes a hub with a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub and having an outer edge. An outer ring is connected with the outer edge of the blades and circumferentially surrounds the plurality of propeller blades. At least one sound-emitting device such as a whistle is mounted to the toy flying propeller such that when the toy flying propeller is rotated and launched into the air, the movement of the toy flying propeller through the air causes the sound-emitting device to produce a sound. The toy flying propeller also includes a rotating device such as a launcher that connects with the hub to rotate and launch the toy flying propeller into the air.

In one aspect of the present invention, the toy flying propeller comprises a hub with a central axis; a plurality of blades radially extending from the hub and having an outer edge; and at least one sound-emitting device positioned on the toy flying propeller such that as the toy flying propeller moves through the air, a sound is created.

In another aspect of the present invention, the toy flying propeller comprises an outer ring connected with the outer edge of the blades.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the toy flying propeller comprises a rotating device for rotating and launching the toy flying propeller into the air.

In still another aspect of the present invention, the toy flying propeller comprises a launcher adapted to the hub for rotating and launching the toy flying propeller into the air.

In a yet further aspect of the present invention, the toy flying propeller comprises a male connector which interlocks with a female connector on the launcher to form an interlocking connection, such that when the launcher is rotated, the interlocking connection correspondingly rotates the hub and toy flying propeller until the rotating blades creating a sufficient force to lift the toy flying propeller into the air, simultaneously breaking the interlocking connection.

In another aspect of the present invention, the sound-emitting device is attached with at least one of the plurality of blades.

In still another aspect of the present invention, the sound-emitting device is attached with the hub.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the sound-emitting device is attached with the outer ring.

In still another aspect of the present invention, the sound-emitting device is a whistle.

In a yet further aspect of the present invention, the whistle defines an enclosure with an opening such that when air passes through the opening, a whistling sound is produced.

In another aspect of the present invention, the enclosure is a tubular shape, and wherein the opening is a slit such that the whistle produces a solid whistling sound.

In a further aspect of the present invention, the plurality of blades are angled such that when the toy flying propeller is rotated in a specific direction, the movement of the blades creates a vertical force that lifts the toy flying propeller into the air.

Finally, a method for forming and attaching the various parts is described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptions of the preferred aspect of the invention in conjunction with reference to the following drawings, where:

FIG. 1 is a perspective-view illustration of a toy flying propeller with a plurality of whistles attached with a plurality of propeller blades, surrounded by an outer ring;

FIG. 2 is an enhanced perspective-view illustration of the whistles depicting their position on each blade and the location of a plurality of slits in the whistles for passage of air which creates the whistling sound effect;

FIG. 3A is a perspective-view illustration of a launcher that can be adapted to the toy flying propeller for use as a rotating device to rotate and launch the toy flying propeller into the air; and

FIG. 3B is an enhanced perspective-view illustration of the toy flying propeller depicting a male connector that interlocks with a female connector on the launcher for rotating and launching the toy flying propeller into the air.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention provides a system and a method that overcomes the aforementioned limitations and fills the aforementioned needs by providing a toy flying propeller with a sound-emitting device. The propeller includes a hub with a plurality of blades extending radially from the hub and having an outer edge. An outer ring is connected with the outer edge of the blades and circumferentially surrounds the plurality of propeller blades. At least one sound-emitting device such as a whistle is mounted to the toy flying propeller such that when the toy flying propeller is rotated and launched into the air, the movement of the toy flying propeller through the air causes the sound-emitting device to produce a sound. The toy flying propeller also includes a rotating device such as a launcher that connects with the hub to rotate and launch the toy flying propeller into the air.

The following description, taken in conjunction with the referenced drawings, is presented to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention and to incorporate it in the context of particular applications. Various modifications, as well as a variety of uses in different applications will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to a wide range of embodiments. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments presented, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. Furthermore it should be noted that, unless explicitly stated otherwise, the figures included herein are illustrated diagrammatically and without any specific scale, as they are provided as qualitative illustrations of the concept of the present invention.

In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without necessarily being limited to these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form, rather than in detail, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference. All the features disclosed in this specification, (including any accompanying claims, abstract, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

Furthermore, any element in a claim that does not explicitly state “means for” performing a specified function, or “step for” performing a specific function, is not to be interpreted as a “means” or “step” clause as specified in 35 U.S.C. Section 112, Paragraph 6. In particular, the use of “step of” in the claims herein is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Section 112, Paragraph 6.

The toy flying propeller has a unique design and shape, along with a carefully-positioned sound-emitting device to create a sound when the toy flying propeller is flying through the air. The toy flying propeller 100, as illustrated in FIG. 1, includes a hub 102 with a central axis 104 about which the toy flying propeller 100 rotates. A plurality of blades 106 radially extend from the hub 102 and form an outer edge 108, which is connected with an outer ring 110 that circumferentially surrounds the blades 106. Attached with a surface of the blades 106 are a plurality of sound-emitting devices, a non-limiting aspect of which is a whistle 112. The whistle 112 is positioned such that the rotation of the toy flying propeller 100 will produce a whistling sound as air moves into the whistle 112. The whistle 112 on each blade 106 is also symmetrically positioned to preserve the aerodynamics and maintain the balance of the toy flying propeller 100 during flight.

The whistle of the present embodiment is further illustrated in FIG. 2. The whistle of the present embodiment is a tubular device with a spherical cap and a plurality of slits which permit air to flow into the whistle to produce a whistling sound. The whistle 202 is attached with the blade 204 such that a first section 206 of the whistle protrudes from a first surface of the blade 208. A second blade 210 illustrates how a second section 212 of the whistle protrudes from an opposing second surface of the blade 210. The first section 206 is tubular and contains a spherical cap 214 with a small slit 216 for air to pass through while the blade 204 is rotating. Air that passes into the slit 216 then passes out of the whistle 202 through a plurality of openings 218 in the second section 212 of the whistle 202. The slit 216 is positioned such that the rotation of the blade 204 will force air directly into the slit 216, creating a loud, consistent whistling sound when the toy flying propeller 200 is in motion. As in the aspect illustrated in FIG. 2, the whistle 202 can be inverted so that the second section 212 of the whistle protrudes from the first surface 208 of the blade while the first section 206 of the whistle protrudes from the second surface of the blade 210.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that the location of the whistles can be varied. For example, the whistle can be formed into the outer ring of the toy flying propeller with an opening on either side of the outer ring. Additionally, a whistle could even be attached with the hub. Furthermore, in yet another aspect, the sound-emitting device can be an electronic device to create any type of sound. The electronic sound-emitting device can be motion-activated so that it only produces the sound while the toy flying propeller is in the air. A motion sensor can be placed in the hub, as can a battery, speaker, and other necessary electronic components.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the particular angle of the blades is designed so that rotating the toy flying propeller will produce a significant downward force and lift the toy flying propeller into the air. The blades all have the same angled disposition so that rotating the toy flying propeller in only one direction will launch the toy flying propeller into the air, while rotating the toy in the opposite direction will reverse the force generated by the blades and propel the toy flying propeller towards the ground. Additionally, the number of blades can be varied depending on the particular blade shape and width desired.

The toy flying propeller of the present invention also includes a rotating device for rotating and launching the toy flying propeller into the air. In one aspect, the rotating device is a launcher 300 adapted to the hub to rotate and launch the toy flying propeller, as illustrated in FIG. 3A. The launcher includes a rotatable female connector 302 attached with a base 304 that is connected with a handle 306. As illustrated in FIG. 3B, the female connector 302 interlocks with a corresponding male connector 308 on the hub 310, forming an interlocking connection. The launcher 300 further includes a ripcord 314 that, when pulled, is capable of rotating the female connector 302 and male connector 308 in the interlocking connection which thereby rotates the toy flying propeller. Once the rotational velocity of the toy flying propeller reaches a certain point, the vertical force generated by the blades breaks the male connector 308 away from the female connector 302 and launches the toy flying vehicle into the air. One skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous mechanisms for rotating and launching an object such as the toy flying propeller.

Claims

1. A toy flying propeller comprising:

a hub with a central axis;

a plurality of blades radially extending from the hub and having an outer edge; and

at least one sound-emitting device positioned on the toy flying propeller such that as the toy flying propeller moves through the air, a sound is created.

2. The toy flying propeller of claim 1, further comprising an outer ring connected with the outer edge of the blades.

3. The toy flying propeller of claim 1, further comprising a rotating device for rotating and launching the toy flying propeller into the air.

4. The toy flying propeller of claim 3, wherein the rotating device further comprises a launcher adapted to the hub for rotating and launching the toy flying propeller into the air.

5. The toy flying propeller of claim 4, wherein the hub further comprises a male connector which interlocks with a female connector on the launcher to form an interlocking connection, such that when the launcher is rotated, the interlocking connection correspondingly rotates the hub and toy flying propeller until the rotating blades creating a sufficient force to lift the toy flying propeller into the air, simultaneously breaking the interlocking connection.

6. The toy flying propeller of claim 1, wherein the sound-emitting device is attached with at least one of the plurality of blades.

7. The toy flying propeller of claim 1, wherein the sound-emitting device is attached with the hub.

8. The toy flying propeller of claim 2, wherein the sound-emitting device is attached with the outer ring.

9. The toy flying propeller of claim 1, wherein the sound-emitting device is a whistle.

10. The toy flying propeller of claim 9, wherein the whistle defines an enclosure with an opening such that when air passes through the opening, a whistling sound is produced.

11. The whistle of claim 10, wherein the enclosure is a tubular shape, and wherein the opening is a slit such that the whistle produces a solid whistling sound.

12. The toy flying propeller of claim 1, wherein the plurality of blades are angled such that when the toy flying propeller is rotated in a specific direction, the movement of the blades creates a vertical force that lifts the toy flying propeller into the air.

13. A method of making a toy flying propeller, the method comprising the acts of:

forming a hub with a central axis;

attaching a plurality of blades to the hub, wherein the blades radially extend from the hub and have an outer edge; and

positioning at least one sound-emitting device on the toy flying propeller such that as the toy flying propeller moves through the air, a sound is created.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the act of connecting an outer ring with the outer edge of the blades.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the act of attaching a rotating device for rotating and launching the toy flying propeller into the air.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the act of attaching a launcher to the hub as the rotating device, wherein the launcher is adapted to the hub for rotating and launching the toy flying propeller into the air.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the hub further comprises a male connector which interlocks with a female connector on the launcher to form an interlocking connection, such that when the launcher is rotated, the interlocking connection correspondingly rotates the hub and toy flying propeller until the rotating blades creating a sufficient force to lift the toy flying propeller into the air, simultaneously breaking the interlocking connection.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising the act of attaching the sound-emitting device on at least one of the plurality of blades.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising the act of attaching the sound-emitting device on the hub.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising the act of attaching the sound-emitting device on the outer ring.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the act of positioning at least one sound emitting device on the toy flying propeller further comprises the act of positioning a whistle on the toy flying propeller.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the act of positioning a on the toy flying propeller further comprises the acts of forming a whistle from a tubular device with a spherical cap, wherein the spherical cap contains an slit that permits air to flow into the whistle while the toy flying propeller is flying through the air, thus producing a whistling sound.

23. The method of claim 13, further comprising the act of angling the plurality of blades such that when the toy flying propeller is rotated in a specific direction, the movement of the blades creates a vertical force that lifts the toy flying propeller into the air.

24. A toy flying propeller comprising:

a hub with a central axis;

a plurality of blades radially extending from the hub and having an outer edge;

an outer ring connected with the outer edge of the blades;

at least one sound-emitting device positioned on the toy flying propeller such that as the toy flying propeller moves through the air, a sound is created;

a rotating device for rotating and launching the toy flying propeller into the air;

wherein the rotating device is a launcher adapted to the hub for rotating and launching the toy flying propeller into the air;

wherein the hub further comprises a male connector which interlocks with a female connector on the launcher to form an interlocking connection, such that when the launcher is rotated, the interlocking connection correspondingly rotates the hub and toy flying propeller until the rotating blades creating a sufficient force to lift the toy flying propeller into the air, simultaneously breaking the interlocking connection;

wherein the sound-emitting device is attached with at least one of the plurality of blades;

wherein the sound-emitting device is a whistle;

wherein the whistle defines an enclosure with an opening such that when air passes through the opening, a whistling sound is produced; and wherein the enclosure is a tubular shape, and wherein the opening is a slit such that the whistle produces a solid whistling sound; and

wherein the plurality of blades are angled such that when the toy flying propeller is rotated in a specific direction, the movement of the blades creates a vertical force that lifts the toy flying propeller into the air.