Pinch Patents (Class 124/10)
  • Patent number: 10512854
    Abstract: The present invention is a toy projectile and launcher system. The lightweight projectile has an exterior surface symmetrically disposed about an imaginary longitudinal axis. The launcher has a holding cavity composed of three semi-flexible sides, two of which sides apply counter-acting forces to the surface of the projectile along the imaginary longitudinal axis. The launcher has a mechanism for applying a motive force perpendicular to the counter-acting force vectors and perpendicular to the projectile's imaginary longitudinal axis. When the motive force is applied to the projectile, the semi-flexible sides deform and return to pre-deformation positions, thereby launching the projectile into flight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Inventor: L. Taylor Arnold
  • Patent number: 10195727
    Abstract: An indirect firing fastening tool, comprising driving and propelling means for a fastener to be set into a support, such driving means being rotationally mobile and configured to directly cooperate with the fastener or with a propelling member supported by the latter, so that a rotation of the driving means directly causes the translational driving and the propulsion of the fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Christian Ricordi
  • Patent number: 9561429
    Abstract: A front cabinet panel piece, a back panel cabinet piece, a first side cabinet panel piece, and second side cabinet panel piece, each having a plurality of pre-formed openings, are arranged relative to one another to form an amusement game cabinet. The plurality of pre-formed openings are used to accept a corresponding plurality of knock-down hardware pieces each including a fastener locking component and a fastener. The fastener locking components are held within respective first ones of the pre-formed openings and the fastener is inserted into second ones of the pre-formed openings that are aligned with the first ones of the plurality of pre-formed openings. Each fastener is mated to its corresponding fastener locking component to complete assembly of the amusement game cabinet. The assembled amusement game cabinet is used to support a playfield and the playfield, in turn, is used to provide additional structural support to the amusement game cabinet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Stern Pinball, Inc.
    Inventors: George A. Gomez, Michael Redoble, John M. Rotharmel
  • Patent number: 9072960
    Abstract: A game apparatus involving launching and catching of a game piece includes a pincer tool having first and second opposed members that are articulatable with respect to one another to capture the game piece between the articulatable members, and to also accelerate the game piece radially outwardly from a pivot region. The pincer tool of the game apparatus therefor acts to launch the game piece merely through relative articulation of the opposed first and second members toward one another while the game piece is in contact with both of the first and second members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2015
    Assignee: Whiteboard Product Solutions
    Inventors: Louis F. Polk, III, Louis Polk, IV, Caleb Summers, Randy Peterson
  • Patent number: 8997727
    Abstract: A projectile shooter toy has a body with a sidewall forming a space for holding a projectile in a loaded state and a pathway leading away from the space and along which the projectile moves in a forward direction. An actuator is arranged to engage the projectile to move the projectile forward along the pathway. At least two pinching members are spaced forwardly along the pathway from the actuator. The pinching members are separate from, and movable relative to, the actuator and the sidewall, and are configured to exert a force on the projectile as the projectile passes between the at least two pinching members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Hasbro, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel Roger Hamel, David Baird
  • Patent number: 8974264
    Abstract: A figurine launcher is described. The figurine launcher includes at least two shell components. The shell components are hingedly attached with one another to move between an open position and a closed position. An open mechanism is attached with at least one of the shell components and is adapted to allow a user to selectively separate the shell components when in the closed position. A launch positioning mechanism is attached with at least one of the shell components. The launch positioning mechanism is adapted to engage with a figurine and conceal the figurine within the housing when the shell components are in a closed position. Alternatively, when the shell components are in an open position, the launch positioning mechanism is adapted to move the figurine into a launch position. When in the launch position, the user can compress the shell components to force the figurine from the launcher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
    Inventors: Jim McCafferty, Greg Leong, Dominic Laurienzo, Rip Lopusnak
  • Patent number: 8747259
    Abstract: A batting or ball practice cage has one or more frame members with a net attached over the frame. Frame members may be assembled having springs or elbows at the corner. A pitching machine may be aligned with the cage at one end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Inventor: William Coleman Lay
  • Publication number: 20130319387
    Abstract: Embodiments provide a ball throwing machine including a motor coupled to a rotary wheel and configured to rotate the rotary wheel at a rotational speed to throw a ball forward toward an athlete. A speed control module may be coupled to the motor and configured to rotate the rotary wheel, via the motor, at a first rotational speed during a fastball setting and a second rotational speed during a changeup setting. The speed control module may determine the second rotational speed based on the first rotational speed so that a ball thrown by the ball throwing machine will arrive in a target zone when the ball throwing machine is in the fastball setting and the changeup setting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Jugs Sports, Inc.
    Inventors: Kerry K. Paulson, Robert F. Harder
  • Patent number: 8496545
    Abstract: A batting or ball practice cage has one or more frame members with a net attached over the frame. Frame members may be assembled having springs or elbows at the corner. A pitching machine may be aligned with the cage at one end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Inventor: William Coleman Lay
  • Publication number: 20120214618
    Abstract: A batting or ball practice cage has one or more frame members with a net attached over the frame. Frame members may be assembled having springs or elbows at the corner. A pitching machine may be aligned with the cage at one end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventor: William Coleman Lay
  • Patent number: 8172703
    Abstract: A batting or ball practice cage has one or more frame members with a net attached over the frame. Frame members may be assembled having springs or elbows at the corner. A pitching machine may be aligned with the cage at one end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Inventor: William Coleman Lay
  • Patent number: 7927173
    Abstract: A toy vehicle and launching system. The male section of a strap connector is attached to the toy vehicle. The male section has elongated arms that extend from the back of the toy vehicle. Separately, the female section of a strap connector is provided. The female section has a connector body with a front opening and side openings. The elongated arms from the male section are insertable into the connector body through the front opening. The elongated arms pass into the connector body until they reach an engaged position. At the engaged position, the elongated arms engage the side openings and retain the elongated arms within the connector body. The elongated arms store spring energy. When released from the engaged position, the energy stored in the elongated arms acts to accelerate the toy vehicle out and away from the connector body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Inventor: Steve Walterscheid
  • Publication number: 20100258100
    Abstract: A device for attachment to a chute of a ball pitching machine includes a ball feeder tube having a first end for receiving a first ball. A retaining member is fixed relative to the ball feeder tube and extends transversely to the ball feeder tube into the bore for selectively retaining the first ball in the bore. The retaining member is resiliently deformable toward the ball feeder tube for allowing the first ball to move past the retaining member toward the chute upon application of a predetermined force on the first ball. The ball feeder tube defines a bore having a diameter. The retaining member is spaced along the bore a first distance from the first end. The first distance is shorter than the diameter of the bore so that insertion of a second ball into the first end with the predetermined force displaces the first ball toward the chute.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2010
    Publication date: October 14, 2010
    Inventors: Mark Kusiak, Leon Woods
  • Patent number: 7753040
    Abstract: A helical field device that accelerates an object to high velocity by converting rotational kinetic energy in the device into linear kinetic energy in the object, and alternatively, that decelerates objects from high velocity by converting the linear kinetic energy in the object into rotational kinetic energy in the device. The device transfers kinetic energy between the device and an object through the use of a localized high pressure field in the form of a helix having a variable pitch along the length of the device, which couples the object to the device without the pressure field itself significantly contributing energy into the system. Instead, the energy that is used to accelerate the object comes from the kinetic energy imparted to the device by an outside source, such as an engine, or a potential energy storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Inventors: Michael Victor, Robert Victor
  • Patent number: 7673624
    Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a disk shooting toy comprising a body, a port extending into the body and configured to permit a disk to be inserted into the body, a slot extending into the body, and a firing mechanism configured to shoot the disk out of the body through the slot. In some examples, the disk shooting toy may include a handle mechanism configured to selectively detach from the body and a trigger mechanism attached to the handle mechanism and configured to selectively engage the firing mechanism when the handle mechanism is attached to the body. In some examples, a trigger mechanism operatively connected to the body and including a trigger configured to selectively engage the firing mechanism and selectively cover the port. In some examples, the disk shooting toy may include structure configured to selectively attach a trigger mechanism to the body for selectively engaging the firing mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventor: John Rosella, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7401679
    Abstract: The present invention relates to mounting of a sound tube inside a shell of a hearing aid. The invention provides a sound tube adaptor, a tool for insertion of the adaptor and a method for attaching a sound tube to a shell, the sound tube adaptor facilitating attachment of a sound tube to a shell, having a first end for attachment to one end of a sound tube and a second end that is adapted to be received inside the shell in a hole in the shell in such a way that the adaptor and the sound tube extend inside the shell from the hole towards the entrance of an ear canal of a user when the shell is positioned in the ear canal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: GN Resound A/S
    Inventor: Klaus Sommer Ipsen
  • Patent number: 7104262
    Abstract: A versatile book is disclosed for hanging pneumatically actuated devices (e.g., airguns or spray guns). In the preferred embodiment, the versatile hook comprises: a hook body having a base with an annular section that defines a through-space corresponding to the shape of the pneumatic device's cylindrical extension tube or barrel; a hook-shaped extension attached to the body; and, positioning-and-mounting means for selectively positioning the hook, around and along the barrel, and thereafter mounting the body in a temporarily fixed position onto the barrel, with the hook-shaped extension facing towards or away from the discharge nozzle. Upon loosening a bolt, the preferred hook can be reoriented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Guardair Corporation
    Inventors: Mark W. Yorns, Thomas C. Tremblay, James W. Fletcher, Brian T. Donovan
  • Patent number: 6460527
    Abstract: A projectile and launcher combination, in which the launcher is formed with a tubular passage having a convergently tapered inner end. A projectile element is provided at its back end with a plurality of rearwardly extending, cantilever mounted resilient leaf spring elements arranged to be received in and displaced radially inward by the convergently tapered portion of the tubular passage. When the projectile is loaded into the launcher, the leaf spring elements tend to eject it forwardly. A retention arrangement is provided to hold the projectile until it is ready to be ejected. When the projectile is released from retention, the outward pressure of the leaf spring elements on the convergent walls forcibly ejects the projectile from the launcher passage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2002
    Assignee: Connector Set Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Matthias F. W. Doepner
  • Publication number: 20020078939
    Abstract: An archery bow has at least one dampener to reduce noise and vibration of the bow in use. Desirably, at least one dampener, and preferably a plurality of individual dampeners may be disposed in the area of the connection of a limb to a riser or handle portion of the bow to reduce vibrations transferred to the riser by the limb. Additionally, the archery bow preferably has a cam adapted to receive a dampener to reduce the noise and vibration passing between the cam and the limb. Any number of dampeners may be used in combination, or the dampeners may be used separately as desired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2000
    Publication date: June 27, 2002
    Inventors: Albert A. Andrews, Spencer D. Land
  • Patent number: 5199410
    Abstract: A toy saucer launching and catching device comprised of a base covered with an upper cover and supported on a handle to hold a saucer seat, a curved spring rod retained between said base and said saucer seat, a push plate controlled by a trigger on said handle to squeeze said spring rods inwards, and a lifting plate controlled by an auxiliary trigger on said handle to lift said upper cover, and wherein pulling said trigger causes a toy saucer to be launched out of said saucer seat into the air; pulling said auxiliary trigger causes said upper cover to be opened for catching a flying toy saucer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1991
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1993
    Inventor: Cheng-Tsuan Cheng
  • Patent number: 5181501
    Abstract: A ping-pong ball shooter including a reciprocating arm mechanism composed of an abruptly returning device capable of shooting out a ball, a rotating mechanism, a ball feeding/regaining device, an eye ball reciprocating mechanism and speed changing device, whereby by means of slider-crank mechanism in four linkages, the eye ball reciprocating mechanism can rotate left and right and up and down like an eye, making the shot out ping-pong balls scattered within a sector area of a ping-pong table, and the rotation direction, bounding speed and bounding strength of the ball can be controlled, and the shot out balls can be recollected into a ball collector through a hopper slide way and a sleeve ball bag, one end of the sleeve ball bag being open and inserted into the slide way and the other end thereof being closed, serving as a driving end, three sets of blades and openings being disposed therein whereby when rotating, due to centrifugal force, the balls slide through the opening into ball pipe to be pushed by the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Inventor: Wei M. Lien
  • Patent number: 4402507
    Abstract: A ball-tossing device is disclosed that has a batting practice member that is mechanically coupled to a foot treadle plate that is pivoted on a base member. The arrangement is such that pressure on the foot treadle plate spring-loads the ball-tossing member, and continued movement of the foot treadle plate causes the ball-tossing member to quickly move the ball in an upward direction. A spring means is provided to return the foot treadle plate to a normal rest position that in turn, returns the ball-tossing member to a rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Inventor: Robert H. Hudson
  • Patent number: 4321906
    Abstract: A sheet of resiliently bendable but relatively stiff material has a hole from which slits radiate to define a circular series of stiff but resiliently bendable tabs. When the sheet is pressed downwardly over a fairly hard ball the tabs are flexed to pass over the diameter of the ball and they then snap back to normal position projecting the ball upwardly by cam action on its lower hemisphere. In one form of the invention a flexible magazine is secured to one side of the projector permitting sequential forcing of balls through the projector in rapid fire fashion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1982
    Inventor: Ernest L. Thornell
  • Patent number: 4318388
    Abstract: A toy device for launching a disk, a ring or a similar circular-shaped toy missile. A pair of opposed, dog-legged arms are pivoted together in an uncrossed relationship. Each of the opposed arms has a first elongated portion with an open channel for engaging the rim of the disk, ring or similar circular-shaped toy missile to be launched and a second elongated portion with a handle for grasping by the user of the toy device. All of the interior surfaces of one of the open channels are relatively smooth. One of the interior surfaces of the other open channel is textured to increase friction when it engages the rim of the disk, ring or similar circular-shaped toy missile to be launched. The coaction of the textured interior surface of one of the open channels and the opposed smooth interior surface of the other open channel on the rim of the circular-shaped toy missile imparts rotational motion to the toy missile as it is impelled forward in the open channels prior to launching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1982
    Inventors: A. Edward Fogarty, Bonnie R. Fogarty
  • Patent number: 4277068
    Abstract: A flying saucer toy consisting of a pistol and a flying disk fired from said pistol, wherein the pistol includes a pair of resilient pinching blades between which the flying disk is loaded, one pinching blade having an opposing corner while the other having a slippery corner, a thrust provided by the pinching blades to the disk being transformed into a torque between the opposing and slippery corners, the pistol further including a landing spot for allowing a flying disk to land thereon during its flight, the flying disk having an inwardly concave bottom adapted to receive a lift efficiently.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1981
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Keiheisha
    Inventor: Sei'ichi Sasaki
  • Patent number: 4137892
    Abstract: An amusement device simulating a holster for attachment to a belt or to the waistband of a garment. The holster retains a number of projectiles such as ping pong balls and projects the projectiles from the front of the holster each time the side of the holster is contacted by a force such as being hit or slapped with the palm of the hand by a game player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 6, 1979
    Assignee: Marvin Glass & Associates
    Inventor: Eugene Jaworski
  • Patent number: 4136569
    Abstract: A resetting device coupled to a thermostat which has a resetting pin actuated by depressing the same, comprises a body arranged to be movable towards and away from the resetting pin; a propelling device for launching the body in the direction of the resetting pin for depressing the resetting pin by the body in an impact-like manner; and an operating arrangement movable into an actuating position for actuating the propelling device. The resetting pin is freely movable subsequent to the impact-like engagement by the body, irrespective of the momentarily-assumed position of the operating arrangement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1979
    Assignee: Inter Control
    Inventor: Walter Hollweck
  • Patent number: 4065129
    Abstract: A bumper mechanism is disclosed which is adapted to be mounted in a pin ball machine having a playing surface along which pin balls can be projected. The bumper mechanism comprises first and second bumper elements which define a slot therebetween for receiving pin balls projected on the play surface. One of the bumper elements is mounted for sliding movement between a first position adjacent the other of the bumper elements and a second position remote from the other of the bumper elements, in response to entrance of a pin ball into the slot. Downward movement of the bumper element causes it to engage a drive element rotatably mounted in the pin ball machine so that cooperating means on the drive element and the depressed bumper element engage each other and drive the depressed bumper element back towards its first position adjacent the other bumper element in response to rotation of the drive element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 1976
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1977
    Assignee: Ideal Toy Corporation
    Inventor: Stephen Bartok
  • Patent number: 4042036
    Abstract: This invention relates to an electric impact tool characterized by a pair of electric motor-driven counterrotating flywheels, at least one of which is movable relative to the other from a retracted inoperative position into an extended operative one closely adjacent the other flywheel whereby a ram is squeezed therebetween and impelled forward at high speed against a workpiece. The nosepiece of the tool frame is retractable although normally extended due to the spring bias urging it and the movable flywheel to which it is mechanically linked into disengaged position. These elements cooperate with one another and with a manually-actuated trigger such that the latter must be depressed and the nosepiece retracted in order to engage the high energy friction clutch defined by the flywheels so as to operate the ram. A flywheel speed control is provided for matching the ram impact to the workload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 1975
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1977
    Inventors: James E. Smith, James D. Cunningham
  • Patent number: 3952442
    Abstract: One end of an elongated launcher is placed on a rearwardly, downwardly sloping roof portion of a toy vehicle. The other end of the launcher is placed on the floor behind the vehicle so a child user may launch the vehicle by stepping on the launcher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 1975
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1976
    Assignee: Mattel, Inc.
    Inventors: James Robert Livesey, Felix Griauzde