Abstract: A toy assembly for retaining and launching a miniature boomerang from an upper limb of the body which limb includes a wrist, hand and fingers, the assembly consisting of the combination of the boomerang, a support member attachable to the upper limb, and a platform mounted on top of the support member to retain the boomerang in a first storage position and further to provide for the shifting of the boomerang to a second launching position wherein launching is accomplished by flicking a wing of the boomerang with a finger of the opposite upper limb on which the support member is positioned.

Abstract: An elastomeric closure (10) having an internal barrier film (16) is provided. The elastomeric closure includes a top portion (12) and a bottom portion (14) formed together with a barrier film (16) disposed between the top and bottom portions. The barrier film may span the overall length and width of the elastomeric closure and preferably includes an aluminum foil as the barrier film material.

Abstract: A method and aircraft system are provided for determining an optimal gliding speed that maximizes gliding distance of the aircraft upon engine failure, and comprises calculating the optimal gliding speed from a speed polar curve, true airspeed, heading, and vertical wind speed. The polar curve may be constructed with consideration of the aircraft center of gravity and weight. The calculated gliding speed, which may be restricted to a threshold, is provided to the pilot and optionally to an autopilot. The method is repeated periodically, or if the wind vertical or horizontal velocities exceed a threshold for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a projectile and a housing or launcher. The projectile may include wing portion, with the wing portion having an end, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The housing may include a grip, a trigger, and a projectile support platform. The projectile support platform may have a projectile launch key dimensioned to removably receive the end of the wing of the projectile and engage the trailing edge of the wing. The projectile launch key may also be being mechanically connected to the trigger and operate to rotate upon retraction of the trigger and thereby launch the projectile.

Abstract: A flying vehicle in accordance to an embodiment of the present invention includes a propeller control mechanism for flying the vehicle. The propeller control mechanism includes a propeller having a center shaft for connecting to the drive shaft; first and second propeller blades extending from the center shaft; and a control mechanism including a first linkage connecting the center shaft to the first propeller blade and a second linkage connecting the center shaft to a region defined on the propeller, wherein a change in a driving torque of the drive shaft causes the first linkage and the second linkage to change the pitch and height of the propeller blades while substantially unchanging the tip path plane of the propeller blades.

Abstract: A playset includes a launching device and one or more accessory toys. The launching device includes a launch tube and a bellows system operable to generate a flow of air through the launch tube. The accessory toys may include vehicles such as air-launched vehicles and surface-launched vehicles. Each accessory toy may include a port that receives the launch tube. In use, an accessory toy is mounted onto the launch tube and the bellows is compressed, causing the air to propel the vehicle into the air or along a surface. In another embodiment, the launch tube may include and interference assembly that selectively prohibits the mounting of an accessory toy onto the launch tube, or prevents the launching of accessory toys already mounted onto the tube. The launching device may further be incorporated into a carrying case or a transport vehicle toy.

Abstract: A toy airplane with a specialized launching configuration. The toy airplane has a body that extends between a nose and a tail. A roller assembly is disposed at the nose of the toy airplane. The roller assembly includes a free rotating finger roll that protrudes to the left and to the right of the nose. When a person launches the toy airplane, that person places his/her fingers behind the finger rolls on either side of the nose. As a person makes a throwing motion, the fingers roll off of the finger rolls just as the toy airplane is reaching its maximum velocity. The presence of the finger rolls, therefore, prevents a person from holding onto the toy airplane too long as it is being thrown.

Abstract: A flying toy has an airstream generator with a handle. The air stream generator has an air duct with a multi-blade propeller operatively coupled to a motor. The handle has a compartment to accommodate one or two batteries to power the motor. When the motor is turned on, the propeller produces an airstream out of the air duct. On top of the air duct, a cover with a stud is provided. The stud is dimensioned to fit a hole in the bottom section of a bowl-shaped body. The bowl-shaped body has a rim section connected to the bottom section. The rim section has a plurality of fins oriented such that when the airstream is produced by the propeller, the airstream interacts with the fins, causing the bowl-shaped body to spin while the bowl-shaped body is moving away from and hovering above the air duct.

Abstract: A flying toy has a handle and a driving mechanism to spin a propeller assembly for launching, the propeller assembly having blades on the top end and a freely rotatable conical sleeve on the bottom end. The handle comprises a plurality of pinch rollers surrounding the driving mechanism such that when the driving mechanism is activated to spin the blades, the pinch rollers are moved inward to engage with the conical sleeve for holding the propeller assembly while the blades are spun, and the pinch rollers are moved away from the conical sleeve for launching the propeller assembly. The flying toy also has a landing platform affixed to the handle, the platform having a funnel-shaped receptacle to receive the bottom end of the propeller assembly. The receptacle wall has soft fins for hampering the spinning of the propeller assembly when receiving a descending propeller assembly.

Abstract: An automatic and consecutive clay target firing structure includes two driving sources to drive respectively a rotary mechanism and clay targets to rotate, a target feeding unit located on the rotary mechanism having two target barrels located on two sides for housing a plurality of the clay targets, a lifting unit located in the center of the rotary mechanism movable upwards to enable one of the driving sources to couple with the clay target, and a control unit located outside the target feeding unit and transversely connected to the target feeding unit to control flying of the clay targets, and connected through a trigger unit through a circuit so that the clay targets may be fed consecutively into the target feeding unit to be driven by the driving source for rotation, and may be activated to achieve rapid firing and flying to be used in shooting game.

Abstract: A bubble ring is comprised of a tubular wall with a height which is greater than its wall thickness. The wall is parallel to the axis of the ring for reducing resistance to airflow along the axis of the ring. Plates extend radially from the inside and outside surfaces of the ring for holding a bubble solution by surface tension and capillary action. The gaps between the plates are generally evenly wide throughout for evenly holding bubble solution. The gaps also have open front and rear ends aligned with the axis of the ring for better releasing solution. Through holes are arranged in the wall parallel to the axis of the ring for holding and releasing additional solution. A handle is hinged to the ring. The handle is pivoted across the ring for shipping, and pivoted outward for use.

Abstract: A new high performance rubberband launched toy autogiro is described. Using lightweight rigid materials, this device ascends at high velocity to over 100 feet, then unfolds its wings and begins a spinning slow-speed descent lasting 15 seconds or more. Minimal skill is needed to launch this toy, and depending on the force used to launch it, short or long times aloft can be achieved. Under thermal updraft conditions, descent time can extend to over a minute.

Abstract: An aerial toy is disclosed that is adapted to be launched into the air using an elastomeric band. The toy includes a nose portion that is generally in the shape of an elongate ellipsoid that has a front end and a rear end. An elongate rib depends from the rear end of the nose portion in a direction generally along the long axis of the nose portion. This rib has a first end adjacent to the nose portion and a second end. The aerial toy also includes a pair of generally planar wing portions which are arranged so that the plane of the first wing portion is generally parallel to and spaced apart from the plane of the second wing portion. The first wing portion depends from the rear end of the nose portion and from the rib, and has a tapered outer edge. The second wing portion depends from the rib and has a surface area approximately 20-80% as large as the surface area of the first wing portion.

Abstract: A toy bow-n-arrow bubble shooter system including a bow. The bow has a frame with a cylindrical member centrally interconnected thereto and an elastomeric string. The cylindrical member has a channel therein and a plunger member positioned within the channel. The plunger member has an interior end capable of engaging the channel of the cylindrical member. The plunger has an exterior end with a handle capable of engaging the elastomeric string of the frame. Included are a plurality of head attachments. Each head attachment has a hub-like member with a plurality of blades fixedly attached thereto. Lastly, a plurality of arrows are provided. Each arrow has a shaft with an upper portion that has a bulb head. The bulb head of each arrow snap couples within the hub-like member. Each arrow, with one of the head attachments coupled thereto, is positioned within the cylindrical member of the bow and capable of being released therefrom by action of the plunger member thereon.

Abstract: An airfoil is disclosed that is adapted to be launched into the air using an elastomeric band. The device includes a nose portion that is generally in the shape of an elongate ellipsoid that has a front end and a rear end. An elongate rib depends from the rear end of the nose portion in a dkection generally along the long axis of the nose portion, and a pair of generally planar wings depend from the rib and from the rear of the nose portion. The plane of the first wing portion is generally parallel to and spaced apart from the plane of the second wing portion, and both wing portions have a tapered outer edge. The taper of the outer edge of the first wing portion is oppositely disposed to that of the second wing portion.

Abstract: A main rotor is provided for use in a rotary winged model aircraft. The main rotor includes a rotor hub assembly rotatable about a vertical axis and at least two main rotor blades. Each of the main rotor blades extends in a radial direction from the rotor hub assembly. The main rotor blades each include a tip end positioned to lie in spaced-apart relation to the rotor hub assembly and a root end coupled to the rotor hub assembly for pivotable folding movement from an initial horizontal position perpendicular to the vertical axis about a horizontal axis through a desired folding angle of about 90.degree.. Forces transmitted to the rotor hub by the rotor blade during a crash-landing of a rotary winged model aircraft including the main rotor are minimized due to movement of the rotor blades through the desired folding angle.

Abstract: An aerial toy designed to maintain an aerodynamic profile during ascent by rotating around its shortest axis and having a shape which naturally predicts it to rotate around its longest axis during descent. The body of the invention consists of generally flat, thin, and lightweight, rigid construction (10) with an aerodynamic tapering edge (12). The body has a height that is longer than its width, and one half of the body height has more surface area than the other half.

Abstract: A catapultable or rocket propelled toy helicopter (100,200) are provided that have foldable rotor blades (16 and 16') and a forwardly inclined rotor shaft surface (8) against which a rotor shaft (9) rests during flight that in combination with a balancing weight (28) enhance the spreading of rotor blades (16 and 16') at the apex of flight and the pitch and forward movement of the helicopter during flight thereafter.

Abstract: A toy helicopter device is disclosed which is capable of a projected nose up ascent and a helicopter nose down descent. The device has a streamlined two dimensional main body comprising a nose, stem, and tail portion. The tail portion is hingedly connected to two helicopter blades arranged adjacent and partially overlapping each other. Resilient means located in the gap between the tail and helicopter blades can be adjusted to control helicopter blade deployment early or late during the catapult projection. At a selected rotational velocity from the catapult, the spinning toy helicopter deploys the helicopter blades to approximately right angles to the main body and the device continues to rotate slowly to the ground. The launch angle relative to the ground is not significant in determining a successful deployment.

Abstract: A toy car launcher includes a base which carries a combination of pulleys which cause a slide in an elongated track to be rapidly propelled down a track when a pair of handles are pulled. A car placed on the track is propelled by the slide down the track, gaining velocity until it exits the track and continues its travel. The track is hinged to ease transport and storage.

Abstract: A rotary flying toy is disclosed including a rotor having a plurality of radially extending generally horizontal blades adapted to rotate about the vertical axis of the rotor to provide vertical lift. A separate hand-held launcher is provided and includes an electric motor for accelerating the rotor to a rotational velocity sufficient for the rotor to fly when separated from the launcher. Inclined surfaces act to retain the rotor on the launcher until the desired rotational speed is reached and to eject the rotor from the launcher.

Abstract: An aerial toy to be projected into the air, the toy having a rotor to slow the descent. The rotor is locked to be coplanar with the body while the toy is projected and during the ascent of the toy. At the apex of flight, the toy changes its attitude, the front pointing down, and a gravity operated driver releases the lock for the rotor. The rotor then rotates, providing enough aerodynamic drag to cause the toy to have a slow descent, and a soft landing.

Abstract: The Horizontal Axis Rotatory Frustum Toy is a catapulted cylinderlike flying-wing glider that rotates horizontally to produce lift and quite slow flight, suitable indoors or out. A rubber band or string can be used to launch it. Unique shape provides good lateral stability. The design principle may have military dispersion bomb applications.