BUBBLE GENERATING DEVICE
A bubble-generating device composed of an internal housing and an external cover. The internal housing includes a reservoir that receives a bubble-producing solution. The reservoir is fluidly connected via a channel to a bubble producing ring. The bubble producing solution provides a film over the bubble producing ring. When an aperture that extends through the external cover is aligned with an opening in the ring, air is permitted to pass through the aperture and the opening and impinging on the film over the ring causing bubbles to be generated.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a bubble generating device for an air imparted apparatus, and in particular to providing a bubble producing device for a hula hoop.
2. Description of the Related Art
A myriad of bubble producing implements have been previously designed to generate bubbles in response to an air flow passing across the implement. Likewise, various toys have also been devised which combine recreation with a physical activity. However, very few have been created which combine the use of a recreational toy and a bubble generating device that is encouragingly entertaining and provide physical benefits to its users.
Modernly, it is increasingly becoming more difficult to encourage a youngster to unplug from their electronics devices, leave the confines of the home and to engage in a healthy physical activity. Consequently, there is a need for vigorous devices that encourage physical activity over stagnant media prone devices that detract from healthy activities.
SUMMARYAn object of the present invention is to provide a bubble generating device. The bubble generating device is composed of an internal housing and a retractable cover. The internal housing includes a reservoir that receives a bubble-producing solution. The reservoir is fluidly connected via a channel to a bubble producing ring. The bubble producing solution provides a film over the bubble producing ring generated by a swiper bar. When an aperture that extends through the retractable cover is aligned with an opening in the ring, air is permitted to pass through the aperture and the opening and impinging on the film over the ring causing bubbles to be generated.
These and other objects, features, and/or advantages may accrue from various aspects of embodiments of the present invention, as described in more detail below.
Various exemplary embodiments will be described in detail, wherein like reference numerals refer to identical or similar components or steps, with reference to the following figures, wherein:
Particular embodiments of the present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the figures.
The hoop 12 is a toy. The hoop may be comprised an extruded tubular member formed into a rigid closed loop or molded arc sections that are plugged into or attached to each other to form a uniform closed loop. The loop may have a diameter larger than the widest dimension of the user 5 of the toy. The weight and the diameter of the loop forming the hoop is proportioned so that the hoop may be caused to rotate about the body of a user for relatively long periods of time by co-ordinated gyrating movement of the body of the user 5. The hoop may have a friction surface encompassing all or part of the inner periphery of the hoop which contacts the body of the user 5. The hoop may be proportioned to have a diameter of between approximately 30 and 40 inches, and a weight of between approximately 6 ounces upwards to 5 pounds or more.
The hoop may be used by placing it about the body of the user 5 and the user 5 then imparts a spinning motion to the hoop manually. This motion is maintained by suitable synchronized body gyrations. The user must propel the hoop about their body with a sufficient speed to generate a centrifugal force necessary to maintain the hoop at waist level. The physical benefits are greatest when the hoop is placed at waist level before the spinning motion is commenced. Adept users can maintain the hoop at waist level by either back and forth or side to side movement of the body trunk. The preferred hoop or toy is therefore light in weight so that body motion need not be too extensive to maintain continued circular motion around the body of the user to cause the generation of bubble from the bubble generating device 10.
Although a hoop 12 is shown used in combination with the bubble generating device 10, it is to be understood that any suitable toy, device or apparatus able to produce or be subjected to the flow of an air stream across the bubble generating device 10 attached thereto may be used in combination with the bubble generating device 10, such as a bicycle, skateboard, scooter, or quick moving air imparted motion, or the like.
The bubble generating solution 54 may be a low surface tension liquid, such as water and soap. The bubble generating solution 54 is fed from the reservoir 40 through a channel in the connector 60 to a ring 70 or film forming element. The film is removed by an air flow through the ring 70 to form a bubble. The bubble generating solution 54 is moved through the conduit 60 to the ring 70 under a centrifugal force and subsequently removed by an air flow through the ring 70 or film forming element caused by rotation of the hoop by gyration of the hips.
In an open position (such as shown in
In
The retractable cover 20 includes a oblong recess 24 into which the tension spring 25 may be housed as shown in
The retractable cover 20 also includes an integrated squeegee or swiper 29 as shown in
The retractable cover 20 further includes a guide aperture 27 into which a guide pin 32 may be received. The guide pin 32 is disposed between the guide aperture 27 in the retractable cover 20 and a guide track 34 provided on the inner housing 30. The guide pin 32 may be secured to a portion of the inner housing 30 as shown in
In a first closed position as shown in
When the retractable cover 20 is in an open position, such as shown in
The open end 23 of the retractable cover 20 may be contoured to rest against the reservoir housing 40 as shown in
As shown in this embodiment, the conduit 60 is provided within recesses in the first housing 80 and the second housing 90. The conduit 60 extends between the housing for the reservoir 40 and the opening 72 in the ring 70. The reservoir 40 housing may be made up of various sections. For example, the reservoir 40 housing may include a first reservoir portion 40a that is a part of the first housing 80 and a second reservoir portion 40b housing that is a part of the second housing 90 as shown in
As shown in
The outer ring housing 73 the opening 72 includes a pair of alignment posts 75. A first alignment post 75a may be adapted to fit within a first housing 80 and a second alignment post 75b may be adapted to fit within a second housing 90 as shown in
As shown in
As mentioned previously, the first alignment post 75a may be adapted to fit within a first casing or housing 80 and a second alignment post 75b may be adapted to fit within a second casing or housing 90.
The first housing 80 may include a contoured internal cavity 82 to accommodate and align an elbow bend in the conduit 60 as shown in
The second housing 90 may also include a contoured internal cavity 92 to accommodate and align an elbow bend in the conduit 60 as shown in
The reservoir plug 50 may include a pull flange 56. The pull flange 56 is useful when a user wishes to remove the plug 50 for refilling the bubble-producing solution 54, the user may conveniently grab a hold of the extended pull flange 56 to remove the plug 50 from the reservoir opening 52.
Alternatively, it is to be understood that the bias spring is not essential and various retaining stops may be integrated to cause the retractable cover 20 to be secured in an open position during operation and in a closed position during storage. Such as for example where the bubble-generating device 10 is secured to a bicycle handle. In this instance the bubble-generating device 10 can operate without a centrifugal force being present to open up the retractable cover. The user can manually open and close the retractable cover 20 to initiate and stop the generation of the bubbles. The retaining stops would allow the retractable cover 20 to stay in an open position against a first open retaining stop. When closed, the retractable cover 20 could be manually positioned into a closed position against a second closed stop.
Alternatively, the internal structural configuration of the first housing 80 and the second housing 90 may be constructed to provide a fluid path for the bubble-producing solution 54 from the reservoir 40 to the ring 70 without the use of a conduit 60.
As understood and mentioned above, the bubble-generating device 10 can use a stand-alone device without the hoop and/or for various use applications such as with a bicycle, skateboard, scooter or the like. A variety of additional features may be added to the bubble-generating device 10. For example, the bubble-generating device 10 can be combined with lights, and/or whistles or other accessories. Other devices may be provided for use with and without a hoop, such as those shown in
The illustrations and examples provided herein are for explanatory purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes or modifications may be made to the above described embodiment without departing from the broad inventive concepts of the invention. It is understood therefore that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment which is described, but is intended to cover all modifications and changes within the scope and spirit of the invention.
Claims
1. A bubble-generating device comprising:
- an internal housing comprising: a reservoir to receive a bubble-producing solution; a ring with an opening fluidly connected to the reservoir over which a film of the solution covers;
- a retractable cover with a swiper disposed over the internal housing,
- where, in an open position, an aperture extending through the retractable cover is aligned with the ring so that an air flow passing through the aperture impinges on the film covering the opening to generate bubbles.
2. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, where, in a closed position, an aperture extending through the retractable cover is misaligned with the opening in the ring so that the air cannot flow through the aperture.
3. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, where, in a closed position, the aperture in the retractable cover is biased out of alignment with the opening in the ring.
4. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, where a spring attached between the retractable cover and the internal housing biases the retractable cover into the closed position.
5. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, wherein an inner surface construction of the retractable cover is aligned and dimensioned to fit over an outer surface of the inner housing, such that the retractable cover can be extended and retracted over the inner housing in response to a centrifugal force overcoming a tension force in a tension spring attached between the retractable cover and the inner housing.
6. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, wherein a spring force in a biasing element attached between the inner housing and the retractable cover is overcome such that the aperture in the outer housing is extended away from the inner housing into alignment with the opening in the ring into an open position so that air may pass through the aperture and impinge on the film over the opening in the ring causing the bubbles to be generated.
7. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, wherein the swiper is provided adjacent to the opening in the ring that spreads the solution across the opening in the ring when the outer housing moves between an open and a closed position, and between the closed and the open position.
8. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, wherein the reservoir includes an inlet and a plug removably attached to the inlet.
9. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, wherein the reservoir is fluidly connected to a groove in the ring via a conduit that extends between the reservoir and the ring.
10. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, wherein the internal housing includes a first casing and a second casing.
11. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 10, wherein the first casing includes a first internal cavity to receive a conduit that fluidly connects the reservoir to the ring.
12. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 11, wherein the second casing includes a second internal cavity to receive the conduit that fluidly connects the reservoir to the ring.
13. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 10, wherein the first and second casings includes a first internal cavity and a second internal cavity defining a conduit path that fluidly connects the reservoir to the ring.
14. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, wherein the ring is attached at a first end of the first casing and at a first end of the second casing.
15. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, wherein the reservoir is constructed at a second end of the first casing and at a second end of the second casing.
16. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 1, wherein the bubble-generating device includes an attachment mechanism disposed at a peripheral end of the second end of the first casing and the second casing, the attachment mechanism being capable of being attached to another object.
17. A bubble-generating device comprising:
- an internal housing comprising: a reservoir to receive a bubble-producing solution; a ring connected to the reservoir over which a film of the solution covers; a conduit fluidly connecting the reservoir to the ring; and
- a retractable cover with a swiper slidably disposed over the internal housing, wherein, when a tension force connecting the retractable cover to the inner housing is overcome, the swiper draws a film of the bubble-producing solution over an opening in the ring as an aperture extending through the retractable cover is aligned with the ring, air passing through the aperture impinges on the film covering an opening in the ring causing bubbles to be generated.
18. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 17 wherein an inner surface construction of the retractable cover is aligned and dimensioned to fit over an outer surface of the inner housing, such that the retractable cover can be extended and retracted over the inner housing in response to a centrifugal force overcoming a tension force in a tension spring attached between the retractable cover and the inner housing.
19. The bubble-generating device recited in claim 17 wherein a spring force in a biasing element attached between the inner housing and the retractable cover is overcome such that the aperture in the retractable cover is extended away from the inner housing into alignment with the opening in the ring into an open position so that air may pass through the aperture and impinge on the film over the opening in the ring causing the bubbles to be generated.
20. A bubble-generating device comprising:
- an internal housing comprising: a reservoir to receive a bubble-producing solution; a ring connected to the reservoir over which a film of the solution covers; a conduit fluidly connecting the reservoir to the ring; and
- a retractable cover with a swiper biased over the internal housing, wherein, when a tension force connecting the retractable cover to the inner housing is overcome by a centrifugal force, the swiper draws a film of the bubble-producing solution over an opening in the ring as apertures extending through the retractable cover are aligned with the opening in the ring, air passing through the apertures applies a pressure on the film covering the opening in the ring thereby causing bubbles to be generated.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 10, 2014
Publication Date: Dec 10, 2015
Inventors: Matthew LAZICH (Austin, TX), Michael NORDGREN (Deltona, FL)
Application Number: 14/300,879