Amusement devices: toys – Inflatable – Figure
Reexamination Certificate
1999-01-05
2001-02-13
Ackun, Jacob K. (Department: 3712)
Amusement devices: toys
Inflatable
Figure
C446S176000, C446S178000, C446S179000, C446S199000, C040S406000, C040S412000, C040S439000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186857
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Dynamically inflatable decorative devices which provide their own cyclical movement.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is a long history of the use of inflatable objects, particularly in the form of static figures to provide visual displays. Often such figures depicted human, animal or humanoid characters that might be utilized at openings or events or at places such as amusement parks. Such inflatable figures provided an easy and economical way to provide relatively large figures which could be deflated for easy shipment and storage.
Such figures might be mounted or supported in such a way that desired movement might be imparted to the figure as for example by attached guide wires or by fan-produced transverse wind currents. They did not have the inherent ability within themselves to provide movement.
Similarly, applicant and others have provided large decorative displays in the form of arrays or inflatable colored tubing arranged and supported in a variety of configurations on buildings or similar large structures.
One relatively recent development has been a product known as the “Vertitube” which essentially comprises a single upright inflatable tube which is secured at its lower end to an air blower or pump. The tube is open at its upper end so that air pumped in to the lower end is discharged through the open upper end. In operation, as the tube inflates and extends upwardly, various destabilizing forces act on the tube, including forces of gravity, shifts in dynamic and static pressure produced by the air flow into and out of the tube, external wind currents, etc. These combined forces tend to cause the upwardly extended tube to bend or deform temporarily. Such deformation, and the resultant increase in internal static pressure, primarily in the upward direction, tend to return the tube to its upright extended position, where it is again subject to the destabilizing forces. Such tubes tend to provide random or apparently random cycling movement between the extended position and a destabilized bent or deformed position. Because of the simple structure of this tube the cycle of movement tends to be generally simple and repetitive, and therefore of somewhat limited variety and interest.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,675 to STODDARD discloses an inflatable balloon mountable over an air vent and operable to (I) be inflated by air from the vent, and (II) to collapse when air from the vent stops. It depicts, in its main embodiment, an inflatable ghost figure with a body, a head, and a pair of arms that extend generally outwardly to the sides. There are a series of small “exhaust ports 18” that are disposed along the underside of each arm 14. The primary stated function of these small ports is to “direct air flow over streamers 17 to cause them to move” (column 4 lines 30-31). This reference patent also refers to the ports allowing “a portion of the entering air in the balloon to escape causing the balloon to shimmer and move” (claim 2 and Column 2, line 17). This prior art reference does not teach creating continuous and automatic repetitive bending and unbending of the figure in response to a continuous flow of gas into and out of the figure without intentional intervention. As noted above there is intentional intervention, i.e., turning the gas flow on and off so that it is not continuous. Even while the flow is on, there is only a “partial” release through the ports and no resultant bending.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,348,250 to GARDNER shows a an animated inflatable display figure that is made to move by intentionally changing the air pressure in the figure through a cam and valve arrangement.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,346,978 to LETSINGER shows an inflatable advertising device which is “air supported”, i.e., intended to inflate and stay up. The inflated device has a small opening at the top for emission of colored “smoke” and to allow lamp heat to be dissipated. Thus, this reference does not disclose an inflatable object that moves as by extending and bending, and does not teach the use of a central opening or openings to implement or contribute to such movement.
SUMMARY OF THE ILLUSTRATED APPARATUS AND METHOD
In the presently preferred illustrated form, the apparatus includes an inflatable bendable figure that, in response to a continuous generally constant input flow of gas in a generally outward direction into the figure and without intentional intervention, inflates to a generally outwardly extended position and that automatically and continuously performs a generally repetitive cycle of movements between the extended position and at least one bent position.
As used in this application a “generally constant input flow of gas” means that there is an input source that provides a gas flow that is generally fixed or constant in terms of what the source itself provides to the object or figure, without regard to how that flow may be altered by the interaction of the flow with the object. For example, as described in detail below, the structure of the figure cooperates with the flow so that periodically a shift between static and dynamic pressure in the expanded figure allows the figure to bend, which results in a buildup of static pressure that temporarily reduces flow through the figure.
As used in this application, flow “without intentional intervention” means without action by the user or any control mechanism aside from the direct response of the apparatus to the flow. There is no change made by the user or a control mechanism to the flow into or out of the figure, as distinguished from any change in flow through the figure which results from the interaction between flow and figure such as just described above. The volume, pressure, etc. of input flow into or out of the figure is not changed or adjusted as by a valves or other means manually controlled by the operator or automatically controlled as by a timer or sensing control mechanism. There are no mechanical or physical members, lines, etc. attached to the figure to alter its movement. Unintentional forces such as a wind may impact figure movement, but that is not intentional intervention. In other words, the flow is introduced into the figure, and the operator and the apparatus, in effect, stand back and let the flow and figure simply interact and produce figure movement as they will.
The illustrated figure has a pair spaced apart legs, a torso, a head and a pair of outwardly and upwardly extending arms. Vents or outlets are provided at a plurality of spaced apart locations, preferably at the top of the head and at the ends of the arms, allowing for the continuous release of generally all of the gas being introduced into the figure. The outlets not only provide the outflow from the inflated figure, but the configuration and location of the outlets determines the magnitude and direction of reactive destabilizing forces produced by outflow from the outlets. This helps define and determine the particular movement pattern for the undulating inflated figure. Thus, the multiplicity of outlet vents, their locations, and the addition of ancillary sections of the figure provided by the arms produces a much more complex and sophisticated pattern of movement of the figure.
Preferably, the outlets provide a release of gas generally symmetrically with reference to the torso central axis. While it is desirable to have this symmetrical release of gas, the ancillary sections need not be symmetrical to achieve this result. For example, a figure might have one arm on one side with one large outlet and a plurality of arms on the other side with a plurality of small outlets.
For many applications, the extended object will be generally upright. This arrangement is simple and effective. On some occasions however, it may be desired that the object extend at an incline from the vertical. This could be done for visual aesthetic purposes or might simply be the convenient result of using the apparatus on an inclined surface such as a hillside.
Music may be provided to create the impression that the figure is dancing to the music. While the movement
Dranger Arieh Leon
Gazit Doron
Ackun Jacob K.
Ashen & Lippman
Hughes Kevin
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for providing inflated undulating figures does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for providing inflated undulating figures, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for providing inflated undulating figures will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2561223