Electric lamp or space discharge component or device manufacturi – Apparatus
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-27
2001-08-28
Ricci, John A. (Department: 3712)
Electric lamp or space discharge component or device manufacturi
Apparatus
C446S211000, C446S473000, C222S079000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06280277
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a toy, and more particularly to a water gun that converts to a self-propelled water toy.
The invention doubles the enjoyment provided by a water gun by enabling the water gun to be converted into a realistic self-propelled toy water craft, such as a toy submarine. The water gun is preferably a pump-action water gun of the type in which air is pumped into a reservoir in order to apply pressure to water in the reservoir, causing the water to be expelled forcefully upon opening of an outlet valve in response to activation of a trigger. When the toy is converted into a water craft, a trigger latch holds open the outlet valve so that water is expelled continuously even after the trigger is released.
2. Description of the Related Art
The combination water gun and submarine toy of the present invention modifies the known type of pump-action, air pressure type of water gun so that it can be converted into a toy water craft, and in particular into a toy submarine.
Pump-action water guns that utilize air pressure to forcefully expel a continuous stream of water have recently attained widespread popularity. In the conventional pump-action water gun of this type, air is pumped into the water reservoir to apply pressure to water in the reservoir. When a trigger is operated to open an outlet valve for the reservoir, the water is expelled in a continuous stream at a force that is greater than can be provided by a conventional purely mechanical pump system, thus providing wetter and more fun water play. Examples of pump-action, air pressure type water guns are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,239,129 (which also discloses a combined water gun/flashlight), U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,074,437, 5,150,819, 5,305,919, 5,339,987, and 5,419,458.
Like the water gun of the present invention, most conventional water guns, whether of the air pressure or purely mechanical type, are constructed to resemble actual or stylized firearms. However, unlike the water gun of the present invention, when the conventional water gun is turned over or tossed into a body of water, it does not even remotely resemble or suggest any sort of vehicle or water craft, much less a self-propelled water craft that utilizes the water expelling mechanism of the water gun as a means of propulsion for the water craft. As a result, when play with the water guns is over, or when it is too cold outdoors for water play, the water guns must be set aside.
To increase the versatility of conventional water guns, it has previously been proposed to combine the conventional water guns with other types of toys. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5.564,961 and 5,667,419 disclose water guns hidden in puppets, while U.S. Design Patent No. Des. 348,913 depicts a combination water pistol and airplane. However, the toys with which the water guns described in these patents are combined are not intended as separate playthings, but rather are ornamentally disguised water guns which can essentially only be used for water gun play.
It has also been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,486 to add a water squirting mechanism to a remote-controlled self-propelled vehicle in order to increase the versatility and attractiveness ofthe vehicle. However, in order to achieve such versatility, the combined vehicle utilizes a relatively complex and expensive arrangement of a separate motor for propelling the vehicle and an electric pump for squirting water. While adding interest to its role as a remote controlled vehicle, the combined vehicle/water squirting toy of this prior patent has a configuration that does not resemble a gun, and is unsuitable for traditional water gun play. In addition, it is not suitable for use as a water craft.
To date, therefore, water guns have been limited to traditional water gun play, while other vehicles, including vehicles intended for swimming pool or bathtub play, have been considered to be entirely separate items unsuitable for traditional water gun play. The possibility of combining a water gun with a self-propelled water craft does not appear to have been even remotely considered, much less the possibility of utilizing the water gun shooting mechanism as the means of propulsion for the vehicle, so that the combined vehicle is no more complicated or expensive than an ordinary air pressure type water gun.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a accordingly a first objective of the invention to provide a water gun with additional functionality, so that the water gun can be played with even when traditional water gun play, i.e., shooting streams of water at others while mimicking the action of a gun, is not permitted or not possible.
It is a second objective of the invention to provide a water gun with additional functionality, in which the additional functionality is that the water gun may be used as a toy water craft.
It is a third objective of the invention to provide a water gun with additional functionality, in which the additional functionality is that the water gun may be used as a self-propelled toy water craft.
It is a fourth objective of the invention to provide a water gun which converts into a toy water craft.
It is a fifth objective of the invention to provide a water gun which converts into a self-propelled toy water craft, and yet which does not require additional motors or other propulsion mechanisms.
It is a sixth objective of the invention to provide a water toy which, when held in a first orientation, resembles and functions as a water gun, and which when turned over, resembles and functions as a toy water craft.
It is a seventh objective of the invention to provide a water toy which, which converts to a self-propelled toy water craft, and in which the self-propelled toy water craft is a realistic toy submarine.
It is a eighth objective of the invention to provide a combination of a pump action/air pressure type water gun with a realistic self-propelled submarine, including optional gun or submarine sound effects.
These objectives are achieved, in accordance with the principles of a preferred embodiment of the invention, by providing a water toy which, in a first orientation or “mode”, may be used as a water gun and which, in a second orientation or “mode”, may be used as a self-propelled toy water craft. The orientation or mode may be changed by by folding or unfolding parts of the toy although, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the principal way in which the mode is changed is simply to invert the toy.
In an especially preferred embodiment of the invention, the shape of the toy is such that, in the first orientation or mode, the toy resembles a firearm and, in the second orientation or mode, the toy resembles a submarine or similar water craft, with the portion of the housing accommodating the trigger being arranged to resemble a conning tower of a submarine or other ship. However, the representations may be either realistic, with suitable appurtenances such as fins or louvers to enhance the realism, or highly stylized, and it is within the scope of the invention to construct the toy to have shapes other than those of a firearm and/or submarine, so long as the functionality ofthe “water gun” and “submarine” modes is maintained.
The mechanism by which the two modes are achieved, i. e., which allows the toy to function as a water gun in the first orientation and as a self-propelled water craft in the second orientation, is the same used in a conventional pump-action, air pressure type water gun, with the modification that in the second orientation the trigger will latch to provide continuous expulsion of water from a nozzle for use in propelling the toy.
More particularly, within the main body of a toy having the above-described characteristics is an air/water reservoir arranged to be filled with water. The reservoir is in communication with a hand-pump which pressurizes the air/water reservoir to cause water to be forcibly expelled from the reservoir upon opening a valve at a water outlet of the reservoir. The water outlet valve is contr
Greenberg Michael A.
Greenberg Richard J.
Bacon & Thomas
Ricci John A.
Shelcore Inc.
LandOfFree
Combination water gun and self-propelled water toy does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Combination water gun and self-propelled water toy, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Combination water gun and self-propelled water toy will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2454848